40 Bags and Organizing Update

Happy weekend!!!!  I hope you are enjoying it so far!  We are going to be busy…again, lol!  Scott and I are going to a big church fundraiser dinner!  That will be fun.  We have a lot of friends at our church.  What are you doing today?

Have you been doing your 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge?

I have been trying, lol!

I have been using organizing everything lately!  I will pretty much go through anything to keep me from organizing my basement, haha!  Actually, it is not that funny,  it needs it BAD!!!

Anyway,  I reorganized my junk drawers again!  (I told you I was doing everything, ha!)

This is our main drawer!  Here, we keep our “daily essentials”. 

  

We usually keep our phones in here at night!  During the day, the don’t leave our side, ha!

 

Golf balls are essential for my hubs…don’t ask me why…I don’t get it either! Lol!

 

Gotta have the shades!  By the way, I just got a new pair at Target ,on clearance for only $4.95!  BooYah!

 

These are the drawers in my butler’s pantry.

 

I keep some of our chargers in here along with some furniture markers (love those), a multi-purpose screwdriver and labeler.

 

Here, I keep some mics. needed stuff!

I also have been busy going through our house.  I found a huge bin of toys to get rid of.

I also went through mu closet again and found A LOT to give to my sisters!!  I still want to go through my closet again.  I am feeling like I want our whole family to have less clothes.  I don’t think we need that much and I hate doing laundry and putting all the clothes away.  I think my life would be easier with less.  I told you here how I went through the boys’ clothes,  I feel way better without it! :)

 

I am linking up to Ann Marie’s 40 Bags in 40 Days link up party!  See ya there! :)

How is your 40 bags/Days going?

Enjoy your weekend! ;)

I am so excited to let you all know Shaklee is offering…

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The Beginning of the Purge

As you know, I am following along with Ann Marie over at White House Black Shutters, doing the 40 Bags in 40 Days Challenge!

Well, I printed out my Challenge Printable and filled it out on my new clipboard. (more about the clipboard below.)

 

Look how cute it is… I love the pink!!

 

This took some thinking to fill out but I liked it!

 

I tried to include everything!

I also made sure to add extra days and a final catch-up day.  (I am sure I’ll need it!)

I really started with a BANG!!!!  Looks at my donate bags! :)  Those are ALL boy clothes!  I went through all of the clothes and really wanted to cut back.  I even decided to part with my baby boy clothes.  :(  That was really hard to do.  What made it easier, was knowing that I was giving them to a family that will use them! :)  I was able to make more drawer space and empty 4 HUGE plastic bins!  YAY!!  Now I can fill those bins with more stuff in get rid of.  

 

I want to go through my decor at the end but I was able to start a little pile.  I bought these items from a garage sale but never found the “right” spot yet so I am going to keep my eye out for a good place for these items.  If I don’t find them a home, they are getting out of here!  I just can’t keep every cute thing I find.  I will keep looking for a spot though, heehee!

I went to Target to find some helpful organizers.  (They are on clearance now!)

I found these drawer organizers!

 

I LOVE that they are clear!  I bought I pack that included a lot of little ones…

 

…and a great big one!

 

They even have rubber dots on the bottom which is awesome because my other ones slide around.

 

Here is a picture of the sticker in case you wanted to see the brand.  I LOVE THESE!!!  I want to go get more.

While I was there, I found other great clearance items.

I think this planner in better than the one I have now.

I

love the colors too!

It was under $3 so that was sweet! :)

 

I also found these cute files! :) 

Again, I LOVE these colors.

They even come with cute tabs.

I LOVE these clear clipboards.  They are not too distracting and will match any room in the house.  Plus, I think they were only $2 each! :)

I also found a new spring table runner.

I couldn’t wait to put it on my table. (I didn’t even iron it first, lol!)

Did I mention that it was on clearance too?  It was under $5!!! :)

I think it matches perfectly and it’s putting me in the mood for spring.

  

Are you following along with this challenge? 

How is it going?

Are you de-cluttering your home?

Also, don’t forget that you can get a FREE SHAKEE CINCH SAMPLER KIT (over $100 value) with the purchase of a Shaklee membership (a $19.95 one time fee to save you 15% off ALL orders including your first order) or ShakleeDistributorship ($39.95) AND a $70 order at member price (MN).  To get this special,  place the products in your cart, and then it will tell you that you qualify for the free Cinch Sampler Kit at the top.  After that, sign up as a member or distributor. You DO NOT need to place the sampler kit in your cart…it is automatic, just make sure to check if you qualify.   Please note, if you become a Gold Ambassador, you do not need to place an order to get the free kit.  Please email me at donahuewellness@hotmail.com for any questions.  ***Plus, I will let you know of ALL OF MY NEW MEMBER SPECIALS!!!***  You can read about my Cinch results here and my sister’s amazing story here.

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40 Bags in 40 Days

Hello!  Happy Ash Wednesday/first day of Lent!!!!  This Lent, my family and I are really going to try to better ourselves.  We each have are own things we are going to work on.  As a family, we are going to pray more together.  My husband and I are going to read a great relationship book together, Grace is going to try to stop whining as much (yes she is five and likes to whine sometimes),  Michael is going to try to stop saying bad words,  (he says “poop” and it drives me nuts) Matthew is going to start going on the potty (he just turned 2 and he is begging to go on the potty, I am just not ready, so I guess this is for me too, lol) and I am going try to not yell at all (it happens sometimes, not a lot, but I am a really loud person by nature so I am going to try to tone it down a notch).  I love Lent because it forces us to take a good look at ourselves and try to improve.  I also want to keep an organized house because that helps keep our home peaceful which is so important and relaxing for all of us.  I was really excited to see this post by Ann Marie from White House, Black Shutters.

Ann Marie is one of my best friends, my sister-in-Law and also my garage sailing partner in crime.  We live 12 minutes from each other and garage sale together every week during the summer.  We LOVE getting a great deal even if we don’t REALLY need it…hence 40 bags in 40 days, lol! 

Like I said, she blogs at White House, Black Shutters.  Here is a cute picture of her family (that I took, hehe)!

I wanted you all to read her post and join in her 40 bags in 40 days of fun!  She put a neat spin on this idea and is including a printable and link up party too!  I will be linking up and hope to see you all there too! :)

This is what she wrote…

The Stuff – It’s Taking OVER!

This post has been a long time coming.

It seems like everyone is talking about stuff (here, here, and here). Well I like to jump on bandwagons! ;)

I love stuff. But I hate what it’s doing to our home. We have too much stuff.

I hold back from taking pictures of my kids because there is stuff in the way.

I put projects on hold because of stuff.

I’m too busy buying stuff I don’t need, when I should allocate those funds into much needed renovation (like my ugly bathroom).

Holding onto stuff can be good, case in point our shutters, but where do you draw the line?

 

(I think a basement full of decorating crap “on rotation” is past that line)

We don’t need all this stuff. I only want to keep what we need and what matters to us. No more buying stupid decor items because they were on sale and fill a spot.

I don’t like this painting, but it was only $5. Why do I have it?!

Yes these little things are cute, but do I need them?

I’m so concerned with reusing, that I’m having a hard time letting go.

(Upcycled VHS Tape Wreath)

Do we really need all of this stuff?!?!

No. We don’t.

The cute birdcage that was $1. The bins that keep everything oh-so-organized. Those kids’ books I got for a STEAL at 10 cents. Ten pairs of maternity jeans. The lamp on sale at Target. The light fixture for FREE from the ReStore. The brand-new frames from Target at Goodwill for a steal. The stockpile from the Dollar Store for those “one day I will do ____” crafts. The Pottery Barn rug from a garage sale that doesn’t match any room in my house but was only $10. But MOOOOOM! it was from POTTERY BAAAAARN!

Raaaaaaar!

(source)

We don’t need it.

I’m getting better, I’m letting go. I took the plunge and sold this bookshelf and the inevitable clutter surrounding it.

and although I am happy with the results (and my 40 bucks), I still have a looooong way to go.

(Sticks in a vase? Really? Why do I need stupid sticks in my house?)

Sarah at Clover Lane (the first blog I started reading regularly) did something called “40 Bags in 40 Days” for Lent and as if she didn’t have enough bags last year, she’s doing it again this year.

Here are all of her posts regarding the challenge, here is where she got the idea.

I think she sums it up best when she says (in reference to decor):

Use what you love, purge what you don't!

------------------

I want my home to be warm and loving, full of purpose and meaning. I don’t need things that I don’t love. I don’t want to be consumed and burdened with stuff. I’m making a commitment and instead of reaping the benefits of my favorite stores, I’ll be having a garage sale, donating, and purging.

Does this mean I will stop thrifting? No. The kids need clothes, I don’t like to buy new, and it’s a fun hobby. But I’m going to do so with some HEAVY editing…

Less garage sailing, less accumulating, more living.

I’ll be starting next week (Ash Wednesday!), posting about progress weekly, and even made a fancy button for the sidebar.

I’d love to have you join me! I’ll need that encouragement. I’ll even make a fancy linky party if you need the motivation too. Please join me?? I promise, we really don’t need all that crap. ;)

 

GREAT POST!!!!!

I really like what she said, except about those sticks.  I like them there, lol! 

She also posted more about her party idea HERE and included this printable for you to fill out. 

40-Bags-Game-Plan

This is a great way to stay/get organized!  Since Ann Marie and I are already planning our April garage sale, this will really help us de-clutter once and for ALL!!!! (Until garage sailing season starts again, lol!)  I will get better this year, I promise, haha!  But seriously, my husband kinda made a rule for me when he first discovered my garage sailing addiction.  He said, “One thing in = One thing out!”  I think I have done a pretty good job so far,  I showed you my garage sales here and here.

Please visit White House, Black Shutters to read more about 40 bags in 40 days and give her encouragement!!!!  :)  You can also read more about Ann’s house rehab, amazing recipes (which I have tried), decorating ideas, thrifty decorating ideas, cute pictures of her kids (my niece and nephew) and lots more! :)

What are you doing for Lent this year?

Are going to join us?

Happy Lent and Happy De-Cluttering!

Also, don’t forget that you can get a FREE SHAKEE CINCH SAMPLER KIT (over $100 value) with the purchase of a Shaklee membership (a $19.95 one time fee to save you 15% off ALL orders including your first order) or ShakleeDistributorship ($39.95) AND a $70 order at member price (MN).  To get this special,  place the products in your cart, and then it will tell you that you qualify for the free Cinch Sampler Kit at the top.  After that, sign up as a member or distributor. You DO NOT need to place the sampler kit in your cart…it is automatic, just make sure to check if you qualify.   Please note, if you become a Gold Ambassador, you do not need to place an order to get the free kit.  Please email me at donahuewellness@hotmail.com for any questions.  ***Plus, I will let you know of ALL OF MY NEW MEMBER SPECIALS!!!***  You can read about my Cinch results here and my sister’s amazing story here.

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