We are cleaning out the garage. It needs it. We need it. It is a collection of 17 years of kids, activities, growth, hobbies, projects. We are stepping over piles of stuff and so it is time. This might be our 6 month project. We take a shelf each night, and work through it. Being diligent to discard, give away and being conservative with keeping. We've thrown away expired gardening stuff, broken hockey sticks, parts that go to something we've gotten rid of already. It's been hard and good. When it is my turn to look at an item, John doesn't pressure me but helps me make a decision, keep, give, throw away. When it is his turn I do the same. We've gone through his college books, outdated? yes but only because they are on a newer edition. He hasn't used them. Kids' school projects, I walk down memory lane but they don't care about them. I've already documented most of it on this blog and well what wasn't documented, they don't remember or care, it's only me. Dress up clothes in three boxes have been paired down to one.  I did keep some that my mom made for my brother and I and that my kids wore and maybe they will be used again. I realize that we won't be parking the cars anytime soon in the garage. We are not about to get rid of the ping pong table, or the weights, or the bikes, but we can make it so we can walk around the garage and find the things that we want.  Hopefully there will be a part two of this project.  The after shots.