It’s 9:22 am on a Saturday morning at the end of March. The sunshine is peeping ever so lightly through your blinds. Your body has awoken naturally with the rhythm of the sun. The birds are back, chirping, because spring is on the way. It is only 60 degrees, but the crisp air is actually refreshing. You have no plans, but in the best way.
There is only one problem, you sit up from your cooled flipside memory foam pillow and look around, your room is the pits. And even though you know you have no plans with all the time in the world, it is so bad that you are unbelievably overwhelmed and it is debilitating to even think about where to start. Here is where the idea of 40 Bags in 40 Days Decluttering Challenge comes in to confront the turmoil of your spaces.
What is it?
Traditionally, its Catholic founder, Ann Marie, established the process and coined the title as part of her 40-day Lenten sacrifice. The challenge consists of a 40-day challenge leading up to Easter where people make an intentional effort to clean and declutter one area at a time in their home by following a system. For Ann Marie, this practice during Lent allows for her to change her life for the better and reflect on the unnecessary excess in her life.
Although for Ann Marie, the traditional approach aligns with some of her own religious and cultural values, she voices that the challenge is meant for anyone, regardless of religious affiliations.
“Lent is a time of prayer, sacrifice, and self-denial. Getting a bit uncomfortable and offering the sacrifice for good intentions; to improve yourself for the better of those around you. Anyone can benefit from these practices, regardless of religion or if you don’t do Lent,” writes Ann Marie.
How does it work?
- Identify a list of forty areas in your life to go through. Think of smaller areas/places within larger zones. Consider using a pre-made list for inspiration, but then adapt it. Actually write this list down!
- Don’t write down “closet,” instead write down “sock bin.”
- Assign each space a day. And do it each day! Know your schedule and do smaller places on days where you are short on time.
- Depending on the size of the space, have either garbage bags on hand or old grocery bags in hand.
- Be willing to have the conversation if the item should be tossed, donated to something or someone specific, donated to Goodwill, brought into a consignment shop/resell, or placed in a more appropriate location.
- Once in bags, have a plan to get them out the door. Should you do this weekly? Daily? At the very end of the challenge?
- Lastly, own the process. It is about decluttering and feeling good about it, so if it makes more sense to you to break down the process in a different way – do it.
