How do you start a conversation with someone who says that absolutely everything is valuable and should be cherished? Especially when that means that you, not they, should be the person to make space for it? 

Kathi and her friend Cheri Gregory are returning today for the second part of their discussion on how to respond responsibly to another person who has a “waste not, want not” mentality. Here are their tips for how to keep the peace without keeping all the stuff:

• For people living in your household, give each person their own space and they can keep what they want in that space.
• Have agreed upon standards for cleanliness, maintenance tasks, and decorating budgets.
• If someone says, “I can fix that,” set a time and have a plan for getting that item fixed. Consider whether or not fixing a particular item is enjoyable and worth the time.
• Realize that you may not agree or change the other person’s mind, and you can still keep boundaries around your own space and belongings.

Did you miss the first part of this conversation? If so, you can listen to that here. 

Join Kathi and friends for No Buy July! Click here to join her free Facebook community, Clutter Free Academy, and get ready to participate in this No Buy challenge that can change your home and your life.

Sign up here for the Clutter Free Academy newsletter and be notified when future episodes are released.

The Accidental Homesteader: What I’ve Learned About Chickens, Compost, and Creating Home

Homesteading [hohm-sted-ing]
noun

1. an act or instance of establishing a homestead.
2. the act of loving where you live so much that you actively ignore the fact that your house is trying to kill you on a regular basis.

For Kathi Lipp and her husband, Roger, buying a house in one of the most remote parts of Northern California was never part of the plan; many of life’s biggest, most rewarding adventures rarely are.

Kathi shares the hard-won wisdom she’s gained on her homestead journey to help you accomplish more at home, gain fresh perspective, and give yourself grace in the process. Here’s a handful of the lessons Kathi shares:      

• Prepare before the need arises
• Everything is always in process, including us
• Your best household solution is time and patience
• You don’t have to do everything the hard way
• Be open to new and better ways of doing things
• A lot of small changes make a huge difference.

Highly practical, humorous, and inspirational, The Accidental Homesteader will encourage you to live with more peace, joy, and contentment.     Order your copy of The Accidental Homesteader here.

Cheri Gregory is the founder of the Sensitive & Strong Community Cafe and co-author of five books, including Overwhelmed and An Abundant Place (both with Kathi Lipp). Cheri mentors HSP* Christian writers and speakers Through her Write Beside You coaching services and mastermind programs.

*HSP stands for “highly sensitive person.”

You can connect with Cheri here.

Sometimes we hear sayings like “waste not, want not” and we assume they are true all the time and in every circumstance. Or we may want to get rid of something, but someone else in our life expects us to keep it. What to do then? Today Kathi is discussing this very issue with her friend and co-author, Cheri Gregory.

Cheri tells the tale of some big items she has recently decluttered and shares how her mindset about those items has changed over time. Some of those shifts in her thinking include:

• Realizing that just because an item was nice several decades ago, doesn’t mean it is still nice.
• Learning to set a time limit on fixing things – just because something could be fixed someday by someone doesn’t mean I have to keep it (broken) forever.
• There is a cost to keeping things – time dealing with them, lost space to enjoy other things, and missed opportunities.

Listen next week to hear Part 2 of the discussion, in which Cheri gives advice for how to start a conversation with someone else who is opposed to our decluttering efforts. Sign up here for the Clutter Free Academy newsletter to be notified when Part 2 is available. 

The Accidental Homesteader: What I’ve Learned About Chickens, Compost, and Creating Home

Homesteading [hohm-sted-ing]
noun

1. an act or instance of establishing a homestead.
2. the act of loving where you live so much that you actively ignore the fact that your house is trying to kill you on a regular basis.

For Kathi Lipp and her husband, Roger, buying a house in one of the most remote parts of Northern California was never part of the plan; many of life’s biggest, most rewarding adventures rarely are.

Kathi shares the hard-won wisdom she’s gained on her homestead journey to help you accomplish more at home, gain fresh perspective, and give yourself grace in the process. Here’s a handful of the lessons Kathi shares:      

• Prepare before the need arises
• Everything is always in process, including us
• Your best household solution is time and patience
• You don’t have to do everything the hard way
• Be open to new and better ways of doing things
• A lot of small changes make a huge difference.

Highly practical, humorous, and inspirational, The Accidental Homesteader will encourage you to live with more peace, joy, and contentment.     Order your copy of The Accidental Homesteader here.

Cheri Gregory is the founder of the Sensitive & Strong Community Cafe and co-author of five books, including Overwhelmed and An Abundant Place (both with Kathi Lipp). Cheri mentors HSP* Christian writers and speakers Through her Write Beside You coaching services and mastermind programs.

*HSP stands for “highly sensitive person.”

You can connect with Cheri here.