As you probably could guess, I love to chat with people about home organization. It’s an especially fun conversation when it’s a husband and wife who each have complaints about the other person. I hear lots of stories- some of which I think are exaggerated just to prove a point! The #1 frustrating comment I hear is that people want to organize their homes, but don’t know where to start. The funny thing is…the best place to start doesn’t have much to do with actual organization. First donate or toss (or sell) the things you know you don’t want anymore. Once you create a little pocket of space in each drawer, cabinet and shelf, it’ll be easier to figure out how to organize everything.
I created the XOXO Donate Challenge to help you get a little closer to your organization goal. This is a 30-day challenge (from September 1st- September 30th) where you donate 30 things in 30 days (or as much as you want, of course). To make things more fun, you can have a friend print the XOXO Donate Challenge and you can follow along together.
Donate Challenge Tips:
1. Take before/after photos- it helps to see your progress.
2. Try not to spend more than 5-10 seconds deciding if you want to KEEP or DONATE an item. If you’re not sure what to do, the answer is “keep it”. You can go back to it at a later time.
3. Resist the urge to organize during this challenge. Organizing takes time and planning. I want to make sure you get through the Donate Challenge before you start organizing.
4. Put on a little music while you donate. Music is a good distraction.
5. Of course, not every space is listed in the Donate Challenge. If you have time, go through other areas of your home before the challenge is over on September 30th.
I’m going to be posting daily reminders on social media throughout the month of September. You can find XOXO on Facebook or Instagram (@xoxorganizeyourlife). If you’d like to share your progress- I’d love to see how you’re doing! Be sure to use #XOXO30DAYS when you post before/after photos so others can be inspired by your donating efforts.
If you’re feeling inspired to organize after you’ve completed the XOXO Donate Challenge, you can watch my 2-minute organizing videos on YouTube. I’ve filmed 42 organizing videos to help you as you organize your home. My most popular video right now is How to Store Blankets– hahaha! Totally not sure why that’s the most popular video.
I hope you enjoy the XOXO Donate Challenge!