by Guest Blogger | Mar 15, 2017 | Clutter Free, Guest Blog |
Planning out goals for the New Year can be both exciting and overwhelming. There are SO many opportunities, the world is our oyster. So we often start strong, ambitious; thinking this is the year we’re going to do all of the things.
But then reality sets in and we realize maybe we can’t do everything, but if we can’t do everything can we do some of the things? Anything? Or do we get stuck in the overwhelm?
How to utilize seasonal planning
I’d like to suggest a better way of planning out our goals. It’s what I call quarterly or “seasonal” planning. One of the greatest changes in my life has come from shifting my perspective from chasing “balance” in my life to embracing seasons.
I’ve learned that I don’t really believe in “balance” when it comes to time management. I think it’s a good thing in theory but balance implies some kind of equal distribution of time, energy and resources. And in reality, that’s just not possible. We don’t divide our 24 hours into equal parts where all of our roles get the exact amount of our time, energy, and attention. That would be balance.
Really our lives are made up of rhythms and consist of seasons.
By seasons I mean seasons of life sure, but also annual seasons; winter, spring, summer fall.
Every season brings with it opportunities and limitations and when we work within a seasonal framework we are better able to maximize our time.
I would guess that your calendar also moves with the seasons whether you are intentional about planning projects and goals around them or not.
If I break my calendar into four quarters, that gives me four unique opportunities to work on goals and projects. When I plug in opportunities and limitations based on seasons I have a better idea of how to maximize my year.
Let me give you a few personal examples based on some of my own seasonal opportunities and limitations.\
Spring:
Opportunity– our school year is wrapping up so I have more time to focus on work projects.
Limitation– my youngest plays baseball so on Monday and Friday afternoons I have to plan on getting him to practice, but I also have a window of time to run errands or read a book while waiting for him. I know this commitment will be over before the summer begins so I can plan accordingly.
Summer:
Opportunity– kids are out of school and we usually plan a vacation during this time. There is ample opportunity for play and rest. It’s also a great time to tackle larger home projects.
Limitation– because the kids are home I have to get creative about keeping them entertained while I work so I often use this time to plan and grow by taking a class or attending a conference rather than take on new work projects.
These are just some very simple examples but you can see how taking into account our family’s seasonal responsibilities can affect how much I decide to add to my schedule.
Perhaps you have your own seasonal opportunities and limitations. They may include:
• work deadlines
• family celebrations, holidays, birthdays
• health limitations (think seasonal allergies)
• seasonal church or ministry responsibilities
• conferences or classes
• vacations
• back to school and end of school year events and responsibilities
One Small Win: Spring is just around the corner and it might be a great time to consider your own rhythms and seasons and the role they might play in how you plan out the rest of your year.
DOWNLOAD: Click here to download a quarterly planner.
Zohary Ross is a life coach, speaker and author of the Aligned Parenting Workbook. Zohary is passionate about encouraging and equipping women to have clearly defined “most importants” and live out their values and priorities. Connect with Zohary at http://zoharyross.com/.
by kathilipp | Mar 14, 2017 | Clutter Free, Podcast, Recipes |
Recipes
French Toast from America’s Test Kitchen
Ingredients
1 large egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for frying
¾ cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
? cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon table salt
4 – 5 slices day-old challah bread, (3/4-inch-thick) or 6 to 8 slices day-old sandwich bread
1. Heat 10- to 12-inch skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat egg lightly in shallow pan or pie plate; whisk in butter, then milk and vanilla, and finally sugar, flour, and salt, continuing to whisk until smooth. Soak bread without oversaturating, about 40 seconds per side for challah or 30 seconds per side for sandwich bread. Pick up bread and allow excess batter to drip off; repeat with remaining slices.
2. Swirl 1 tablespoon butter in hot skillet. Transfer prepared bread to skillet; cook until golden brown, about 1 minute 45 seconds on first side and 1 minute on the second. Serve immediately. Continue, adding 1 tablespoon butter to skillet for each new batch.
Insta-Pot Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
1 cup stock
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
Pressure cook 12 mins, slow release, shred.
Mix:
1 jar green enchilada sauce
1 carton sour cream
1 bag jack cheese
Chicken
Roll chicken mix in corn tortillas. Cover with a jar of green enchilada sauce and more jack cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 min
Kathi and co-host Erin MacPherson discuss Clutter Free Kitchens. When your kitchen is clutter free you can cook more and find everything. They also share the tools they use that they can’t live without. From the instant pot to the ninja coffee maker they each share their favorite kitchen tools.
This post isn’t about things you should run out and buy. You don’t need more stuff, but this about you having things that make you happy and your life more enjoyable. Kathi talks about purchasing tools, not trinkets to make your home a better place to be.
Share with us your kitchen tool that you can’t live without in the comments.
The List of Kitchen Tools:
Below is a list of the kitchen items Kathi and Erin can’t live without.
Victorinox Swiss Classic 3 1/4″ Paring Knife, Spear Tip, Serrated, Red
Instant Pot $99
Aerolatte Original Electric Hand Held Milk Frother, Satin 19.99
Ninja Coffee Maker $138
The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2017: Every Recipe from the Hit TV Show with Product Ratings and a Look Behind the Scenes Hardcover – October 4, 2016
Spicy shelf stack Organizer
Share this episode!
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 | Feb 28, 2017 | Clutter Free, Clutter Free Podcast, Podcast |
Clutter Free: The Bible Study
This 6-week study will be conducted on Facebook through Facebook Live broadcasts and discussions via a private members-only group. Group members and their posts are only viewable to others in the group – your comments and participation will not appear in the news feeds of others or in your activity timeline.
Every week, participants will:
1. Receive reading recommendations from Clutter Free that correspond to the week’s topics for discussion. Outside reading is optional but increases the value you receive from the study.
2. Watch a session video in the members-only Facebook group.
3. Discuss questions live with Kathi online. Video discussions will be recorded for viewing at your convenience.
4. Receive the opportunity to dig deeper through reflection questions that can be completed on your own.
When: Mondays at 5pm Pacific Time. This is when we meet to view the week’s video and discuss the material live.
Who: Participation is open to anyone who owns the Clutter Free workbook.
How: Order from Amazon or from Kathi’s store.. Once you’ve ordered, please fill out the form to be added to the facebook group.
Kathi and co-host Erin MacPherson discuss how they are planning on observing Lent this year. Kathi has been observing Lent for a few years and has some super creative ideas for challenging ourselves this year. They also discuss The Clutter Free Bible Study Lenten Challenge Kathi is hosting on Facebook and how you can be a part of it.
Listen in as they talk about these questions:
- What is lent?
- How does it apply to us?
- Why do we have the clutter we do?
- What causes us to collect instead of giving to others?
- How to have a new level of freedom as we go deeper.
Check out the episode and even if you don’t start on March 1, join us for the Bible Study. Our first live Facebook meeting is March 6! Learn more below.
How Clutter Free: The Bible Study Works
Clutter Free: The Bible Study and Challenge will help you “Give Up, Get Rid, and Go Deep.” The challenge is to give up buying of unnecessary items, get rid of 10 things a day or 400 things total, and go deep by participating in the Clutter Free Bible Study.
More details are available at Clutter Free: The Bible Study
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 | Feb 7, 2017 | Clutter Free, Podcast, Restore |
Clear out. Simplify. Take back your life.
When it comes to dealing with your “stuff”, peace is possible.
Kathi Lipp is back with a comprehensive, yet simple guide that will solve the constant issue of clutter. Free yourself once and for all!
- Do any of these describe you?
- You bought a box of cereal at the store, and then discovered you have several boxes at home that are already past the “best by” date.
- You bought a book and put it on your nightstand (right on top of ten others you’ve bought recently), but you have yet to open it.
- You spend valuable time moving your piles around the house, but you can never find that piece of paper when you need it.
- Your house makes you depressed the moment you step into it.
If you said yes, Clutter Free is for you!
Kathi is joined by friend of the program, Erin MacPherson. They discuss their plans for 2017 and how they are focused on the ideas of restoration, simplicity, and joy. Kathi is on a journey of restoration this year and part of that is focusing on a different spiritual discipline each month. She discusses her decision for the year and explains how she is hoping these changes add more joy to her life and restoration to her home and soul.
Erin’s pups!
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 Guest Blogger | Jan 28, 2017 | Clutter Free, Overwhelmed |
When my son, Jonathon, was seven, he was totally into Monopoly.
I went on eBay and found a Monopoly clock, Monopoly mug, and then struck the Monopoly motherlode: Monopoly fabric!
Started
I bought enough to make a quilt, pillows, and curtains.
I signed up for a quilt-making class, where I cut a lot of the fabric into a lot of strips. I even sewed some of the strips into T shapes.
Then–-as is so typical for my Expressive personality–-I ran out of steam.
Stopped
I quickly became overwhelmed by all the attention to detail that making a “T Quilt” requires.
I didn’t want details; I wanted a quilt!
So, I set the project aside. Then bagged it up. Eventually, stored it in the garage.
For. Ten. Years.
Stored
A decade later, when I pulled out the box that held the bag holding all the Monopoly fabric, my heart took a fantastical leap.
“I can finish this now … or this summer … or next year!” I started thinking.
But thanks to Clutter Free, I knew that my habit of storing stuff was not good stewardship.
Letting of an unfinished project
So I took photos of the Monopoly fabric and posted them on Facebook with the note, “Free to good home.”
Sherry, an acquaintance, responded immediately. An avid quilter, she offered to take, and promised to use, all my quilting fabric and supplies.
Then–-as is so typical for my Expressive personality–-I forgot all about the fabric. Out of sight, out of mind. I’m an idea gal, a starter, so I moved on to new projects.
Two years later, Sherry blessed me with photos of the quilt that I started and she so lovingly finished:
It looks better than I ever imagined!
She gave the quilt to a family member who was thrilled to receive it and adores using it.
What started-stopped-and-stored project can you give away today?
One Small Win: You don’t have to hang on to the quilt…or the guilt. You don’t need to finish what you started. You can let someone else take it from here.
Cheri Gregory is a teacher, speaker, author, and Certified Personality Trainer. Her passion is helping women break free from destructive expectations. She writes and speaks from the conviction that “how to” works best in partnership with “heart, too.”
Cheri is the co-author, with Kathi Lipp, of The Cure for the “Perfect” Life and Overwhelmed.
Cheri has been “wife of my youth” to Daniel, her opposite personality, for twenty-eight years and is “Mom” to Annemarie (25) and Jonathon (24), also opposite personalities.
Are you a Highly Sensitive Person? Take the self-quiz and discover the surprising strengths of a tender heart.
by Guest Blogger | Jan 18, 2017 | Blog, Clutter Free, Overwhelmed |
“I didn’t make this mess. So why do I have to clean it up?”
For years, I heard these words of protest from my kids when it was their turn to clean up the kitchen.
Sometimes, I responded with a snarky comeback about all my years of selfless diaper-changing. Other times, I cleaned up the kitchen myself.
Honestly, whenever I took care of the kitchen on my own, I caught myself thinking the exact same thing:
I didn’t make this mess. So why do I have to clean it up?
The problem with cleaning the kitchen
Our protests reveal our belief that whoever makes the kitchen mess should be the one to clean it up.
As with so many time-honored cliches, this seems so logical.
Like, “You break it; you fix it.”
And, “You make your bed; you lie in it.”
“You mess it, you clean it.”
It just felt right.
But it caused all sorts of overwhelmingly negative feelings, such as annoyance, frustration, irritation, and resentment. (Just for starters.)
A different way of thinking
A few years ago, I realized there are valid exceptions to the “you mess it, you clean it” rule.
1. Sometimes, the person who makes the kitchen mess has done so to bless the family, or perhaps a houseful of guests, with a delicious meal. Since they’ve done all the work of fixing the food, it’s only fair for others to pitch in and help with the clean-up.
2. Other times, the kitchen stays messy while a cleaning-related process is happening, such as running the dishwasher or waiting for pots and pans in the drainer to air dry.
3. Often, it’s impossible to figure out “who made this mess.” When we try, we end up in petty arguments:
– “No, that’s not my knife. I put my knife in the dishwasher already!”
– “Those aren’t my crumbs. I know how to use a sponge!”
– “The stain in the sink is green. I never fix green food.”
Our solution to cut the complaining
Instead of wasting our time and energy fretting about “who made this mess?” we started asking ourselves one simple question when entering the kitchen:
“How can I move the kitchen to its next stage?”
Together, we came up with a list of kitchen stages and necessary actions:
Stage: Action:
The sink is full of dishes. Put them in the dishwasher.
The dishwasher is full. Run it.
The dishwasher is clean. Empty it.
The dishes in the drainer are dry. Put them away.
The counters are crumby. Wipe them down. |
This one simple change in focus produced surprising results.
1. We’ve quit worrying about “Who made the mess?” and accepted the fact kitchens get messy.
2. We’ve all taken ownership of the kitchen. And its messes and clean-up.
3. We’ve become more considerate. We realize when we each do our small part, the “next stage” requires far less work.
Making it work for you
Your kitchen stages may well be different than ours. And if you have younger children, you’ll want to break the various stages and actions into micro-steps. Perhaps even make a stages flow chart and wipe-off checklist to put on the fridge.
Consider printing and posting 1 Corinthians 12:14-27 as a reminder that while we are unique individuals, God calls us to work together as one.
One Small Win: However you choose to do it, intentionally change the protest “I didn’t make this mess!” to the question “How can I move the kitchen to its next stage?”
You’ll say, “Good-bye” to overwhelming negativity.
And “Hello” to cooperation in the kitchen.
Cheri Gregory is a teacher, speaker, author, and Certified Personality Trainer. Her passion is helping women break free from destructive expectations. She writes and speaks from the conviction that “how to” works best in partnership with “heart, too.”
Cheri is the co-author, with Kathi Lipp, of The Cure for the “Perfect” Life and Overwhelmed.
Cheri has been “wife of my youth” to Daniel, her opposite personality, for twenty-eight years and is “Mom” to Annemarie (25) and Jonathon (24), also opposite personalities.
Are you a Highly Sensitive Person? Take the self-quiz and discover the surprising strengths of a tender heart.
