“I’m working my way through my house by my own method. I call it the ‘one foot’ method. I clean out at least one drawer, one shelf, or one foot of space every day.  And it’s usually done during transitional time, while I’m doing something else, like warming something in the microwave, waiting for the coffee to brew, heating food on the stove, talking on the phone, etc.”

Kristin:
The well-known phrase, “A Place for Everything, and Everything in its Place” is my motto for organizing my home. If an item ends up floating around my house, that usually means it belongs in the waste-basket. Having a designated place for everything in my home forces me to clear out piles of Crate & Barrel catalogs, McDonald’s Happy Meal toys, and lonely socks that seem to magically congregate on my stairs. If they don’t have a place, their place is in the trashcan.

Janelle:
I’m a big “thrower away-er.” I’m constantly throwing away, paring down. Every couple of months I will go through drawers and closets and toss anything I haven’t used recently.  My guiding principle: if you haven’t used it in three months, get rid of it; good chance you’ll never use it again. But you have to watch out for that “I’ll use it next year” syndrome. You never will. Throwing stuff away makes it easier for me to keep things clean and organized in my home. Rather than having a basement you haven’t visited in three years, or taking two whole weeks to organize your home, tossing stuff (or giving it away!) keeps the home running smoothly.

Me:
The most helpful tip I’ve learned for organizing my home is to invest in containers. As a new wife, I often tried to organize my home by simply collecting items into neat piles. But it didn’t take long for those piles to melt into other piles and I was right back where I started. Last January, I finally took the plunge and purchased containers of all shapes and sizes from Wal-Mart (much cheaper than the Container Store!). Now that everything has its own container, my house stays relatively organized, and when it gets a little messy, I can de-clutter it in a snap.

I’m sure it’s painfully obvious that we’re not organizational experts, just ordinary women fighting the war against clutter. Not that we’ve won! It constantly is and will always be a work in progress.  But as we strive for an organized home, we hope in some small way to reflect to our family and guests the peace and order of our Lord.

For a more in-depth read on this topic, check out the Mahaney's newest book: Shopping for Time: How to Do It All and NOT be Overwhelmed (Crossway, 2007)