Let’s De-Clutter in 2017

My life is FULL of treasures!!

I love my family. I love photographs and I love children’s art. I am a mom that hangs every school art project that my girls have ever brought home to me on my walls and on my refrigerator. And now the next generation of budding artists, my grandchildren) have begun to mail me incredibly adorable drawings to decorate my kitchen.

I love antiques. My parents collected antiques and passed many beautiful pieces of Pennsylvania Dutch furniture and decorative brass and pewter items to me. My husband and I continued collecting antiques when we lived on the East Coast.

I love books. I love to read and my husband and I both love to learn so we have a huge collection of resource books, travel books and bible study books. I began to read to my girls when they were very young because I also love children’s books.

I love to cook. I collect cookbooks and recipes and kitchen tools. I was the blessed recipient of all my grandmother’s hand-me–down kitchen stuff and I have loved and used every baking dish, platter and utensil.

I also love to do any and every kind of arts and craft and I love to sew……..

Here is the problem…..I do not like to waste anything and I always believe there will be a use for anything leftover….leftover food goes in the freezer, leftover craft materials go into stacking bins for the next project or for when the grandkids come to Gammie day camp. Material leftover from a sewing project can be used for quilts or lining baskets for gifts. So the bigger problem is that I now have a clutter problem.

For the past three weeks I have been sorting boxes and packing boxes and working around the house to clean up from Christmas and get ready for a kitchen remodel (long story for another post). Last week I hear a fantastic podcast called “Clearing Out the Clutter” and I learned many tips to help me get started on a journey to become clutter free!!!!

If you want to listen to the podcast on becoming Clutter Free click here. I heard it on the Focus on the Family broadcast: the book and the podcast called Clearing Out the Clutter by Kathi Lipp.

The point that gave me the most motivation to stay committed as I sorted through my drawers and cabinets was her quote, “Be clutter free so you can be free to change your world!” I do not want to be held back by my stuff. I do not want to be preoccupied taking care of too much stuff and miss opportunities to spend time with people. Memories are wonderful but making new ones far outweigh holding on to old ones!!!

So here is my motto for 2017 as I attempt to clean out my clutter…

Do I use it?
Do I love it?
Would I buy it again?

If NOT then THROW it away, GIVE it away or RECYCLE it because…..Your/My clutter may be someone else’s treasure.

EVERY DAY I will say to myself something that my mom learned from her mom and passed along to me…”repack your bags for a swifter and lighter journey.”

Who wants to join me in the De-Clutter challenge?