Who else feels like a hot mess during this back to school
season? We certainly fit with that
description! We are back to school with
our new daughter who is settling in her new home, new school, new friends, new
church, and new life. The days feel
overwhelming as I struggle to keep the laundry and dishes from taking over the
house while also keeping my children fed and safe. I’m exhausted at the end of each day. Having less clutter and less to care for
seems like it would help. I crave a more
simple life and home. How does a
clutter bug such as myself get to a point of clutter-free zen? I truly have no idea, but I’m going to keep
striving! Bonus challenge: weigh or
count all the stuff you get rid of! To help out, I made this hideously ugly printable calendar with a retro feel.. I was too lazy to make one for the rest of August...so here's September.
August
26 – Kids clothing – My kids tend to wear the same outfits
over and over. Why do I even keep the
rest? Today I plan on going through my
kids’ clothing and donating what they don’t wear. That “Does it spark joy?” line of thinking
gets me in trouble…so I’m going to ask myself “Does it all fit in the
designated space?” I’ll start with
taking everything out Marie-Kondo style, then putting my favorites in
first. Whatever doesn’t fit at the end
goes. Simple. Brutal.
Effective. We’ll see how this
pans out. I’m going to use this strategy
for all my decluttering challenges.
27. Kid’s Shoes –
they are piled up in the door, out in the garden, between car seats… Time to change
this!
28. Summer Toys – I think
it may be time to put the inflatable pool away…also all the plastic junk that’s
accumulated in the back yard! I’m ready
for coffee in the crisp autumn air before my kids wake up!
29. Shredded
Paper. Oh, Lord. I pray he’ll help me with this. I have paper in every corner of the house… I’ll never have time to sit and shred it all
so I plan on using a shredding service to help!
30. Make a chore
list. Mama shouldn’t have to do all this
alone, right? I think it’s well past
time we sit down as a family and dole out some responsibility!
31. Donation
time. All the crap from the week of
decluttering needs to go. So gather up
the donations, recycling, papers to shred and get out of the house!
September
- Set up a recycling center. Plastic, glass, cardboard, markers, donations, batteries can all be recycled or reused.
- Notebooks/notes/binders – I have a bad habit of writing on the first page of a notebook and then forgetting about it. There are probably dozens of half-filled notebooks scattered about the house. I also have the notes from conferences/bible studies/parenting classes scattered around too. So I’m going to tear apart the notebooks, recycle and reuse what I can!
- Markers – So many dried up markers…they multiplied like rabbits! Gather up the markers, test them, then RECYCLE them! Crayola has a marker recycling program.
- Pencils/ Pens – Same as the markers…but with the rest of the writing utensils
- Erasers, staplers, whole punches, and other office supplies – Gather it, sort it, keep it, toss it.
- Lunch box gear – Leaky cold packs? Mismatched Tupperware? Toss it!
- 15 minute donate dash – Get your kids involved on this one! Grab a box, set the timer, and GO! Just go wherever and do a mad 15 minute donate dash. Now put it in the car along with the other donations and take it out of the house.
- Gratitude Day. If there was a day you missed, here’s your day to catch up. I’ll also be using this day to pray that I can create a safe haven for my family, thank God for all his blessings, and set aside my to-do list to actually rest. Not a Christian? I challenge you to reflect on your motivation for a clutter free house, write a family gratitude list, and enjoy time with your family
- Cars – Gather up all the trash out of the cars, and take in the stuff that should be in the house.
- Cars – gather my insurance, registration, and maintenance logs and put them where they should go.
- Kids’ Artwork – I plan on taking pictures of my favorite pieces for a photo album, then recycling the art!
- Kids’ flat surfaces – How bad are the flat surfaces in your kids’ rooms? If they are like mine they are bad…
- Under Kids’ beds – Who knows what’s under there?
- 15 minute donate dash – Get your kids involved on this one! Grab a box, set the timer, and GO! Just go wherever and do a mad 15 minute donate dash. Now put it in the car along with the other donations and take it out of the house.
- 15. Gratitude Day. If there was a day you missed, here’s your day to catch up. I’ll also be using this day to pray that I can create a safe haven for my family, thank God for all his blessings, and set aside my to-do list to actually rest. Not a Christian? I challenge you to reflect on your motivation for a clutter free house, write a family gratitude list, and enjoy time with your family without worry today!
- Backpacks/purses/bags – Geeze, I didn’t know there were more in my attic! Get rid of the excess.
- Books – Children books. There are a few I hate reading and a few my kids hate too. Let em go!
- Books – Nonfiction. I have so many books on housecleaning and decluttering. Let’s face it…I’m never going to open them. Goodbye!
- Books – fiction. I liked this book when I was 12… and I’m never going to read it again. Let it go!
- Bookshelves – what random junk is on the bookshelves? Oh! Here’s my nail polish...and my purse…and the electricity statement…
- 15 minute donate dash. Set the timer and gather all the donations, trash, and recyclables you can find. Then load it up and haul it out!
- Gratitude Day – If I appreciated what I have, I wouldn’t be so inclined to get more. So we are spending today practicing gratitude.
- Sports equipment – Not into soccer anymore? Declutter!
- Cosmetics – are there empty bottles of shampoo? Expired makeup? A million bath and body work body sprays?
- Electronics – Game cartridges you no longer have the console for, old nonfunctional consoles, old screens, old tvs, and whatever other electronics are sitting around doing nothing.
- Gloves, scarves, and hats - fall is here! Let’s get ready for it
- Blankets – They are piled up in my closets, under my couch cushions, and anywhere else I can shove them. Maybe it’s time to part with a few.
- 15 minute donate dash – Get your kids involved on this one! Grab a box, set the timer, and GO! Just go wherever and do a mad 15 minute donate dash. Now put it in the car along with the other donations and take it out of the house.
- Gratitude Day
- Plastic bags – I save plastic grocery bags to reuse or recycle. They’ve taken over like tribbles on a starship. Gather them up and take them to a recycling center (Walmart for us).
Phew! If you made it this far, congrats! How many bags or pounds did you get rid of?
