Clutter Busting Challenge: Update #4 Final

"If you want to FLY, you have to give up the things that weigh you down." "You can't organize clutter, you can only get rid of it." ~Flylady

We need less stuff. It makes your life feel freer and fuller than having stuff cluttering up your life and space. It causes you less stress if you don’t have to clean around the stuff.  You will have less to deal with than having to live with the excess stuff. Don't expect the stuff to go away right away because it’s a process that will take time. Don't replace stuff with more stuff. Give your things to others who may need them and throw out the useless, unnecessary items.

The things I got rid of since my last update:














A whole lot of small craft stuff.

My husband and I moved to a bigger bedroom this week and as we redid it we had a stack of curtains, pillow cases, and sheets that we no longer need.

We updated our bathroom this week so these are the things that didn't go back in and will be donated.

A lot of wire hangers from the clothes my stepdad didn't need.

The stack of clothes my stepdad didn't need and a baby suit.

A coat my husband bought at a yard sale and never wore.

Tupperware that I never use, a pillow, two books, and a small bag.

A blanket, dress shirt, a clock, vase with flowers and flower swag we won't be using in our room redo, lace, flower container, and the book series I read this month.

Two old school chairs.


This is the end of the Challenge for May but I will continue to purge things from my home as needed.

You can also read:
Clutter Busting Challenge
Clutter Busting Challenge: Update #1
Clutter Busting Challenge: Update #2
Clutter Busting Challenge: Update #3

Submitted to: Money Saving Mom

May 2013 Reading List

This month I read one book series. I find that I read a lot for several months and then I slow down for a couple months before my reading picks up again. I purged and donated several books from my bookshelves this month while doing the Clutter Busting Challenge, along with the one I read.

Maryland Brides Series by Tamela Hancock Murray

Love's Denial
The Ruse
Vera's Turn for Love

Submitted to: 2013 Booking It @ Life As Mom

Clutter Busting Challenge: Update #3

While you are tackling the months and years of accumulated stuff, try to stay current with today's stuff. Open, sort, and file mail daily. Hang up your clothes when you take them off. Clean up the kitchen every night after dinner. And for every new thing you bring into your home, send 5 things out until you get your belongings down to a more manageable level.

I did a lot of purging this week in my basement, the garden area, and office/craft room. Most days I collected more that 7 things and I am happy to have so much stuff out of my house.

The things I got rid of since my last update:
















2 pillows, an art easel, popcorn maker, book, baggie of creamer, and a wooden container.

A bunch of garden stuff.

11 containers.

4 wreaths, 2 blue bows, 2 checkered towels, a red bow, a little basket, a baggie of wreath making supplies, a candy tree container, a basket, and 6 small figurines.

fabric, 3 stencils, flower dying powder, a basket of shells, and a green piece of something.

a whole lot of odd craft supplies.

6 craft/art kits.

2 plastic tablecloths, and 4 placemats.

You can also read:
Clutter Busting Challenge
Clutter Busting Challenge: Update #1
Clutter Busting Challenge: Update #2

My List of Things that went into the trash:

A big stack of papers
damp paper bags
some craft stuff
some garden stuff

This stuff filled a tall kitchen trash bag.

Submitted to: Money Saving Mom

Clutter Busting Challenge: Update #2

Decluttering has made me more mindful of how much excess stuff can hinder our relationship with God and others, along with our ability to truly use and enjoy our stuff. It takes me less time to clean and organize when I have less. I find that having less helps me to have time for the fun stuff such as baking, reading, crafting etc. I love to cook and bake but I do not need 15 cookbooks with maybe a handful of recipes that I like instead I am working on typing them up and organizing them into notebooks and donating the cookbooks. Less is more not only with time but in usability.


The things I got rid of since my last update:

I found 9 craft books to donate to the library.

2 containers of Metamucil, a ball, 2 mini nail polishes, a pair of pants, and a pair of shorts.

7 books more books.

3 bags that we used for library trips at one time, and 4 food containers.

4 folders, a notepad, a clipboard, and a zipped pouch with stuff in it.

A set notebook tabs, 3 zippered pouches, a ant farm, my old eye glasses, and sparkling water no one liked.

10 Bible Study books.


My List of Things that went into the trash:

A big stack of old homeschool papers
a bag of containers

This stuff filled a tall kitchen trash bag.

You can also read:
Clutter Busting Challenge
Clutter Busting Challenge: Update #1

Submitted to: Money Saving Mom

What’s on My To Do List for today?

My daily chores of dishes, laundry, taking out the trash, vacuuming, do a general pick up around the house and making dinner. My zone for this week is the bathroom so I need to do a detailed cleaning. I need to find 7 things to donate for my “Toss 7 things each day in May” Challenge @ Money Saving Mom. Yesterday I found 9 craft books to donate to the library.

 My daily focus for today is office tasks. I need to see if there is anything I need to add to my lists for upcoming family events, work on my blog which means writing about my experience with “Organizing For A Fresh Start”, and get pictures taken and flyer finalized for the upcoming yoga class I am teaching. I am also prepping for going to my daughter Brittany’s tomorrow to bake 100+ cupcakes for my granddaughter’s party on Sunday.

Just for fun I plan to finish reading my current book called “The Ruse” it is one of three in the Maryland Bride’s Series I am reading. The genre I like to read is Historical Christian Romance. I thought this was appropriate for the month since my two daughters are kind of Maryland Brides. I may read the two Yoga Journal magazines I borrowed from the library to go along with my office day.

This afternoon I need to work in my garden since that is my projects for this week. I planted two flats of vegetable plants yesterday but have some space left in my gardens so I may get more this weekend. I am planting the last flat of flowers today along with three 3-packs of melon plants, 6 pots of herbs and picking up sticks in the yard to put in the fire pit.

Later tonight I have Zumba, and am watching the documentary my husband and I started on Tuesday called “The Weight of the Nation”.

Clutter Busting Challenge: Update #1

Total organization is the goal, but the process is everlasting!

My home is organized and clean but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have thing that I own that I find I no longer need. I am constantly bringing new things into my home therefore older things need to be disposed of. I have things I have saved that served its purpose for a time but it’s time to let go off. One of the ways I have kept my home clean and organized is by doing a decluttering project as each season changes.  In the fall I like to clean out closets and before the holidays I like to clean out and organize my kitchen. I do the garage, shed, and porches in the spring and then again in the fall.  I always have a decluttering and organizing project that I am working on.

I started my blog in 2009 and have participated in various challenges offered on blogs I follow which has added to the fun of an otherwise boring task. I have been downsizing our possessions a lot over the last 2 years since my kids are almost grown which I understand some people go through as they prepare for an empty nest.  

The things I got rid of since May 1st:

A pair of shoes, 3 pairs of sunglasses, 2 check registers, and 2 shirts.

A coffee pot that I'm getting rid of because I bought a thermal coffee pot so I no longer have to deal with breaking one glass pot a year, a basket, 2 baby blankets since my granddaughter has enough, 3 music cd's that I ripped to my computer, 2 previously read books, a baggies of creamers, and a dress that didn't fit right.

A fish bowl with stuff in it, goldfish food, hermit crab food, mill worms, beta fish food, a coconut house, all stuff that my kids are done with and a bag of children's erasers. 

Stuff to be donated to our previous 4H Club are 11 unused 4H project books and a 4H shirt.

2 swings from a swing set taken down 2 summers ago, and a collection of boxes not needed for our daughter's upcoming move.

6 Books from my bookshelf and a pillow.

My List of Things that went into the trash:

Popcorn balls leftover from Halloween
A storage bag with 15 dried glue sticks

A stack of magazines from my porch from last summer

This stuff almost filled a tall kitchen trash bag.

You may also read:
Clutter Busting Challenge

Submitted to: Money Saving Mom

Clutter Busting Challenge

For the month of May I am joining Money Saving Mom in her Clutter Busting Challenge to Get Rid of 7 things every single day in May. These is NO way I am going to BLOG every day in May about the 7 things I am de-cluttering instead I will post a update every week before I take my donations to be dropped off.

I have done some serious decluttering the last 2 years but I still have a few areas that I need to work on. My areas of concentration will be the basement, my kids' past year’s homeschool work and school supplies, my closet, and my little craft office. These are some of my Organization Goals for 2013 and I hope to make some progress on them during this challenge. Paper clutter can add up real fast so I will try to get rid of at least 1 grocery bag per week along with my 7 things each day.

I have a laundry hamper in my basement that is our donation station so I will fill it up until it’s full and then make a trip to Goodwill. I usually gather several errands I can do when I am going into town the night before and load my van so I can get a lot done on the same trip and don’t forget anything.

I challenge you to get rid of 7 things each day in May, too.

Submitted to: Money Saving Mom