Day #2 and #3 40 bags in 40 days challenge

Since I am behind on blogging the days today I will do day #2 and day #3 which I actually did both on March 7th due to the fact that my mom, Ella, and I were headed to a George Strait concert on the 8th :-)

So day #2's area was our entry way. I had tubs of clothes that needed to go upstairs. Christmas tubs that needed to be put away (its March for crying out loud!). Picture #2 is of our show rack and picture #3 is our coat rack. Believe it or not under all that clutter to the left of the coat rack is a BEAUTIFUL built in bench. I don't know how I let it get this bad! How embarrassing!!! This is the first thing people see when they come into my home.....

I worked very hard on this area. I even dusted all that wood you see and took the light fixture apart and cleaned it too. The after pics almost look like a different house! It has been 7 days since I cleaned this space and except for the items that were taken out of the toy room during today's cleaning project this area is still looking spiffy. 

This is the gorgeous entry way of our home looking in from the living room.

AFTER picture of that horribly cluttered area that was hiding this BEAUTIFUL bench. This is one perk of owning a 100+ year old home! 

Look at the new ORGANIZED show station. My kids each parted with some shoes/boots that either they didn't wear or they outgrew :-)

For my 2nd project I tackled the bottom landing of our stairs. This area is otherwise known as the place that things that belong UPstairs go to live until I take them up. Although, I do try and get the owner of said items to take them upstairs with little to no results.....here it is!

I decided to not just clean off the landing but also deep clean the steps so that they were once again gleaming. Here is the amazing transformation ;-)

I encourage everyone to join in and clean out your house. Even if you are a neat freak and have a fairly uncluttered/clean house you can still take this challenge and clean out your kitchen cupboards of unused dishes, unworn clothes from your closet, maybe sit down and put together a few scrapbook pages that you have been putting off, or organize your linen closet :-) Spring is here (I HOPE) and it is always a good idea to do some deep cleaning in the spring. Another idea for those who are ahead of the game would be to clean your mattress. Here is a link from one of my pinterest boards on how to do it:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/255016397624261832/

I will try and include a link to one of my cleaning pins or DIY pins every day :-)

Have a fabulous Friday and stay tuned for more decluttering pictures and more cleaning/DIY ideas :-)

The 40 bags in 40 days challenge

So on March 6, 2014 my friend linked me to an amazing blog about decrapifying my life by doing the 40 bags in 40 days challenge. The blogger was going to coincide her 40 bags with lent and invited others to join. Here is a link to her blog post: http://www.whitehouseblackshutters.com/40-bags-in-40-days-2014/

She also created a Facebook group page that is an AMAZING place to go for encouragement and ideas (link here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/40bagsin40days/ )

This is something I have desperately needed....a place to be able to be given positive feedback for my little accomplishments in the decrapifying of my life and house.

We moved into this house in September of 2006 when my daughter Ella was 6 months old. We signed papers on a Friday late afternoon and moved all of our stuff in the next day. My boyfriend and I were both back to work full time the Monday after we moved in. Since he worked 70 + hours a week it was basically up to me to unpack the house. I was 26 at the time and let me tell you I had the WORST organizational skills ever! I still have boxes upstairs that were never unpacked. We had our son Hunter in May of 2008 and life with 2 children age 2 and under began. It was VERY hectic and I felt like I never had time to breath. In February of 2012 I quit my job to become a stay at home mom and also run a small in home daycare....so although I am home more I feel like my days are even more hectic than they used to be.

This year, however, I decided that enough was enough and that I NEEDED to get this crazy, messy house under control. I am also 8 years older and have come to the realization that "things" don't make me happy. Memories with my family do and it is VERY hard to make memories in a messy, unorganized house.

SO, on March 6th, 2014 my journey to decrapifying my life began. I have only completed 4 challenges so far. On March 8th my mom took my daughter and I to a George Strait concert for her 8th birthday and low and behold she got his autograph! So, that day was out ;-)

Then I was sick from Sunday until yesterday. I am still not 100% but I am SLOWLY making progress when I have energy. This challenge is not going to end on day 40 for me as I realize at this point that this is a lifestyle change that I need to continue partaking in for the rest of my life. So amid my crazy life as a stay at home mom, daycare provider, and now a learning coach to my 2nd grader who is being schooled at home through K12.com; I will be decrapifying my home. I hope that you will join me in my journey and laugh and cry with me as I go through this process. Some things will be easy to get rid of and others will come with some emotion but in the end I know that once this house is clutter free and clean my family and I will be able to better enjoy our time together.

Day 1 included my Hutch and 2 sets of drawers that hold craft and scrapbooking supplies. Here are the BEFORE pictures

Here are the AMAZING After pictures:

Here is a picture of the garbage that I found in these spaces:

This is a picture of all of the things that do NOT belong in this space and will either find a new home in our house or someone else's:

Finally, a picture of the items I have decided to try and sell in our garage sale this summer. If they do not sell they will be on their way to our local Savers:

I am happy to say that 7 days later this space still looks amazing! 

I will continue to update you on my progress every day. Tomorrow I will share with you my before and after pictures for Day 2 and Day 3. On day 2 I tackled the entry way of my home and on day 3 I tackled the bottom of our stairs....or the catchall for things that need to go upstairs but haven't made it there yet. 

Thank you for your support and I hope to hear from you what you are doing this year to decrapify your life. It can be as simple as cleaning out a drawer or closet. I have decided to do areas in my home but any kind of decrapifying works :-)