Welcome! I am SO HAPPY you have decided to join me for a 15-Day Clutter-FREE Challenge. I’ve been planning, preparing and praying over this for months, and I’m excited to begin. Today I want to give you an overview of what this challenge will look like. But first, I want to address what I know is on many of your minds. Maybe you are itching to get started, but if we don’t deal with what’s going on inside of us, we’ll only put bandages on the outside problem of clutter. I want more for you than a temporary fix.
I know everyone is starting this challenge from a different place of optimism. Some of you are charged up and ready to tackle the clutter in your lives. Yet others are so discouraged and defeated, and we haven’t even started. You’ve tried everything, and you are ready to lock up your house and move. I understand. I’ve been in both places before.
The truth is, my mind can be my biggest enemy in this battle of the clutter. I’m sure some of you can relate. We blame and label ourselves. We compare and discourage ourselves. We judge and give up on ourselves. And so today, before giving you any tips, I want to start by praying for God’s truth to replace the lies that have held us back. You see, this isn’t just a battle of “things,” it’s a spiritual battle. Please pray with me before reading any more:
Heavenly Father, You alone know my heart as I start this challenge. You know the depth of my discouragement and the loss of my hope that I’ll ever be free of the clutter in my life. So today, as I take this step with Glynnis and other many others, I’m asking for Your help. Help me have Your perspective on the areas of my life that feel overwhelming. Clear my mind of the negative chatter. Protect me from an enemy who wants to confuse and defeat me. Reveal his lies and replace them with Your truth about my worth and potential. With Your help I believe I can make progress. In Jesus name, Amen.
Each time you feel overwhelmed and discouraged remember to pray. Satan wants you bound; God wants you free. See the lies for what they are and ask God for His truth. It’s amazing how empowered you’ll feel when you use the weapon God has offered you – truth.
Now a bit about why I’m doing this challenge. As I was writing my book, “I Used to Be So Organized,” I studied many organization, time management and productivity books. I read magazines articles on organization and visited many organizing blogs. Everywhere I looked, I found great tips on how to develop efficient systems for organizing. Even with all this information available, much of it free, why do so many people struggle with getting organized?
It actually didn’t take me long to figure this out. The answer was obvious. Most of us have too much stuff in too little room – whether it’s our minds, schedules, offices or homes. There’s just more stuff than we need or can manage.
You see, there is no point in “organizing” stuff that shouldn’t be there in the first place! And there’s no benefit of trying to get a handle on your schedule if your responsibilities outweigh your resources for getting everything done.
If you’ve got an organization problem, I’ll be brave and at the risk of offending you, say you have too much stuff in your life. I’ll bet you have stuff stacked, tucked, shelved, boxed and piled around your house. And the thought of bringing any kind of order to all that stuff overwhelms you.
I know. I’ve been there. That’s why I don’t want to spend your valuable time telling you to buy more storage bins, filing cabinets, cute baskets or bins.
For now, let’s not think about how we are going to bring order to our stuff. Let’s just think about getting rid of clutter. Together we’ll spend the next 15 days working through areas of our lives that tend to feel out of control. We’re going to simplify. Doesn’t that sound appealing?
Together we will: assess, categorize, recycle, shred, toss, give away. It will be like going on a diet, only you can have Starbucks and brownies while you work. At the end of this challenge, I promise you’ll be lighter. You’ll have the weight of a messy office, kitchen or bedroom off your shoulders. You’ll feel unburdened by too many thoughts running through your mind. You’ll have a lighter schedule and be able to identify your priorities and focus on what’s important.
Our purpose in getting free of clutter is to be freed to do what God is calling us to do. Clutter in our minds, spirits, time and resources drains us. It saps our creativity. It discourages us before we get started. We are free from clutter to obey.
Thanks for joining me on this 15-day challenge. And I understand if you can’t get it all done in 15 days. Just work at it as you can. Maybe for you it takes 15 weeks. And that’s okay too. Just keep moving forward. We’ll celebrate the little victories together.
Tomorrow I’ll share a spiritual principle that will help bring clarity to your mind. Everything starts there, and we need to get that area under control first. Until then …
Grace & Peace,
Glynnis
If you’d like to read more of my thoughts on de-cluttering and getting organized, I hope you’ll consider getting my book, “I Used to Be So Organized.” Available through Proverbs 31 Ministries, Amazon, ChristianBooks.com or wherever books are sold. Please note that as of today, there is a short wait to receive my book. However, I know shipments went out last week from my publisher and shipping time should change soon.
You are so right about the clutter in our minds. Thank you for leading this journey. I so need this…for more reasons than I can tell you!
I am now following your blog.
I’d like to see the day I go to the store for milk and eggs and come out with just those 2 items. Well maybe I’ve done that once in 33 years. Good stuff…keep it coming!
I just shared this on facebook. Cllutter is my greatest sin! Maybe I will get some encouragement from some of my friends. I loved your prayer. Thanks for your support.
and I, a stranger but a sister, encourage you also as you and i and us walk through this 15 day challenge together, Patti!
Thanks so much!
Patti,
Get down on your knees and THANK GOD, if “clutter” is your greatest sin!
It is definitely one of mine, but not the greatest by any means. Thanks for kicking off the commenting!
Looking forward to participating in the Great Clutter Challenge!
Thank you for your reply…. Now to find my countertop!
So, I know it’s not good to be so unorganized, but is it really a sin? Do you know of a Bible reference I could read on that? I’ve never thought of it as a sin… I’m sure we’ll get to this subject in the next 15 days, but thought I’d ask anyway
Thanks!
I suppose in my case it is. Sometimes i’m just too lazy. The Bible doesn’t say good things about laziness. Also… i feel like the clutter and mess gets in the way of my relationship with God. Also it hinders me from being hospitable. If i feel called to invite someone to my home after church, I won’t do it because of the clutter. So, for me, it’s a sin. Maybe not for everyone though. Does that make sense?
yes that makes sense and affects me in some of the same ways…
I have read many books on the subject. I am overwhelmed. My biggest problem is that I have a spouse who doesnt want me to get rid of stuff, esp books. He even doesn’t want me to get rid of extra dishes or Christmas decorations that are no longer being used. I live in a small mobile home with very little space for storage. It’s hard to just do regular housework with everything laying around.
Marianne: I know how you feel. My husband is the same way and won’t part with things like shirts that haven’t fitted for years and are so out of date I would hate for him to wear them (if I’m honest), anything remotely sentimental including trinkets tucked away out of sight and unenjoyed, any tool or car part he may ever need in the future– (hence our scary, un-safe, and overwhelming garage!). It will be challenging to move forward without him on board so I have been praying for God to change his heart regarding this, if it’s His will. I can’t nag him into it, I’ve tried! Good luck to you!
And i have the opposite problem. My husband would like me to get rid of EVERYthing! LOL sometimes thats frustrating too,esp when it’s something i actually use or need or will need in the future( such as my sewing machine, i love to sew, but with 5 young children i don’t have time right now). Still i find i accumulate far too much paper and stuff. I don’t know what to do with all the things my kids make for me, or work they bring home from school. I’d throw out a lot, but they want me to keep it.I’m really hoping that this course will clarify what i need to get rid of, and how to organize what i keep! But we’re all in this together, so somehow we’ll help each other figure it out!
Agree my husbands work shop well stuff every where. Can not even saftey get to light switch I pray that God will lead him to rediscover his passion he once had to look after his workshop I know his grandchildren would enjoy and his children and myself as well.
Thank you thank you thank you. I have been motivated since I signed up & I’m doing little things each day to get to the goal. I know God is helping me along the way and if I take baby steps I’ll get there.
Thank you for that prayer! It was my hearts cry! Not so much for household clutter, although I certainly excellence; but more for the mental clutter that keeps me bound by indecisiveness and lacking the ability to focus on any one thing long enough to do it with excellence! I am looking forward to this challenge.
See what I mean! I proofed it twice and still had typos!
;< )
My feelings are the same. I am one board mostly to be mentally clutter free. My external de-cluttering is just the strawberry one top.
My heart’s cry as of late has been for God to reveal myself to me … as HE sees me. I don’t even know what clutter He wants me to get rid of and/or prioritize, but I am thrilled to have been nudged to sign up for this challenge and see what it is.
I look forward to seeing His successes in us as you share your knowledge and wisdom through this challenge, Glynnis. And I pray for His hand to be on you as you sacrifice your time to lead us.
I am so excited about this challenge! Your statement about being free in order to do what God wants us to do is my goal. I am de-cluttering my schedule and prioritizing what is best for my family. I want to be fun and creative again. Thank you! Be joyful always!
Fun & creative! Oh I remember those days. They are going to find their way back to me!
Yes, fun and creative have been gone for quite some time now. I miss them. Hoping to find them again!
How intuitive-(God illuminated) to draw us toward understanding what is really behind the Clutter in our lives, Glynnis. This battle is first and foremost fought within our minds. Clearing our minds of the negative chatter and protection from the enemy who wants to confuse us and defeat us so that God can reveal His truth about our worth and our potential is paramount, Step One. I cannot possibly put forth the first effort to tackle the Clutter in my life until I first have the hope that I can! Thank you for revealing this truth, God’s truth, and opening up my mind to what the real battle is! I anxiously look forward to day’s 2 insight! Thank you, Glynnis!
I am so in agreeance with this statement. I now have a hope that is encouraging enough on it’s own. Now when I group that with effort and diligence I know I am on my very way. Thank you Glynnis and to all of the other women who are doing this challenge. I no longer feel alone in my quest! I thank God for each and every one of you and the hope, encouragement, accountability and commitment that you provide to yourself, to me, to the Kingdom.
DA_
I didn’t realize how much clutter my family possessed until we moved last month…I’m still going through a room piled with boxes of “stuff.” I’m super ready for this 15 weeks…and to keep tackling the mess. Mentally, I’m cluttered as well, and I definitely feel God speaking to me about simplifying and learning to submit to His daily will. Thank you Glynnis for heeding God’s direction for you to lead this study. I look forward to tomorrow’s post
*15 days! haha, maybe I will be the one that needs 15 weeks to get through everything!
Me too!
When things are cluttered at home, my whole life feels out of balance. Thank you for doing this!
Hi Glynnis,
I’m looking forward to this challenge! I’m ready to get rid of some clutter, but I do need help in de-cluttering my mind first. I have de-cluttered my home before but I always go back to the same old habits. I’m looking forward to change!
Blessings,
Janet W.
Hey Janet….I totally agree with you on decluttering my mind! It makes sense to me that decluttering my MIND will help me get on track with decluttering our home! I don’t want to go back to the same old same old bad habits….not only in our home BUT in my mind! I’ve never considered all that “junk/baggage” I carry around is really clutter and it needs to be gotten rid of! I pray you’ll find just what you need in this study! Have a blessed day! SadieRose’s mom
Thanks so much, Glynnis for your prayers about this, and for your willingness to carry out His will.
I feel overwhelmed everyday of my life. I don’t work outside our home, my children are grown and out of our house…just me and my husband and I can’t get a grip on anything. Dread everyday because I feel so overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. Clutter surrounds me in my mind and in my house. Hope to find some clarity with your blog. Thank you for sharing!
Teresa, I am in the exact same spot! I don’t work outside the home,my chilren are grown and outside of our home, just me and my husband, and I can’t get a grip on anything. I need to deal with many things in my home that were my parents and need to be gotten rid of. I too feel overwhlemed and don’t know where to start.
The clutter and confusion keep me bound in many ways including getting into a healthy lifestyle again.
I’m with you guys, Teresa and Pat. My kids are grown but 2 are still home plus I have a home business but I never get out of the house much and feel like you-dread everyday, overwhelmed, so I hope this will help and am glad of starting in the mind because that is a Big problem too.
Thank you, Glynnis…..I am so happy to have your help with this area of my life. It is a real source of discouragement to me and really messes with how I view myself and how I feel others…..especially my husband, views me. I am ready to start…or should I say, regain the calm and peaceful atmosphere of my home that I use to have.
God Bless
About a year ago the Lord put a burden in my heart to get my house in order. I began by praying He show me what this means and how to do this. It began with fixing things in need of repair, doing routine maintenance (like painting) and getting rid of things that we no longer needed that were cluttering areas of our home. I am an empty Nester of three children. I have alot of time to De-clutter and get my house in order since I suddenly and unexpectedly became unemployed last August. My biggest challenge now is the lack of worth I feel since I no longer have children to care for or a job to go to each day. In your prayer for Day 1 of this 15 day challenge “Protect me from an enemy who wants to confuse and defeat me. Reveal his lies and replace them with Your truth about my worth and potential”, gives me assurance that God is going to speak to me through this series.
Hi Angie….I too am an empty nester of three children and I too share your words described above, even losing my livelihood of an at-home business of 11+ years. I did find another job out of the home, for which took quite a bit of time to adjust and am now finally getting used to it.
I said all that to say, I am with you for these next two weeks in thoughts and prayers. We are precious creations of God made in His image and the same help others have received to do great things is available to us….we CAN do this!!!! (“I can do all things through Christ who gives me Strength!” Phillipians 4:13)
I am not an empty-nester. In fact, I’m just at the beginning of my parenting journey – one daughter is 17 months and #2 is on the way.
As a young mom, I would encourage those who are empty nesters to find young moms in their church or neighborhood to pour into. My mom lives across the county, and I could use someone to walk beside me, encourage me and lend a hand – even if that means just coming over and making me coffee. It would be such a blessing for you and for any mom you find to reach out to!
I too am a young mom of 5. The oldest is 9, youngest is 8 months, and I am grateful for the older women of faith he has put in my life.
Wow,Glynnis,just by praying the prayer,did something2 me…I’m so excited,nd looking forward 2 walk with you on this journey of becoming clutter-free,nd maintaining it..God bless!
I am so glad that you are doing this 15 day challenge, I am looking forward to doing. Our pastor has us pray each year for a single word or two for the year. My word was Organize, I didn’t realize until a few days ago that, that also meant de-clutter. My sister sent me this link after finding out that my word was “organize”.
Heidi, my word from the Lord this year is Diligence. I pray that we will all be Diligent about ridding our lives of the mental and physical clutter.
Like Marianne, I have a spouse who does not like to get rid of things. While I realize that it’s important to keep some things for memories, he would like to keep everything! More and more I am beginning to understand that it’s a mind issue. He doesn’t want to release any single item that was given to him by a beloved relative who has died, becasue those are his memories. (For example, his aunt gave him four music boxes. I suggest that we keep one and let three go – but he won’t. Nobody even uses them – I just have to keep them dusted!) Or, he likes to keep things because he thinks he will need them someday (which would be good if he could FIND them when he does need them, and if our house was big enough to store all of this, but we have no basement and no attic.) Won’t get rid of clothes that have stains or holes b/c they become work clothes. (How many work shirts do you need????) And then there are the projects that are begun: “Let’s grow herbs in the windowsill!” (That nobody thinks about or takes care of once they are planted.) My spouse does not even like it if I get rid of my own things, or if the kids purge. Over Christmas break, the kids went through their toys and got rid of probably a dozen toys and games. But before we could make the big trip (we live in the boonies) to town to actually donate them when our agency is open, he found them and “rescued” at least half of them. He says he can fix these things. The problem is that the kids haven’t missed having them in years – it’s time to LET THEM GO! They have no lack of other things to play with.
Anyway, here’s a funny story: over the break, my seven year old had a new friend over to play. The little girl walked into our house and asked about all the stuff. My daughter replied that it all belonged to her dad. The girl asked, “Is he a superhero of junk?” And my daughter said, “I don’t think he’s an official superhero, but my mom tries to get rid of stuff, and he keeps bringing it back in.”
Glynnis – thank you for the prayer. I have never thought about praying about the clutter before, but now I will be praying about it – and also praying for my husband to be able to come to the point in his mind where he can let things go – especially the things that don’t even belong to him personally.
I’ve read so many articles & books on organization & getting rid of clutter (and those magazines & books just became part of the clutter!) but always seemed to get overwhelmed and gave up feeling defeated. Examining the clutter in my mind and life never occured to me ~ which is probably why I was never successful at clearing the clutter in my home.
I am so excited about this journey/challenge, whether it takes me 15 days or 15 weeks! Re-setting my mind will hopefully help me to start fresh and get rid of old habits that keep me in the “clutter” cycle. Thank you Glynnis for leading this journey; Thank you to the ladies I’ll meet along the journey; and most importantly, Thanks to GOD for what He will accomplish in our lives, hearts, minds & homes along this journey.
Someone sent this link to me and I”m so pleased, Just today I wrote a blog on my messiness and how I”ve begun to ‘clean house’ so I’m in with the rest of you and am so excited to have comrades along the way. God bless you all!
This is great . . . I have to admit I have already started my reorganizing steps. Over the holidays, I was watching Hoarders – Buried Alive marathon and it really kick started my reorg!!! With my kitchen finished this weekend, I am ready to tackle other areas of my house. AND I found of $500.00 in change buried in one of our cabinets! What a great find.
Mrs. Claus….It sounds like Christmas happened at your house all over again. WTG with finding all that change….rewarding in deed!!
“You’ll have the weight of a messy office, kitchen or bedroom off your shoulders. You’ll feel unburdened by too many thoughts running through your mind. You’ll have a lighter schedule and be able to identify your priorities and focus on what’s important.”
As soon as I read that, I knew God meant for me to read this and follow along with the program. It fits right in with my Spirit-given motto for 2012: Lighter and leaner more energetic.
I’ll be starting seminary this coming fall, and before that I’ll be taking some time off to (among other things) declutter my house and mind so that I can focus better on my studies. I live alone in a house that is probably too large for me, yet I’ve managed to fill it up with stuff. Because of the housing market, I can’t sell the house just yet, so I don’t have that powerful external motivator pushing me to declutter. Thank you so much for this challenge. God will use it to work in the lives of many. So much looking forward to seeing how that plays out.
My sister & I are so excited to begin this challenge! Thank you so much for this opportunity! God Bless
So much truth! I am doing pretty well with decluttering my house, but my time is a train wreck. I keep trying to rearrange it and make it work. I have read and studied on time management but I can never get it under control. I don’t work full time and I don’t have small children, there should be no excuses. My problem is I want and try to do WAY more than will fit. I hesitated to join this challenge because of that, but this first post convinces me this will help me get on the right track. I am going to have to give up some of the projects I want to do and let God show what is most important. Thanks for your help!
This sounds so unlike any organization plan I have begun so far. . . and I’m saving $$ too . . . no storage bins to buy.
I bet when I’m done with this challenge, I’ll have a couple of empty ones even. Oh the thought of being organzied, of actually knowing that everything has a place in my home. . . now that is Home Sweet Home!! Thank you for allowing me to once again make an attempt to bring order to my home and life. I know that with the proper perspective on things, I CAN DO THIS!! I started over vacation by throwing out all socks and underwear that have holes in them– you know the ones you would never want to be in a accident in. 
Please tell me I am not alone here. No more piles “to be mended”. . . Yeah! And my husband now has WHITE socks again!! Ok, it is only step one, but one that I took and it feels great when it is time to put the laundry away. I am SOOOO ready for this challenge. I might even find my sanity in one of my piles of sorting. Good luck and God’s blessings to all who are joining this adventure.
You are not alone. And isn’t it amazing how just doing a little thing that’s been bothering you can jumpstart your motivation. I’m so glad you are joining me on this journey!
Glynnis:
Thanks for your book. I stumbled on it through an Encouragement Today Devotion and have read about half. I have been praying about this and listening to what God might say. So, I did some clearing of paperwork and paying (overdue) bills today. I got A LOT done, but I became so bitter and defeated in the process (in part b/c my husband doesn’t help in this area very often) I don’t even feel accomplished or good about what I got done. I guess there is so much more that I’m in that camp that loses hope before (or as) they begin…looking forward to some hope.
This is just what I need. I’ve got a cluttered floor that needs to be vacuumed, a counter that I know is there somewhere, a desk that I haven’t seen in a year, and a mound of laundry with a yodler and a mountain goat on top! It’s a little scary to think that this could be a reflection of the clutter in my heart, but I’m determined to get to the bottom of all of my piles and to the core of my heart! Thank you.
Lisa – you’ll unclutter those places, I know you will. First ask the yodeler and the mountain goat to kindly return to Switzerland. Or let the goat tackle your paper clutter. LOL
I started doing this on my own for our family so I was excited to see this on Facebook. It will help to be among others doing it too to keep my motivation going strong. Thanks for doing this!
We will encourage each other!! I’m glad you are joining us. I hope my posts support what you are already doing.
So happy to have received your e-mail on the challenge. Being a mom of 3 with a career outside the home and a home business…things can get so overwhelming. Your sentence ” You see, this isn’t just a battle of “things,” it’s a spiritual battle.” hit home as well as the part of the prayer, “Protect me from an enemy who wants to confuse and defeat me. Reveal his lies and replace them with Your truth about my worth and potential. With Your help I believe I can make progress.” Time to get moving and declutter my mind and my home with your help and the help of the Almighty! Thanks so much!
Maureen, I’ve been where you are, and I know that overwhelming feeling. I’m praying for the Lord to step in and bring you peace as you take these next steps.
Ditto on everything that everyone above said. I fall in there with all of you and I am so ready to tackle the clutter in my heart and life. I am looking forward to a this great challenge and completing it with all of you.
I’m so glad to hear from you. I’m praying the Lord protects the time you give to decluttering your life.
I didn’t receive your email today like I was supposed to. Can you please check and make sure i am signed up for the challenge.thanks so much!
feedburner should have sent you an email once you signed up to receive the blog. You need to clink on the link in that email to confirm registration. I was not receiving the emails either and I am hoping that I will tomorrow after confirming today.
Karen, did you get today’s post?
Hi Terri – I checked this morning (Tuesday) and your subscription is active, meaning your email did go out. Did you get today’s post? Thank you so much for checking on this.
Totally excited to go through this 15 day journey with you
Glynnis,
Would it be possible to make your book available on Kindle (Amazon UK )? Part of my organisation problem is the amount of books I own and I am a bit reluctant to add another paper one to the pile
Many thanks
Ruth
Ruth – There has been some kind of delay with the publisher and some complications because of a contract they signed with Apple. I don’t know the details but I know they plan to put it on Kindle. It’s my prayer that it will be soon. I’ll make an announcement on my blog when they have it ready. Thank you so much for asking!!!
Glynnis,
I’m excited about this journey! I’ve always been an organized person – home, office, tasks list, a lists of all my lists. Obviously, I can go overboard. But my mind is always going 100 miles an hour with millions of thoughts flying through – day and night. So I’m glad we are starting with the mind!
Blessings,
Edwina
Are we suppose to be getting these challenges in our email? I signed up for the Challenge but only received a ‘join us’ email yesterday and not the actual link to the challenge. Just wondering. Thanks.
Hi Michelle – if you subscribed to my blog, you should be getting these as emails. I am finding that the delivery time varies WIDELY. Can you forward me the email you received? Send it to me at editor@proverbs31.org and I’ll check it out. I confirmed that your subscription is active, so there is a problem with the delivery. Nothing you have done.
Glynnis,
Much of it is in my mind and my soul. I need peace and simplicity there before I can have it around me.
Your words resonate within me… “Our purpose in getting free of clutter is to be freed to do what God is calling us to do. Clutter in our minds, spirits, time and resources drains us. It saps our creativity.” I think clutter in my mind and my spirit is my biggest physical and emotional enemy. I usually think my lack of energy comes from picking up after my messy family and convincing them to be responsible for their “stuff,” but I think you are on to something here.
Carol
Oh how cluttered the mind can be! A cluttered mind just seems to have a ripple effect. It is on the days when my mind is the busiest that I sort of spin in circles. You know, that feeling of unfocus, when you go in one room to put something away and get distracted by something in that room that is screaming for your attention. This is REALLY difficult as you get older. . . it’s hard enough to remember what you went in there for without all that extra “mind baggage”.
I am really looking forward to decluttering my mind and having that extra space for the things of God. Thank you for the reminder to start from the inside out.
Thank you for the insight. I use to write things down and then careers changed and it seemed easier to try and remember everything…yeah right. It has gotten me nowhere but more clutter in my head and in parts of my house. I like your idea better and will be purchasing a spiral notebook with sections so that I can seperate every “to do” item in different catagories. My number one thing I would like to get back into order is my garage as well as my walk in closet. These places have become a catch all for things I don’t won’t to clutter my house with. I will be also writing things down in my notebook that I want to accomplish out side of my home. Thank you very much for your insight on this. Looking forward to this year and getting things done!!
Blessings….Elke
You are definitely talking to me today! I was just downstairs looking at the stacks and thought of how nice it would be to sort my fabric by color after I get some more bins. Then I realized the stuff is already in boxes…why buy more.
My mind is way too cluttered. This morning when I read my daily Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest…I thought again of my cluttered mind and how it holds me back. I am ready for this challenge and it probably will take more than 15 weeks for me!
That is me! I live with that constant unease that there’s something else that I should be doing. Thank you for writing this study. I am excited how God is going to use it!
Can I have the book? My brain really needs it.
“Our purpose in getting free of clutter is to be freed to do what God is calling us to do. Clutter in our minds, spirits, time and resources drains us. It saps our creativity. It discourages us before we get started. We are free from clutter to obey.”
This so hits the nail on the head for me. I was just in prayer this morning along these lines and a dear friend sent a link to your site, and it is like an answer to prayer. I am strongly encouraged.
Thank you for sharing this with us, Glynnis. I feel so overwhelmed I wouldn’t know where to start myself! I’m excited to start changing my heart, my mind and my life, with a little less clutter at a time.
Your books title has pulled at my heartstring for years! I’ve been saying that about my life for the last 6 years! With trying to balance it all, I lost who I use to be & I’m slowing trying to find me again! “I used to be so organized” is my favorite expression even before I just read your first email 2 weeks ago; finally someone has wrote a book of exactly how I feel! I truly thought I was losing my mind & it was just me that struggles with all of this on a daily basis. Words can’t describe how I want to have that mental clarity again…. but with my 3 childrens’ different schedules & my husband’s spontaneity I’m finding that if I don’t make the time for myself I don’t get it! I’m important as well & the Lord has been letting me know that with little blessings along the way! Thank you again for leading the way back to Organizing from the inside out!
I’m in!
I’m in!
So excited to see what God truly wants me to be doing instead of just doing. Thanks for providing this study to get us motivate. God bless!
Enjoying the journey!
I’m in! This is hard, I’m not sure I can remove anything from my list. Yikes!
This is the hardest part for me, to say no to something. Definitely stepping out of my comfort zone, but I am doing it so that I can pursue what God has planned for me. It seems it is so easy to forget that what God has planned is what will ultimately make us happy and at peace. Thanks for the reminder
I’m in! Editing my list today. Looking forward to Monday.
You know, it’s so difficult to have that discernment … because we get so lost in doing “good deeds” that we seldom bother to ask whether all those good deeds are OUR responsibility. I just assume that, since it’s good, it’s of God. Not necessarily. Delegate, delegate, delegate.
How can something so simple bring up such fear in me? This tells me it is something I have to face head-on and not run from. Thank you for making this obvious for me and even better, I don’t feel so alone in my task…
“What has God asked me to do that I haven’t done yet? (ouch again …)”
Yep, when you said that, I had a big “OH WOW” moment. Oh wow that God has been speaking to me about having a ministry on the net or better yet in my community. He has told me, in that STILL, SMALL VOICE of His that is a plan He has for me…and there it was again, THROUGH YOUR WORDS…well needless to say, I must get everything organized so that what He wants me to do will fit in! Oh wow, there it goes again, maybe He intends it to be the other way around! –Thanks for being His voice to call this my attention once again!
I’m in!
I’m in. I so set too many goals without taking away anything else to make room for new ideas so no wonder I’m disappointed when I fail! Decluttering has been a goal – seems I do well for awhile and then I fade off and back comes the clutter.
I really appreciate this post and look forward to reading the books being sited!
I’m so excited about this “clutter free challenge”, I can’t until the next day to see what you have posted. I’m in.
I fit into that “Little Red Hen” syndrome… I think I can do it all myself, so where do I start letting go? I want to be organized but I seem to just have organized clutter. I start off strong, but get discouraged. Just get rid of something I might need sometime, somewhere..hope to find help and someplace to start.
If I want to say yes to something new in my life, I have to say no to something else. What an obvious insight, yet I–and I’m sure many others–have never figured that out before! Thank you–this is a breakthrough!
I’m in!
I was completely overwhelmed when I made my to do lists. It became clear to me, even before reading today’s blog that no human, no matter how organized, could possibly accomplish all the things on those lists in the amount of time I expected to have them done. It was almost a relief to arrive at that conclusion. No more beating myself up for not being organized. Perhaps just too many things . . . Whew!!!
Extra-curriculum activities at school that I don’t have to be involved in, is an area I realized i can say no to. My children are no longer in school in the district I am still employed in. Putting time in for our ministry, we pastor a growing church and need to put my time back in it, like I did when I homeschooled my children. God is enriching our lives the more we give back to him. Thank you,for your letters they have helped already and plan on printing them so the ladies in our church can benefit from them too. God Bless
I’m in
So will God pleased if a say a verbal thank you for the gifts received and leave it at… without feeling I need to follow it up with a written thank you??
Glad a friend shared this site with me. As a counselor in a rural area I need a place to decompress….right now I am about to bubble over.. my expectations of others has invaded my every piece of emotional sobriety…..I am no longer practicing what I teach……I posted something today on facebook and at the end commented “stick me with a fork, I’m done”…..I don’t have much drive left in me, just want to stay out of the mix of people….again, too many disappointments and expectations. I am working on having more faith in God than I do in people, not sure how it got so out of balance….thanks for the break…..looking forward to more.
Thank you for your blog. I am in. Istarted getting rid of so much stuff but have more to go. My biggest problem is deciding what to throw out especially papers and, Oh! the books! Ilove them but have to many.
I used to be so organized…I even organized my books in alphabetical order & size…but then my 2 kids came along & grad school. Thought I would get my act back together after I graduated, as there was hardly time to sleep & absolutely less time think about cleaning, but that was in May 2009 & the clutter continues to grow, especially as kids bring home cute stuff from school I hate to throw away. Definitely praying this is the year God provides guidance to me to become clutter free so there will be plenty of room for us to live in the house without piles of clothes here or papers to be filed over there! Thank you Lord for leading me to this blog!
Thank u so much for this challenge! At age 51, with 4 very ill parents and inlaws, God has called me to the Counseling ministry! Amen! I’ve had 5 strokes since age 25 so clutter has been a biggie. My bestie busted it for me this summer and i have spent the past few weeks redoing (now that I know how). Every one should have a friend like my friend/ur blonde twin! I have been able to concentrate on my Bible study, reading, caring for family and others! ALL WITHOUT GUILT!!! There is a first time for everything! I am the Queen of guilt. T
I’m in too. Just like someone else said, I feel better already after just five days. I actually dont feel so bad looking at my list of responsibilities, which is only 2 pages long. Less than what I thought. My faith is strengthened, through your encouragement to believe the wisdom that God freely gives.
On Saturdays my ‘to do’ list is always huge–to the point I neglect my devotional time, and taking care of meals and looking out for the health of myself and my husband. I set my goals too high and then get discouraged when tehy are not accomplished. I get frustrated if any thing interrupts my Saturday planning. After reading Day 5 blog, I prayed that God would help me set the right priority for this Saturday and give me a peace in following what He has planed for my day. After all, He gave me this day to serve Him. I am so thankful for this study.
I wrote on 1/9 at 9:18 about my spouse who doesn’t like to get rid of things. Today I went into our mud room to do a little de-cluttering. My purpose was to find the box of toys that were on “vacation” and see if my kids could be truly done with them at this point. In moving boxes, I found a box I had previously packed to give away, and one I somehow thought had safely made it to the Goodwill. It was a large box, containing three paper grocery bags full of children’s items – books, toys, outgrown clothing. It was hidden! I am 99% sure that my spouse had rescued this, as on occasion he will offer to drive things to give away since he is out and about each day to go to work, and sometimes for me to do it will mean a special trip of many miles. I said nothing, but since finding it I feel very, very discouraged! Tonight I am praying again. Lord, help me!
Decluttering my mind is where I need to start. Then I’m able to think more clearly. As a widow, I have not been able to unpack what I needed to pack for moving after my husband’s tragic decision to take hisw own life. I live surrounded by the boxes full of the paswt memories. I need to deal with this so that my brother can move in from the garage to the bedroom. Stuff is everywhere and the garbage disposal just backed up. Help me know how to focus, Lord. The lesson is ready for tonight. But no main dish hasw been prepared fpr tonight’s worship potluck. :O)
God has shown me that I have been hoarding, (I’ve been saving materials for “if I ever get a Classroom”. Last week was the revelation of hoarding. Now I am working on tossing, giving, and recycling. He has made the stuff vile to me and I am glad. It will take a lot of time, but that’s OK.
I came across your book the other day, and “just knew” I was supposed to take it home with me! Just a few minutes ago, I came across Melissa Taylors online Bible Study, and when I saw the book she was using, I got so excited! It couldn’t come into my life at a better time! I am a wife and mother of 5 grown children, 4 of which are still living at home (they come back!) We have soooo much stuff! And yes, my mind is soooo cluttered too! Thank you in advance for helping me get through this season of my life! Blessings to you!