Lent: Giving up things and getting so much more

Fat Tuesday is HERE, and if you're anywhere near the South Bend area, you probably had a Paczki or five (or at least saw them heavily advertised) today. And while I could probably stand to give up the sweet treats, we're heading to Disney during Lent, so unfortunately, that's a no go this year. 

I started thinking about what I really wanted to give up this year that would make a difference not only for me but for our whole family. I'm being much more vigilant about intentionally connecting this year, and one of the things that holds our family back from those intentional connections is the amount of STUFF we have. 

You guys, we are SWIMMING in stuff. When we bought this house, it was a good 1,000 square feet larger than our last house, and I remember my husband and I commenting that we could never fill all the space. Well, low and behold, we've come to find that you'll fill the space you have, and some of the rooms are BURSTING - so much so that we don't even know what all is in them anymore. 

So for Lent, we're clearing the clutter. Every day, we're donating one item in our house per family member to somewhere that could use it. Clothes to our local shelters and Dress for Success programs. Baby items to a halfway house for mommas who don't have anywhere to go. Duplicate books to organizations that gift them away. All. The. Things. 

In doing so, I'm hoping that we'll be able to connect as we pick our items each day, connect to our community as we give them away, and connect more with less in our home. By the end of Lent, we're hoping to be 160 items lighter and more connected to each other, our faith, and our home. 

What's your Lenten plan this year? I'd love to hear it!