Kathi Lipp's Blog, page 46

“Organize Me Now!”: The Ultimate Storage Organization Guide (& a Chance to Win!)

Organize Me Now! Discover 8 genius organizing tips plus enter to win my new fave organizing tool!

 

When I first started on my clutter free journey, I imagined my life would be so far removed from “stuff” that I would never need any type of storage again. (I also dreamed I’d win one of those makeover shows and someone would come to my house, organize me so much that my home would look like a minimalist lives there — and I would never have to organize again. I have a rich fantasy life.)

 

Yeah, that’s not exactly how things worked out.

 

While I work hard on living a clutter free life, I am not a minimalist. I’m more of a maximalist. I like to have Christmas decorations dripping from my tree in the winter, camping equipment for the summer (with a few glamping items thrown in – campfire coffee maker is a necessity), gardening equipment for the spring, and home improvement stuff year round. I also love to cook, but I have a tiny kitchen, so many of my favorite appliances, tools and dishes have homes outside of the kitchen area.

 

Those things, plus other stuff I love, require storage.

 

If you’re like me, but your storage is taking over your life, and you constantly look around and want to scream “Organize me now!”, just know that it is possible to be organized and clutter free.

 

Even with my deep love of stuff, living in a 1300-square-foot house, and running a business from home (with a ton of inventory), I have never used a storage unit except when moving, and when I was a single mom living with my parents. (By the way, if you”re living with a storage unit — and that ugly monthly payment — your first goal should be to either eliminate that unit completely, or scale down to a smaller unit as quickly as possible. This post will help with that.)

 

But even if we don’t have a storage unit, most of us need to have some kind of storage system in our homes, whether it’s a tiny closet or an area in our garage or basement. And our goal must be to keep that area as contained and organized as possible.

 

Confession time: my storage area has been the most out of control place in my house. Because it was in the garage, I haven’t given it the Clutter Free love it desperately needed. That ends today.  All I’m doing today is applying the same Clutter Free principles to storage that I’ve applied to the rest of the house.

BEFORE

 

When Your Stuff is Screaming “Organize Me!” 

 

Don’t try THIS at home:

The worst thing you could do is to start packing up random cardboard boxes, labeling them “STUFF” with the intention of “dealing with it later” (when does “later” ever seem like a good time?) and just keep piling boxes up.

 

Do try THIS at home:

Here are my best organizing tips to creating clutter-free storage you can actually use.

 

Determine Your Storage Space

It’s important to determine what space you will use first, and then decide what you will keep and what you won’t. If the “storage” area has three shelves that hold two storage containers each, you know your maximum storage is six containers. That will help you be selective in what you keep and what you toss (as opposed to most people who just keep buying more storage containers and looking for places to stash them.)

 

Choose Sturdy Shelving

Piling your stuff not only looks chaotic, it makes accessing what you need a true challenge. If you’ve ever wondered whether the item you were looking for was under the pile of clothes in the corner or in the cardboard box behind the lawnmower, you need a better plan.

Purchase some great, sturdy shelving to make your storage so much easier to use and access.

 

Buy the Right Storage Containers

Cardboard boxes are not your friends when it comes to storage. I like a lidded clear bin so you can see the contents. Be sure to measure your shelving before you invest in a bunch of bins. There is nothing more deflating than filling up all those containers, only to discover they don’t fit on the shelves. (Ask me how I know. Go on…)

 

Declutter

It’s vital to ask yourself the 3 Clutter Free questions as you declutter:

Do I love it?
Do I use it?
Would I buy it again?

 

If you can’t answer “yes” to any of those three questions, it’s time to get rid of that item. You must be ruthless. The more stuff you have, the harder it is to manage, keep track of, and store. Your goal is to keep your storage contained and small. Declutter along the way so you can stop being overwhelmed all the time by your stuff.

 

Group Like Items

Make your storage make sense. As much as possible, group like items together. There is nothing I love more than going to one box and finding all my spring decorating stuff in one place rather than having to dig through a half a dozen boxes to make it happen.

 

Make Your Stuff Accessible

Make it easy to get to the stuff you need. If you have storage boxes with long-term projects (like putting together grandma’s photo albums) those can go into less accessible spots (attic, bottom row of shelving), while boxes you want to access on a regular basis (“Gardening Supplies”) can be placed up front.

 

Make Your Stuff Findable

You have to have a system for not only putting things away, but finding them again. In my head, as I’m packing stuff away, I’m always asking the question, “How will I find this again?”

 

My new favorite trick is using Duck Pack and Track.

We have this corner of the garage I have basically been ignoring for a couple of years. It had too much stuff. I was overwhelmed. And it was easier to just pretend it didn’t exist (until I had to find my summer clothes from last year and would have the tiniest mental breakdown…) This is what Duck Pack and Track did for me. My corner of despair went from this…

to this…

 

Guys, this stuff is magical. Truly. Everyone I’ve shown it to has oohed and ahhed over it. It just makes sense.

This video explains it all (watch it – I promise it will change your life…)

 

 

Now I know where all my stuff is at all times. When I’m looking for my blue winter coat in the fall because we’re taking a cruise to Alaska, I can find it quickly by just asking my phone and the app will tell me what box it’s in and where the box is.

Genius.

You can find Duck Pack and Track at Walmart. (We are currently Pack and Track obsessed and “Tracking” our whole house.)

 

Keep Reducing Your Storage

Finally, remember that your goal is to keep only what you use, love, and would buy again.

Therefore, keep curating your stuff, even after you’ve created storage for it all. Any time you can get rid of a storage box because you’ve condensed your storage enough to do so — that’s a day to celebrate.

So how do you decide what to keep in storage?

One of the questions I ask myself when I’m going through my storage is, “Would I pay to store or move this item?”

If the answer is no, and I don’t plan on using the item anytime soon, then “organize me” becomes “donate me” and out it goes.

 

And here’s how the garage looks now:

AFTER

 

One of the side benefits to getting my garage organized (besides being able to find things on the regular) is that now I actually don’t dread going into my garage.

That, my friends, is the best advantage to living Clutter Free.

 

Organize Me Now Giveaway

 

 

Is your stuff screaming,”Organize Me Now”?

Enter for a chance to win the Ultimate Duck Pack and Track by leaving a comment below about what area of your home you desperately need to get organized. We will be choosing one grand prize winner this week!

Thank you to Duck Pack and Track for sponsoring this post. Please see our disclosure policy for any questions.

 

“Organize Me Now!”: The Ultimate Storage Organization Guide (& a Chance to Win!)

Clutter Free Success Story – Grace Church

We’ve got another Clutter Free Success Story from the amazing Clutter Free Academy Facebook Group today. Grace Church is an active member of our online community, often sharing her Monday Morning Musings about clutter struggles with the group.

Grace discovered Clutter Free through Facebook in January of 2015. When an old friend posted something about the 21-Day Challenge, she was intrigued. The friend sent her an invitation to join the Clutter Free Academy Facebook Group and she was hooked. With the 2000 Things tracking sheet in hand, she got to work.

We asked Grace what the impact of Clutter Free has been for her:

The impact has been enormous and life-changing — but not all at once. It’s happened layer by layer, over time. At first it was simply about decluttering “things” (for me, mostly paper) and getting myself organized at my desk. A side benefit of that was that once my desk was organized and my responsibilities taken care of…I had a lot more bandwidth for my writing projects. I could work on them freely and without distraction, knowing that I was taking care of the basics.

Then, I started noticing that I was enjoying my play time more and was more present when I was out and about, rather than worrying about what I should be doing at home. That was huge…because it was a little taste of the freedom Kathi talks about.

T his year, I started with a simple plan to take one step on my backlogged to-do list every day during the Lent study — but wound up going even deeper into the “why” behind the things I hold on to (physical, mental, and emotional) and discovering big connections to core questions about self-worth and boundaries!  

The biggest lesson Grace learned on this Clutter Free journey?

For me, it seems that the physical clutter is just a symptom. That’s empowering because while much hasn’t changed on the outside (I still have boxes and piles) — I know now when I look at them, that they represent something going on inside me.

We are thrilled to celebrate Grace’s success with her and so happy she’s an active part of our Clutter Free community.

If you haven’t joined the Clutter Free Academy Facebook group yet, what are you waiting for? There’s freedom to be found in this kindest corner of the internet. And there’s something so empowering about taking the journey along with others, one small win at a time.

 

 

 

Clutter Free Success Story – Grace Church

Clutter Free Habits for Kids

Picture this. You’ve just spent the last few hours tidying up the house while the kids are at school and you finally sit down to have a drink of water. You take a sip, let out a huge sigh of relief, and marvel at the wondrous sight of your squeaky-clean kitchen. “Nice work!” you say to yourself. Now, you just need to figure out a way to keep it like this even after your kids get home. Here are 5 tips to help you instill clutter free habits in your kids.

1. Bags up and lunchboxes open. I started this clutter free habit at the beginning of the school year and it’s been one of the easiest and best ways to save myself from tripping over my kids’ school stuff. I told my school-aged children that if they put their shoes away, hung their backpacks up, and opened their lunchboxes and placed them on the counter every day after school without me asking, they would each get fifty cents. It has worked like a charm. My kids had saved up enough money from doing this one thing every day that they were able to cash in their coins for dollar bills when we took a trip to the beach over spring break. Not only were they excited about being able to buy what they wanted but the daily “kerplunk” of the coins in their piggy banks was an auditory reminder of their hard work.

2. Placemats or bust. We do A LOT of crafts in my house. I’m not afraid of glitter and we use it often. We also have washable markers but get this, we have permanent Sharpie markers, too! I know. I’m a daring mom. But, I don’t worry about my counters anymore because my kids know – no placemat – no craft. I learned with my first child, mistakes happen and it’s a heck of a lot easier to clean off a placemat (or throw it away) than it is to cry over something that won’t come out of granite. My kids have made placemats somewhat of their calling card by picking out a new one each year that suits their individual personality.

3. Craft kit corner. My mom ordered the most adorable craft bags for my kids. They put all of the stuff they’re currently using in these bags and tote them around from place to place when they want to. It’s a cinch to clean up. When they’re done with whatever they’re using, they put everything back in their totes and hang them on their hooks. Each tote has their name on it so they know whose is who.

4. Operation pantry. Once upon a time, my pantry was unorganized; not with food but with my kids’ arts and crafts. I’d had enough one day and so I organized everything into bins with labels. My husband hung a couple of wire shelves and with a pep talk and a few incentives, I showed my kids exactly how I expected the pantry to look from that point on. It’s not perfect but it’s a lot better than how it used to be. My son has Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) so we have a lot of rice bins, bean bins, and sensory-type toys. Things like this can easily spill or become cumbersome because of the touch-and-feel type items they are. I knew I wanted to keep these things because they were helpful to my son but having them strewn about and finding beans in nooks in crannies in our house was stressing me out. I now have a system. My son knows that when he gets his sand bin out, he has to do it at a specific table on top of a placemat. He also knows he has to get the broom out and sweep (as best he can) up anything that has fallen on the floor. I’m not looking for perfection out of the cleanup process but rather, responsibility from him on what it means to be able to play with those types of things.

5. Stairway catch-all. The stairwell seems to be the catch-all for anything and everything that has been worn, played with, used, or doesn’t have a home. My kids know, that if there is something left out (not on the stairs) it gets donated or thrown away. Their responsibility is to put everything they find of theirs in a basket that I have put on one of the steps for them. This basket is big and flexible and one they can easily carry up to their rooms to help them put their things away. This basket serves so many purposes; it collects everything and my kids don’t have to make multiple trips up and down the stairs because they’re able to carry it all in one basket. They know to return the basket to the steps once it’s been emptied.

Creating clutter-free habits in our kids doesn’t have to be scary. Think of the things that you’re already doing every day and find a way to make them work for you and your family. Sometimes it just takes a minute or two of thinking, “How can I make this easier while allowing them to take responsibility?” I bet you’ll find that your kids actually like the way they feel when they claim ownership over their belongings. It’s a win-win for everyone.

 

Parenting journalist and author, Meagan Ruffing, encourages and equips other moms who may be feeling overwhelmed and lonely in the midst of parenting in her debut book, “I See You: Helping Moms Go from Overwhelmed to In Control.” Meagan talks about the challenges of living with a child who has behavioral disorders and talks candidly about her struggles with mom guilt. To read more about Meagan’s story and real-life parenting tips, visit her at www.meaganruffing.com.

Clutter Free Habits for Kids

Episode #309: The Clutter Free Bedroom The 6 Simple Habits I Have Everyday So I Can Fall Asleep in a Clean Bedroom Every Night

Should your bedroom be declared a disaster area? Does it seem to attract clutter?

For many of us the master bedroom is a catch-all for everyone’s stuff. But every room needs to be de-cluttered and that includes the master bedroom. So join Kathi and Tonya in today’s episode and get some tips on decluttering your master bedroom so you too can have a clean bedroom.

Giveaway over on the Blog

You don’t want to miss my current giveaway going on at the blog. Click here for the details. HINT: it involves liking your laundry a little bit more.

Thanks for Listening!

To share your thoughts:

Leave a note in the comment section below.
Share this show on Twitter,Facebook, or Pinterest.

To help out the show:

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe now .

Thanks to Tonya for joining me this week. Next week we’ll be talking about shopping. Don’t miss it!

Meet Our Guest








Tonya Kubo

Tonya Kubo is the illustrious, fearless leader of Kathi Lipp’s Clutter-Free Academy Facebook group. She and her husband, Brian, are raising two spirited girls in the agricultural heart of California. She writes about fighting the demons of comparison, clutter and compulsion on www.tonyakubo.com.

Episode #309: The Clutter Free Bedroom The 6 Simple Habits I Have Everyday So I Can Fall Asleep in a Clean Bedroom Every Night

Clean Laundry How Tos … (AND an Amazing Freebie Just for My Readers)

Whether you’ve been doing laundry for 50 years, or your mom just finally gave up on doing yours, I think we all need to revisit the basics every once in a while. Here is the Clutter Free Guide to having clean laundry every single day. (And don’t miss this offer from Grove.co for their free laundry kit. Squee!)

Clean Laundry How Tos:


Remove Stains

The most important thing to know about stain removing?

Do it right away.

The longer you wait, the harder it will be to get that stain out.

I keep a bottle of stain remover right by our laundry basket so I can spray as dirty laundry goes in.

If you have some really tough stains? Here is my sister-in-law Lucinda’s Sure Fire Stain Removal System if you need a little inspiration. I can attest to her method.

Sorting

Each family has it’s own unique sorting piles. Here’s my system:

Anything that wrinkles (my hubby’s work shirts, my cotton shirts and pants, etc.)
Whites
Colored underwear, socks
Delicates (I use these mesh lingerie bags to keep hooks from getting caught on other items or in the washer.)
Jeans, sweats and towels
Everything else (t-shirts, tank tops, pajamas, dishtowels) sometimes combined with jeans, etc.
Sheets


Find the Suds You Love

Laundry pods are a gift from the heavens.

I love just throwing them in the tub and letting the magic go from there.

And these Method pods are perfect for my hubby who hates a strong smell and for me who can be sensitive to soaps.

First, grab this free set of method free & clear laundry packs + Grove wool dryer balls + free shipping & 60 day VIP trial [insert your referral link] with your first order of $20 from Grove Collaborative.

 

Summer is the Time for Drying Racks and Clothes Lines

I line dry a lot of my stuff most of the year round (that is the wonderful thing about not having kids at home – we have a bathroom with a tub that is never used. OK, one of the wonderful things…) but in the summer, I move my operation outside so that I can take advantage of the fresh air and sun that makes drying faster.  I’ve used this Amazon Basics Foldable Drying Rack for years and absolutely love it (and it folds up pretty flat for times it needs to be put away.)

When You Do Need to Dry Things: Experience the Magic of the Wool Ball

OK – these things are magic.

MAGIC. They left me with soft clothes, no static cling, and no added chemicals or weird, chemically smell. And they last for 1000 loads.

What!?!

Oh – and I can just leave them in the dryer between loads?

I am a wool ball convert.

You just throw the three balls in with your load in the dryer and they act the same as dryer sheets. Only better for the environment, less expensive, and awesome.

OH – and if you want a little fragrance? Customize a laundry scent that will make you smile every time you get a whiff of your clothing. Just pick your favorite essential oil and apply a few dabs to your wool dryer balls for a fresh load of laundry.

I can’t tell you how happy this makes me.

 

The Secret to Clean Laundry – Putting it Away (and why that is the hardest part to actually accomplish)

Laundry isn’t done until it’s put away. For years I was great at the wash, dry and fold… and then well that’s when I pooped out. Because:

It felt like I’d done enough.
Honestly, putting the clothes away was the hardest part.

What I realized was that I resisted putting the clean laundry away because my drawers and closet were already so jam-packed, there was no place to put the clean clothes. It was so much easier just living out of a laundry basket.

But it really wasn’t.

What changed my whole attitude about putting laundry away was cleaning out my drawers of all the things that I wasn’t wearing – you know – the layer at the bottom with the t-shirts that aren’t cute, the sweats that don’t fit, and the PJs that are uncomfortable, but you keep, just in case you’re on vacation and all your favorite pajamas are in your luggage that gets lost on your trip to Chicago (we cluttery people are the best at worst-case scenarios…)

So before doing your next load of laundry, unload your drawers of all the clothes you don’t wear on the regular. Your last step, “put away” will be so much easier.

Spend a few minutes now to make your laundry a much more enjoyable experience every single day. (And think of me while you’re doing it, just feeling so satisfied in the fact that you kinda like doing laundry now that it’s not scattered all over your bedroom…)

This post contains affiliate links. The money earned from these links go to help pay the awesome people who work on this blog. For more info, check out our disclosure policy here!

Clean Laundry How Tos … (AND an Amazing Freebie Just for My Readers)

Love Lives Here: Creating a Home that Combats Chaos and Practices Peace Everyday

For years, home was not my happy place. There were tense words, loud conversations, lots of noise, and a whole bunch of chaos. I remember thinking, “When these kids grow up…,” “When my husband is nicer…,” “When we have more money…,” things will calm down.”

But peace isn’t determined by our circumstances; it’s determined by the way we respond with God’s help, to those circumstances. God sent His son so we could experience peace, not just in the quiet of life, but also when chaos hits.

If you are approaching your home with dread at the end of the day, perhaps your place needs a peace makeover, like mine did. Here are a few things you can be intentional about when it comes to creating a peace-filled home:

Love Lives Here: Creating a Home that Combats Chaos and Practices Peace Everyday

Want to Kick Clutter to the Curb Once and For All? You Need One Book and These Two Things

Are you feeling suffocated by your stuff? Do you have one or more places in your home that you would be ashamed for others to see?

You know you should do something but you’re busy, you’re tired and you’re overwhelmed.

That’s why “Clutter Free: Quick and Easy Steps to Simplifying Your Space” was written and has since launched a movement. More than a system, Clutter Free helps to uncover the emotions behind why we buy stuff we don’t need and keep stuff we don’t even like.

It’s a book that offers both a strategy and a tactical plan to get rid of Clutter once and for all. Thousands of people have bought the book and successfully won the war against Clutter. Some of us, though, need a little extra help working our way through the book and applying the principles to our daily lives.

Why does this book and these two things matter so much? Because knowing why you struggle with Clutter only solves half of your problem. You need a “how” and that “how” has to fit into the ups and downs of life if it’s going to be sustainable.

That’s why we’re taking our Clutter Free Academy Facebook group members through the book section by section. From June 18 to July 13, the Clutter Free Book Club will go back to the beginning and study the book that started it all.

Whether you’re new to Clutter Free and don’t know where to begin or have been trudging along for a while and are seeking a fresh start, the book club is a great way to build a foundation that will serve you now and in the future.

Beginning June 18, our fearless leader Tonya Kubo will host live discussions in the Facebook group on both the book and its practical application. She’ll go live at 5 p.m. PDT every Monday during the book club. You’ll have opportunities to submit your questions ahead of time or ask them live during the broadcast. All broadcasts will be saved in the group for later viewing.

To participate, all you need is a copy of the book and to be a member of the group. This is the perfect time to take the plunge and confront your Clutter. It’s also the perfect time to invite friends to join the kindest corner of the Internet. Clutter Free is always more fun with friends. Join the group today and get the lay of the land before the book club starts on June 18. Can’t wait to celebrate your successes in the coming weeks.

 

Want to Kick Clutter to the Curb Once and For All? You Need One Book and These Two Things

Episode #308: God’s Plan for You- Embracing the Girl Who Loves the Hustle

Do you ever feel guilty for loving what you do (work, ministry, volunteering)?  Dose the lingering feeling of “My_________ (relationship with God, my husband, my kids,) should be enough” haunt you as you do what you love?

If you have experienced these feelings in the past (or are right now!) you won’t want to miss today’s interview with Crystal Stein, author of Holy Hustle. She is the expert on the guilt-free hustle. I know this is a problem for me and my friends, and many of my listeners – we love our families, but we long for more. Well Crystal is going to give us the inside scoop on hour to put the Holy in your Hustle and not feel guilty about wanting to accomplish great things outside of your family.

In this jam-packed interview, you will learn how to:

 balance work with holy rest
bring your family along for the adventure
stop feeling the guilt of the world’s (and your own) expectations

I’m thrilled to have Crystal on the show – so buckle up those kiddos, grab your phone and let’s dive in.

HUGE GIVEAWAY!!!

Want to be entered to win the Harvest House Holy Hustle On the Go Kit? Head over to the blog and enter to win!

 

 

 

Thanks for Listening!

To share your thoughts:

Leave a note in the comment section below.
Share this show on Twitter,Facebook, or Pinterest.

To help out the show:

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe now .

Special thanks to Crystal Stein for joining me this week. Until next time!

Meet Our Guest








Crystal Stine

Crystal is a coffee-loving self-proclaimed “digital missionary” who loves creating a space where faith and friendship come together. She started her blog as a private site where she could journal, post thoughts from her day. In 2009, God put it on her heart to make that blog public and begin using it for His glory. Her passion is to encourage, equip, and inspire women. Learn more at crystalstine.me.

Episode #308: God’s Plan for You- Embracing the Girl Who Loves the Hustle

You Can Officially Stop Apologizing for Loving the Hustle: 5 Ways to (finally) Make Peace with Being a Super Achiever

It was one of those conversations that feels like it comes along once in a lifetime.

I was online with four other women who all run businesses from home or work in a corporate office. We were talking about work and raising kids and the conversation veered toward the same topic that it always does when women are gathered together: guilt.

But this chat took a different turn than the normal mommy-guilt bend I usually hear. Instead of us talking about feeling guilty because we had to work, we all felt guilty that we loved to work.

“I love my job. I’m way better at my job than I am being a room mom.”

“I wish that I loved sitting at soccer games. I love my kids, but I need something outside of my family.”

“I love hanging out with my kids. I also love crushing it in my job and talking to grownups.”

My people. Super achievers.

It was an honest, raw and life-giving talk. These were people who love their families, but also love their work and were unashamed to say so. They didn’t apologize for utilizing their giftings, and their passion for their work fueled my own passion.

I adore my kids.

I’m wild about my husband.

But. It’s not enough.

(There. I said it.)

It just isn’t.

Recently, I’ve been reading a book that talks exactly to this. In ‘Holy Hustle: Embracing a Work-Hard, Rest-Well Life’ author, Crystal Stein talks about how the desires to love well, rest well and work hard are not contradictory desires. I love that.

 

It ’s not enough because God did not design it to be enough.

 

The drive I have to work is not placed in me just to make me successful. It’s there to glorify God. That fact raises my work to a whole new level and allows me to fully be, unapologetically me.  How crazy is it that fully being me and living out my potential glorifies God?!

There is something about a super achiever that says, “Yep – I’m not just working to pay the bills. I’m working for a higher purpose.” You can see it in the results of their work and in their attitude as they work. This kind of work is the work that changes the world. You can always spot a super achiever at work.

I’ve seen it happen over and over again: That insurance agent on the phone is a super achiever. She is going above and beyond. After a few minutes, the conversation goes to what I do for a living and she finds out I’m a Christian and drops just enough hints to let me know that she is as well. But you know, I already suspected as much.

Here is my definition of “Super Achiever”:

Someone who, no matter their circumstances, is always working to make, create, do or be something.

If I were stranded on a desert island, I would write a book in the sand, create a line of clothing out of palm fronds, and would line up a bunch of coconuts for a leadership conference. Those coconuts would never be the same.

It’s how God has made me – and location, circumstances, time or money will not change that.

 

It’s time to stop apologizing for how God has made us and not only celebrate, but recalibrate our own , and the world’s expectations of what we should be doing and how we should be behaving? Do you think there’s no way you are one? You might be surprised…

 

The qualities of a super achiever:
1. You work hard at being great at what you do.

I was in line at a writer’s conference behind Patsy Clairmont.

The Patsy Clairmont.

I was thrilled – and confused.

“I didn’t see your name on the faculty list!” I gushed. I would have remembered that.

“I’m not here as a teacher. I’m just attending.” Patsy said.

I loved that. And I was taken back by it. If someone who has written as many books as she has is still learning, should’t I be as well?

Ever since then, I’ve attended one writer’s conference and one speaker’s conference every year, not to teach, but to learn.

2. You work for a high authority.

Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Friend, that “whatever” is key. I don’t know what your “whatever” is, but it’s time we started to take that more seriously. Because any work, anything we do to serve others, lead others or love others, when done with excellence, will honor God.

 I refuse to feel bad about working hard. Whatever I’m doing, I want to do it with my full heart. I love the movie Chariots of Fire, and quote it often when I’m talking about work. One of the lines that doesn’t get as much attention in that movie, but resonates more and more with me each day, is when Eric’s father is letting him know that it’s okay to run in the Olympics (as opposed to his sister who sees running as frivolous and wants him to skip the Olympics and hurry up and get on the mission field.) Dad reminds his son, “Eric, you can glorify God by peeling a potato if you peel it to perfection.”

Anything I do can be done to the glory of God if I am working hard and getting better at it. Why would I apologize for bringing glory to God by being faithful to what he has placed within me?

3. You love people, but you have to be purposeful in making time for them.

As a super achiever I could work on my blog, create a new plan for world domination, and cook a month’s worth of freezer meals while filming it on Facebook Live and spend all day doing it and loving it. It would only be as I crawl into bed that I realize I’ve had no human contact all day.It’s not because I don’t love my humans – I’m wild about them. But it’s so easy to go into achieving mode that I forget that I need (and they need) a little love along the way.

This is why I have to be purposeful in carving out time that is all focused on people I love. Not checking my phone, not sneaking in work on my computer. But if I get an idea for a blog post for decluttering your kitchen while I’m making Asian stir-fry with my husband, you better believe I’m writing it down. Why? Because that is living out my passion, both for my family and my work.

4. You have to be careful that the glory is going to the right place.

As a super achiever, it can be tempting to believe that you are just built stronger, faster and better than those around you. That would be a lie, friend and a dangerous one at that.

God has equipped each of us so uniquely and differently. We must absolutely recognize that the credit goes to God, who has gifted us, equipped us, and assigned us for the work. When I really think about this, my attitude to my work shifts and my goal is to glorify God, not pursue success for myself. This also gives me freedom to leave results up to God, I am freed from the pressure to produce.

5. You make the world a better place.

One of the best things I’ve learned as a super achiever?  I must refuse to lessen myself so that others can feel more important. I won’t apologize for how God has made me. Instead – I will work to raise everyone up. I will help everyone around me see that all the work that we do, inside the home, outside of it, for giant corporations, or for our home business of one, can be worthy and valuable and honor God. When we embrace the way God has made us and leverage our gifts, we lead others to do the same. Contrary to what some might say, we don’t need less super achievers – we need more. Imagine what the world would be like if there were more people leveraging their gifts to honor God.

The “mommy wars”, “woman wars”, any “wars” that don’t build up other women who have made other choices? End with me.

Home full-time with the kids, working full-time, or somewhere in between? Every family’s choice of how they will work can be prayed over, decided and lived out with holiness.

 

Why the world needs super achievers

I’m grateful that there is a book like Holy Hustle that recognizes, and honors, the way that God has designed Crystal, and me, and hundreds of other women in my life to be.

Because the world needs women like us. The ones who get up early, push projects forward, love hard, and get up and do it all again the next day.

The world needs women who, while moving those things forward, are also bringing others forward to accomplish great things.

The world needs women who are great at what they do, and know where that greatness comes from.

Want a chance to win the Holy Hustle “Everyday I’m Hustling” On-The-Go Basket?

Just tell us below one way that you were designed for the hustle – or how you know you aren’t! (God makes all kinds of people – we love that!) And you will be entered to win our gift pack or one of five copies of Holy Hustle. Drawing ends June 19th.

 

Thank you to Harvest House Publishers for sponsoring this blog post. All opinions represented here are my own. Please see my disclosure policy for any questions.

 

 

You Can Officially Stop Apologizing for Loving the Hustle: 5 Ways to (finally) Make Peace with Being a Super Achiever

Being Kind to Your Future Self How the Art of Learning to Plan Ahead by a Whole Month Can Make You More Fun at Home, Smarter at Work and Help You Live Clutter Free Everyday

I am not a plan ahead girl by nature. I resist anything that has boxes, list or deadlines.

Structure? Is not my jam.

But, what I’ve come to understand is that planning ahead has so many benefits. It was something I knew I had to incorporate into my real life. People around me would call me a planner, but I know my secret identity: the kid who did her homework on the way to school.

Spontaneity is great for going to the movies or taking a walk, but most good, healthy or fun stuff needs to be planned for.

I now have planning sessions for three time frames:

The Month Ahead
The Week Ahead
The Day Ahead

In this article, we’ll be talking about planning for the month ahead and what you need to do to make the most out of your planning time.

Benefits of When You Plan Ahead

When you plan ahead it:

helps you save money.
gives you something to look forward to.
means less crises in your day.
means you get to include more people that you love.
will save you time.
will save you energy.

 

So, how do you actually plan ahead for a whole month? Here are a few key things to  focus on as you learn to become a plan ahead person.

 

When to Plan ahead:

I have a few “Plan Ahead” times scheduled on my calendar:

One day a month is my “Plan Ahead” Day for our personal “stuff.” Yes– I take a big portion (maybe two hours) and plan ahead. But here’s the thing: On my Plan Ahead day in June, I’m not looking at June – I’m looking at July, and maybe some of August and September.

What am I planning ahead on that day? Here is my checklist of what to look at:

What are our work/school schedules?
What events do we have coming up? Do I need to do anything in advance for them?

Send a gift
Plan a party (family birthdays, events, etc.)
Do any travel plans need to be made?


Are there any appointments that need to be made?

Doctor
Dentist
Car maintenance
House maintenance
DMV, insurance, etc.


What do we want to do?

Go away for a weekend?
Make improvements on the house
Work on a project?
Getting together with friends.




Meal Planning

Meal planning a month out may seem crazy, but since I’ve started planning meals a month in advance, we’ve saved time, money and trips to the grocery store. Yes, plans change, but boy, knowing what we want to cook saves me a whole lot of time and trauma.

What is involved in meal planning?

Taking an inventory of what you already have
Picking meals
Finding recipes
Grocery Shopping
Prep

Next month I will be sharing my strategy for how to plan ahead for the coming week. If you’re not subscribed to the blog, do it now so you won’t miss that article.

Do you have any plan ahead tips? If so, share them in the comments below. If we use one of your ideas we will send you a copy of The Cure for the Perfect Life!

Being Kind to Your Future Self How the Art of Learning to Plan Ahead by a Whole Month Can Make You More Fun at Home, Smarter at Work and Help You Live Clutter Free Everyday