Hey, SAHMmy said 365 days of decluttering. Am I the only one...

[M3]

who is trying to get rid of something each day?

[M3]

Okay, so today I dumped old music CDs, yesterday we added two sweaters to the donate bin (Buttercup was never going to wear them). I have a donate bin in our home, so I think at the end of the month, I'll tally up all the things I've put in it (or right before the charity truck makes its round) to account for the stuff that is already in there. Can I really get rid of something every single day? I'm going to try.

[SAHMmy Says]

M3--Thanks for piping up, my Dear! Didn't know if promoting my challenge here was kosher. Today is day eleven on the blog, but anyone can jump right in where they are. Keeping an eye out for something to toss each day has motivated me to simplify and streamline so many areas in my home already. It has also curbed some unnecessary spending--I think: will this end up being a future challenge post? Back on the shelf go frames, clearanced kids clothes that may or may not fit my evergrowing kiddos come Fall, and yet another drugstore lipgloss.

[M3]

Could remember my password/username to pipe up on the blog...so I posted here! Today I put two pairs of workout pants and a workout top in the donate. Oh, yeah, and a girdle I wore at my wedding (19 years ago!)...

[M3]

I guess I'm getting rid of a microwave today, since I don't think large orange sparks are a good sign. So, now I am trying to decide if I really need a microwave. Since I've moved away from pre-prepared foods, I only use it for thawing things and frozen vegetables...hmmmm.

[SAHMmy Says]

Sparks? Not good! I don't know why I have a microwave either. My mom has scared me off using it for food (she's very into natural living and keeps me updated on scary findings about margarine, fluoride, etc.) I do use it to nuke my kitchen sponge for 2 minutes each night, but is that worth the shelf space?

[Ivy]

We have just started our decluttering project. It's amazing how much clutter one family can collect. Instead of getting rid of something each day (which I would like to do), we're taking it by weeks. We want to accomplish one major project each week. All of the projects deal with decluttering and organizing.

[M3]

Okay, so I promised I'd keep track and I have! Here is the list of stuff the charity truck picked up this morning: 2 sweaters, a bunch of women's socks, a workout top (really cute, but didn't fit right, so I never wear it), 2 pairs of workout pants that don't feel good when I wear them, 4 pairs of knee highs (I haven't worked in 10 years, why do I have these?), the girdle I wore under my wedding dress (I've been married 19 years this year, again, why do I have this?), 2 bras, one camisole, kid shirt, home fragance oil that I found to be too strong, 2 drawer organizers, 2 cookbooks, 5 miscellaneous books, 8 valentine goodie bags, free sample of sanitary pad (in box), tortilla press (couldn't get the tortillas flat enough to suit our taste and it was HARD, tortilla mix (see previous!), photo album refill pages for a photo album I don't have (before scrapping), floral styrofoam, vase I've never like, car charger for Verizon phone I don't own, cell phone case that doesn't fit any of our phones, one pair of panties, children's learning software, night light, craft supplies I inherited from a neighbor who moved (so why did I move them myself?), 2 vhs tapes, 2 kid movies, 3 cans of soup the family doesn't like, guacamole mix, how-to book for modelling clay, box of Premium saltines (who knew they had HFCS?), a cookie tin, fake flower arrangement I used to stage my old house (but never looked right in my house!), 8 coffee cups. So, we're at day 28 (I think) and I am still going strong.

P.S. This doesn't include the 6 jars of peaches I gave away (because husband had to have them and doesn't eat them) as well as stuff I just trashed. Is anyone else fighting the good fight against clutter?

P.P.S. Still haven't bought a microwave and don't think we will.

[SAHMmy Says]

Wow! Great roundup! If you itemize on your taxes, keep this inventory with your donation receipt--it makes it so much easier to enter items on It's Deductible or whatever software you use and you have more "proof" in case of an audit.

[Ivy]

I'm totally in on this challenge. Today we took three boxes (!!!) of magazines to the recycling center! We're are decluttering like crazy here, but I challenged my husband to recycle or donate as much as we can.

[SAHMmy Says]

Is hubby on board? Mine is a collector. I'm cool with the bazillion Star Wars toys but don't see the point in keeping a Playstation and Playstation II when the PS III works with all the old games!

[M3]

How is everyone else doing? The charity trucked picked up another big bag on Tuesday and our trash can has been full each week. I have noticed since SAHMmy is posting daily on her blog (which I receive via email daily) I am beginning to have a paradigm shift in how I view my possession (our possessions, but let's be real, I'm the one who drives this part of the bus)...I am truly started to question what we have, why we have it and, importantly, is it enriching our lives and helping us further our goals. If the answer is "I don't know" or "no", it is out of the house. How liberating to get rid of shoes that are cute, but just don't fit my SAHM lifestyle (yes, even as a SAHM I dress up, but some shoes just don't make the cut); cookbooks I won't use, even if they might be terrific; toys the kids say they want, but won't ever use; and, interestingly, stuff I loved in my old house, but that doesn't suit our new home (where we've been almost three years)...I don't live in my old house anymore, so if it doesn't work here, it is time to let it go! Thanks, SAHMmy, for beginning this journey and keeping it going. It is really helping me clear out my mind as well as my "stuff".

[SAHMmy Says]

You have so many great points here! I especially love the part about "enriching our lives and helping us further our goals." Everything I've tossed out has definitely failed that test--though I never thought about it that way until reading your words!
Thanks for keeping on keeping on!