The Great Purge

There is great loss and fantastic relief all wrapped up in one push into the donation bin. It's the purge of clutter and stuff and piles of things so unnecessary to the well-being of my family. I suppose that makes it not such a great loss. My sister and I are holding each other accountable this month in a 21 bags in 21 days purge of our homes. Why 21 days? The number simply derived from the fast I do every January to begin my year. I told my sister that along with food this month, I desired to fast "stuff" too. It's like a cleansing on the inside and out. So far, the Lord has taught me a few lessons concerning entitlement and hoarding any material items. They might seem like big bad words but He and I know exactly where those issues lie. Just as He is moving in me and through me, my home is going to reflect the cleansing. So far, about 16 bags have left my house and my school shelves are de-cluttered and organized. This is a monumental task, my friends. Ah, January is so good for getting rid of the old and on with the new. So thankful God's grace covers all the junk... but then reveals it for a good clean-up in His timing--and, when I'm most receptive.  

The kids' schoolwork bins (bottom right) are back in regular use. You can see clearly that "chucking" books into their bins is so much easier than lining things up nicely. Neat doesn't always last but I'm learning that "less" makes it simpler to deal with! This may look like a lot of books but I did remove about half of them. Yep, took me nearly nine years of homeschooling to get the concept :)

 

While my sister and I both entered into the Great Purge, I was met each morning by an encouraging email reminder to stick with it... along with a little update on how her removal of junk was coming along. Below is one of my favourites. Is it any wonder why I chose her as my accountability partner? :)

 

bag 2 was actually a box.  Where the heck are all my bags?  can't find one.

anyhow, I filled a box with crystal ... who even knew I owned any???? 
Apparently the upper cupboards in the kitchen ACTUALLY housed some
things and those doors are not simply decorative, I'd led myself to
believe.  Things you learn.  Those cupboards are kind of the kitchen
wasteland of household items.  The black hole of things you never use. 
The Bermuda Triangle of crap. Somehow, without realizing it, i have
amassed FOUR vases ... what?  THREE crystal serving bowls ... um, I
have serving bowls? ... a brie oven proof pot (for all those MANY times
i've needed to melt brie???? ... and about 5 mason jars full of random
baking supplies that are likely 4 years out of date.  (Disgustingly,
this did not stop my offspring from each getting a handful of the OPENED
icing that had been in there for an indeterminate amount of time and
shoving it into their mouths before I noticed.  Botulism, anyone????)

This begs the questions .... #1 - Who the heck BOUGHT all this stuff? 
and #2 -  HOW ON EARTH has all. this. crap. escaped discovery on my MANY
previous purges????  It's a mystery.

Don't forget to do your bag today.