Have you ever pictured what your week was going to look like but when you got to Friday you wondered what happened? That’s me this week. I had so many plans and projects. I’d even written a few blog posts – in my head. And somewhere in my posts, I was going to drop a hint or two about my Friday Give-Away!
Like Forest Gump explained so many years ago, life really is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.
This week, I didn’t get what I hoped for. I’m still trying to figure out what happened. I don’t know if I had too many things to do, or if I didn’t organize my time and my to-dos well. Although I got a lot done, I didn’t complete all I needed and wanted to accomplish.
Ever since summer ended and school started, I’ve felt like I’m trying to catch up and like it’s not going to happen any time soon. Honestly, I feel like my life’s chocolates are melting, and I’m not enjoying them as much as I’d like to.
It’s kind of ironic. Me needing help organizing my time and my life. You see, it fits perfectly with my Friday Give-Away, and I wasn’t even trying to drop hints. Today’s give-away is all about getting organized by making the most of the time and tasks God has given each of us!
introduce you to my good friend, Karen Ehman, who is the author of “The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized”. You will have a chance to win her book, a $10 gift card to buy some time-saving, life-organizing tools from Target and a box of chocolates in today’s give-away!Karen recently shared with me why she wrote this book:
Even though organizing my “stuff” and managing my time came pretty naturally for me, I was completely thrown for a loop when I became a mom. It is one thing to get all your ducks in a row. It is quite another to keep them that way when you have a family. Just as soon as you line them up, along comes one of your kiddos (or your hubby!) knocking them all down again!
I wrote this book to walk alongside other women, helping them to understand their unique situation–their season of life, the stage of their kids, their personality type–all of those components that go into finding an organizing style that “fits” them. Then from there, I help them set the bar where they want it set.
Karen, what is unique about your book?
I don’t offer a one–size–fits–all method because I’m convinced we all view success in organizing differently. One gal may HATE a junk drawer with an assortment of items tossed in. Another thinks such a drawer is a staple of life. The second gal might really be driven nuts by dust, but not by clutter such as unfolded, clean laundry. On the other hand, her friend might not mind a thin layer of dust on her furniture but cannot stand having unfolded laundry in view. This book helps gals decide what organization looks like to them and then helps them to get there.
Also, being a women who manages her time well and organizes her home and office isn’t an end in itself. It has to be about something more. I like to teach women how to take care of the ‘have tos’ of life–the cleaning, menu planning, grocery shopping, laundry, errand-running and such, so they can actually get around to the ‘want tos’ of life—connecting with God, spending time with their husbands and kids, hanging out with that friend or pursuing that passion. This book helps them get there!
What will women gain from reading your book?
Again, the key to good organization is not a one–size–fits–all method. It is a unique plan that considers personality type, lifestyle, income level, and family schedule. I offer a simple step by step process to help women recognize their own personal style of managing their households successfully and develop a unique plan that gives them the freedom to:
- manage their time wisely
- de–clutter and organize their homes
- plan menus, shop more efficiently, and become more comfortable and creative in the kitchen
- get children involved in pursuing an ordered life and home
- avoid the trap of over-commitment
- use practical tools to assist in organization
Getting and staying organized means more time for the important things in family life—concentrating on cultivating a close, personal relationship with the Creator, drawing His word into every aspect of living, and ultimately tying their children’s heartstrings to God.
**********************************************
If you would like to win a copy of“The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized”, a $10 Target gift card and a box of chocolates, today’s your day!
You can enter to win by clicking on the word “comments” below and let me know your biggest organizational challenge. I’ll share mine on Monday with some photos. I’ll also be back later to list some other give-aways and links below this post so you can visit and enter to win other Friday Give-aways over the weekend.
If you would like two chances to win, leave a comment and a link to any give-aways you know about that go through the weekend. I’ll be back Monday to announce my winner and share my biggest personal organizational challenge.
After you enter to win by leaving your name, email so I can reach you if you win, and your organizational challenge by clicking on the word “comments below, be sure to visit Karen’s blogwhere she’s also giving away a copy of her book as well as a $10 Target gift card and some dark chocolates!
My biggest organizational challenge is paperwork. I have papers everywhere. They are in "organized piles" and some are in filed boxes, but it clutters my apartment. I love reading and writing, and this ends up leaving my home cluttered with paper. I have additional difficulty staying organized because I suffer from a chronic illness/disability, so I could really use any advice for organization of all areas of my home.
[email protected]
WoW not sure how I missed this one!
Photos are a huge one for me I have a HUGE tote…I would say its thousands of pictures in it…yes I am VERY ashamed!!! I have NOT wanted to tackle it at all!
My biggest challenge is piles and piles. My room is a mess and my kids are picking copying my bad habit.
Robin
Paper, paper and more paper! That's my challenge!
My biggest organization challenge…my home. I am VERY disorganized and it is making me CRAZY!
My biggest organizational challenge is my closet. we made the old family room in our house into a bedroom and the closet is the size of a postage stamp. I put a few things in it and my husband has to have a closet in the basement! Help
Clutter…..that's my problem. I try to keep ahead of it but it's not always easy. I'm trying to get or should I say learn to be more orghanized but it's not easy when your not sure where to start. [email protected]
My biggest organizational challenge is my kid's toys. I just can't seem to part with any of them, just in case the next child may want to play with it when they get older! I find myself getting frustrated several tines a day when toys end up all over the living room out of the playroom, in the kitchen and just wish they would stay where I put them last! I would love to read this book to help me get and stay organized. I enjoy reading and following your blog.
Emily
I'm a piler instead of a filer. I need major intervention. I bought a filing cabinet and new bookcase over 2 months ago and have yet to put anything in them. HELP!!!!
Paula G.
My biggest challenge is paper. It is all over the place. The kids are still young and bring art work etc., home daily. We walk in the house and lay it on the bar and it piles up. The mail piles up on the desk along with work stuff.
I have piles of books, catalogs, artwork, devotionals, (that I print out on paper to save for later) ALL over. I print things that I think I will need to reference back to someday that are mixed in with stuff.
I need help!!!
I am excited about this book. [email protected]
My biggest challenge is three little girls running around the house and too many craft projects! kaylee_kelm at yahoo dot com
Ugh, seems to be lots of challenges.
Getting my 15 yr. old to organize her stuff is the biggest challenge.
Coupons for restaurants and stores. How to keep and have with me. We switch cars alot so keeping them in one car is a challenge.
Organizing files and emails and calendar on computer.
Darla
Forgot to include my email addres. Thanks!
[email protected]
I am a mother of 4 and I don't think I can narrow it down to just one thing. One of my biggest organizational challenges is paperwork. All of the papers that they bring home from school. And then all the paperwork that my husband and I have from work, church and personal papers. Then just the overall organization of our home. I work all week and don't want to spend my entire weekend cleaning house. I know it would help if things were more organized to start with.
Closets are my big problem, I try to tackle one at a time.
My challenge is with my turtle collection, books, and things that speak to me about God. My shelves are overflowing. I like seeing them but I do not want clutter. B