A Road Trip to Delaware

Spring finally came to Rhode Island last week.  Sunny.  Warm.  Beautiful!  And then it promptly went away and left a rainy, muddy mess.  Such is life in New England.

I have a few things I really want to tell you about!

First, I spent part of this past weekend in Delaware.  Without my family.  Shocking isn't it?  My husband kindly agreed to let me drive to Delaware with my friend Amy.  I've not been that far away from my family since Will was born almost 7 years ago.  This was HUGE!

Anyway, Friday morning Amy and I loaded up in her car and headed South to her parents' home.  Friday night and Saturday morning we attended a Fresh Grounded Faith Conference by Jennifer Rothschild and Kathy Troccoli.  It was just what I needed - the teaching, the conversations, and the time away.

I'm still processing and am sure I'll be writing more about the weekend in a few weeks.

The second thing I want to tell you is about this great blog I've been reading/ participating in since January.  Wendy Pope is a speaker with Proverbs 31 Ministries and writes/ vlogs at Experiencing the Real Meaning of Free.

Wendy is leading her readers through the Bible in one year (Chronological, NLT version).  Monday through Friday she posts a short teaching about that days reading and then those who've also read share their insights in the comments.

I am learning a lot and would love for you to join me.  It's never to late to jump into reading the Bible.

Today Wendy challenged us to use the time leading up to Easter for the "Joshua Challenge."  This comes from Joshua 3:5, "Purify yourselves for tomorrow the LORD will do great wonders among you."  In order to participate in this challenge I'm going to step away from the blog and Google Reader until Easter.

*** Edited to add:  I realized after this published that my reason for a bloggy vacation could be misunderstood.  By no means do I mean that blogs (writing or reading) are evil or something I need to "purify" myself from!  In this case purify just means to separate from.  Blogging takes up my time (mostly in the evenings) and for the next two weeks I want to use that time to pray, read books, and be with my family.  So I am "separating myself" from blogging.  I hope that's a little clearer.

So I'll talk to you again after Easter!

P.s. There's just over 5 weeks until my 5K race.  Please consider supporting me by sending a check to CompassionRun.com!  Thanks!!!

"Monet's Impressions" Book Review

Monet's Impressions, words and pictures by Claude Monet.  The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Chronicle Books, 2009.

I stumbled across this book at my local library.  It was laying out on a table in the children's section, abandoned and waiting to be re-shelved.  I have a fondness for Impressionist painting so I dropped it in our book bag and brought it home.

I'm so glad I did!!

The editors brought together some of Monet's famous paintings with text "taken form Monet's letters to family and friends and from articles in which he was quoted."  It makes for a poetic pairing as you see a picture on one page and sparse phrases on the facing page.

At the end of the book are thumbnails of the paintings, their titles, when and where they were painted and which museum owns them. 

This book is a GREAT way to introduce children to art, painting, Monet, or Impressionism.  And it's not heavy or awkward like a coffee table book.  It's just a simple children's picture book.

Do you have any art book recommendations?

Talk like a Chipmunk on Family Fun Friday

My family speaks a private language.  It's not like pig latin or anything formal.  In fact, I'm sure YOUR family has a private language, too.  You know, those words, phrases and jokes that only family members really understand.

A number of songs, movies and books have influenced our language.  VeggieTales ("Stand up, stand up for what you believe in, believe in).  The Chronicles of Narnia (Who's the real High King?  Jesus).  And The Chipmunks ("Mamas, don't let your babies grow-up to be chipmunks.").

Yes, I said The Chipmunks.  I'm NOT referring to the furry creatures that play in the woods.  I'm talking about Alvin, Simon, Theodore (singing their theme song now?).

I grew up watching the animated t.v. show so when Joel brought home a music c.d. and the live action movie from the library I just laughed.  I knew the Chipmunks would become a part of our family language.  And so they have.

Which is why my kids loved it when Joel downloaded an open source (FREE) audio recording and editing software (Audacity).  They had a ball recording themselves (using the built-in microphone on my laptop) and then listening to the chipmunk version.

It was so much fun I've decided to share a few of our recordings with you.  Just click on the recording below you want to listen to.  I suggest you start with Ben Normal Voice, then Chipmunk Ben and finally Ben Deep Voice. 







I highly recommend playing with audio (or video) software.  Maybe record some of your own family language.  It could be fun to email a family joke or phrase to daddy while he's at work.  Or listen to the recordings years from now after Thanksgiving dinner.  

Has your family played with audio recording and editing software? 

Family Fun Friday is a weekly column.  Please join me by leaving a link in the comments to your own Family Fun Friday posts.

Growing Grateful Kids by Susie Larson

Today I'd like to welcome author and speaker Susie Larson. Susie's new book Growing Grateful Kids has just released and I've invited her to share a little bit about this great resource.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.

My husband and I have been married 25 years and have three grown sons (all in their early twenties). Our oldest son Jake works on the business side of the Christian music industry. Our middle son Luke is married to his beautiful wife Kristen; he works full time at a bank and part time as a worship pastor. Our youngest son Jordan is studying to become a surgical nurse. My husband Kevin is a commercial construction manager by day and manages my ministry by night (and weekends). Bless his heart. J I am an author, speaker, and an on-call radio host for Christian talk radio. Together, Kevin and I serve as advocates for justice on behalf of modern day slaves and human trafficking victims.

Tell us about your new book, Growing Grateful Kids: Teaching Them to Appreciate an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Places.

Even when economic times are tight, our children enjoy an abundance of material possessions. Yet, amidst all this wealth, discontentment and competition seem to be on the rise. Instead of teaching children virtues such as gratefulness and patience, many parents are bending over backwards to get their children the latest and greatest item - or feeling guilty when they can't. In spite of the currents of materialism and entitlement that flow so strong, it is possible to raise children who are simply grateful. Though teaching perspective and gratitude to our children is critical, it is not difficult.

Why did you want to write this book?

To be completely honest, I never wanted to write a book on parenting. I wanted to protect my kids’ privacy and give them time and space to become the men God wants them to be. But in the last few years, I have been especially burdened with the level of selfishness, entitlement and disrespect I see among children today. Furthermore, moms seem more stressed than ever. When I asked my sons their thoughts on writing this book, without pausing they all said, “Do it, mom; that book needs to be written!” I think I wrote a book that not only equips young moms to raise humble, grateful world-changers, but also one that nourishes the soul of the reader and encourages her personally.

Throughout the book you remind the reader that we cannot impart what we do not possess. Can you explain?

If we never deal with our own fears, insecurities, and hang ups, but we try to teach our children to believe in their divine value, over time, our words will not ring true to them. First God wants to do His work in us before He does it through us. They say that lessons are more often caught than taught. If we parent from a place of conviction and real freedom, our children will be affected by what we teach them.

One of your chapters is titled, “Take Time to Play.” How does taking time to play teach our kids to be grateful?

To me, taking time to play says a lot about the level of faith we possess.

If our children hear us confess that we love and serve a BIG God and yet they see us striving and straining through life, they will come to believe that more is on our shoulders than on God’s. If we can trust God enough to step away from our busy-important lives, to make a fort in the basement, or play a game with our children – even in the most desperate of economic situations – we will give our children a sense of much needed security and that all is well in their world.

What do you want readers to take away from this book?

To answer this question (I hope you don’t mind), I would like to share an endorsement from one of my sample readers. She expressed my deepest desire for my reader:

“Growing Grateful Kids is such a great source of conviction, encouragement, and inspiration to spur me on to finishing this parenting race well and not sputter out along the way. This book compels me to submit my own character to the refining of the Holy Spirit that I may be equipped to impart those lessons onto my children. Thank you, Susie, for taking the time, for submitting in obedience, and writing this down for a generation in desperate need of this kind of parenting book!” –Gail Miller

This is a Hearts at Home book. What is Hearts at Home?

Hearts at Home is an organization that encourages, educates, and equips women in the profession of motherhood. Hearts at Home encourages moms through annual conferences, our extensive website (www.hearts-at-home.org), a free bi-weekly electronic newsletter, a radio program, and an entire line of books designed to meet the needs of moms all over the world!

Any closing thoughts?

I am very excited about the message in this book. It is my prayer that every one who reads it will be nourished, encouraged, and equipped to parent from a place of fullness, conviction, and confidence. Raising grateful, confident kids will be one of the most heroic, important things you do in your lifetime. God’s blessings to you!

***This interview/post was provided to me by Hearts at Home. I have not read this book but hope to soon.

6 Tips to Beat Spring Fever with Little Kids

Every year March taunts those of us who live in New England.  It comes along with a few sunny days (50 degrees!) and we start to believe that Spring really is almost here.

This year I am determined not to be taken in!  Twelve years of living in Rhode Island has taught me not to pack away my coat and snow boots until the middle of April.

So, what's a mom to do with a house full of kids until April?  How does she help her children beat Spring fever?

1. Let them climb the walls.  Literally.

2.  Use every blanket and pillow in the house to build a fort.

3.  Practice for spring cleaning by letting them draw on the walls.

4.  Allow them to play with toys in a non-traditional place.

5.  See how many hair accessories you can use at once.

6.  Dip pretzels into melted chocolate chips.  Lick fingers often.

That's how we're beating Spring Fever around our house.  At least for now.  You never know, next week we might be building snowmen in our backyard again!

Do you have any tips for beating Spring Fever?

Learning to make Maple Syrup on Family Fun Friday

We learned how to make Maple syrup last week on a visit to River Bend Farm Visitor's Center in Uxbridge, Massachusetts.  It's not a complicated process but it is time and labor intensive.

(You can learn, too, by attending Maple Sugar Days on the first 3 Saturdays of March.  Tours are FREE and very interesting!)

First, you need a Maple tree.  Any Maple will work although Sugar Maples are the best because they have the highest ratio of sugar to water.  Make sure your tree has at least a 10 inch diameter.

 

Next drill a hole into the side of the tree.

Insert your tap (a metal spout with a hook), hang your bucket and position the cover.

After your bucket has filled with sap, pour the sap through a cloth to strain any "additives" that climbed into the bucket.

Now pour the sap into an evaporator OR a pot over really high heat (a turkey fryer works well).  Be sure to do this outside as 90% of the water needs to evaporate and all that steam might peel your wallpaper.

After all your hard work enjoy a sample of Maple syrup, cream or cookies!

Have you ever made Maple syrup?

Family Fun Friday is a weekly column.  Feel free to leave a link in the comments to your own posts about a fun activity your family has recently experienced.

I need motivation!

How are you doing on the goals, resolutions or plans you made back in January?

I started off pretty well on my exercise goal in January.

But February and the beginning of March have been terrible!!

 

I'm determined to get back on the exercise wagon, get fit for my upcoming 5K race and lose 10 pounds before Memorial Day!

But I need motivation.

Will you help motivate me by telling me a diet/exercise tip, sponsoring me through CompassionRun.com, or sharing a goal you are working on?

I am a Tropicana Juicy Rewards Insider!

We are a family divided.

What has caused our division?  Orange Juice.

My husband and one son like it with pulp; whereas, my other son and I can't stand pulp in our juice (it's a texture thing!).  For now, the jury is out on the two youngest members of our household but I'm sure I can sway them to the no pulp side of things.

I know I'm being picky about OJ.  My pickiness gets even worse.  I'll only buy 2 brands of OJ.  Shocked?  Well, experience has taught me all orange juice is NOT created equal!

One of the brands I buy is Tropicana, which is why I am excited to tell you that I was chosen through Mom Central to be a Juicy Rewards Insider!

How does Tropicana Juicy Rewards work?

Set up a FREE account at the Tropicana Juicy Rewards website.  Then purchase a specially marked 64 oz. container of Tropicana orange juice and find a code printed on the inside of the cap worth 3 points.  Enter the code and save points to redeem for coupons to web stores and local businesses.

You can earn 1 free point right from the start!  Just enter MOMCE-NTRAL after registering your account. This one-time use code is valid for new accounts ONLY and must be entered within 6 hours of creating your account.

Stay tuned for more information about this program and to see how I use my rewards.  I've already found several reward coupons I think would be perfect for Family Fun Friday!

Before you go set up your Juicy Rewards account, tell me - do you like your orange juice with or without pulp?

I wrote this review while participating in the Tropicana Juicy Insiders Ambassador program by Mom Central on behalf of Tropicana. I received 12 free Juicy Rewards points and a $50 Visa gift card to use in redemption of the points and to facilitate my review.

Nate the Great and The Mushy Valentine by Marjorie Sharmat

Nate the Great and The Mushy Valentine by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat.  Illustrations by Marc Simont.  Delacorte Press, 1994.

Nate the Great has two cases on his hands.  First someone gave his dog, Sludge, a Valentine with only initials for a signature.  Who would give a dog a Valentine?!  Then his friend Annie asks for help finding a Valentine she made. Who would steal a Valentine?! Will the two cases be connected?

I realize Valentine's Day is over but it really is a cute story whether you read it for the mystery or the holiday.

I read Nate the Great books as a kid (though not this particular story) and enjoyed reading this one with my kids.  We all laughed that someone would give a Valentine to a dog.  For our family that's silly. 

We also enjoyed playing a game with initials.  The person who left the Valentine signed it "ABH" (Hint: they aren't traditional initials).  So we had fun making up new initials for each other.  William is now BBB.

We've enjoyed Nate the Great before and will probably bring home more of his books.

Can you guess what Will's initials BBB stand for?

Visit 5 Minutes for Books for more Children's Classics Mysteries.

Living with Less by Jill Savage

Today I'd like to welcome Jill and Mark Savage. Jill and Mark's newest book Living with Less so your Family has More just released and I've invited them to share a little bit about this great resource!


Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.

We have been married for 27 years…17 of them happily. After finding ourselves in a marriage counselor’s office around year 8 or so, we realized that we really didn’t know how to be married. We worked hard to turn things around and now we like to share that hope with other couples.

We have five children ranging from 13 to 25. Our oldest three are married. Anne (25) and her husband, Matt, live in Zion, IL, and are expecting our first grandchild in April. (We are very excited!) Evan (22) and his wife, Julie, have been married a year and a half and they live just a few miles from us. Erica (19) married her husband Kendall last September. They live in Augusta, GA, and wherever else the Army takes them.

We have two teenagers still at home. Kolya just turned 16. He’s learning to drive and we’ve nearly worn a hole in the carpet on the floor in the passenger seat trying to find that non-existent brake pedal. Kolya is the newest member of the Savage family. We adopted him at the age of nine from Russia.

Austin is 13 and in the 8th grade. He wants us to make sure and tell the world that this “living with less” life is a real bummer because he’s the ONLY kid in 8th grade who doesn’t have a cell phone.

Tell us about your newest book Living With Less So Your Family Has More?

The world screams the message that bigger is always better, but we have found that is not often true. When it comes to raising a family, less materially can actually result in more relationally. Children don’t need the best houses, the best lessons, the best cars, or the best clothes. What they really need is the best home life and the best family relationships we can give them.

Why did you want to write this book?

We didn’t start out with the “less is more” mindset. We started as a double income family wanting to have the “best” of everything. Then Mark decided to pursue ministry. We went from the “high life” to the “frugal life” very quickly as we moved to another state for him to go to Bible College full-time.

That experience introduced us to the concept that less is more. We definitely had less money, but we had more time. We had less stress and more peace. We had less activities and more fun.

Since that experience, we’ve continued to live primarily on one income for the past twenty years. We’ve had to battle cultural peer pressure and make different decisions for our family than many other families in our neighborhood have made. But we’ve never felt that we were materially depriving ourselves or our kids…instead we’ve focused on what we’ve actually been able to provide for them emotionally and relationally.

What do you hope your readers will gain from this book?

We hope the reader is encouraged to evaluate how they are living their life, spending their money, and thinking about family matters. Our goal is to introduce families to the “less is more” concept and then equip them with the attitudes and actions to actually make that happen.

For families that are already committed to less is more, we hope to bolster their resolve and help them stay focused on the long-term goal of providing relationally for their kids.

In today’s economy, there are many families being forced to live with less. We want to help them see the opportunity they have with this unexpected downsizing they’ve been forced to do.

And for those who have just been a little discontent with their life and saying things like, “I’m tired of the rat race of life,” or “Is there more to life than drive-thru meals for dinner?” we hope to help them see other choices they have and how they can lead their family in a different direction.

What unique elements will the reader find in Living With Less So Your Family Has More?

For couples who want to read the book together, we’ve included discussion questions at the end of every chapter. This helps move the readers to discussion and eventually actions. Even a single parent can use the discussion questions for personal evaluation.

Readers will find this book a practical guide to changing your attitude and your actions to live a successful “less is more” life. They’ll find our writing style to be a warm, casual, honest discussion where we not only share our victories but our mistakes along the way. We are an average couple living successfully on an average income who want to help others to see the possibilities before them.

This is a Hearts at Home book. What is Hearts at Home?

Hearts at Home is an organization that encourages, educates, and equips women in the profession of motherhood. Hearts at Home encourages moms through annual conferences, our extensive website (www.hearts-at-home.org), a free electronic newsletter, a radio program, and an entire line of books designed to meet the needs of moms all over the world!

Any closing thoughts?

It’s healthy for parents to occasionally pause and evaluate their vision for their family and the choices they are making. We hope this resource will help them do that together and that it will lead them to live a life of little regret.

*** This interview/post was provided to me by Hearts at Home. I have not read this book but hope to soon.

Compassion in Kenya

Two years ago, with tears pouring down my cheeks, I read every word BooMama wrote about her trip with Compassion International to Uganda.

As a result of her moving words and pictures my family sponsored 3 children.  Three children in Uganda attend school, receive medical attention, and eat nutritious meals because of the donations my family gives to Compassion but they aren't the only ones learning.  Those 3 precious children and their letters are teaching me valuable lessons about gratitude and trusting God.

Several months ago I met a lady via OurCompassion.org who had recently returned from a sponsor trip to Uganda.  She just happens to sponsor a little girl in the same Project as our Hellen.  She has given me permission to share some of her beautiful pictures with you.

This one of the river breaks my heart.  Until last year, this is where the people in Hellen's village went to get their drinking and cooking water.  Can you imagine DRINKING that filthy water?!

Well, Compassion came in and drilled a well for the village.  They no longer have to drink from this river BUT they still bathe and wash their clothes here.  And sometimes there are crocodiles.  Yeah.  Mind-numbing, isn't it.

This week Compassion is again traveling in Africa with bloggers.  You can read their posts and see their pictures here.  Maybe one of them will inspire you to step out and change a life in Africa.

I realize not everyone can make the monthly commitment to Compassion.  But could you commit to a one time gift of $15 or $20 dollars?  All you have to do is support me as I run a 5K in May.  You can read more about it here.

Before you go read the bloggers in Kenya or my Crazy 5K Goal, tell me - doesn't that girl's smile make you want to grin back at her or hug her and the little one on her back?!

Mother - Daughter Duet by Cheri Fuller

Mother - Daughter Duet by Cheri Fuller and Ali Plum.  Multnomah, 2010.

Mother- Daughter Duet:  Getting to the Relationship You Want with Your Adult Daughter is written by mom Cheri and daughter Ali.  This mother-daughter team share the ups and downs of their relationship and freely admit their relationship takes effort to be healthy and close.

I do not have an adult daughter so clearly I am not the target audience for this book.  However, I am an adult daughter and I will one day have an adult daughter (and possibly 3 daughters-in-law!) so I thought I might learn something from Cheri and Ali for the future.

After reading the book, and thinking it over for a few days, I have mixed feelings.  I can see how Mother - Daughter Duet could be very helpful if you have a strained relationship with your daughter.  Cheri and Ali do a great job of revealing areas a mom can work on the relationship from her end; while also reminding the reader not to expect miracles overnight.

One of the things I'm hung up on is that a lot of the descriptions and quotes from daughters struck me as, well... kind of bratty.  "Not being stuck as a stay-at-home mom with a bunch of kids to care for like their moms" (my words not theirs) seemed to be a common theme.  Frankly, that offends me a little (for obvious reasons). 

It seems to be that the overall principle of the book is that Moms should never offer unsolicited advice, opinions or be judgmental when a daughter's choices are contrary to the mom's beliefs.  On one hand I agree with that idea but somehow it doesn't sit right with me.  What kind of relationship is it if one half is never allowed to express her honest opinion to the other half?

I think moms of adult daughters can learn from Mother - Daughter Duet but should also keep in mind that their mother - daughter relationship is unique and special and treat it as such.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I received Dancing with My Father by Sally Clarkson in the same package .  Unfortunately, I have not finished reading Clarkson's book yet but will write a review as soon as I do.

New England Aquarium on Family Fun Friday

Zoos, aquariums, and nature reserves are all places my family loves to visit.  As a result, animal related field trips are high on our list of fun activities.  And better yet, we get to count our field trips as doing school!

Knowing his love for animals (in books or behind glass), it came as no surprise that visiting the New England Aquarium for his birthday sounded fun to Benjamin.

The major exhibit of the Aquarium is a giant tank holding a man-made "coral" reef in which lots of different sea creatures swim around together.  A ramp gradually spirals around the tank with lots of windows for you to watch the animals.  On each of the 3 floors are additional tanks with smaller exhibits.

Overall, my family enjoyed our visit.  We observed living examples of various species that we've been learning about this year in Science.  Nothing beats seeing a leafy sea dragon, sea turtle, shark, or octopus in person (as long as there's glass between you!).

 

We also climbed to the top level of the tank to watch the divers hand feed some of the animals.  Looking into the tank from the top gives you a very different perspective from looking in the windows.

Even though we had a great time I was really disappointed in the Aquarium.  It is NOT at all stroller friendly.  One entire exhibit is closed to strollers, to get to the top of the tank we had to carry Sam and the stroller upstairs, and visiting the Cafe required wandering through back hallways to use the elevator.

We did not see a hands-on pool, though after looking at the website again I think we just missed it because we were searching for the elevator.  If it's the area I remember, it was small and very crowded while we were there.

It's also very expensive.  We spent over $80 on admission for my family.  Because this was a birthday celebration I'm o.k. with spending that much.  We also bought 4 burgers and 2 large fries at the Cafe for $31!!  Holy Smokes!  I am not o.k. with that but we didn't have a lot of options.

Like I said, overall it was a fun day but there were a lot of little things that disappointed me.  Next time I think we'll drive to Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut.  They don't have a giant tank but the animals feel a lot more accessible.

What aquariums, zoos, and reserves does your family enjoy visiting?

Family Fun Friday is a weekly column.  Feel free to leave a link in the comments to your own posts about a fun activity your family has recently experienced.

How to Downsize a Household with Children

My friend, Alicia, recently asked a great question on Facebook:

If you were downsizing from 1600 sq ft to 900 sq ft, 6 big closets to 4 small ones, and a 2-car garage to a 1-car garage, what would you get rid of??

I would declutter 4 major space consumers:  kitchen stuff, kid's clothes, toys, and books.  As I decluttered I would throw away broken or stained items, give away things, sell stuff on Craig's List, or return it to a less cluttered cabinet.

Assuming the kitchen drawers and cabinets are already organized and like items are already grouped together, I would tackle one or two spaces at a time.

• Do I have a duplicate of this item?  Do I need more than one of this (platter, mixing bowl, serving bowl, etc.)?
• Have I used this item in the last year?  
• If it's a seasonal dish or serving utensil, do I have a non-seasonal item that could be used instead?

For the kid's clothes:

• Designate 1 large tub for their baby/toddler clothes that I loved and would like to pass down to a grandchild one day (crazy thought!!).  
• Get rid of everything else that was too small, I didn't like, or my child didn't like.  Do this again at the end of a season.
• How many of each item does a child really need for the new location?  For example, does a boy really need 4 sets of church clothes?  (I think 2 is enough.)  Does a girl really need 5 nice church dresses? (Again, 2 of each season should be enough.)

For toys (the bane of my existence):

• Is it broken?  
• Not seen the light of day in 3 months? 
• Have they outgrown it? (Feel free to keep their old infant and toddler favorites, but limit them to one container.)
• How many action figures, Hot Wheels, Polly Pockets, Thomas trains, etc. do they need?
• If it doesn't fit inside a medium-sized container or under a bed let it move to someone else's home (Grandma?).

For books (my delight and temptation):

• Is it a quality story, illustrations and binding?
• Have they outgrown it (boardbooks)?
• Do I like the book?
• Is the binding broken?  Pages torn or stained?
• For grown-up books - will I read it again?  Would I loan/ recommend it to someone?
• Do I have similar books?  (3 variations of Goldilocks?  Or 5 marriage books?)
• Can we borrow this from the library or a friend?

Thank you for asking a tough but great question, Alicia!

Even though I don't plan on downsizing anytime soon I am hoping to move later this year.  When the time comes I don't want to pay to move or store a bunch of stuff I don't need so it's helpful to start thinking and decluttering now.

Do you have any ideas or tips for downsizing a household?