Day 2: Even Paper Needs a Home

Here I am on day two of finding my worth - my bed was made as soon as I got up. I took my time with it, too. That done, I made myself a week's worth of gluten free muffins. The day was off to a good start. My husband took all the kids to shoot model rockets with the Cub Scouts, leaving me to face... The Paper Clutter.

What does paper clutter have to do with finding my worth? Plenty. I fear paper. It breeds faster than crickets or bunnies. It piles up and threatens to engulf entire pieces of furniture. It looms in nooks and crannies. The Paper Clutter even occasionally threatens to topple over onto my children, burying them alive. The more paper left lying around, even in neat stacks labeled with what to do, the more the odds are that I will forget something important. And what happens when I forget to do something? Well, I get nasty notices from the utility company, or I forget to send snack to preschool on the right day (disappointing 15 other kids), or I miss out on a great grocery deal, and so on... and I feel guilty. It costs me time to avoid dealing with paper. It costs me money. It costs me my peace!

As a woman of worth, I need to cultivate good habits. Through those habits, God blesses me with peace - peace of mind, peace of heart. I am worth a calm household, and I am not calm if I am anxious for forgetting something or frantically looking around for it. I am worth more than my junk mail, and I do not need 99% of those offers. I am worth more than overlooked bills and late fees, and I could use the money in much better ways. I am worth more than the bad habit of paper procrastination and disorganization.

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It's now 10pm and I spent my day rather well. I am nearly caught up on my paperwork for my home finances (I have 3 statements left to balance) and for work (1 statement left). I opened all of the mail sitting on my makeshift desk in my school room (there was stuff from August!!!) and filed it appropriately. I even went out with my husband this evening and purchased some new shelving for my office. Tomorrow I hope to build it and get that office whipped into shape - added bonus, it will help declutter my school room. (That's a whole 'nother post for another day.) It feels very good to acknowledge that I am worth the effort to tame the Paper Clutter.

Bonus for my effort: My husband has been inspired to do a major declutter of our bedroom. Remember that whole "my room is my sanctuary" speech I gave yesterday? By making my bed and tackling my paper, my husband has been motivated. How awesome is that?