by kathilipp | May 30, 2018 | Clutter Free, Getting Started |
As much as I know you want closet solutions, I know it can be incredibly challenging to actually give things away. Here are some ideas that will help you love what you own, cut down on what you don’t, and have more choices without being overwhelmed.
Closet Solutions #1: Go through your closet at the beginning of every season.
When is the best time to donate Christmas decorations? In November when you’re unpacking your own decorations—that way, some other family will be able to decorate their tree on the cheap and enjoy their holidays. The best time to run a donation of summer dresses, flip flops and cotton shorts to your favorite charity is when you declutter your wardrobe at the beginning of spring. That way, some other mom can have something new and cute to start off her spring.
Use the Clutter Free 3 Box, 2 Bag System to make your twice-a-year closet decluttering system fast and effective.
Closet Solutions #2: Make Donations Easy
One of my favorite decluttering solutions is to have a donation bag right inside my closet. If I try something on and it doesn’t look as great as I thought it did, has a stain on it that I can’t get out (donations centers will take stained or ripped clothes and sell it by the pound), or doesn’t fit anymore (it happens), I can drop it into the bag. When the bag is full, I take it down to the car and the next time I’m driving by my charity, I drop the bag off there.
If you have to have a new plan every time you want to donate something, it’s probably easier to just leave that piece of clothing in your closet—leading to clutter. Make getting rid of clothes that don’t pass the clutter free test easy.
Closet Solutions #3: Turn All Your Hangers Backwards
This trick is the best way to have hard evidence whether I’ve worn something or not. In case you haven’t heard about this system, let me explain: At the beginning of a season (I do this in the Spring and in the Fall), hang up everything in your closet backwards. As you get dressed, pull clothes out with the hanger. When you go to hang up clothes again, hang them up normally. At the end of a season, if I’ve never taken that hanger out of my closet to wear, that means that I really, really don’t wear that piece of clothing and I can donate it guilt-free. If you still can’t decide, use the Clutter Free 3 Clarifying Questions to decide fast.
Closet Solutions #4: Create Outfits You Love From What You Have
When most of us are looking for closet solutions, it’s because we have all these clothes and nothing to wear. And that’s because we’re trying to get dressed in the few minutes before we get out the door. The worst time to try to put an outfit together? When you need to put an outfit together. Spend some time pulling a few outfits together now when you have the time, brain space and creativity to do so.
With all the talk of a capsule wardrobe, many of us are told we have to dump all our clothes and start over with some basics that can mix and match into a thousand different outfits.
Not true.
When whittling down your wardrobe, the most important thing is to start with the pieces you have and already love. Pull out the things you love, wear and make you feel fab. Then start seeing what you need to do to make those pieces work for you. Do you need to refresh some of your t-shirts to make your jeans and trench look fresh? Maybe you have been ignoring your jewelry game and it’s time to get a couple of standout pieces to tie things together.
Remember—clothes are supposed to be at least a little bit of fun. And all the closet solutions in the world are not going to fund a shopping spree for a new capsule wardrobe…
If you are not having a little fun putting outfits together, I want to give you permission to loosen up a bit and let your creative juices flow. I think this is especially important for any of us (raising my hand here…) who struggle with not loving the state our body is currently in.
If you’ve spent very little time thinking about how you dress (except crying in front of your closet, on your knees, praying up a miracle), it’s time to get some inspiration. Go on Pinterest and create a wardrobe category. Look at the clothes you already love in your closet and then look for pins that have outfits with similar pieces. Get inspired by the women who think about clothes 24/7 and then just borrow their genius (because who has time for that).
Try putting together “looks” for the coming week and figure out how you can make your clothes work double time both for work and for weekend, running errands and going to church.
I challenge you to put together seven days of amazing outfits—shoes, jewelry, bags, the whole bit. Have fun with your clothes again and get a serious game of dress-up going.
Closet Solutions #5: Create a Shopping List
Get the scene from Pretty Woman out of your head. We are not talking a shopping spree here. Now is the time to create a list of a few items that would tie your wardrobe together.
For instance, I have a pair of tan pants with tiny white polka dots that I love. But I realized that I wasn’t wearing them because the shirt I have to go with them is on the warm side and I want to wear these in hot weather. A lightweight, flowy white shirt would go perfectly with these pants.
But, a lightweight, flowy white shirt would also go with a lot of other clothes that I love, so a lightweight, flowy white shirt is going on my list.
Last year, I wanted a pair of olive green cargo pants more than I wanted to be on Trading Spaces. I put them on the list in April, and kept looking and looking for the perfect pants. The problem? I couldn’t find them. Anywhere. It was like all the shops in the world conspired against me to keep clothes out of my reach.
Finally, I had to go international in my search. In July, my husband and I took a trip to Canada and while I was in a department store there, I came across the perfect olive cargo pants. It may be the one time in my life I didn’t look at the price tag; I was just so excited to find the pants that I would have spent about any amount of money on them.
And no, they weren’t on sale, and yes, they were more than I normally pay for a pair of pants. But I have worn those pants at least once a week during the fall and spring since I bought them. Other clothes that I’ve bought on sale? Those have lingered in my closet for months. Best Canadian money I’ve ever spent.
So keep a little list. I’ve got one on Evernote on my phone. The other advantage of keeping a list? I go into a store (or online) and look for what’s on the list, not getting distracted by all the shiny things that are out there trying to rob me of my money (and my closet space).
Closet Solutions #6: Know When to Invest and When to Have Fun: Anchor Pieces vs. Fun and Frippy
Every closet should have the basics: the jeans that make go with everything, the black jacket that you can throw on with any shirt you own, the white tailored shirt that makes you feel like a million bucks.
But you should also have a few things that are fun and fab. A few of my favorites? An olive-colored tank top with tiny owls on it, a grey T-shirt with the words “Blah, Blah, Blah” in black sparkle (for when I’ve used up all my words), and a pair of navy Toms shoes with moons and stars on them.
Here is the key to having a closet you love: Invest in the anchor pieces and have fun with the frippy ones.
Anchor Pieces: These are the basic workhorses of your wardrobe you wear all the time and go with everything. Depending on your lifestyle (working in a corporate job outside the home, running a freelance business from your spare bedroom, raising small humans) your basics are going to be very different.
As someone who works from home and could get away with yoga pants and slippers most of the time, I had to put together a working wardrobe so I wasn’t embarrassed to go on a Zoom call or answer the door when the UPS guy showed up. But I don’t have to look like I’m ready to take a meeting in the city everyday either. I keep my anchor pieces in neutrals with just one accent color (Neutrals: black, white, cream, olive—Accent: coral) so that almost everything mixes and matches. Here are my anchor pieces:
- Blue jeans
- White Jeans
- Black jeans
- White cotton pants
- Cream cotton pants
- Black cotton pants
- Olive cargo pants
- Black tank top
- Cream tank top
- Olive Tank top
- Black T-shirt
- Cream T-shirt
- Olive T-shirt
- White T-shirt
- Coral T-shirt
- Denim shirt
- White button down
- White and khaki striped shirt
- Olive jacket
- Coral cardigan
These are the pieces that I could dress with every day. But where would the fun in that be?
And that’s when the fun and frippy come into play.
These are things like:
- Camo
- Florals
- Patterns
- Prints
- Kimonos
- Graphic Tees
I tend to do most of my fun stuff in shirts and accessories. These are the pieces that express our personality and make dressing fun again.
Closet Solutions #7: Keep the Clothes You Actually Wear
Get rid of the rest. (Guilt free!) We’ve all done it—bought the jacket with feathers on it, decided that epaulets are back in style, bought a shirt that looked cute on our daughter, and then realized our daughter should be the only one who is young enough to wear it.
One of the most important closet solutions is to understand that we all make mistakes, but we don’t need to hang on to them. (Yes – this is a closet solution, but it’s also a life solution).
Maybe you were supposed to own that butterfly T-shirt for just a season, and then get it into the hands of the person who will love it for the next five years. I love how God can use us to help other people get what they want, even if it’s though a mistake of ours.
Make your clothes earn the right to be in your closet. There should be nothing in there that you don’t love, use or would buy again.
by kathilipp | May 29, 2018 | Clutter Free Podcast, Podcast |
Is a Balanced Life Possible? Finding Peace in the Busy
Do you spend your days rushing from one task to the next, frantically checking things off your list? It’s easy to become so consumed with keeping it all together that you forget to seek God’s plan for your life. He has a much better vision for you—fulfillment and peace that only His grace can provide.
Join Kathi and author, speaker, and radio host Susie Larson as they discuss how to help you find balance within your hectic life. You will learn that being at your best doesn’t mean taking on every task, and meaningful satisfaction can’t be bought with a completed to-do list. Be inspired to move past halfhearted living and second bests into a kingdom of rejuvenation, health, and eternal nourishment.
Giveaway
Susie is giving away 3 copies of her book. To be entered, please leave a comment telling us an area you are struggling in and one thing you can do today to help yourself in this area.
*US residents only
Susie Larson is a bestselling author, national speaker, and talk radio host. She connects with thousands of listeners each and every day on her show, Live the Promise with Susie Larson. She’s been married to best friend and husband since 1985; together they have three grown sons, three beautiful daughters in law, one adorable grandson, and a really cool pit bull named Memphis.
by kathilipp | May 22, 2018 | Clutter Free Podcast, Podcast |
Is your inbox overflowing? There’s hope for a cluttered inbox and Kathi and Erin MacPherson are here to help with simple steps to show you how to get to an absolute zero inbox once a week and live guilt free every single day in the process. Listen in to find out 9 easy steps to help you bring peace to your inbox and your online life!
Links Mentioned
Unroll Me
Erin’s sister’s AirbnB
Erin MacPherson lives in Austin, Texas with her husband Cameron, her sons Joey and Will and her daughter Kate. She is the author of “The Christian Mama’s Guide Series“, a staff writer for Dun & Bradstreet and a freelancer for publications like Thriving Family Magazine, MOPS MomSense, FamilyLife Magazine, Daily Guideposts and BEMag. She blogs about her life, her kids and her faith at ChristianMamasGuide.com.
by kathilipp | May 21, 2018 | Clutter Free |
Standing in front of my closet that is packed like one of those Pillsbury biscuit cans (careful…careful…), yet magically contains nothing to wear, I think to myself, “This is it! I’m going to totally become a minimalist, have a capsule wardrobe and never be stuck in this kind of indecision again.”
You want to know how to declutter your home fast. I get it. So do I. So I start to dig in and declutter. I ready myself with donation bags and an attitude that says, “Get out of my way. I’m DECLUTTERING!” And away I go.
The first shirt is easy. It’s my camo shirt and I wear it anytime it’s clean. (For me, camo is the new floral.) No brainer. It stays.
The next shirt – well, that one’s easy – for all the wrong reasons. It was a promo t-shirt an acquaintance sent me for her book launch. (I’ve noticed one thing about giveaway t-shirts: people order Smalls through Extra Large to send out. If you are bigger than an XL, well, you get an XL—and you’re gonna like it. Friend, next time, save the postage.) Out it goes. This decluttering stuff is so easy!
And then, sometimes the decluttering is not so easy…
Shirt number three. It’s my olive-colored tissue tee I bought at Target. I love the shirt, except it hits me in a funny place, making me wonder if my reflection in the mirror is fourteen months pregnant. I can only wear the shirt with a cardigan or a zip-up sweatshirt. I do have another olive shirt that I like better, but this is a perfectly good shirt. And what if something happened to my favorite olive shirt? I would need a backup. I put it in the maybe pile.
Shirt number four. It’s cute, but I don’t have the right pants for it. But I will find them. Someday. Maybe pile.
And in the next 40 minutes, I’ve got seven shirts in the keep pile, two in the giveaway pile, 24 items in the maybe pile and the rest are still hanging in the closet because it’s all just too much.
You want to know how to declutter your home fast, but the problem…
Because you see, the biggest problem with your stuff isn’t space, or time or money. It’s decision fatigue.
I know you want to declutter your home fast, but I also know that you get to a point in decluttering when you are so tired of making decisions that you just…can’t…do…it… anymore…and it’s too hard.
It helps to remember that we are not supposed to own things for the rest of our lives. Yes, it’s great when we have that throw pillow we use and love for 15 years or that pair of PJs you wear every week for a decade.
But for many of us, we love to change things up, and when we do, it’s important to make way for the new by handing down the old.
Because here’s the thing friend: You don’t get any gold stars for having the most clothes.
And this isn’t just a problem for people with a lot of extra money. I remember when I was unemployed and under-employed as a single mom. I still had friends who would give me their hand-me-downs and instead of buying clothes I loved, I would buy clothes I could afford at cheap discount stores.
As a result, when I look back at my past attempts at decluttering, I’ve finally come to this conclusion: Clutter is indecision.
So how do we get over the obstacle of holding onto things that are crowding our lives? How do we regain the power to make decisions?
Give yourself these 3 Clear Questions if you want to know how to declutter your home fast:
- Do I love it?
- Do I use it?
- Would I buy it again?
If you answer No to two of those questions, I’m guessing that item is truly clutter and it’s time to get rid of it.
Shirt #3 The Olive Shirt
- Do I love it? No. I don’t want to look pregnant.
- Do I use it? Occasionally, when I’m desperate.
- Would I buy it again? No, it doesn’t look good on me.
It’s clutter. Time to go.
Shirt #4 The Shirt I like but it doesn’t go with anything
- Do I love it? Yes.
- Do I use it? No.
- Would I buy it again? No.
It’s clutter. Time to go.
For me, the closet is the hardest place to make these decisions. If I can do it there, I can do it anywhere.
So, how do you make the 3 questions work for you when you want to figure out how to declutter your home fast?
- Write them down on a Post-it note. Having the 3 questions in front of you while you’re decluttering will help you stay focused.
- Give yourself a goal. Recently, I was going through my jewelry. I hadn’t gone through it in years and there were a lot of things I no longer wear. I gave myself the goal of getting rid of 30 pieces of jewelry. Because I had a goal, I got rid of some pieces that I might have been tempted to hold onto, “just in case.” But the best part of getting rid of the 42 (yes, 42 pieces!) was that I actually rediscovered some pieces I really love and have started wearing again. So not only do I love them (question #1), now I use them (question #2).
- Think about the next owner. I think about when I was broke and shopping thrift stores. When I found a shirt I loved that actually fit, I was so grateful to find something in my budget I could wear or that my kids wouldn’t be embarrassed wearing to school. If you are having a hard time parting with something you like but don’t use, picture the person who will be wearing it in three weeks—how that jacket you never wear is now one of their favorite pieces of clothing. Or how that blazer made it so they could walk into a job interview with confidence.
I Promise – You Can Learn How to Declutter Your Home Fast
The next time you are ready to declutter, arm yourself with the 3 questions, a couple of plastic bags, and a prayer of determination.
You can declutter. You can make decisions. You can love your stuff again.
by kathilipp | May 15, 2018 | Clutter Free Podcast, Podcast |
Join Kathi and Erin MacPherson as they talk through why it’s important to clean out your handbag and how to do it. It’s not hard, but it’s important. Grab 2 plastic bags and listen in to hear Kathi’s simple steps to get rid of the clutter in your handbag. You’ll be so glad you did.
As promised, here are the pictures of Kathi’s bags…
Giveaway
Kathi is giving one set of 3 Clear Bags to one listener (US resident only) who shares a great idea for keeping your bag clean and neat. Leave a comment to be entered.
Erin MacPherson lives in Austin, Texas with her husband Cameron, her sons Joey and Will and her daughter Kate. She is the author of “The Christian Mama’s Guide Series“, a staff writer for Dun & Bradstreet and a freelancer for publications like Thriving Family Magazine, MOPS MomSense, FamilyLife Magazine, Daily Guideposts and BEMag. She blogs about her life, her kids and her faith at ChristianMamasGuide.com.
by kathilipp | May 12, 2018 | Clutter Free, Spring Fling |
Day 10 and it’s time to get out of the house … and get your garage cleaning underway.
For years, my garage has been the dumping ground for everything. My business, my kids’ stuff, tools, craft projects, out of season clothes, out of season decorations, mid-project projects, suitcases, gardening supplies, games, puzzles, and the bike that never, ever gets ridden.
Garage Cleaning – The Never Ending Journey
I’ll be honest with you: my garage is still a huge work in progress. The good news? There IS progress. When I went to go work on my 20 items today, I knew the corner I had to tackle: the “Camping Corner.”
Roger and I love to go day camping, so we keep a lot of supplies. But this corner has been overrun by one too many “dump and runs.” There were out of season clothes, decorations (apparently, I’m obsessed with giant fall pumpkins), wrapping paper, books, and the results of too many Costco runs. We’re good on toilet paper for the rest of our lives.
So, I gave myself an afternoon to go through the corner, get my 20 items, and make sense of all of the stuff.
I was done in 30 minutes.
Why did it take so little time? Because after all my flings in the past, there really wasn’t that much to declutter—it just needed to be put away properly.
I know that as a clutterer, I tend to be overwhelmed by projects and think they’re going to take more time than they actually do. Starting off with only 15 minutes is going to help you break things down and get them into doable chunks. You can do this!
Garage Cleaning Instructions
– Set up your three boxes/totes and two bags.
– Pick one area to work on. One shelf. One corner. Don’t get overwhelmed. Start sorting and revel in the space that you are reclaiming!
– Set a timer and go for it. 15 minutes usually can do it, but if you need to put another 15 minutes on the timer, go for it.
Garage Cleaning Bonus
Some bonus things you can do in the basement or garage:
- Label storage areas. Make a big sign so everyone in the family knows where things go.
- Boy, can my garage get dusty. If there are items you care about, dust them or store them in a storage box.
- Speaking of storage boxes, can you get rid of a few now that you’ve flung so much stuff?
Garage Cleaning Share Your Fling
After you fling, either tell us about it or share a picture in the comments. Remember, each day (at the end of the Fling) there will be one winner, randomly drawn from the comments, who will receive a copy of The Cure for the Perfect Life from Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory. So share below and tell us about your fling.
by kathilipp | May 11, 2018 | Clutter Free, Spring Fling |
Day 9 and it’s time to earn some bonus points … by dealing with that extra room.
Got a kids’ room, linen closet, or a space under the stairs filled with clutter? If so, today is the day to tackle the room that’s making you crazy and get 20 things out of there, stat!
It Gets Better in the Extra Room
Oh, this can be so overwhelming. Even those tiny spaces, like the coat closet, can have you slamming the door and praying all the things will magically go away.
And if you are decluttering a child’s room? Well, may God have mercy on your soul.
But I promise you, peace is possible, and the only way you are going to get there is by digging in.
Instructions
– Set up your three boxes/totes and two bags.
– Pick one area to work on. One shelf. One corner. Don’t get overwhelmed.
– Start sorting and revel in the space you’re reclaiming!
Set a timer and go for it. 10 minutes usually can do it, but if you need to put another 10 minutes on the timer to fling your 20 things, by all means.
Bonus
Some bonus things you can do in that extra space:
- Label storage areas. Make it look like the aisles of Target where everyone knows where everything goes.
- Do an inventory. Do you need new Band-Aids in the linen closet? Or vacuum cleaner bags? A fresh supply of allergy meds in the medicine cabinet? Make a list so you can get it next time you’re at the store.
- Would bins be helpful in this space? The Dollar Store has some great bins and baskets for only $1, but make sure they work for your space. (Otherwise, those too become clutter.)
Share Your Fling
After you fling, either tell us about it or share a picture in the comments. Remember, each day (at the end of the Fling) there will be one winner, randomly drawn from the comments, who will receive a copy of The Cure for the Perfect Life from Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory. So share below and tell us about your fling.
by kathilipp | May 10, 2018 | Clutter Free, Spring Fling |
Day 8 of the Spring Fling and it’s time to get some rest and reclaim your bedroom!
Is your bedroom where all your “stuff” goes to hide? Is this the place where the stash and dash gets “stashed”? If so, it’s time to reclaim your bedroom so you can relax.
I KNOW that I sleep better in a room free from clutter. I’m not distracted by all the things that need to be put away and dealt with. (And bonus! I have a lot smaller chance of tripping and dying if I need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.)
It Gets Better: Reclaim your Bedroom
It does get better, the more you work on it. And you deserve better in your bedroom. You deserve a place to rest and restore without having to look at bags of Goodwill donations every single morning.
Make this room a priority. I want you to have a retreat — a place where you can close off the door and just be, in peace.
Instructions
– Set up your three boxes/totes and two bags.
– Make your bed so you have a clear space to work off.
– Set a timer for 10 minutes and FLING!
Anything that doesn’t belong in the bedroom, get it out of the bedroom. Don’t use your closet to store your kid’s hockey equipment. I want what’s in there to bring you peace. If you don’t use it, don’t love it, and wouldn’t buy it again, get it out of there!
Bonus
Bring some life into your bedroom.
We share a fence with a neighbor. About once a month, we have to cut back their hedges on our property. This has always been a source of frustration. (We have a hard time gardening for ourselves, much less our neighbors.) But now, I’m turning that frustration into an opportunity. I’m taking the blooms from those hedges and filling up mason jars around my house. Having fresh flowers in my room gives me a sense of peace.
Can you bring something new into your room? A new pillow, a picture frame, fresh flowers?
If you are really going great guns, I would suggest cleaning out your nightstand as well and stocking it with essentials: cough drops, Tylenol, lavender oil, a reading light and a good book.
Share Your Fling
After you fling, either tell us about it or share a picture in the comments. Remember, each day (at the end of the Fling) there will be one winner, randomly drawn from the comments, who will receive a copy of The Cure for the Perfect Life from Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory. So share below and tell us about your fling.
by kathilipp | May 9, 2018 | Clutter Free, Spring Fling |
The living is easy …
Okay, depending on what you use your living room for, maybe the living isn’t all that easy. And whatever you call it (living room, family room, den), it can be a clutter trap. In many houses, the living room sees the worst of every family member’s clutter habits. It can become the dumping ground for All. The. Things.
And if you are the Clutter Monitor, it’s often a full-time job keeping the living room clean.
It Gets Better in the Living Room
I know you want a room you’re not embarrassed to host unexpected guests. And a place where you can relax at the end of the day without feeling all jittery from clutter surrounding you.
We now have that kind of living room. When it came to finding my 20 things, I was frustrated because it was so hard. But then it dawned on me: my years of decluttering are paying off. I can be thrilled with the progress I’ve made.
So for all of you who have had a hard time finding your “things”? Celebrate – it’s working!
Instructions:
– Set up your three boxes/totes and two bags.
– Pick one area to work on. Maybe the TV console or the coffee table. Just pick one area, and if you run out of things to fling there, you can move on.
– Set a timer and go for it. 10 minutes usually can do it, but if you need to put another 10 minutes on the timer, by all means!
Bonus:
Maybe there are other rooms that fall under the “living” category. Your dining room, a den, your family room? Get 20 things out of that room if you have a little extra time and a little extra motivation.
Share Your Fling
After you fling, either tell us about it or share a picture in the comments. Remember, each day (at the end of the Fling) there will be one winner, randomly drawn from the comments, who will receive a copy of The Cure for the Perfect Life from Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory. So share below and tell us about your fling.
by kathilipp | May 8, 2018 | Clutter Free, Clutter Free Podcast, Podcast |
In this powerful interview with author Suzie Eller, Kathi talks with her about who the Holy Spirit is and His role in our lives. If you’ve ever been curious about what the Holy Spirit actually does listen in. (Plus, Susie shares how she and her husband got two round-trip tickets to Hawaii for $22.) Hawaii and the Holy Spirit? You won’t want to miss this!
Giveaway
Suzie is giving away 3 copies of her book. To enter, head to the blog and leave a question you have about the Holy Spirit in the comments.
*US residents only
Suzanne (Suzie) Eller is a Proverbs 31 Ministries author and speaker. She has ministered to groups of all sizes across the globe and has been featured on programs including The Harvest Show, MidDay Connection, Focus on the Family, and Aspiring Women. Learn more at www.tsuzanneeller.com.
SaveSave
As much as I know you want closet solutions, I know it can be incredibly challenging to actually give things away. Here are some ideas that will help you love what you own, cut down on what you don’t, and have more choices without being overwhelmed.
