Quote of the Month
Episode #191-Overwhelming Situations with Cheri Gregory
How do we deal with other people’s clutter? What if it’s your parents’ clutter? And what if you are living in their house…… for free?
One listener asked me for advice on a very overwhelming situation related to someone else’s clutter so I brought my wonderful co-author, Cheri Gregory, to weigh in.
Turns out, there is a lot to consider when facing a situation like this. What questions do you ask yourself? What questions do you ask your parents?
In the end, there are important conversations we all need to have in order to understand the stories behind our parents’ treasures.
FREE DOWNLOAD
If you find yourself dealing with something similar, this download with five simple questions will aid you in your conversation. Click here to download.
Meet Our Guest
Cheri Gregory
Cheri Gregory is a Certified Personality Trainer and co-author with Kathi Lipp of The Cure for the “Perfect” Life: 12 Ways to Stop Trying Harder and Start Living Braver; contributor to multiple books, including Wired That Way and 21 Ways to Connect With Your Kids; and frequent speaker for MOPS groups, women’s retreats, parent workshops, and educational conferences. She’s been married to her college sweetheart, Daniel, for twenty-five years and they have two young adult children, Annemarie and Jonathon.
She blogs about expectations, “baditude”, and hope at www.CheriGregory.com. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.
Fri Fav – 5 Essential Items for Your Office
As someone who is constantly working to keep on clutter, I have to say that office supplies and kitchen gadgets are my Clutter Free Kryptonite.
So giving other decluttering warriors a list of office supplies to get is a bit like publishing the Girl Scout Cookie menu at a Weight Watcher’s meeting.
But, as you know, I’m not about living an austere minimalist life. I’m all about having the tools you need to get the stuff done in life that you are designed to do. So with that in mind, here is my list of must haves for your home office (but do yourself a favor and stay out of the accessory aisle at Office Max. That just leads to regret and despair the next day.)
- Colored Stapler
I got this idea from Cheri Gregory, a long-time teacher who has a red stapler in her classroom, so whenever a student is looking for the stapler, all Cheri has to do is say “Look for the red!”
I of course, do not have a red stapler (because as a redhead, I’ve had a life-long aversion to red and pink…) so my stapler is aqua blue and it makes me happy every time I see it. And office
supplies that make you happy, are a must.
- Wireless Headset for Phone
“How cute…” you think to yourself. “She still uses a real phone – just like Carol on the Brady Bunch…” Yes- I still use a real, wired into the wall, phone. (I do radio interviews, and they insist on having a land line.) But, I also have a wireless headset so that I can walk around, clean my desk, take notes on my computer, do laundry, and pretty much, keep being awesome while I’m talking on that phone.
- Coffee Warmer
My coffee warmer is responsible for most of my great ideas. I love this low-tech gadget because it keeps me supplied in warm coffee, without having to go up and down to the microwave ever fifteen minutes. (And you know that every time you get up from your thinking place, the potential of losing a brilliant idea triples.)
- Amazon Echo
This is like having a personal assistant at your desk. I love my Echo (her name is Alexa,) because she is just sitting there, waiting for me to tell her what to do (that’s the dream, right?)
The list of what I use Alexa for keeps growing:
• Creating shopping lists (“Hey Alexa, add cat food to my shopping list.”)
• Adding items to my to-do list (“Hey Alexa, add go to dry-cleaners to my to-do list.”)
• Playing music
• Checking the weather
• Setting a timer for 15 minutes to focus my time
• Setting a reminder
• Reordering things on Amazon
If you’re not familiar with the Echo, check it out on Amazon!
- Wall Calendar
Yes- I have a perfectly good calendar on my computer. Why would I need one on my wall? It’s all about saying no.When I have a visual reminder of what my month – and next month – already look like time-wise, it helps me to not over-commit my time and energy. Plus, it’s a great reminder to pray for my upcoming work and projects.
Because of my color-coding, I can quickly see when I’m working too much, when I’m not spending enough tie with Roger, and more. It helps me insure that my life is in balance every single day of my busy month.
So what are your office must haves? Tell me in the comments below so I can test-drive a few and report back in a later blog post.
How to Create More Storage in Your Bedroom
WE are a nation obsessed with storage.
We love to have systems, solutions, tricks and tips on how to keep ALL. THE. THINGS.
So before you do any of the suggestions below, my first reminder is that you can’t organize clutter.
Yes, you can go to the Container Store (I mean, why wouldn’t you? Their store is a little bit of heaven here on earth…) and buy all the bins, sorters, holders and hampers. But if you are using those to contain clutter, they will all just blow up in your face at some point.
So get your bedroom down to those things that you
- Love
- Use
- Would buy again
And once you’ve culled your room of clutter, now it’s time to make that space work as hard as you do!
Dresser
- Baskets or small containers to hold misc. similar things (When I had longer hair, I had a basket with ponytail holders, barrettes, etc.)
- Lazy Susan for makeup, brushes, etc.
- Small tray to put bottles, etc. on. (Makes cleaning easier, just remove the tray)
- Drawers – Organizers
- Can be small boxes, etc.
Back of door hangers
- With plastic pockets for small items (makeup, jewelry, scarves, socks, slippers, etc.)
- Hooks for clothes you wear routinely (use these for PJ’s, robe, etc.)
Under the bed
- Storage boxes – plastic, cardboard. I prefer plastic see-through (great for out of season clothes, linens, etc.)
- Under bed drawers
- Extra linens
Closet
- Shelves above clothes
- Shelves below clothes for shoes
- Two poles for two levels of clothes (not smart if you want to store shoes underneath clothes or if you have animals that will rub against the clothes on the bottom – learned from experience.)
- Hanging organizers that have a cubicle for each day of the week. (Get organized on your prep day with all the extra’s for each day of the week, including shoes, jewelry, scarves, socks or nylons, slips, etc.)
Misc.
- Baskets
- Large for Dirty clothes
- Square for books, magazines or various reading material.
- Various sizes for miscellaneous items ( I know they probably have a home somewhere, but putting them in a basket and unloading when full is better than tossing on the floor or over a chair)
- Bed Buddy – cloth organizer that hangs along the side of your bed between the mattress and springs or frame.
- Perfect for keeping phone, flashlight or booklight, a small book, kindle, pens and paper (for those big ideas you get in middle of night) lotions, etc.
- Add a square ottoman that is hollow for storage. Use it to sit on when putting on socks or buckle shoes.) Keep an extra blanket inside, or other essential you may need within easy reach. Kids can keep video games, remote, in their rooms.
If you’ve been waiting to get Praying God’s Word for Your Husband, the ebook version is only $.99 through March 5. You can get it on your Kindle, Nook, etc. Get it on Amazon here http://ow.ly/EbeVd.
What People Think
“Thank you Kathi Lipp for writing what women think and feel. Before this book I thought I was praying for my husband but I wasn’t. Praying the Word of God is the best and only way to truly pray. There is nothing like inserting my husband’s name and my name in those verses. Thank you! thank! you thank you!”
– Chance Perard, Amazon Reviewer
Today’s To-Do List
It’s Not Just About the Thread Count: How Making the Bed Became My Ministry
Today God slapped me upside the head and then gave me a kiss on the cheek as only He can do…
I was “grumbling and complaining” because the list of household stuff that I need to get done is just huge and there is nothing I hate more than stripping sheets and remaking the bed, and the WHOLE thing needed to be done. Down to the dust ruffle.
So there I was, “grumbling and complaining” when He started giving me pictures of the ministry that happens in this place:
It’s where God provides rest for me more nights than not.
It’s where I fall asleep on the shoulder of the man He has given me to demonstrate His love in a tangible way.
It’s where I’ve loved my kids, read His word, and recovered when I was sick.
This is going to sound silly, but I am now taking time to “dress” the bed.
Hanging the comforter to dry in the sun so it smells like only sun-dried cloth can. Fluffing the pillows, spraying the linens (and let’s be clear, by linens I’m talking Home Good specials, nothing fancy, but comfy), folding the quilts and making it as comfy as possible for me and my husband.
I ended up grateful to God for providing so richly, and valuing rest and connection so deeply.
And I prayed that when you laid your head down tonight, you would feel restored and cherished by the love of God.
A great way to keep each room in the house Clutter Free is with our 3 bag system. Get yours over at the Kathi Lipp store and declutter for a better night’s sleep.
When it comes to your home, peace is possible…
Kickstart to Clutter Free
Clutter Free Book
