Monday, March 30, 2015

Happy Monday...Meal Plan & More!

My mornings are typically chaotic.  I usually wake about 5:45, make my hubby breakfast, pack his lunch, take a super quick shower, get dressed, wake up the boys, make them breakfast, pack their lunches, wake up Little Sis, get boys on the bus, work on getting Little Sis dressed, pack breakfast for her, throw her in the car, head to work around 7:50. There is very little time to actually enjoy my morning.  Today was different.

It was a glorious Monday morning here.  The kids are out of school for spring break and I am not working.  I was able to actually wake up and enjoy the peacefulness. This morning, I was able to enjoy my coffee and read my daily devotional.  I even had time to peak out the window and catch a glimpse of the sun rising. 


What a wonderful morning!  It made me realize that this is how I want to start each and every day. 

I even had time to think about what to make for dinner this week! Here's our plan (linking this up on Organizing Junkie's site):

Monday:  Southwest Roll-ups, Mexican Rice, Carrots
Tuesday:  Chicken & Noodles, Dinner Rolls
Wednesday:  Grilled Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans 
Thursday:  Chili, Cheese & Crackers, Veggies & Dip
Friday:  Eat out or frozen pizza
Saturday: Easter Meal 
Sunday:  Easter Meal 

It is so nice to wake up refreshed and ready to take on the week!  My week will be filled of fun with the kids, maybe a trip to the park or zoo.  I also plan to take advantage of some of my time off work to declutter with the kids.  I am purging clothes and working on paper clutter this week. It's going to be a great week!    What are your plans?    

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

The Great Purge of 2015: Getting Started


One of my goals for 2015 is to get rid of 2015 things from my life.  I would like you to join me!  Ready to Purge?  Here are few simple guidelines that you should consider following to help you be successful. 

1. Write down your Why? What is your reason for purging?  Are you getting ready to sell your house?  Are you wanting to be able to have people over? Are you wanting to make money off your items to pay off debt?  Are you wanting to simplify your life and have less stress? Whatever reason you have for getting rid of items in your house...Write it down.  Put it on your fridge or nightstand, so you can see your goal on daily basis. 

2. Get inspired!  Find online articles that inspire you and read them to get you motivated. One of my favorite blogs, www.becomingminimalist.com, is very encouraging and I visit it frequently to keep me going on this purging journey.  Read or listen to books on decluttering.  Some of my favorites include:



3. Find a buddy!  Having someone to join you in the journey is important.  They can help motivate you and hold you accountable.  Luckily, this year, my husband has shown an interest in decluttering, so we started keeping track of our items on our calendar together.  It is really cute to see him write down every time he gets rid of an item.  So far together, we have purged 241 items that we no longer need or want.  If you don't have a physical someone, join a facebook group!  Just search Declutter and several will pop up. 

4.  Make a plan!  How will you declutter?  How often?  I will be setting aside each Tuesday to declutter for the entire day, but work on decluttering 15-30 mins daily, more if I have the time. 

5. Get Started! Start with items that don't hold a lot of sentimental value.  Good areas to start the purge would be with clothing, shoes, books, toys, and paper.  Wait to purge items from your childhood or family mementos until you have purged every other possible spot in your house. These items will be harder to get rid of. 

6.  Ask yourself these simple questions when purging:
  • Does this item spark joy?  If it does, keep it!  If not, get rid of it!  You should want to fill you home with things you love!
  • Is this item useful?  If you ACTUALLY use it, keep it! If not, TOSS!   Of course, if you have multiples of the same item, get rid of the extras! 
7.  Make a plan for your discarded items, and get rid of them fast!  Do NOT let them sit in your basement where you can take them back out!

8.  Sit back and enjoy your decluttered home! Then, share your victories with me! 


Monday, March 16, 2015

Why 2015 items in 2015?

As I am getting ready to embark on The Great Purge of 2015, I thought maybe I would share with you why I am on this mission.



On December 31st, 2013, my mother called all nine of us children together.  My father, who had been battling cancer, had "things" he wanted to pass on to us and wanted to be present when it was divided. Truthfully, it was very uncomfortable morning.  To sit and go through treasured items of a loved one who knew his days were number was heartbreaking. While we were wrapping up hours of taking turns and picking out items, my father turned to me and quietly asked "Do you think everyone is happy?"  Stunned,  I simply replied, "There is nothing in the world that we would want more than to have you healthy. You are more important than any thing you could give us."  Three days later he was no longer with us, but his words have been etched in my brain ever since.  Do his "things" bring me happiness? Yes, only because they are memories of him.  If given the chance, I would give up all the "things" that I own to bring him back.

As sobering as this story may be, this was my first realization that things in my life had to change. After a year of grief, I look around my house and realize that I have too much stuff. Stuff that takes too much time to maintain, clean, and steals me away from the "things" that mean the most...my loved ones.   Therefore, I am on a mission to purge at least 2015 items from my home.   I would love for you to join me...