happenings of our home: 40 Bags In 40 Days

It's hit me.

That inexplicable urge to throw open windows & give em' a good sparklin', to pull glossy white paint from the top shelf in the garage & touch up those battered baseboards, to tear out every last item from each closet, shelf, cabinet, nook & cranny & do the following with it: toss it, chuck it, throw it, condense it, donate it, purge it, GET RID OF IT!

It's spring cleanin' time, folks. And I've got 40 days to get it done.

I joined a few of my blog friends last year in this 40 Bags In 40 Days Challenge {more links here, here & here} & it was exactly the jumpstart I needed to get moving on my spring cleaning list. Might I also add what a really neat way it was for me to be able to focus on the deeper meaning of Easter in my own personal spiritual life.

So here's how it works--you've got 40 days {not counting Sundays} from now until Easter. Make a list of all the areas of your home that you would like to see clean & organized & then dive in a little at a time. That's the great thing about this challenge--you check off a little everyday so it never becomes too overwhelming or daunting.

Now, I personally get a thrill out of watching bags go out the door. I feel lighter, fresher, freer just seeing that I'm making more space in my home & that I'm weeding out the stuff that is simply taking up room & not really serving a purpose in the very little space we have in this house. I know that not everyone shares the same excitement I do about watching their belongings go marching out the door. I've had a few people ask me to teach them how to get rid of things. Well, here's how I do it & what works for me: First of all, if I don't use it--sayonara, sucker. Seriously, why in the world would I hold onto a drawer full of cooking utensils when I only use my very favorite five or seven & the rest just tick me off every time they get in the way of me finding my favorite five or seven? It becomes one big cluttered mess & it makes no sense. My solution--Goodbye clutter! It's really that easy. I use this same thought process when going through my clothing, cookbooks, linens, dishes...whatever the case may be. And with this being my second go at the 40 Days Challenge, I am finding there is so much less to throw out this time around. When you follow through with this challenge once a year, {& as long as you aren't replacing it with more junk}, there is less to toss out the next time around & the process goes much smoother & quicker.

Okay, stop. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, What if I throw that one thing out & need it later? You won't. Just trust me. If I'm torn about a particular item, I just go ahead & part ways with it & tell myself if I HAVE to purchase a new one at a later date, then I'll just bite the bullet & do it. I've never had to. And for me, it's worth that gamble. Extra space in my home is worth the ten or twenty bucks I will probably never even have to spend down the line to replace the item, anyhow.

So come on, join me! You'll love it. If you don't believe me, just go & tackle one closet. One measly closet. I bet it'll put a giddy in your step & before you know it, you'll be hooked & moving on to the next space that needs organized. If you need more convincing go here & here to read how this little challenge has/is working for some of my blog friends, as well.

I'll be checking in every once in awhile with updates as I go along. I'll let you know what is & isn't working for me & I'll spill any helpful hints I think could help you out in your challenge. If you decide to jump on board, I would really love to hear how your progress is coming along, as well. So shoot me a comment every so often & let me know. It's great motivation to me to see other people's homes getting in tip top shape! Just think how awesome our homes are going to look & feel by Easter! Woot woot!