One of our big goals this summer is to reorganize our little apartment while Dave is out of school. Particularly our downstairs storage area because first comes love of things that don’t fit in our space, then comes gifts from marriage that we love but can’t use until we have a house, then comes a baby in the baby carriage that George no longer uses but we save for other littles.

It’s a disaster.

I mentioned perviously that all our hard work from our life overhaul fell to pieces when this last semester of nursing school and some unexpected personal events ripped the rug right out from under us. It’s funny, this whole raising a child thing. You think you have a rhythm down and then BAM! They develop/learn/hate you more and it’s right back to square one trying to figure out how your family will best operate.

So organization is the name and the game for the Spears clan this summer and we are bound and determined to make living here for the next year not entirely suck.

I’ve been scouring resources for simple living and no nonsense organizational tips that don’t involve just sorting our crap into categories and slapping a pretty label on it. We need more than that, people!

When I read Minimize the Mess, I knew we had our blueprint. This short ebook is jam-packed with practical and not-overwhelming advice on how to seriously rid your house of clutter and find a system of organization that works for you.

My favorite part of the whole book, however, is not even Rachel’s amazing down-to-earth, I’ve-been-there-before and I’m-in-the-tranches-with-you guidance (although that truly rocks). It’s hera overarching perspective on clutter, on mess. She spends the first part of the book diving into why we all tend to have clutter in our lives, the various reasons why we hold on to certain items that may not be essential to our happy living, and how to overcome obstacles to taking control of what is in your home for good.

This is an ebook that I need to read and re-read throughout my days. Y’all, at under 50 pages, it’s not overwhelming at all. While it is intended to be a guide you use as you’re tackling the projects (which I started doing thanks to Minimize the Mess!), I sat down one night to read it straight through, just to see how long it took. You can read this ebook in about an hour and a half, leisurely. See? You’re already minimizing your stress level by not adding another thing to your to-do list!

Don’t worry about this being another book that makes you feel guilty for not having your ish together. It’s not. Rather, it is empowering and real, taking you through the baby steps of cleaning out each room, providing specific prompting questions to hold your hand and help you through the otherwise suffocating process of tackling a disaster room. I have truly loved reading it and will be reading it again as we brace ourselves for another overhaul of our downstairs storage unit.

It’s going to be great, right? Right?

The ever-generous Rachel is offering YOU lucky To the Heights readers an amazing discount on her first ebook. The regular price is only $2.99 (less than a frozen mocha at Panera! less than most other books you’ll read on this topic!). But Rachel’s getting crazy and letting you snag this gem at 25% off when you use the code launch at checkout. You can purchase this ebook on her blog or on Amazon, whatever you fancy. As a bonus, Rachel is providing awesome printables for you use as you minimize your mess, and you can find those right here.

If I’ve learned one thing this first year of parenthood, this first year of working from home, and this hardest year of nursing school, it’s that simple is better. When things are functioning well in our household, it facilitates our energy to function best in our other roles. And while we still have a lot of work to do to find our sweet spot, Minimize the Mess is helping us get there. I’m truly grateful to Rachel for writing something that we all need to know.

I miss you all dearly and was blessed to meet a few blog readers this weekend. You make me want to say “screw the break! I’m back!” 😉 But the past week has already been so, so good, and I know that we’re right where we are meant for time being. Love and prayers for you crazy kids until next time!