Clutter Busting Challenge June 2014 Part 4

I'm at 1,285 items purged from my home for the month of June. It's slowing down now that its getting close to the end of the month.I spend last week prepping and celebrating our youngest son Brandon's graduation from our homeschool.


My purge pile this week:

You maybe interested in:

Clutter Busting Challenge June 2014 Part 1

Clutter Busting Challenge June 2014 Part 2

Clutter Busting Challenge June 2014 Part 3

June 2014 Reading List

 









An Amish Miracle Collection
Always in My Heart by Mary Ellis
Always His Provision by Ruth Reid
Always Beautiful by Beth Wiseman


An Amish Garden Collection
Rooted in Love by Beth Wiseman
Flowers for Rachael by Kathleen Fuller
Seeds of Love by Tricia Goyer
Where Healing Blooms by Vannetta Chapman

June Outside Projects

My husband and I spend some of  June doing outside chores.We got a late start on the vegetable garden this year and was not able to find some of the plants we wanted. We spent a little more this year than we normally would. We had to buy more single plants than we usually do instead of 6 packs. We'll not be putting it off next year and will do our traditional Mother's Day weekend planting. We decided not to plant our second garden plot this year since it has become a lot of work to do two. We completed 23 outdoor projects this month. All our projects were free except the vegetable garden which cost $50 to buy plants.

Our community opened up a food pantry this month which I think is a great thing for our small area. It will help many people that can't drive to the next town which is 30 minutes either direction. I plan to donate our extra produce from the garden to Community Blessings Ministries. At some point I'd like to volunteer in the panty or with the meals they serve on Wednesday evenings.

Our Completed Project List for June:

• clean, put up a squirrel feeder, and fill with peanuts
• clean bird feeder and fill with seed
• clean bird bath and fill with water
• clean cooler and drink coolers
• clean up decorations and hooks on shed
• chop and dispose of unneeded scrap wood
• make minor repairs to roof on the house
• set up and cleaned up from family bonfire
• set up and cleaned up from Brandon’s B-day bonfire
• set up and cleaned up from 2^nd  family bonfire
• purge unneeded items from the shed and barn (multiple days of work)
• weed the gardens (multiple days of work)
• Remove dry grass build up around foundation
• trim blackberry bush and tie up
• buy vegetable plants and plant vegetable garden
• stake growing vegetable plants
• deadhead flowers
• remove broken water hose hanger
• fill holes in gravel driveway with dirt
• put out ant bait
• sweep sidewalks and side porch
• pickup sticks in the yard
• pot up volunteer tomatoes for Nastasja

You may be interested in:
May Outside Projects

Clutter Busting Challenge June 2014 Part 3

I'm playing the Minimalist Game @ The Minimalists for the month of June. That's 465 items to purge from my home in a 30 day month and I have already met and exceeded that goal.

My purge pile this week:

You maybe interested in:

Clutter Busting Challenge June 2014 Part 1

Clutter Busting Challenge June 2014 Part 2

A Sure Way To A Happy Day

Happiness is something
we create in our mind,

It's not something you search for
and so seldom find---

It's just waking up
and beginning the day
By counting our blessings
and kneeling to pray---

It's giving up thoughts
that breed discontent
And accepting what comes
as a "gift heaven-sent"---

It's giving up wishing
for things we have not
And making the best of
whatever we've got---

It's knowing that life
is determined for us,
And pursuing our tasks
without fret, fume or fuss---

For it's by completing
what God gives us to do
That we find real contentment
and happiness, too.

 

~Helen Steiner Rice~

Own Less Stuff!

I have been doing serious purging of my home for the last 3 ½ yrs. and with all the challenges I have done such as 40 bags this past year I have purged more than organized. I'm finding that with so much less stuff that I have way more free time than I sometimes know what to do with. I’m spending so much time purging that I have way less to organize and clean. I’m finishing up tons of projects around the house and it looks so much better and fresher. My home was clean, organized, and didn’t look cluttered to begin with but we still had TOO MUCH STUFF.

My seasonal project list includes cleaning and decluttering my home; in the winter the basement, spring is clean and declutter the main house, summer the barn/garage, fall is cleaning and holiday prep. Ruthlessly purging all the excess stuff has made it so much easier. I’m loading my car every week and dropping stuff off for donation to a local charity. At this time my trunk and backseat are full. I’ll still keep my seasonal project list but with purging so much it will be easier to maintain and not such a large chore every year.

The key is to OWN LESS STUFF!

I have made great progress. The main house looks lighter and I’ve done some redecorating. I have empty space in the basement and it looks 10X better than it has the last couple winters. My 3 car barn/garage is almost empty at least as empty as it can be for 6 people and we have 2 cars parked in it. It will be even emptier by the end of the summer when I finish painting the furniture for my grandkids. 

Instead of spending so much time cleaning and organizing I am; DE-OWNING!

I encourage you to give it a try; instead of feeling like your spinning your wheels and not getting anywhere fast. Go through your house and purge about 80 percent of what you own. Most stuff in storage will never be used because you really don't need it. Your just delayed the decision to remove it from your home. Start with the most used areas of your home such as the kitchen, living room, family room, bathrooms and then move onto bedrooms, and eventually storage areas such as the basement, garage, and shed. Do one room at a time, one area at a time such as a cabinet or drawer. Do not take out more than you can put back in a few minutes time. 

I’ve done it with a goal of 15 minutes each day and an additional 2 hours once per week. Once I start I have sometimes spent way more time than my initial time allotment. It is challenging and addictive once you start and see progress. It doesn’t have to be a marathon session a little bit starts to add up. It will free up your time for what really matters in your life. The less stuff you own the less stuff owns you.

Clutter Busting Challenge June 2014 Part 2

I'm playing the Minimalist Game @ The Minimalists this month. That's 465 items to purge from my home in a 30 day month. In 12 days I have purged 432 items from our home and with my husband's box of computer stuff we purged 500 additional items. I'm counting that as a bonus for the month. I plan to complete the game this next week with a total of 1,000 items purged from my home. I'll need to purge 68 items to make that goal.

That is 40 bags in 11 Days, not counting Sundays, with a total of 200 bags in 85 Days. I purging a little from my craft/office, barn, shed, living room, family room, and bedroom this week. You can really tell what our hobbies are this week by looking at all the pictures. LOL

My purge pile this week:

Magazines.

A bag of bags.

2 poles, and broken sunglasses.

Computer parts.

More computer parts.














And more computer parts.

Empty movie cases.

Movies.

Cup hooks, curtain holders, magazine, and a pillow.

 
My dad's shoes.

Homeschool books.

Iron-On's

Sewing frame, metal brackets, toy and a eye patch.

Name tags.

Nobs, chain, clear CD cover, and fake worms.

Magnets.

Glue gun holder, sculpting tool, and small craft projects.

Stencils.

Books and movies.

Chalkboard and a display.

Night stand.

Gardening pots and tray.

Books and games.

Magazines and a sign.

Magazines.

A printer and accessories.

More Magazines.

And more Magazines.

You maybe interested in:

Clutter Busting Challenge June 2014 Part 1