Your Autumn Challenge

Ahhh, deep inhale. Welcome to September!

Hopefully by now, the kids are back in school, you’re so over the oppressive heat, and you’re excited for a fresh season to begin. I know a lot of people love summer but for me, autumn takes the cake!

August is always a hectic month in our house. With both kids in school this year and between sports and activities starting up, it’s been chaotic keeping it all straight (thanks Google calendar!). I’m so looking forward to more routine, the crisp fall mornings and beautiful sunsets we get here in Ohio.

I have always been a planner and I like to be prepared for everything upcoming. It’s no surprise that I always started my Christmas shopping sometime during the summer, buying a little at a time. But, since we’ve gone minimal (not just me but as a family, sorta…) I’m starting to plan out how this holiday season will look different for us.

My husband and I decided that our kids have and get enough. The toys they got last Christmas are currently collecting dust in the basement game area or they’ve moved on– broken remnants of childhood enjoyment. Seems as if the things they are actively playing with are the items that have lived in our house for the longest time (ie Legos…), every kind of “hip” toy has broken or lost it’s sparkle value.

Sound familiar in your house?

This year, we’re not going to be doing any Christmas gifts but we’re going on a family vacation in November before the holidays hit. I think they’ll cherish a week at the beach with no school over a squishmallow that would go into a pile.

**Before we go there, yes… I will 100% pull my kids out of school for travel. They learn what it’s like for adults and others not in school, how to be a good citizen/traveler, we do have small educational aspects of our day- from seeing and learning marine life to building sandcastles, and enjoying our time as a family (even when they can’t seem to get along). This has become kind of a tradition over the last 2 years and I’m here for it! **

Experiences makes a world of difference and we all need a vacation sometimes. That’s a topic for another day…

To jump start on the holiday madness, to clear your brain and home for what’s coming, and allowing ourselves to enjoy it rather than be overwhelmed, I’m proposing this!

An Autumn Challenge!

Over the next 90 days – from Today to November 30th (with one “cheat” day), I’m challenging you do purge 90 items from your house.

Any category, any where, any thing.

**Save this picture and if you want a printable pdf version of the tracker above, send me an email or message and I’ll send it to you! **

It doesn’t have to be just the kids sh!t they’ve accumulated, but maybe it’s clothes you’ve bought over the years that don’t fit, kitchen gadgets that are overflowing, gift bags sitting all in the biggest one waiting to be used again, old crafts you have the stuff for but never started, or coffee mugs when you only use for your favorite (don’t come @ me).

You probably don’t need any more reasons to challege yourself but here are a few just to give you more motivation!

#1 | Purging before the holidays is going to feel so dang good. Having space and a home for the new is going to make the post-Christmas hangover much more enjoyable.

#2 | You can see what you’re missing -or- have no need for anymore to make a holiday wishlist for family and friends more streamlined and thoughtful.

#3 | Moving on from the stuff you don’t need will make a holiday deep clean so much easier! (ie. not moving all your stuff to clean then moving it back where it was collecting dust in the first place.)

Obviously, this is self reporting. Do your best! The prize at the end is the satisfaction of completion. OR make it interesting and wager yourself a small prize at the end.

For ideas on where your items should go, reference this post. I would suggest putting items that are able to be given away in a box or bag in your car/garage aka closest to the exit as possible.

As we embark on this challenge together, let others or me hold you accountable. Reach out if you need a kick start or have a great story to tell!