The Power of the Purge

Each year in the fall I go through every closet, drawer, and seasonal tote in our household to see what needs to be kept, sold, or donated. This usually takes me approximately two weeks to complete and also includes purchasing necessary new items and passing down gently used items to younger siblings. We do this for all clothes, toys, shoes, and even sports equipment which has saved us money over the years. My friends always look forward to this time because I also purge my beauty items including my massive make up, acrylic nail system and polish, and wig and weave collections. I know it sounds crazy to think that I would pass on hair that I haven’t worn but just know that royal blue hair, although a fun idea, was not the look for me.

This year I realized that I have never completed a purge for our homeschool items. As I walked into our Learning Center I wondered if every other family’s homeschool room had storage carts, bookshelves, and the closet filled to the brim with various activities. If I walked into their garage would I see at least five totes dedicated just to education items? Seriously, how many dollar store consumable books does a preschooler need? Oh and don’t get me started on our sticker collection. We have so many sticker books that I could literally open up a shop, sell each one for penny, and be a millionaire by close of business.

Initially, when we started homeschooling we only had one child and desperately wanted another. I kept every little thing that was used to educate Bear because I knew God would give us the children we’d prayed for and I wanted his siblings to learn with those materials. Now that we have three year old Bam Bam and two year old Princess, I see that their personalities are so different the same techniques and materials might not work. I also understand that even though these items hold precious memories for me, I shouldn’t hold onto something that Bear doesn’t even remember using in Kindergarten or First grade.

During our homeschool purge I went through every part of our Learning Center and all the aforementioned totes in the garage. Going through this the first time was easy however, I knew that if I wanted to truly clean out the excess that I had to go through everything a second time. As I looked at each item again I asked myself several questions

• Do we need to use this within the next two years for the next sibling?

• Can someone else’s homeschool benefit from this product before Team Kemp Academy?

• Could this be resold to collect money for next year’s curriculum?

• If we are going to need this within four years do we trust God to provide it again?

The household purge was great but this inaugural homeschool purge was powerful! In doing this I was able to teach our children about the importance of seasonal deep cleaning and giving away things you don’t need. I’d also say this was a lesson in economics because we were able to sell some things to pay for field trips for this school year as well as save money for next year’s curriculum. So, I definitely encourage all of you to make time to go through your educational items and see what you truly need for the next two or three years. Having your children help with this is a great way to get them involved in the planning for the upcoming year. It is also a sneaky, but fun way to get them to deep clean. In the end, you’ll have accomplished a great task, taught them to give to others, and reviewed the importance of organization as you put things away. You also portray strong faith as you trust God to give your homeschool and household provision like only he can.

Make today grand,

~Ta’Neisha K.

Ta’Neisha Kemp – I’m a proud wife that spontaneously serenades her husband in public. I’m a cool mom that has dance battles with her children. I’m the keep it real friend that doesn’t tell your business. I’m also the lady that cries actual tears while watching romantic comedies and reading books. If you’re a homeschool teacher that enjoys a quick “I totally understand” moment in between subjects and chores, then we just became best friends. I’m a proud believer, living a balanced life where taking care of my family is my ministry! Blog: Marriage, Motherhood, and Makeup http://married2kdk.wordpress.com