I want to take the pressure off of you when you think about decluttering and organizing. If you have this idealistic vision of having a home that looks perfect…straight from the pages of Martha Stewart magazine. you won’t find that here.
Why? Because God does not look for perfection. And it not what being organized God’s way is about. I want you to introduce you to think differently about what it means to get rid of clutter and keep an organized home, office and life.
The Goal of Organizing is Not Perfection
There is no such thing as perfectly organized. The excuse to never beginning an organizing project because “it’s never going to be perfect” is a major stumbling block for perfectionists.
I had an overnight guest while my husband was on a work trip. We ended the evening with tea and a light snack. She went to clear the table and was surprised I wasn’t washing the dishes the right way. As a professional organizer, it’s the last thing she expected from me.
Here’s a term I’m not sure you’ve heard “organized enough.” I’m not going for perfect, and neither should you. Sometimes I leave a few dishes in my sink overnight because I have no problem tending to them in the morning.
I’m an empty nester, so my kids are grown and out of the house, and most days, it’s me and my little poodle sidekick, Javier. You may be a single mom with school-aged children, or a stay-at-home mom with infants and toddlers, or have two jobs and a side hustle rushing from one place to the next.
Life is never going to be perfect, so replace perfectly with “organized enough.” Decide on what that means for you.
Living An Organized Life Is About Your Relationships
In Organized His Way, you’ll discover that God has a lot to say in the bible about relationships and how disorganization contributes to dysfunctional relationships. Clutter robs and destroys all life from a room and everyone that inhabits that room, so it’s bound to affect your relationships.
Your friends and family – it’s shown that children living in cluttered environments are less happy and social. It can also wreak havoc on your love life and lead to strained relationships with your spouse and loved ones.
Yourself. Clutter increases your stress and isolates you affecting your quality of life. Not having company over because there’s no place to sit or serve food. You’re embarrassed and don’t want to be judged. It can throw your finances in a tailspin missing or paying bills late when they’re lost amongst all the paper clutter.
God. Last but not least, your relationship with God. The basis of it is trust and faith. Clutter shows a lack of trusting God to provide for your needs. Holding on to or hoarding stuff out of fear that you’ll need it and it won’t be there. It can be an eye-opener to realize that your clutter is a symptom of not trusting Him to provide for your every need.
It’s important to understand your relationship to stuff and the potential walls that are built because of your habits and the way that affects your relationships with others and with God.
Doesn’t it feel better now the pressure to have everything perfect is off? Now what?
1. Re-define what is “necessary”
The less stuff you own, the easier your life is. Less stuff = more freedom. Why do we love vacations? We have only our necessary items with us, and clutter is not part of our vacations. Imagine having that feeling 24/7.
2. Stop cramming things in
It’s simple physics.The more stuff you own, the more space it takes up.
During one of my classes in “Organize His Way,” I gave what I call the “Sock Drawer” example.
One of my students in the class stated that she had a drawer bulging with all of her socks. No matter how many times she tried to organize her array of socks (white crew and sport, black, brown, tan, red, green, blue, dress, polka-dotted, toe-in, multicolored, (you get the picture), nothing was ever organized.
More than just where you place the items, do you have room for the item(s) in that place? This is critical to maintaining the organization.
3. Improve your Decision Skills
You know what clutter is? Postponed decisions! Decision skills are a major part of organizing.
Remember when you began to drive a car or ride a bicycle? It was really hard at first, with so many things to learn before you even started down the road. The more you drive, the easier it is, and the better you get at it.
Organizing can seem that way too many at the beginning, but flexing your organizing muscles will make it easier to make decisions. In a speedy time, you will begin to see how different life can be clutter-free!
Nike says it best. “Just Do It”… (Now). Exercise your organizing muscle by deciding to something now.
Relationships are more important than things. Don’t let your stuff get in the way of your relationships.
Here’s your call it action for today:
It could be your office, car, kitchen table, bathroom counter, refrigerator …anywhere.
1) Create your Blessing Box using a box or bin that you will give away
2) Start with a table, drawer, shelf or closet that’s overflowing with stuff…
3) Start filling it up with anything you haven’t used in 3 years that’s is in good shape
Pick up one thing and just do it…today!
