E-Book Review for Organizing Happiness by Mrs. Lorrie Flem

I had always known from my Christian foundation how important the number “7” is in the Bible, however; Organizing Happiness put it into perspective for me in terms of applying it to everyday life.

Mrs. Flem starts the book off by explaining in the Bible the number seven. She states that there are “700 references in the bible to the number “7” from the Seven Days of Creation to the Seven Days of Revelation…”

Summary:

Organizing Happiness is comprised of 4 sections – (1) Clear the clutter, (2) Habits that will make you Happy (3) Spiritual Weapons for Happiness and (4) Quick Organization Tricks.

The sections on removing clutter and how good habits makes you happier were very insight and inspirational. They are little things that we can all do to change our lives for the better. Mrs. Flem reminds us that “we have no reason to be discouraged or fear.” God Himself will help us with the training, education, and creation of new habits’ in the lives or our children and ourselves…” this reminder makes me want to change bad habits because God will help me through and he will not fail, which means I can be on my way to being happier.

The final two sections on Spiritual Weapons for Happiness and Quick Organization Tricks were more of reminders of some of the bad habits that I had fallen into and the potential consequences it could have in my home life and spiritual life. I was thankful for the reminder because now those things are in the forefront of my mind and I can take “small steps” to change them for the better with the helpful tips that were provided in this e-book.

Overall, the book was one I would consider to be “quick hits”. It is insightful with supporting documentation. The examples provided were realistic and can be applied to anyone’s life. Nothing was too “drastic” and Mrs. Flem main point is slow and steady wins the race. Nothing can be completely changed in one day. Everything takes time.

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Book Details:

Section 1: Clear the clutter

 “Clutter is the result of not having a designated place to put things.  A list of 7 “clutter keepers” which includes the following:

1. Tray on the coffee table – Everyone places their trash in the tray throughout the day and then it is emptied each night.
2. Basket by the bed- for reading materials. Stylish solution to bedside clutter
3. Basket/Container by the door- Obtain a stylish container where you can dump mail and incoming paperwork by the door. (I have  a larger wicker basket by the door during the snow months to keep hats, mittens, scarves, etc., all in one place)
4. Portable File Box – Use in home office to hold bills and sort incoming paperwork  
5.    Large and Small plastic Containers – use to store kids’ toys by category. Make sure see-through.
6. Lidless Hampers – Keep hamper in each bedroom and bathroom with the lids off so items won’t end up on the floor.
7.  Bath Basket – Give a basket to each household member to hold their individual toiletries.

Section 2:  7 Habits that will make you and Your Family Happier

I laughed out loud when I read the introduction to this section because Mrs. Flen asks the question “Do you ever look at your friend with amazement and wonder of “How come she has it all together.” I have wondered that so many times with a couple of my friends. The reason that Mrs. Flem explains is because they “have good habit.” Plain and simple. 

1. 1 Prepare like Poppins – except the unexpected, think a head and pack accordingly
2. Rely on Routines – review current routines, are they good ones or bad ones, are they helpful or harmful. (This is something that I did recently and realized that staying up late to watch a show was harmful. Now I DVR those shows and save for the next day. This allows me to go to bed earlier and wake up rested).
3.   Just say “no” – If it is harmful or not beneficial or a bad habit, then don’t do it.
4. 4 Put aside perfection – No one is perfect. Put in place a system for filing paper work, keeping out clutter that you can understand. Your goal is progress, not perfection.
5. Clean up your Mind Diet  - What you spend your time focus in on is what you’ll have lots of in your life. If you are a  person that stresses a lot, it will bring on more stress. If want to be happier feed your mind happier thoughts.
6.   Baby steps and Baby Food- Break down goals into smaller easily achievable steps. Slow and steady wins the race.
7. 7Make Quiet Time a Habit – Being consistent is the key. Once a habit it is instilled it is easier to raise the intensity.

  

Section 3: Spiritual Weapons for Happiness.

Mrs. Flem doesn’t really get into what spiritual warfare is, just provides basic overview. What I pulled from this section is that “our goal is to triumph over evil.” In this day in age many times Christians are persecuted for their beliefs, but God has provided weapons that we can use to win over evil.

1. Truth – maintain honesty in a culture of deception and teach those things to our children
2. Righteousness – Keeping our marriages a priority
3. Peace – Keeping peace within our households
4. Faith – Never giving up on Family and never letting go of your faith
5. Salvation – Keeping our thoughts clean.
6. Bible – Reading your bible daily and keeping it prominent in life, thoughts and home
7. Prayer – Pray without ceasing

Section 4:  Organization Inspiration

I have an “A” type personality so I am probably overly organized, so I was interested to see what Mrs. Flem had to say regarding Organization. 

1. Visualization brings Victory – Before doing anything visual what you want.
2.  Slow and Steady – Don’t rush to do everything all at once. Take little blocks of time to get large projects done
3. Make Minuets Count – Use a timer – it eliminates the need to keep an eye on the clock.
4. Small Pieces-  smaller pieces are easier to swallow
5. Music to Move With – Put on some “peppy” music – something that makes you want to move.
6.  Sort to Start – When tackling large projects start by sorting. Mrs. Flem suggests getting  3 sacks and keep nearby and sort things for “give away, throw away and put away”
7. Clean it – Once you put everything in its home give it a good once over. Freshly cleaned space is inspiration to get tie up loose ends.

Disclaimer: I was provided this e-book from Eternal Encouragement for free as part of my review process to participate in Gabby Moms. No monetary compensation was provided for my review. The views and opinions expressed on this review are purely my own.