bag # one

I've been thinking a lot recently about stuff and how it directs our lives.  We have too much.  It is keeping us from doing the things we really love to do, and from living the life we want to live.  The Hubby and I have always had a passion for hospitality.  We love to open our home to friends, neighbors, family etc., weather it be for a meal, bible study, craft night, or just some fellowship time.  But all too often I am finding myself having to put off inviting company because our house is such a mess!  Don't get me wrong, I don't need my house to be perfect to invite someone in, if that were the case no one would ever get passed the front door, but I would like our guest to be able to walk through our house without potentially harming themselves on the plethora of stuff that seems to constantly liter our floors.  I would also like there to be a clear surface (say maybe the dining room table) to be able to serve my guest some sustenance!  Right now it feels like we spend hours cleaning and organizing all our stuff only to find it all a mess again the next day!

If you were to ask my kids they might tell you I talk a lot about us not needing any more stuff, but the hubby would be quick to point out that as soon as I say "no more" I turn around and buy something new!  Most of the time I'm not thinking about what I am doing - I see something I love and I must bring it home - I have temporary amnesia and forget that we don't need any more stuff!  Ugh!  So, last week I had sort of made an unofficial commitment to give up buying things we don't absolutely need for Lent.  Then I started reading Clutter Free with Kids and was even more inspired to not only stop buying, but also start "de-owning" as Becker calls it.  Really it is something I have been longing to do for years, but have been paralyzed when it comes to actually execute it... that was until my husband pointed me to a link he had seen Facebook.  40 bags in 40 days. 

So, with the encouragement and support of my husband, I packed my first "bag" today and listed it on Craiglist!  It only took about 15 minutes to put it all together, photograph, and list it.  I did have to give myself a few pep talks, but in the end it feels great to let go of something that was not really getting used, but was taking up space in our not so big home.

There will be one major exception to my "no buying" during Lent.  Some friends and I have been planning a road trip to Ikea for over a month now and I have been saving my pennies for some new book shelves and organizational stuff for our school and craft supplies.  I have a list though- the trick will be sticking to it once we are in the Swedish wonderland :)