Do you ever feel overwhelmed when you look around your home? Do you sometimes just want to cry when you see the piles of dishes in the sink, the clutter and bills on the desk, the ever growing to-do list on the fridge, the laundry mountain you have to practically highjump over to get to your closet?
And should we even mention ALL THE THINGS on the floor?
Yep. I’ve been there. Not there as in I’ve been peeking in your windows (don’t worry), but I’ve had a house that felt more chaotic than calm. In fact, my house still gets that way at times, so I know how every little pile and unfinished project and can add frustration and stress to the chaos of daily life at home.
But do we have to live that way? The truth is, a full and meaningful life will always go hand in hand with at least a little mess. But, with that said, when daily clutter or chaos threatens to overwhelm and derail us, it’s time to take action so we can enjoy the life we really want to live.
We can’t fully live and give of ourselves when we are exhausted, overwhelmed, or discouraged by the state of our home. A messy and disorganized house can rob us of the peaceful oasis we long for in our home.
Do you fear a tidier home will consume too much time or would be impossible with kids under foot? Let me offer you some baby steps to home sanity through encouragement, hope, and an easy place to start. A more peaceful home is within your reach, staring today. I think you’ll be happier, less stressed and ready to tackle the day if your home feels more peaceful.
Here are five ways you can transform your home into a peaceful sanctuary:
1. Give thanks for the chaos makers.
See those socks on the floor, six inches from the laundry hamper? Thank God for the person who wears those socks as you pick them up for the seventh time this week or as you call in the culprit to put the socks in the hamper. See the dishes piled on the counter? As you wash each dish and place it back in the cupboard for the next meal, praise God for the food He provides and pray for people you love who eat off of those dishes every day. Messes are an opportunity to show gratitude for what you have and restore peace as you love and care for the people under your roof.
2. Create special clutter-free corners.
When your entire home looks like a tornado went through, pick one corner in a frequented room to be a clutter free oasis. Remove what doesn’t belong, toss or repair anything that is broken, and donate what you don’t like. Dust everything off so it smells clean and fresh. Now every time you pass by the corner, take a deep breath and enjoy the peaceful view. That little area just might inspire you to create a few more clutter free corners!
3. Establish calming daily rituals.
When household tasks feel like chores, every day is a drudgery. But I find that my attitude towards tidying my home changes when I have a few daily simple routines I actually look forward to each day. As I pull up the covers on my bed and set up our pillow shams, I consciously think about how I feel more prepared to maintain a peaceful and orderly ambience that day. Quiet time and prayer during my morning coffee starts my day off on the right calm and grateful note. Throwing in a load of laundry every morning keeps me from feeling overwhelmed by my to do list before the day even begins. Wiping off the counters after a meal is a signal to me that my day is done and I am ready to spend time relaxing with my family or husband. Each little task during the day can be viewed as a dreaded chore stealing our time or we can view it as an opportunity for more peace and joy in our home.
4. Declutter, declutter, declutter.
Clutter is stuff you don’t even need or like, or things you need that were put in the wrong spot. The more stuff you have sitting around that you don’t love or need on display, the more stressed you are going to feel in your home. Give yourself the gift of a peaceful home by getting ruthless about ridding your home of clutter and excessive stuff. Put things away so you can find them when you need them. Only have out what you love and enjoy seeing in your home!
5. Set the tone.
While disorder and clutter can add to the chaos, a sour attitude and grumpy disposition will definitely make everyone in the family feel on edge (even in an orderly home!). Bring more peace to your home by setting the tone for gentle words, gratitude, and loving actions.
What could you do to transform your home today?
Melissa Michaels, Love the Home You Have
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Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Melissa,
The last time I had a garage sale, I made an oath to myself that I would never have another one. Well, at some point I lost my mind and decided to have another one (this time for a mission near and dear to my heart). It was a lot of work, but in the end, it felt good to purge my home of things we weren’t using, didn’t really need, that only created clutter, etc. Simplifying the tables and counters, gives my eyes a more peaceful place to land. I am a clutterbug at heart, so my challenge is to keep it that way. Even if the whole house is in ruins, I always make my bed. There’s just something peaceful about climbing into a made bed at the end of a busy day. Thanks for the attitude of gratitude tip…I like that one.
Blessings,
Bev
sheri says
Oh Bev, I always love reading what you write. Iam in the middle of downsizing from a house to a small condo. I have been here for 16 yrs and yes, am a pack rat. going thru this has been one of the hardest challenges I have ever done!! sitting down and going thru every single thing has made me realize that this is totally ridiculous..everything is almost ready for the big move next week-end. then I will have a huge moving sale here at the house, what ever doesn’t sell will go to Good Will. I have emptied so many bags of clothes and household stuff there already!! and huge bags of just plain trash. stuff that has sat in my drawers and closets for yrs. I know I will feel so much better when this is all done and after the move there will simply be NO ROOM for anything else !! God Bless all the ladies and their encouragement!!! you have helped me greatly..
melissa @ the inspired room says
Thank you Bev! Good for you on decluttering. It sure does make things feel more peaceful! Take care.
Denise Jarman says
Melissa, I liked what you said but find it hard to get rid of things as I have nowhere to put things. I have been in my own house now for 6 months and still have boxes and suitcases full of stuff and nowhere to put it. I need more space for clothes
melissa @ the inspired room says
Hi Denise, I know how hard it is to move into a new space and have more stuff than room to store it. I was in that place when we downsized from a large home to a more moderately sized house, we just had way too much stuff!
What I ask myself now is, do I really need what I’m stashing and storing? Do I love it and use it regularly or is the space it is taking up or the effort to move it around the house all the time causing me more stress than it would cause to give it to someone who could really use it?
I find it really helps me to realize I don’t actually need all that stuff. I don’t need to save it for someday. Simplicity and less stuff makes life so much easier and more enjoyable! I can see how all the stuff you are keeping is making your life more stressful.
I would start with going through items like clothing or boxes of trinkets and get rid of everything you can. If you don’t use it or love it now, let someone else have it. Praying for a more peaceful home for you!
Kathy D. says
Boy do i have clutter. Thank you for giving me
a plan. I can definitely feel better if i express gratitude over my messes.
I so enjoyed this post.
Kristen Linkletter Rekker says
Yes, yes and …. yes. Discouraged to the max this day for all of the reasons that you mentioned. I hope that I can begin to tackle things one day at a time. And I hope that I can reset my attitude. Right now it feels like drudgery…. I don’t want it to. But it’s very disheartening to have a space cleaned and tidied and then 2 days later it looks like I didn’t even touch it. And every room right now needs help.
Gina Elder says
Decluttering is a constant struggle! I totally agree with this list…especially #5.
Marty says
We unintentionally down-sized 3 years ago when my husband was transferred, and our garage is holding much of our remaining “stuff” that just won’t fit in this house. We say we are saving things for this child or that child…but #4 is heading to college in the Fall, and we are CLEANING OUT! Because THREE YEARS of being able to only get one car in the garage? I’m over it. Putting everything in it’s place frees up so much time, because there’s no wasted time looking for every little thing. It is also very empowering… because, for 3 years, our clutter has controlled us, but now…little by little…WE are controlling IT. Thank you for sharing your awesome tips! 🙂
Beth Williams says
Melissa,
I love downsizing (purging) my house of stuff I don’t need or use. Periodically I go through my closets and riding myself of clothes I don’t like, don’t fit or haven’t worn in a while. I see this as a mission to help others in my area. A while back I went to our basement and got rid of empty boxes and other items. I can’t stand a lot of clutter and want others to use the stuff I no longer want or use!
Blessings 🙂