THE 40 BAGS IN 40 DAYS DECLUTTER CHALLENGE

Feeling the Urge to Purge? I know the answer, since one of your biggest requests in the Reader Survey was for more decluttering resources. So, let’s capitalize on that urge with a new Challenge beginning tomorrow! Consider this your engraved invitation to join the 40 Bags in 40 Days Declutter Challenge.

WHAT’S THE 40 BAGS IN 40 DAYS CHALLENGE?

It’s essentially a declutter challenge where you commit to removing 40 bags worth of household clutter within a 40-day timeframe from your home. The Challenge started as a lenten challenge so it typically begins on Ash Wednesday and ends the day before Easter.

If you did the math, and you’re thinking, “That’s more than 40 days,” you’d be correct! Apparently, we get a day off from lenten resolutions on Sundays, so each week, you’re granted one day off from the challenge.

So in keeping with the lenten calendar, we’ll begin the Challenge on March 1st (that’s tomorrow!) and end it the day before Easter (April 15th).

WHY IS THE 40 BAGS IN 40 DAYS CHALLENGE SO AWESOME?

• If you’ve attempted to declutter before but haven’t made much progress, a short-term challenge like this can be just want you need to kickstart your decluttering efforts.
• If you observe lent but struggle with what to “give up”, you can focus on giving up your clutter to meet your lenten obligation.
• You’ll have others who are in the trenches with you (and we all know that it’s easier to tackle a goal with some cheerleaders and accountability partners!)

40 BAGS IN 40 DAYS CHALLENGE — THE DETAILS

• What defines a “Bag”? You aren’t required to fill a certain sized bag. In fact, you don’t even have to use a bag. Any size or shape of container is okay. It’s up to you to determine what makes sense.
• Do I have to donate everything? Nope! You’ll likely end up with items that are trash, items that can be donated, and items you want to sell. All of it counts (even the trash)!
• Can I work ahead to build in some days off? Absolutely. In fact, remember that you technically have 45 days between March 1st and Easter Sunday, so there’s a built-in day off each week during the Challenge. If you’re feeling super motivated and on a roll, you might end up filling up several bags on a particular day. In that case, you’ve carved out some wiggle room to take a few days off when life gets in the way. Just make sure that you’ve removed 40 bags out of your house by the end of the Challenge period.
• What if I don’t have 40 bags-worth of clutter? If the idea of removing 40 BAGS worth of stuff from your home feels impossible, count your blessings because you are in the minority! You can still join in on the decluttering fun by getting rid of 40 ITEMS during the Challenge period (consider it the lite-version of the Challenge!)
• How can I stay motivated and connect with others doing the Challenge? Join the Refined Rooms Facebook group and share your successes and challenges with others who are participating! Also, share your progress on Instagram using the hashtag #RR40Bags40Days.

40 BAGS IN 40 DAYS CHALLENGE — PREP WORK

• Write down what areas of your home you plan to declutter. Keep this list handy so that you can refer to it during the challenge.
• Complete the decluttering prep tasks outlined in this post (gather containers, designate a staging area for donations/sellable items, decide where you’ll donate/sell your items).
• Become a subscriber. Subscribers have access to a many decluttering goodies housed in my resource library, including the Declutter Tool Kit).

Current subscribers – be on the lookout for a brand new printable that you can use to track your Challenge progress!

DECLUTTERING RESOURCES

Refer to these posts for motivation and practical decluttering tips during the Challenge:

• Decluttering Prep Work
• The Declutter Tool Kit
• Inspirational Quotes for Decluttering
• The Organize & Refine Your Home Challenge (for space-specific decluttering tips)
• The Conquer Your Clutter Super Bundle
• No Brainer Things to Toss – Home Office
• No Brainer Things to Toss – Kitchen
• A Handy Tool for Speed Decluttering in the Kitchen and Bathroom
• Avoid these 5 Mistakes When Selling on Ebay

Will you join us? Comment below with the room you plan to declutter FIRST. I’ll be on completing the lite-version of the Challenge, since I’ve already spent quite a bit of time purging over the last few months. The plan is to start in my kids’ bedrooms this week!