Soooooo, I'm pretty pleased with my progress towards accomplishing things around the house that I've been putting off for far too long. This new initiative has been beneficial to me because it helps keep me on track and accountable. Too often, I waste time, dawdle, or move from one task to another without really completing either of them. I spin my wheels, I sulk, I think, contemplate, with little to no action in some areas. This 3 tasks in 2 days keeps me motivated and excited about checking something off of my list!

If you read this post, you know that my 3 tasks were to clean out my daughters closet, go through my pile of magazines, and go through my email inbox. Here's a quick recap...

Sooooo, a few days ago I launched Operation Get 'Er Done in an attempt to get out of my head and into action! Well, today, is the official launch, the straight up brand new re-opening of this new initiative! With the Easter holiday, there was much to do, places to be and lots of reflecting and thanksgiving going on so I thought it would be best to start fresh TODAY! I even heard from some of you (ok, one of you) saying that you planned to join me on this quest to get things done starting Monday, so Monday is here! Let's go!!!

I've been told that I have a slight container/ basket problem. Like... I buy them too frequently and use them too much around the house. I don't know that these statements are true, but heres what I do know: A good container and/or basket is a great way to organize your home and keep things neat and cute at the same time. Keep reading for 8 ways I use baskets and containers to stay organized!

 

Oh friends...

Is anybody still purging, as in cleaning out and getting rid of the unneeded and unwanted items in your home? This is our fifth and final installment of purging in preparation for the holidays so if you missed any, check out the first one here.
 

So, I just finished purging my sweaters and I was pleasantly surprised that at least in this one area, I haven’t been holding on to things that I know I won’t ever wear again. I’m only down three sweaters… probably because I purged sweaters earlier this year when I got an addition to my closet, but none the less, I’ve created a bit more room!

How is your purging coming along? Remember, if you’re behind or haven’t even started, it’s never too late. Set a timer on your phone for 10 minutes and see what kind of progress you can make in any area. Baby steps people. Baby steps.

Let’s keep moving… almost to week five! So, for this week, let’s focus on...

 

During our second purging session, we tackled jackets and coats. While I was in my coat closet, I realized I had a bit of a scarf problem. Not that I had too many, just that they weren’t stored or organized in the most effective way.

Initially, I had them draped across a pant/skirt hanger which worked fine, for the most part, but once I saw some white space in my closet after parting with some old coats, I wanted more...more white space! The scarves hanging on the hanger took up too much space so I needed something different.
 

One of the things that I look forward to during this time of year is receiving Christmas cards in the mail. I eagerly check my box each day anticipating what family I get to see looking great in their Christmas duds. Sadly, many family and friends I know don’t do Christmas cards, but hopefully you’re not one of them. Not only is it a great way to spread Christmas cheer and connect with others, but it’s a great memory and keepsake that I’m sure will be treasured as the years continue to go by.

I mentioned in this post that I say “Awwwww” a lot when looking at things from the past, so you probably aren’t surprised that I have a hard time parting with old Christmas cards. About three years ago, I decided I needed a creative and neat way to store Christmas cards that still allowed me to pull them out during this time of year. If you’re looking for a way to store your Christmas cards, continue reading. This post’s for you!

Is it just me, or does it seem that Thursdays keep rolling around back to back? I mean, it seems like I just did a post about our purging process in preparation for the holidays like two days ago, and yet, here we go again!  

How’s it going, by the way? Have you been purging away? I have to agree with the commenter who said that the hardest part is getting started. Oh, yes it is! But I must say, this is a running theme in my life. I put things off because they seem too hard. I procrastinate because it seems like it will take me forever to make it perfect, so I don’t act. Oh, but when I do… when I stop procrastinating, avoiding, and putting things off…once I actually get started, I am ALWAYS pleasantly surprised at how quickly I am able to get things done. If you’ve been dragging your feet during this purging process, do yourself a favor and just do it! Really, you’ll feel better once you’ve gotten something done.

 

It’s week 2 of our purging process in preparation for the holidays! How’s it going? Or, how did you go? Did you part ways with some shoes and books that were no longer useful?

I am proud to say that I am 22 pairs of shoes and 20 books lighter! Yay! My house lost weight! Be sure to leave your success in the comments below. Also tell us what you plan to do with the books and shoes your family no longer needs.

While I am not a hoarder, I do keep A LOT of things. Like, a lot. I say, “Awwwwwwwww” frequently when looking at things from the past and that keeps me from getting rid of items that I really don’t need to keep anymore. I have notes and letters from over 20 years ago and movie stubs and receipts…and many, many, many items…just because. Since we have 4 more weeks of purging, I feel like I need some reminders to keep my focused and out of that nostalgic “Awwwww” mode. I pulled out a few words of wisdom that have helped in the past and should hopefully help now to keep us focused on ridding our homes of unnecessary things.

 

photo credit

 

Have you started thinking about Christmas yet? The process of decking the halls, giving gifts, holiday meals, and generally being merry? Of course, the true joy of Christmas has little to do with the things I just mentioned and everything to do with Jesus...

Christmas always seems to bring more. More fellowship, more food, more time off, and inevitably, more stuff. Even if you don’t receive a lot of tangible gifts for Christmas, chances are someone in your house does {like your children} and if you don’t have any children, you’re probably buying many things for other people’s children, which means you have to have somewhere to store those gifts until the big day.