Sweet DoAheads have I got a treat for you! Today’s Doahead Dwelling will feature a post by one of the sweetest souls on the planet. Angie is a gal that you immediately identify with as “the sister next door”. Her spark and humor combined with her insight and love for Jesus are a dynamite combination! Check out today’s post and leave a comment. Perhaps you’ll win the free copy of her book! Without further adieu…

Angie Ryg-Clutter Free Simplicity!

There was no place to hide. No quick warnings to my children to hush and pretend we weren’t home. No time to duck out of sight from the windows.

It was just after our third child was born and I was nursing in the family room when my neighbor called through the front door, “Hey, Angie, are you guys home?”

An infant and a burp rag were the only things covering me. I hadn’t gotten ready for the day yet, and I was sporting a distinct smell that could only come from the deadly combination of spit up and lack of a shower.

My older two children were playing on the floor with loads of laundry strewn about …the entire floor. There were bowls with cereal floating in leftover milk next to the television, and the dirty diaper across the room had popped open to expose all its lovely contents. It appeared my kids had suddenly been raptured while watching Dora the Explorer.

Yes, my house was an absolute mess. And my neighbor just walked right in. Right in.
As she hugged me I mumbled something about it being a rough night staying up late with the baby. But honestly, being up late was no excuse for the mess she was sitting in. Yes, sitting in. She actually sat on the couch that was layered in more laundry.

I was cringing with embarrassment on the inside. What was my neighbor thinking about all of this mess? I mean really, how did it get so bad?

Something had to change.

I can look back now and see that moment was a catalyst to get rid of the clutter in my life. It was a process. A hard process.

I longed for the houses in the magazines with crystal clean counters and fresh flowers.  I longed for the day that I could just invite someone spontaneously over for lunch after church.

I finally saw that although God does not judge our hearts by our homes, our homes are where we can share our hearts to others. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but God is a God of order and He commands us to be good stewards of what He has given us.

I want my home to be welcoming.  I want it to be the type of DoAhead Dwelling that can make a guest feel encouraged to stay and rest.

When I knew that something had to change, I took it in very slow steps knowing that my house did not get out of control overnight and it certainly wasn’t going to get clean overnight.

Here are three of my favorite tips help to get it clutter free and stay that way:

1. Ten Minute Tidy – I set my timer for ten minutes and I clean out one area in that amount of time.  It keeps me focused and I can usually get one drawer, counter, laundry bin folded in that amount of time.  You will surprised how much you can really get done.
2. Clear All Surfaces to Only One to Three Things – This is a biggie in the whole realm of making your home a haven.  With your counters clear of piles of mail or even too many cute little figurines, it makes for an appealing visual space for guests to come into.  The floor is also included in surfaces!  My problem was always piles of books or toys.  If you combine those piles into baskets, they are out of the way and yet easy to get to.
3. Set Up Systems and Then Evaluate – Where does your mail go when you bring it in?  Where do spelling lists go? When you buy new clothes, do you take anything out of the closet?  How often will you do laundry?  What days do you clean the sheets?  Once these systems are in place, use them for a few weeks and then evaluate if they are really working.  I used to clean the sheets every Thursday because my kids were all gone at school and I had a free morning, but when I homeschooled, they were always home and I realized I kept forgetting to do them.  I needed a new system.

And I should add another tip as well.  Give yourself some grace.  It takes time to get these systems in place.  Invite the family to help and give yourself rewards when it happens.  Our family is working on cleaning out our basement.  Once it is done, my husband says he will paint it!  Okay, that might be a pretty big reward.  How about just going out of ice cream if you get the junk drawer organized?  We have done that one too!

Enjoy the process and enjoy the end result: a clutter free home that you can open up to guests and be able to share the love of Jesus.

Do you have any good tips on keeping your life clutter free? I would love to hear from you! Please leave your comments and I’ll choose one of you to receive a copy of my eBook, Clutter Free Simplicity – Seven Ways to Clear the Clutter in Your Heart and Home.

Angie Ryg is the author of Clutter Free Simplicity – Seven Steps to Clear the Clutter from Your Heart and Home. She is married to her best friend, mother to one princess and three princes, and can be found blogging at Finding Joy In Everyday Moments. You can also connect with her on Facebook or Twitter.

Next Friday DoAhead will feature a Diva tip for those smoky (or not so smoky eyes)!  SEE you soon!

Your DoAhead Friend,