Living Clutter-Free

Got clutter?

Come on….. we all do!

Here is some of my own after-Christmas clutter as I took down decorations, put away new presents and de-junked the drawers, closets & crevices of our home.

Un-decorating the living room and Christmas tree.
Piles of papers, manuals and assorted junk that needed a good weeding through.

And, after two days of sipping coffee, listening to talk radio and working like a maniac, (only stopping to eat) here is a snapshot of the furnace/storage room in our basement. I pulled everything out of the bins, got rid of what we no longer needed and reorganized the items we still use. (NOTE: Don’t be envious of my plastic totes. One year, about a decade ago, for Christmas, my birthday & Mother’s Day all I asked for was money to buy these useful bins.)

BEST. ORGANIZING. DECISION. EVVVV-ER.

Ta-da!!! After several hours, my "stuff" is all labeled and put away.

January is the perfect month to do a little clutter-busting.

If you are serious about wanting to get your “stuff” in order too, join my friend and ministry partner Glynnis Whitwer as she leads a 15 day “Living Clutter-Free” challenge that begins on Monday, January 9th.

It is based on her newest book, (the forward to which I was honored to write!) called I Used to Be So Organized.

If you want to check it out, click here. I’ll be joining along too as we encourage each other to bust those piles and de-clutter our homes and minds!

Happy clutter-busting!

12 Comments

  1. LOVE it! Thanks for the peak and the inspiration! I always get the decluttering bug over the holidays too…..just too much stuff around.

  2. I love to be able to see organization working for someone. I am just beginning to get to the de- cluttering (slowly but surely). Can’t wait to be able to see my house with labeled totes all organized and no more clutter. It seems impossible to me right now (especially with 3 young kids underfoot), but I know that… “With God all things are possible”!!! Thanks for the inspirational photos :-)

  3. The timing couldn’t be more perfect………..sure hope we get some snow soon so I’ll feel like holing up and doing it……..LOL Thanks so much to both of you………..and yes, I am envious of your totes but more envious that you are already finished…………LOL

    :)

  4. Hi Karen! I’m jealous too! I would love to be that organized!
    My problem is our house is small, no basement, & very limited closet space.
    I need to de-clutter before I can organize.
    I can’t wait for Glynnis’s challenge to begin.

    Blessings,
    Janet W.

  5. I just love the before and afters!!! I am inspired and admittedly a little envious too (sorry…I know you said not to be!). The pictures give me hope. It’s time. I’m digging in…and I’m getting those bins too. Love the General Store, holiday bins, etc. And those labels…can you believe I actually get to the point of organizing a box then mislabel it or don’t label it at all, so I don’t know what the heck is in there. You make this seem possible Karen.. Thank you. Blessings!

  6. I am so jealous of the room you have for storage. I grew up in MI (where I know you live!) and we had a huge basement. I live in Alaska with my family and while we have a nice size house, we have little storage. No one up here has basements. I am now off to work on the one storage closet I do have!

  7. Oh, I’m jealous too! and in Awe! Love the concept… now to think of a place I could use to do that. Maybe my basement. Hmm…
    May I ask what type of stuff you store in totes, and how they’re labeled? Is it mainly Christmas stuff?

    I do have Glynnis’ book and can’t wait to start the study! Already reading ahead. :)
    Thanks for sharing your photos

    1. Sure Tammy–

      Beyond Christmas (and they are labeled as to whether they are outdoor lights, living room decorations, tree-trimming items, etc…) I have one bin that is “General Store”. This is where I buy great items on sale that I will use for gifts for friends, blog winners, etc throughout the year (think candles, lotions, jewelry, etc). I also have two “Nostalgia” bins per child for the items they no longer use or need but that they will want when they leave my house or want to show or give to their kids someday. I also have a bin titled “Fall” for fall decorations and another titles “Other Holidays” with Easter, Valentines day, etc… decorations and candles. Then, I have a bin from high school, one from college and one titled “Grandkids” where I have placed some of the kids favorite toys for my grandkids to play with at my house someday. Hope that helps!

  8. Thank you, Karen! Haven’t started de-Christmasing, yet, BUT have started my January organization projects. I am trying an organizational binder for 2012….a place to keep all those important papers that you need at your fingertips and are always shuffling through. I am excited! I have dividers for each month and then tabs for other areas of our lives…school, important phone #’s, Drs. and Vet information, Vacation plans, etc.

    Trying to do the bin idea for a storage room, but I am getting weary of all my family’s clutter! Need prayer on that one. I feel so overwhelmed somedays I feel like giving up. My hubby is a piler (nice way of saying a hoarder) It is hard to teach an ole dog new tricks!! Please pray!!

  9. Took the week after Christmas to spend time with the kids, and now that one is back in school, the other and I are working to get everything put away. Tomorrow (SO much later than usual!) the tree and platform will be put away, and then I’m off to work on my piles. I so want to read this book!

  10. Oh but I AM jealous – of the bins and space and organized. stuff. :-) Already planning to check out Glynnis’ blog on Monday. Hav a great weekend and God bless!

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