Magic carpet ride anyone?

So, we're getting new carpet today upstairs....that means everything upstairs came downstairs......

Although it doesn't look like it....there is an "order" to this, albeit I'm being generous with the word order.

Thankfully, my mom has Georgia for the next two days so we can live in this chaos without the chaos that a two year old can bring on.  Plus--my mom was dying to see her, Georgia was dying to hang out at Gaga and Pop Pop's and play in the fountain so.......the stars aligned. 

So here you find me banished to the basement while the carpet guys work so hard upstairs.....and it's loud.  I think one might come through the ceiling at any moment, and I haven't seen my cat in about an hour....so I need to get on that too.  But top priority while I'm "stuck" down here is to gut the closets that have become catch all's for anything and everything as I have recently diagnosed myself with the early on-set of hoarding disease. 

Here's my problem--clothes. I can't throw them away. I know, I know....the old rule, "if you haven't worn it in over a year chances are you never will--so get rid of it," or, "if it doesn't fit you anymore, get rid of it."  Really?  Really? 

Well--to all of you who preach that to me what about that blue jean shirt dress that I "found" down here this winter that I hadn't worn in five years and it became one of my favorites this year paired with black leggings?  Or, what about when I lost 25 pounds three years ago and thankfully hadn't thrown away my skinny pants from when I was first married and was able to wear a whole bunch of them?  Or what about that black gingham strapless silk dress that I'm going to have altered so I can actually wear it and it won't fall off me this summer?  Hmmmmm?  What about all of those things?  You see--saving clothes can pay off. 

But then--there are also these abominations that I found today and for the life of me I can't figure out why I save them.  But right as I'm about to put them in the goodwill bag I think, "oh.....this (hideous) gauze skirt that looks like I'm on tour with the Judd's and has an ELASTIC! waist might get cool again next year and if I got rid of it I'd have to buy another one when they come back in style."

Help me.

And one of the coolest things about this super amazing skirt is that it hits me about mid shin--you know, that really flattering length for someone who is relatively short.  Oh, and it fit me 25 pounds heavier--so it's a really good thing I'm saving it....you know....in the hopes I can put on 25 pounds one day. 

Ah yes....isn't the gradient color on this little plaid number special?  Reminds me of hyper-color shirts from high school. Never wore this--it still has the tags in it and it's at least four years old.  "Hi, I'm Maggie, and I have a problem."

Clearly I was going through an Aladdin phase.  I must have already gotten rid of my brass lamp, my flying rug, and my silk balloon pants......bummer.

Okay....now this is really bad even though it might not look THAT bad in the picture.  First, it comes to my ankles and I swear it wasn't that long when I bought it, so it grew.  Second, it's super itchy.  Third, the zipper doesn't lay flat down the side so it looks like one of my hips is about a foot bigger than the other one.  All around a good dress to save. 

This is mauve.  That's all I need to say....other than it's in the Goodwill bag now.  Promise.

This is from my Ann Taylor wearing days and even when I wore it then I always felt like I should be selling Tupperware in 1955.  It's literally 11 years old.  So insane. 

The "best" for last.  I bought these with money I got from my high school open house.  They were the first pair of shoes I'd ever owned that cost $100.  I wore them to Africa after graduation and sometimes I think if I hold them long enough or slip my feet into them they'll conjure up memories of Victoria Falls or sleeping in a dried up river bed in the bush--but they don't.....they just remind me that I'm a wash my hair everyday kind of girl who doesn't like patchouli, hemp, dread locks, tofu, or incense and that I really have no business owning a pair of Birkenstocks.  I'm saying goodbye today.  

Have a good weekend everyone!  And be proud of me at how much I've let go of today.  It's a start.