Day 365

It's here, it's here. Today is the official last day of the 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge! We made it!!

I can't begin to thank you enough for what everyone's involvement in my little challenge has done to propel me during this whole journey. It's also led to me deciding to continue blogging (more details in a later post), which I find quite amusing, since I only started this blog due to the insistence of a friend!

Thinking back about my 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge, it's actually a bit difficult to remember when it was so hard to let go of things. Most times now I rarely even have to question myself to make a final decision. I am very pleased with all of the past clutter that I've finally evicted. I've also done really well at keeping current clutter from entering our home, or from having a long stay anyways.

My official last day was Wednesday, February 18th but I wanted to wait and celebrate our official last day. Your 365th day may not be here yet. It's still OK to celebrate with us; we are all on the same journey together. When your 365th day arrives, please be sure to post on here and let us know so we can share in congratulating you!

Focus Challenge - Month 4

Where did my weekend go? Anyways, I apologize for forgetting our Anniversary yesterday and not posting our Focus Challenge. It is a short & simple one this time.

What is the weirdest/craziest/silliest item that you have already looked at once during your 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge and thought it was clutter AND KEPT? Have you progressed on your lighter & brighter journey to a new life and would consider flinging it now?

For me, it is a pair of shorts. They are the most uncomfortable thing I have ever worn and have been since I bought them last summer. I love the color and the design but oh.my.goodness are they cut so, so wrong for my body. They are jean shorts and I guess I've hoped that repeated wearing & washing would loosen them up. Or maybe I hoped I'd lose weight in just the right spot to make them fit.

I can't remember how many times that I have worn them, cursed at myself over & over while wearing them for picking them to wear that day, washed them AND HUNG THEM RIGHT BACK UP IN THE CLOSET. Why? I have no idea...because I am seriously not into torturing myself.

Well, what made this last wearing so different? This time, as I ended another long & miserable time of wearing them and thinking, yet again, that I really should get rid of them, I was doing so with a different perspective on my life and the things I choose to be in it. I have decluttered enough items now to realize fully and completely that I DESERVE to be surrounded with only what I use, love, want and need.

How about you? What is the most memorable item that you have considered decluttering along the way and just didn't bring yourself to do it? Are you ready to do it now? See what others have decluttered in their Focus Challenge.

Your 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge is to rid yourself of 365 unwanted, unloved, unneeded and unused items in your life. Join me in releasing it and affirming to yourself that YOU DESERVE to be surrounded with only what you use, love, want and need!

I'd love it if you'd add a comment here to share your feeling of victory over your clutter with your fellow 365 Challengers. You will definitely be an inspiration and motivation to us all!

Introducing the 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge

From the discussion that started it all comes the 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge blog!

Myself and others have challenged ourselves to declutter at least one item from our lives per day for the next year. We have accepted the 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge...Want to join us? :-)

I have learned that, for me, I must never wait for "the right day" to start and must start in the here & now. So, I started my 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge the day I put up a simple poll on a forum asking if anyone else was interested in starting a challenge. My name is Suzanne. I began my 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge on February 19, 2008.

With that said, I want to make this personal to each of us. It helps with the motivation when we are true to ourselves and not worrying about what others want, IMO.

- Anyone who doesn't care when they start must start the day they read this!

- Anyone with a preference for a Monday start, must start on the very next Monday after reading this!

- Anyone with a preference for starting on the first day of a month, must start the first day of the next month after reading this!

I encourage you to share with us about what's going on in your journey along the way. We can chat about our declutter challenge progress, post if we need a motivational "kick in the pants" from our 365 challenge friends, share a picture of a decluttered item or share it's "story", etc.

If you are in the challenge, please post your name and start date loud & proud. You are on your way to a great sense of accomplishment!

I have defined the challenge. Are you willing to accept it? :-)