Declutter Challenge: The Final Results

guest post by my Mom

Remember all the 8 million posts last year about decluttering? We had our hearts set on streamlining life, removing clutter, and having a really smooth move. We worked really hard to pare our home down to just items that are used, loved, and/or have super sentimental value. I definitely wouldn't call us minimalists, but we had gotten to a point where sheer laziness was letting stuff pile up in our closets. We weren't using the items, but we also weren't funneling them to folks who would use them. That's pretty wasteful. And lazy.

So, we hit the decluttering hard last year. During the final weeks of our move, I wasn't able to keep count since we were packing and then living out of hotels for about 2 months, but at this point, I think it's safe to say that if I didn't meet the goal, I got awfully close.

The interesting thing, is when we compared our total household good weights from our move in 2009 with our move this year, we were 2000 lbs less. The crazy part? When we moved in 2009, we didn't have a baby. So, in theory, we "should" have more "stuff". Right? No, we have a full TON less "stuff"!

And we don't even miss it.

And we moved into a smaller house and aren't cramped.

And it's less to clean and maintain.

And so I have more time for my family.

If you've been worried about jumping into decluttering, let me tell you, I can't encourage you enough. It's a little bit addicting once you realize just how much you don't miss the stuff you give away/sell. If you have a bunch of stuff in closets or your garage--how much good is all that stuff doing for you? You don't see it and don't use it (which is probably why it's in a closet). Do you really need to keep it? Probably not. Start small, maybe a linen closet or the junk drawer in the kitchen. I promise you, you'll enjoy the benefits of a less cluttered life!