So you have your donation box set up and you are ready to start purging.  Unfortunately, you never have the time to purge!  "I'll do it when the kids are napping," you think.  Then you nap when they nap.  "I'll do it when the kids are at their grandmother's house for the day," you say to yourself.  Then you pay bills and clean the kitchen instead (valid responsibilities, but not purging).  Meanwhile, the clutter piles up until you are drowning in it.

Let me introduce you to the 15 minute purge.  One day every week, you walk around for 15 minutes and de-clutter.  For example, last Friday I was putting laundry away and I looked at my shoe collection.  I call it a collection because shoes are something I collect, not necessarily wear.  I love shoes in the store, then buy them and get them home only to realize that I really don't have anything to wear them with.  They then sit in my nicely organized shoe rack and collect dust.

So, I took 5 minutes and quickly scanned my shoes, grabbing three pairs that I NEVER wear.  I took them immediately to my donation box, put them in, and shut the lid.  Done.  No, I didn't de-clutter the entire house, but I did something.  And that's better than always talking about it, but never doing it.

So this Friday, or Monday, or whatever day you choose, set the timer and do a 15 minute purge.  Maybe you'll start to notice that what you are always de-cluttering is the junk mail on the kitchen counter.  Or maybe you're shredding old bills for 15 minutes.  Maybe it's the stretched-out hair bands in your daughter's bathroom drawer, or old food in the fridge.

Have your kids get in on the purge, too.  Let them purge their toy chest or closet.  Show them that they have stuff they can part with, too, and be okay without it.

Try it this coming week and e-mail me at kellygash@hotmail.com to let me know how it went!

-Kelly =)




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