I came across a sentence in a book that leapt off the page at me. It took me a minute to make sure I understood what it said. Then I thought, “this is what I help people do for a living.”

Vaden calls this the Pain Paradox of decision making. “… the short-term easy leads to the long-term difficult, while the short-term difficult leads to the long-term easy. The great paradox is that what we thought was the easy way, what looks like the easy way, what seems like the easy way very often leads us to creating a life that couldn’t be more opposite of easy. And inversely the things that we thought were most difficult, the challenges that appear to be the toughest, and the requirements that seem most rigorous are the very activities that leas us to the life of easy that we all want.”

How to organize your calendar and to-do list so you’re ready to take on the week

Guest, Meaghan Langston, Business Clarity Coach

Every Sunday I take a look at the week ahead and plan out my priorities. If you’re like me, this probably sounds like it’s easier said than done. Why? Because once we begin to look at all we have to do in a week we can feel overwhelmed and even paralyzed. Maybe you’ve felt this halfway through a closet cleanout in your home and just wanted to give up.

I wanted to create a method of clearing out my to-do list and planning my week that was simple enough to be done on a regular basis, but thorough enough to meet the needs that arise on any given week. That’s when I developed the Weekly Rundown.

February 2021 is here and in Little Red Stool Organizing world that means it’s time to play The Minimalism Game!

Starting February 1 we are back for our fourth year and sixth round of The Minimalism Game hosted by Little Red Stool Organizing (#LRSOMG2021). I’m inviting you to join the LRSO community to play along with thousands of others who have played this game before you. The Minimalism Game is a great way to have fun while bringing more peace and freedom to your home. And it’s completely FREE!

Before we get to how the game works and how you can participate. I want to address one thing. The word “minimalism.” Throw what you think of the word “minimalism” out for a minute. Now think about how nice your house would feel if you had a few less things. Not just less for the sake of less but less things that you don’t like and don’t serve your household. I can just picture you with your eyes closed, a deep sigh of relief and peace, and a rested posture. THAT is what I want you to think about the word “minimalism” from now on.

Sometimes going through your belongings is easy. That wrapper from the sucker your kid just popped in his mouth? Trash. That ripped pair of jeans? Trash. That outgrown toy? Donate. That book you won’t read again? Donate.

Then there are things that are just a little more difficult to decide on. That teapot that your aunt gave you when you were ten years old? That perfume that you haven’t worn in six months? What about that outfit that you loved on daughter when she was a toddler but now she is a teenager?

Each month I’m going to give you a question to help you think through whether or not you want to keep an item. There is no right or wrong answer. There is just your answer.

Little Red Stool Organizing has been official for 4 years now and it has been a delight to be in so many homes! Choosing only 10 after photos of all the hard work that went in to decluttering and organizing during a pandemic is going to be next to impossible. If I don’t limit myself, though, you’ll be here reading for days as I had the absolute honor of working in 33 households in 2020. I’m going to stick with sharing my favorites in chronological order to keep from really showing favorites. I love each and every client that I worked with this year and each of them deserves a reward for the work they did!