Kimberley Barker Nightingale: March 2016

Remember when your Grandmother and Mother used to talk about "spring cleaning?" And you thought to yourself, what are they talking about? Mom cleans all the time? What is so special about the spring time?

I remember my Mom would take down the winter time "drapes" (who uses that word anymore?) , clean them and put them away to make way for the "sheers" for the spring and summer. As a kid , I didn't pay too much attention back then but now as I am older and am a homeowner myself , I understand why these things were done at this time of year.

Each year at this time, I get the urge to cleanse things in my house and pretty much in my life, but let's talk about the house right now - a bit easier! Hahaha

So, this year, this cleansing feeling was calling me much deeper than it had in the past. You see , the grieving process is quite a journey when you love someone so much that it hurts so bad every time you allow your thoughts to wander to them. I have experienced heart break over boyfriends before and some of them were tougher than others, especially my divorce. But this time my heartbreak was over the woman who has seen me through scrapes and falls, school projects, pies gone bad, my first corporate job, my first completed novel. This heartbreak has been life changing and stopped me in my tracks.

I knew I needed to do something, anything to get my life moving . One of the things my Mom and I shared was a love of home renovation and organization. So, I pulled myself up and started a home project.

The closet purge had begun!

Well, it has taken me awhile and it's not done yet. It's a bit of challenge to fit my project around work and working out , but I'm divin" in - hahaha..

So, I thought I would give you a sneak peek at what it's looking like and how things are progressing. Understand that it is a work in progress, but I am getting there. I don't really like to air my "laundry" on the Internet however, I feel this could be of some help to my fellow women of the world who love their closets and want them to be neat and organized. I love Carrie's statement on Sex in the City - "I know where my money goes - right in my closet! " Hahaha.. so true! I have loved clothes since I can remember! And yes, I love bra's in every color! To my girlfriend Diane - I finally got one in green! Hahaha..

Has this little project helped me in my grieving process? Yes, it has. It makes me feel close to my Mom, it makes me feel lighter and like I have a little bit more control over my life ( which is kinda funny when cleaning your underwear drawer makes you feel like you have control! ). Here is to spring cleaning Mom and Grandma! It might be a different time, but the concepts still hold true! Kimberley