“The first step to getting what you want is having the courage to get rid of what you don’t.”
Sharing my journey with 30 Bags in 30 Days last Monday with you gals was so much fun. After I heard that some of you decided to join me, I got even more excited; I could practically picture you girls whisking around your house, with some sort of loud music on, filling up bag after bag, stuffing your cars embarrassingly full and feeling lighter as you dropped those bags off at the thrift store.
I get so excited about organizing and opening up my space for more life and less stuff and when I hear that some of you girls are in this with me, it’s the icing on my cake.
If you decided to take the challenge, I’d really love to hear what you’ve gotten rid of so far and how it’s going for you! For so many years, I’ve wanted to organize my entire home and although I still have a lot to do, this bag-a-day system has been the most manageable approach so far.
As I’ve gone through our things, I’ve realized that just because something made us happy in the past, doesn’t mean we need to keep it forever. There’s a season for everything and I’ve learned having 3 young kids could come with a lot of “stuff”, but it doesn’t need to be that way. Turns out, lots of stuff isn’t a requirement for raising kids well! Sorry for the sarcasm, but doesn’t it just seem like our society has it so backwards sometimes? I’m learning that a simple environment can not only bring me a lot of peace, but the simplicity can also really benefit our kids.
As we enter into Week 2 of the 30 Day Bag Challenge, I thought I’d share 7 Clutter-Busting Routines we use in our home:
1. Deal with mail immediately: My uncle once said that he has a “touch it once policy”, which means when he brings his mail in, he immediately sorts it, recycles it, tosses it…whatever. It only takes a moment to sort our mail and if I deal with it right away, it won’t sit on the counter later.
2. Store kitchen appliances out of sight (with the exception, for sanity purposes, of the coffee maker): At first it seemed strange not to have the toaster on the counter, now I realize how much more room we have and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
3. Remove 1 bag of stuff each day, until you’re done: If you’re like me, it’ll take you 10 minutes or so to gather up a bag of stuff for the thrift store. Do this each day until your home feels clutter-free.
4. Do one load of laundry each day: A load a day keeps our laundry from ever building up and becoming overwhelming.
5. Kids pick up their toys each evening and before naptime: This has countless benefits: 1) It teaches responsibility. 2) It helps kids realize that more isn’t always better. 3) Our home is clean and ready to greet the new day in the morning.
6. Wash dishes right away: Honestly, I really don’t like doing dishes, but I’d rather do a few throughout the day rather than wait until the sink is full and overflowing. It’s so much easier to just keep up with it, rathering than saving it for later.
7. Keep surfaces clear: Kitchen counters, bathroom counters, bedroom dressers, tabletops. I like to take 5 minutes every hour or so and just put stuff away. This helps me stay on top of it and the clutter never has a chance to take over.
How’s your 30 Bags in 30 Days challenge going?
