Back to My Binder

Here's my take on how organizing relates to light. The more organized (maybe not necessarily organized, but efficient?) we are, the more we are able to serve others, develop Christlike attributes, serve the Savior, learn things and develop our talents. As we serve others, we are following the Savior. This allows us to follow the "light". Also, we have more time to give to learning the gospel, etc. which allows our light to increase. And learning and gaining knowledge allows our minds to be "enlightened". Also, as I've tried to become more organized, I've been given ideas of how to make things work better for me and led to other people who have good ideas that are along the lines of how I think.


I posted awhile ago about the cover I made for my binder. The next thing I have in there is my mission statement. I've been reading a book by the "Slob Sisters" called Get Your Act Together. One of the steps they give for getting organized is to find a reason. Under this topic they talk about mission statements. Stephen Covey says in his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, to make a statement in writing that defines our calling. (Highly effective people know what their calling is.) The "Slob Sisters" say that a person's calling or mission in life will not be clear unless they are organized. I wrote my mission statement before I got organized. I'm still not organized or highly effective, but I feel like my "mission" or "calling" is clear to me and I remember the moment when this calling was made known to me. So, I guess I went about things backwards. Anyway, I feel like a mission statement gave me something to aim for. It was my "reason" for wanting to be organized and my motivation for getting things in order. I actually wrote my mission statement after reading Sidetracked Home Executive by the "Slob Sisters".


I would like to give anyone who reads this a challenge to write a mission statement, or if your mission isn't clear to you then just think of a reason to get organized. It doesn't have to be a lofty reason, it could be to shove it in the face of a know-it-all, condescending relative or neighbor (according to the "Slob Sisters").

I started by writing down things I value. I looked at the Stephen Covey or Franklin Covey website and they had a mission statement builder. So that helped too. I already knew what I wanted to achieve and accomplish so I just needed to put it in writing. Also, to help write a mission statement, Stephen Covey or the mission statement builder, said to determine what you value. The things I value are: God, family, self-improvement, developing talents, learning and truth, church, and keeping the commandments.


Anyway, so here's part of my mission statement.

I want to be organized at home and in my time so I can concentrate on what is most important. I want to be able to "free myself to be able to do the things I was created to do" (Sidetracked Home Executives, p. 57).

I was going to post my mission statement but it opens myself up and I didn't feel like doing that on the world wide web for the whole world to see. My mission statement basically says how I want to make my home a sanctuary for my family and grow as a person and take care of and teach my family.

So anyway. Have fun coming up with reasons to get organized!

Order and Homemaking, Part 2

I thought this would be easier to read if I broke it up.

A few projects I am working on now to become "organized" are:

~ Going through each room and finding a home for every little thing.

~ Getting boxes or totes to store all of my projects so I can pick up after myself and still have
easy access to my projects.

~ Making a chart of daily routines for my DS.

~ Making daily to-do cards for myself.

~ Making a Family Info Binder, plus a personal Binder for me.

I am torn between getting the house decluttered and making our charts and schedules. I don't know which one to concentrate on first, so I do a little bit of both.

I'll post more about what I've finished with pictures later.

One last thought ~ I do believe there is a connection between clutter and behavior and how we view ourselves. The more uncluttered our homes are, the more able we are to focus on teaching and training our children in the gospel and building lasting relationships with our families and focusing on what's really important and (one more and) making sure our personal lives are in harmony with the gospel teachings. Also, we feel better about ourselves and are happier which spreads to our family. Also, I don't know about this yet, but I'm hoping there's a correlation ~ our children will be better behaved. (I'm thinking that children (my child) get overwhelmed and easily distacted with all the clutter.)