Minimalist In Training

Do you ever feel suffocated by things? If you do, I completely understand! We made the mistake when we moved to just pack everything up and we can sort it later. Words of advice... go through it before you pack it up! I constantly have to remind myself that it didn't get this way overnight.

We have family members that are constantly giving us stuff.

We have 4 kids, so toys and clothing are multiplied out of proportion.

We've lived together for 13 years, and have lived on this planet even longer than that, so we have combinations of childhood keepsakes and hobbies that clutter areas.

We stink at organization.

But we are trying. We've lived in the new house for almost a year and a half now, and we are finally going through the garage. One entire bay was stacked full of boxes. We've put loads of boxes to the curb (hoping people will take some to save us from running them to the thrift store). We still have more to go... and the inside of the house is just as cluttered.

It's slow progress, but yesterday as a family we dedicated an hour to cleaning up the library. We moved games and books, sorted through paper, and moved items that don't belong in there. There's not much of a difference yet, but with continuing a half an hour each day to maintaining the house with all of us involved, eventually we will have the house uncluttered!

Tiny Updates...

There has been so much going on this summer, that I still haven't gotten Lexi and Lilly's birthday party put up, or any holidays for that matter. Luke has been busy with weddings, and I've been busy trying to organize and pack up this house. We still haven't sold the house, and we are actually considering renting in out. No matter what we do with the house though, it is time for a change. We currently have a plan that involves my dad buying a barn/shed to put in his backyard. We will finish off the inside, install a small bathroom/kitchen, and move in. It will be extremely tight to fit a family of 6 in to a rectangle that is probably no bigger than 12 feet x 36 feet, but in the long run we will save money, pay down debt quicker, and that will make it easier for us to buy the house of our dreams!

With that current goal in mind, Pinterest has become a major inspiration for minimalist living, tiny homes, loft bedrooms, and how small can I make a bathroom ideas! Hopefully things will slow down enough in the next week or so for me to get caught up with blog pictures, and then it will probably get super crazy as we move!