Book 10 was finished a few days ago. This one was recommended by several of my awesome mom friends, all who have small children in their homes and who I consider super-moms! It’s called The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Japanese author, Marie Kondo.
She was always obsessed with tidying even as a child, but it evolved over time into something that she says 0% of her clients ever regress into old habits. Amazing, huh.
I learned a lot of my housekeeping from my mother-in-love, who lived with us for about a year and a half right when my eldest son was born (my father-in-law was working overseas for the Civil Service). She always amazed me at how her dished were always washed, her table always clear from clutter, the beds were always made, the floors always clean. I saw this before she lived with us, but then when she did, I was eager to learn these little (and lifechanging) tidbits of knowledge! I was never a tidy person growing up, leaving my room to chaos until either I couldn’t stand it any longer or I was so bored on a Saturday, cleaning my room was the only thing to do.
She taught me things like washing dishes (and pots and cooking utensils) while cooking, hang things up or fold clothes and put them away right when you take them out of the dryer, and to not be afraid to throw things away. She taught me so many things just in the way she did life, without saying much at all. I caught a lot in that year and a half, and fortunately, many, if not all, of those habits have stuck with me over the last 10 years!
This book goes much further though, delving into the JOY of your possessions and reducing the things you have in your home to ONLY those things that bring you joy! Sound impossible or daunting? I can’t tell you yet if that really is the case yet, because I haven’t had the chance to go through EVERYTHING I own as of yet, but it’s on the calendar, and I will update you when I do the deed, per se. I will say though, I am motivated!
ORDER
That is the word for this year that Philip and I had settle in our spirit for 2016. The last 3 years we have asked the Lord what word He has for us, whether it is a goal or an “essence” of the year. Something to either keep us on track, or maybe just to show His faithfulness by December. I encourage you to do this if you never have before. It’s an amazing way to develop something personal with the Holy Spirit.
Anyway, Order is our year for 2016. And we feel like it is something WE desire and will help us go farther in business, peace in our home, and joy as well. It encompasses everything from organizing to updating light fixtures, from purging possessions to finding a groove with our homeschooling and parenting, from finding what works in this season of our life in health and wellness to creating a beautiful atmosphere of love.
This book fit right in, obviously. You can pick up the book at Costco, which is what my friend did, and I promise, it will help give you a guideline for more joy, more peace, and more purpose for your home. Who doesn’t want that?
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