Since this is my first time presenting a series like this, I was unsure of the response.  May I just say you all blessed my socks off?!!  Every day I looked forward to your comments to me and each other, and every day my inbox contained sweet notes of encouragement and tender sharings of your lives and struggles.  Thank you.  I value you and your time, and consider it an honor that you signed up for my challenge.

As we end this series, I have a few more thoughts to share with you.  Mainly because I know how defeated you might get in this area.  Keeping a home de-cluttered and organized is an ongoing challenge.  Life keeps changing.  What worked last month, might not work this month.  And just when you think you’ve got this de-cluttering thing conquered, something will happen to you (or me) to make us feel like giving up and accepting clutter.  What we’ll need in that moment is perspective.  Imagine this …

You’ve just cleaned up the kitchen and family room and sat back with a Diet Coke to relax for a minute, when along comes a high school wrestler who will dump his stinky shoes and sweaty shirt on the counter.  Not long after that, backpacks will get dropped in a line from the door to where you are sitting.  Papers will be tossed on the dining room table.  Later, a tall handsome man walks in, kicks off his shoes, drops a briefcase on the floor, and sets a notebook and travel mug next to the shoes.  And five people will ask you what’s for dinner within a 15-minute time span. Four will come back to ask if they can have a snack.

And you will look at the mess, and sigh. And it’s right here, right at this point, you have a choice.

Hopefully … just maybe … with God’s strength and wisdom …  you will pause before attempting to make everyone feel guilty for unloading all their stuff and messing up your hard work.  And in that pause, before unkind thoughts can take root, or angry words can be spoken, God’s Spirit will give you a “hug” and remind you that life is messy.  Really. Messy.  And people are more important than clean counters.  And this won’t last forever. And LOTS of people would give just about anything to have someone they love walk in the door and drop their stuff.

Then, after you’ve thanked God for stopping your gut reaction and giving you perspective, you will get up and hug that wrestler and tell him you are SO HAPPY he is home.  You will kiss those little backpack-wearers on the forehead.  You will cut up an apple and wash some grapes.  You will kiss your husband and put his travel mug in the dishwasher. And realize that this is much more important than having a perfect home.

Oh how perspective has saved me from doing and saying so many regrettable things.  You see, our highest calling is to love God and love others.   Yes managing our homes and schedules is important.  Obviously I believe that strongly.  But maintaining a heart of love should always supersede our desire for a clutter-free home.  So when the interruptions come (and they will) … and when someone messes with your plans (and they will) … remember to keep perspective.  Keep first things first.  And  Jesus’ commands always come first.

Let’s say you keep perspective, and you avoid a meltdown, but in the quiet of your heart you feel like a failure in managing your time and home.  And maybe you signed up for this challenge thinking, I’m really going to get it together now.  But three weeks have gone by and you haven’t made one change.  If the truth were told, you are actually further behind because now you’ve spent way too much time reading those long blog post by that wordy Whitwer.

If that’s you, and you are even more discouraged than before, please take those thoughts captive, and hear what I have to say.   God is accomplishing HIS purposes for you through this challenge.   God’s ways are not our ways.  You might have signed up with the intent of de-cluttering, and God had another purpose altogether.  I learned long ago that I can sign up for one “class” but God had already scheduled me for another.  Be open to what God wanted to do during your time on this challenge.  If God did something completely crazy like heal a relationship or light a creative spark inside you that’s going to mean even more crafty clutter, please let me know.

Just two more things. Really, and then I’ll end.   First, if you have taken any before and after pictures, I hope you’ll post them on your blog.  Then leave a comment with a link to your blog.  To leave a comment, click here to go to my blog.  My friend Julie Gillies posted some of her before and after photos.  I hope you’ll hop over there to by clicking here.

Finally, I hope you’ll consider staying on as a subscriber to my blog.  I will continue to write two times a week about my passions: home, family, organization, time management and productivity.  I occasionally write about general faith topics, usually when I have a devotion running on Proverbs 31.  But if you decide to unsubscribe, I want to thank you for joining me for this study. Your time is valuable and your trust is precious to me.

That’s it.  I’m done.  At least for today.  I’ll look forward to sharing more with you in the future.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Heavenly Father, I worship You for Your goodness and faithfulness. Even though my life feels out of control at times, You never are.  As I continue to bring order to my life, I know I’m going to need Your help.  I get so easily discouraged and want to quit. Help me to persevere.  But I also need to know when to let things go and just rest and enjoy my messy life.  Please help me know the difference, and have the courage to do the right thing.  I love You, Lord.  In Jesus name, Amen.

If you’d like to read more of my tips for organizing, I hope you’ll consider getting my book.  It’s available through Proverbs 31 Ministries, Amazon or any bookstore.  Thank you.

We’ve got a lot to cover today regarding closets, so I’m going to jump right into it.  But I also want to remind you that I’m only dealing with de-cluttering – not organizing.  My inclination is to start with organizing when it comes to closets, but I don’t want you to worry about that right now.  Just focus on minimizing the clutter, and it’s very possible you won’t need to make major organizing changes.

No, this is not my closet. But a girl can dream.

My guess is you are frustrated with your closets.  And you might even think your problem is not enough closet space.  You could be right.  However, the reality is, unless you have a custom-designed home (or are already well-organized), no one thinks they have enough storage.  Why?  Stuff expands to fill empty space. So almost all of our closets, cabinets and garages get filled to capacity.

That works until it doesn’t.  When our clothes are smashed and wrinkled, when we can’t find winter gloves, and when we spend money on gifts we forgot we’d already bought – then we realize it’s time to do something about those black holes.  Then we are forced to make decisions. Maybe the hardest place to make decisions is our clothing closet, which is our focus today.

Before you start to de-clutter your closet, you’ll need some supplies.  If you haven’t done this for awhile, you are probably going to get rid of a lot of things.  My favorite piece of advice is to use black garbage bags.  Why?  Once you’ve removed an item from your closet and put it in the bag, you can’t see it.  And if you can’t see it, you are less likely to go soft and pull it out.

Next, get ready to deal with broken dreams:  Dreams that we can still fit into that dress, wear those heels or that someday our favorite pink shirt will actually look good on us.  Clothing is associated with special events and seasons of our lives, and is very difficult to give up.  Having to admit that I’m older and can’t wear certain styles is painful.  De-cluttering my bedroom closet means I might have to let those dreams go.  However, I’ve found a way to make it easier.

When it’s hard to part with a dress I once loved, there’s an image I bring to my mind.   It’s of a single mother, trying to get a job.  She doesn’t have anything nice to wear, nor the money to run to the mall and pick up a cute outfit.   Then I look at the lovely skirt I no longer wear.  That skirt can either hang in my closet gathering dust, or help a sister I haven’t met.

There are always exceptions, but mostly it’s just wrong for me to keep things I don’t use, and likely never will.  I strongly believe we should be living more like the first Christians who shared everything they had with each other.  No one was in need.  Whether I give it away or sell it at a yard sale, depends on my family’s needs at the moment.  Either way, someone else is being blessed.  I want to live open handed, not closefisted.  For if my hands are closed, it’s very hard for God to place something new in them.

So, with that in mind,  as you look at your closet, consider the following two categories of items to remove:

1)  What you don’t need or want anymore.

Here are four reasons to remove items.

Damaged or stained beyond repair.  Re-purpose these clothes when possible.  Use scraps for dusting or arts and crafts.  Give some to quilters you know.  Make clothing into other items like purses or tote bags.  Set some aside for messy or dirty jobs such as yard work, cleaning or arts and crafts.

Not my style.  No matter how much you love them, remove clothes you don’t wear due to style.  Fifteen years after working outside the house, my dress clothes hung in my closet.  Even if I could have fit into them, they weren’t my personal style any more.  Or, they were too “young” for me.

Not worn. Shari Braendel, author of Good Girls Don’t Have to Dress Bad, wrote, “Without emotion, take everything out of your closet you have not worn in the last 18 months.  The reason for the 18-month rule is that this gives you two seasons of the previous one you just went through.  For example, if summer has just ended and you have things hanging in your closet that you didn’t wear this year OR the summer before, chances are you are not going to wear it next year”  I like Shari’s advice better than the typical one-year rule.

Undecided.  Some items of clothing present a challenge.  We don’t love them, nor hate them.  Professional organizer and Mission: Organization guest, Monica Ricci offers this piece of advice, “Go through the ‘undecided’ pile piece by piece, and ask yourself what value each piece currently gives you.  Clothes that aren’t serving you need to be culled to make room for those pieces that are valuable.”

Wrong size.  We have the opportunity to look stylish at any age or weight.  If there are clothes that don’t fit well, or not at all, let them go.  Of course, keeping some things makes sense if you are on a weight loss plan.  Just be honest with yourself.

The other category of items to remove are those that could, or should, be stored somewhere else.  Here are some tips for them:

2) What can be stored elsewhere

Sometimes our closets are catchalls for miscellaneous items.  As you evaluate the odds and ends in your storage spaces, consider if it would make more sense to store them elsewhere.  Try to keep items close to where they are used.

1.  Move items to another room.   When possible, keep like items together, and in a logical space. If you’ve stored golf clubs in your closet try to put them with other sports equipment.  This might involve a whole-house approach if you’ve got like items stored in multiple places.

2.  Remove items you want to keep, but seldom wear.  For example, formal wear or ski clothes.  These items can be stored in an attic or garage depending on fabric and weather.  If you have room, consider storing seldom-used hanging items on a rolling garment rack. Buy one with a clear or fabric zipped covering.  For under $100, you can get a large portable wardrobe with rods for hanging and places for shoes and other folded clothing.

3.  Remove off-season clothing.   Hopefully you can rotate seasonal clothing.  Store these items under the bed or in another dresser.  Or consider a portable garment rack tucked in a garage or work room.

Clearing closets is often easier with a friend … an honest one … and one with some style if possible. I’d still be wearing somethings from the 80s if not for some honest friends.

Once you’ve trimmed down your closets, I hope you’ll spend some time considering adding  organizational helps.  If you want ideas, visit websites like www.organize.com or www.containerstore.com.

Please join me tomorrow as we wrap up this Clutter-Free Challenge.  I’ve got some final thoughts to share, one last giveaway, and I want to give you an opportunity to provide a link to your blogs to share your success stories with each other.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Heavenly Father, it’s going to be tough going through my clothes closet.  There are many emotions connected with those items.  Help me to trust You enough to release the past.  I don’t want to hold on to things that I need to let go.  Help me to see this as a chance to release the old, to share with others, and to be open for the new thing You want to do in my life.  There’s a part of me that’s afraid to let things go for fear I won’t have enough.  But today I stand on Your promise to meet my needs.  Thank You for your faithfulness.  I choose to trust You today.  In Jesus name, Amen.

If you stood at the door to your bedroom, what would you see? A treadmill doubling as a clothes hanger?  Books on the floor?  Bills strewn on the dresser?  Laundry piled on the bed?  Now, ask yourself:  Why is it like that?

Here are some possible reasons:

• The closet is too full
• The dressers are overstuffed
• There aren’t enough hangers
• You need a bigger jewelry case, or less jewelry
• You need a bookcase, a bigger bookcase, or fewer books
• You hate taking the three extra steps needed to hang up your robe 

The answer to your clutter problem is somewhere in here.  You probably know what it is, but you avoid it because of the domino effect.  In other words, your clothes are draped over the treadmill because your closet is too full.  Your closet is too full because your under-the-bed boxes are filled with things you don’t wear any more. One problem leads to another, and it’s easier to ignore them all by doing nothing.

Perhaps the answer lies in solving one problem, while allowing another to sit until you can address it.  You can’t solve everything at once.  But you can change something … even if means loading books, magazines and clothes in plastic tubs until you can figure out what to do with them.  So, here are some suggestions to deal with clutter.

Minimize visual clutter

Even if your husband’s ties are organized by color – but are hanging in plain view – it’s still clutter.  When possible, avoid the temptation to install hooks or racks in your master bedroom, as these create visual clutter.  Instead, move these items to the closet, or hide behind a door.

Bedside table

If possible, invest in a bedside table with drawers or shelves.  Use it to store reading material, glasses, hand lotion, journal, pens and television remote controls.  Limit the number of items on top of your bedside table to one book and magazine, plus your lamp, clock and one decorative item.

If you don’t have the option for a bedside table with drawers, purchase a decorative box with a lid to store your nighttime accessories.

To get even more storage, consider putting a small dresser by your bed instead of a nightstand.  Or if you are a reader, consider a specially-designed reader’s table, with multiple shelves for books and magazine.

Under-the-bed storage

Fill every space under your bed with specially-designed boxes.  Spend a bit more to purchase the kind with wheels for ease of access. Make sure you measure the height of that space to avoid a second trip to the store.  If you don’t want to buy boxes, consider storing suitcases under the bed filled with items to store.  Another option are the space-saving bags.  Use these to store items that are bulky such as linens, comforters or heavy winter outerwear.  To hide this storage space, use a bed skirt.

Here are some ideas on what to store under your bed:

• Off-season clothing
• Seldom-worn dress clothes
• Shoes or boots
• Extra bedding
• Books, DVDs or CDs
• Craft supplies
• Photo albums

Dresser

To make the most of the space you have, take the time to empty each drawer in your dresser.   Consider the following tips:

• Store themed clothing elsewhere (exercise, pool/beach)
• Remove unwanted or off-season clothing
• Match socks; discard singles
• Discard stretched/torn/overly-worn undergarments
• Add drawer dividers to sort smaller items, like socks and underwear

Alternative storage

If you need storage but don’t have the budget or room for another piece of big furniture, consider these ideas for alternate storage:

• Hope chest or trunk. This can sit at the foot of the bed, and doubles as a bench.
• Vintage or antique suitcases stacked on top of each other. These suitcases could hold blankets, winter clothes, sweaters
• Decorative covered boxes.  Stack multiple boxes on top of each other.  They can hold lightweight items like scarves, belts, and jewelry
• Vintage picnic basket. Tuck the television remote, CDs or DVDs in a picnic basket with lid.

For years I focused on every other room in the house – except my bedroom.  It was a disaster.  Not restful.  Very stressful.  About five years ago I decided it was time for me and my husband to have a clutter-free haven.  So I applied my own tips and LOVE how orderly it is.  And I’m more motivated to keep it that way too.  Although I still leave my bathrobe on the unmade bed some days … just keeping it real.

I hope this post inspires you to focus on your own room first, then de-clutter the other bedrooms in the house.

I’ll end with some tips for the bathroom.  There are two places that seem to get the most cluttered in my bathrooms:  The medicine cabinet and under the sink.  Here are a few tips for de-cluttering these spaces.

Medicine cabinet

Here’s a step-by-step approach:

1. Remove all containers.  Clean shelves.
2. Throw away empty bottles.
3. Safely discard unused prescription medication (return to a pharmacy for safe disposal)
4. Consider storing medications away from humidity of a bathroom
5. Discard products you won’t use or don’t like
6. Combine like products when safe to do so (like suntan lotion)
7. Replace items in similar groupings
8. Add tiered wire shelving for small items
9. Add labeled drawers for small items
10. Create kits:  camping, manicure, beach, first aid
11. Make a list of emergency products to have on hand
    

Under the Sink

Don’t neglect to bring order to the space under the sink.  You can apply many of the same steps as the medicine cabinet.  By adding affordable stacking shelves, you can utilize every inch of vertical space.  Consider adding baskets to stand items like curling irons and blow dryers.  You might also add  stacked drawers.  These come in plastic, wire or mesh, and in various sizes.

Tomorrow will address the dreaded black-holes of our homes – the bedroom closets!

If you’ve taken any before and after photos of your decluttering, consider posting them on your own blog.  On Friday, I’m going to share a link to a friend’s blog who tackled a problem area.  And I’d love for you to post a comment with a link to your blog.  Who doesn’t love before and after photos?  Until tomorrow …

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Heavenly Father, You created us with a need to rest … our bodies and our minds.  I confess that I haven’t always honored Your request to rest, nor have I prioritized it in my life.  Help me to create a place of peace and quiet, where I can sleep without feeling like there’s something I should be doing.  Guide me as I de-clutter my bedroom and the rooms of those I love.  I want to be a woman who is rested, strong and ready to do Your work.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Actually there are also some pretty pink roses in front of the bird feeder that aren’t shown here. And this was taken last spring, so the grass isn’t green right now.

I’ve discovered many of life’s blessings happen in my kitchen.  This room unites the values I hold dear:  home, family and community.  This is why keeping it organized and clutter-free is a top priority for me.  It’s not so I can boast of my alphabetized spices or labeled storage containers.  An organized kitchen helps keep me focused on what’s important, instead of mentally drained by a mess.

My kitchen also needs the most work to stay organized.  Right now six of us live in this house, plus my husband and I both work here.  My front door should be a big hotel revolving door with the flow of people in and out all day.  As my loved ones move through the house, personal property gets set down in the most convenient spot … convenient to them, that is.  This normally means a kitchen counter.   Can you relate?

Here’s the problem with a disorganized kitchen as I see it.  When there’s no room to work, I’m discouraged from starting anything.  Instead of making an affordable and healthy dinner, I am tempted to pick something up.   Instead of being creative in the kitchen, I choose something simple.   It just takes too much mental energy for me to overcome clutter.

Not only does clutter drain energy from me, but there is no room for anything beautiful. It’s hard to appreciate a bouquet of roses from my garden if it’s set on bills, report cards and dirty dishes.

So, in order to bring in more beauty, peace and order, I have declared a war on clutter.  If that appeals to you, here are some suggestions for how to de-cluttering the kitchen.  First, gather some boxes to store items that will be removed, whether to sell or give away.  Next …

1)  Sort through and remove all clutter from on top of your counters.

Put away, recycle, toss and file those items you know what to do with.  If you don’t know where to start, pick a spot and work your way clockwise.  If you need to make decisions on other items, put those in a large box for later decision making.  Wash and put away dishes. Clean your counters and sink. Now stand back and survey your accomplishment with joy!  (clap, clap, clap … that’s from me).

2)  Move many of your kitchen appliances out of sight (toaster, bread maker, waffle iron, etc).   Clear counters will refresh you, and give you a clean palate for creativity.  You might need to work on step 3 at the same time so you have room to store these items. I know this is optimistic, but use it as a goal.

3)  Eliminate extra, unwanted, broken, chipped and incomplete items.

This will take time, but start with one cabinet or shelf at a time.  Completely remove every item from that shelf or cabinet.  If you don’t use it, make a decision on what to do with it and put it in the giveaway, sell or garbage can.  Be honest and ruthless. I know this will be hard, because many of us are well intentioned.  I really intended to make fondue for my family … someday. But I had to be honest with myself.

Clean the shelves with warm soapy water and return the items you want to keep, including those items that were previously stored on your counter.

4)  Store seldom-used appliances elsewhere.

Can you store larger items outside your kitchen?  If you are holding out hope that you will start to use your waffle iron, then consider a shelf in an outside storage cabinet, extra bedroom or linen closet.   I have a shelf in my garage for larger items I don’t often use.  Another option is to purchase extra kitchen storage, like a free-standing cottage-style pantry or rolling island.  Consider buying something with doors to reduce visual clutter.

Here are a few of my favorite random kitchen de-cluttering tips:

1) A bread box.  I have a charming bread box that does not hold bread.  Instead, it holds vitamins and medication.  If you’ve got lots of little bottles in view consider repurposing a bread box. We store bread in the refrigerator.

2)  Message center.  Most of us have phones in our kitchen.  Make sure you’ve got a pretty holder for notepads and pens. It can also be a temporary holding place for invitations, directions, etc.

3)  Bulletin board.  I put a bulletin board in my laundry room to keep coupons for restaurants or activities.  I put them here instead of on my refrigerator.

Here's what I have on my counter right now.

Once you’ve got your kitchen de-cluttered, put together some charming displays.  Do you love coffee or tea?  Create a hostess station with pretty mugs, tea bags, and a cream and sugar bowl.  Are you a flower gal?  Splurge and buy yourself some flowers from the grocery store, or better yet, plant some and harvest your own blooms.

There are lots of other organization tips I could share for the kitchen, but I want to stay focused on de-cluttering.  Once you have trimmed and slimmed down your kitchen, research great ideas for organizing your cabinets, drawers and pantry.  I hope you’ll be inspired to keep going.

And I also hope this sparks your creativity for cooking and enjoying more meals together with friends or family.  If your schedule is crazy, try aiming for one night a week to reclaim as your own.

Tomorrow we will address bedrooms and baths.  Then day 14 we’ll tackle our closets.  And on Friday I’ll wrap up this challenge with general tips on managing clutter and some encouraging words.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Before I get into today’s challenge, I want to announce the winner of my book, “I Used to Be So Organized.”  Based on a random selection, I’m happy to announce that Kimberly, who posted a comment January 20th at 8:30 p.m. is the winner.  Thank you to everyone who posted and all the fabulous ideas.   I will have another giveaway at the end of the week.  Kimberly, I’ve sent you an email.

Today we are going to talk about our main living areas.  If your house is like mine, there’s a lot of living going on in these spaces, and lots of clutter that gets left on tables, chairs and the floor.  It  requires daily maintenance to keep these areas de-cluttered.  But it can be done.  And once you make some foundational changes it will be easier.

I’ve got some practical tips, but first I want to share some thoughts … thoughts that might help you overcome the common avoidance of dealing with clutter.  There are two principles that keep me motivated when I get weary of maintaining my home.  The first deals with conveying authority.

In Proverbs 31:11 says “Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.”  Whether you are married or not,  conveying confidence to those around you happens over time.  Confidence is built up through consistently doing what we say we will do.  You cannot demand someone trust you; we all see past words and evaluate actions.

However, a woman who quietly brings order to her home conveys confidence and authority without ever saying a word.  Our husbands’ trust grows when we can find the passports before a trip.  Children can tell mom is in control when she pulls out the permission slip from a handy file.  We all have been given some level of authority over our homes, even a college student renting a room.  Do we manage with authority or is there chaos? Are we conveying trust or insecurity?

The second principle which motivates me is based on the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25:14-30.  I won’t take the time to summarize, but please review the passage when you have time.  The verse that rings in my head is 23:  “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

I’m convinced  God is watching to see how we handle every responsibility He gives us.  He longs to give all of us more responsibility, but we must prove ourselves faithful with what we have – no matter how little or how much.  I apply this verse to my health, my finances and my home.  I can wish I had more all day long, but if I squander what I have, I’m simply not a good investment.

Having said all that hard stuff, I am SO THANKFUL FOR GRACE.  I’ve fallen short so many times.  At the end of the day, I’m just a dressed-up mess.  Instead of giving me what I deserve, God generously showers me with good things. He forgives my sin and sympathizes with my weaknesses.  And it’s in my weakness that His strength is revealed.  So if you are feeling weak today, please invite God to be your strength.  He is faithful.

I know I got off subject there, but I believe the Lord wanted me to share that.  If that message was for you, I’d love to know.

Let’s move on to some practical tips for de-cluttering your living spaces.  There are two main reasons for clutter.  The first involves items that have a home but aren’t in their home. An example would be remote controls sitting on the table next to the box you bought for the remote controls.  (ahem – yes, this happens in my house) This is a discipline problem, not a clutter problem.

The second is items that have no home. This problem never gets better on its own.  And the older you get the worse it gets, what with all the tchatchkes we collect and are given. What to do with it all?  Here are some ideas for common clutter items:

Little treasures

• A glass-enclosed curio cabinet.  Twenty years ago, my husband bought me a six-foot high, two-foot wide class case.  It sits right by my front door where I can see all my little treasures, safely tucked away, and dust free.
• Give items to family now.   If you’ve got children, nieces or nephews, plan to share some of your treasures with them now.  This can be an inexpensive Christmas or birthday gift.  It blesses both of you.
•  Give items away.  Find a ministry helping people be independent after a trauma.  This could be a battered women’s shelter, refugee ministry or a recovery program.  Your beloved items could bring hope and healing to someone else.
•  Sell on e-Bay or at a consignment center.   If you need to make some money, consider selling your extra items.  A good digital camera, and packing material, is all you need to sell online.
• After my father passed away, my mother created shadow boxes for my sister and me.  She carefully arranged little items my father collected over the years in this box.  For example, his army pins, a pipe and his school ID (he was a teacher).  This is one of my most treasured items.

Remote controls

• Store remotes in a decorative box on the coffee table.
• Buy or make a fabric remote holder that fits over the arm of a couch or chair.
• Install a wall-mounted basket by the television
• Put a box or basket by the television.

Blankets

• A chest of drawers can serve as an end table and storage for items like blankets.
• Position a quilt hanger by the couch.
• A vintage-looking sea chest can double as a coffee table and blanket holder.

Craft supplies & games

These items can take up lots of space.  Store them in boxes you can stack to make the most of your space.  Consider storing games behind closed doors of an armoire or entertainment center to minimize visual clutter. If the game box is damaged, transfer game boards and pieces to specially designed plastic game-keepers sold at specialty organizing stores.

For crafts, consider a rolling organizer with multiple drawers that can be tucked in a closet while not in use.  A cubby system with boxes covered in wallpaper to match your design could fit nicely in a niche.  Make labels for each drawer or box.

Toys

Unless you have a designated playroom, keep most toys in bedrooms.  For a quick pick up, keep a large basket with a lid in the living room.  Rolling bins make clean up fun when a child can roll it back to her room.

Multi-media

Plastic boxes multiply like rabbits at a home with growing children.  Whether it’s a CD, DVD or video game box, it needs to be stored in a crush-proof place.  Consider adding pull-out drawers to deep shelving so that items in the back can be easily seen.  A specially-designed media tower protects boxes and keeps the titles visible.

Framed photos

Consider a collage of photos on the wall instead of cluttering the surface of an end or sofa table with frames.  Choose a common frame color, and complementary matting to make a design statement.

Extra storage options

Make furniture do double-duty.  Invest in accent tables with shelves and drawers.  If that’s not an option, store items in large baskets tucked under tables.  A chest can serve as a coffee table, or a bench with cushions.  And go vertical when you can.

That was a lot for one day.  Thank you for sticking with me to the end.  Please join me tomorrow when I talk about cleaning out your kitchen.  Fun stuff!!

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Heavenly Father, thank You for entrusting me with a place to call home, a body to care for and finances to manage.  I admit that I often fall short of where I want to be in many areas.  Sometimes I grow weary dealing with the same issues every day, and need a fresh breath of Your Spirit to fill me up.  I long to be a woman who stewards well her responsibilities, and know I’m in desperately need of Your help and strength.  In Jesus name, Amen.

For the rest of our time in this challenge, we will work our way through the living areas of our homes.  And we’ll start with the front entrance.

Your front entrance sets the mood and first impression of your home.  Will it be one of peace and rest?  Or should there be flashing red lights and signs reading “Danger”?   Does your entry way convey confident authority or disordered anarchy?  Your family and guests will immediately receive the unspoken message.

Without a plan, entryways can become a dumping ground.  Family members kick off shoes, drop bags and toss keys. Most often, that happens because there isn’t a place for those items.  With a bit of rearranging, you can create a beautiful front entrance, one that offers a “Welcome home” for your loved ones and their possessions.

Before I start listing tips, I want to suggest a new way for you to look at your home.  It’s amazing what I notice when I take this approach. And I think you’ll have great ideas for your own home.

Years ago I worked at a retirement center.  Before any public event, like an open house, we took a “Do you see what I see?” walk.  The marketing staff and I started at the street entrance, and walked through the entrance from the street.  Our eyes scanned the parking lot, the building, windows and landscaping.  We looked with fresh eyes to see what a visitor would see.  It was always interesting how noticeable the chipped paint, cobwebs and dead bushes were from that viewpoint.

We walked past them every day, never noticing. On that day, with intentional eyes, we saw what needed changing. Often it didn’t take much to correct the problem. Armed with clipboards, paper and pens, we recorded every item needing attention and created a master to-do list.

Sensory adaptation is to blame for numbing us visually to things in our home as well. It’s a God-given gift to adapt to our surroundings.  Otherwise, we might be overwhelmed with aromas and sounds.  It also can mean we live with more messes, chaos and clutter more than we should.  Unless we perform our own “Do you see what I see?” walk, we’ll miss small areas of our home that could be de-cluttered with little effort.

So sometime this weekend, I’d like you to walk up to your front door as if you were a guest.  Open the door and walk in.  Let your eyes see what a guest would see. But don’t feel badly about piles of shoes and broken toys.  Just determine to do a bit of de-cluttering.

Here are some tips for common clutter items that most of us have around our entryways.

Keys

Provide a key hooks or key racks within a few steps of the door.  Make sure there are enough hooks for each member of your family.  It’s a good idea to store extra sets of all keys, but not at the front entrance.  Invest in a key storage box and put it in your laundry room or hang hooks inside a cabinet.  Don’t forget to label extra keys.

Back to the front entrance.  If you’ve got room, consider getting an attractive wall-mounted holder with hooks.   This might be a shelf, which you could also use to hold small items such as a wallet, money clip or cell phone.    Or it could be a letter holder with hooks at the bottom.  This could hold incoming or outgoing mail, or small items to grab on the way out.

You might also consider a message board, and add hooks for keys.  There are multiple possibilities for getting double duty out of a key holder, so don’t limit your imagination.

Purses, backpacks, bags

The goal is to get purses, backpacks and miscellaneous bags off the ground.  To that end, position a coat tree or coat rack near the door.  If you have little ones, include a child size’s coat rack, or a double row of hooks with one row low enough for little arms.  A hall tree (a bench with storage, a back and hooks) is a great place to store items, plus provide a seat.

If you have an entry closet, make sure it’s not jam packed.  Add shelving for purses, and hooks for bags.

Loose items

For books, mittens, iPods or small bags, consider cubbyholes with baskets.  Label a basket for each person in the family.  This can serve many purposes, and it’s an excellent way for everyone to keep track of little items. A table or small chest by the front door can be multi-functional.  Place a basket on top for keys and use the drawers to store those little items that easily get lost.

Shoes

I know many people like to keep shoes by the front door.  In case you do, some options include cubby holes or baskets, instead of having them loose on the floor.  However, may I respectfully recommend discontinuing that habit? Dirty shoes can mar your guests’ first impressions – both visually and with a less-than-pleasant aroma.  By providing adequate shoe storage in bedrooms, family members can remove shoes at the door, and take shoes directly to their closets.

Hall closets

Perhaps a good place to start with a hall or entry closet is to define your purpose.  Would you like to use this as a place for guests’ coats?  Do you use it every day for your own items? Sometimes this little gem is overlooked, and it becomes a haphazard storage place for that grab-and-dash cleaning some of us do right before company arrives.

With a bit of planning, your hall closet has great potential for being a one-stop organizing center for items that get brought in and taken out on a regular basis.  For example, you could add additional shelves and store camera equipment.  Hooks on the inside of the door could be used for purses and bags.  Cubbies or stacked baskets on the floor could hold books, backpacks, shoes and gloves.  Install hooks on the inside of the door for keys.

What is cluttering your entryway?  I’m sure you can find some creative solutions to your clutter.  I’d love to hear about them if you do.  In fact, I’ve got another copy of my book, “I Used to Be So Organized” to give away this weekend to someone who comments.  To leave a comment, click here to be taken to my blog.  Then, scroll down to the bottom of the post and click on “comments”.

Next week, we’ll make our way around our homes as we wrap up our 15-day Challenge.  And thank you SO MUCH for all your kind and gracious comments to me personally these past few weeks.  You have been such shining examples of God’s love.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Before jumping in to the last day of dealing with paper clutter, I want to share a thought.

I’ve spent a lot of time this past week reading your comments and emails, and have loved your words of encouragement to each other.  For some who shared a tough situation, those kind words mean more than all my tips put together. Thank you for being vulnerable, for reaching out and showing Christ’s love. Ministry is happening right here on this blog.

Today was we wrap up paper clutter, I’m going to share some tips for some of the papers that sit in a pretty basket somewhere in your home until they overflow. Then you go find another basket and fill that up too.  Or perhaps you’ve got little slips of paper taped on the fridge and sticky notes spread around and you have no idea where to put that information.  And if you have children … well … enough said. 

 Special cards, papers and letters

If you’re like me, you love to hold on to birthday cards you’ve received, a love note from your spouse or a drawing from a child.  Those items hold precious memories for me, such as the self-portrait my eldest son did in kindergarten – it was a rainbow.

For notes and small drawings, I have another three-ring binder with acid-free plastic page protectors.  I write the date on the back, slip it into a page protector and it’s done.  (Yes, I like 3-ring binders)

For special cards and other mementos, I have a lovely memory box in my closet.  For example, I date birthday cards and store them in gallon zip lock plastic bags.  I do the same for my children, however, I add information about their birthday party, such as what we did, who attended and what gifts they received.  These bags are stored in memory boxes in each child’s room.

 Memory boxes

As your child grows, you’ll want to save mementos, figurines or special outfits.  Purchase plastic storage boxes specifically for these items. As you remove items from your child’s room to place in the memory box, be sure to identify the significance (if it isn’t obvious) and wrap them securely in bubble wrap or clean wrapping paper. Photographs should be placed in acid-free envelopes.  Store these boxes in a dry, cool place.  If you have more than one child, clearly mark each box and each item to remove confusion in years to come.

Children’s school papers

With our first child we saved everything!   Every handprint made into a turkey and coloring page is priceless.  Unless you have lots of storage, this may get difficult as the years go on, and as you have more children.  To keep your kids and you clutter-free, here are some tips that work for us.

1)  Purchase a colored pocket folder for each child.

Every year we get welcome letters from the teacher, classroom rules, student lists and a school handbook.  To keep that information handy, yet organized, I purchase an inexpensive colored pocket folder for each child.  These folders lie flat in a kitchen drawer, ready for easy access.

2) Create another file for school items you want to save.

In our permanent file drawers each child also has their own hanging file.  Because it’s not feasible to save everything, I have some criteria for what gets saved:

• Something that shows my child’s development at that age
• Papers with teacher notes of praise
• Papers that show an area of struggle (but not “failure”)
• Something that shows my child’s uniqueness, such as drawings, stories and poems.

3)  At the end of the school year, purchase 9”x12” see-through expandable plastic envelopes from the office products store.  Most school papers fit inside this envelope.  Put your child’s school picture in the front, along with a piece of paper stating the school year.  Store this envelope in a plastic storage box specifically for school papers.

4) To help out-of-state grandparents or other family members keep in touch with your child’s development, consider sending some of the school papers and drawings to them.  To ease the process, keep a 9”x12” addressed envelope addressed at the ready, and mail once a month.  Another tip is to write a letter on the back of the drawings, making it into a home-made card.

Phone numbers, addresses and passwords

Because I do most of my work on the computer, I use Outlook to store all kinds of information. I use the calendar for appointments and reminders of things like friend’s birthdays, due dates for bills, and when to call for an annual appointment.  I schedule many things as recurring monthly or annually so I only enter them once, and I color code special dates like birthdays and speaking events.  I’m thankful to have a smart phone and  sync those calendars.

In addition to Outlook, I also have a Rolodex address box. That’s the kind with the removable cards.  I use this for business cards and contacts that just don’t work well in Outlook.  For example, I have one card for our kid’s college accounts and I have each child’s account number and password listed on the same card.  I also keep low risk passwords in this file.

I feel like I’ve just dipped my toes in the pool of paper clutter.  I’m sure there are many things I haven’t addressed, like homeschooling, scrapbooking supplies and photos.  But I want to move on to other areas of the home since we only have six days left on this challenge to enjoy less clutter in our minds, schedules and homes.  Thank you for joining me on this journey.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

 Heavenly Father, I praise You for your unchanging nature, for Your goodness and for Your faithfulness.  Thank You for loving me in spite of my many weak areas, and for seeing my potential when I don’t see it myself.  Help me to see that my clutter and disorganization don’t define me.  My value is found in my position in Christ and what He did on my behalf.  Thank You!  In Jesus name, Amen.

Yesterday, I shared my practice of sorting papers into similar stacks. This helps me break down an overwhelming project into smaller pieces.  My overloaded brain needs that! Now, I want to share some tips for managing paper that we need to keep, and identifying paper we don’t need to keep.   I know some people are striving for a paperless file system, but that’s just not realistic for everything.  And so I’ll be presenting ideas for what to do with a hard copy of paper and an electronic copy.

A filing system is critical for keeping your home and office free of paper clutter.  Filing cabinets don’t have to be clunky gray metal.  They can be lovely pieces of furniture.  Purchase one larger than you think you need, and solid enough to not break when full.

Then, invest in a combination of hanging files for categories, and individual files for specific items.  The key is to buy enough so you don’t feel stingy with them.  Then, create file folders for papers you need to keep.  If you are just starting to file, I suggest you label your files in pencil in case you want to make changes as you go along.

How you create categories and individual files is completely up to you.  It just needs to make sense … to you.  Where will you go looking for your auto insurance documents?  In the “Auto” category or “Insurance” category?   Where will you look for health records for your puppy?  In the “Pets” category or “Health” category?  Don’t try to work against the way you think … work with it.

Regarding saving documents electronically.  This is a practice I started last year for certain documents. One of them being bank statements.  My bank only makes monthly statements available in my account for 18 months.  However, I need to keep them for seven years for tax purposes.  So, I download a PDF of my statement each month and save it on my computer. Some people scan documents and save them.  This works for papers that don’t need to be originals.

If you want to eliminate paper statements, create a folder in your documents for “Statements.”  Then, create subfolders for each account you maintain (bank, investments, credit cards).  Then create another subfolder for each year, and store statements by month within the appropriate year.

But what if my computer crashes?  you ask.  Good question.  For years, my husband and I backed up our computers to an external hard drive once a month … when we remembered.  That was until we learned about Carbonite.com.  Now we pay an annual fee (well worth it) for a remote back up that works constantly.  So in case my computer dies, I’ve got all my work, photos and more (within a few hours of when saved) backed up safely.  And I can access it remotely.

If you want to reduce the paper you need to file, this is an awesome way to safeguard electronic files.  To learn more about the options for online backup, here’s an article on PCMag.com reviewing different options.

For the rest of this post, I’m going to address some common items of paper and how long they should be saved – whether paper copies, scanned copies or PDF statements.  Please note, these recommendations do NOT apply to a business.  And they may not apply to unique situations.  I used IRS.gov for some information and my accountant for the rest.  If in doubt, please check with your own accountant.

Tax Returns (and supporting documents, including bank statements):  Keep for seven years.

Initial investment records:  Keep until you withdraw the money entirely, as these will be needed for tax reporting.

Receipts for purchases If you purchased the item with a credit card, save the receipt until it has shown up correctly on the statement.  Once you have been correctly billed, shred the receipt, unless:

1. you need it for the warranty or service agreement.
2. it’s an item of value.  Then either keep the receipt or record the purchase price in a ledger book in case you need it for an insurance claim.
3. it was for a gift, or item that might be returned.  Save it until you are certain the item won’t be returned.

Investments/Banking/Retirement Statements: Keep the quarterly statements until you receive the year-end statement.  Keep year-end statements with tax documents.

Paycheck Stubs: Keep for a year until you get your year-end W-2.  If everything is correct, shred the paycheck stubs

Medical Records: Save for seven years with tax documents.  However, it seems I’m occasionally wanting to remember when something happened and have had to go back through past year’s documents.  But what I should have done years ago is keep track of illnesses, surgeries and procedures in a record-keeping book of some kind.  If this idea appeals to you, look for record-keeping journals, or just buy a few smaller spiral notebooks.

Home Records: Keep all purchase and sale documents.  Keep all home improvement expenses and those related to selling your house.   When you sell your house, you’ll want these documents for tax purposes.

Automobile Expenses: Keep all purchase documents and major repair receipts in case you sell the car. You’ll want to pass these along to the new owner.

Permanent Storage: There are always documents you want to store in a secure fire-proof location.  This list can change based on your individual situation.  But experts generally agree on the following:

• Birth certificates
• Will
• Marriage certificate
• Adoption certificate
• Passports
• Social security card

If you can believe it, we are halfway through our Clutter-Free Challenge.  I know this is a lot of work.  But I can promise you that once you make the effort to create a good filing system, maintaining it is a fraction of the work.

Please join me tomorrow when I wrap up the section on paper clutter with some tips on miscellaneous items.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Heavenly Father, I’m starting to feel overwhelmed again.  You know how many times I’ve tried to get control over the paper in my life and have given up.  Help me to break this problem down into manageable pieces and show me what to do first.  With Your help, I can bring de-clutter and bring order to the paper in my office and home.  In Jesus name, Amen.

First a winner of Karen’s giveaway package.  Based on a random selection method, Michelle posting a comment January 13, 2012 at 2:38 p.m. is our winner.  Michelle, send me an email at editor@proverbs31.org with your mailing address.

CLUTTER-FREE DAY 7

Next, I’ll address our paper clutter.  One would think given the digital age we live in, managing paper wouldn’t be a problem.  But it is!  Organizing stacks and piles, papers and files is an ongoing challenge for women.   Especially those of us who grew up pre-computers.

Years ago I saved anything I thought might be handy in the future.  Especially information on paper.  I saved every bill, receipt and magazine.  For years! My approach was filled with “just in case” and “what if” thoughts.   Because maybe, just maybe, I might someday need to know how many times we changed the oil in our vehicle.  Ahem.  (probably not)

It took years before I realized the paper I was trying to manage, was really managing me.  I was over-cautious, overly sentimental, and much too optimistic.  Plus, sometimes I just didn’t know what to do with all that paper, so I postponed making a decision.  And the piles grew.

Maybe your reasons for amassing paper are different.  But whatever the reasons, too much paper affects our productivity, creativity and causes underlying anxiety from the visual clutter. So today we’ll start addressing the paper-based items in our homes.  Remember, we aren’t going to focus too much on organizing, just de-cluttering.  Although I’ll throw in a few of my favorite tips here and there – I can’t help myself.

I’m dividing this topic into three days due to the amount of different types of paper we all have.  Today I’ll talk about what to do with informational content like books, magazines, brochures, and the like.  Tomorrow I’ll address the types of paper we tend to file, like bills, receipts and reports.  Finally we’ll talk about miscellaneous things like children’s schoolwork, artwork and phone numbers on little pieces of paper.

Before we get started, I want to remind you of something.  As I go through the next steps, please know I don’t expect you to do all this in one day.  This could take weeks.  My hope is that by breaking down the tasks, you can work on de-cluttering your paper as you have time.

Okay – enough introduction.  Whenever I start trying to de-clutter paper items, it helps to have some supplies handy.  With paper, a recycling bin is critical.  So get something big enough or you’ll be frustrated fast.  You might also want to get some plastic tubs or boxes to carry things out of the house.

Once I’ve got my supplies handy, the second step is to sort items into similar groups.  Pick one area of your space to tackle.  This might be a kitchen counter, your desk or the table by your bed.  I don’t recommend trying to address your entire house at once.  But if you are up for the challenge, pick a room.

Then, sort all the paper into like stacks.  For instance, books in one stack, bills in another and bank statements in another.  You could have five, 10 or 20 stacks depending on the variety of papers you have.  As you do this, put paper you know you don’t need (old newspapers, envelopes, etc) in the recycling bin.  Do not recycle anything with your name, address or account number.  Tear off that section of paper, and shred it.  Then recycle the rest.

If you are overwhelmed with paper, this approach may not work for you.  You may want to just pick one item to sort at a time.  This will keep this process simple and focused. Maybe you are only going to gather bills right now and that’s okay. Do what works for YOU!

Once you have like items together, you can start de-cluttering.  That might start with putting things where they belong or throwing damaged items away.  I think you’ll have great ideas now that you’ve broken down the problem.  But in case you need some help, here are some tips for what to do with a few common items:

Books –  Books were made to be read. If you have extras, please share them with someone else.

• Donate to local library
• Sell used books on Amazon to make some money
• Sell at a used-book store
• Host a used-book sale at church to raise money for a mission project
• Donate children’s books to a homeless shelter or school

Magazines – Do I really need years of Victoria Magazine?  Really?

• Donate to local elementary school for art projects
• Clip things you want to save like recipes, decorating tips or craft projects and put in an “idea” notebook.  I use a three-ring binder with plastic page protectors.   Then donate the rest to a school.
• My library accepts donated magazines and sells them.  Check with yours.
• Take them to your next family or friends get-together and give them away.

Brochures/Menus/Ideas

I created a “Family Fun Book” to keep track of papers I wanted to keep, but didn’t want to file. Using a three-ring binder with page protectors and tabbed inserts, I keep things like takeout menus, brochures, ideas for family activities, movies to see and more all in one handy place.

I know this is just a small portion of what causes paper clutter, but I hope the idea of sorting first makes this more manageable. When I take the time to sort, it’s so much easier to make decisions.  Plus, I see how much I really have. Tomorrow I’ll address more types of paper, including what you really need to keep and how long.

Heavenly Father, some days it feels like I’m drowning in paper.  I have so much anxiety of how to manage it and what I need to keep.  Help me to take this one step at a time.  I want to be a good steward of my time, energy and space and I know that means addressing the paper in my life.  Help me release my grip on things that others could use. In Jesus name, Amen.

Finally …

SHE STANDS ALONE

In my devotion today, I shared about a bold woman I saw standing firm for what she believe God called her to do. I can still see her little figure standing there holding a Bible, her head lowered.

Her devotion to her beliefs challenged me to look at myself and my commitment to stand for what God has called me to do. No matter how hard it gets.  No matter how much I question myself.   In my devotion, I promised to share a personal challenge.  I hope that by doing so, you’ll be encouraged in your own hard place.

Six and a half years ago, my husband and I heard God clearly call us to adopt.  We already had three biological children, but we knew God wanted us to care for orphans.  And it shocked us when God told us our daughters were waiting for us in Liberia, Africa.  This hadn’t even been on our radar screen.

But we obeyed and brought two little sisters in our hearts and homes.  It didn’t take long to realize our daughters had suffered greatly from their upbringing in a war zone.  We knew they would need tender care, but the depth of their cognitive and emotional damage was challenging –  especially since they each have unique issues.

There have been many times in the past six and a half years when I have felt like I was drowning in their complex needs.  I have felt unqualified to help them overcome the hurt and scars of their past.  And my husband and I underestimated the cost we would pay to care for these precious children.  Let’s just say that no one is lining up to make a movie about our great success story … at least not yet.

In spite of the daily, often painful, challenges we face, nothing else in my life has driven me to my Heavenly Father like this calling.  My utter helplessness to heal their brokenness has made me dependent on God like never before. And we are learning the power of the name of Jesus to still the storms like we never did in the calm.

Years ago a friend shared this quote with me:  Don’t doubt in the dark what you know to be true in the light.

This is what I know in the light:

• We were hand-picked to parent our daughters.
• God knew their brokenness.
• God knew our limitations.
• He never planned for us to do this alone.

Are you facing a mountain that seems too big to climb?  You were never meant to climb it alone.  But you are meant to climb it.  Will you join me in putting one foot of obedience in front of the other?  Will you join me in asking for God’s help when we feel too weak to take another step?  He is faithful.  And I can testify that you will experience the reality of God like you never have before when you turn to Him for help.

Thank you for joining me today.  And if you want to join me on this clutter-free challenge, please sign up to receive my blog updates by email or RSS feed.  You can read last week’s posts by clicking on “Clutter Free” in the categories.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  It’s my hope and prayer that you feel lighter now that we’ve tapped into the wisdom of God, aligned our hearts with His through prayer, done a personal assessment of everything we have to do and started the editing process to trim down an overwhelming schedule.

Last week I promised we would do something with that list of tasks and responsibilities you’ve been creating, and that’s our focus today.  I’m going to share an approach that has truly revolutionized how I organize my tasks and responsibilities.

For years I tried to manage all I had to do on one list.  I tried to prioritize that to-do list using various methods, all without success.  I had huge projects next to phone calls.  It was just too much to put on one sheet of paper.   It was like trying to squeeze my size 9 feet into cute little size 6 shoes.  It wasn’t happening.

With one to-do list, I  never had an accurate view of all my responsibilities because I instinctively knew certain things didn’t belong there  And so I kept piling more on to an already overloaded schedule.

I bought planner after planner, hoping another professional system would help me organize my life.  But I couldn’t customize them to my needs, and I ended up investing in a stack of expensive pretty binders.  Project management seemed like the answer at one point, and I  checked into specialized software – but that wasn’t what I needed.

Finally, inspired again by David’s Allen’s Getting Things Done philosophy, I created something to meet my needs.  I made a project management notebook using a 3-ring binder. This book contains everything I need to do – now and in the future – my project list.  And then I invested in an inexpensive spiral notebook for my to-do list.  I’ve been using this system for about a year and it is perfect for me.  Let me explain how it works.

In the front of my 3-ring binder I have a master list of projects. A project is anything that requires more than one step to complete.  For me, that includes things like organizing the writer’s track at She Speaks, putting together the next issue of the P31 Woman or planning a fundraising night for my youngest son’s wrestling team.  Those are just a few of the things on my radar right now.

Behind that, I have  full sheets to keep  notes for individual projects (included on the master project list) depending on their complexity.  This notebook  has evolved into a place to keep prayer requests, ideas for future devotions and blog posts,  and lists of things I want to do in the future.  Basically it keeps lists of things I don’t want to forget.  All this is my Project Management Planner.

My to-do list, which is in a cute spiral notebook, only includes the next task needed to move a project forward.  And only what I can manage that day or week.  These are one-step tasks I choose from the project list based on deadlines.  For example, right now I need to email a publisher, follow up on an article by Lysa and Renee for April’s issue and email the wrestling coach to confirm the date for the fundraising night.  These are on my to-do list for next week.

By only pulling tasks that I have to get done, my to-do list stays manageable.  But I never forget what has to be done because it’s on the project list.

Then, once a month (or as needed) I update my master list of projects – crossing some off and adding others.  Once a week (or as needed), I pull out my current project list notebook and create a to-do list.

Does this sound like it might help you?  It’s affordable and it becomes a place to store all those little pieces of paper with scribbled on notes you’ve got cluttering up your fridge, desk and kitchen counter.

You might not need a binder.  Maybe you just need that spiral notebook and can dedicate one page to your projects and the following pages to-do lists.  Really it all depends on how much you have to do. The concept can be applied in many ways.

So in summary, here’s a step by step approach for you:

1) Get some fresh paper (or blank page on the computer if you insist) and start listing the major projects you’ve already identified and put on your master list.  For you this might be put away Christmas decorations.  Or organize 2011 taxes.  These are your project titles.

2) Then list tasks relating to that project below the heading.  You may not have all the tasks identified and that’s ok.  But if you do, put them with this project.  Then go to the next project.

Some things might not seem like a project, but they are similar enough to qualify for one. Let’s say you have lots of mending, and you listed 10 things that need to be mended.  Make “Mending” your project heading and list your items under that. Or you might have lots of phone calls. Make “Phone Calls” your project and list who you need to call under that.   You also might have one list for random one-step tasks that don’t have anything in common.  All this comprises your Project List.

3) Once that’s done, pull 5-10 tasks to put on your to-do list for that day or week depending on the task and how much you can get done.

Using this system, you can add pages for anything you want to remember … books you want to read (or write) someday, places you want to visit, projects you want to tackle someday.  This notebook becomes your “safe place” for all those notes you don’t want to forget. And it’s so personalized!  If you are really creative (which I’m not) you can even decorate the cover.

I hope this idea is helpful.  My friend Julie tried it for herself and here’s what she told me:  “I’ve implemented your project notebook idea.  … I absolutely love, love love it! It’s helping me stay focused and organized and keeps all my ideas in one place. It’s literally changed my life.”

Tomorrow we are going to tackle paper.  So warn your stacks and piles … they won’t be there much longer.    Until then …

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis

Heavenly Father, I start this new week in the Clutter-Free Challenge and offer it to You.  Help this week to be about Your will and not mine.  Help me to love like you love and to keep all this de-cluttering in perspective.  I want to bring more order into my life, but for the right reasons.  Help free me from clutter in order to be free to serve You.  In Jesus name, Amen.