Lent--The 40 bag challenge

[Weedygarden]

When I was a child, I was led to give up things for lent. I remember giving up candy, and stashing it, only for my brother to find it and eat it. I have many years of not doing anything for lent.

Last year I heard about the 40 bag challenge and participated in it. During the 40 days of lent, you clean out the excess in your life. The 40 bag challenge means a bag or box of something everyday is removed from your life--closet cleaning, garage cleaning, and anything that needs a good purging and cleaning out. I took more than 40 bags and boxes of stuff to my local thrift stores. I wasn't able to do something every day, but on the weekends I would make sure that I loaded at least 7 bags or boxes of stuff into my car. It was relatively easy for me because I have lots of boxes of books from my online book selling and still have many boxes of teaching materials, in spite of filling my recycling bin several times since retiring. I also have many children's books that I donate to a local organization that resells them for a very low price to teachers.

I have already started again, but am behind. I will catch up and again donate more than 40 boxes or bags this lent season.

Anyone else heard of it or done this?

http://www.chicagonow.com/hammervision/2014/03/my-lenten-promise-40-bags-in-40-days/

 

[ssonb]

Weedy does that mean you are our bag lady????

 

[Weedygarden]

Weedy does that mean you are our bag lady????

Yes, yes, yes! I have many things in my life organized and ready to go in bags. When I was teaching, I always had bags of papers to check along with other stuff going back and forth to school.

Are there enough bags in this world?

 

[ssonb]

I do have a cupla extra under my eyes..but I think I will hold off stuffin more stuff in them.

 

[Caribou]

Never tried the 40 bag challenge but I did give up my New Years resolutions for Lent a few times.

 

[goshengirl]

I have never heard of that one. Sounds like a good challenge.
Seems like prayer journaling has been on the rise instead of giving up something for lent (another means of drawing closer to God).
This year I gave up aspartame. I have tried to give it up a number of times (outside of Lent) - so I'm making it a spiritual endeavor...

 

[backlash]

I need a 40 dumpster challenge.

 

[Sentry18]

We don't give up anything for Lent but we last year we did the "get rid of 2017 things in 2017". We even made a list so we could keep track. Amazing how easy it was to get rid of 2017 things. Can barely tell the difference.

 

[The Innkeeper]

I need a 40 dumpster challenge.

don’t do it, you might need it later.

I need a 40 acre challenge, buy 40 acres and try to fill it. Although that doesnt exactly fit with the Lenten spirit.

 

[ssonb]

LENT idnt dat what the rich people pull outa the dryer, usuns poo peoples only get lent from our bellybuttons.

 

[Sewingcreations15]

@Weedygarden good luck with the challenge and it has a number of benefits in that you can get rid of clutter and worship God at the same time.

I have never heard of the 40 bag challenge but then and again we don't celebrate lent in our religion either but do practice worshipping God.

 

[Weedygarden]

LENT idnt dat what the rich people pull outa the dryer, usuns poo peoples only get lent from our bellybuttons.

And between your toes? ;D

 

[BioBacon]

I've been trying to let at least 7 things go each week plus 1 for each thing I get this year. Goodwill has gotten 6 boxes of books so far.

 

[The Innkeeper]

I've been trying to let at least 7 things go each week plus 1 for each thing I get this year. Goodwill has gotten 6 boxes of books so far.

it may be illegal to get rid of books... if not it should be

 

[BioBacon]

When you have so many that even your bathroom has a second book shelf the fire Marshall might call it illegal lol

 

[The Innkeeper]

When you have so many that even your bathroom has a second book shelf the fire Marshall might call it illegal lol

you mean I have to cut it down to two?o

 

[BioBacon]

You can as many as you want but as for me when I start tripping I have to start removing lol

 

[goshengirl]

it may be illegal to get rid of books... if not it should be

I have to get rid of books periodically, or the house starts sinking from all the weight. (Books are my vice.)
I gave up five bins of early homeschooling books just a couple months ago - now I'm wishing I hadn't done that so that I could send a lot of those materials to @Grimm!
That's the hardest part of purging for me. In general, it's not problem. But with books? I'm always reluctant to let go, because it always seems that I find a better use for them after I've already purged them.

 

[Weedygarden]

I have to get rid of books periodically, or the house starts sinking from all the weight. (Books are my vice.)
I gave up five bins of early homeschooling books just a couple months ago - now I'm wishing I hadn't done that so that I could send a lot of those materials to @Grimm!
That's the hardest part of purging for me. In general, it's not problem. But with books? I'm always reluctant to let go, because it always seems that I find a better use for them after I've already purged them.

With many things, for me, it is easier to give them to someone who needs or want them. I have gotten rid of many children's books, but I have many more to get rid of, boxes.

 

[Amish Heart]

Stick em in your trunk, Weedy. I don't have a problem giving away children's books! I work with a ton of them every day

 

[Grimm]

I grew up Lutheran and Lent was a time of abstention just like with the Catholics. Now it is about giving more to God than doing without earthly enjoyment. Simplifying life to live it more fully in the Word.

I haven't done too much decluttering for the last few weeks but I am trying to get a little done every day to get the mess out of my life. Going through the closets and dressers last month really cut down the extra clothes I was hanging on to. I now have less clothes than K. I will be making another purge of clothes in the next few weeks has I am not wearing even half of the clothes I kept (which was already less than half of what I started with on Jan 1).

 

[Weedygarden]

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, and I have already been doing the get rid of stuff challenge! Lent gives me more incentive to keep purging. I still have lots of stuff from my teaching days, in spite of hauling off carloads and filling the recycling bin a few times. I have also hauled off carloads of boxes of books from my online book selling business. Those two especially will be my focus. I could probably get rid of 40 boxes of books, from the garage, in spite of giving away many before.

Does anyone else do something for Lent?

 

[LadyLocust]

I’ve not heard of the 40 bag challenge for lent. We did however recently downsize by about 40%. I don’t fall for the whole “spark joy” thing as there was so much I thought I really loved that I don’t miss now. It’s amazing. I’m still trying to use up or scale back on certain things but getting rid of the bulk creates a much better “starting point.” Lent is in your heart so whatever you do should resonate with you.