I’m about to try something I’ve never done before: commit to blogging every day for 31 days. I’m taking the 31 Days Blog challenge and you know what? I’m kind of excited. I started a 31 Day writing challenge to just sit and write each day. But this is committing to write something I can publish. Gulp. That’s a whole different playing field.
The challenge was created by The Nester, Myquillyn Smith. Her blog can be found at thenester.com. I have recently discovered her book The Nesting Place and I am devouring it, folks. Seriously. This book is an inspiration! In it she takes the fear out of decorating and puts the fun back in. She reminds the reader that making your house a home is not brain surgery but it is important. Whether you rent or own, love color or relish white spaces, you will enjoy this book with its easy style and encouragement that you can do this! You can make your home a functional, beautiful, welcoming place without overthinking it.
Her book is what inspired the topic for my 31 Days: Bringing Balance amongst the Boxes.
For the past year I’ve blogged about the journey through grief after the sudden death of my husband. Now my four kids and I have started a new chapter in a new house and moving in has been an adventure. For the next 31 Days join me as I share the adventure of moving in to a new home without my husband for the first time; helping kids make their rooms into their own; balancing life while trying to unpack; and more.
I hope I can make you smile and maybe even inspire as I try to excavate my new home and share the adventure with you. Some of what I share will be “live,” in the moment as we are living it. Some will be what I’ve already tackled and you can celebrate the outcome with me. Hopefully you enjoy joining me for the journey.
So, without further ado, let’s get this blogging started!
Day 1 – When is a Move more than a Move?
Day 2 – The Lifter of Someone’s Arms
Day 3 – Progress Starts Small Sometimes
Day 4 – The Need to Nest
Day 5 – Cheerleader in a Book
Day 6 – Adventures in Upcycling
Day 7 – Hard to Ask
Day 8 – Just a Hole in the Wall
Day 9 – Know When to ask for Help
Day 10 – Sometimes
Day 11 – Thankful for my Church
Day 12 – Autumn Organizing
Day 13 – Handle with Care
Day 14 – This may be Harder, but God is still Good
Day 15 – On a Roll (Just not Unpacking)
Day 16 – Spent
Day 17 – What’s Stopping You?
Day 18 – Settling In
Day 19 – Stay Tuned….
Day 20 – Vacuuming and Vignettes
Day 21 – Score!
Day 22 – Because I Must
Day 23 – Because God….
Day 24 – Adventures in Costume Bingo
Day 25 – Redemption of a Bad Day
Day 26 – Liberating Boxes
Day 27 – Tiny Victories
Day 28 – Perseverance
Day 29 – Pause
Day 30 – Progress in the Kitchen!
Day 31 – The Finish Line
Jennifer Buell 
I’m so sorry for the loss of your husband, and wish you the best. You’re doing a brave and nurturing thing by working on your boxes. I inherited a room full of boxes from my Grannie, and have only just started working through them this last year. It’s very hard, and I can’t imagine the strain of having to face the loss of a husband. I look forward to watching your journey this month, and taking inspiration from it. Best wishes to you.
Wow…I am definately following this. I am, thankfully, not in the same space as you…but it’s similar enough and I think your journey may help me. I lost my mom a year ago, and am still clearing out/fixing to sell her RV (yeah, procrastination and grief kinda go hand and hand). All her paperwork is piled on a table in my bedroom, still, and I’m still getting access to accounts (I’m an only child, so…well, that’s how it goes). And, my husband lost his job this year (which thankfully we were able to weather because of what my mom left us…not something I’m eager to call a blessing, but really, the timing was a blessing in a way). Anyways, he just got a contract job for three months in another state, which very likely may turn into a full time job, but we don’t know where (the company is based in one town, but has a client in another place where he’s going to be working, so we could end up moving to either place and don’t know yet, which is why we’re not packing up the whole family and moving now). It will be the longest time I’ve been away from him since we’ve been married, and though it is nothing to what you’re going through, I think I could learn from what you post. So thanks so much for doing this series.
Thank you for sharing your journey. I pray the 31-Day challenge will be a blessing. I look forward to reading your posts.