We have been so busy around her de-cluttering and getting ready for company that will be visiting soon(in only a few short days now), that I have been remiss in reporting my Lighten the Load Challenge 2009 updates over here. I have been pretty consistent with posting progress on the Lighten the Load Facebook Group Discussion Board, but time has been in too short supply around here for posting any place else.

This past week:

350 Units Debt Reduction

65 Units of Junk out the door in one fashion or another

2 Units of personal weight loss

And one more celebration!!! I now have new bathroom flooring! My kitchen flooring still looks like something you would find in an abandoned house, but hopefully soon this too will be replaced. I am so tired of the boxes of flooring taking up room in the dining room. It was become such a fixture in the dining room that stuff is now sitting on top of the stack…NOT a good sign!

We are still looking for others to join in on our challenge, if even for a short while. The Facebook group is growing slowly. Come along…invite your friends…let’s make it a party!

Suzanne, the eBay Selling Coach, is giving away a $25 Shell Card on her blog….eBay Selling Coach! When you stop by and leave a comment for your entry, would you please let her know that I sent you?
She has several opporunities posted for additional entries.

One of our goals here in our Sustainable Backyard is to become less burdened by the material possessions we currently own. Simplification and less clutter are high priorities-thus the Lighten the Load Challenge. Throwing our unwanted items away would be the easiest manner to de-clutter, but it is not the responsible thing to do. Recycling, upcycling, sharing, and selling are our chosen methods of simplification. Selling is a means to becoming debt free as well. The only way I can live the type of sustainable life I want is to become debt free. Through her blog and her WAHM Facebook Group, Suzanne has given me many great ideas for selling successfully on eBay. So, if you are an eBay seller or if you have ever considered becoming an eBay seller, spend a little time on her site. Suzanne offers so many wonderful ideas for making your business grow!

Come visit the Lighten the Load Challenge on Facebook, for fun and commeraderie in de-cluttering and reducing debt in your life!

This past week has been the most exhausting in a long while. Being sick and trying to keep up with everything has been near impossible. It doesn’t help that Hais is coming around with what appears to be a secondary infection/illness and DH is still not quite up to snuff with the cough that followed his illness.
The Lighten the Load  Challenge was definitely NOT in the forefront of my efforts this past week. Having said that, I am embarrassed to post my tiny bit of progress at only 25 UNITS.

eBay– 20 UNITS
trash/junk –5 UNITS

I didn’t even take my earnings to pay on debt, but hopefully this next week will show at least a bit more progress. Maybe-Maybe not. It is Wednesday and it is still an effort to concentrate to even write this entry…so we shall see, right?

 CindyDianne reported a success of 121 UNITS with Craigslist and donations this week over on the Facebook Group. A big woohoo to her!

Good luck, and happy lessening to all, on your Lighten the Load Challenge!

Monday is now the “official” day for reporting progress, struggles, ideas, and suggestions with the Lighten the Load Challenge. Feel free to link your progress post on your own blog in the comments of this entry…OR…post it at the new Facebook Lighten the Load Challenge Group.

Today’s update includes all progress from January 1 to this point. Here goes:

Sold VW: 1500 Units (weight)

Debt: 250 Units

eBay: 8 Units

Unfortunately, there was no actual debt reduction with the sale of the VW. Tags, taxes, etc. were all due at the end of the year…so the mula went to that huge bill.

I figured the debt reduction on the amount the principal was actually lowered and not on what I paid, ‘cuz you KNOW I am payin’ some interest here.

The eBay reduction comes from the weight of the products actualy mailed. Because of my closed actions last night, I will be able to show more progress in this area next Monday. I have decided to only post a reduction AFTER it is physically shipped.

Taking small steps toward my challenge is what is going to help me be successful. Our family has been fairly sick, with little motivation to do much of anything., but I did conquer one very tiny area of our house. The MEDICINE CABINET. I am embarrassed to report that I had box after box, and bottle after bottle of different meds that had expired. I went through every package, every prescription bottle and cleared out everything that was expired. I even pealed the labels off of the prescription bottles, so that they could be recylcled.

Speaking of which, our recycling bins are filling quickly, which will show a fair amount of progress after the first Saturday in February. I can hardly wait.

So tell us your progress, your struggles, your concerns, and YOUR ideas for reduction of clutter, weight and debt.

Now I have gone and done it. Not only have I joined facebook, but I have actually formed my very own first group for the Lighten the Load Challenge. So if you are a facebook user, rush right over there and join the group. If you are not a facebook user, now is as good a time as any.

While I was at facebook today, I was able to add Jules Dervaes and Path to Freedom to my friends list. You know I can never get enough of them.Hope to see you there soon!