Moving Into New Territory

Well, I've moved on to our closet in the bedroom.

Today I pulled out three pairs of dress pants and a brown skirt to give to the Women's Resource Center.  But, before I can donate them - I need to run them through the washer and dryer -- a good indicator of items I can let go of -- dust on them..ha!

As I reported yesterday - the response on my shoe cabinet was strong - even after I posted that it was sold, I had 5 more people say they were interested.  I'm waiting on the buyer to stop in yet this evening.  I decided with the money I earn from selling some of my items, to put it in a "retreat" fund for me to use to spend quiet time with God.  Sometimes it is so important to take a step away - unplug and be quiet to allow for God to speak to you.

First BIG Letting Go

Yahoo!!  I'm finally letting go of my Shoe Cabinet.

I bought it when I lived in the duplex and it worked as both a shoe cabinet and a bedside table.  Since moving here it was in the spare room - so I never put my shoes in it and it taking up space in my Mary Kay office.  Time to move it along.

I've put it up for sale on the FaceBook Grand Rapids Garage Sale for $10 - if you know of someone who could use it, let me know, I will be happy to pass it along (and if you/they are in Ohio - I'm coming down the first weekend in April - so I could bring it with me).  If I still have it by my garage sale date - it will be going in it.

 The only ones that will be sad to see it go is the kitties - they've been using it as perch to look out the window - oh well - we all need to make sacrifices.

***UPDATE**** I just checked my post in FaceBook - and I have already had about 10 people interested (the first one was about 2 minutes after I posted)!! Wow!! So I think it is safe to say that it's SOLD!

A Little Stretch

I will admit - tonight's letting go was a little hard for me.

Today I am letting go of this cute pair of shoes with matching purse.  I ordered these items with a cute skirt and top to make a complete outfit.  But the truth...the purse is a little too small for me (I have to have everything but the kitchen sink with me) and the shoes are too tight.  I think I've only used them once or twice.  So, I am letting go with a pouting face on and putting them in the garage sale pile.

And, when I get to my closet in our bedroom - I will need to find that cute skirt - because to be totally honest - the skirt is too short and too small....

Quick and Simple

Monday's are very busy for me.  I work until 4, run home and change to leave by 4:50ish to make my weekly Mary Kay meeting at 5:30 and not home again until around 7:30ish.  So, I was tempted not to post tonight - but I know there are a few of you checking in with me each day -- and you helped me to move past that temptation.  Thank you, thank you!!

Tonight, I am letting go of a picture I had hanging in the room that is now my Mary Kay office.  Before it was a guest room, this was one of the pictures I had hanging in there.

I will admit - this was an easy letting go for me - I know as I move into the basement there are pictures stored from when I was selling Home Interiors in which  I need to just let go - I will never hang them, but I really like them.  It will be a test for me to move past these items...

For today I'm putting this picture in the garage sale pile - which is really growing!!

I'm giving it a lot of Sole!

You may recall - the other day when I gave the sheets away, I noted I had found them in a wicker hamper that also contained some shoes.  Today, I pulled out all those shoes -- 12 pairs and 1 flip flop.  Two pairs should have been thrown away when I packed them - but they were my favorites at the time and I could not get myself to let go of them - but now I am -- they are in the trash.  2 pair are going directly to Goodwill and the rest are set aside for the garage sale.  If they don't sell - I will take them to the Women Resource Center where I took the suits.  I went to see if I could find the match to the flip flop - as I was looking I bent the flip flop a little and it broke right in half!  Need-less-to-say it's in the trash too and if I can find it's match it will make it into the trash before trash day.  The slippers that in the front of the picture are white and not very clean - I'm going to try to wash them - if they don't come out ok - I guess it will be curtains for them too - otherwise they will go into the garage sale.

You might be wondering why am I giving away all my office clothes.  I am working as an Accounting Manager for a small manufacturer in Walker (for those who don't live in the area - Walker is just West of Grand Rapids - and is about 10 minutes from our home).  We make the cedar planks that restaurants use to grill fish and meat. They are also sold to Target and Meijers.  I wear jeans every day.  One because we are a very casual office, but also since the shop is right outside my door, there is a lot of dust. The owner brings his Boxer (Rosie) to work.  She loves to sleep under my desk and keeps me company.  Most days I come home with saw dust on my shoes and a paw print or two on my jeans.  I'm loving it!

Fabrics in Time!

Wow! What a day!  The sun was out and the temp got up into the 40's.  Life is good!  I took my donation to the Women Center and Goodwill today.  I think I actually feel lighter!  lol

Before

Few days ago I had asked if anyone knew of someone who could use some fabric.  Well, God answered my question.  On Thursday at my morning prayer group meeting, one of the ladies shared that her daughter and her was taking the granddaughters to Chicago this weekend to visit the American Girl Doll store to pick-out their dolls.  My friend commented that she got a sewing machine so she can make some clothes for the girl's dolsl.  Ding, Ding, Ding....went off in my head!  I asked her if she could use some fabric - and she said YES, she would love some fabric.  

So today I let go of the fabric in the closet in the office.  The before picture show the explosion that happened when I pulled the pile out of the closet!  Holy Molly what a mess!  And as I went through it I found fabrics I had bought to make maternity tops in 1980 when I was hoping to get pregnant.  I found a couple of half made stuffed gooses -- think the pink and blue stage we went through in the 80's.  I counted for most of this mess I have actually moved it 7 times!! 

 I bagged up some of the cuter fabric for my friend. 

After

And sorry, Jean and Jan - I have a couple yards of girly flannel to give to Mom - she said her 4H sewers could use it to make lap quilts for ladies at the Veteran Home.  And (don't tell Mom...) threw a bunch of it away - it was so old I did not even trust that is would be safe for someone to sew with, or such little pieces no one could use it - why I saved it in the first place, I have no idea.  All I kept was a little denim and some flannel for the denim quilts that I've made the last few years.  I still have a couple of people on my list I want to make a quilt, and I'd love to make one for myself one of these days.  I have the "after" to put back in the closet -- and now my sewing machines (yes, I have more than 1 - that will be another day of deciding of what to let go) can be store on top of the container.  I love it when a plan comes together!

I am actually seeing floor in the bottom of that closet!!

Blessed by Less at it's Best

My letting go today is my book - Blessed by Less.

I've finished reading the book and enjoyed it so much, instead of putting it on my bookshelf - I decided to pass it on.

I thought of one of my best girlfriends.  Her mantra has always been "Less is More".  I've admired her for this outlook and how she is not caught-up in the consumerism that I have found myself.  I know she will enjoy this book.  It is much more than just letting go of "stuff".

So I've popped it in the mail - it's amazing how good it feels!

Ash Wednesday

And so Lent begins.

This project I am doing for Lent is not all for getting my house in order, that is one of the side benefits.  I am hoping to with each donation, each giving to someone else I will step by step detach myself from the things around me to move my focus to the One who matters the most.

In a recent prayer group setting we studied "Consoling the Heart of Jesus" by Father Michael Gaitley - if you have not seen this material before, I highly recommend it - very eye opening and heart lifting.  But anyways, I digress, in this study we learned about the "First Principle" which is:

The First Principle and foundation teaches that we're made to live the "first thing" 

(a life of praise, reverence and service to God) by using "second things" (the other 

things on the face of the earth) only insofar as they help us to live the first thing.

                                                                                                               By St. Ignatius

And this is why I feel this Lenten Project will help me to move closer to God.  I know this will be a struggle each day -- I may not feel like doing it or be tempted to try to do several days at once.  This is where your help will come in.  By checking in on my blog and posting comments you will be helping me to stay accountable.  I hope that you may be inspired as I was when I read Susan's book and find this a blessing in your life too.

Today I took my more dresser dresses to the cedar closet downstairs, and found all my suits stored there.  I pulled out a couple to keep (you always need a nice blue suit on hand for funerals, etc) and prepared the rest along with a few of the tops I had to go with them to take to the Women's Resource Center on Friday.  The center offers for free, help to women who are looking for work from resume building, job searching, interview coaching and even clothing to wear for interviews.  I know someone will be bless by these suits and hopefully this clothing will give them the confidence to find the perfect position.

Closet Cleaning

 The author of Blessed by Less gave her items away by category - shirts, skirts, sweaters, etc.  I think for me it will be better to work by location.  I've started on the messy closet in my office.  As you can see lots of clothes and purses.  I've bagged up most of the clothes.  This was my overflow area and where I kept my good dresses for our fancier nights at Mary Kay Seminar.  I looked at the overflow items and there really wasn't anything there that I've worn in the past couple of years - so all of that is going.  As far as my fancy dresses - there was one that I don't wear - it's now in the bag.  I'm dropping them off at Good Will on Friday.  The balance of the dresses can be relocated into our cedar closet in the basement - it is a better place to store them anyways.

The purses will be another job - I LOVE purses -- I have several favorites in there and a few I like - but I will need to determine if I really truly use them.  I am predicting this is going to be challenging.

What you can't see is to the left is a BIG pile of fabrics from various projects - does anyone know of a good place to donate fabrics - they are all left overs so it is a few pieces here or a yard there -- and Jean and Jan you don't have to worry - none of it will go to Mom...lol.

The good news is once I have the closet better organized, perhaps I can use it more productively.

Sundays

The author of Blessed by Less choose to use Sundays during her Lenten project as breaks.  She used this time for reflection on what it meant for what she let go of that week. 

I too will use Sundays the same way.  I will reflect on the progress of my project, how have letting go of these items help me to detach myself from the clutter in my home and how I can now use this detachment as a way to grow deeper in my faith.