31 Days to a Cleaner Home-Day 3: Less is Less.

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Less is less. Genius concept isn't it?

But think about it.

Less clothing means less to wash, dry, fold, and put away.
And we all know how much I hate laundry.

Less trinkets means less to dust around.

Less toys the kids have the more they play with what they do have.

Less stuff means less time spent cleaning.
Less objects to shuffle around.
Less things to put away.

Less means more.

Less time cleaning means more time for family.

More time for hobbies.

More time for friends.

More time doing something kind for someone else.

More time to read good books.

More time for the things that are important to you.

When Melissa came over and helped me clean and organize my home

I discovered I had a lot of stuff weighing me down.

Bags of beads I will never use.

Old Church bulletins.

Books I will never read.

Collections of things like china dolls or places visited.

Trinkets I felt obligated to keep.

Let's talk about that last one for a minute.

Why is it we feel if someone gives us a gift we are obligated to keep it?

I think back to before I got married.

My grandmother had given my mom this beautiful Christmas themed candelabra.

It was large. Beautiful but large.

My parent's house is very small.

I watched as the candelabra moved from place to place.

It never found a home in her house.

It got shuffled around.

The cat knocked it over.

It was pretty but it brought my mom no joy.

If the item is not bringing joy to your life, 

which by the way is what the person who gave it to you intended it for, 

then why not let it go and allow someone else enjoy it.

I honestly had a collection of china dolls that were sitting in boxes.

I donated them all.

The bags of beads when to a camp for troubled kids for crafts.
The books made their way to the salvation army.

I sold several bigger items.

Oh and I also had a collection of bells from places I've been to.

I went through them all and realized I had 7 from the same state...SEVEN!

Family and friends knew I had a bell collection and gave me some that were not me at all.

I saved my favorites and said goodbye to the others.

Yes, I will still add to my bell collection but it will be intentional. Not just to collect.

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Here's your challenge today!

Aim For Less.

Grab two bags.

Start at the room farthest from your donation station.

Take a minute to look around.

Now grab ten things.

Five go in the trash bag.

Five go into the donation station bag.

Do this in every room in your house. 

Ten things doesn't sound so bad or too hard right? 

But think about it. For me I have 9 rooms in my house.

2 bedrooms, playroom, living room, dining room, bathroom, kitchen, office, and laundry room. That's NINETY things I just got rid of! 

I know you can do this. It might be difficult at first.

For me I know there isn't any garbage in my bedroom.

However, I know I could come up with ten articles of clothing I don't wear anymore to donate. 

Is it really difficult for you to get rid of items?

It's ok I understand this.

But we want to give our homes life right?

More life, Less stuff.

Take a deep breath.

Now ask yourself these ten questions.

1. Is this something I use regularly?
2. Is it something I love?
3. Am I keeping this out of obligation or for fear of hurting someone's feelings?
4. Am I saving this just in case?
5. Do I have multiples of the same thing?
6. Could something else I own do the same job just as well if not better?
7. Am I really going to fix, mend, glue this broke item someday? 
8. How long has it been broken for?
9. Is it worth the time and energy to clean or store this item?
10. Could this space be better used for something else?