30 Day Challenge

So the Thirty Day Challenge is back! And on steroids. Ok, maybe not steroids, but it's GREATLY expanded...

The initial 30 Day Challenge was about clothes. It was supposed to make me be more thoughtful about my wardrobe, put some effort into how I looked, and clear out everything that I don't wear from my closet. It actually lasted about two months after I finished. Then work happened.

This round involves a three-fold challenge, and I only have 30 days to make it happen. Well, technically I have 28 days because day 29 I'll be setting up for a wedding and day 30 I'll be getting married!!!

1) Clothes: 

I've been doing my laundry at the new house, so from this point forward, as I wash and dry I'm putting away and leaving there. Except for jeans. So by the end of the challenge, everything that I wear will be waiting for me to move in and start wearing. And it will be much easier to go through what's left and get rid of stuff again.

2) Books and Movies: 

This is really the first part of the challenge and will be accomplished by December 1 if everything goes according to plan. I have a lot of books. And I have a lot of movies.  I used the shelves to make walls in the Shed. Unfortunately, so does my fiance and his girls. So we're getting two shelves. One for DVDs and one for Books. Whatever doesn't fit on those shelves, goes away. So the challenge between now and then is to pack and move mine to the new house; sort through ALL of it; get rid of duplications; start putting them on the shelves (that we're getting on the 30th). It will be difficult, because I cling to my books, but I will also be the only one at the house that day so that will help a lot.

3) My Stuff: 

As we unpacked Caleb's and the girls' stuff at the new house we cleared out. And we sorted. And we rearranged. And we sorted and cleared some more. I have one tub of stuff left in the garage to go through and then it will all be done! Then I'm going to move all of my stuff that's ready on the 1st into the garage. And the rest of it on the 12th. And then I get to start all over again. I know there is a lot that will be easy to just toss (or donate) and be done with...but I have a couple of tubs of stuff that I packed from my room at my parent's house that I've been putting off going through for 7 years now because I know I'm not going to want to get rid of ANY of it. I moved these tubs from Midland to Austin to San Marcos Apartment 1, Apartment 2, to their current spot. Procrastination wins again.

Plus sides to these challenges:

+ I took off next Tuesday but Caleb has to work and the girls have school still so I will have a full day to start moving (if I choose) or to move all of my Christmas decoration stuff and get ready to put the tree up after Thanksgiving. Or to finish the garage. Or to *ahem* start Christmas shopping.... point is, I have a full day to myself.

+ I have all of December 1st to sort and clear and toss and box up stuff as I start getting some of my stuff moved in.

+ I've lived without the stuff in storage for a year and a half now...I know that I don't really need it and will probably be surprised at some of the stuff I actually kept.

+ I have a huge motivation to get all of this done: I don't want to have to spend my time off after the honeymoon unpacking and putting stuff away.

Downsides:

- If the shelves I want aren't available anymore, I'm going to have to reconsider my options and I'm fairly certain I will choose to keep it all and buy more shelves that we actually need or have room for.

- Caleb doesn't like getting rid of things. At all.

- I'm in the last 30 days of wedding plans. And work. And life. There is no pause button for everything else.

Timeline:

This weekend: maybe finish the one tub in the garage
Next Tuesday: move what's ready from the Shed to the garage; maybe start sorting
After Thanksgiving: set up the Christmas tree. Wrap presents.
Nov 30: IKEA TRIP!
Dec 1: moving, sorting, unpacking, sorting, unpacking, sorting, unpacking...
Dec 2-4: go to DC (that would be the not paused work part...)
Dec 7-8: move, unpack, sort, unpack, sort; hopefully get the remainder of my stuff to the house
Dec 12: DEADLINE! Clean out the shed and do the final repairs that need to be done there