Do you have way too much stuff like me?

As a military family we just acquire so much stuff. It's seems like every time it's time to move we have such a hard time organizing and have things everywhere, or in a boxes of stuff that don't have a place. For whatever reason I feel like I still need it, but it's stayed in tucked away for some time and hasn't been used.

I come from parents of "collector" not quite hoarders but people who buy what they like or hold on to things that might come to use on a safe level. Crafting things is probably my hardest thing to slim down on. I've slimmed down on my stamps once, however, it was hard because most of them were from my sister who passed away. Getting rid of all my scrapbook stuff seemed easier since I don't have that much time to do it. Honestly the only time I even look at the pages I made when I was younger, typically is when I am either packing it up or I am unpacking it to put it away. As I was making that decision months ago if I should go ahead and lighten the load, I decided it was best to keep it. My kids are growing so fast and are wanting to do more and more craft things, and will the things that I have "collected" over the years I figured that it will be perfect to let them go at it to make valentines for school or birthday cards or even just be crafty. So saving money is probably my long-term goal with that one, next to getting to craft with them and show all the neat tricks I know.

When I got back into knitting I was looking for any yarn I could get a hold of if it was pretty I needed it. I especially needed it if it was "ON SALE!", who doesn't love those words "ON SALE!". I'm learning not to like those words it gets me into trouble, but a few years ago I needed something I could do almost anywhere. A few rows at a time fits my life style of a mom of 2 and so I apparently just needed all the yarn. I had started making scarfs when I first learned and now I was moving on to making little red hats for Little Hats for Big Hearts, in honor of my nephew, and it you don't know what that is it's a program that takes donated red hats to hand out to the babies born in February in honor of Heart Awareness Month. From hats I moved on to socks, oh I love to make socks, blankets and even sweaters. When I got to socks I fell in love with all the colors and the better product I could get out of higher end yarn. I was looking at $25-30 to knit a pair of socks. There a new hobby erupted into wanting to dye my own socks. WHile I"ll get into all that another day my point was that while crafting is such an amazing self-care when I do get a moment to do it, the hobbies just trickle into another and another. Hence the more and more stuff we have accumulated.

This last November we moved into a larger house, interesting enough we had just finally unpacked the last box maybe 2-3 months before our decision to ask for a larger house on base. While there was a lot of little things here and there I would have said that it is enough. However, moving out and into a larger place feels like a nightmare. THere is no winning to feeling like I can never keep my house clean. I am suggesting to find a home for everything and there is just several boxes hanging out in the garage still and is weighing hard on my anxiety, With the anxiety I hit the good old lovely world of YouTube and found The Minimal Mom who was organizing a hall closet. It reminded me of how bad it is for me to carry out a task because I get incredible side track. She is very motivating to watch and love picking up little things that can help me once I get to through this huge hurdle I've been dealing with between my depression /medication and my daughter's struggle with her ADHD.

Things have felt like there's a light at the end of the tunnel, and with a recent video I watched from The Minimal Mom I have found the motivation to declutter my house, reduce the chaos and stress all the stuff that is just sitting around my house. It gives my anxiety thinking about how much money will be going in the trash and donations from the stuff we barely use or even never used. One of the reasons ON SALE puts me in trouble is the stress of finding out later that I wasted money. Fixing our finances is a huge motivator and I'm looking forward to making some money back but I don't feel there will be a lot unfortunately. Her post was about a challenge for declutter that could remove up to 496 items from your home. It is a rather simple plan. where you start with DAY 1 and you find one thing to get rid of, and continue to DAY 2 two things. Challenges are better accomplished when you have someone else to engage in them with you and share the journey.

This being said, I challenge you to join MIM style for Minimal in March. Share your daily purge. Invite your friends to lift the burden of stuff and keep each other motivated. Donate all that you can to help others. Sell those things that you really didn't need that are collecting dust. If you find yourself on DAY 21 having a hard time finding things to get rid of it's okay to stop. Keep encouraging those friends that are drowning in their struggle to keep their house clean. For all the lucky ones with great organization skills, maybe reach out to someone who is not and see how you can help. Sometime even just a conversation is what can help them be motivated.

For me the hardest part about looking at my mess is figuring out where to start, the task feels overwhelming and impossible. My Plan is to pick the least cluttered space in my home (half bath) and look for something that doesn't need to me there if I don't find anything I will move on to the next room and do little areas each day. I hope to do some cleaning with this reduction of items, but cleaning isn't my goal. My personal goal is to find a space for all the things I own and remove what is just causing stress. The cleaning can come later after the declutter and the organizing. This will hopefully be helpful for the future if we get orders, the burden of unpacking will seem less overwhelming.

I hope you will join me share with #MINIMALINMARCH. Tag me on Instagram @ManyIncredibleMediums and dont' forget to challenge a friend.