Ok.....I think I am back this time.....I think??

Well, I have taken a BIG break from blogging to purge.....and my friend we have a new house- feels great too!! Although I had over 3000+ square feet to clean every inch.....house and extra beauty shop included. I have found a new love......consignment!!!

There is a new consignment store in town- and I find myself taking things up there every week or so. I clean out a closet and find unwanted things and put them in my trunk and on the two days a week they take items.....I am there!!! Unless I feel as if they just need to be donated- then I donate to a local battered women's shelter.

Here is another secret I have been keeping.....I have a love for organizing and feel as if God is showing me a new direction in my life. I really really have a strong desire to HELP people who are just so far in disarray they don't know where to begin. I have read a dozen books on it and have many ideas myself, and feel as if I can relate in a personal way.

But I have seen STUFF own us over the past few years. When you have STUFF....like items to dust, furniture, toys, too many clothes!!! They own you and your time. As a mother my time with my children is so valuable, I would much rather be on the floor playing a game then on the floor scrubbing it or cleaning a commode!! Do ya know what I am talking about??

So over the past few months of my purging I was asking myself the same questions "do I really need this?" " can I live with out this?" "what is the purpose of this item?" and so on....

Then I realized it was also clothing- I would find myself hours on end washing, drying, folding, hanging up, and what mother does not feel as if she does laundry 24/7!!! Never ever ending job!!

Well, the less clothes you have the less you have to do- RIGHT? So I narrowed down are clothes- other closets less than others.....no comment!! It really hit me when I packed my kids suitcases when I wen t to Peru- I packed them for 11 days......laid out outfits and packed extras for each grandma's house. And do you know with 11 days worth of clothes, and extras undies socks and all......they STILL had many clothes hanging in the closet!!!

This picture of the boys closet it after combining two closets......they still have PLENTY!!!

My system was to pick 4-5 church outfits- that is all......they are allowed to wear the same thing to church twice!! Then 4-5 play outfits and 4-5 nice outfits.....that is all!! WOW what a difference it makes in laundry. I can stay on top of things- instead of being behind and thinking well, they still have plenty in the closet to wear!! Amazing what a few outfits can bring in at a consignment store too!!

I also got rid of all my extra clothes in the attic. We really feel complete- So I parted with all the baby clothes and maternity clothes I owned. I would much rather sweet little baby boys and mamas to be wearing them than to be stored in a Rubbermaid container in an attic until they were out of style!!! That my friend was 8- YES EIGHT containers!! I'm surprised the ceiling had not fallen in!!

I also went through sorting and throwing away many many items that serve no purpose at all- just collecting dust. Therefore, if I am dusting I am spending valuable time away from my family- and so I got rid of it.

After doing all that I then would organize things- Here are some pics of my pantry aka a shelf in my laundry room. When things are organized I don't spend as much time looking for it and I can go grab it and focus on the task. Also, when I am organized for my meal planning- I can look at what I need and write a grocery list much much faster!! When I don't have a list I will buy double of something we don't even need....been there....YES me too!! Do you really use 3 jars of PB at one time??

If you are thinking WOW she is obsessed with this......well yes!! You are right, but I have just felt so overloaded and felt the need to rid my life of excess things that weigh me down. I would much rather spend and hour with my family than an hour on my house!! So I really felt the need to go through the whole house and take a look around.

Do I care if I have the prettiest or most decorative house on the block? Nope. Do I care if I have the most fashionable clothes on my kids in every color they make? Nope. Do I even care what people will think if they see me wearing the same clothes over and over again? Nope. Because what matters is that 30 years from now- if my kids can look back and say "I want to be like my parents and focus on what matters most!" This is what will matter most. If I spend time with my kids they will remember that a whole lot more that what they wore or what our house looked like. My Family and children are worth more to me than any of the things in my house put together cost in money.....and they will be around longer too!!

I pray that this time I have taken and effort I have put forth in our home will inspire me to stay focused on the journey we are taking as a family. It is not about WHAT we have it is about WHO we serve and I feel as if my calling in life is to share with people- mostly moms the balance in life and how to balance the home.....all comes from the moms heart. Where is your heart- is it in stuff of others thoughts towards you?? Or is it on the ones who matter most in your life??

So, bare with me as I do a little catching up from August til now......stay tuned!! Looking forward to blogging again!! And Thanks to one of my very favorite friends who inspired me to pick it back up- when she said "I keep checking to see if you have posted something." It made me want to write and express my feelings again!! I am Thankful God has blessed me with great friends who appreciate who I am!!

Mollie