Organization (sorry, not my life part 2 -- but that's coming!)
You see, I hate to visibly see a mess in my house. I hate clutter. I don't mind if the kitchen cabinets or the linen closets are a pure wreck because you just can't see it. If I can see that something is out of place I just can't function. Can't. I've actually been convicted lately that this is a lazy way to live. Not only is it lazy, it's really ineffective. Being a Home manager means that every aspect of the home is my job to take care of wholly. If my drawers, closets and cabinets are in disarray what does this say about my life, my character, my love for my job as the Home Manager, a wife and a mother to my children? It reeks of selfishness and disorder. Just to give you an idea, here are the things that are unorganized in my home:
- underneath my bathroom sinks
- my refrigerator (not right this second because Chad cleaned it yesterday and chucked 5 sippy cups in the sink saying -- hmmm...5 sippy cups!)
- my linen closet
- my kitchen cabinets. I'd like to blame the lack of space, but that should make me want to keep it organized.
- my basement.
- my closet.
- the kids closets.
- the kids drawers
- my office files
- the desktop to my computer
- our family pictures
- my diaper bag
- my purse
I think that's about it. Could there actually be anything else? What does that say about me that my house looks good on the outside, but it is a mess on the inside? Probably the way my life has been going over the years where everything appears good, but really? Not so much!
Lord, I pray for your strength. I pray that you would change my heart to want to be organized to better serve you, Father, my husband and my children. I am so encouraged by many girlfriends that take their jobs as Home Manager's very seriously. Please help me to be conscious of your calling on my life Lord, that I might not just take bits and pieces of what I am called to do and excel in that, but with the things that don't come naturally, the harder things Lord. Please help me to be a better home manager. I know that this will bless my husband, it will honor you and it will teach my children the proper way a mommy should love her job and her home.
posted by Beth Young at
11:05 AM
13 Comments:
"If I can see that something is out of place I just can't function. Can't."
Oh I understand! It's hard to be balanced sometimes. Organization is good, BUT it can't rule your life (and sometimes I let it). I'll be praying that God will give you wisdom as to what areas to tackle first that will bless your family. Just don't try to everything at once! You'll go mental, believe me, I've been there! :) BTW, the new "Country Home" magazine has a small section on organizing under your kitchen sink.
Beth, I can't you how much I appreciate your humility in sharing this area of weakness. I struggle with it, too. With the exception of a diaper bag, I can say all those areas are ones where my house needs my help, too. And that's because I don't HAVE a diaper bag, but if I did, it'd be on the list. I have found grace to start small, like Danielle says. I have started with what matters to my husband (decluttered bedroom, clothes ironed for work) but I pray that God will help me love the things I don't enjoy now. I love my home and I like cleaning, but I'm not a "clean freak" and I'm not an organizer of everything, just some things. And I've been asking the Lord to make it matter more to me, because I am more hospitable when the house is generally picked up. I am not tempted to perfectionism in THIS area, but I have a long way to go. I want Him to be pleased when He looks on my home management. He could, at any time, take it away, either my home, or my ability to take care of it altogether. I was in that position right after my baby was born , for 5 weeks, and missed terribly being able to unload the dishwasher, fold clothes, or run errands in the car. Thanks again for your honesty. Is this something you want your hubby to hold you accountable for, or your ladies' group, or your bloggin' buddies?
Thank you both so much!
Danielle: I will check that magazine out -- I need all the help I can get. I do get Real Simple magazine and that usually has some really great ideas, I just need to put them to use.
Zoanna: Thank you for your comment on my blog. I can definitely learn from ladies like yourself. Yes, I asked my husband which areas that he would like for me to tackle first and he said that it's a toss up between my closet and drawers and the kitchen cabinets. I asked if I could go with the kitchen first and he was more than excited! I would like for everyone to help me be accountable. This means YOU! Ha.
I like flylady.com for motivation and staying on target. It's one room a week thoroughly. Practical helps from people who've been there and humor in the mundane. I like to make lists of jobs in the morning, right after reading my Bible. For the kitchen cabinets I break the jobs down: 1)clear out silverware drawer
2)vacuum out crumbs & wipe it clean
3) put unneeded duplicates in Goodwill box
4) put silverware back in it
That way I feel I've done 4 jobs instead of one. Goofy maybe, but if I just write "clean out silverware drawer" it can seem daunting. I know you know this.
I found that making a room-by-room list of small jobs and giving myself a deadline, I was better off.
Ask me, too. I am spring cleaning my room this week. So far so good.
I consider the closet a separate room, by the way! It's supposed to be a WALK in, but I can't walk very far in at this point.
The hard thing is feeling judged by people for whom organization comes easily. We usually marry them.
Holy Cow. Fly Lady, she's a real help :-) So far you can take the following off of my list of the unorganized:
1. Purse
2. Diaper Bag
3. Underneath 3 bathroom sinks
Tonight it's the shiny sink.
Thank you!!!!
Congratulations! I was just about to ask if you'd like to tackle ONE sink underneath this week and I'd do the same. But you beat me to it, plus it wasn't as high on my to-do list as cleaning my room, which isn't done, but it's coming.
Would you want to email each other "before" and "after" shots of the areas we're working on? Maybe starting next Tuesday (MOnday's a day off for my kids next week, that's why.)
Glad you were helped by flylady. Did you see where you can be part of a group that weighs their junk before giving it the old heave-ho?
I think there are literally tons of junk being chucked on that site.
Congratulations! I was just about to ask if you'd like to tackle ONE sink underneath this week and I'd do the same. But you beat me to it, plus it wasn't as high on my to-do list as cleaning my room, which isn't done, but it's coming.
Would you want to email each other "before" and "after" shots of the areas we're working on? Maybe starting next Tuesday (MOnday's a day off for my kids next week, that's why.)
Glad you were helped by flylady. Did you see where you can be part of a group that weighs their junk before giving it the old heave-ho?
I think there are literally tons of junk being chucked on that site.
I will take pictures of my kitchen cabinets for you. I have to warn you. Girl, it ain't pretty! I will post them Tuesday. However, I wanted to tackle that this weekend. Hmm...maybe I can tackle my closet and drawers this weekend. That's what I'll do, I'll organize my bedroom drawers and closet! The pictures of that will be HORRIFYING! Thanks!
Wow, you waste no time to getting things done, way to go!
Beth, you can post pix if you want to, but I don't have the courage. Maybe I should just humble myself, but that sounds closer to humiliation! Probably just email you w/ shots if you don't mind. This is definitely an area I am obviously still holding in the "shame" category. Even when the house looks good, I know what's behind some of these closed doors. Ugh. You're so right about the spiritual parallels.
Ok, I've seen inside of every one of your kitchen cabinets, and I have no idea what mess you are talking about. It probably drives you crazy when I just throw the kids books in the basket instead of putting them in alphabetical order ha..ha..hmmm...how come you're not laughing? Give the kids squeezes, I missed them today.
Karen, you HAVE to be kidding me!!!! Either:
a. you're too nice and won't be honest.
b. you're forever scarred from my household nastiness that you can't see straight.
c. you're normal and you think I'm being obsessive (which COULD be slightly but not wholly).
You did notice the change above the refrigerator didn't you?
No, no. You clean wonderfully. I appreciate all you do. I did laugh and the kids did miss you. In case you forgot: no paid holiday's and no soup for you! One year! (HA!)
Zoanna, I have no courage to post pics...only after pics!!!! HA!
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