I need a therapy group for throwing stuff away.  You may hoard stuff.  I will come to your house and throw it all away when you aren’t looking.

Army guy’s leg is off. TRASH.

Barbie doll car lost a wheel.  TRASH.

Husband’s important paper he is looking for.  TRASH.

{woops}

Yes, I’ve been known to throw away very important pieces of paper in what I like to call,  traci’s-trash-tornado whirlwind.

There’s something so therapeutic about it.  But I’m also BIG on saving special memories.

Maybe it’s because throwing stuff away provides a fresh start.  Maybe all that junk we thought we needed, isn’t really that important after all?

Look around your home and take inventory.  What really matters?

What’s sitting around that someone else could use?

Recently I bagged up 4 huge bags of boys clothing.  When I had my second boy, I thought for sure that he’d receive all of my middle child’s hand-me-downs.  Nope.  This kid has clothing-sensory-issues.

Doesn’t like tags.  check

Doesn’t like pants.  check

Doesn’t like collared shirts.  check

Doesn’t like snazzy polos.  check

Basically lives in nylon warm up clothing.  check 

So save what you truly think your children will wear, and give away the rest.

Sell your closet of clothing that is too small/big?

I was surprised how much money I received taking some clothing/shoes I no longer wear to my local trendy thrift store!  Maybe this is a good way for you to gain some extra cash to pay for those dance lessons, school supplies, or a day at the spa for YOU!

Donate your children’s toys.

Pack them up and send them off to your local thrift store.  Say hasta la vista, Babayyyyy.

Have your own trash party.

Trust me.  You’ll love it.  You may even want confetti falling and balloons.  If you tend to save instead of trash, just try it.  Go to your basement and just start throwing stuff away that no one will ever want.  When you are tempted to wonder if you should save it, just give your best 3-point swoosh into that trash can.  You’ll thank me later.

Now Comes The Hard part.

Don’t buy new stuff.  Look around and learn to be content with what you have.  Stop envisioning the next Pinterest renovation.  {creatives… not forever, this is just an object lesson.  deep breaths}

You guys, we are “stuff-aholics”.  We think that stuff, and projects, and pretty things, and before and afters will define us.  It doesn’t.  Soon we’ll be wondering why we bought that item and having remorse.

Contentment really does provide peace.

Look around at your people.  Invest in them.  Give them a comfy-cozy environment, but not at the expense of crazy-mama.

Clean and organized, yes.

Projects out the wazoo.  no.

Meditate On His Goodness.

Think about all the ways God’s blessed you.  Your home, however big or small, is a blessing.

Your stuff. . . blessings from the Lord.

Your people. . . BLESSINGS from the Lord.

To Give Is Better Than To Receive.

I say that giving is better than receiving, but I like my stuff.  I love to shop by myself and have a stack of green bills to buy junk with.  I like making myself feel good about that awesome steal-of-a-deal.

But our kids need to see us GIVING.  Giving with our time, money, resources, and affections.

Where our treasure is, there is our heart also.  So let’s show our kids how to really live.  Not hoarding and buying a bunch of stuff, but investing in others!