Someone asked me recently if I’m an “organized person”. The answer to that question five years ago would have been a big NO. Two giant letters. N. O. Organization and neatness are gifts that come naturally to others, but for me at that time it was a permanent struggle. My kitchen table regularly had stacks of mail, some of which were unopened time sensitive letters, no one could ride in my car without me first cleaning the passenger seat and floorboard to give them proper space and cleanliness – sorry!, and my desk could not be seen under the sea of cluttered papers, folders, and books. Maybe it was the way I was raised, or a lack of personal discipline, either way; I was clearly not an “organized person”.

What is the big deal, right? What is the harm in clutter? One thing to consider is that the problem may be bigger than you think. Meaning, disorganization in our lives often starts small and gradually build as we increase our tolerance for the mess. We may not even know we’re doing it!

Our lives are made up of many seasons – hard ones, joyful ones, anxious ones, fearful ones – one overlapping the other. There have likely been or will be seasons in your life where organization will be pushed aside as your last priority and for very good reasons I am sure. Usually these shifts happen during major life changes. The key here is to identify and recognize the problem as soon as possible and rectify before the mess gets too big.

Here is the problem with clutter. As clutter grows, so does the underlying, energy sucking feeling of being overwhelmed. You feel like your body is collapsing in itself and the pressure keeps building and building bricks to an unbearable weight. Instead of walking into your work space with feelings of expectancy, possibilities, creativity, and positivity, you are met with feelings of pressure, anxiety that there is never enough time to get anything done, and even feelings of failure before you’ve even begun. You may not notice the clutter anymore, but your subconscious mind does. Your subconscious mind is involved in every decision you make and every action you take.

Author and organizing master, Pete Walsh says that clutter will affect every area of your life. Every single part of it. “You want a life built on a solid foundation, but you can’t even see the floor beneath you. You want to lose weight, but your kitchen is overwhelmed with appliances you never use. You want to build your career, but your office literally makes you feel ill. You want to change? This is where it starts: your home. Where you live, breathe, rest, love, and create. Forget the self-help books. Get rid of the clutter. Get organized. If you do, I promise that every aspect of your life will change in ways that you never imagined possible.”

If you are feeling overwhelmed and out of control, let me give you this simple piece of advice, clean your purse. Why start with your purse? Your purse is with you all day. When you are searching for your car keys on your way out of the house, when you put on lipstick on the way to work, when you pay for lunch, when you are on your bathroom break, each time your cell phone rings, you are in and out of your purse all day long and it is most likely always with you.

Even though cleaning out your purse is one small thing, it can have a big effect on your mental state and focus because of our daily interactions with it. You may be thinking, “I have much bigger clutter problems than my purse.” I believe you, and you will soon need to pay attention to the other areas of disorganization like your closet, office, kitchen, pantry, car, etc.

Have you ever heard the saying, “How you do anything is how you do everything?” I dare you to look inside your purse right now? What do you see? Do you see chaos, trash, forgotten to-do lists, and clutter? I believe our purses can be a kind of barometer for how organized and effective we are in life. A reason why you should start with your purse is precisely because it IS a small thing. When you consistently do the small things, the big things will happen too. Or as I like to think of it, as my purse goes, so does my life.

[title subtitle="You're Invited"][/title]

Gather Her || 10.20.16

 

..whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

Enjoy an evening with women just like you who want to explore their faith and love all things fashion:

10.20.16
6:30 - 8:30 pm
FREE for all women!
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If you believe in the mission, we do accept donations! Click Here to donate.

At Gather Her, you will:
~ Find refuge in a lovely environment.
~ Create authentic, pure relationships through girl talk time after each message.
~ Hear truth through our monthly guest speakers.
~ Meet women who are real, fun and authentic who love to laugh during our mix & mingle time!
~ Learn how to take care of yourself as an Ambassador of Christ through our monthly fashion partner.

Light Bites & Wine provided + Photo Booth

October Guest Speaker: CW's own, Lynn Marie Cherry, Author.

Lynn has just published her first book and will share her personal journey of walking through betrayal and how we, too, can get to other side our hurts and hangups we may have experience in our lives. It's real #GirlTalk

#IamCreatedWoman
#Purpose
#LegacyBuilder

Created Woman: Equip & empower women to be who they are created to be inside & out.