For the last week, we have had to live in between having our home’s pictures taken for a real estate website, random viewings and an open house that happened yesterday afternoon. This was a lot for us considering we have been coming off being mostly shut-ins during the pandemic while remote teaching, distance learning and hunkering down for the rainiest winter of the last decade. It’s the lifestyle equivalent of sucking in your gut.

Here is how our photos diverged from our actual life. Firstly, we have been closeting our bread addiction. Our toaster oven is the most used and least attractive countertop appliance we own. Instead we put out the fancy juicer I got for Christmas and have used thrice. I usually don’t refrigerate the bread either; I hate the texture and coldness. We’re crumby people IRL.

Next, we got rid of some of our coat collection. I said goodbye to my wool coat that is better suited to snow than rain. Moisture made it smell of sheep and we’re barnyard enough with the chickens trying to sneak in from the backyard. Tim said goodbye to the jacket with the broken zipper that he had had since before we dated. And of course, we got rid of all the coats the kids have outgrown; those arms aren’t getting shorter.

Finally, we have actually done somewhat better after the initial purge. The kids have played mostly in their bedroom since we cleared out half their toy collection. We got rid of two doll houses and I tossed half of the stuffed animals, plastic nonsense, and toys that had less favored status. When it comes to creative play, sometimes less is more.