Does anyone else feel the need to purge their home of some of the clutter? It's not just me, thank goodness. Did you know clutter can also lead to not only stress but depression? Here's an article with links to studies showing the true affects of clutter.
I don't know about you, but that gives me even more incentive to get the clutter out of the house. Late spring and summer are filled with raising our meat chickens, a couple of new piglets, the garden, preserving said garden harvest, and fitting in summer fun and camping. That means almost no time for cleaning house, and especially, no time to devote to getting clutter cleared out.
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Now I've come across a lot of sites that do clutter free challenges. Every day you tackle one area of your home. This is great, except here's the real truth, I literally don't have time every day to attack clutter and that leaves me lagging behind, which makes me feel like I can't keep up, so I'm defeated before I even begin. While I can't spend time every day, I can spend time every week.
Those of us pioneering today folks, homesteaders, gardeners, farmers, self-sufficiency folks, we have a bit different needs to add in when we do our spring cleaning and decluttering. When you do food storage something we have a years worth of food on hand so making sure our stock is rotated and organized, canning supplies, etc will make this challenge a little bit different than regular decluttering challenges.
There's something comforting knowing other people are in the same spot as me and they're working along with me to fix the problem. It's that, “I'm not alone” phenomenon that we all have. I'm more accountable if I say I'm doing this with you, then once I given my word to something I try to keep it. I'm much more likely to do something knowing I”m accountable.
The 6 Week Old-Fashioned Spring Cleaning Challenge Includes
- Declutter room by room, week by week
- Email with checklist and tips on Friday (because most of us have more time on the weekend)
- Not only our regular home and house, we'll tackle the barnyard, garden supplies, food storage, and canning supplies
- Switching out store bought chemical cleaners to homemade cleaners
- Share our tips and best storage and organization secrets
- Receive verses and uplifting snippets of faith for a cleaning that's more than surface deep
Why do we have so much clutter? For those of you who don't suffer from this, I salute you, I truly do, and you're now hereby ordered to come over to my house and lend a helping hand, ‘kay. We'd love to have your tips and feedback in the comments!
Copy and paste this into your Facebook status
I'm joining the 6 Week Old-Fashioned Spring Cleaning Challenge! #MKNSpringCleaning Sign up here and get your homestead clutter free!
As I've been working on my book (due to the publisher's April 1st) and on deadline my house has suffered. This is going to force me to really tackle our clutter and get everything cleaned and organized. I've been putting it off and am excited to go through this with you.
I was thinking about this
Why do we have so much clutter?
We're trying to fill a need or loss. We might not even realize it, but those new clothes, new dishes, new pillows, whatever it is you tend to bring into your home is usually done by some need to fit in, to feel like you're one of the crow, or something. You felt deprived at one time in your life maybe.
The media shows us the greatest and latest make your life complete, have to have it commercials. I think those are things that contribute to our clutter.
We've been conditioned to look at things as needs when they're really wants. (we talked about this more in depth in Ways to Spending Less) My boss and I were talking about cell phones, television, cable, smart phones. When we look down your monthly bills we don't see them as expendables, but as necessities. Not all people, but for general society, I say this is fairly true.
When I have clutter and a mess, I don't see the things I have and a nice home I see the mess. I focus on the mess and think I'll just shut the door instead of cleaning this up. Most of us spend a lot of time in our homes and it's a shame to see it as a mess. As w
I think there's a spiritual aspect to having a lot of stuff and a lot of clutter. I've noticed in my life when I have a huge to-do-list and everything is scheduled out and I'm too busy if it's not written in. We start missing out on the surprise things God as planned for us and view them as interruptions instead of blessings. I think the physical and spiritual aspect of this can go hand and hand to a degree.
The more things we have the more time we have to spend on it. I'm looking forward to this and each post I”ll include some nugget of faith and bible verse so it will be a spiritual and physical spring cleaning. I love looking back on the old-fashioned things. Spring is hope and rebirth, fresh air blowing out the stale air of winter.
I remember reading the Little House on the Prairie book and they'd beat the rugs with a stick to beat the dirt out from winter. I'm glad we have a vacuum cleaner so I can clean our carpets that way. But it's interesting to look back on those traditions.
Last year in the middle of summer when preserving the harvest and canning was going on, my garden suffered. I got behind on my weeding. Once the plants were established weeding took a back burner. The plants didn't suffer as far as harvest wise because they were bigger than the weeds. It was one of those things I didn't think I could keep up with and let slid.
There's a danger in letting things slide and not keeping up. There's lots of systems for weed control, but one of the reasons I want to get organized ahead of time is for more gardening time. In the fall I looked at the weeds and quite a few of them had developed berries. They were night shade berries. Night shade berries are poisonous, they range from a bright red berry to a dark purple color. They were all over the garden. Everywhere.
It freaked me out. I had poisonous food growing in with my families food. Five berries are lethal when ingested for an adult. You can imagine how toxic these are.
I had to immediately remind the kids not to pick berries that you don't know are safe. I showed them the berries and the kids kept hollering every few steps, “Here's more, Mom.” I go barefoot in the garden and the soles of your feet can absorb crushed berries. With shoes on, my husband and I took the big black plastic garbage and took hours bagging, with gloves, all of these plants. We filled four bags full.
It was very eye opening that we can't let our problems go without taking care of them. So this fall we mulched heavily with leaves to cover the ground and smother the seeds. We're going to mulch this year when we plant and keeping closer attention to weeding, before they can blossom and turn into something harmful
It was really scary and embarrassing because it was my own fault for neglecting that area. It made me look at different areas of our home and things we need to take care of instead of putting it off, and where part of this challenge came in.
Not that my house is a pig sty, but I'll be sharing pictures as we go through this challenge. I want our necessities, things we love, and things we use, not a bunch of extras.
I hope you”ll join me and share your tips and all of us will come out with a clutter free home.
(copy and paste to your Facebook page) I'm taking the 6 week old-fashioned spring cleaning and decluttering challenge! From the kitchen, to food storage, the barnyard and garden, in 6 weeks we'll have purged, organized, cleaned, and set our homestead in order to be ready for summer fun without the stress. Get checklists, tips, encouragement, and fun. Share your pics and success with hashtag #MKNSpringCleaning
Verse of the Week
Psalm 24:4-5
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD And righteousness from the God of his salvation.…
There are so many things in our life that if it becomes more important than God, our time with Him, and it's caused me to sit back and pray for Him to show me any areas in my life that may be leaning towards an idol. I want Him to be a priority by not just words, but how I spend my day and my time.
Normally I share the book of the week, but I've finished all them.
I'm really excited to tell you guys I got sponsored by Taste of Home Magazine and I'll be flying to Salt Lake City Utah to the Build Your Blog Conference. I need books to load up my kindle for the trip. Share your favorite books in the comments or email me.
While I”m there I”ll be sharing photos on Instagram as I get to meet my fellow bloggers Tammy Trayer from TrayerWilderness and Katy from MamaKautz. Imagine 3 homesteading gals int he city, watch out! I'll be sharing more when I get home.
Don't forget to join our 6 Week Spring Cleaning Challenge!
I have begun to buy and store things for when things get really bad: no power, lack of food and water. I know that God will provide, but it is always best, in my opinion, to do as much as you can and leave the rest to God’s provision.
So my clutter consists more of things to use now when it is ‘normal’ and then things like manual wash options for clothes and dishes, small appliances that require no electricity, for when it has started to fall apart, as we all know it will. Even if not in my lifetime, my daughters and grandsons will have the resources to survive.
I have begun making large batches of main meals and storing the remainder for another meal, instead of eating it until it’s all gone. I have begun organizing an outside laundry room to hold most of my stored foods, by adding insulation and an air conditioner for summer when it gets up into the 90’s frequently.
I have lots of clutter from about two years ago when an injury to my wrist made it impossible, and by physical therapist orders, to do ANY work with that hand….you try doing dishes, organizing, cleaning with just ONE hand! It is HARD! I so admire those who have physical disabilities like this without relief, and can do so much. I have new respect for their perseverance.
I got so far behind, that after the 18 months when I was finally able to use that hand, it was so overwhelming! You are right: procrastination is detrimental and is so non-productive, that it can set you back so far that you think you will never recover. BUT: if you do get that cleaning/organizing bug, you CAN catch up and feel good about what you have done, and you should give yourself well deserved praise when it is done.
Good job!
Just what I need. Looking forward to it!
flylady.net addresses this very well also. She says to do 15 minutes a day, when you have that 15 minutes. It really did work to get me more organized. So did moving from a 3 bedroom house to a 24×24 apartment for almost 3 years. Really hard canning with little place to put the food, but we did it. Now the house is done and we have more room but we are still stocking up for whatifs. All that extra stuff is being labeled and put in the attic. It is comforting to know that we have a spare if one breaks or if you can no longer buy things. But the junk is going. We slowly replaced most of our small appliances with manual ones, we went mostly solar, still have trouble in the winter months though. It was all an eye opener for sure, but we found out we are less stressed with less.
I have really been enjoying your podcast. It really speaks to me and is exactly what I have been trying to do for my family. I have gone back to the beginning and listen to those inbetween the releases of the new ones. Thank you!
I was trying to sign up for the decluttering but the link is broken.
Elizabeth,
I’m so glad you’re enjoying them. I just clicked on the links and they loaded for me… which link was broken for you?
I have been downsizing for a couple years now and I thought I had removed most of my clutter. But, the stuff comes back…lol Looking forward to the Spring Cleaning Decluttering Challenge!
I love the idea of doing this challenge! Clutter is definitely my biggest problem! Thanks for the post! It is really helpful! Greets, Lea Bridge Carpet Cleaners Ltd.
[…] The 6 Week Old-Fashioned Spring Cleaning Challenge […]
This year I really didn’t have much time to do spring cleaning at home because I have so much work as a cleaner that when I come home I just want to relax and do anything but cleaning.There is no more time to waste, I need to take a proper care of my home so I’m really happy to find your post! This 6-week challenge will suit my time and needs perfectly! Thank you for sharing! Yasmin, Cleaners Up Ltd.
This sounds like a real challenge! I also fight the clutter with annual spring cleaning routine that helps me in the fight with clutter. I can’t imagine how much stuff can people gather just for one year. I love minimalist lifestyle but with three kids it isn’t that easy. I also love making all homemade stuff and my basement is filled with cans and jars, as with nuts and dried fruits. Me and my husband have a big garden and grow everything we need, so I every year need to clean the basement and declutter it! Thank you for the post! It is lovely!
I was really glad to have come across this site. It is true that clutter (mess) leads to stress and depression and I was at the point of really wanting to just walk away and start over with nothing. We are a family of six that includes two special needs children and an elderly disabled Grandpa and with all of us under one roof, I still felt alone and overwhelmed in fighting this losing battle. Coming across Melissa’s site has gave some some small glimmer of hope and comfort in knowing that I’m not the only one who feels this way or has this problem and I’m not in it alone. Melissa is right that the spiritual aspect is important. My mom always said cleanliness is Godliness and it’s true. With clutter comes all sorts of unhealthy bad things that are not from God ie. stress, depression, viruses and bacterial sickness not to mention that the stress weakens our immune systems to make us vulnerable to all that thrives on uncleanliness and stress, fatigue and sickness certainly keeps us from God. Anyway, thank you Melissa so much for the encouragement and inspiration and in letting us know we aren’t alone.
Teresa, thank you! It’s so important to remember we have a family in Christ.