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Renee Swope

Encouraging and equipping moms to parent with God's grace and confidence.

Read An Excerpt: Chapter 1 & 2

Like a Box of Chocolates – Fridays GiveAway

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!

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I’d like to 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.

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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!

Comments

  1. I have two! The daily influx of mail that gets dumped on our kitchen table AND my closet. I just need to get rid of clothes, but that is very hard for me to do. Thanks for your ministry.

  2. Getting organized is my goal for this new year. It is overwhelming me. Stuff and more stuff and papers and egads how can I do it?
    Started out with baby steps selling a few things on Ebay. That was a learning experience.
    I will reach this goal just have to keep putting one foot before the other and press forward.

  4. Renee,

    I have enjoyed your blog since I found it. What a blessing you have been and will continue to be as you walk with the Lord as you minister to women.

    I would like to win Karen's book. I sure could use some suggestions on getting rid of stuff.

    Thank you for considering me.

    Hugs and Prayers,

    God Bless You!

  5. My biggest challenge is my office (@ work). It is TINY and has all the filing cabinets in it. Over the years I have added organizing tools so I could utilize almost every surface, even wire cubes on top of the cabinets. Now I need to get rid of a lot of non-essential "stuff" but can't find the time.

  6. I am organizationally challenged in the biggest way! My biggest obstacles are keeping things way past their time (aka clutter), making time to become organized so I can try to stay that way (procrastination), and motivation.

  7. Biggest organizational challenge is my back door/kitchen area. This is where everything gets dropped and we have a limited space to catch it all! Still trying to find a system that works for the space I have.

  8. My life has changed in the past few months…taking care of my granddaughter and my Dad (who recently moved here) is making it harder to take care of my own home. I know God will provide me with all I need…

  10. Mail, paper clutter and closet clutter, all are huge challenges for me. I pull out the bills and stack the other items to go through, but then finding time to go through them? What is that? I have started de-cluttering and have donated a lot of items and clothing but can't seem to find the time or organization to just get it finished! I need help! [email protected]

  11. My biggest organizational challenge is my home desk. I have papers, receipts, recipes, books, to-do lists, notes, reminders, dog's tags, etc. all over my desk in no particular order. Every so often I get the energy & determination to clean it all up, but it never lasts & within a month it becomes the same mess. Help! : )
    Angela
    [email protected]

  12. From Stephanie F. My biggest organizational challenge is finding the time to do all the organizing that needs to be done. I need to work on time management, I guess. I work full-time, have 2 kids and a husband that works full-time & is a full-time student! Like others have said in previous posts, paper is a big issue for me. Kids schoolwork, mail, magazines, etc. [email protected]

  13. Oh, to choose one organizational challenge is such a tough thing to do…..I USED to consider myself a pretty organized girl, but much like Karen, when the kids/husband came along, out went my "perfection". If I had to pinpoint one thing, though, it would probably be laundry. I have often wondered if I might be able to sneak in a second wearing of some clothes…but then I remember, I have 2 sons and a husband. That equals 3 guys and NO re-wearing of the clothes!
    [email protected]

  14. My biggest organizational challenge is clutter! I have piles of stuff that i don;t know where to put and it drives me crazy sometimes. When it gets bad i will go through all the piles and toss, toss, toss. But then I worry that I threw away something important 🙂
    [email protected]

  15. My biggest organizational challenge is finding a place for everything. I also find the I have a hard time getting rid of the things we no longer need.

  16. Outta sight outta mind….closets and cabinets!! If I can close the door and hide it, I will….I would hate for someone to come into my house and open my closet doors. Glad to know I am not the only one 🙂 Have a great day!
    [email protected]

  17. I have too much stuff in my craft area and my bedroom. I just can't seem to make it look neat and tidy. I clean up, then get started, things get a mess. Also I need less stuff. Makes life easier, could use some help.

  18. I have too much stuff in my craft area and my bedroom. I just can't seem to make it look neat and tidy. I clean up, then get started, things get a mess. Also I need less stuff. Makes life easier, could use some help.

  19. I like things neat and organized so I am always looking for new inexpensive ways to do this. However, my biggest challenge continues to be my little home office. I seem to save that for last (procrastination)when it comes to organizing and it is to the point where it is starting to bother me again. I need to take another afternoon and dig in. I would love to win Karen's book and other goodies. Thank you.

  21. My biggest organizational problem is the amount of paper that comes into my house. I have a hard time keeping it all organized.

  22. My biggest organizing challenging is paper … when my kids are in school, the amount of paper we handle each day increases three-fold. I can typically manage it, but at times when I'm tired, sick, or out of town, the paper pile I come home to is totally out of control!

  24. Oh, I am soooooooo organizationally challenged. I don't even KNOW what to put as my biggest challenge! 🙂 I think a big issue I have is just feeling so overwhelmed by how challenged I am…I just don't even know where to start some days.

    But with my gals all in school now, there is all kinds of dust and clutter staring at me all day long. I need to start tackling some stuff…and how awesome would it be if I could then stay on top of it!

    I have actually been praying that God would help me with my disorder…seeing as He is an excellent planner, tremendously creative, and amazingly efficient. 🙂

    Thanks for the giveaway! Hugs!
    K

  25. Laundary and mail. I can get every piece of laundary done, but cannot find the energy, motivation, or space to put everything away. My husband and I cannot find a mail system that works for us so it all just piles up on our small kitchen table, which renders it useless at meal time.

  26. I must say that I have the best intentions every Monday morning… I have my folders organized with my things to do each day of the week and then it all goes down hill by 11am!!!! I need help organizing my life, thoughts, priorities and at the end of the day feel good about my choices. I would love the opportunity to win this book!!! Silvia Arvelo at [email protected].

  27. I must say that I have the best intentions every Monday morning… I have my folders organized with my things to do each day of the week and then it all goes down hill by 11am!!!! I need help organizing my life, thoughts, priorities and at the end of the day feel good about my choices. I would love the opportunity to win this book!!! Silvia Arvelo at [email protected].

  28. Biggest organizational challenge would be a tie between my kitchen and bedroom. My kitchen is never endign with mail, dishes, kid's school work, etc. that as soon as I clean it, it's a mess again within an hour. My bedroom = lack of space and a mountain of clothes.

    -Shannon
    sbcgentile@yahoo,com

  29. I have hot spots in my house. The places where clutter (mail, paper, coupons, etc) tend to gather and I'm the only one who notices or knows what to do with them. So when I'm really busy, they are the first to get cluttered and it drives me crazy!
    Thanks for the opportunity to win Karen's book.
    Jessica S.

  33. Lets see… I have lots of organizational challenges but, my biggest organizational challenge is my bedroom. It is the catch-all room for all the clutter in the house. I've been working on cleaning out 1 room a month. I think it is going to take me longer than the 13 months I had initially planned ;-).

  38. My biggest challenge is our garage. Our basement is now finished and I can begin cleaning and storing now that the drywall dust is gone (almost-not sure all of it ever goes away!).

  41. Please sign me up!
    My biggest organizational challenge is all the paperwork/newspapers and magazines that pile up. I can't throw all the magazines out because I may want something in there later! ugh! But where do I put them? Oh and books. Love them and can not get rid of them!

  42. Oh hallelujah – sign me up….my dear hubby would love to see our house and me get organized!!! I think I'm just an organized messy and he laughs at me all the time! Please enter me in the contest…
    thanks

  43. My clothes! It seems they pile up and once I get them all clean at once, I can hardly find room to put them all way. They pile up on the dresser and floor and its a constant battle.

  44. My biggest organizational challenge is finding a place for everything – but at the same time getting rid of the non-essentials. I'm in the midst of a big decluttering. But I'm finding that I'm creating more of a mess than what I had before.

  45. My biggest challenge is the kids papers from school. I want to keep some of them but never find the time to go through and decide which ones to keep and which ones to throw. As a result I have piles of their papers on my scrapbook table.

  47. I just met Karen at She Speaks and am already in love of her and in awe of her love for God and she practically walks it out. If anyone ever needed this book it's me!!!!!

    My week's been exactly the same as yours it seems. When is your book's release date?? I can't wait =)

  48. I am not sure I can name just one thing for my "biggest" organizational challenge. I am going to name two: one is that I am seriously the only one in my family who CARES what the house looks like or whether things are organized; and two is that things get way out of control when I have to work long hours and I can't be personally overseeing things. Then when I have a day off, I can't relax, but have to take care of the messes! [email protected]

  49. There are clutter issues in my home. Letting go of items not used anymore would be helpful to every member of the family. Secondarily, finding appropriate, permanent homes for what is lying out in the open. This has been an ongoing issue in my family as my husband won't throw away junk mail until he is ready. [email protected]

  50. My biggest organizational challenge is getting rid of stuff. I can set up a system, but then I just keep adding to the basket until it is overflowing and I can't find anything. This applies to closets, drawers, you name it. God bless!
    [email protected]