Declutter Update

So, I mentioned a few times that I’ve started decluttering. My house was pretty spotless and clutter-free before kids.

After our first kid, things started to pile in. Toys, clothes, baby gear. And rather than decluttering as he grew, I went into packrat mode. What if we have another kid? I said to myself. I did pass some things along, but I kept A LOT.

Then there were things given to us by loving family members. Birthdays, Christmases, and any other holiday our extended family had a chance to give, they gave. When loved ones passed, we got a lot of their things passed down to us. And of course, we appreciated it then and now. And that’s something that’s contributed to our current state.

In 2016, we moved to a house with more square footage but less room for things. Our previous house had smaller rooms but also had a basement. In all the time we’ve lived here, we’ve gotten rid of a ton, but there was constantly more coming in. Since we moved closer to home, we were going home more, and just about every time someone would send something back with us: gifts, things we owned when we were kids, hand-me-downs, etc. I was beginning to feel like I was on an episode of Hoarders in some areas of our home. We were going back and forth a lot, too, due to some family issues. So even when we were here, we were working so hard to just keep up with the basics (cleaning, cooking, school, dr appointments) that there just wasn’t time to do much else before we were heading back.

We had so much stuff, and still do (but I’m working hard to remedy that). I don’t remember when or how, but I came across one of Allie Casazza’s challenges. It was great. It wasn’t that I didn’t know how to do this on my own, but I was just so overwhelmed and discouraged and depressed. I wanted to do things, but I’d end up on the couch feeling like a failure because it seemed like no matter how hard I tried, things just weren’t getting better. But Allie’s challenge gave me a community of people going through the same thing. Some were in the same boat as me, some worse off. Others had done the challenge and her programs and were on the other side of things. It was encouraging. It was the emotional support I needed. And luckily, I found it at a time when things were slowing down and I could implement it.

The hard part for me is knowing the hard work and good intentions that are behind all of our things. Our families weren’t anywhere near rich growing up. My grandparents and parents reused and repurposed things instead of throwing them out. They’d keep things in case they or someone they knew needed them down the line. They worked hard for everything they had and everything they gave us. We have worked hard for all we have. I appreciate the time and effort that’s gone into it, so it’s not surprising the feeling of guilt attached to the thought of rehoming these items we’ve collected over the years. It feels ungrateful; wasteful. A lot of these things are sentimental.

But I was looking at it in the wrong light. We have used these things and taken care of them. When the kids have outgrown them or we just don’t use them anymore, it is wasteful to keep them. Someone else could use it. We could bless someone else with these things or sell them to get money for next year’s homeschool curricula, or whatever. Allie is so right when she said “If everything is special, nothing is special.” I have to keep telling myself this.

If it’s broken, has a hole in it, has been outgrown, or if we don’t use it and love it, it’s out. I know some things can be mended, but will I? Maybe. But my new rule is if I haven’t done it in a week, it has to go. I’m feeling lighter all the time. It’s a process and I’m only just beginning, but working through Allie’s programs, and revisiting the lessons I need the most, are helping a ton. I’ve significantly reduced clutter in some areas and I’m making progress all over my house. It’s baby steps, but it’s the progress I NEED. I can see and feel the difference.

The biggest thing so far has been clothes. There were mountains and oceans of clothing before. Piles and piles to be washed and to be folded. The closets and dresser drawers were such a mess that even if I got it all done, there was nowhere to put it. There were clothes we no longer fit because what if we needed them or oh they were so cute or I wore that on such and such occasion and it has the best memories. Now, I’ve donated and trashed things I was unwilling to let go of before. I took pics of sentimental items and passed them on. I have less to do (in regards to laundry) and somewhere to put everything once it’s washed, dried, and folded. That is HUGE for me.

I really can’t say enough good things about Allie’s programs. So if you’re in the same rut I was in, bogged down with too much stuff and too much to do and not enough time to do it, missing out on your kids’ childhood–go grab Allie’s book, Declutter Like a Mother. You won’t be sorry. I also want to add that this isn’t benefiting me; I have no affiliate links or anything like that. I just love Allie’s programs so much and I want to tell my readers about them. I know they will help you, too. Whether you use Allie’s programs or not, you can get out from under the clutter and stress if you have the right mindset. You can do this. Hang in there!