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The Big White Farmhouse

intentional living, little by little

January 18, 2021

No.477: 8 Lessons I Learned After Decluttering 1,000 Things

After 16 months, I have finally finished the 1,000 Item Declutter Challenge!

When I started this challenge back in September 2019, I watched a few YouTube videos and read a few articles…but I felt like I needed to go about this challenge in a different way.  My goal was never minimalism and it was never about seeing how fast I could accumulate bags and bags of junk to drop off at the thrift.  Rather, the goal was to become intentional and take an active role when it comes to rehoming our unneeded things.  

I continued to share my progress of this challenge here on my blog because I hoped it would start a conversation about stuff and the effects of it in our lives.  I don’t think that I’m unique in the way I’ve accumulated things as an adult.  The effects of social media, the inexpensive and constant cycle of new things to buy…I’ve fallen into that materialism trap many times throughout the years.  But what’s that old Oprah quote?  When you know better, you do better.  And that’s what I set out to do with this challenge.  Here are a few things I learned along the way:

1 // When they say that decluttering can be an emotional process, they are right.
We have been married for 15 years and the tiny baby clothes and decor items from the beginning of our marriage were surprisingly hard to give away.  I had to remind myself again and again that it’s just stuff.  The memories last forever, the photos are priceless and that’s what matters the most.  It also helped to know that someone could enjoy them right now versus keeping them tucked away in a bin or the garage.

2 // Kids don’t need a lot of toys.
When my oldest kids were little, we often went to Target to browse and way too often left with a little something for the boys.  Thankfully, by baby number four, we got our act together and quit that habit!  As my kids have grown, I’ve learned that too many options aren’t always a good thing.  We still have way too many toys in the house, but our wooden blocks, train tracks, Legos and little action figures…those are the workhorses that are played with almost every day.

3 // It’s easy to tidy up at the end of the day when there is less stuff to put away.
A great side effect for both me and the kids!  I’d also say the same could be said for having less clothing.  Sure, I’m doing laundry every other day, but they are manageable loads and it never seems to spiral out of control.  

4 // Some of our environmental problems might be solved if we just stopped buying so.much.stuff.
This idea has come to me over and over again.  All of a sudden, I’m hyper-aware at the way we’re inundated with subtle ploys to make us buy: the memes praising the thoughtless spending at Target, the influencers that suddenly “love” and “have to share!” tons of different products, the glorification of fancy coffee drinks, that handy two-day (sometimes one-day!) shipping, the fashion trend that’s in one day and out the next….We all say we want to leave the planet better than we found it, but what are we willing to give up? I don’t have any real answers, but I do know that I’m convicted to really think about my spending habits and choose my purchases more wisely.

5 // When I do purchase things going forward, I want to choose better.  
One lesson I learned right away was that I had so many things, but they didn’t feel like the “right” things.  I felt like I had accumulated a mishmash collection of hand-me-downs and inexpensive finds that I bought because they were on sale.  Being on a spending hiatus (due to our debt reduction process) and doing this challenge simultaneously really helped me narrow down my style and what I really should be spending my money on.  I started thinking in terms of “I could really use a basket in this area” or “A pair of candlesticks would look beautiful here” or “I don’t have a chunky black cardigan to go over my dresses”… An intentionality to my spending has emerged, a well thought-through purpose and practicality.  Life-changing.  

6 // Decluttering is an on-going process.
Somewhere around the middle point of the challenge, I felt like I had looked in every closet and dresser and drawer.  I started again (just to see…) and lo and behold, there were more things that could go!  Kids grow up, toys and clothes are no longer needed, holidays come and you realize you never display this décor or that…it may vary in intensity, but it’s always a process.

7 // If you take good care of things you own, there can be money to be made when you’re done with them. 
I’m sure I could have finished this challenge in half the time if I had just filled a box and dropped it off at the local thrift store, but I really wanted to see if I could reduce our waste in a more proactive way.  My purchases, for better or worse, are my responsibility and I wanted to put most things in the hands of people who needed them.  And while I did give many, many items away on Trash Nothing, by putting in a little extra time photographing and listing, I was able to make $1,578.20!  That’s huge!  That money has gone toward debt and is now beefing up our savings account.  It’s helped us purchase items we really needed and allowed us to pay for a day trip adventure in cash.  

8 // I’m more tapped into my community and am happy to help meet the needs of others when I can.
Throughout this process, I posted a lot on sites like Trash Nothing and my local Buy Nothing group.  Through these avenues, I’ve made connections with so many people from my community and have been honored to hear their stories.  We have met a handful of young pregnant moms trying to prepare without breaking the bank.  We met a woman collecting clothes for a family recovering from a house fire that took most of their belongings.  We passed on décor to a woman starting over and looking to spruce up her new space.  We gave outgrown pajamas to a grandmother who was helping out with her granddaughter’s care and virtual schooling due to the virus.  I never would have run into these lovely people without this project and I know I’m better for it.  

This challenge has filled me with gratitude and I am much more content than I was 16 months ago.  I highly recommend the journey.  

Videos/TED talks/books that inspired me along the way:

  1. The TED Talk that inspired my challenge: Getting Rid of 1000 Things by Liz Wright
  2. These books were the catalyst behind actively seeking new homes for my things.  I had no idea how much of the thrift store donations actually get tossed in the trash!  Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale by Adam Minter and Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline (affiliate links)
  3. The Minimal Mom has tons of playlists for specific rooms/things to declutter.  Really helpful when you’re in a funk or don’t know where to start.

January 15, 2021

No.476: What I Decluttered // December 2020 & January 2021

This challenge took me 16 long months, but I am finally DONE!! What an adventure.  More posts to come with reflections and tips.

WHAT I DECLUTTERED THE PAST TWO MONTHS

  • 15 books.
  • One chair slipcover.
  • 4 treat bag kits.
  • 30 pieces of clothing. This included a few pieces from my closet as well as a bunch that the kids have outgrown. I sold most online and gave the rest to Goodwill.
  • One pair of fake eyelashes. Gave to my sister. She’s way cooler than I am!
  • One Christmas-y decorative dish. As I went through my Christmas bin, I separated a few things that I no longer need. This dish sold on Poshmark.
  • A training potty. A big day for our family – six kids and they’re all now potty-trained!
  • Three dress-up costumes. Sold on ebay.
  • One chandelier. We switched out our dining room chandelier and donated the old one to the Restore.
  • 3 broken toys.
  • 2 dog toys.  We passed these on to my brother’s new puppy.
  • 6 empty egg cartons.  My son brought them to the farm to be reused.
  • One new set of accent door knobs.  The previous owners left this set behind and we’re going in a little different direction.  Sold on ebay!
  • One pair of boot cuffs.
  • One math answer book.
  • One Lego set. I accidentally purchased a duplicate Lego set for one of the boys and decided to just sell it versus dealing with a return.  (The return fees practically negated the purchase price.)  Surprisingly, I sold it right away on Poshmark!
  • 2 toddler ride-on toys.  This one was bittersweet, but we don’t have any little ones to ride these anymore.  We gave them to a sweet lady through Trash Nothing who is going to save them for her nephew’s baby boy.
  • One exercise bike.  We’ve had this stationary bike for a few years now and Mark and I quickly learned that neither of us like to use it.  We sold it on Craigslist (for almost the amount we paid!) and used the money to buy a rowing machine instead.  Hopefully it will see much more use!
  • One coffee mug.
  • 11 coloring books and notebooks.  I went through all of our coloring books/notebooks and tossed a ton of the used ones into the recycling bin.
  • One pair of soccer shin guards.  None of the little kids have any interest in organized soccer, so time to let these go.
  • 4 throw pillow covers.
  • 3 kitchen gadgets.
  • One makeup bag.
  • One Willowtree figurine.  Another piece that I’ve had for a long time and no longer display.  Time for someone new to enjoy it.  Sold on ebay.

Items decluttered these two months: 97
Money made: $320.07

Total items decluttered: 1,000
Total money made: $1,578.20

November 13, 2020

No.459: What I Decluttered // November 2020

Month #14 for my 1,000 Item Declutter Challenge!  Here are the ground rules:
  1. Only spend 10 minutes at one time and only in one specific area.  
  2. Monday through Wednesday, seek out items that we no longer need and make a pile.  Then Thursday through Saturday, make a plan for how to deal with them.  (This has worked so well and avoided that dreaded box of “what should I do with these?” items.)
  3. Possible places to find new homes for items: Ebay/Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, Trash Nothing website or the local Buy Nothing Facebook group and as a last resort, Goodwill

I feel a responsibility for the things I have and want to be intentional with how I dispose of them.  Questions I asked myself: If it’s here, what purpose does it serve?  Can I use it up?  Can I enjoy it vs. keeping it tucked away in drawers and boxes?  And if not, can I let it go to someone who may need it more?

_____________________________________



WHAT I DECLUTTERED THIS MONTH

  • 3 books.
  • One tile sample.
  • 9 pieces of Sophie’s outgrown clothing from last year.
  • 20 pieces of my clothing.  With the changing of the seasons, I went through my closet and dresser again and weeded out the unnecessary/unworn/worn-to-shreds items.  I sold most things on Poshmark/eBay, threw out a handful of really old and stained t-shirts, and sent the rest to Goodwill.
  • One open bag of Pull-Ups.  We only used a few of these when P was potty-training and I felt bad throwing 20+ of them away.  I posted them on my local Buy Nothing Project Facebook group and had someone interested in minutes!  
  • 9 empty egg cartons.  Brought these to the farm where my son works so they could reuse them.
  • 4 empty paper jewelry boxes.  You know the box that holds the nicer box that holds the piece of jewelry?  Why do I still have those?  Into the recycling bin.  
  • 1 decorative bowl.
  • 16 baby girl clothes, 2 swaddle blankets, two hair accessories, a rattle, a lovey and a baby comb.  A woman from my local Buy Nothing Project group made me aware of a young pregnant mother, due in January and in need of baby supplies.  I’ve already given most of Sophie’s baby clothes away, but I did find a few more things in the bin to pass along.  Mamas have to stick together!
  • One teacher guide. Sold on ebay.
  • 3 Halloween treat bags.  These were Star Wars themed bags that my biggest boys used years ago.  I surprisingly found a buyer for them on ebay!
  • One Halloween cat headband.
  • 2 broken disc drives.  Why we still have these in a drawer is beyond me…
  • One pillow insert.
  • 2 tea towels.  We used these to literal shreds!
  • 10 magazines.  My dad passes on magazines to us after he’s done with them and I finally browsed through the stack.  Into the recycling bin.
  • 2 DVDs. Sold on ebay.
  • One guitar tuner.
  • One broken phone charger.
  • A baby stroller and car seat.  Since we haven’t had any new babies in our house for years (which is a little sad…), it felt silly to keep these in the garage when someone could use them right now.  We gave the stroller to someone on Trash Nothing and while the car seat still has a little time before “expiring,” the new owners could also bring it to Target for a trade-in deal on a brand new one.
  • One pair of toddler snow pants, a fleece jacket, and a button-down shirt.
  • 11 dry markers.
  • One DVD case.  
Items decluttered this month: 116
Money made this month: $70.73

Total items decluttered so far: 903
Total money made so far: $1,258.13

P.S. To “count,” the item had to physically leave my house.  So while I have listed a handful of things online, those aren’t counted until they have sold.

October 15, 2020

No.452: What I Decluttered // October 2020


Month #13 for my 1,000 Item Declutter Challenge!  Here are the ground rules:

  1. Only spend 10 minutes at one time and only in one specific area.  
  2. Monday through Wednesday, seek out items that we no longer need and make a pile.  Then Thursday through Saturday, make a plan for how to deal with them.  (This has worked so well and avoided that dreaded box of “what should I do with these?” items.)
  3. Possible places to find new homes for items: Ebay/Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, Trash Nothing website or the local Buy Nothing Facebook group and as a last resort, Goodwill

I feel a responsibility for the things I have and want to be intentional with how I dispose of them.  Questions I asked myself: If it’s here, what purpose does it serve?  Can I use it up?  Can I enjoy it vs. keeping it tucked away in drawers and boxes?  And if not, can I let it go to someone who may need it more?

_____________________________________

This was a good month for the challenge!  I’m on the home stretch, can allllmost see the end in sight and that is motivating me to keep going.  This is also “birthday season” for us and with Christmas not too far away, I really want to make space for all of the new things the kids will be receiving.

WHAT I DECLUTTERED THIS MONTH

  • 9 books.
  • One men’s button-down shirt.
  • 2 toddler coats, 2 shirts and a pair of snow boots.  Slowly going through P’s outgrown clothing from last year.  These sold on ebay.
  • 2 sweaters, one dress and 6 tops.
  • One Polish Pottery mug.  This was a tall mug that I used to use as a pen holder, but it has been tucked away for years.  The size is too awkward for drinking coffee, so I cleaned it up, listed it on ebay and it sold for over $9.
  • 2 decorative plates and a fabric banner.  Surprisingly sold on Poshmark!
  • 2 baby fleece sleepers.  I still have a small pile of baby clothes to go through (which are not my absolute favorites that I’ll keep forever, ha!) and while these were a little hard to part with, I’m glad another little guy will be able to use them.
  • 2 skincare samples.
  • 3 bags of shredded paper.
  • One sham/pillowcase.  Some of the boys have Ikea duvets on their beds.  They don’t use the matching sham/pillowcase and they’ve just been sitting in the linen closet.  I decided to see if I could get a buyer on ebay…and I did!  Sold for $4.
  • 6 old workbooks and 2 magazines.  Into the recycling bin.
  • 2 DVDs.
  • One wallet and one makeup pouch. 
  • One belt.
  • One teacher manual.  I’m just about through all of my unneeded school books!  Sold on ebay.
  • One Arc Paper Punch.  A long time ago, I used the Arc notebook system (you know the one with the discs?) to make a type of DIY planner.  It quickly became too much to keep up with, so I bought a cheap planner at the store and this paper punch sat in my closet ever since.  It surprisingly sold within days on ebay for $25!
  • One vanity mirror.  We replaced the mirror in Sophie’s bathroom and gave the old one away via Trash Nothing.
  • One pair of sandals.  D wore his Under Armor slides to shreds this summer!  Into the trash can.
  • One broken fan and a broken soccer chair.  Into the trash can.
  • One welcome mat.
  • A pillow, duvet cover and two shams.
  • One Halloween decoration.
  • One nursing tank.  I’ve had this listed for almost a year(!!) and it finally sold on Poshmark.
  • 7 pieces of Sophie’s outgrown clothes.  
  • 3 light fixtures.  After three years in this house, we’re finally starting to replace the lighting with something a bit more our style.  These fixtures are all in working condition so we donated them to our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
Items decluttered this month: 72
Money made this month: $140.59

Total items decluttered so far: 787
Total money made so far: $1,187.40


P.S. To “count,” the item had to physically leave my house.  So while I have listed a handful of things online, those aren’t counted until they have sold.

September 16, 2020

No.445: What I Decluttered // September 2020

Month #12 for my 1,000 Item Declutter Challenge!  Here are the ground rules:

  1. Only spend 10 minutes at one time and only in one specific area.  
  2. Monday through Wednesday, seek out items that we no longer need and make a pile.  Then Thursday through Saturday, make a plan for how to deal with them.  (This has worked so well and avoided that dreaded box of “what should I do with these?” items.)
  3. Possible places to find new homes for items: Ebay/Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, Trash Nothing website or the local Buy Nothing Facebook group and as a last resort, Goodwill

I feel a responsibility for the things I have and want to be intentional with how I dispose of them.  Questions I asked myself: If it’s here, what purpose does it serve?  Can I use it up?  Can I enjoy it vs. keeping it tucked away in drawers and boxes?  And if not, can I let it go to someone who may need it more?



One year of decluttering!  I was really hoping to reach the 1,000 mark by this time, but honestly, over 700 items doesn’t seem too shabby!  In 365 days, I have removed tons of unneeded items from my home, but I’ve also learned so many important lessons along the way.  (Another post for another day.)  I’m motivated to keep going to the end – less than 300 items to go!

WHAT I DECLUTTERED THIS MONTH

  • 13 books.
  • One Bowflex.  The previous owners left this for us before they moved out.  Three years later, it gets zero use and I have tried everything to get it out of the house.  No one would even take it for free!  After a lot of debate, we ultimately decided to dismantle the monstrosity and bring it to the dump to recycle the parts.  
  • A set of five readers, a language arts book, two math manipulatives, a grammar teacher guide, and a geography teacher guide.  I’m still having great luck selling unneeded homeschool curriculum.  These all sold on ebay.
  • One old workbook.  Into the recycling bin.
  • A car seat travel bag.  I honestly was expecting this to sit awhile, but it sold in a matter of days on ebay!  Somebody must be thinking about happier travel days ahead.
  • One blouse and one t-shirt. Both sold on ebay.
  • Two summer dresses and one pencil skirt.  Both sold on Poshmark.
  • One fleece jacket.
  • One bag of shredded paper.
  • 4 pairs of fall/winter pajamas.  My girl is growing like a weed, so I listed four of last year’s PJs on Trash Nothing.  I connected with a sweet grandmother who is helping with her granddaughter’s care and schooling this year.  
  • 5 reclaimed wood wall arrows.  I had these arrows in my master bedroom at my old house to represent my (then) five kids.  New house, one more baby and an out-of-business company and it’s time to let someone else enjoy them.
  • One pair of winter gloves and a pair of leggings.  More things that Sophie has outgrown.  Sold on ebay.  
  • 4 burp cloths.
  • 4 of P’s outgrown tops.  Mailed to a cousin.
  • One coffee mug.
  • One eye shadow palette.  I had a palette that only had colors left that I never use and is definitely over a year old, so into the trashcan it went. 
Items decluttered this month: 54
Money made this month: $222.12


Total items decluttered so far: 715
Total money made so far: $1,046.81


P.S. To “count,” the item had to physically leave my house.  So while I have listed a handful of things online, those aren’t counted until they have sold.

August 12, 2020

No.435: What I Decluttered // August 2020

Month #11 for my 1,000 Item Declutter Challenge!  Here are the ground rules:

  1. Only spend 10 minutes at one time and only in one specific area.  
  2. Monday through Wednesday, seek out items that we no longer need and make a pile.  Then Thursday through Saturday, make a plan for how to deal with them.  (This has worked so well and avoided that dreaded box of “what should I do with these?” items.)
  3. Possible places to find new homes for items: Ebay/Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, Trash Nothing website or the local Buy Nothing Facebook group and as a last resort, Goodwill

I feel a responsibility for the things I have and want to be intentional with how I dispose of them.  Questions I asked myself: If it’s here, what purpose does it serve?  Can I use it up?  Can I enjoy it vs. keeping it tucked away in drawers and boxes?  And if not, can I let it go to someone who may need it more?

________________________________________________



The one year mark for this project is quickly approaching!  Since this was my last month before school resumes, I tried to knock out as much as I could, digging around in closets and cabinets and the basement.  I’m starting to see the fruits of this whole adventure, though, because it feels like I’m finding less and less, ha!  What a good feeling.

WHAT I DECLUTTERED THIS MONTH

  • 15 books.  I have had a big pile of books in my closet for months now in the hope that I could start a Little Free Library.  And then the world turned upside down!  I decided to try my luck on ebay instead to get books into the hands of people who want to read them.  
  • Two new Ikea duvet sets.  I purchased these right before we moved to the farmhouse for the little boys’ room, but eventually went in a different direction.  I never opened them and three years later, it appears Ikea doesn’t sell this variety anymore.  Sold both on ebay within hours of listing!
  • One book on Greek myths.  I somehow had a duplicate, so sold the extra on ebay.  
  • 2 throw blankets.
  • A baby bouncy seat.
  • One pack of confetti balloons.  From the BWF days.
  • 16 pieces of Mark’s clothing.  I convinced him to go through his closet and he ended up with a big pile.
  • 26 pieces of kids’ clothing.
  • 3 dress-up skirts.
  • One baby winter coat.  This was a little hard to let go because all five of my boys wore it at around a year old.  But what good is a coat stored away indefinitely when it could be used by someone right now?
  • One pullover fleece.  Sold on ebay.
  • 2 coloring books.  Into the recycling bin.
  • 8 empty egg cartons.  I collected these back in February with the intention of posting them on Trash Nothing for a preschool/kindergarten teacher to use in the classroom.  (I was imagining a caterpillar craft or maybe even used for seedlings.)  But then…COVID.  Thankfully, my son works at a farm that could use them and now they’re finally out of my house! 
  • One bath mat.
  • 2 bags of shredded paper.  Junk mail and other personal paperwork that needs to be shredded counts as clutter too!  I’m counting each full container (which is the equivalent of a plastic grocery store bag) as one item.  Added most of it to my compost pile.
  • 7 pieces of miscellaneous clothing.  Off to Goodwill.  These are pieces in good condition, but don’t have much resale value and weren’t substantial enough to warrant a post on Trash Nothing.
    Items decluttered this month: 88
    Money made this month: $82.85


    Total items decluttered so far: 661
    Total money made so far: $824.69


    P.S. To “count,” the item had to physically leave my house.  So while I have listed a handful of things online, those aren’t counted until they have sold.

    July 22, 2020

    No.426: What I Decluttered // April, May, June & July 2020



    Months #7, #8, #9 and #10 for my 1,000 Item Declutter Challenge!  Here are the ground rules:

    1. Only spend 10 minutes at one time and only in one specific area.  
    2. Monday through Wednesday, seek out items that we no longer need and make a pile.  Then Thursday through Saturday, make a plan for how to deal with them.  (This has worked so well and avoided that dreaded box of “what should I do with these?” items.)
    3. Possible places to find new homes for items: Ebay/Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, Trash Nothing website or the local Buy Nothing Facebook group and as a last resort, Goodwill

    I feel a responsibility for the things I have and want to be intentional with how I dispose of them.  Questions I asked myself: If it’s here, what purpose does it serve?  Can I use it up?  Can I enjoy it vs. keeping it tucked away in drawers and boxes?  And if not, can I let it go to someone who may need it more?




    Decluttering: COVID Lockdown Edition!
    Well, this has been an interesting time for decluttering!  Since we’ve been quarantined, I have focused most of my energy with actually using the things we own vs. getting rid of everything in sight.  I did continue to list and sell some things on eBay, which was an unexpected bonus.  All in all, not a huge dent in my goal, but something is better than nothing, right?

    WHAT I DECLUTTERED THE PAST FOUR MONTHS

    • 13 books.
    • One math answer book and one teacher guide.  Sold on ebay.
    • One history activity book.  I purchased this not realizing that I already owned it!  I decided to sell it on ebay versus paying the return shipping.  I didn’t get all of my money back, but enough to forgive my silly mistake.
    • One holster. Sold for Mark on ebay.
    • One brand new sippy cup. Sold on ebay.
    • One pair of sneakers and two pairs of slippers. Well loved and too beat up to give away.  Into the trashcan.
    • One pair of boys shorts.  Sold on ebay.
    • Six bags of wildflower seeds. These were from the BWF days.  I planted them in our flower beds and they’ve completely transformed the front of the house.
    • One “throw and grow” pack of flower bombs.  Another unsold product from the BWF days.  I filled in a few bare spots in the flower beds with these.
    • One teacher guide and seven picture books that go with it. I’ve started lesson planning for next fall and I took another look at some of the curriculum on our shelves.  I didn’t see us returning to this one, so sold it on ebay.
    • 4 pieces of a math curriculum. Another curriculum that I don’t see us using.  Summer is definitely the best time to get these sold quickly!
    • One DVD.  Sold on ebay.
    • One magazine. Into the recycling bin.
    • 3 free samples.  I used up two little lotions and we finally tried out a new coffee sample that’s just been sitting in the drawer.  
    • One bathing suit.  Sophie’s bathing suit from last year is too small, so we sold it on Poshmark.
    • 4 bags of shredded paper.  Junk mail and other personal paperwork that needs to be shredded counts as clutter too!  I’m counting each full container (which is the equivalent of a plastic grocery store bag) as one item.  Added most of it to my compost pile.
    • 2 grocery sized bags of random paper I’ve saved for years.  Into the recycling bin.
    • 13 pieces of Sophie’s and my clothing.  I filled and mailed in a ThredUp Clean-Out Bag right before the lockdown started.  So far, we’ve sold thirteen items.  The return in payout is really small (like $1-$3 a piece), but something’s better than nothing, I guess!   
    • 6 pieces of clothing.  Off to Goodwill.  These are pieces in good condition, but don’t have much resale value and weren’t substantial enough to warrant a post on Trash Nothing.
      Items decluttered: 70
      Money made: $185.44


      Total items decluttered so far: 573
      Total money made so far: $741.84


      P.S. To “count,” the item had to physically leave my house.  So while I have listed a handful of things online, those aren’t counted until they have sold.

      March 18, 2020

      No.368: What I Decluttered // March 2020

      Month #6 for my 1,000 Item Declutter Challenge!  Here are the ground rules:

      1. Only spend 10 minutes at one time and only in one specific area.  
      2. Monday through Wednesday, seek out items that we no longer need and make a pile.  Then Thursday through Saturday, make a plan for how to deal with them.  (This has worked so well and avoided that dreaded box of “what should I do with these?” items.)
      3. Possible places to find new homes for items: Ebay/Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, Trash Nothing website or the local Buy Nothing Facebook group and as a last resort, Goodwill

      I feel a responsibility for the things I have and want to be intentional with how I dispose of them.  Questions I asked myself: If it’s here, what purpose does it serve?  Can I use it up?  Can I enjoy it vs. keeping it tucked away in drawers and boxes?  And if not, can I let it go to someone who may need it more?

      At the end of last month, my decluttering grand total was only at a little over 300 items and I was feeling frustrated.  This challenge is going to take forever!  After a little whining, I realized that this may not be an entirely bad thing.  As I go through our things, tucked away in cabinets and drawers, I’m finding treasures I totally forgot we owned.  Dishes are being used, art supplies are making art, lotions are keeping hands smooth, “nicer” clothing is being worn just because.  What good are possessions if they only serve to look organized and worthy of Pinterest?

      This month, I decided to tackle one of the bigger projects that I’ve been avoiding: the kids’ clothing.  Organizing what we have, making notes of what we need and giving away everything extra – it’s a HUGE job!  I’m not finished, but did make a big dent and that feels good.

      WHAT I DECLUTTERED THIS MONTH

      • 10 books.
      • One pack of essential oil bottle cap labels and 6 essential oils.  I’ve been waffling about these silly essential oils for months, but I’m just not going to use them.  Gave them to my brother.
      • One essential oil diffuser.  Gave this to my brother too.
      • 46 pieces of Sophie’s outgrown clothing.  I posted two big lots of her spring/summer clothing from the last two years and they were spoken for in a matter of hours.  One woman was collecting the clothes for a family who had just had a house fire…can you imagine?  I’m so happy that I could take a tiny weight off of that family’s shoulders.
      • 78 pieces of P’s outgrown clothing.  This was one of the bigger projects I’ve been avoiding because…it’s hard.  My baby is growing up!  I kept a few favorite pieces, but posted lots of all the rest on Trash Nothing.   
      • One dress. Sold on ebay.
      • One purse.
      • One dress up vest.
      • One pair of sneakers.
      • 4 holsters. Sold for Mark on ebay.
      • One bag of shredded paper.  Junk mail and other personal paperwork that needs to be shredded counts as clutter too!  I’m counting each full container (which is the equivalent of a plastic grocery store bag) as one item.  Added to my compost pile!
      • One stuffed animal.
      • One magazine, 2 workbooks and one old math book. Into the recycling bin.
      • One pack of mini essential oil “sharing” bottles.
      • 11 various pieces of clothing.  Off to Goodwill.  These are pieces in good condition, but don’t have much resale value and weren’t substantial enough to warrant a post on Trash Nothing.
      Items decluttered this month: 168
      Money made this month: $86.51


      Total items decluttered so far: 503 (more than halfway there!)
      Total money made so far: $556.40


      P.S. To “count,” the item had to physically leave my house.  So while I have listed a handful of things online, those aren’t counted until they have sold.

      February 18, 2020

      No.353: What I Decluttered // February 2020

      Month #5 for my 1,000 Item Declutter Challenge!  Here are the ground rules:

      1. Only spend 10 minutes at one time and only in one specific area.  
      2. Monday through Wednesday, seek out items that we no longer need and make a pile.  Then Thursday through Saturday, make a plan for how to deal with them.  (This worked so well and avoided that dreaded box of “what should I do with these?” items.)
      3. Possible places to find new homes for items: Ebay/Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, Trash Nothing website or the local Buy Nothing Facebook group and as a last resort, Goodwill

      I feel a responsibility for the things I have and want to be intentional with how I dispose of them.  Questions I asked myself: If it’s here, what purpose does it serve?  Can I use it up?  Can I enjoy it vs. keeping it tucked away in drawers and boxes?  And if not, can I let it go to someone who may need it more?

      A few decluttering highlights:
      + At the end of January, I participated in Sweet & Simple Home’s “One Box Challenge” (even though I didn’t make a video) to hopefully re-start my decluttering enthusiasm and it worked!
      + I was also feeling a little overwhelmed with my “waiting to sell” piles and weeded through those.  I’d prefer to sell/give them to people who need them, but I gave it my best shot.  Off to Goodwill they go.

      WHAT I DECLUTTERED THIS MONTH

      • 18 books. I sold a set on ebay and the rest went to Goodwill.
      • One “Love Grows Best” sign from Big White Farmhouse.  After closing BWF in the fall of 2017, I still had a few remaining signs that never sold.  I have tried to sell them in different places with no luck…until now!  So happy to get a little space back in my closet!  
      • A bundle of vintage spools of thread.  Another set from the BWF days.  Finally sold on Poshmark!
      • 6 bottles of aftershave.  More product from the BWF days.  
      • One reusable water bottle.
      • 5 coffee mugs.  I mean…how many coffee mugs does one really need?  I kept our absolute favorites and enough extra mugs to host family/friends, but got rid of the rest.
      • 2 super hero capes. These never seem to be played with, so time to pass them on to another little guy.
      • One table tennis net.  Another item we never seem to use!
      • One pair of soccer cleats.  Sold on ebay.
      • One belt.
      • One Willow Tree figurine.  Sold on ebay.
      • Two bags of shredded paper.  Junk mail and other personal paperwork that needs to be shredded counts as clutter too!  I’m counting each full container (which is the equivalent of a plastic grocery store bag) as one item.  And bonus: I can use most of it in my compost pile.
      • One magazine and one used math workbook.  Into the recycling bin.
      • 3 baby girl headbands.  
      • 3 mini glass jars.
      • 3 pillowcases and two sheets.
      • One wireless camera remote.  I bought this last fall and didn’t realize that it wasn’t compatible with my digital camera.  It wasn’t worth paying the return shipping, so I held onto it in the hopes that I could sell it.  Finally sold on ebay!
      • 2 duffle bags.
      • One pair of slippers.
      • One holster.  Sold for Mark on ebay.
      • 3 cookbooks.  Last year, I started a cookery challenge only to realize that I really didn’t have that many cookbooks and the ones that I did have…I just didn’t really want to pick up again.  Finally letting some of them go.
      • 15 various pieces of clothing.  These were pieces that I’ve had on Poshmark/ebay for about six months and they haven’t sold.  Clearing out some room and sending them off to Goodwill.
      • 5 free skincare samples.  This is a bit of a stretch, but if the little samples just stay in the drawer, it’s still considered clutter, right?  Finally used these skincare samples up!

      Items decluttered this month: 79
      Money made this month: $72.57


      Total items decluttered so far: 335
      Total money made so far: $469.89


      P.S. To “count,” the item had to physically leave my house.  So while I have listed a handful of things online, those aren’t counted until they have sold.

      January 16, 2020

      No.336: What I Decluttered // December 2019 & January 2020

      Months #3 and #4 for my 1,000 Item Declutter Challenge!  Here are the ground rules:

      1. Only spend 10 minutes at one time and only in one specific area.  
      2. Monday through Wednesday, seek out items that we no longer need and make a pile.  Then Thursday through Saturday, make a plan for how to deal with them.  (This worked so well and avoided that dreaded box of “what should I do with these?” items.)
      3. Possible places to find new homes for items: Ebay/Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, Trash Nothing website or the local Buy Nothing Facebook group and as a last resort, Goodwill

      I feel a responsibility for the things I have and want to be intentional with how I dispose of them.  Questions I asked myself: If it’s here, what purpose does it serve?  Can I use it up?  Can I enjoy it vs. keeping it tucked away in drawers and boxes?  And if not, can I let it go to someone who may need it more?

      I took most of December off from blogging, so I’m combining both months in this post.  Truth be told, there wasn’t a whole lot of decluttering going on anyway, as I allowed myself the time off to just enjoy Advent and the Christmas season.  But I’m back and ready to get back to work!

      WHAT I DECLUTTERED THE PAST TWO MONTHS

      • 4 books.
      • 2 men’s suit coats.  Mark’s warming up to the idea of decluttering his own closet!
      • 7 Christmas books. As I prepared for Advent School, I separated out the books we never seem to read.  I posted them on Trash Nothing and got a response within a day.
      • One nativity set. Sold on ebay.
      • Four tea towels made by my late grandmother.  I found a set of tea towels in one of my Christmas boxes and decided that I should share a little bit of my grandmother with my siblings.
      • 12 Young Living essential oils.  I used to be all about essential oils, but they’ve been in a kitchen drawer collecting dust for over a year.  I haven’t done anything with them because they were $$ and I kept trying to convince myself that I may use them in the future.  Obviously, that hasn’t happened.  I decided to give a bunch to family members.
      • One pair of soccer cleats.  A surprising sale on ebay!  
      • One pair of bathing suit trunks and the matching rashguard. Another surprising sale on Poshmark!
      • 4 gift bags and 10 various rolls of ribbon.
      • Two curtain panels. Sold on Poshmark.  I had these panels made for me for my old dining room.  I loved them so much!  Unfortunately, when we moved to the farmhouse, I didn’t have the right window to hang them and they stayed in a box.  This was a hard one to let go, but I’m happy to pass them on to someone else and get a little money back in return.  
      • 3 magazines.  Into the recycling bin.
      • 6 various pieces of clothing. Sent to Goodwill.  These are pieces in good condition, but don’t have much resale value and weren’t substantial enough to warrant a post on Trash Nothing.

      Items decluttered this month: 58
      Money made this month: $75.98


      Total items decluttered so far: 256
      Total money made so far: $397.32


      P.S. To “count,” the item had to physically leave my house.  So while I have listed a handful of things online, those aren’t counted until they have sold.

      November 15, 2019

      No.317: What I Decluttered // November 2019

      Month #2 for my 1,000 Item Declutter Challenge!  In case you missed it last month, here were my ground rules:

      1. Only spend 10 minutes at one time and only in one specific area.  
      2. Monday through Wednesday, seek out items that we no longer need and make a pile.  Then Thursday through Saturday, make a plan for how to deal with them.  (This worked so well and avoided that dreaded box of “what should I do with these?” items.)
      3. Possible places to find new homes for items: Ebay/Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, Trash Nothing website or the local Buy Nothing Facebook group and as a last resort, Goodwill

      I feel a responsibility for the things I have and want to be intentional with how I dispose of them.  Questions I asked myself: If it’s here, what purpose does it serve?  Can I use it up?  Can I enjoy it vs. keeping it tucked away in drawers and boxes?  And if not, can I let it go to someone who may need it more?

      I lost a bit of steam this month.  Thankfully, because of all the work I put into the project in October, I managed to still make a nice little profit.  Two months in and I’m realizing that with our crazy life, decluttering is going to ebb and flow…and that’s okay.  It’s a marathon, not a sprint!  Something is always better than nothing.

      WHAT I DECLUTTERED THIS MONTH

      • 19 books.
      • One Halloween costume and one Halloween-themed shirt.
      • One educational DVD.  I really hoped my kids would click with this Times Tales DVD after hearing so many moms rave about it.  Unfortunately, we watched it once and it just wasn’t for them.  It’s just been sitting on the shelf ever since, so I decided it was time to let another family try it – hopefully with better luck!  Sold on ebay overnight for (after fees) $7.
      • 2 teacher guides. Sold both on ebay in less than a day! 
      • 1 math answer booklet.
      • One pair of boy’s pants and one boy’s dress shirt.  Sold on Poshmark.
      • One pair of soccer cleats.  The kids have no desire to return to soccer, so after holding on to them for years, I’m finally getting them out of the house!  Sold on ebay.
      • 4 pairs of kids shoes.
      • One car seat.  TJ moved up to a booster seat, so we’re down to only one kid in a five-point harness car seat!  Our Diono Radian still had seven years of life left (did you know Dionos don’t expire for 10 years?!), so I was able to pass it on to my sister-in-law.
      • 2 old magazines. Into the recycling bin.
      • 3 winter coats.  Sold two on Poshmark and one on ebay.
      • One faux fur bridal shrug.  From my wedding 14 years ago!  It’s in near perfect condition (I wore it for less than an hour) and has just been collecting dust in my closet all this time.  It’s ready for a new bride.  Sold on Poshmark.
      • 12 pieces of a Christmas-themed porcelain dinner set.  This was another hard one.  I remember purchasing this four-person dinner set shortly after we were married and setting my table at Christmas.  And then I blinked, I have a family of 8, and this set just sits in a box!  I posted it on Trash Nothing and am happy to give them to another lady who will use them.
      • 11 pieces of math flash cards and manipulatives.  I’ve held on to these boxes of flash cards for years and years, but am finally realizing that we just don’t learn math that way in our homeschool.  I made a post on Trash Nothing and a sweet lady took them for her son.
      • One game. 
      • One Vera Bradley cosmetic pouch.
      • 6 pieces of various clothing.  Off to Goodwill.  These are pieces in good condition, but don’t have much resale value and weren’t substantial enough to warrant a post on Trash Nothing.
      • Two bags of shredded paper.  Junk mail and other personal paperwork that needs to be shredded counts as clutter too!  I’m counting each full container (which is the equivalent of a plastic grocery store bag) as one item.  And bonus: I can use most of it in my compost pile.
      • One pair of men’s shoes.  


      Items decluttered this month: 73  
      Money made this month: $196.62


      Total items decluttered so far: 198
      Total money made so far: $321.34


      P.S. To “count,” the item had to physically leave my house.  So while I have listed a handful of things online, those aren’t counted until they have sold.

      October 15, 2019

      No.305: What I Decluttered // October 2019

      I officially started the 1,000 Item Declutter Challenge on September 15 and just finished the first full month yesterday!  Here were my ground rules:

      1. Only spend 10 minutes at one time and only in one specific area.  
      2. Monday through Wednesday, seek out items that we no longer need and make a pile.  Then Thursday through Saturday, make a plan for how to deal with them.  (This worked so well and avoided that dreaded box of “what should I do with these?” items.)
      3. Possible places to find new homes for items: Ebay/Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, Trash Nothing website or the local Buy Nothing Facebook group and as a last resort, Goodwill

      I feel a responsibility for the things I have and want to be intentional with how I dispose of them.  Questions I asked myself: If it’s here, what purpose does it serve?  Can I use it up?  Can I enjoy it vs. keeping it tucked away in drawers and boxes?  And if not, can I let it go to someone who may need it more?

      So…Month #1!  I haven’t really looked critically at our belongings since we moved in two years ago and…it’s time.  The kids are getting older, our tastes are changing, and it just feels like a big time of transition.  Two big things I learned this month:

      1. I was surprised to feel very emotional as I decided to let things go.  This shocked me because I don’t consider myself to be an emotional person!  However, through the years, I’ve held on to many things that have sentimental value, but actually get rarely used.  So many memories from the early years of my marriage!  It’s time to let someone else enjoy them, but whew!  Some were hard to part with.    
      2. I have all that I need – and a whole lot more.  Lately, I’ve been whining to myself about all the things I don’t have.  Nothing like a good decluttering to see how much I’ve already got!  

      I’m really proud of the work I put in this month.  Looking forward to continuing the process in month #2.

      WHAT I DECLUTTERED THIS MONTH

      • 44 books.  I sold a set of 20 little religion books on ebay for (after fees) $31, as well as five books the boys read and no longer wanted.  I also donated 11 saint books to our church’s CCD program.  The rest went to Goodwill.
      • 18 pieces of Sophia’s outgrown clothing from last year.  My girl is growing like a weed and has grown out of all of her size 6 fall clothes already.  I made a post on Trash Nothing and received an answer within 10 minutes!  We have been the recipients of so many hand-me-downs over the years and I always love to give another mama that gift as well.  
      • A Christmas dress and shrug.  Sold on ebay for $17.
      • One winter coat. 
      • Two Willow Tree figurines.  This was a hard one because they were gifts, back when we were just beginning parenthood.  They’ve been sitting in a closet collecting dust, so I decided to put them on ebay for someone else to enjoy.  Sold almost overnight for (after fees) almost $13!
      • One board game.
      • A big diaper box full of P’s 2T clothing.  All in all, I think there were 32 pieces with everything from shirts to pajamas to last year’s winter jacket.  I found a mama on Trash Nothing and that makes it so much easier to part with them.
      • 8 old magazines. Into the recycling bin.
      • One arrow quiver for archery.
      • Ten various pieces of clothing. Off to Goodwill.  These were clothes in good condition, but didn’t have much resale value and weren’t substantial enough to warrant creating a post on Trash Nothing.
      • One pair of snow boots.
      • Four brand new pieces of Heather Ross fabric and a new bobbin of thread.  Waaay back in the day, I used to really be into quilting, a skill my grandmother taught me.  I purchased many beautiful fabrics, but life and lots of babies happened and most of that fabric has been sitting untouched in a box for years.  Finally ready to let some of them go.  I listed this group on ebay and they sold for $18.
      Items decluttered: 125
      Money made: $124.72

      P.S. To “count,” the item had to physically leave my house.  So while I have listed a handful of things online, those aren’t counted until they have sold.
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