Orderly Homes

Here’s a summary of the talks that were given at our meeting on March 18th:

The book referenced by Michele at the meeting is “It’s All Too Much” by Peter Walsh. Using what she learned from this book, Michele spoke about decluttering our homes. She told us to consider each item that we have or are considering in the store. Will it help or hinder the life you’re trying to live. Do not have anything that is not useful or beautiful. If you haven’t worn or used it in the last year, you probably won’t. Michele also told us to have a box or shelf to set stuff on to give away and to fill it and clear it off regularily. Most of the excess in our homes might be memorabilia. Memoribilia is not being honored when it is in a dark, dusty closet becoming musty. Pick the most symbolic, special pieces and put them in a cherished place in your home (or use as Christmas decorations). Then get rid of the rest. It is more meaningful to have a few or your favorite pictures in an album than to have 1000’s in a box. Our house should be a place we love to be and is easy to clean.

Kristi referenced the book “The Art of Homemaking" by Daryl Hoole. She focused on how to keep our homes clean (especially if you have small children). She told us to “keep” house not to clean it. Keep up a standard. Keep house for your family, company is welcome anytime. Little messes are expected and even welcome. Clean as you go. Kristi also told us to put the house to bed before you go to bed. Waking up to a clean house is so nice. Kristi quoted the book when she said, “If Sunday is going to be holy, then Saturday needs to be hopping.” Kristi talked about how nice it was, when the were in Hawaii, to have almost nothing. They had just enough dishes for each person for one meal, very few toys, and very few clothes. I know that I, personally, can cut out a lot of clutter just be having less in these areas.

Pam referenced the talks: "Mothers Who Know" by Julie B. Beck and "Our Refined Heavenly Home" By Elder Douglas L. Callister. You can click on the links or google the titles for the full talks. Pam talked about the reasons why we should have an orderly home. She told us that the only place that can compare to the temple is our homes and that we should pattern our homes after the temples. As it says in Doctrine and Covenants chapter 88 verse 119, “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.” Pam talked about each of those points and encouraged us to read the talk mentioned about, Our Refined Heavenly Home. Here are some of Pam’s thoughts that I learned from. We need to teach in our home. We need to make our homes like a mini “MTC” (Missionary Training Center). We need to plan for prayer, scripture study, Family Home Evening, etc. The attitude in our home should be that we’re happy to be there. We need to point our children to the temple. Reaching our true potential takes work. Can our kids or ourselves say that we never learned anything at church that we hadn’t already learned at home? We need to raise the bar…we have become a casual society. Our language should be restrained and simple. Literature and music should be uplifting. Heavenly Father doesn’t want us to loose our Heavenly vision. We have a Heavenly heritage, and we can enjoy Heavenly company if we live up to that heritage. Our homes should be Christ centered, a haven from the world. A house of order has cleanliness and is simple; it has inner and outer beauty. Order means consistency so that our children know what we believe.

A special thanks to all the speakers for their wonderful talks. All who were there were uplift and received ideas about how (and why) to make their homes more orderly.