March Decluttering Challenge 2017 Week One

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I kind of alluded to it before - For our March Challenge, we're decluttering and getting rid of things. 

March Decluttering Challenge

With spring just around the corner, and all of us itching to spend our days outside (especially after those warm days!!) we're decluttering, and moving things along. 

The easiest way to keep things organized and clean is to not have so many things. 

Before we start to tackle spring cleaning, we're doing some spring decluttering.

Family Challenge

We are going to aim to get rid of at LEAST one thing, per person, per day.

Yep. We are going to move along a minimum of 124 things. We are going to be sorting through, making hard decisions, and letting go of all kinds of things we don't use, haven't used, don't like, or have just plain grown beyond.

This doesn't mean adding it to the "get rid of this stuff" pile in the garage, and unless it's truly useless, we aren't counting things we throw out. We are after all trying to get Closer to Zero Waste. This means donating, giving away, or selling each item we move along.

We are using (my) Ebay,  (my) Craig'sList, our local Buy Nothing group, and Freecycle, as well as gifting things to friends and family (only things they want :D ).

Any money we get from the things we move along, we are going to put toward expanding our front porch into a full deck. We eat practically every meal outside in warm weather so this is really a gift for all of us. 

(not how it looks currently)

Almost a week into the challenge we're doing pretty well (counting a few things we moved along in February, instead of waiting for March).

Here's what we've moved along:

Nursing Chair and ottoman - 2

Storage foot stool - 1

Glass Jars - 7

Kleen Kanteen bottle top - 1

Unused Cloth Napkins - 4

New In Box kids toys - 2

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Total number of items moved along: 17

Total number of dollars earned: $105.00

Currently listed and awaiting response/pickup: 27

Personal Challenges:

I'm up to day 64 (in a row) on Duolingo. I've now gotten past where I'd ever gotten to before and am learning more than I ever did in the years I took French in grade and high school.

Since I'm in charge of most of the items in our home that we all use (and am the one who clothes us, etc.) the majority of our items will be chosen and moved along by me. 

Between our family challenge, the warming weather, the trees down at the side of the house, I'm going to really focus on tangibly lightening the load of our worldly goods. 

I'm hoping to reach our goal number early and push through for more. We do after all have a couple pets in the house that we could get rid of things to match their numbers also. And no, our chickens aren't pets. They can get rid of their own stuff.

March's Fitness Challenge

Between clearing branches and vines, landscaping, and renovating our bedroom (post coming Wednesday) I'm pushing myself to be usefully physically active.

I'm tweaking how I eat and steering away from some dietary coping mechanisms. I've got a few small shifts swirling around through my awareness but not clear enough to write.

How about you?

What are you letting go of these days? What are you putting down simply because it's heavy? What is ready for its next life being useful to the next person?

For our other monthly challenges click here.  

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