The Power of Purging

I found myself with an unexpected day off yesterday so I made great use of my time by working on a project I started a few months ago - purging my kids' closets!  With the boys being 4 and 6 years old and no other babies in our future, I decided it was finally time to get rid of the pile of bins of clothes that have accumulated in our basement!  We are very fortunate to have more clothes than my kids could ever wear thanks to hand-me-downs and savvy-shopping grandparents but it was time to say good-bye to all those well-loved clothes!  And here's where I found homes for them:

• Consignment - I never really bought or sold at consignment stores before but was very intrigued by the RI Kids Consignment Sale that is held twice a year, in the fall and spring.  This was the first purge earlier this fall:  sell-off any baby gear and clothes that are in good shape and get one big check at the end of the weekend.  Over the last few months I've also gotten to know many owners of local children's consignment stores and they are wonderful women to deal with.

• Donation - After being given/gifted so many clothes, I knew I needed to give back to those in need.  Through a contact in a mom's group I'm part of, I found a church that gives clothes to families who need them - no paperwork, no questions, no money!  Perfect!  I loaded up 4 garbage-bags of clothes and dropped them off knowing they are going to be put to good use.  My husband and I also went through our very crammed coat closet and pulled any coat we haven't worn in years and donated it to One Warm Coat through a local coat drive.

• Trade & Swap - Since opening KT, finances have been on the tight side so I've learned new ways of doing business which includes trading and swapping.  I found a mom who wanted some little boy 'themed' clothes and toys, so I made up a few packages and traded them for some items she had on-hand that I could use.  Win-win and fun!

• Sell, Sell, Sell! - This summer I held my first yard sale ever and was able to un-load a handful of clothes and household items.  (Of course the boys had to stay at my parents house so they wouldn't see their stuff going to other homes!)  And with yard sale season just about over, I've now found a fun, direct, on-line way to sell (and buy) items:  Rhode Island Moms Sell and Swap.  This group is on FB and is similar to craigslist but the big difference is that it's a closed group and you can tell who you're buying from.  I see myself using this site often!

With my major purge finally done, I feel such a weight has been lifted not only from me but from my crowded storage rooms and closets.  Next on the list to purge:  trinkets, kitchen gadgets, candles, and holiday decor!  

-Aimee
owner of KT, mom to Josh and Matthew, ages 6 and 4

Fall

In my opinion Rhode Island’s most beautiful time of year is also it’s most fleeting. Now that I am a mother I can’t help but remind myself day to day of the coming of our longest and most difficult season (and yes it is very beautiful... if your children are old enough for you to see it from anywhere other than the window of your home or car). 

My preparations for my winter wonderland of sanity are already starting. Here are my plans:

Give thanks each day that Kite Tails Play Center will be open 6 days a week.

Join and take part in Moms Groups (check out www.MeetUp.com).

Follow Macaroni Kid updates as often as I do the weather report.

Host some play dates at my home.

My children’s toys, that hold their interest longest, are slowing disappearing into my closet so that they can resurface as a surprise in the time of dire need.  

Stocking up on art supplies. 

Kiss My Face natural shaving cream makes for crazy and clean fun.

And I’m even planning to throw a pretend pool party on my kitchen floor with bathing suits and strong cocktails for mom and dad. 

I am curious to hear how your families are getting ready for the long days of play indoors. A lot of us don’t have children in school yet, so don’t brag if you do! : )

-Sue
 

Sue Eldridge is a stay at home mom with no time on her hands. She has been married for 3 years, has a two year old, and a one year old. She keeps busy with obvious duties as well as her own home business. She plans to homeschool and go back to college when her children are old enough to tutor her. 

Digital Age - Here We Come!

Opening Kite Tails 9 months ago has introduced me to Facebook, e-mail newsletters, on-line networking, and now, BLOGGING!  Our KT community has grown to well over 1200 families from RI and near-by Mass and CT, and I'm always looking for new, fun ways to connect with all of you.  I have heard so many wonderful stories and witnessed many acts of brave parenting while sitting here at the counter that I wanted a platform to be able to share ideas and resources that I think you would find helpful and give you a good giggle.  But as many of you can imagine, my time is rather limited some days so I've enlisted the help of other KT moms to keep this blog going.  They'll each share their own thoughts and ideas based on their personal experiences as moms.  Each mom will sign their blog so you know who's talking and you'll soon get to know them well.  If you'd like to blog with us, send me an e-mail and we'll see what we can do.

I'm new to blogging so be patient as we work through our design and format.  Feedback is always helpful!

-Aimee, owner of KT