10 bags in 10 days

   




      I realize and fully admit that I'm completely nesting right now as I feel like I'm in a panic to clear out, clean out, organize and get our house ready for this new baby. However, regardless of being pregnant or not, I figured I can't be the only one who has this urge right now to clean out their living space...right?
    So, my challenge to you is to come along with me on a 10 day challenge. The deal is that you have to go from room to room, closet to closet, drawer to drawer and start clearing out your clutter (10 garbage bags full, in only 10 days). I got the inspiration for this when I read that people were doing 40 bags in 40 days..but really...I don't have the time for that, or the energy. So 10 seemed more reasonable for me. And when there are numbers and time lines involved, it keeps me motivated and focused. When I originally decided to do this, I quickly thought to myself "When on earth am I going to have time to do this when I'm running after a toddler all day long and getting so big that even getting off the couch without Terry's help is exhausting?"...but I actually started this morning on just one little section of our basement and I already have 2 bags filled and ready to go to Goodwill. I'll have to do most of the work once Mya is down for the night...but if you set out to tackle one space at a time you'll be surprised at how quickly you can get rid of the stuff that is suffocating your house.

     If I write it, I have to do it. So here it is in writing...this shall be done, and I will feel SO much better once I do it. A cluttered house creates a cluttered mind--so here is to clearing out the stuff you don't use anymore and creating a calm, clean, organized space to live in. I love it already.
 

   Here are a couple of tips that have helped me in the past:

1) If you haven't used it in a year, get rid of it.

2) If you have a million sentimental things that you can't bear to part with, ask yourself "which 3 things here would I grab if my house was on fire?"...and only keep those. You can also (as another option) take a pic of your kids holding their artwork that you've been storing for years and frame it (which turns into a sweet little keepsake then the size of a photo, instead of an entire bin). I'm already learning how easy it is to keep everything little thing that Mya makes me for...so I get how hard it is sometimes.

3) Start with 2 garbage bags: one for garbage, one for donations/selling...and start filling them.

4) Make quick decisions--if you think things over too much, you'll keep everything.

5) Start in one room and finish that room completely before moving on to the next space. It`ll be less overwhelming that way.

    Tell me about how it's going for you and please feel free to provide some extra tips along the way...I love learning more about how to do these kinds of things and what other people do in their own homes. Feel free to post a comment on my blog so I can refer back to this specific post when I need some inspiration --- if you`re new to posting on blogs, just scroll down to the bottom of this post where it says "comments". If you have a blog or website you can fill in the URL, but if not, just leave that part blank and fill in your name where it says 'name' and tell me all about what you're doing to stay organized and how you're de-cluttering your life. Easy as pie. I'd love to hear from you as I'm sure it'll keep me motivated over the next 10 days. Good luck!!