I really love to organize. I love when a project is complete and I can open a cabinet or a drawer and see how everything has a place. As much as I love organization, my whole house isn't organized. I wish it was. I have 5 boys, 4 are my kids and 1 is my husband. =) As you know, most boys appreciate organization, but they aren't so much about KEEPING things organized. I am constantly organizing their drawers and closets, toy bins and bathrooms, but I can't keep up! My dream is to have 6,542 clear acrylic bins of various sizes in which I can organize my whole house. Can I get an amen?
I recently set up a reading system for the boys so they will read consistently over the summer. I decided to get 3 acrylic bins for their bookshelves with their names on it and I chose a variety from books they already own! I sold for Usborne books for a while and we have SO MANY free books from that. They have tons of books they have never even read.
I started the project by organizing their books by category (more on that later). Kanaan is reading chapter books, but still enjoys some story books. Lawson just finished Kindergarten and is still learning to read. I picked several of the readers for him to read on his own, but also picked some options we could read TO him. Navy doesn't read yet, so all of the books we will be reading with him.
I have these awesome name labels that I got from Bright Star Kids. I love these, because you can pick cute icons to go with them and they have all kinds of labels: pencils, shoes, clothes, subjects for books, all sizes. I got these 3 years ago and I still haven't used them all! I also got the acrylic bins HERE.
I also made a list of all of the books and printed it out to tape on the side of their bin so they could mark the book off once the read it! You could also just let them put the book back on the shelf, or both! They are loving when they can mark a book off of the list.
I think this is a great way to see what kind of books your kids are going to like most. All kids are different. I'm learning a lot about what types of books the boys like to read and what subjects they are interest in.
This is our first time trying this way of reading, so I know we will probably end up adjusting some things to fit each kid. It's been difficult to get the boys to read, so I am hopeful that this is going to help make it more exciting for them!
Last year I organized their playroom and I took you along on the journey in my Instagram stories. If you want to check that out, the link is HERE. I also talked about how I organize their books. This was at our old house, so their playroom looks a little different now, but we still use the say organizing system.
Organizing makes me feel peaceful and in control, but the biggest thing I am learning, and what my counselor is constantly telling me, is that my peace comes from God and He is in control. And when God is in control, I can rest. I can still be at peace and enjoy my family even if the house is messy for a little bit. I do feel like having systems and organization helps with that, but I have to constantly realign and realize that God is the source of my ultimate peace and joy. Whatever your personality is and whatever makes you feel at peace and in control, don't let that thing be the SOURCE but a resource for God's peace and joy in your life.
When I think about God being first in my life, I always have a visual of a bookshelf with a bunch of stuff on it, including God. I am constantly rearranging things on the shelf because somehow God gets moved down to the 2nd or 3rd shelf and I have to keep moving him back to the top. Reprioritizing. This is what being a follower of Christ looks like. You won't just put Jesus at the top one day and then never have to worry about it again. Life happens and Jesus gets knocked down a row or two, but through prayer and Bible study, we can notice it before too much piles up and we can clean off that top shelf and put Him back where he belongs. This is the BEST organizing you can do.
I hope you have been motivated and encouraged to not only organize a space in your home, but to organize your priorities and get God back on the top in your life.
Lean in to Life. It’s messy, but beautiful.
Much love,
LB