Meet Kate…

Happy Wednesday friends!

I’m so excited to have Kate from Upside Down Kate sharing with us today. I promise y’all will love her as much as I do. Kate and I met last year at Blog Sugar and immediately hit it off. I couldn’t be more thrilled to have her as a friend, pen pal and sponsor.

Please stop by and visit her blog and tell her I say hello.

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Purging. De-stuffing. Simplifying. However you want to say it, getting rid of things just makes me feel happy (and smart, just ask Einstein).

Before I even get rolling, I want to share that I’ve moved. A lot. I’ve lived in my current home for the last five years, but the longest I ever lived anywhere before that was three years. For a grand total of 29 different residences. And if I’m moving it – I better love it or use it. I’m ruthless. You might not be as ruthless, but I promise you…less stuff feels goooooood and once you get started…you’ll want to keep going.

So let’s get started. You can do this first one right now. It won’t take long and you can finish reading when you are done. (Did I mention I’m bossy?)

Grab a box or a bag and walk through your house. What do you see that isn’t loved or useful? Toss it in the box. Be quick. Don’t dig in drawers. Don’t dilly dally. Don’t worry about the throw pillow Aunt Martha made that you don’t like or the crystal bowl wedding present that just gets dusty in your bookcase (unless, of course, you’re me – then in the box they go). Focus instead on those McDonald’s toys underfoot or that picture frame you aren’t crazy about. Anything in eyesight that you can easily decide to do without goes. No time like the present…

Seriously, quit reading this and go do it. I’ll hold.

(Bad elevator music here)

Okay. Now that’s done. Feels good, right? You want to tackle more? Here are some ideas:

1. Take on at least one area each week and try to do something every day. Only have 10 minutes? Clean out the medicine cabinet. Have an hour? Organize your linen closet. Incorporate it into your cleaning schedule. I pack outgrown clothing while I’m folding laundry.

2. No matter if it was made for you or gifted to you, it was meant to be enjoyed. If you aren’t going to use it or love it – pass it along to someone else who will. Show your appreciation for the gift and for the thought, but don’t feel the need to keep it.

3. Keep a box in the back of your car or in your mudroom. When you find items that you aren’t using (clothing that your kids have outgrown, books you won’t reread), put it in the box. When the box is full or every week if you prefer – donate the contents.

4. Make a goal and make a list. I’m trying to get rid of 100 things this year. If I toss it, I add it to my list. This a twofer. It holds me accountable for reaching my goal but also reminds me of how much STUFF I acquire and then get rid of (oh, the money I could have saved not buying those embroidered martini capris I had to have and I’ve never once worn).

5. Store it and set a reminder. If you have something you can’t part with, pack it away. Write a reminder in your calendar for a month later. If during that month you don’t think about it or dig it out, toss it. Obvious exceptions include wedding dresses, family heirlooms, etc.

And remember, it’s stuff…we will still have our memories and our feelings even if we don’t have the physical reminder to clean and store. So tell me…what area you going to tackle first?

If you enjoyed this post and would like to get to know me better, you can find me blogging at UpsideDown Kate. There I share my adventures and misadventures in mothering, crafting, and other domestic pursuits. I’d love it if you stopped by.

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Kate, love, I’m seriously inspired. I’ve been meaning to clean out the playroom of all those pesky little random toys that have seemed to cover every nook and cranny.

Thanks so much for stopping by to share with us today Kate.