Spring is here, which means it is time for Spring Cleaning!

To have a successful cleaning day (or weekend), it is essential to start with decluttering. We always recommend going through at least your clothing and papers. Clothing material can wear over time and clothing preferences can change. Papers can quickly accumulate and create mountains of unneeded things better known as trash. If you are ready to start the first step, it is not too late to join us in our #40days40things declutter-thon. Check out the previous blog, if you are interested in decluttering.

A big part of cleaning includes tools and products. We recommend keeping cleaning tools and products all located in one spot. Our preference for location is the laundry room, especially if you have children and/or pets. Not only is the location key regarding cleaning and organization, but the particular tools and products used are important to bring balance to your life. We advise creating your own cleaning products. Pinterest has loads of recipes. We have just begun experimenting on non-toxic products. We suggest for a toilet bowl cleaner to make this recipe: 1/2 c baking soda, 1 c distilled white vinegar, and 1/2 tsp essential oil. We will continue to update as we try additional DIY cleaning product recipes. Not only with these recipes are you able to properly clean your home without toxics, but you are also able to save money. 

Other than the basics for cleaning each room, there are a few other steps to be included in your yearly Spring Cleaning routine. If you have children, this is a great opportunity to not only declutter their toys, but also to set aside some toys and routinely swap out the toys. Too often, children have many toys that they may not play with because of the big selection. Keeping some toys out and some toys stored away and swapping the piles out each season or so will allow your children to truly enjoy all of their toys. Another terrific idea in regards to families with kids is to take this time to declutter and organize their school work you have collected over this past school year. This product or something similar as well as hanging files and file folders and you have the perfect organizer for each child's school work that you want to keep as they go through their education. Even if you do not have children, this is also a great time to swap out fall/winter scented candles for spring/summer scented candles, as well as restock the fridge/freezer and the pantry. Make sure to swap out your winter clothing for spring clothing as the weather begins to change.  We also recommend having your go-to shoes either in your entrance way closet or organized somewhere near your entrance way. For example, I have my favorite go-to sandals in a shoe organizer in my entrance way closet. As for my other sandals for springtime, I placed them in a cubby near my front door. 

Do you have any Spring Cleaning tips to share? Maybe your favorite cleaning tool or your favorite DIY cleaning product. We would love to hear from you.

Happy Spring everyone!!

As mentioned before, I have decided to participate in the season of Lent this year in decluttering things from my life. The season of Lent is 40 days long, but Sundays are not included. Over the first 7 days, I have let go of an assortment of things. Below, you will see the first seven things.

As you can see, in a week's time I have let go of much more than 7 things. But it is not the amount of things that matter. I had been holding onto clothing, shoes, and outwear that no longer served a purpose in my life. Weeks prior, I had began to post many of the items for sale on Facebook...allowing me to finally let go of unneeded items, as well as allow those items to serve a purpose for an actual priority in my life by using the money earned to save towards my hopefully sooner rather than later adoption plan. Weeks had passed though and I could clearly see items that were just not selling;  therefore, not serving a purpose in my life anymore and I felt led to finally let go of the items so those items could truly serve a purpose in the life of others. And, what PERFECT timing! My church just happened to be collecting clothing/shoes/outwears for this season to provide to our local, The Street Store. THIS is exactly where those items needed to go. 

As far as the other days, I found that I had lots of unused tupperware just taking up space, a cat toy that had been loved VERY well, 2 Vera Bradley bags that I had not used in YEARS, and my childhood collection of VHS tapes that were collecting dust since I no longer planned on buying another VHS player. In just a week's time, I have let go of things in different ways. I have donated to not only a local store providing for the homeless, but also donated to the local library, as well as I have let go through the use of trash and selling. 

Even as a professional organizer, I know it is not always easy to let go of things. I had 2 hard moments. Those clothing/shoes/outwear I mentioned...most of them I had already planned on letting go of, but the method of how I was to let go changed. I had known beforehand that I needed to have a set time to finally donate those items that were not selling, but I kept putting it off. I was so focused on selling the items to save money for adoption in the hopefully near future that I missed out on 2 BIG things. Though it was great I was being intentional in planning ahead for adoption by saving money, I began to take the focus off trusting God in the process and put my focus on trusting the process. Also, I was so focused on the future that I was ignoring how God could use me in the current time too. My second hard moment included my childhood VHS tape collection. Though I had decided awhile back that it was time to let go of them, regardless if I received any money for them, I had originally held onto 2 of the tapes purely for sentimental reasons. Last minute, I recalled I had separated those 2 from the collection, but instantly knew the hard choice was the right choice. It was time to let go of all my childhood VHS tapes. Though it is not always easy to let go of things - for whatever reason - I can personally say I have gained so much more valuable "things" through this past week of letting go of material things. 

What about you? Are you participating in #40days40things? What have you let go of? Are you having any hard moments? Feel free to share below in our blog or our Facebook or Instagram page. Would love to follow along your journey!
​

The 40 day journey continued...

If you personally know me, you know I am a Christian and my walk with Christ is top priority. Though I consider myself a non-denominational Christian, I do participate in the season of Lent. I will not go into detail about Lent; however, I will briefly discuss one part: fasting. 

Wikipedia defines fasting as, "a willing abstinence or reduction from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time."  To be more specific, as a Christian, fasting is when we abstain from some thing (whether it be food or drink or anything else), so we may focus on gaining a deeper fellowship with God. The ultimate purpose is to take our eyes off the world and place them on God. 

Today, Wednesday, March 1st, just happens to be the first day of Lent. I do not know where you are at:

• whether you believe in God and you have a personal relationship with Him
• whether you know God, but you have drifted away
• whether you maybe believe in God, but you do not know Him
• or whether maybe simply you just do not believe in God at all. 

Wherever you may be, might I suggest you join me these 40 days? Each day, from today thru Thursday, April 13th, let go of one thing in your home and find it a new home whether you donate, give to someone in need, sell, recycle, or trash. Though each season of Lent, I have given up things, they always enter back into my life shortly before Easter. As for my personal organizing journey, I truly have given up things permanently and I have gained So Much. As you will see in the "About" section of the business' website, I have mentioned I gained freedom, joy, peace and harmony, order, time that could have been lost, and more into my life. You know what the "more" is? The "more" is the best❤️ The "more" I gained in bringing balance by organizing my life is the much deeper fellowship I have gained with the Creator of all. My life made a drastic turn where I truly began to daily live out my top priority and then began to walk out my purpose in life.

If you are a Christian, I would encourage you to pray and allow God to guide you these 40 days. You just may have something you have not realized you have been idolizing or something that might be distracting your relationship with Him that you need to give up. You just may be holding onto something you could might use "one day," when someone else may just very well could need that item at this moment.

If you are not a Christian, whether you are someone who has wondered about God but does not know Him or you are someone who does not believe He exists, I still encourage you to pray and join me these 40 days. Be honest with God. Tell Him how you feel. Tell Him you want to know Him and see Him in your life. Look around your home for some thing that does not serve a positive influence in your life. Ask Him to point you to some thing to give up.

To anyone joining me these 40 days, please let me know. I would love to pray for you throughout this time. I hope and pray God will use this to bring balance to your life and that He will use this time to allow your walk with Him to grow closer or God will use this time to reveal to you the good, good Father He is and how much He loves you. I would also love to see what you are letting go and reducing from your life. It just may spark the realization for me or someone else on something we need to let go of too. I will be sure to share my experience through this time, as well. Have a blessed season of Lent, everyone.

I am Kerri, the owner and a professional organizer of Bring Balance by Organizing, LLC. Currently, I serve Bartow County and surrounding Northwest Georgia counties. The mission is simple and to the point: to bring balance by organizing your life. To achieve the mission, I use my 2P approach, which focuses on your life's PRIORITIES and your belongings' PURPOSES. Life is about living; therefore, we believe life should be about YOU not stuff. Do your belongings actually serve a purpose to what you consider your life's priorities?

Your belongings should serve a purpose that coincides with a life priority of yours. We do believe stuff can have a positive influence in your life, in such ways as helping you to have a productive life, to enjoy life, to create a healthy life, and much more; however, they can have a negative influence in your life too. Since life is about YOU, stuff (your belongings) that you choose to keep should serve to be a positive influence in your life, which is exactly why we first have our clients reflect on his/her life's priorities and the belongings' purposes. This approach will allow you to truly see what you DO need and what you DO NOT need, as well as it will  direct you to the best place for each belongings' home. While each belonging serves their true and effective purpose, you achieve balance in your life, 

You may or may not have heard of the term, minimalism. It is slowly becoming a trend. Joshua Becker, a minimalist and the creator of Becoming Minimalist, explains minimalism as "intentionally trying to live with only the things [we] really need." (Becker, Joshua. "What is Minimalism?) Our view at Bring Balance by Organizing, LLC is similar, but distinctively different. Just as we all are unique, our views of a balanced life will vary; therefore, what I "need" may be different than you and vice versa because our priorities may not be quiet the same. Also, Becker states, "At its core, minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it." (Becker, Joshua. "What is Minimalism?) While a minimalist has a similar view as us based on the idea of being intentional, the biggest difference is a minimalist focuses on the value of the THINGS while our view focuses on YOUR life's value, YOUR life's priorities. 

As I mentioned earlier, one's view of a balanced life is not quite the same as another person; however, there is one BIG similarity in regards to the every day American life and that is having JUST TOO MUCH. As an American, "we are born into a problem -- constant over-consumption of an abundance of resources." (McDaniel, Robin. "Is Minimalism A First World Problem?". December 2, 2015.) According to the National Association of Professional Organizers, “80% of what we keep we never use.” (Source: NAPO) Sounds like to me, we as Americans tend to have much stuff that simply does not fulfill a purpose that match with our life's priorities. So much stuff is just taking up our living space and not positively influencing our lives. Our things, our belongings, should be just that, things that belong to us not the other way around. Rather than focusing on the value of the things, we need to step back and focus on the value of our lives, the priorities of our lives...and, then we should ask ourselves, "Does this serve a purpose for a priority of mine?"

A personal example when using my 2P approach was when I really considered how teaching in a school was no longer a priority of mine, yet I had a section in my closet dedicated to clothing I had worn while teaching in the past. I had not reached for those particular outfits in years, and as I realized teaching was no longer a priority I came to the realization that as much as those clothing items, as well as shoes may have fitted me and were in perfect condition, they no longer were fulfilling their purpose in my life. As I donated those items, in the back of my mind, I knew that if I were to ever go back into teaching because I do have the degrees, I didn't need to depend on those items. I could work with what I currently have and if needed I could purchase things if my priority were to change. And, though I valued that time in teaching, it truly was the memories I valued, not the clothing. One of my top priorities is well-spent time rather than well-wasted time, especially in the mornings because I love to sleep in as long as I can. This removal of teacher clothing items/shoes as well as other clothing have provided me with well-spent time - I'm no longer searching thru quite as full of a closet so I can more easily get ready in the mornings. I'm able to find all the clothing I truly love - comfortable fitting, suited for my current lifestyle, in great condition, and I actually love how each clothing item currently looks on me. No more teacher outfits. No more tops with holes that one day I might just stitch. No more dresses because they were for special events. No more clothing given to me that I just didn't like on me. No more "old favorites" that I didn't realize I had fallen out of love with. When donating what was still in great condition, I was able to allow those items to serve a purpose for a priority of mine: helping others - my hometown, at the time, had a donation site that proceeds from donation that were sold would go to help the homeless. As for the not as good condition clothing, they were able to serve a purpose for a priority of mine - recycling.

Below is an example using our approach in regards to plenty of women I have heard of holding onto clothing they say they are saving when they lose weight. Maybe one of your priorities is to lose weight. And, if that's the case, that's SUPERB, but is stashing a pile of clothing in your closet truly serving its purpose? Maybe you say the pile's purpose at the moment is to motivate you to keep going. I would say this. Pick one piece of your smaller size clothing. Keep it, if it is truly motivating you to keep working out to lose weight. But, as for the rest, donate or sell the items. Then those items will be able to serve their purpose with someone who can wear them at the current time. And, if you choose to sell the items, you can then purchase things that will fulfill your priority to lose weight, like comfy workout attire or this week's home-cooked meals at the grocery store. 

As you can see with my personal example with using the 2P approach with my life's priorities coexisting with my belongings' purposes, you can clearly see that balance in my life may not look the same as balance in another's life. Just as by my other example of many women, you can see how to move from considering the potential value of the item (as well as any emotional attachment) to focusing on the value of your life's current priorities and whether the item's purpose supports your priorities.

I will leave with you this. A small challenge. Pick just one place in your home. It can be as simple as your junk drawer or as big as an entire room. Reflect upon what you consider a life priority of yours regarding this space. Next, look around the space for a few minutes (or a little longer if you choose a larger space) and really consider each item in that space. Consider the purpose of each belonging. Do they truly serve a purpose that agrees with your life's priorities (the top most important things to you)?
PS: There's 3 ways to answer:

1. Yes? -- Then keep it. 
2. No, but yes. No, the object does not serve a purpose with a life priority of mine pertaining to that particular room, but it certainly does in another room. -- Then move it to it's new "home" - A.K.A where it should return for the time being until needed again.
3. No, it absolutely does not serve a purpose for any of my life's priorities. -- Then find a way to move it to it's "right" home - A.K.A with someone where the thing will serve it's purpose that matches one of their life's priorities.

Though our main focus on the field is home organizing, we do believe a balanced life is much more than just the home. Life tends to center around the home which is why it's our main focus. We intend on sharing future posts in our blog regarding home organizing, as well as other ways to organize life. We hope you follow along with us...in this blog, and in bringing balance by organizing your life!