As I mentioned in this post, I have felt like a hopeless case when it comes to cleaning and organization. I have tried and failed COUNTLESS times! But as long as I live and breathe, I know God can redeem that and He makes all things beautiful in His time. If we ask for anything according to God's will we can know that we have what we ask of Him. I have full faith that it is His will for me to be an organized keeper of my home so lately I have been thanking Him in advance for the what I know He is going to do in our lives.
By the grace of God and much prayer (God, what do I do first?) I am on the path to a clutter free, peaceful home that I love!
Here are 5 tips on how I did it:
1. Slow and Steady Wins the Race.
As I have started on this journey I have found myself getting easily overwhelmed. The good news is, more I declutter the easier it seems. I have found that getting rid of the majority of the mess first seems to help and then I will organize items into like objects to go through and purge at another time. For example, when decluttering my bedroom I separated the clothing into a certain section, the books in our home also went into one section and all of the paper clutter into another. Yes y'all, it was that bad. I had two piles of clothing in my room that just accumulated over time as well as stacks of books and little stacks of paper clutter. Absolutely not peaceful and very difficult to relax in this environment. I have been taking one small task per day which usually feels so easy and manageable that I feel inspired to move onto the category.
2. Begin With the End in Mind: As I mentioned in this post, I like to picture the way I want my space to look. This helps me visualize what needs to stay and what needs to go. An example of this is the desk I use as a nightstand next to my side of the bed. For about two years I have used the space the chair would normally fit into as a storage for books and our printer. When I was decluttering yesterday I realized how much this does NOT bring me joy. It is absolutely not peaceful in a any way to me and the last thing I want to be looking at before I close my eyes at night. I decided to remove the books and the printer and replace it with chair that was made for the desk. I feel such a sense of delight now when I wake up and see my orderly area. I just cannot tell you the difference it has made. I feel like this space is my own again and almost even a little spoiled in a way :D
3. Make it Relaxing and Fun:
Play inspirational cleaning videos or music that energizes you. Sometimes I will listen to a podcast or sermon but when I am decluttering I usually find the videos of people decluttering on YouTube the most inspirational. I like to make sure my home is clean and have a diffuser going with some lemon and bergamot to really awaken my senses. When I smell the fresh and clean smells coming out of my diffuser it serves as a reminder of why I am doing this in the first place. I want a fresh and clean environment for my family and for myself.
4. Have a PERMANENT Giveaway Bin:
I have a permanent bin in my home that is available to keep items that I know I do not use anymore but I feel someone in my life might benefit from. A permanent bin is useful so that when you find something that you know does not spark joy or is no longer useful to you can easily place it in your giveaway bin. If you have room for two bins that would be better because you can put the things you know someone in your life will use in one bin and another bin for a children's home or the Salvation Army. I would rather give to someone I know is in need than to have it wasting away in my home just because I think I may need it someday.
5. Slow Cooker meals! You will want to plan several days of crock pot meals. I have a triple pot slow cooker like this one. I can make full meals in these and they can cook or stay warm all day so that I don't have to worry about making a mess in the kitchen while I am decluttering. I will link a full post on this Wednesday for a weeks worth of slow cooker meals. Twice this week I was so focused on decluttering that when it was dinner time I was scrambling for a quick meal to miraculously create in thirty minutes. I made my quick spaghetti and meatballs one night and the next night I made my Dad's easy chili. Hallelujah, I had the ingredients on hand and thawed out so I was able to accomplish that those two nights!!
I want to bless my family with a peaceful home that is a safe haven to them. I want them to be proud of their home and never be afraid to have a friend drop by at a moments notice.
If you have felt discouraged or even hopeless when it comes to keeping up with your home, I hope this post offers some encouragement and inspiration.
Grace and peace,
Adoring Family
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