Simplicity

In simplicity there is freedom...

freedom to do less and to enjoy more.

Katrina Kennison

For those of you who don't know my personality, I like to keep things simple.  I don't like to have a lot of "stuff". ( Much to my children's dismay) Well, this weekend, some old neighbors brought us bags and bags and bags and bags of their kid's clothing that they had grown out of.  Ya gotta love hand-me-downs.  Especially when you have six kids.  However, by the time we got done going through it all, I was a bit overwhelmed!  Madeline immediately began trying everything on and within a few hours was covered in hives!  The people we got the clothes from have three big dogs, and apparently she is allergic. 

I had to wash the clothes...twice.  I had to sort them all into who they would fit now and who they would fit later, what was going to good will and what was going to cousins...yes there were that many clothes. 

A lot of the clothes were really nice.  These people only have two children and they have a lot of clothes...really nice ones from stores that I've never even been into.  But after doing all of this laundry, and trying to find places for it in their drawers and closets I think I am going to stick to what I've always stuck to before..."More isn't always better...sometimes it's just more.." ( from the movie "Sabrina")  

I normally have about 5 bottoms and 10 tops for each of my kids.  A sweat outfit, a sweater, a hoodie, coat, 10 underwear, 10 pair of socks etc...(although my husband has waaay more clothes than anyone!)
This may not sound like a lot...but believe me, when you multiply it by 8 people...it's a lot!
Just consider socks...10 pair per person...that is 160 single socks wandering around my house...no wonder they seem to disappear.  That's 80 shirts, and 40 pants and 80 pair of underwear!  
If I were to count the shirts in my six year old daughter's closet now, I'm sure there would be around 30.  That's for one kid!  And really Mac, do we have to save all six hoodies?  
Now, back to my quote...In simplicity there is freedom...definitely
freedom to do less... laundry... and to enjoy more...time with my family.
Anyone need any clothes?

These were actually taken of the closets in our old house.  The first one is for three little girls! (The bins are off season, or clothes that are too big, too little.)

The second one is mine...see...simple...less really is more!