Since we are a little over halfway done with our 31 Days to Becoming an Organized Mom I thought I would remind us all to remember why we do it.  Do you remember the story I shared at the very beginning about what led me to even start this series?  I do so much for others and felt so convicted about letting my family have the leftovers of me and what that said to them. I very much want to live a lifestyle that indicated to my precious family that they are the MOST important thing to me.

So today I am remembering why I do the hard work, why the work toward organizing and decluttering are worth the extra time and energy.  I am writing down my reasons {well, typing them in a pretty font that I can print out and frame. I’ll share tomorrow}. I want to keep my focus so that I stay motivated.

How about you? What are your reasons? What keeps you motivated?

So, if you joined us yesterday was your organizing world rocked? Mine was…is!  I don’t really feel like organizing stuff anymore.  I just want to get rid of stuff and be free. There will always be stuff that needs organizing though.  Such is life. Especially the life of a mom.

Today I thought I would share some practical ways to start decluttering, though, in case you are like me and you are highly motivated to purge the excess stuff in your life.

1. Set your timer for 15 minutes and just start decluttering.

Think what you can do in 15 minutes if you do it consistently over time.  You don’t have to do it all at once.  Just start.

2. Sort items in boxes labeled 1. giveaway/donate 2. trash 3. sell/consign

Be ready to put items in the proper box and take care of that box right away when you are done.  A quick trip to donate goods at Salvation Army is worth it {otherwise it will pile up and sit there for a while…}.  Throw the trash away. List items on eBay or Craigslist right away as you are sorting them {phone apps are handy for this}

3. Be tough on yourself

Ask yourself tough questions like “When was the last time I used this?” “Do I really need it?” & “Is this filling my home and my life with peace or stress?”

4. If you have projects to do, books to read, etc…consider getting rid of them

If these things are weighing you down with guilt every time you think about not having gotten to them yet, then maybe it’s time to break their power over you and just get rid of them. It might be difficult at first but think of the weight that will be lifted off of you!

5. If all else fails call in a friend

Let a friend who isn’t afraid to tell you the truth, help you declutter.  They can ask you the hard questions and really help you reason through your attachment to your stuff.

Now set the timer for 15 minutes and get started.  Yes, now! You’ll thank me once your done. You will be 15 minutes closer toward a more peaceful, organized home.

Do you have any decluttering tips that help you get motivated and get organized? I’d love to hear them as I get ready to set my timer for 15 minutes!

So I’ve been taking 31 Days to Becoming an Organized Mom right? And then I have to go and read this and it shakes me up and makes me think {a lot!}. What are we organizing?  Is organizing just well planned hoarding like they are saying? Why yes, it just might be.

I believe that organizing has it’s place but I spend too much time and too much energy trying to get and stay organized. There’s so much stuff to stay on top of and too many things that I will “get to one day.”  Even with Flylady and organizational methods I follow {aka getting rid of things that weigh you down} I still have stuff that I feel like I am hoarding and just trying to organize it so that it looks good.

The blog post I mentioned above has my brain spinning.  All I want to do right now is get rid of stuff.  I didn’t realize that I wasn’t free but I really want to be free.  Free of stuff that weighs me down like a boulder on my shoulders.  Free of guilt for not getting something done that is sitting in an {organized or not} space waiting for me to touch it {“one day…”}.  I want my kids to be free to play more and clean up crazy toy messes less. I want what we have to be manageable not all consuming.

If you haven’t yet stopped to read the post I mentioned above go read it now {I’ll be here when you’re done}.  I’d LOVE to hear your thoughts! Does it shake up your way of thinking?  Should we make our organizing journey about getting rid of our hoards {organized or not}? I’m thinking yes for me.  I’m off to get rid of some stuff today.  See you tomorrow…

So how are you doing on our journey of 31 Days to Becoming an Organized Mom? Are you challenging yourself to put your family first {before others}?  Today I wanted to remind you to take care of yourself and take time to rest in all of the organizing.

You need to be an important part of your to do list as well so that you can keep going strong for your family.  Take breaks, take time off and rest.  Sundays are a good day to let your mind, body and soul rest and be refreshed.  The work will all still be there tomorrow and you will feel all the stronger to tackle it when you have rested.

Enjoy your day of rest and I’ll see you back here tomorrow with some really deep thoughts about getting organized!

We are moving along in our 31 Days to Becoming an Organized Mom series and I thought today would be a good day to share some resources that I have found helpful in my organizing journey.

Websites:

Flylady.net– If you follow Flylady’s methods they will work!  She will teach you how to take baby steps towards your organizing goals.

i heart organizing– prepare to drool a little when you scroll through her organized home pictures.  She is on top of it and organizes thing I would never think of organizing! Her blog is fun and motivational too, not overwhelming and scary.

Some of my favorite motivational books are:

Organizing for Life: Declutter Your Mind to Declutter Your World and Organizing Your Day: Time Management Techniques That Will Work for You by Sandra Felton- These books are so good! They really helped me to change my mindsets about how to get organized and stay organized.  There are so many practical tips in them coming from a woman with many years of experience in changing from a naturally unorganized person into an organized person.  I think you will find these books really helpful. Sandra Felton also has several other books on organization as well.

Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living– Tsh Oxenreider teaches you how to live simply and get organized.  I love her ideas and methods and think you will find this helpful too!

31 Days to Clean – Having a Martha House the Mary Way– Sarah Mae openly shares that she doesn’t love to clean but feels it is necessary to bless her family.  She will take you on a 31 day journey toward examining your heart and motivation as well as practical steps towards getting your home clean.

I am sure there are many other great organizing resources.  What are some of your favorites?