Friday, February 28, 2014

Donation Number Two...Check!

My second opportunity came at the same time as the sheets that I gave away.

Last year one of my Mary Kay Directors asked for donations of samples, shampoo from hotels, etc for a friend of hers that work with a women shelter.  So keeping this in mind last summer I gathered all the shampoos, soaps, body lotions in the hotels that I visited.  I brought these home and put them in the cupboard for the next request.  Now that I had in mind to clean items out - I came across these items along with several toothbrushes and toothpaste we have received from our dentist during the past year.  I emailed my MK Director to ask if she thought her friend would be collecting again.  She contacted her friend and got the response that YES she would love the donation to use for gifts for the girls in the Juvenile Detention Center.  I quickly packed them all up to donate.

I found the key for me is once I have a place arranged to donate - I need to do it right away.  I am such a procrastinator, I know if I leave time in between - the items would never get donated.  This could explain why there is so much stuff to clean out.

My goal here is to detach myself from all of the "stuff" in my life so that I can put that focus on my relationship with God.  This also gives me a chance to bless others.  Right now I am finding items I can easily give away - I know as I move along - the choices will begin to be more challenging.  And that is one of the reasons I wanted to blog about my progress - you are helping me stay accountable and encouraged. 

I think I will work on my stacks of books next.  If you know of anyone who like lighthearted mysteries - let me know I have a ton of them. 
 

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

My First Letting Go

I just could not wait....

I started giving items away - the opportunity presented itself - so, I took it as a sign it was ok to begin before Lent.

I had taken a lot of items out of my Mary Kay office to straighten it out.  One of the items is a lovely wicker hamper.  I had not looking inside the hamper in ages.  When I took it out of the room - I looked inside and found several sets of sheets and shoes.  I think I had placed them in there when we moved into our house -- 5 years ago!!  Seeing these sheets reminded me of other sets I had in the linen closet we were no longer using. 

I have been researching places to make donations to so that I would be able to give my items to the right organization.  I was not sure what to do with the sheets, so I posted on FaceBook asking if anyone knew of where I could donate used sheets -- and received excellent ideas -- one seemed to struck me the most.  One of my Mary Kay sisters noted that her family was working on a project looking for bedding and towels to donate to the children and Family Services in Mississippi.  Our Mary Kay weekly meeting was coming up the very next day - it could not have worked out better.  I filled two grocery bags and put them in her trunk at the the meeting.

 One of my husbands cousins also noted in my post, she was looking for a set of queen sheets - and in our linen closet was a very nice set that I was using when I met my husband - they were cream with eyelet lace.  Well, my husband told me he was hoping I would find a set of sheets what was not so feminine hence why the sheets were in my linen closet not being used.  I met with my husband's cousin and gave her the sheets. 

I have to admit - it felt pretty good to let go of a few items and know that others will enjoy them.

Now, what to give away next....

Friday, February 21, 2014

Less than 2 weeks to start

I can not believe Lent starts in less than 2 weeks - boy am I ready to start my Lenten project.  In fact I've decided to start early.  I've been looking at everything in my home with a new eye, questioning myself - do I really need that item for my life.  How can I organize things better to make my life easier?  By cleaning things out I will save time in cleaning, organizing, having to go through when I can't find something. 

I would like to redo my Mary Kay office - but I have a ton of stuff in there that I don't really need.  For example - I have this little cabinet to hold shoes - do I put shoes in it?  No, not really - it has a few pairs - but nothing I really wear -- so that will be one thing to go along with most of the items inside it.  I have my mother's sewing table with the sewing machine that folds down inside.  I don't use the table at all - when I sew - I put my sewing machine on the dining room table -- so, do I really need this sewing table - no, am I ready to let go of it - I'm not sure. 

Family items seem to be the hardest of items to let go of.  Some are very useful - I have a pie safe that was my Great-Grandmother Benson's - I just love this cabinet and I use it to store my holiday dishes and glassware.  Other items are just hear, hanging around the house - or I have them packed away.

I've found this truly to be a good exercise already.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Being Bless with Less!!

I found a wonderful book - entitled "Blessed By Less" by Susan Vogt.  I've heard her speak on EWTN Radio sharing about her book and how she got started.  She decided one year that during Lent she would give-up one item a day as her Lenten Sacrifice.  She found that it was such an eye opening experience of letting go of items that after Lent, she decided to do it for a whole year - letting go of over 1200 items during that year.

I was so excited about this concept, I decided this would be a good Lenten sacrifice for me too.  I have just under 3 weeks before it begins, and I've already began looking at my home, picking out items I am going to give up. 

I decided there are 4 ways I will give-up an item - Sell it (such as on Facebook, Craigs List or Ebay), Put in the Garage Sale, Give-away or throw away.  I promise that anything left from the Garage Sale would go to Goodwill.  There will be three criteria for deciding to give an item up -- one - have I used or wore the item in the last 2 years, two - is it something I am tired of -- lets be truthful -- there may be a perfectly good sweater/top/dress that I can still wear -- but I've worn it so much I just am simply tired of it, and three -- could someone else get better use of the item than I am right now. 

Susan book challenges me to really think about what is important in my life - what are the things I need to have a good life and what items are holding me back.

Susan choose to blog about her experience each day during Lent to help keep her honest - I think the same would be true for me.  So, I invite you to check-in with me as I post every day beginning on Ash Wednesday.

My goal is to free my life from clutter and remove items that are in the way between my relationship with God.  I think this Lent will be eye opening - and I hope you are inspired too!