by kathilipp | May 5, 2017 | Clutter Free, Spring Fling |
Day five of the Spring Fling and it’s time to get crafty … and organize the office area (or your craft room).
Oh, you crafters. I appreciate your talents and gifts deeply. But your natural desire to stash and hoard has made it so you can barely pull out a project and enjoy your creativity.
And those of us with offices. How is it that we can crush the business world by day, but fear a giant pile of papers crashing down on us at night?
It’s time for both groups to reclaim our creative space!
It Gets Better: Organize the Office or Craft Area
While my office is not what I want it to be, I can function in there (and that’s a lot more than I could say ten years ago).
My mom, who is an amazing quilter, has taken her decluttering to a new level. She refuses to start a new project until she has completed five she already has. I’m so proud of her and the steps she’s taking to become Clutter Free.
Instructions:
- Set up your three boxes/totes and two bags.
- Start with one area at a time.
For offices and craft rooms, the questions are: “Will I use this?” and “If I want this, where would I look for it?”
Bonus:
Want to stay Clutter Free when it comes to projects? Commit to finishing five current projects before starting anything new.
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 4, 2017 | Clutter Free, Spring Fling |
Day four of the Spring Fling and it’s time to hit the books …
Of all the things that people have a hard time getting rid of, I think books are at the top of the list.
As an author, that feels like a very good thing.
But as a woman who is working to make the world a Clutter-Free place, I need to stop being selfish, worrying about my residual checks, and challenge you to release some of those books back into the wild.
It Gets Easier to Clear Books
I have reduced the books in our house from twelve bookcases to three. Yes, in some cases it did feel like a crime. Books are wonderful and awesome—if someone is reading them. But just having books for the sake of owning them doesn’t improve your life or the lives of people who could be reading them.
I have a list of books that I will just keep. Books that I reread on a regular basis, reference books, my favorite writing books, a few cookbooks, and different Bibles. Some of the books I plan on keeping for the rest of my life (or until I change my mind…)
- Celebration of Discipline
- The Prizewinner of Defiance Ohio
- Wesley the Owl
- The Good Good Pig
- Entreleadership
- Getting Things Done
- On Writing
- Born Standing Up
- Yes Please
- America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook
- The Betty Crocker Cookbook
- Bird by Bird
- More with Less
- Several books my friends have written (which I will not list here because I don’t want to leave anyone out)
Instructions:
– Set up your three boxes/totes and two bags.
– Start with one bookshelf.
– Do NOT pull all the books out at one time (in some homes, this could be dangerous).
Do you love it? Will you read it again? If you haven’t read it, and want to, create a shelf for “To be read” books and put them in the order you want to read them.
Bonus:
Want to stay Clutter Free when it comes to books and media? Commit to reading what you have before buying new. My challenge is to read three books I currently own before buying a new one.
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 3, 2017 | Clutter Free |
Day three of the Spring Fling, and it’s time to get serious … Let’s clear out the bathroom!
I’m not so worried about your sentimental attachments in the bathroom. (“But I can’t throw away that bottle of Axe Body Wash! I have to keep it — it was the last time my son smelled good.”)
But if you are anything like me, your bathroom can easily get filled with “just in case” items.
I am a worst-case-scenario kinda girl.
“What if we run out of money and I can never buy shampoo again. I don’t want to regret throwing out that six-year-old bottle of Head and Shoulders my cousin left here.”
What if I lose my job and I can’t buy lipstick again. Even though this color makes me look like an extra on the Walking Dead, it’s better than nothing, right? I should hold on to it.”
I get it. I’m a sick, sick woman.
Those things in the picture? Those were all from my kids’ bathroom.
No kid has lived here in over a year. But I kept it all — just in case.
Did I mention that I’m a sick, sick woman?
I bet you may have had some of these thoughts as well. Otherwise, why would you have six containers of foundation and only use one?
It Gets Better
One of the best things you can do to reduce clutter in your bathroom is become brand loyal. If you are a product junkie, always trying out new lipsticks, hairsprays, etc., it’s easy to keep six different kinds of mascara around because you’re never quite sure which one is the best. Find a product that works for you, and when you start to run out, buy another one. But stop buying products you already have.
Instructions:
– Set up your three boxes/totes and two bags.
– Start with one drawer or one shelf.
– Do NOT pull everything in your bathroom to sort it out. Take it one drawer, shelf, or basket at a time.
Bonus:
Want to stay Clutter Free in your bathroom? Commit to using up what you have. Only buy a new bottle of shampoo once you’ve used up the rest of the shampoo you have on hand.
You say, “But I would never use that old bottle of Head and Shoulders!”
Then throw it out. Only keep what you will actually use. This goes for makeup as well. When you run out, you can buy a new bottle, tube, or jar guilt free. Not only will this save you space, it will also save you money.
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 2, 2017 | Clutter Free |
Day two of the Spring Fling. This may be your hardest yet. Taming the closet!
Asking women to get rid of clothes is like asking men to get rid of tools.
If you’ve ever struggled to get ready in the morning with dozens of items of clothes in your closet, but have “nothing to wear,” then it’s time to fling a lot of your closet.
People who look pulled together don’t spend 30 minutes wondering, “What am I going to wear?” Because they often have the smallest wardrobes.
Take a hard look at your closet. What is it filled with?
“I might need it someday!”
“But I spent so much money on it!”
“I might be that size again someday.”
Those clothes choke out your real life. If you MUST keep them, store them in another part of the house, where they won’t interfere with your real life.
It Gets Better: Taming the Closet
I have experienced so much freedom in my closet. It has taken me many seasons, but now everything in there is something I would wear today. (Okay, maybe not the heavy sweaters, because it IS May, but I will be swapping out my winter for spring here pretty soon.)
When you switch seasons in your closet (I have a tiny closet, so for me this is a MUST), it is a great time to look at your clothes and see what you actually look forward to wearing. You don’t need to keep “just in case” clothes. Make sure you love to wear everything in your closet.
If you have stuff (and don’t we all) that needs to get hemmed, taken in, let out, or repaired, go get it done so you can have a wardrobe that works for you instead of working so hard to get dressed in the morning.
Instructions:
– Set up your three boxes/totes and two bags.
– Start with one pole or one shelf.
– Do NOT pull everything in your closet out and sort through it. That will get overwhelming. You will quit and go eat Rocky Road ice cream. (Or at least that’s what I would do.) At the most, pull out three items at a time.
One of the things I like to do is pull out three similar items. Are there two I wear all the time, but one I avoid? Maybe it doesn’t fit, it has a scratchy tag, or I don’t like how it looks on me.
If it’s the scratchy tag, go get a pair of scissors or a seam ripper and take care of that puppy. Otherwise? Get rid of it and let someone else feel fab in it.
Bonus:
You know those days when you feel extra motivated? Yes, they may only come around once a year, but today could be that day!
If so, here are some bonus flings you could do that will bring more peace in your closet:
– Take three things to the cleaners
– Take one thing to get altered
– Get rid of any extra hangers you hate using. (No one should be using wire hangers from the dry cleaners. You’re better than that.)
The next time (maybe tomorrow morning) you get dressed, you will be so glad you did your fling!
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 1, 2017 | Clutter Free, Spring Fling |
It is day one of the Spring Fling and we are going to start easy … in the kitchen. If you declutter the kitchen, it will make a big difference in how you cook and enjoy family time together.
Time to declutter the kitchen
The kitchen doesn’t seem to hold as much sentimental attachment as some of the other rooms in our homes, so let’s get the 20 items out of there. I would encourage you to really look at your stuff. Do you have six cookie sheets? Unless you are planning to take the place of Mrs. Fields, that probably is overkill. Could you donate a couple so that someone who is baking their cookies off of aluminum foil has a safe way to make cookies for their kids? One thing I realized as I was getting rid of my 20 things in the kitchen? It was hard! Not because I was attached to things, but because I’ve been decluttering so much over the years that I really do have my essentials only in the kitchen. That is Clutter Free progress, baby!
What to do in the kitchen
Instructions:
1. Set up your three boxes/totes and two bags.
2. Start with one drawer or one shelf. 3. Do NOT pull everything in your kitchen out and sort through it. That’s how your kids manage their toys, and how does THAT work for you?
Bonus: You know those days when you feel extra motivated? Yes, they may only come around once a year, but today could be that day! If so, here are some extra things you could do that will bring you more peace in your kitchen:
- Fling 20 things in your fridge.
- Fling 20 things in your freezer.
- Fling 20 things in your pantry.
- Fling 20 ketchup/taco sauce/soy sauce packages.
- Fling 20 take out menus in your junk drawer.
by kathilipp | Apr 29, 2017 | Clutter Free, Spring Fling |
Well, hello, my fellow FLINGERS!
So excited to start flinging with you on Monday! Just a couple of hints as we prepare:
1. We will be taking on one room a day, 20 items a day, over 10 days. If you fling more, great. But even those 200 items will make a difference—not just in your home, but your attitude.
2. Take pictures. Share the love and encouragement by sharing pics of what you’ve done. You don’t HAVE to post a pic, but boy does it get our decluttering juices running.
3. If you get behind, don’t get discouraged. You have the weekend to catch up. We’ll still be here for you!
4. Get your system together. You need one box for Put Away (everything that belongs in that room but is in the wrong place), one box for Give Away (things to be donated or given to a friend), and one box for Other Rooms (anything that goes into another room), plus one bag for garbage and one bag for recycling.
5. Set a timer. See if you can fling your 20 items in 10 minutes. If not, set the timer again and keep going. When you get to 20 items, spend 5 minutes getting all the boxes and bags taken care of.
6. Set up a Give Away Center. This may be the trunk of your car, a place in your garage, or a spot in your shed. Put everything you are giving away in this spot, so it doesn’t get sucked back into the house.
7. Schedule a “Give Away” time each week. For me, it’s Tuesdays when I’m on my way to a church meeting; the donation center is right on the way. I just pull in, unload my car, and give the donation guy a high five.
Set yourself up for success. We are going to have an amazing time over these next 10 days!
by kathilipp | Apr 27, 2017 | Books |
At the beginning of 2017, I began what I like to call The Book Project. I challenged myself to reading a book a week for the entire year. You see, I’d grown pretty lazy when it came to reading. (Plopping down at the end of a long day to watch a Friend’s episode was so much easier…)
But I’m loving this challenge so much, and I thought that some of you would be interested in hearing some of the books I’ve been reading. Plus, I’d love your suggestions of additional books I should put on my list.
The Book Project
My list of books will be a jumble. There will be some writing and business books, and I’m leaning heavily on memoir at the moment. Some of the books I’m reading haven’t been released yet, and I’ve read those in order to offer endorsements for them. I’ll tell you more about those as the release dates get closer.
The ones in bold are the ones I’ve completed reading. Those not in bold I’m in the process of reading.
Just because the book is on the list, doesn’t mean that I recommend it. (I would love to get back the way too many hours I spend on The Cookbook Collector. Others loved it. Me? Not so much.) Rather, this is a list of what I’m reading and the challenge I am taking on.
Hillbilly Elegy is just stunning. An Invisible Thread was tremendous and touching, and Kitchen Confidential was a riot.
But the book I’m recommending right now is Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah. This is possibly the best memoir I’ve read in my life. Trevor is the late-night host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. Born in South Africa to a white dad and a black mom during the time of Apartheid, Trevor spends his formative years learning how to lie about who he was and who his parents were in order to stay on the right side of the law. An amazingly funny, touching and personal book. Loved it.
My current list of books
So here is where I’m at so far for my 2017 book challenge.
- Making Love Last: Divorce-Proofing Your Young Marriage Laura Taggart (Releasing July 4th, 2017)
- Hillbilly Elegy By J.D. Vance
- Doing Busy Better Glynnis Whitwer (Releasing July 4th, 2017)
- EntreLeadership: 20 Years of Practical Business Wisdom from the Trenches Dave Ramsey
- Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
- An Invisible Thread Laura Schroff and Alex Trusniowski
- Kitchen Confidential By Anthony Bourdain
- How to Listen So People Will Talk Becky Harling (Releasing August 1, 2017)
- The Cookbook Collector Allegra Goodman
- Loving My Actual Christmas Alex Kuykendal (Releases Sept 5th, 2017)
- The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty
- Disrupted Dan Lyons
- Drinking: A Love Story Caroline Knapp
I’ll update you as I add more titles to the list on my year challenge, The Book Project.
So please, tell me what other books I should add to the list. Great memoirs, stunning fiction, helpful non-fiction? I want it all.3
by kathilipp | Apr 26, 2017 | Spring Fling |
Have you heard? I am challenging everyone to join me in my 10 day, 20 things a day, decluttering Spring Fling! We all need to get ready for summer. And what better way than to do it together?
lean out the hall closet, the junk drawer, your car… we’ll have a new focus spot each day and you only have to “fling” 20 things. We’ll take the weekends off (or use them to catch up). It will probably take about 5 minutes a day and you will see amazing results and probably be motivated to do even more decluttering.
To participate, just make sure you are signed up to receive our blog, and then join our Facebook group. And then invite your friends!
For more info, see my post from Monday.
by kathilipp | Apr 25, 2017 | Clutter Free, Clutter Free Podcast, Podcast |
In this episode, Kathi Lipp and co-host Erin MacPherson discuss their great ideas for creating summer memories, keeping the chaos at a minimum and planning ahead for a successful time for you and your kids. While we all look forward to the slow-down summer brings, many of us also dread ALL THE HOURS of keeping everyone entertained, educated and active. Kathi walks us through her summer manifesto she used when her kids were still at home and Erin shares her strategies to keeping the kids off the iPad and keeping her sanity as a working mom.
Erin has shared her summer checklist for each of her three kids with us as well. Click here to download.
Kathi ‘s Summer Manifesto provides a great starting point for focusing your summer. The manifesto can be found below in the downloads section.
Kathy and Erin also discuss some great audio books to listen to over the summer.
Erin’s Audio Book Favorites:
Roald Dahl Audio Collection
Every Soul a Star
Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Kathi’s Audio Book Favorites:
Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio:
Cheaper By the Dozen
Chronicles of Narnia
Adventures in Odyssey
Kathi and Erin want you to have a great summer – get some stuff off your checklist, have some fun with your kids, and enjoy the (sometimes) slower pace of summer.
Book Giveaway
Clutter Free Academy is giving away a free copy of the Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio. Tell us what you do or plan to do over the summer in the comments below in the next seven days. One person will be randomly selected to receive the book.
The book giveaway is only available to US residents.
FREE DOWNLOAD
Download this inspiring and colorful Summer Manifesto by clicking on the image.
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 | Apr 24, 2017 | Clutter Free, Spring Fling |
OK friends, it seems like we are all in need of a bit of help.
Recently, on my Facebook page, I asked the simple question: “What is your biggest clutter challenge? Your bedroom, kitchen, office, garage?”
The response, was a bit overwhelming to say the least. Here are just a few of the comments:
“Yes, all of it!! With 5 kids that don’t seem to have a cooperative bone in them (at least when it comes to organization and cleanliness), it is all a pit!” – Laura
“Desk. Because everything is ‘important’ and needs to be visible so I remember to do something with it, (she said from 6 feet under…).” – Diane
“Garage! No attic or basement so everything from extra files, books, bikes, tools, holiday decor & clothes (waiting for kids to grow into next size) are in there. It’s truly my nemesis!!” – Laura
“Oh, if I were to be truly honest, it would be my craft stash… yarn, beads, fabric…it totally takes over my office.” – Rita
And finally,
“Let’s be honest….all of it.” – Amanda
So here at Clutter Free we love a good clutter challenge. From the sounds of these responses, it seems like revving up for summer we are all in desperate need of one.
Starting May 1 and ending May 12th we will have our first annual “Spring Fling!” Here’s how it works:
1. Over 10 days, (weekends off to rest or, more likely, catch up,) you will be given one assigned room and instructions of what twenty items to “fling.”
2. We will have a private Facebook group where you can share your victories, get accountability, and share your photos of what you’ve “flinged!”
3. To participate, just make sure you are signed up to receive our blog, and then join our Facebook group.
4. At the end of the challenge, we will be picking a random winner from each day who completed the challenge to receive a copy of Kathi’s book The Cure for the Perfect Life, all about perfectionism, people-pleasing, preformancism and procrastination. (All things that lead to clutter!)
So let’s see, only 10 days and 200 things out of your house? What a great way to head into summer.
Won’t you join us for a Spring Fling? Your house will thank you.
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