Out with the old, in with the new!

So yesterday One Philly Daddy and I put out 9 (count 'em nine!) bags of clothes and books to be donated to a local charity. And our closets are still remarkably full. But that's a story for another day.

For some reason, donating clothes can sometimes have an emotional component, and it certainly did for me this time. I've been stashing clothes in a bag in the bottom of my closet as I come across thing that don't fit, I don't like, or just don't make me feel great. I got rid of things that just didn't fit my style. I'm a simple gal. Solid T's, an occasional stripe and lots and lots of earthy "grounded" colors, as my style was once described to me. Now, that's not to say that I don't appreciate the look of a nice leopard print or tried on a few occasions to pull off said print or bright color. I admire the look on others, but end up fidgeting and fussing when I try to wear it myself. So I finally am giving up the "maybe I'll like it one day" fantasy, and am just keeping the clothes that I forget I'm wearing. You know, the ones I feel so comfortable in that I forget what I'm wearing. That to me is comfortable and right. If I'm more aware of what I'm wearing that what I'm doing I'm just not comfortable and I'm probably not rocking the look anyway.

So, away go things that don't make me feel grounded, comfortable and happy.

One Philly Daddy's donation style was different, and involved going through each drawer and his closet in one night. Quite the undertaking, and much more observable. Since, you know, it was a giant pile in the middle of the bedroom.

For me, One Philly Daddy's donations were emotional too. A lot of it was stuff he just didn't like anymore, and he often said "I just don't need this much stuff!" A sentiment I support more and more.

But more significant was the fact that most of his single-funny guy-very humorous-occasionally offensive t-shirt collection got donated. (Not sure how that will go over, but hey, maybe they have a young male volunteer just dying for these T's!)

Now these are shirts that I told him would have to go once we started a family. No one wants to see a man at the park with his kid in a shirt about drinking! (Right?!?! Back me up here!!!)

But once they were in the pile to go away, it suddenly felt like the passing of an era, a milestone, a real moment in our lives. Like we were shedding yet another layer of ourselves to become more of what we are now, and to make room for what we will become.

Which makes me so excited! I'm more and more excited and comfortable with our roles and excited for the life we're living and planning.

All that from a donation of our old clothes!