The Challenge

You knew it was coming! Here is Bushel and a Peck’s April Challenge, 30 Days of Spring Cleaning! I don’t know about you, but I need this challenge. It’s time to get into closets, cabinets, and storage areas and PURGE! Christie has a wonderful explanation on her blog on how to get going! I need to read and reread it because sometimes I get started and then feel overwhelmed at what to do. I know I need to organized things {I used to be very organized} but having kids along the way has gotten me waaaaaay off track. Now just to get things cleaned up, I tend to shove miscellaneous items in whatever nook I can find. I’m running out of nooks, people!!

My Dilemma

We have lived in our house going on 8 years. This is the longest we have lived in one place our whole married lives. Before this house, we would move every 18 months and I would automatically purge while packing. It was easy because I had to adhere to a weight limit for the move. I trashed, donated or sold what we didn’t use or need. I was motivated by moving. For the last 8 years I have not been motivated. It takes a lot out of me just to go through my kids clothes every spring and winter.

A garage sale would help, but we have some rules with our HOA where we can’t have a garage sale unless it’s the community yard sale. If I lived at the front of the neighborhood I’d probably rake in the dough, but we live in the very back of our community. Guess what? Our total sales when we’ve participated in the past has been $40! I’m guessing by the time people got to us, they spent all their money.

This year our community garage sale is on April 21st. I’m thinking we load up our stuff and set up shop at the pool parking lot. Maybe we can get some traffic and get rid of our stuff! The rest can go to Goodwill after it’s done.

Where to Start

I need to start somewhere. I’m guessing somewhere small so I don’t get overwhelmed and give up. Christie mentions posting pictures, but I’m a little embarrassed hesitant about showing you my disorganization. I’ll definitely need to invest in some boxes and/or bins. I’ve also got to get rid of the thought of, “I could sell this.” That comes from years of eBaying and knowing I could make some extra cash. I know some people have done an online yard sale on Facebook, but that means more time to take the pictures and upload them. With 3 kids and a hubby that travels off and on, I don’t know if I have the patience.

Whatever I donate, I will definitely record the items on It’s Deductible. I used this last year when I donated items and by the time tax time came it was a cinch to add to my taxes. The time it took to do that was well worth the deductions on my taxes. Much easier than trying to remember what I donated throughout the year.

Start Today

Today is the 1st of April, so it starts now! Christie suggests doing 4 zones in your house and 1 week per zone. So that means I don’t have to get all of the closet cleaned out today and then have a different closet tomorrow…phew! Actually, I tend to take Sunday’s off so I probably will start tomorrow. I know I will feel better when I have things cleaned up. A clean house tends to take my stress away. Don’t know why…just does.

If you are interested in joining the challenge and blogging about it, let me know. I’m going to need all the suggestions I can find. And a little encouragement from what other’s are doing will help too.

Here are some blogs I follow that talk about organizing. I think I’ll start there for some encouragement as well:

• I Dream of Clean
• I’m an Organizing Junkie
• I Heart Organizing