March Is Here!
Spring time is among us and when I think of March, I think of St. Patty’s Day, March Madness, and my not so good friend, pollen! I suppose spring cleaning also comes to mind. These days I am trying to not get on the TV show Hoarders and be more of a minimalist. I want to declutter my home and mind! Donations are a regular activity in our home. The purpose of this article is to help you figure out what to keep and what to get rid of for Spring Cleaning.

Blended Family Life!
What do you do if you have a blended family? Well if your blended family is new or old….lives have been combined or are still in the process of combining….you have your work cut out for you! Not only am I going to help you with this but I also have my partner in crime backing me up! Seeing as how I have not been divorced with children I didn’t think it was fair in calling the shots on what stays and goes. So let’s get to it!

Egos to the Side!
Chances are you’re going to find someone who was either married or in a relationship before you and they might also have children with someone else. So give yourself a mental prep check right now…SAY TO YOURSELF…”This isn’t about me!”

Here are 3 tips that we feel could be helpful on doing what’s right for the children and still being considerate of your relationship and feelings while decluttering!

Tip # 1

Not every thing is “sentimental”

I am sorry for all you sentimental folks out there like my mother but like I told her when she tried to save the straw bow from my baby shower, guess what’s more sentimental than that…the actual tiny person walking around right now that we had the baby shower for!
Not every single “thing” holds value! Not every homework assignment or A+ quiz is worth keeping. Clothes that don’t fit anymore, should be donated to kids who actually need them unless it was their very first onesie or something that was personalized. Some arts and crafts are not that great. As a mom of a little one, I admit I have thrown tons of my son’s artwork away and I’m ok with that. Holding on to these things doesn’t make me a better parent!

Tip # 2

Be Considerate
Be considerate while still setting boundaries. I think this one falls under the bio parent. Don’t ever tell the child he or she can’t have a pic of their parent in their room. Hopefully your partner will make sure your feelings are also considered and put a nix on that happy family portrait they took a lifetime ago. Hey, different strokes for different folks, we will leave this up to you and your partner.

Tip 3

6 month rule
If you don’t use it, lose it. Luckily my partner and I agree on this. We used to blame the other one for hoarding but we’ve worked hard to be on the same page and can now admit we held on to things for too long. Remember, these are material items that can be replaced. What’s important are people and relationships. So again, if you haven’t used, wore, or played with it in the past 6 months, arrivederci! Chances are somebody else needs it more than you!

In closing, if you would like a more in depth checklist to help with spring cleaning, I enjoy The Spruce for ideas. I enjoyed this article in particular- Spring Cleaning Checklist

If you have any tips for Spring Cleaning let me know mamas! Email me at mamabear@savvymamablog.com