Kathi Lipp's Blog, page 57
November 22, 2017
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 2: Put Together Your Christmas Binder
Assignment: Create a Christmas binder with tabs
The Christmas binder is going to be your friend for the next few weeks. You know–the kind of friend you count on to help you keep your sanity. Your friend should reflect you, but more importantly, the vision you have for your family Christmas! Yesterday you made a list of what is important to you for the holidays. What it would look like for you if you started fresh this year.
Use your mission statement and go from there. But don’t forget this is supposed to be quick and easy!
For More Details:Get Yourself Organized for Christmas – Page 28
Supplies: a three-ring binder, tabs, (optional) colored pens, plain paper to decorate a cover sleeve to slide in the clear pocket.
Maybe you have an old binder lying around that contains your child’s old science fair project. Perhaps you were on a committee for church a few years back and you can recycle one for a new purpose! Maybe you will take out a blank sheet of paper and decorate it and then slide it into the clear sleeve of the front cover of the binder. You can always make a fun label for the outside. Whatever you end up creating, make it SIMPLE.
Remind yourself:
Next, get some dividers for the different categories. Get one for Cards, Recipes, Budget and Receipts, etc. Next place them in the order that makes sense to you. Keep a copy of the mission statement on the front. This is to remind yourself of your core values and what matters most to your family.
Then set a reminder on your phone or an appointment on your calendar to do a binder check weekly. This check will ensure you are USING it after you took the time to create it! It is so important for you to not get overwhelmed.
Use this time to store away any needed items to keep yourself organized. Put that receipt in the receipt section now because when you are in a hurry later, it won’t happen. Doing a simple task now will keep you from feeling crazed later!
Share Your Thoughts:
Where did you get your binder? Is it newly repurposed? What tabs did you put inside? Did you list out your Mission Statement and enclose it?
Avoiding Overwhelm:
When we can’t find the things we know we have, it can make us feel stupid or ashamed. Our Christmas binder and Christmas Headquarters will keep everything we need for the holidays in one place. Remember–creativity is on the other side of clutter. And so is peace.
Join Us:
Keep the discussion going and join the CF Academy FB Group.
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 2: Put Together Your Christmas Binder
November 21, 2017
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 1: What is Your Christmas Mission?
Assignment: Create your holiday/Christmas mission statement
In order to enjoy a peaceful holiday season, you may have to let go of some things you’ve always done. It’s time to focus on what brings you and your family joy. Make a list of what you normally do around the holidays, as well as what you’d like your holiday season to look like.
After your list is complete, circle or highlight what is most important to you and your family. Next, cross out what you can let go of this year. Once you’ve focused on what you’d like your celebration to look like, grab your index cards! It’s time to write your Christmas mission statement.
Remember to stick the cards somewhere visible to help remind you of your Christmas plan.
For More Details: Get Yourself Organized For Christmas (page 22)
Supplies: two or three index cards, a marker, My Holiday Mission Statement form (found in the back of Get Yourself Organized for Christmas)
Share Your Thoughts:
Now that you have your Christmas priorities straight, how do you feel? What did you decide to eliminate? What gets top priority? Where did you post your Christmas mission statement?
Avoiding Overwhelm:
Your Holiday Mission Statement is a way of pre-deciding what’s important to you, so you won’t stay up all night Christmas Eve making the perfect bows for your presents when your family would prefer a well-rested mama who remembers to turn the oven on for Christmas dinner. (Not that any of us has been there … )
And join us over on the Clutter Free Academy Facebook group where we encourage one another and stay accountable as we become Clutter Free!
Thanksgiving is coming up too! If you are hosting, grab your downloadable copy of Get Yourself Organized for Thanksgiving for just $.99 in the Shop.
For more tips on being true to your future self, get your copy of Overwhelmed: How to Quiet the Chaos and Restore Your Sanity.
Get Yourself Organized for Christmas Project 1: What is Your Christmas Mission?
October 26, 2017
How to Make God-time Fun and Easy for your Kids
Sometimes it can be hard to spend intentional time with our kids each day. Okay, make that all the time.
And when you do sit down for official family + God-time together, perhaps you get disheartened by the grunts and groans from your older kids? *Sigh*
Welcome to the world of parenting and trying to make God-time fun and easy for your kids.
Although I’m not sure what it’s like yet to have older children, I was already experiencing the difficulty of raising kids to know and love Jesus (without it being boring or feeling like a lecture) while getting my own much-needed soul care as well.
I subconsciously thought, how can I achieve both a time for me to de-stress and get still from the hustle and bustle of parenting life while nurturing the hearts of my children with God’s Word at the same time?
It was a pretty normal day. I sat coloring in a Disney character with my daughter when I noticed the therapeutic benefits of coloring that everyone was raving about. I was skeptical about it, until this moment when I noticed my heart slow to a normal rhythm as I sat across from my daughter soaking in this mommy time.
As much as I was enjoying the calming moment, it was missing something…
I flipped open my phone to a devotional app and began reading. Yes, I thought. This is what my soul is aching for. But with my eyes off the coloring at hand, not to mention my daughter as well, I knew this wasn’t going to work. Plus, I thought, how is this really helping her grow spiritually? It wasn’t.
I kept coloring, and slowly I began to hear a whisper in my head and heart. Is that you God? That’s when this idea began to form.
A year-and-a-half later, Big and Little Coloring Devotional was born! Let me tell you why it’s so good:
There are devotionals for the “big” with de-stressing designs, and verses for the “little” to color-in, making it the perfect mix to nurture not only your heart but your child’s heart too.
It can also be used for bigger siblings to read through with their little brother or sister.
Even daddy’s, grandparents and caretakers are raving about this book!
The images are neither too fanciful nor too masculine, thereby girls AND boys love it in equal measures.
You experience face-to-face interaction which encourages conversation since the pages face opposite, also creating more room to color without elbow bumping.
There’s finally a way to achieve what we’ve been longing for: de-stressing and nurturing for our own hearts while making God-time fun and easy for your kids, no matter their age or stage.
It’s amazing how God can use my own desire for such a book in ways that now reaches the hearts of many.
It truly has become “so much more than a coloring book.”
Rachel C. Swanson is an author, speaker, and accredited life coach. Her best-selling book Big and Little Coloring Devotional was birthed by her own struggle as a busy mom to three children she lovingly calls “Twin 1”, “Twin 2” and “wannabe Twin 3.” Married to her husband for eleven years, they rear their tribe in an aspiring country town just outside Los Angeles, CA. Visit RachelCSwanson.com for more info! You can also find out about her Big and Little Coloring Book here.
Connect with Rachel on Facebook or Instagram.
October 23, 2017
How to Get Profound Result from Simple Bible Study
Have you tried method after method for Bible study only to discard them or forget them? Or are you a Bible study newbie? Amy shares a simple method with profound results in this first post in her “Tools Not Rules” series for Bible study. Before you start watching, click here for a free download that will give you everything you need to dive into deeper Bible study.
Amy Carroll is a speaker and writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries. She’s the author of Breaking Up with Perfect as well as the director and coach of Next Step Coaching Services. As a woman who loves a great story and a challenging idea, co-hosting the Grit ‘n’ Grace podcast has become one of her favorite things.
Amy and her husband live in lovely Holly Springs, NC. You can find her on any given day texting her two sons at college, typing at her computer, or trying to figure out one more alternative to cooking dinner. Share life with Amy at www.amycarroll.org and find out more about her speaker coaching services at http://www.nextstepcoachingservices.com/.
October 18, 2017
10 Costco Secrets (that Work in Baja, Too)
If you’re a lover of the food court, impressed by ridiculously clean, smooth floors, and slightly addicted to samples… welcome to the Costco club.
It’s pretty much the only place where your shopping cart can contain a $45,000 diamond ring resting on top of a five-gallon jug of cooking oil.
It’s also the only place I’d like to be stuck/trapped/held captive in the event of an alien parking lot invasion. Think about it… grab a mattress, sheets, down comforter, scooch yourself to the middle aisles, bust open a pillow two-pack, choose some cozy jammies, slippers and a good book, plug in a heater and wait for the sample servers to come around with hors-d’oeuvres at five. Rotisserie chicken, bagged salad and artisan bread for dinner? I’ll grab the paper plates, napkins, and plastic silverware. Brownies or pumpkin pie for dessert? Yes.
Before we accidentally start planning this event, let’s get to the Costco secrets.
Disclaimer:
I am not an employee of Costco.
I am not a secret shopper with the ability to write Costco up for not letting me drive the floor squeegee/rider/thingy.
I do not own Costco stock.
I have only put one question in the suggestion box. (Why is cornbread seasonal?)
I do not follow Costco on Twitter.
I have never spent the night in Costco, though I’m not entirely opposed to the idea.
I am not member FDIC, mostly because I do not know what that means.
The Secrets
1. Open, Open, Open
Most Costcos in the States open at 10:00 a.m., but if you live in Mexico… 9:00 a.m., baby! Once I arrived early to our Ensenada store thinking I had 15 minutes to wait. When what to my wondering eyes did appear, but a dude with a key and a smile just for me. In I went at 8:45, feeling like I had been given an extra chunk of time in my day. This happens in Temecula, CA, too!
2. Turnover Nights
Ever wonder why the display of rad, crazy-soft blankets moved from the front to the middle and then to the right? Marketing. Costco moves things around to make you take a different route and possibly see new products.
New products are stocked on Saturday during the night shift, so if you want to see the latest and greatest, shop Sunday. But first, go to church and pray for patience because there tends to be a bit of gridlock around the TVs and Nearly Naked Popcorn.
3. Some Prices Will Never Change
Behold, the all-American hotdog, and soda combo, alive and well in Baja, too. Same price since the day Costco opened… just a mere $1.50. Friendly reminder: just because something is super cheap and makes your mouth dance does not mean it’s healthy for your insides.
Did I just ruin it?
Sorry—I ruined it.
4. Costco Membership = Discounts on Cars, Vacations, and Coffins
Not much to explain here. If you plan on buying a car, going on a vacation or kicking the can soon, shop costco.com first.
5. For Real Bargains, Shop the Perimeter and Middle
According to Lifehacker, the middle area of the store is referred to as “action alley” because of the high traffic. “Makers and distributors often pay for the privilege of being there, and the prices are aggressive,” the site says. The flashy displays at the end of aisles, where lucrative samples are given, tend to be the worst bargains in Costco.
I love lucrative samples.
6. Price Adjustments
Besides having an amazing return policy, Costco also offers a 30-day price adjustment guarantee. If an item gets marked down within 30 days of when you bought it, take your receipt to customer service and get the difference reimbursed. Badda-bing, badda-boom.
7. Cheapest Prescription Drugs
A recent Consumer Reports survey found that, when it comes to generic prescription drugs, Costco’s pharmacy is the most affordable on the market.
Extra Bonus: Did you know Costco membership is not required for Costco Pharmacy purchases online or in the warehouses? Annnd… they offer home delivery. Ding-dong!
8. Ninety-Seven-Cent Tags are Your Friends
Most regular priced items end in .99¢, and sometimes .49¢, .79¢, and .89¢. But the real bargains end in .97¢. They’re the items that have been marked down to the lowest sales you’ll find. They’re throughout the whole store, even on food items. Score, score, score some more.
9. Asterisks Mean “Bye Bye”
If you see this symbol (*) in the top right corner of the price tag then you know the item will not be restocked. What you see is all they have, and it won’t be returning, so if it’s something you need, stock up. Exception: popular seasonal merchandise might be returning, but not for a year. Don’t panic though: Christmas decor now arrives in August. #sweatysanta
10. Think Outside the (Costco) Box
The clear, plastic container that holds a 12-pack or 14-pack of apples perfectly fits Christmas ornaments. Fa-la-la-la-la!
What’s your favorite Costco bargain?
Besides maybe pita and hummus, what do you think Jesus would buy at Costco?
Originally from the redwood forest of Mount Hermon, CA, Carrie lived in Baja, Mexico for the past 12 years. She and her husband, and two very white, bilingual boys just moved back to the States and are gradually adjusting to traffic and taco prices.
In the middle of a non-profit ministry and surrounded by dust and mud, she wrote a children’s book about bullying. She is now collaborating on a nonfiction book about loss, guilt and grace.
Carrie is dedicated to Jesus and avocados, and blogs regularly at carrietalbottink.com. She can also be found on Twitter @carrie_talbott and on Facebook at Carrie Talbott Ink.
October 17, 2017
Eps #274 So Close to Amazing with KariAnne Wood
Ever feel overwhelmed by all that surrounds you in your home? Maybe our blessings have become a burden. Join Kathi Lipp and KariAnne Wood, the author of “So Close to Amazing”, as they discuss how to live the life you want to live by simplifying and decluttering, DIY style.
BONUS What would you love to do to your house to make it more lovable to you? Answer this question in the comments section and be entereed to won a copy (we will be giving out three copies) of “So Close to Amazing”.
October 13, 2017
Book Review: A Street Cat Named Bob
A Street Cat Named Bob: And How He Saved My LifePaperback, by James Bowen– October 7, 2014
Roger likes to tell people that my favorite genre of books is “Chicken Lit.” If the storyline includes an animal, I’m sold! Just shut up, take my money and let me read! Because of my fondness for, “Chicken Lit,” I’ve read my fair share of animal books. But this particular book, “A Street Cat Named Bob,” by James Bowen, has broken my list of the top five of my favorite, “Chicken Lit,” books I’ve ever read.
I picked this gem up at The Armchair Bookstore in Whistler, B.C. Canada and read it in the car while recovering from 57 mosquito bites (seriously). Sure, I probably should’ve been having a conversation with Roger or gazing out at the picturesque scenery, but after reading a few pages I was hooked. In fact, it was so good, I may have actually ignored Roger for a day of our trip just so I could finish it. (Sorry Roger!)
“A Street Cat Named Bob,” is about the author, James a recovering drug addict who becomes the accidental and unlikely owner of Bob, a stray cat. James soon finds out that he needs Bob as much as Bob needs him. What follows is an amazing transformation and a beautiful friendship between man and cat. This endearing story is compelling, entertaining and a must read that I highly recommend.
Win the Book
Win my copy of “A Street Cat Named Bob.” Leave a comment about your favorite animal story and one person who comments will randomly be selected to win!
Just a word on the books I read and review: I have a wide and varied sense of taste when it comes to books. I would love for you to enter and win one of my books – but if you are offended by book content, I would ask that you go online to read reviews to see if this book is for you before you enter to win.
Only US readers are eligible to receive the free book.
October 12, 2017
Clean Out Your Car (and a Clutter Free MOPS Meeting)
As always, I had an amazing time at MOMCON (MOPS International’s Convention). We had a booth this year, so I got to meet a lot of moms we may have missed in the past. My favorite part? Hearing their stories from Overwhelmed (I can’t believe how many of you are doing book studies on it!) and Clutter Free.
Clutter Free Kit
And with Clutter Free being part of the MOPS curriculum this year (HUZZAH), I wanted to share with you an amazing idea one group had for a Clutter Free meeting. After showing the Clutter Free video, the leaders gave each mom a kit:
3 bags:
– Bag 1 for garbage
– Bag 2 for recycling
– Bag 3 for things to bring into the house
A package of Clorox wipes (These could easily be broken down into Ziploc sandwich bags to give each mom just a few wipes.)
A package of Windex wipes (See above.)
A lint roller
A Glade Car freshener
Along with the kits, they also provided vacuums and Handi-vacs for the moms to use. Then each mom went to her car or minivan and spent twenty minutes cleaning it out. Awesome, right? The MOPS leaders who tried this idea told me all the moms said it was their favorite activity ever. (Because once you watch a video about decluttering, you want to go and do it NOW.) And the best part? Everyone went home with a sense of accomplishment and fewer French fries in their back seat. Win-win!
Want to clean out your car and get a mini-craft in at the same time?
Make your own car freshener!
All you need is:
1 Clothespin
Essential Oils (Lemon or Peppermint are some great, fresh flavors depending on the time of year.)
Instructions:
1. Dab five drops of essential oil on each side of the clothespin (ten drops total).
2. Clip the clothespin onto the vent. It makes your car smell yummy and fresh without overpowering. I love it.
Clutter Free Events are Being Booked for 2018!
Friends, what sounds better than a girl’s night out? You and me and a few dozen, or hundreds, of your friends!? I would love to come and share the Clutter Free life with you. This is a great reach-out opportunity. To learn more and get your date on the calendar, shoot me an email at bookings@kathilipp.com.
October 10, 2017
Eps #273 Brave Beauty: Discovering the Fearless You with Lynn Cowell
According to author Lynn Cowell, 7 out of 10 girls feel like they don’t measure up. How can we build our daughters up from the inside out so they don’t let comparison rule their lives?
Join us as our host, Kathi Lipp, interviews Author Lynn Cowell to discuss her new book, Brave Beauty and learn how to root out fear in our children’s lives and teach our girls to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit rather than their own strength.
WIN!
Lynn has given us 3 copies of Brave Beauty to share with our listeners! What area of bravery would you like to see your 8-12 year old grow in? Leave a comment to this question and be entered to receive a free copy of Brave Beauty!
Resources from Lynn:
Eps #273 Brave Beauty: Discovering the Fearless You with Lynn Cowell
October 9, 2017
Happy Mornings: 5 Easy Steps to an Effective Routine
Confession time. I have never been a morning person, until recently.
I realized that if I want to get stuff done in life, I need to get up before the rest of the world. But it’s still not easy to get going.
I really believe having a morning routine is one of the most powerful ways to not just change your day, but change your life, because we give ourselves more permission to go deeper in the morning than we do at any other time.
As the morning goes on, we can come up with more and more excuses about why we are not doing what we need to do.
Having a morning routine means deciding in advance what you’re going to do, so you can spend your mental energy focusing on what’s really important for the day.
Here are five steps to creating a routine for happy mornings.
1. Make a list of everything you do in the mornings.
Go into detail, and leave nothing out, no matter how small. Here is an idea of some things you’ll want to include:
• Brushing teeth
• Showering
• Making breakfast
• Finding car keys
• Getting kids ready
• Quiet time
• Making coffee
• Putting on makeup
• Laundry
• Getting dressed
• Eating breakfast
• Packing your computer bag
• Making lunches
2. Evaluate your list.
The next morning, if you remember things that aren’t on the list, write them down. I want you to get an accurate reflection of what you can accomplish and see where the stress is in the morning.
Are you a morning person? Awesome! Load up your mornings, but load it up with the most important stuff.
Are you a night owl? Do everything you can to prep the night before so you can get the rest you need. I could do a whole other blog post on having an evening routine, but the bottom line is…PREP, PREP, PREP.
If it’s not working, brainstorm ways to make it work. Maybe you need a longer prep list the night before, or you might even need to plan earlier in the week. Making a big pot of oats to heat up in the microwave or putting together your outfits for the week can make your mornings go more smoothly. I’m a big fan of a prep and plan day to set you up for success for the rest of the week.
3. Time yourself to see how long things actually take.
We are time optimists. We think it takes 5 minutes to put on makeup, but it really takes fifteen. Time yourself so you know where you can save time, and where to schedule more. You’ll have a realistic idea about how long your morning routine takes and reduce your stress level getting out the door.
4. Print out your list so it’s easy to follow.
Put it up in the kitchen, your bathroom, the bedroom, or wherever you’ll see it. Practice, practice, practice.
When I did this, I learned more efficient ways to get my list done faster. Since I normally eat oatmeal for breakfast, I got to where I could unload the dishwasher in the 3 minutes and 33 seconds it takes to cook.
The first couple of weeks are discovery. After that, it’s execution.
5. Adjust as you go.
By sheer accident, I discovered that my oatmeal turns out just as good if I only cook it for 3 minutes, so I had to think of new strategies to unload the dishwasher 33 seconds faster.
Sometimes you’ll have to change your routine as circumstances change, like for a new job or school schedule. Keep adjusting your routine so that it continues to work for you.
By the way, there’s one other thing that can keep us from a happy morning: Clutter! (You knew I had to go there on a Clutter Free Academy blog post.)
If you haven’t already joined our growing community on Facebook, follow the link to find an encouraging, shame-free place where you’ll get the support you need to get the clutter out of your house.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/clutterfreeacademy/
Peace is possible in the morning, I promise!
