What is It?

Balance. Do you have it? That question could elicit quite a few answers. Am I talking about physical balance? Home-work balance? Relational balance? What I think of as balance, you may see as completely wonky.

That Blasted Ceiling Fan

Why is this the subject of this blog? It all started with a ceiling fan!

We currently live in a rental and haven’t used the ceiling fan in our bedroom since we moved in three years ago. Why? It’s out of balance and shimmies and shakes and makes noise when we turn it on. Instead of taking care of the problem – bringing it into balance – it was easier to use the box fan. But the box fan doesn’t move the air around as effectively as the ceiling fan, and on warm summer nights it doesn’t cool us like a ceiling fan would.

Who Keeps Your Calendar?

Why do we find ourselves doing things like this? Are we lazy? Sometimes. Is it a lack of knowledge? Possibly. Are we just so worn out that we can’t seem to put two brain cells together to figure it out? Probably!

That last question leads me to another. Why are we worn out? Too many activities? Too many responsibilities? Do we not understand that WE set our schedules?

Let the Meddling Begin

Here’s where the meddling and tough love come in. Are you constantly on the run getting yourself or your kids to activities? Do you serve on multiple committees or even ministries? If you’re “too busy”, stop saying Yes to something – it may even be a “good” something. You have choices. That may sound simplistic – because it is!! Remember, simple does not equal easy.

The choices you need to make to bring balance can be hard ones. Your boss might not be happy, your kids will probably not like them, other friends and family may be offended by your choices. All those things don’t change the fact that you do have choices. I warned you that I was going to meddle.

Expectations

There are so many expectations in our society today. Kids should be in pre-school, children should be in extra-curricular activities/sports, women should have a career outside the home, yearly vacations are the norm, every birthday needs to be celebrated in a bigger way than the
last, every child should have their own room, etc., etc. Some people don’t like it when we step outside of the norm because it means that they could too, but they won’t. Some are too beholden to others’ expectations.

Drop That Weight

You (and your spouse if you’re married) may need time to figure out what you want your life to look like. As believers, my husband and I start at “To what has God specifically called us – individually and as a couple?” “How does He define balance?” We still have a long way to go, but we are becoming more and more okay with being viewed as outside the norm.
Are other people’s expectations weighing on you and putting you out of balance? Here’s your permission to drop that weight!

The Unexpected

Not quite the title you expected for a blog post on an organizing website, huh? The unexpected happens – sometimes as we’re living life, and sometimes when we experience a death.

This blog was supposed to be up more than a week ago – just before April ended. That was my expectation, my plan. But we all know that the best laid plans . . .

Back on April 16th, a friend in Michigan passed away. Plans for her memorial service were
made for the following weekend. We made an unexpected trip to Michigan. Then I ended up getting sick the day we traveled home (and have been for nearly two weeks). Unexpected and miserable. Add to that a proofreading job of a novel that I was supposed to start the day we got home. How was that going to get done?

Somewhat Prepared

Why do I share this with you? Because even though we know things like this can and do happen, have we stopped to consider how we might get ourselves better prepared for them? This time around, simple things like coming home to a clean house helped. Also, having milk and bread in the fridge that still had many days before their expiration dates. Fortunately, the deadline for my proofreading job had a couple of extra days breathing room.

We can’t possibly know about and prepare for everything. Those times are called “unexpected” for a reason. But I believe we can make things easier for ourselves and those around us.

Swedish WHAT ?!?

Okay, here’s another thing I’m sure you didn’t expect to see in this blog post – Swedish Death Cleaning. I know, I know, it sounds completely morbid, and you may be thinking, “Dianna, have you lost your marbles?” Maybe, but hear me out. Swedish Death Cleaning is an actual thing. It’s considered an act of great kindness toward those left behind. In Sweden, as people approach their golden years, they begin the process of decluttering their homes. Items are tossed or given away. Why? So that when the time comes, loved ones are not left with the daunting task of going through so much stuff. Speaking as one who has had to go through the multitude of items of a loved one who has passed away, daunting is a good word to describe it.

Free Yourself Up

The bottom line? No matter what stage of life we are in – out on our own for the first time, married with young children, empty nesters, or in our golden years – decluttering and organizing our homes and lives can give us the physical, mental, and emotional space needed to better deal with the unexpected.

Abundant Living?

We live in a world of abundance, but does our abundance serve us well? Are those 20 pairs of shoes that take up so much space, and at times become a tripping hazard, really serving you well? Are those magazines, cookbooks, piles or boxes of papers that contain information that you’re sure you’ll need at some point, but haven’t referenced in five or more years, serving you well? Is all the stuff on your couch, your dining room table, in your garage or basement, serving you well? Can you truly live out your desires or the ways you are gifted with all the stuff you currently have?

Is your stuff serving you, or are you serving it?

How’s Your Health?

Did you know that clutter and disorganization affect your physical and mental health? Many studies have shown this to be true. Think about the times when you’re trying to get out the door, but you can’t find your keys, or your phone, or your jacket, or that box that needs to go to the post office that you’re sure you put right next to the door. For those with kids – they can’t find their shoes, or the stuffed animal that HAS to go to the doctor with them, or their school assignment that has to be turned in that day, etc. You can turn into a frazzled mess in minutes and you’re not even out of the driveway yet!

Multiply instances like those by the 100’s because over the course of weeks and months that’s how often they happen. That’s a lot of stress and it zaps our mental and physical energy. While we’ll always have times like those listed above, they do not have to be the norm. So why do we continue to live that way? Is it that we think we have to make a major shift or life-altering change to make a difference?

I have good news – you don’t!!

How to Do It

We’ve all heard the phrase “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!”  That’s how you can start decluttering and organizing. Start with the junk drawer, a desk drawer, or a kitchen counter. Don’t just move things from one place to another, unless it is something that really is just out of place.

Develop the mindset and skill of being ruthless about your stuff. If it’s something that will serve you well – keep it! That doesn’t exclusively mean it has a function. It may be something that you find lovely and it’s good for your soul. If that’s the case, display it some place where you can enjoy it. If it’s been tossed in a drawer or closet out of sight, what level of importance did you really put on it?

Calling the Cavalry

Maybe you need someone to help you. Here comes the shameless plug (which is okay since it is my blog after all 🙂). I would love to come along side you and help. There are so many ways to begin and walk through the process. We’ll work together to figure out what works best for you. End of my shameless plug.

Every space in your home is valuable real estate. Is that real estate adding value to your life and helping you to be healthy?

I Struggle Too

I admit it! At times, I struggle with clutter and messes just like all of you. I’ve had
instances of complete frustration when I’ve asked my husband, “How is it that the
organizing lady can’t find . . .?” The same thing goes for the plumber who has
had a dripping faucet for months. Or, for the man who does beautiful stamped
concrete work but has a gravel driveway. That’s a true story of someone we
knew.

One Size Does NOT Fit All

Maybe, just maybe, it’s not that we can’t declutter and get organized; it’s that we
are going about it in a way that doesn’t fit. We’re trying to be someone else;
trying to live like someone whose ideas and thought processes are different than
our own.

I am a believer in, and a follower of, the one and only Son of God, Yeshua (Jesus
Christ). I know and believe that the Father knit me together in my mother’s
womb. Uniquely and purposefully. I have biological brothers and sisters, and
each of our DNA looks a little different. Even identical twins don’t have the same
DNA! There is no one just like you. That’s more than okay, that is GREAT!!!

Why do I tell you this? So that you know it’s okay to be different and have things
make sense to you that don’t make sense to me. When it comes to organizing,
you may want to see everything you have, but also want it to be ordered. Or,
maybe you want nothing on your counters, nothing on your refrigerator, and not a
single sheet of paper visible. Neither is wrong, just different.

Don’t fight that!! Your success depends on it.

How Do You Do That

I wish I had words to give you to help you breeze through it, but I don’t. On
second thought, that might not be the best thing. So many lessons are learned in
the “going through”. Those are generally the ones that stick.

It may mean you go through lots of trial and error. At times it could mean having
someone come alongside you to help you figure it out. I have a talent for
organizing, but not marketing. That’s kind of important when you start a business.
My daughters (two of which are business owners) are great at it. I enlist their help
on a regular basis. My husband is the king of vocabulary. I frequently ask him to
help me with wording. He will read this blog post before I publish it (and suggest changes, I’m sure). Using our gifts and talents in the service of others is how we
all accomplish more and increase our peace.

Be What Someone Else Needs

You DO have areas where you excel. Share that with others. You have areas
where you need help. Ask for it, knowing that while you are receiving the blessing
of their help, they are also receiving the blessing of helping.