I’m a bit of a packrat. I save nearly everything that might someday be useful, even if not in the near future. Being a teacher just adds to my hoarding tendencies; I can see the potential in even a scrap of ribbon.   My stash has definitely gotten bigger as my children came along. It pains me to throw out a masterpiece they’ve created or a beloved shirt that I remember my kids wearing. My husband is the complete opposite; he wouldn’t bat an eyelash at throwing out everything in the closet and just living out of the same two outfits.  Much of the mess in my house is created by the excess of material objects. Shoes that don’t fit, toys that have missing parts, and books that are no longer being read seem to overflow from our shelves and storage bins.   Our family is taking baby steps in eliminating the clutter.   Instead of throwing things away, those goods will be shared with someone who will put the items to use once again.

My first step toward my goal was to earn extra cash by taking the outgrown clothes to the consignment sale. Although I planned to save just one outfit for each child, it was easy to pass on all of our items by remembering that others can get use out of them while the clothes are still in style.   It felt so good to purge the closets that we’re going to continue to clear the clutter.   Each week, I’ll choose at least three items that need to find a new home.   This week we selected three books from the bookshelf that my son’s daycare class would enjoy. They are studying transportation so “Things That Go” is the perfect way for him to become engaged in his learning. The teacher mentioned that they would be studying farm animals soon, so we’re also taking two animal books. One is a lift-the-flaps book and the other has high-interest photos.   The students will enjoy reading these and it will thrill my son to give these to his teacher.

Do you need to reduce the clutter in your home? What steps are you taking to clear your space?