The first official day of spring is tomorrow! 🌷 Mother Nature graciously gave us a glimpse of spring earlier this month... the furnace was turned off and windows were opened for several days, we took nice long walks with the dog, and grilled out with friends.
One of my favorite things about this time of year is spring cleaning! I may have inherited some hoarding tendencies from my mother... but it is so satisfying to purge!
We recently started Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University money management class and have learned so much about saving, debt, retirement, and working together. One of the strategies that Dave frequently recommends is to "sell everything not nailed down." He even jokes, "Sell so much stuff the kids think they're next!" (Yes, Dave Ramsey has jokes, and Jedd loves Chris Hogan lol). So, we've been purging and selling stuff like crazy—online on Facebook Marketplace and Poshmark, and at Stuff Etc. and Style Encore consignment stores. We've been putting all of the sale money toward bills and our adoption savings! 🤑
Not only is the extra money nice, but I really hate throwing things away. It is so wasteful and bad for the environment! We recycle as much as possible, and I try to always donate our things to Goodwill, the library, or a nonprofit before throwing them out. As you begin spring cleaning this year, before you pitch anything, remember: one person's junk is another's treasure...
👕 The Families Helping Families of Iowa Clothing Closet:
This is a free resource for foster families to find clothing and supplies for infants, children, and teens in foster care. They accept new and gently used clothing donations during regular business hours Monday–Friday at their office: 3516 Center Point Rd NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402. Donated items that cannot be used in the Clothing Closet are resold at Stuff Etc., with proceeds benefiting Families Helping Families. For more info and a detailed list of their most current needs, visit their website.
👟 We are collecting all sizes and types of shoes for a SHOE DRIVE!
We're partnering with a fundraising company to collect new and gently used shoes. The shoes will be shipped around the world and sold by small business owners in communities in need of proper footwear. These micro-entrepreneurs create a path out of poverty for themselves in countries where there are limited job opportunities that pay a living wage. In exchange for the donated shoes, we will receive funding for our adoption! As you clean your closets, we would be grateful if you passed men's, women's, and kids' shoes onto us! We've got all the details about the shoe drive here.
📂 Check out the needs of your local animal shelter:
We support ALL types of adoption in this house! Most people don't realize animal shelters rely heavily on donated office and medical supplies. Take some time to organize your home office or craft space this spring (you know it needs done... it's been a year). The shelter near our home, Cedar Valley Humane Society, recently shared some of their greatest needs are printer paper, 1-2 gallon ziploc bags, two-pocket folders, and baby wipes. Also, they are always in need of gently used blankets and unopened pet food and treats!
No matter where you donate your things, feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment are guaranteed 🥰
That gorgeous weather we had last week did not last long... After a few days it snowed again, BUT our spring cleaning continues!! Cue the memes ⤵️
P.S. We started loosely following Dave Ramsey's methods at the beginning of the pandemic when Jedd was furloughed and we were trying to save for the wedding. Now we are actually having fun with Financial Peace University (FPU)! If you want to try it, here's a link for 30 days of Ramsey+ for free! You get access to FPU and other virtual classes, free and discounted books and workbooks, a budgeting app, and more.
P.P.S. For my fellow bookworms, here are the best books I've read recently!* 👇
*We receive a portion of sales from books purchased through this Amazon link. Please know I only link books I truly loved! #ad