Make a List
Before getting to work, map out a plan. “Write down the top three areas in your life that you want to organize. [...] Don’t think too hard. Just write down the first three areas of frustration that pop into your mind,” says Karen Ehman (author of The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized). And that’s good advice! Making a list is not overrated (if you actually use it). In fact, the Lord said, “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it” (Habakkuk 2:2, New Revised Standard Version). In your life, you’re the “runner” – jetting from one thing to another. Maybe you’re chasing a career, or possibly running after your kids. Consequently, it’s helpful to jot down a plan that keeps you focused and organized. List specific reasons why your three “areas of frustration” exist. Then identify concrete (and practical) ways to change those situations. For example, if you have a heaping pile of mail on your desk or kitchen counter, you might identify that:

• You don’t immediately trash or recycle junk mail.
• You don’t immediately open and file your bills (according to the due date).
• You avoid opening invoices and statements (maybe because you can’t face your financial reality).

As a result, you could write down this plan:

• Upon receipt, I’ll immediately open all mail.
• Upon receipt, I’ll immediately trash, recycle, or file all mail.
• Each day, I’ll open all bills (even the ones that I want to avoid).
• When I receive a bill that I can’t pay on time, I’ll contact the creditor within 24-hours to discuss an extended payment plan.

With this example, it’s easy to see that physical clutter can be tied to our emotional clutter. So grab some paper, find a pen, and begin to make your list.

Start Small
It took you weeks, months, or maybe years to pile up a mess, so don’t expect to clean it up in five minutes. Take an honest look at the clutter in your life, and start small. Zechariah 4:10 states, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin” (New Living Translation). Resist the urge to tackle everything at once. Instead, start with one disorderly room, one messy relationship, one financial muddle, or one emotional challenge. For example, if you’re in debt, begin by chipping away at the smallest outstanding balance (while paying the monthly minimum on your other accounts). Success in a small financial area will give you hope, and purge some of your emotional clutter. Also, if your house is in total disarray, “start by doing only one room a day,” says Ehman. “In the matter of a month, or two, you’ll be done.”