Home » Home & Style » Household Organization » The Mother Load

The Mother Load

© Janet Kitto

My mother and I have a running joke about what can be fit inside my suitcase the next time I come to visit. I say there just won't be enough room in my luggage for any extras but she warmly suggests otherwise. By extras I mean those little things that get tucked away for me like books or craft supplies or clothes. Items that Mom no longer wants or needs but can't let go of without first trying to find them a new home with me. Then there are always the extras that get uncovered during spring cleaning that dear Mom has kept for me since I was a child. She knows that I don't have room in my suitcase when I fly out to visit so now I get packages in the mail. At least we both know that if it isn't worth spending postage on, it should be tagged for a garage sale or given to a charity.

We both are trying to declutter our lives, to find the balance between hoarding and living a simple life. In the past my obstacle had been to choose whether or not to take those extras my mother was gently trying to tuck into my hand. I felt challenged with a mixture of emotions when she would ask, "Would you like this?" Sorry Mom but it's true. I never said "No" enough. Sure I appreciated your generosity but the question of whether I needed it or not never entered my head. I just took whatever it was because there was some sort of emotional attachment to the item. I never considered that having a memory would be enough.

It took me a long time to learn how to say no to the ‘Mother Load'. I finally realized this year after moving boxes of clutter again to another home that was conveniently larger than the last house, that I was keeping items that did not bring the value to my life that I thought they would. Instead of living the simple life I desire, I have been overwhelmed and felt like a prisoner boxed in by my possessions.

This time when I go home to visit family I think both my mother and I know that it will be the memories we share over a cup of tea that I'll tuck away in my bags instead of the old creations from my childhood.

The copyright of the article The Mother Load in Household Organization is owned by . Permission to republish The Mother Load in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.