by kathilipp | Nov 13, 2015 | Blog, Christmas, Clutter Free |
Assignment: Find a used 3 ring binder or purchase a new one.
Getting organized for Christmas doesn’t happen overnight. But following the steps in Get Yourself Organized for Christmas will get you on your way in 25 days. One item you will need to keep all your Christmas information together is a binder. It doesn’t have to be new. It can be one your children used at school or one you used before. It should be a 3 ring binder and if you want a special cover, you will need one that has a plastic covering with a slit to insert a printed sheet. These look nice, but are not necessary. I recommend the 2 inch binders so you have lots of room for everything. If you have to purchase you can pick them up at your local Walmart, Target or Dollar Stores.
Supplies: 3 ring binder, pens, My Holiday Binder Cover
Share Your Thoughts: What kind of binder did you purchase or find around the house? Did you download the cover? Are you ready to Get Yourself Organized for Christmas?
by kathilipp | Nov 12, 2015 | Blog, Christmas, Clutter Free |
Today is the day! It’s time to get yourself that accountability partner who has been saying the same thing as you, “This year, I’m going to be ready for Christmas BEFORE Christmas Eve”. We know, she is your friend because she too struggles and is not afraid to admit that. Those are the BFFs we want to take with us on this challenge! Those are the girls that we think we have fooled into believing that we are better than we REALLY are. Those girlfriends are the best ones because they know the real us- they can’t actually be fooled… so, we give up the thought and embrace them as sisters in love… and join with them because together we will tackle this as a team.
Assignment: Grab a Friend
So here’s what you are going to do- choose one of these ideas to get you started;
- Get on your social media platform of choice and mention Christmas and how you are ready to get it planned before it plans you. See who responds…See who is READY and ask them to dive in with you!
- Call up your long lost BFF (you know the one you have been meaning to call anyway) that girl that knows you and knows what you need (whether it be a swift kick, or a loving hug) and ask her to join you on this journey. Reconnect through this challenge.
- Pray that God place someone on your heart that could use a friend. Maybe she is struggling to get organized, maybe she is not quite ready to admit she could use some help. Don’t worry about who it is, leave that up to God. Ask that He help you AND help her, and then wait.
- Try steps one or two after some prayer time. You never know how God works.
Now, the next part is crucial. Decide how you are going to check in with each other and how often. Make it a commitment. Make a plan. You know the saying “either you are failing to plan or planning to fail”. Just decide that is ok to ‘fail’ but don’t not plan because then you will fail. Since we know there is no such thing as perfect we can deal with a little failure or falling off the bandwagon, but what we don’t want to do is set ourselves up for failure by having no plan.
Share Your Thoughts: After you two have connected and decided to join us, come share with us! Who will be your accountability partner? How did you connect with them? What is your plan for accountability?
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas!
by kathilipp | Nov 11, 2015 | Blog, Christmas, Clutter Free |
Assignment: Get the book and read through page 20
Thinking about Christmas can be both exhilarating and exhausting. Thinking of all there is to do, buy, bake, cook, wrap, plan, organize, clean, and the list goes on. It is no wonder many think about the holiday season with dread and forget the true meaning of why we celebrate.
Whether you are filled with magical wonder or dread, one thing is for certain: ready or not, Christmas is going to happen.
Christmas is just a day. It isn’t the day that is the problem, it’s the expectations around the day that create the problems in our mind. Let’s change that! Let’s make the holidays something you look forward to and even enjoy. I want you to have the kind of Christmas where you celebrate the things that are truly important to you. Clutter isn’t just about things but about activities. Activities that steal our joy and rob us of time to do the things that matter most.
A clutter-free Christmas says that we are doing only those things that are truly important.
So let’s get started.
- Find out what activities are important to your family of friends that you celebrate Christmas with.
- Figure out what is important to you.
For More Details: Get Yourself Organized For Christmas – Page 9-20
Share Your Thoughts:
What would be different about the perfect Christmas? If you could wave a magic wand, what would you eliminate about Christmas? What activities would you be sure to keep? Were you surprised by anyone’s favorite activities in your family?
by kathilipp | Sep 25, 2015 | Blog, Clutter Free |
A Series by Paula Tobey
Either you are reading this because you, yourself still need some help, or you have a young (hopefully, young and not a 40 year old) adult living at home who needs a little help. Either way, it’s time we have a heart to heart conversation. The matter at hand here is usually disorganization and clutter.
To get to the root of the problem often takes examining what has gotten you here in the first place. Maybe it’s life change, or maybe it’s simply not having the energy to deal with ‘life’ and procrastination has become your friend. Whatever the case, it’s time to get busy. But don’t worry, this isn’t hard stuff to do, it just requires reflecting.
What has happened to make this procrastination take control? What issues are not being addressed? What pain is possibly trying to be avoided? On the flip side… what could you do with more space, more time, and more energy? How would you feel if you could be given those things? Would you feel free? Would you feel less stressed?
Let’s think of some of the physical and tangible things holding you back like some luggage you are taking on a trip. What could be causing you to feel this way? Is it possibly stuff… clutter… excess? Is it possibly not having enough hours in the day?
- Identify your luggage– (stuff, clutter, lack of time). Think long and hard about the root source and find ways to take small actionable steps (baby-sized steps) in dealing with it. An example is that you are carrying too many bags.
- Open the suitcase- What is stopping you from opening the suitcase to take some of the load off? Is it feelings of guilt or pain? Can those feelings be dealt with in a way that won’t knock you down for days? Lift the lid of the suitcase if so.
- Take out one item and think about it this way. Do I need it? Do I love it? Does this item bring me peace and joy or hurt or pain? If you can answer that honestly, you know what to do!! Sometimes we can trace back our memories of the object (or situation, if you are dealing with emotional stuff) and we feel like we need to keep them. Maybe it was given to you… or you happened upon it. Either way, you are allowed to decide what to do with it. It does not own you.
- Discard and Keep piles- and literally make some. If it needs to go, get rid of it. Bless someone else! There has got to be one person out there in real need of the item you possess. Allow them to have it! Take your keep pile and find places to safely keep that stuff. (Homes for it). If this is too daunting, ask for help! There is no shame in asking. I believe it says a lot about someone when they ask for help. It is honorable!
- Literally do it again. And the next time and the next… Plan on doing it again and before you know if, you have created yourself a habit!
Part of the problem we find ourselves in is: overwhelm. That is a nasty bugger and it can paralyze you. Don’t let your thoughts, worries and what could possibly happen, stop you from taking one step. You are too good for that! You deserve more!! Just start. That is what matters!
RELATED RESOURCES
Want even more ways to get rid of the clutter and start living the life you were designed to live? Get Kathi’s book Clutter Free Quick and Easy Steps to Simplify Your Space!
What are your best decluttering tips for before baby? Tell us in the comments below and we will randomly pick one commenter to receive “21 Ways to Connect with Your Kids” by Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory.
Do you want more great information to make your family the best it can be? Subscribe to Paula’s blog and get weekly posts and encouragement to help you on your parenting journey. http://phemomenallife.com/
Paula Tobey is founder of PheMOMenal Life Ministries a community for women to go get encouraged and equipped to be the best mom’s they can be to their children by living a healthy balanced life and by becoming all that God created them to be.
by kathilipp | Sep 22, 2015 | Blog |
A Series by Paula Tobey
How many times have you literally just picked up all of the toys, quickly threw them in the toy bin, only to turn around after one minute (literally one minute- and you know this because you are re-heating your cold coffee in the microwave) to find your toddler has pulled out all of the toys you so desperately wanted put away?? AAugghhh. Again!!
Such is the life of a mom with a toddler- or two! Yikes, I remember those days. They were also a blur. It may be because I was sleep deprived, but either way, what I do remember is that it was hard!
I’m here to tell you- there is HOPE! And this hope comes wearing a cape. (Enter SuperMom)
The super mom I speak of is the one I imagined myself to look like, if I had my life all together when my girls were toddlers. So here is what MY SuperMom did. (For me, this did become a reality but not until the girls were older and not toddlers anymore).
[Tweet “Parents Guide to #Decluttering: Stage Two – Toddlers #clutterfree #parenting”]
Declutter the toys-
Toys are something that your child needs developmentally and socially. However, when the toys no longer serve that purpose and they are crazy clutter, it is time to part ways. (Maybe slowly because if the child knows they are gone, s/he may turn into the Tasmanian devil). Nap time/ MDO is a perfect opportunity to go through the toys. I started doing this monthly when my girls were in preschool and it was wonderful! Get rid of the excess (ones missing pieces or are just not loved).
Have a BTH day-
No not bath. B.T.H., Bless the Home Day. This is a day (or a few broken up) where you dedicate to cleaning. Blessing the Home means you are bringing peace, organization and happiness to your home. You are literally pouring blessings onto your family by having a clean, neat space for them. (When I first wrapped my brain around the idea of a home blessing, my whole attitude changed about cleaning! REALLY. Try it!
Hoe out closets–
I did this (till it was bare or next to bare) twice a year. Winter and Spring- now I have the kids help. We see what fits, what doesn’t, what has stains, holes etc. and get RID of all the clothing that is not working. We bag up most of it to donate and throw out the things that are- well just that bad. There is something so freeing about looking into a closet that is organized! (If you are looking for help, I have a video on YouTube about it).
Help Mommy Clean–
My girls have always been great helpers. When they were little, the ‘help’ was not always that helpful but I realized they felt empowered when they helped with chores. I looked into routines for kids by ages and what I found surprised me. Kids can really do a lot of things at a young age if you actually LET them. Perfectionism is usually what stops that. Don’t be a perfectionist. Just let them help! Chose one thing at first, then two, then more things that they can help you with. Maybe it’s sorting and matching your Tupperware lids to bowls, maybe its folding towels and wash cloths. Let them help you! They feel good, you get more things done, and truly it is a win, win!
Just remember, what makes you a SuperMom is not getting it all done all by yourself in order to be recognized as a hero and awarded a medal (wishful thinking, right?) The goal is that you have a happy home full of love and laughter and some very little people who desperately want to please. So, go ahead and let them! Now that is what I call a Super Mom!
RELATED RESOURCES
Want even more ways to get rid of the clutter and start living the life you were designed to live? Get Kathi’s book Clutter Free Quick and Easy Steps to Simplify Your Space!
What are your best decluttering tips for before baby? Tell us in the comments below and we will randomly pick one commenter to receive “21 Ways to Connect with Your Kids” by Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory.
Do you want more great information to make your family the best it can be? Subscribe to Paula’s blog and get weekly posts and encouragement to help you on your parenting journey. http://phemomenallife.com/
Paula Tobey is founder of PheMOMenal Life Ministries a community for women to go get encouraged and equipped to be the best mom’s they can be to their children by living a healthy balanced life and by becoming all that God created them to be.
