Decluttering: A New Beginning

I started this blog during a very cluttered time in my life. A time when my schedule, brain, and apartment were too full for me to spend time writing about our quest to intentionally parent our children.

We were still intentional in our parenting over the last three years, but we were also in "survival mode" as my husband finished his last two years of school, I went back to classroom teaching, and we welcomed two more children into our family (and sent one Home to Heaven in between). So, priorities had to shift, which meant taking a hiatus from this online space.

I wasn't sure if I would ever restart this blog again, but life has shifted this fall with the welcoming of our first daughter, Lilly. With four kids under our roof and my husband now working full time (praise/jazz hands!), we decided it was time for me to stay home again.

So here I am, finding a bit more down time in my day while our 2-year-old, Joe, naps, and Lilly nurses, and our oldest two, Leo (7) and Max (5) are off at school. There is a nice lull in the middle of most afternoons, and while it lasts, I will be here.

My goal for this blog remains the same: to share with you our journey through parenthood. Our mission in parenthood is to be intentional in choices and methods, in an effort to lead our children Home to Christ.

In order to have the space and clarity and time to help lead my children towards Heaven well, I have learned that I need the visual clarity of a tidy, efficient, and orderly home. Currently, we are doing less than I would like in the department of family prayer, outdoor exploration, and learning together. In order to jump in with my desired level of liturgical living and greater intention in our family activities, I need the time and clarity that comes with a home that is easier to care for.

So that is where I'm restarting this blog: with a decluttering. A physical decluttering of stuff with a greater intention of a decluttered home, heart, and mind.

My main resource and motivation on this leg of the journey has been Dana K. White's podcast. She is the best, most real decluttering guru out there. We also have brains that work similarly, particularly in our "project mentality" and "time passage awareness disorder." I have started implementing many of her suggestions into my daily routine and decluttering efforts, and they have made a huge difference in my progress.

My mom has also been a huge help in this process. She is doing similar work in her own home, so we cheer each other on; she clued me into Dana's resources; and while visiting earlier this month, she gave me a great jumpstart. She's also encouraging me to blog about it, so here I am, back at the keyboard.

I hope to pop into this space every day to write and share about our journey. I've also revised our about page with an update on kids and ages.

Thank you for reading!

Peace,

Keara