Overhaul Clutter For A Rest-filled Life (Book Giveaway: Simple Mom’s Organized Simplicity)
Today's post is part of our ongoing March series on Whitespace: Restoring Rest.
Let's explore and swap stories.
“Time is a tool — Use it wisely; enjoy it thoroughly.”
~ Tsh Oxeneider in Organized Simplicity
Creativity, community and adventure are critical components to soul rest.
But as the mom of two cherub faced boys under six who defy gravity, I wake up every day to a mountain of To Do’s that fall into a category I dread: domestic.
Before having kids, I never considered my lack of domestic diva-ship as a liability. As an “explorer” of ideas, I get energized by engaging people and brainstorming adventures to go and do. To recharge, I turn to my introvert lover standbys: reading, journaling, music, and the outdoors.
Keeping a tidy closet and floors clear has never been a high priority for me.
My life now as mom sings a different tune. I juggle my days filled with household duties: laundry, cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping and Lego sorting. In other words: clutter management.
To have soul rest, I need soul sanity.
The Logical Need For Less
The rate of clutter emerging from our young family was driving the three elements of soul rest to an all time low.
I figured the only logical way to maximize the time on soul-resting gifts was this: minimize the number of stuff mommy has to clean up.
For advice, I turned to my high school best friend whose closets stay color coordinated, even after having three kids.
“So, how do you do it? I get tired just thinking about cleaning.” I wondered what she’d say.
“I always feel better when everything’s put away… Don’t you?”
I felt so guilty for not enjoying cleaning up as much as I thought I should.
One book is surprisingly changing my perspective on organizing simplicity: Organized Simplicity: The Clutter Free Appraoch To Intentional Living
Organized Simplicity: A Clutter-Free Approach
I am a connoisseur of words, so when I read the subtitle of Simple Mom’s new book — “clutter free approach” — I was curious. Creating a clutter-free home as a goal didn’t interest me. A clutter-free approach did.
Simple Mom was founded by Tsh Oxenreider as a site to provide “life hacks for household managers”. When I turned to the first page of her book Organized Simplicity, I was expecting her to start rallying the troops by telling me “Household Managers shalt be clutter-free.”
Instead, Tsh had me at hello –
“Simple living is not easy, ironically. It’s hard to know where to start, what steps to take and what it really looks like.
Most simple living books are inundated with theories, step-by-step plans and experts who can tell you exactly what your simple life should look like. This is not one of those books…
I want to help you find what simple living looks like for you.“
A welcome surprise was how Tsh organized her book. The first half is focused on exploring the factors that influence our experience of simplicity: how we spend our time, money, and the priorities we find meaningful.
I found room to reflect on how I wanted to spend my limited resources. I got excited about investing them on community, creativity and adventures for me and my family.
My big ah-ha moment about de-cluttering hit me here –
“It’s important to use time to really recharge and not just kill time.”
Everyone has unique motivators to simplify. I learned time is mine. I want to spend it on rest-filled activities and people who I am passionate and refreshed by. Not moving stuff around the house.
An Overhaul of Clutter
I was still very nervous about the actual work of de-cluttering. The second half of the book provides — Ten Days To A More Simpler, More Organized Home.
“One of the best ebenezers for your decision to live a simpler life is a purposeful, family-wide overhaul of the home.”
Overhaul would have turned me off earlier in life. Right now, an overhaul is just the thing I want.
Although I will probably complete it in twenty days, I’m eager to walk through the practical steps outlined in bite-size chunks.
The book is written in a reflective, organized, and realistic voice. It is the perfect find.
I read it to my husband the day I got it. It was a fun conversation to have together.
Now, I see my overhaul approach to de-clutter as a fun adventure as a family.
Because there is purpose behind this organization, it’s not just about putting stuff in boxes (yawn). It’s about making time for the life I want, the one God has designed for me and my family to enjoy and live.
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How do you make time for rest?
What motivates you to de-clutter and simplify?
Pull up a chair. Click to share a comment or subscribe by email.
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** Organized Simplicity BOOK GIVEAWAY **
Thanks to author Tsh Oxenreider, (3) three winners will be randomly selected to receive a copy of Organized Simplicity.
You can also join Tsh on SimpleMom.net this week at Project: Simplify: Hot Spots Revealed.
BY 3/13/11 Sunday Midnight PST:
1. Leave a comment.
For Extra Entries
2. Facebook or Tweet the giveaway (Click on the “Share” button at the bottom of today’s post).
3. Subscribe to Faith Barista
4. Join me on Facebook.
Comment again for each extra entry.
You’ll be entered to win a copy of Organized Simplicity!
Congratulations to to our winners, who were randomly selected:
Tina (#148), Fiona (#189), Shelli (#50)
Thanks again to Tsh for this special giveaway!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Congratulations to Terri #183, randomly selected winner of the Cuisinart Jump Into Facebook Giveaway!
Thank you to everyone who welcomed me to Facebook!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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I lived in a hoarding environment for nearly 20 years. It was so bad, I was not even permitted to give my own childhood stuff away.
I’m at the point now where I want to live in a house that’s so small (and decluttered), I’ll have to go outside to change my mind.
I cannot express the sheer joy I’m experiencing at being able to freely collect clothing to take to the consignment shop. A simple exercise, perhaps, but rife with newly found emotional freedom.
Beth Ridgeway´s last [type] ..Shortness of breath
I have trouble de-cluttering and simplify my life. Find what simplicity looks like for me…. and time with loved ones is a good motivator and rest filled activities. Good thoughts for me to think on some more.
Katie´s last [type] ..Trying a new trick
Whenever I think of simplicity and living a clutter-free life, I think back to when my husband and I first got married. We had next to nothing to bring into our life together (18 year olds rarely do, lol), but cleaning the apartment was a breeze! Two kids and four dogs later, that’s not realistic for us, but I still long for that simple place from time to time.
Rebecca´s last [type] ..First Snowfall
Unfortunately, I usually find time for rest after I ‘hit the wall’ and have no choice to slow down. Sleep evades me often. I declutter when I get frustrated with all the ‘mess’ around me and cannot stand to clean around it any longer. Out comes a Goodwill bag or box in the garage and it doesn’t take long to fill it and out it goes!
I have always been one to save everything. The thought, “I may need this someday” didn’t allow me to depart with much of anything. After an extended time of illness, the clutter and the “mountains of treasures” seem to have overtaken my life. Getting rid of clutter to simplify life…sounds good to me!
Getting organized to be focused on what is truly important….
Dawn´s last [type] ..In The Rearview Mirror
I am a packrat! I’m hoping that throughout Lent and with the coming of spring, I can de-clutter many areas of my life, including my heart!
We do pretty ok in alot of areas – mostly because my husband likes it
and we have cleaners come in once a month that spurs me to take care of things sitting around so they can get to the parts they agreed to clean! The worst is I need to do an overhaul of my clothes and closets, but it’s a hated chore .. and who has time to sit down with a closet of clothes with a toddler running around? On the other hand, sometimes we like when there are toys everywhere because it reminds us that we have a little one in our life and that we are using the home and space we’ve been blessed with 
As a single mother of two busy teenage boys, we have stuff. In being a busy mom, I really need an assistant/a double me. But aside from that, thinking about what’s really important in simplifying my humble abode, I would like to keep only things related to my family. I am an avid book lover, so I have a small library, and a collector of rare unusual toys, antiques and collectibles. But they gather dust… I have a closet that’s overflowing, and floors I can’t see. Time for a Yard Sale, and a trip to St. Vincents. I am truly blessed, but when it comes down to it, family stuff, such as things my family has given me, and photo albums that need to be finished are what’s really important for me to hold onto. Family. That’s the stuff I’m keeping.
As for the small library, I really need only one, the Bible.
I would love to simplify, and life would be so much easier.
Time, large garbage bags, a Venti Caramel Frappuccino and a copy of this book would be wonderful.
Keeping things in order is so good for my heart, but it is also a continual challenge. I would be thrilled to win this book. Blessings
I am a subscriber to Faith Barista and I just subscribed to Simple Mom. What a help! Blessings
I need all the help I can get! I would LOVE this book!
Melanie´s last [type] ..Multitude Monday – March 7- 2011
I tweeted
(MelanieAnneTN on twitter)
Melanie´s last [type] ..Multitude Monday – March 7- 2011
I subscribe to your blog
Melanie´s last [type] ..Multitude Monday – March 7- 2011
How do I make time for rest? During busy days where there’s too much to be done and I’m scared, I pray that God will be in control of the timing and then I rejoice as things get done in perfect timing…that’s rest in the midst of things. Then too we try as a family to sabbath on Saturdays (church and shopping and prep work Sundays). Come to think of it, today is one of those scary-busy days! I’m up early (thanks Kat!) getting my reading time in.
What motivates me to declutter is having people over, and my husband lumping all my piles together: then it looks big and I pull up the recycling bin and get to work after I’ve cleaned up from the party (usually Sunday night dinners with students). But decisions, decisions: they’re so hard to make, what to keep, sell, or give away when I might need it again! I think Tsh’s book would give me a rubric.
Beth Werner Lee´s last [type] ..Speaking UP- Beauty
My adventure into de-cluttering isn’t beginning with a trash bag and a broom, but with sorting through all that clutters my mind-past beliefs, tightly held lies, unrealistic expectations, etc. I am sorting out what is true, and throwing out what is false, leaving a whole lot of space for what is good.
Bev McDougal´s last [type] ..Icicles
I feel like I’m de-cluttering all the time. Maybe I’m just not doing it right because I’m still not organized. I REALLY want to simplify my life and our house so I an enjoy spending time with our 4 kids. Maybe it would even make homeschooling more easy! I pray about this a lot and I know that eventually God will get me through this organizing stuff, I just need to figure out how to pare down a lot more!
I’m a subscriber! LOVE your blog!
I also “LIKE” on Facebook!
When my children were little, I have six daughters, I was really good about decluttering. I had to be or it would have taken over my house. I had to stay on top of managing all the STUFF. Now that most have left the house and I only have one at home I have gotten really lazy. Maybe it is my reward for all those years, but I find myself not wanting all this stuff…Thanks for the book and I hope I win. It looks amazing and I am sure it will help.
Kindest regards,
Barbara @madreminutes
http://madreminutes.blogspot.com
I liked on FB, I shared on FB and I follow both of you…….and I will see you at Relevant….can’t wait.
Barbara Collins @madreminutes´s last [type] ..The Rolls that Rocked at the Rock n Roll 1-2 Marathon NOLA
Thank you for the the chance to try to win the book. I really need help with organizing. Your blog has been so encouraging. thank you!
I live alone but you wouldn’t think so by looking at my cluttered home. It is truly overwhelming to see clothes piled up that I probably haven’t worn in years filling up my free space. Finding a starting place has always been the problem. I am excited at finally taking control over my home!
I am joining you on Facebook!
I really need to learn how to organize to live simply. Would love to win this book
Have been a fan of yours on Facebook for awhile!
Subscribed to your blog…
This is what the Lord is calling me to. I’m working toward making room for Him in my Spirit. He’s calling me to get rid of unneeded stuff in whatever form. My life is full of too much noise, too many responsibilities, too much stuff, just plain TOO MUCH! Little by little He’s showing me how to weed out the too much and welcome in His best…Himself; what a trade-off, my busyness and clutter for Him. That’s Big! This book sounds great.
Blessings!
@mellohmars just tweeted you book giveaway. Thanks
The line “Keeping a tidy closet and floors clear has never been a high priority for me. ” resonated with me. On a daily basis I could find so many other things to do than keep organized or get organized. However my brain often only thinks about what I should be doing to get my rooms more organized and in a more useable state. My tactic lately is do first things first and don’t worry so much about what still needs to be done because I am a teacher (not a mom) and teachers and moms know there is always more to be done.
Thanks for sharing I really enjoy your blog!
Melisssa
I am in the process of overhauling clutter as well. This looks like a great book!
April´s last [type] ..Comments
Hi Bonnie:
Thanks so much for sharing some of what you’ve taken away from this book. It’s on my wishlist at Amazon.com.
I’ve always been an “organizer” but have come to the realization, in recent days, that I’m not very good at simplifying.
Our only son has grown and spends 10 months of the year at college. Yet life has become more chaotic for us as a family. The organizational skills that I’ve used in the past are not effective during this phase of life. As a result…we’re tired. We need rest.
That pretty much explains why this book appealed to me. I’m seeking a rest-filled life more than ever before these days.
This statement you made stood out to me…”Because there is purpose behind this organization, it’s not just about putting stuff in boxes (yawn). It’s about making time for the life I want, the one God has designed for me and my family to enjoy and live.”
I’m not sure I’ve ever really seen organization or decluttering as a way to better acheiving my purpose in God or enjoying my family or life. In truth, I’m a neat freak. I like things in their place and I want them to stay there.
Thanks for helping my desire to grow and for increased understanding of why I’ve begun to crave simplicty.
Blessings!
I tweeted about the contest.
Melinda Lancaster´s last [type] ..Five Bible Verses About Money Every Christian Should Know
I’m with you on Facebook.
I’ve subscribed to your blog via email.
We’re moving this summer, and I have already began looking around our home for things I can give away or sell. I go through times of purging where I cut and slash away the clutter, but then there are other times where I buy and save. Haha!
Melissa Brotherton´s last [type] ..When I Grow Up…
I feel like I have been de-cluttering for the last couple of years, but it feels like I have only made little progress. I get started and then lose steam. Or one small project turns into a big project and doesn’t get finished. I think the worst part of clutter is how it drains you. I hate seeing clutter, but finding the energy to tackle it is a problem. This is definitely a book I’m going to go get. Seems like the perfect starting place for me.
LaTanya´s last [type] ..Make Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaners
Not enough closet space. That’s usually the reason for me to declutter. It’s also removing attachments to things that no longer serve a purpose. (I’m still working on that.) I went from a walk-in closet in my teenie apartment to a very small one in a big house. Most of my shoes are still packed in a box in the garage because there is no room for them in the bedroom closet. I do find that a less cluttered environment is more peaceful. I would like to find ways to organize without spending a fortune on new closet units. I periodically reorganize my pantry and actually put the spices in alphabetical order. I did that with our DVDs that are in a bookcase now. I organized them by category: drama, comedy, etc. And then I alphabetized them. I know….obsessive! Then I added other things to the bookcase so it’s an artful arrangement, too.
I’m an admitted packrat. I only have two real motivations to declutter: Repeated inability to find what I want or need and fear of waking up to find myself in a house with boxes up to the ceiling full of “stuff”. The frustration leads me to reorganize, but the fear leads me to purge.
Hello,
How I simplify is if I have not used it in a year, or worn in, touched it at all, I start a pile and when it is all together I look for someone to give it all to who is in need!! It has been so fun, I have been so surprised at times on how much stuff has accumulated!! Once I have gathered all said items I get a cup of coffee, sit and just rest in knowing that purging in so many ways is a good thing!!!
Cleansing the house of all unneeded things is like cleansing your spirit for a refreshing of GODS touch and anointing, it prepares you for a new adventure!!
Blessings
Wow. I typically shy away from those organizational books. I don’t need one more thing to make me feel like I’m doing it all wrong! But this book sounds like it has potential…
I hope you keep us posted on your ten (or twenty) day de-cluttering, Bonnie. I want to know what that looks like! Me? I’m thinking about moving into the house across the street and visiting my three guys in the evening
.
Laura´s last [type] ..Playdates- Small World
Usually, the onset of spring makes me want to de-clutter. This time of year begs for newness and simplicity.
I’d love to win a copy of this book! Thank you for a chance to win.
seizethebookblog(at)gmail(dot)com
Judy Dudley´s last [type] ..Video- I Like Big Books
I’m intrigued. Your comments make me want to read . . . and jump in. Paper is my nemesis on the clutter front. It overwhelms me. I just don’t know what to do with it.
I know I feel better when there’s not so much clutter around. I can visually and emotionally rest. I’m just not good at getting there
Sheryl´s last [type] ..On My Own
I already subscribe. ;0
Sheryl´s last [type] ..On My Own
And, I’m already with you on facebook . . .
Sheryl´s last [type] ..On My Own
We have moved a lot. We are making our third move in three years this summer. Our moves are big ones. We moved to MA from CA. Before that we moved to CA from HI, and before that VA to HI, and before THAT CA to VA. This summer it will most likely be an international move. I can’t ever seem to get organized because we move so much! I would love to win this book!
thefarmerfiles´s last [type] ..Winter Interrupted
I subscribe to the RSS feed.
thefarmerfiles´s last [type] ..Winter Interrupted
I am organized by nature; but organized for simplicity? Not as much as I’d like. The greatest motivator for me recently to simplify is my desire to give to the least of these. I cannot give if I am keeping or adding to what is already enough.
Thank you for the giveaway; I have me wanting to get Tsh’s book!
I tweeted the giveaway!
Shelli @ Hopefully Devoted´s last [type] ..Like the stars in the sky- so are the graces
I’m a long-time subscriber!
Shelli @ Hopefully Devoted´s last [type] ..Like the stars in the sky- so are the graces
I’m a facebook fan!
Shelli @ Hopefully Devoted´s last [type] ..Like the stars in the sky- so are the graces