Decluttering

There are a lot of decluttering posts going on out there in the blogging world, MoneySavingMom and Life as Mom, among others, are both sponsoring month-long decluttering campaigns. Amy from Amy's Finer Things is going a step further and pledging to get rid of 720 items from her home this year, an average of 2 things out the door every day. I've been in the decluttering mood this year also. I always get this way around the New Year, but it usually only lasts a few weeks. Not this year. I've gone through nearly all the drawers cupboards and storage areas in the house, and the kids have even gotten in the spirit. Between us, we've taken 3 large trash bags and 2 grocery bags to Goodwill so far, and I have 2 more bags in my room, waiting to go. All that is left to purge is the basement. I'm waiting for it to warm up a tad down there before I tackle that area, but every time I go down those steps, it's just begging me to get started on it, so I won't be putting it off much longer.

Why Goodwill? I find holding a garage sale to be a pain. Perhaps if I had someone else to go in on it with me, it wouldn't be so bad. The first sale we had here went great. I made over $200, and it was well worth it. The second (and last) sale we had, I actually lost money after paying for the newspaper ad. I hate keeping things around, piling them up until the sale, too. I'd much rather bag them and get them out of here. And Goodwill is a good cause. I feel I get much more in return by donating our things than by selling them.

The decluttering will continue. I haven't kept track of the exact number of things that have gone out the door, and I don't think I'll match Amy's goal of 720 items that find a new home, but I'll be happy whatever our total.