Decluttering my home and inspiring you

My favourite place on earth is our home. When I close my eyes and really ask myself, “is it my absolute favourite place to be?” The answer is yes.

I write this as I enjoy my last days on vacation in Sanibel, Florida, the place I have gone for many Christmases, since I was very young. I am sitting out on our master bedroom balcony, watching the sunrise and listening to the waves crash. This is my happy place, but not my favourite place.

beautiful view

So, if my home is so sacred to me, then why have I let it get so cluttered and disorganized?

Life. Kids. Work. Twins. Survival mode.

I made a promise to myself a couple years ago that I would work through our home, however long it takes and declutter it from top to bottom. I have made some huge strides and got rid of a lot of the stuff. But I also have a long way to go.

I am starting this year with a renewed vision of what I want our home to be for our family. I am going to push through and continue to tackle areas that haven’t been touched yet, and circle back to some areas that need a do-over.

I’d love it if you joined me on this decluttering journey. In today’s video I have compiled my previous decluttering journey videos to help motivate and inspire you!

Why I Am Giving My Stuff Away

IMG_5202I have been in a purging mode lately… you know the kind, when you start to look around your home and wonder why you have so much stuff? I am pretty good at giving away the stuff that I am obviously not using, but there have been some items I have been holding onto for reasons I wasn’t quite sure about anymore.

Three particular items really stood out to me, each representing a past life of mine. I am pretty sure I was only holding onto them for sentimental reasons.

I finally made the decision to give them away to Value Village, so that someone else can truly appreciate them.Giving To Value VillagePast Wardrobe: Since having four kids, I have given myself a wardrobe makeover, opting for pieces that are still stylish but also practical. I bought these black Michael Kors pumps years ago when I found them for a crazy price. Unfortunately, they never quite fit my wide feet right and sat on my dresser as a useless trophy. Goodbye, shoes!

Past Baby Stage: I think this one was the hardest item to giveaway: my coveted Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag that I got when we had our first baby (I have a twin sized one now). I had truly been holding on to this prized possession as a memento. But I know another mom could get a lot more use out of it. Goodbye, diaper bag!

Past Career: I used to get dressed up every morning in very fancy clothes and sport some pretty trendy jewelry to head off to my glamorous interior design job, including this over-sized Swarovski cocktail ring. Is it practical for my lifestyle today as a work-from-home blogger and mommy of four? Nope. Goodbye, ring!

After donating all of my items at my local Value Village and feeling like I lost ten pounds, I had a peek around and was not only impressed with some of the beautiful items they had, but also how well organized and cared for each item was.Looking Around Value VillageI think that sometimes we can surround ourselves with stuff to fill a hole or try to hold onto a past life and it is so important that we make sure we take the time to reassess and really ask ourselves if these items sitting around are adding value or baggage to our lives.Value Village StoreValue Village is more than your favourite thrift store – they also support nonprofit organizations like Canadian Diabetes Association and Developmental Disabilities Association, among others, in your community. Remember to donate your reusable items to local nonprofits at Value Village! In addition to supporting the nonprofit, you’ll also be helping planet earth. Value Village, Good n’ Thrifty! Learn more: http://www.valuevillage.combloggervaluevillage

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Value Village via Mode Media Canada. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Value Village.