365 Items in 365 Days Challenge: July Update

How are you doing in the 365 Items in 365 Days Declutter Challenge?  It's the 210th day of the year today so if you started in January, your target is to have purged 210 items by now.  But don't worry if you've just started.  Just jump in!  And now is a great time to declutter before summer ends and the fall schedules kick in.

Today I'll be sharing what I've been decluttering since my last update.  By doing these monthly updates I hope to give you ideas of things you can purge from your home.

Organizing Ideas for the Weekend: Moving Tips

Happy Friday!  Time for another organizing idea for your weekend!

I haven't been keeping up with my twice a week blog schedule the last two weeks.  Last week's only post was Why I Gave Away My Wedding Gown and it was very popular.   And today's post is the only one this week.  I'm hoping you've been so busy enjoying your summer that you haven't noticed :)

I'd like to say that I've been doing the same, but I've been working... a LOT.  Much more than I'd planned.  I'm working with several clients, but one of them in particular, because she's preparing to list her home in a couple of weeks.  I'm helping her declutter her whole home and we're doing some preliminary packing so there's less stuff around when potential buyers are picturing themselves living there.

Over the last few months I've done the same with another client and with my parents.  So I've kind of got moving on the brain :)

Summer is a popular time for moving so I wanted to share some tips I've found online to help you if you've got a move in your future.  Even if you don't, you probably know someone who is moving soon so you can pass on these tips to help make it a much smoother process!

Why I Gave Away My Wedding Gown

So... a couple of weeks ago I gave away my wedding dress.  Over 16 years after my wedding.  Why, you ask?  Good question!

I've seen discussions on other blogs or in other forums about what to do with wedding dresses and I know there are a LOT of different opinions on the subject!

Here are some of the most popular things to do with a wedding gown:

• Sell it right after the wedding.  Makes sense.  Then you don't have to store it.  And you can get back some of the money you paid for it.  And most newlyweds can use the extra cash :)
• Hold onto it for sentimental reasons.  It's such a special day and you felt so beautiful in your wedding dress that you can't imagine giving it away or selling it.  Many people feel they could never part with their wedding gown.
• Make Baptismal, Christening, or Dedication gowns out of it.  Or a pillow or little purse for the rings for a future son or daughter's wedding.  All beautiful ways to make those occasions that much more sentimental by incorporating part of your wedding day.
• Keep it hoping a future daughter will wear it on her wedding day.  Another way to make a wonderful day even more special.
• Donate it to a charity who gives gowns (or sells them for a lower cost) to people who can't afford to buy a dress.  You can do this with bridesmaid dresses or prom dresses too.

I didn't choose any of those options though.

3 Ways to Stop Your Kids From Saying "I'm Bored!"

Do you have kids at home during the summer?  If so, you've probably heard THOSE words more times than you can count.  The dreaded "I'm bored!".  Or if your kids are more dramatic it may sound like, "I'm booooooooo-oooooord!".  Sound familiar?

Whether those words are uttered in the middle of summer holidays or on the first day, it's always frustrating for parents.

Here are a few ways I've found helpful for limiting how often I hear "I'm bored!".  Feel free to share your ideas in the comments too.  They may come in handy :)

Creating A Summer Cleaning Routine for Kids

Do your kids help you clean the house in the summer?  Or during the school year?  Or both?  There are lots of different philosophies on kids and chores, especially for summertime.

I know many parents get overwhelmed keeping up with cleaning, while also taking care of their kids all day, and trying to spend time making memories together.

So it can be helpful to have your kids chip in and help clean the house.  It's also a great life learning experience and it teaches them to be more responsible.  Summertime can be a great opportunity to help your kids learn some new tasks too because they have time to practice them and gain mastery and independence.

How To Organize Your Summer

This is the first week of summer holidays for my kiddos and so far we're loving it!  We've been taking it easy, enjoying the warm weather, and working out our plans for what we'd like to do with the next 2 months.

As I mentioned in my July Goals post, today I want to share some of our summer plans and routines with you and give you tips to help you organize yours.  Hopefully they will give you some ideas, especially for those of you who have already been on summer holidays for awhile and are perhaps at that "I'm bored" stage :) 

July Family Goals {Free Printable}

Happy Canada Day!  I hope all my Canadian readers enjoy a wonderful holiday today! 

It's also the beginning of a new month and that means a Monthly Family Goals printable for you!

I'm so excited it's July!  The kids are home for the summer and we're all happy to have a break from the school year routine.  I know some of you have been in summer mode for awhile already, but my kids just finished school on Friday.  We're taking it easy this week and enjoying a slower pace.  On Friday I'll be sharing some of our summer plans.