SOCIAL MEDIA

Friday, April 7, 2023

Spring Cleaning and Purging

 Hello friends and happy Friday! We are starting off today's blog post with some FABULOUS news. I had my PET scan this week and got my results back... I can hardly believe it but I am very happy to say that I am officially IN REMISSION. My cancer is GONE!!! I had been told Hodgkins Lymphoma responds well to treatment, but we were all quite surprised at just how well I responded. Especially with it being stage 4. We were hoping to hear the cancer was shrinking, we were not expecting to hear the incredible news we received. 

I cannot help but love the symbolism behind getting such wonderful news right before Easter weekend. A period of darkness and despair followed by a period of light and hope. A period of new life. I swear the world just seems a little bit brighter to me now. Even more beautiful than it was before. 

While the scary part of this journey is over, I am still far from "done". I will need to finish the remainder of my chemotherapy, with a tentative last treatment date in mid-July. Apparently if I were to stop chemo now, there is a high chance that the cancer could come back. By finishing out the next 4 months we are ensuring that we have gotten every single cancer cell and have a much higher chance of being "cured" forever. While I very much hate chemo and don't want to finish this, I also don't want to have to start this all over again a year or so from now. I have already quit my job, lost my hair, had a port surgery, have a wonderful support system set up, etc... I need to just see this thing through to the end and then be done with it for good. 

Thank you for your prayers, your kind words, and EVERYTHING you have done to support me so far! We got wonderful news this week. Now we just need to finish this thing out!

Now, onto today's post...

This month I am attempting a "spring cleaning month" where I do a little reorganizing/purging every day throughout the month. This helps it to not feel overwhelming like it might if I tried to do it in one fell swoop. 

I have written about doing these "purge months" before (here and here), and honestly really love to declutter the house in this way. The basic gist of it is that on April 1st, you donate/throw away/give away 1 item, then on April 2nd you donate/throw away/give away 2 items, then on April 3rd, you do 3 items. By the time you get to the end of the month and are clearing out 27, 28, 29+ items per day you start really decluttering! It never feels overwhelming, and by the end of the month of April I will have gotten rid of 465 items-- which is obviously a lot!

Here are the things I plan to go through and donate/get rid of:

- Old clothes the kids no longer fit in

- Socks whose match have been missing for more than 2 weeks

- Old cleaning supplies/chemicals (we are trying to switch to more natural cleaning supplies-- more on that to come!)

- Old/Extra Tupperwares-- Our Tupperware drawer is overwhelmingly full. We have slowly been switching over to all glass containers, so I am going to give away several of our plastic ones. 

- Old clothes Devin and I don't wear anymore

- Toys the kids haven't played with in years

- Baby-ish books the kids no longer want to read

- Old craft supplies/paints that are past their prime

- Old makeup (I'm trying to transition to more natural/clean beauty products too-- more on that to come as well)

- Condiments past their prime in the refrigerator 

What about you? Do you like to do a big spring cleaning/purge? I always feel better when we have less "stuff" in our house. 

I hope you all have a WONDERFUL weekend. I know we sure will. 😀

See you back here on Monday for Not Just a Mom-- Favorite Cleaning Hacks.




Today I am linking up with Andrea and Erika for Friday Favorites. 



11 comments :

  1. What wonderful news to hear on this Good Friday! I was praying for you this week so thank you for sharing. You've got this and the time from now to July will fly. I want to hear about your journey to cleaner products because I would like to do the same. Follow Just Ingredients on Instagram if you aren't already. I am so happy for you! I am trying to clean and purge, too. It feels great to really only keep what you use and love.

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  2. This is just the BEST news. It brought tears to my eyes...and yes to the symbolism of your journey and Easter. I'm so happy for you. I know you have a journey ahead of you, but I'm sure the world does seem brighter right now. I really need to get a purging plan --and I love the idea of one, two, etc. ..definitely seems manageable. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

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  3. This is the BEST news - it brightens my Easter weekend, even though we don't know each other in real life. I hope your family enjoys a blessed Easter!

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  4. So happy to hear your news!! I know the months will fly and you will be done with chemo before you know it! I would love to see what makeup/beauty products you switch to. Happy Easter to your beautiful family!

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  5. That is amazing news and I'm so happy to hear it. I love the idea of a month of cleaning. I really need to purge so much!

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  6. Wonderful news! I am so happy for your family and look forward to hearing more about your healing.

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  7. Lauren!!! In tears - I'm SO happy for you and your family!!

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  8. I loved to read this!! Wishing you the best as you finish up your treatments to really kick this thing!

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  9. That is fantastic news! I am so pleased that your cancer has gone. Good luck with the rest of your treatment.

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  10. Remission!!! Oh that is the best best news!! I’m so happy for you! Keeping those prayers coming your way! Sarah @ Sunshine & Books

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  11. What amazing news! I am so happy for you and July will be here before you know it! Disney, here you come!

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