It’s day 10, how is your environment feeling around you? Have you gotten a lot of the clutter out of the areas we have worked on? Are you still working on one of the big projects such as the kids’ room or garage? This is not a race to see how much you can get done in a day or power through it and feel exhausted afterward. This is about teaching ourselves that we really do not need all this stuff we surround ourselves with daily, that it overwhelms us and our home is supposed to be a place we feel safe, loved and joyful in.  I have to admit it did take me a few years to really get this figured out in my head. It took me a few years to understand our kids do not need every single thing they ask for or want off of commercials on television.

I began to shift how I wanted to spend our money, on how I value making memories as a family more than I do pay for a new toy that they stop playing within a day or week.  When we began to add up how much we spent on toys, honestly I was surprised Toys R Us went out of business with as many toys we had bought from there. As new ones came into our home, the old toys were pushed into the back of a closet, sitting on a shelf or put into a plastic bin hardly ever looked at again.  Toy Story reinforced no toy gets left behind and we couldn’t throw anything away, it was like every toy was the doll Woody and she couldn’t part with any of them.  When I began saying wouldn’t you rather go to the beach, go on vacations to experience things that it shifted them as well.  I started to speak out loud I value more time with them than buying them something that makes them feel loved or important temporarily.  They do chores for the toys they want to purchase, they do the work to get them, and I don’t have a problem with that. It slows down on the amount that comes into our home and they are working towards something they want.

This year for the holidays I am adopting an idea I read online.  I will be giving coupons to friends and family that state instead of presents please buy gift cards to the movies, bowling or things we can do with the kids IF you are unable to take them as a present. Making memories is more important than all the stuff to fill their rooms they rarely look at after they opened the wrapping paper.  Honestly, I love, love, love wrapping gifts and having a ton under the tree but I am seeing more value in boarding a plane and spending the holidays doing new things, seeing new places and experiencing new vacations with them.

Our clutter should be a visual reminder of us compensating for things we are afraid to do, not paying attention to and our emotions tell us to feel better we should just buy shit.  Since we have really targeted what we buy and what comes into the house, we are making menus for the week and then going to the grocery store. This has cut back so much on our grocery bill and how much food we have in the house.  We have a pretty, organized and relaxing kitchen space now.  Our checking account is a little more fuller with the money we save with target buying instead of graze buying in the store.  Holidays are coming up and I will be making a guide on holiday decor, clutter and taming it but still making the holidays fun.

This challenge is clear 21 items every day for 21 days but I am going to stop on this blog on day 10. I have a workbook coming out soon on our website that is this full challenge.  We go all 21 days together, clearing clutter, ideas, pictures, and mental exercises to make sure we don’t fall back into the same trap as before and fill our spaces right back up.  Our family has found how much we enjoy our living space now, it can always be improved upon as we change daily as human beings.  I love practicing the art of Feng Shui in our home also and play with the energies to bring more wealth, health, relationships, travel and opportunities to us.

Much Love