I started something new last week. Seven days into this new thing, I am hooked. I am lighter. Noticing stuff and seeing the light shining brightly at the end of the “clutter” tunnel.

I had this vision of totally cleaning the house from top to bottom, room by room before the kids got out of school for the summer. Wanting my world to be spotless. Since they are out in three hours and that vision didn’t totally happen I started a new plan seven days ago. Every day, tossing 10 things.

Same vision, just happening slower and with a twist.

Monday, it was the kids’ room – shhh, they still don’t know. They keep their room pretty clean, they just inherited their dad’s “pack rat”, “saver” gene. I got rid of a few things, I promise they won’t miss. A gum wrapper here, a broken plastic toy part there, odds and ends that are stuffed into drawers. The “stuffer” gene, they got from me. Finding 10 things was a snap.

Tuesday, linen closet. Wednesday garage and my “stuffed drawer” in our shared bedroom dresser. Found some cool stuff. So cool I had forgotten all about them, so I put them in the Good Will bag. The bathroom medicine cabinet had so much more room in it at the end of Thursday. Who knew one could have so much dental floss. My kitchen “junk” drawer now only has things I need and I can actually find them.

I gave a bag of boy clothes to my friend’s son last night and during the day the NWC truck pick up a large box from our front porch.

If I don’t see 10 things I am ready to toss I hit the stacks of paper, folders of school work, mail not dealt with or there is always the garage. Yesterday, I discovered we have enough crayons to melt down and make a candle bigger than Texas. The art shelf in the garage no longer resembles a tornado aftermath. There are corners in the house full of things never used, screaming for a new home, be it the Good Will bag, another child, the recycle bin or the garbage can outside. Bye, bye.

The awareness of getting rid of something daily is helping me be more mindful of what I hang on to that no longer serves me. I actually wake up thinking, What will the 10 things be today?

Making room in my life, shedding the old, creating new space….aahhh, I feel like I have lost 10 lbs. The twist is that although my world doesn’t look spotless I feel more in control, more aware. Yep broken parts and all, just no longer hanging on to the broken parts. Those are hittin’ the trash bin.

What are you ready to shed? What is no longer serving you? 

Cheers, Jenny