Project Downsize :: March Goal - Donate items others can use

Whew! February was a busy month for us in terms of downsizing the items in our house. We sold a LOT of stuff and ended up earning a nice chunk of change from our clutter.  But we still feel like we have too much stuff and so we will continue the downsizing into March – but this month our focus will be on DONATING and giving items away.

If you missed it last month, here is why we are downsizing:

1. We have plans to move this summer and instead of upgrading to a bigger, better house, we plan to dramatically reduce our square footage. We aren’t being forced to do this – it’s a choice. We want to spend less on our next “home” so that we can focus more on things we love and value – like travel.
2. I want to own my stuff and not have it own me. Ultimately I only want to keep the items that a.) serve a purpose and b.) that bring me joy.

February Downsize recap:

In February I had a LOFTY goal of earning $2,000 with items we would sell from around the house. I was determined to simplify our living space and blew that goal out of the water, earning nearly $2,564.03 from things we had sitting around house!

See those updates here:

Week 1 update here – earned $548.16
Week 2 update here – earned $1,283.47
Week 3 update here – earned $432.40
Week 4 update here – earned $300.00

MARCH Downsize by Donation focus:

Although I’ll continue to sell things and report on my earnings, this month my downsizing GOAL is not monetary, my March downsizing goal is to GIVE away items to those who could use them – at least one load/gift/donation a week. I’m not sure entirely how this will shake out, but I will report back each Sunday on what I gave away and where it went. We live in a country where blessings abound but there are still real needs in our communities. I hope to simplify my life, while blessing others.

And I’m so excited to share that I’ve already started on my March progress. This week our local Emergency Overnight Shelter put out a desperate plea for more blankets.  So this weekend we donated a huge pile of quilts and blankets.

This donation was bittersweet (sort of like selling the crib) because many of the blankets were made by mom – who is a quilter by profession and has gifted us with dozens of her masterpieces over the years.  I even donated a quilt I made when I was just 16 years old – one of the very first quilts I ever stitched together (the red/white one with teddy bears, circa 1996). But if I’m being honest with myself, we have too many blankets in our home, more than we could ever possibly use – we have so many, that most of these blankets and quilts have been in the attic for the last 5 years being “saved” for another day.

Although it’s hard to part with things I’m emotionally attached to – it seems a bit ridiculous to keep them in our warm house, stored away for another day, when people in my community can use them for warmth TODAY. So as you read this, they are keeping others warm, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the choice to donate them. My heart is full, because they are being used and appreciated, and I know that is what they were made for.

Check back next Sunday for my first update.

If you’re joining me for Project Downsize – I’d love to hear what you got rid of this week! Pick a goal for this week and share it here, please!