Getting organized~ Give-a-way ~

"But all things should be done decently and in order." 1 Corinthians 14:40 (ESV)

Isn't this a great book cover?!?!?!

GIVEAWAY: One blessed reader of AKA Homeschool mom will win a copy of Glynnis Whitwer's book,  I Used to Be So Organized: Help for Reclaiming Order and Peace
 
 In battling clutter, I am determined.  But I have not arrived.  Glynnis's book gives much insight in how to do this practically.  It is presented in a way that makes it an easy read.  Get your highlighter ready!

This is what her website says about the book,

"Glynnis' newest book, I Used to Be So Organized addresses the frustrations many women feel when they can't handle their lives.  They know, deep in their hearts, they should be able to manage things.  After all, they used to be organized...ten or twenty years ago.  By now, life seems to hand them on distraction and challenge after another.  Combining spiritual encouragement and practical application I Used to Be So Organized presents a balanced approach to finding order and peace for today's overwhelmed woman.  This book contains 23 chapters, each short enough for a busy woman to read during a lunch break.  Every aspect of life come together in this one easy-to-read guide."

As a homeschooler, I find this frustration even more acute.  School is everywhere, projects are everywhere, and our life is everywhere.  This book presents excellent tips and strategies to streamlining your life while taking care of your family.

Here are some of my tips for staying organized...

• Have a painting party with your friends.  Serve pizza and provide supplies.  Ask your friends to help.  This is a great way to fellowship and get to know your girlfriends.  It really does make painting fun.  Painting really isn't difficult and it makes everything look clean.  Talk to someone at Home Depot or email me!  I find it therapeutic!  I have found top quality paint at Wal-Mart that is inexpensive compared with the bigger chains and they can match it to any color you want. 
• Move 'school' to another space as you work on different rooms.  Ask kids to help. 
• One of the best pieces of advice I got from a realtor when selling our home was to get everything off my kitchen counters.  Toaster, blender, etc... goes in cabinets.  We didn't use them every day anyway.  It looked so good, I now keep all appliances in cabinets. 
• Get rid of knick knacks you do not love to dust.
• Have a yard sale.  Get kids involved.  Let them keep the $ from the stuff they sell.  Have them take everything off the shelves, toy boxes etc... before organizing them back.  Holding an object in your hand before deciding if you really want to put it back on a shelf is more helpful then just rummaging by hand through your belongings to see if you really want them.  You can't really 'see' it that way.  Take ALL your clothing off your rack before putting it back on the rack.  Set aside a pile to try on.  Keep nothing out of guilt and trust God to provide in the future what you will need. 
• Have kids do this in their closets and discuss why they didn't put certain items back on their rack.  I have learned a lot about what my kids like doing this and saved money in buying their clothes.  One child didn't like red and it didn't matter how much I bought of it, she wouldn't wear it.  Another was sensitive to certain fabrics, etc...
• Organize closets first.  Group sheet sets and towel sets together.  Look at the rest and decide if you really need/want it.  Organize junk drawers when you talk on the phone.  I have cleaned out all kinds of things when talking to a girl friend.
• Rearrange furniture so there is more floor space.

What is your best organization tip for your time or your stuff? 

Here’s how you can enter to win!
To Enter {Up to 4 Entries}:

{1} Leave a comment.
{2} Follow my blog and leave a comment telling me you did.
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*Leave a separate comment for each entry.  Also, be sure to leave a way for me to get a hold of you, either linking to your blog or with an email. I will randomly choose the winner on September 5th. 

Thanks for stopping by!