Day 3 - 40 Bags in 40 Days Decluttering Challenge

I received a few messages and emails from yesterday's post, and I thank everyone for their thoughts and insights. Please feel free to always comment and send me a message. It's great for growth, discourse, and sharing opinions. It keeps me and others accountable and helps us learn and see other points of view. To register to win the 40 bags in 40 Days Decluttering Challenge Spring Cleaning Prize pack of a Roomba, mini steamer, and Spring Cleaning Essential Oils, click here.

In the Church of the Nazarene through Compassionate Ministries we make Crisis Care Kits. These are items we put into quart size bags to hand out to people that have been hit by natural disasters or given to the homeless or others in need. You can find the list of items here.Many of the items are exactly what I have in my bathroom. So, what better use for these items than to make up crisis care kits?

Sample Kit

One of my kits

crisis care kit bag

I did have to supplement what I already had, but for the most part I was able to make up fifty kits that I have taken to the Nazarene church near our house for them to send off when they do their crisis care kits as a church, and add items that I lacked. I know from past experience that these items are put into the hands of people who need them, use them, and appreciate them.

crisis+care+kit

crisis care kits3

crisis care kits 4

crisis care kits2

That's what this challenge is about - it's getting rid of the stuff we don't need and in the meantime to be able to help others. I know on the face of the challenge we just bag up things everyday, and give it to charity. I want to do a bit more than that - to be able to look at my priorities and rearrange them, and realize that I have something more that I can do to help someone else. It'd be really easy for me to bag stuff up, take it to Goodwill, get a donation slip, and feel okay that I did something to help someone out. If that's you, that's okay. I want, for me, for this challenge to be more than that. For instance, my room fresheners, if it would have ended up at Goodwill, they would have more than likely been tossed into the trash. But, I put them up on our neighborhood bulletin board, and was able to make some extra money that went into my Alabaster box (Alabaster is money that goes to make buildings around the world - churches, hospitals, schools). I want to give my stuff, my money where it is going to make an impact.

Before I get someone saying that giving stuff to Goodwill makes an impact, I know that. But, I also know that not every penny or every item donated makes it directly to those they are helping. I guess what I'm saying is that I want to make a more direct impact, and actually think about what I'm getting rid of and not just doing it to complete the challenge for the sake of completing a challenge.

hilippians 4:8 (NIV)

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

There is a reason why Paul wrote the above. There's an old saying for computer geeks: GIGO (Garbage In Garbage Out). It's exactly how our mind is. Whatever we put in our head is going to come out somewhere. Whatever we focus on is what is going to come out in our life.

In light of the 40 day challenge - Philippians 4:8 helps us to decide what things our lives are we going to think on? . What things are we holding onto that we don't need to keep? What garbage (whether or not it's actual garbage) is taking up space that does us no good, but can do someone else some good?

Another thing that I think Paul is trying to say to us when he tells us what to think on is so that we can prioritize our life. So the challenge is more than getting rid of all of the trial sizes that took up space underneath the sink in my spare bathroom. The challenge is to quit the stinkin' thinkin' and focus on what is right and positive, and not just for today or for the 40 days, but for everyday.

In the words of Gandhi: "Be the change you want to see in the world." Even though I'm finding and learning about different areas and charities where I can donate my 40 bags in 40 days; the goal is to find a long term purpose within the 40 bags in 40 days challenge where one or more of these organizations that I come in contact with becomes the object of Philippians 4:8 in my life. They become that something noble, right, and pure that I can think about such things and put those thoughts into action.

Are there any charities or organizations that you have made part of your life purpose? Is this 40 bags in 40 days challenge causing you to think deeper about helping others or just an exercise in getting rid of your clutter? Do you need to change the focus of your thoughts or your life? What about your purpose in life? Do you know what it is? Can you find purpose in helping others? Just some random thoughts I'm thinking about.

Sunday's blog will focus on the cleaning supplies and all natural recipes I used in cleaning this week. I'll tell you how they worked and if they worked along with links and helpful hints.