#577 How to Thrive When Your Life is Just too Overwhelming with Author Jennifer Cowart

#577 How to Thrive When Your Life is Just too Overwhelming with Author Jennifer Cowart

577: How to Thrive When Your Life is Just too Overwhelming with Author Jennifer Cowart

What happens to your time when you have a rare moment, and nothing is scheduled on the calendar? Does it immediately get full of all the things that aren’t on your to-do list, but could be? Jen Cowart, a pastor, Bible teacher, and author, recently experienced a season with extra margin, and she chose to be intentional with her time instead of letting others fill up her calendar. (Can you even imagine?)

In today’s episode, Kathi and Jen discuss how to thrive when your life is just too overwhelming. They talk about:

  • How seasons play a role in our schedule
  • What a “win” looks like
  • Specific times that MUST be carved out
  • What to prepare for in order to thrive
  • The schedule considerations that matter most

Want to dig deeper? If so, check out Jen’s new Thrive Women’s Bible Study. You can download a free discussion guide for the first two lessons in the Thrive Participant Workbook here.

Jen has two copies of the Thrive Bible Study to give away to Kathi’s listeners. For your chance to win, answer this question in the comments: What area of your life would you really like to get practical about creating margin in? 

You are meant to thrive. You may need to get still before the Lord and do a little work, and that work may be to embrace who He created you to be. 

Sign up here for the Clutter Free Academy newsletter and be notified when future episodes are released.

*This episode is sponsored by United Methodist Publishing House.

Thrive Women’s Bible Study: Living Faithfully in Difficult Times

Walking in Faith…even when times are tough.

In Thrive, author and teacher Jen Cowart helps women develop the habits and attitudes necessary to thrive, whatever their circumstances. Leading readers through the Book of James, a letter written about enduring hardships, she lifts up six characteristics of mature Christians. From endurance and humility to controlling our words, Jen helps participants find the divine and the practical in living faithfully.

Jen’s teaching has inspired thousands of women across the country. Her authenticity inspires others to open their hearts and minds. One reviewer wrote, “Her ‘realness’ and her vulnerability just work together to open your heart to dig deeper and deeper.”

Components for this six-week small group study include the book, leader guide, and DVD.

Learn more about the Thrive Women’s Bible Study here.

For your chance to win a copy of the Thrive Women’s Bible Study, answer this question in the comments: What area of your life would you really like to get practical about creating margin in? 

Let’s stay connected

To share your thoughts:

  • Leave a note in the comment section below.

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read each one.

Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our newsletter now.

Meet Our Guest 

 

Jennifer Cowart

Jennifer Cowart is the Executive and Teaching pastor of Harvest Church. Jen is a gifted Bible teacher and speaker and the author of four women’s Bible studies, Thrive, Pursued, Fierce, and Messy People, and several studies co-authored with her husband, Jim. She and Jim love doing life with their kids.

You can connect with Jen through Facebook, email or on her website.

#576 Subscription Boxes, Clutter and Why We Buy

#576 Subscription Boxes, Clutter and Why We Buy

576: Subscription Boxes, Clutter and Why We Buy

Do you love the excitement and intrigue of that the arrival of a subscription box brings? We do too! But are all subscription boxes equal? Can subscription boxes become just one more thing to declutter?

Join Kathi and her Tik Tok famous guest Meredith Lynch as they discuss decluttering and the world of subscription boxes. Meredith started out as a beauty influencer but pushed back on the fast fashion/fast beauty culture. She is not afraid to speak her mind and has the cease and desist letters from beauty brands to prove it! Kathi and Meredith covered so much in this episode that Kathi has labeled it an XXLarge episode of information, such as:

  • The origins of subscription boxes
  • How some subscription boxes have become a scam
  • The concept of White Labeling – mass producing a product and slapping a designer label on it

But we love new beauty products! Are there any trusted voices out there?
YES!
Meredith Lynch gives us two people to follow for authentic beauty product insight.

Don’t forget to give Clutter Free Academy a one sentence review on your favorite podcast platform! Thanks!

Sign up here for the Clutter Free Academy newsletter and be notified when future episodes are released.

The Accidental Homesteader: What I’ve Learned About Chickens, Compost, and Creating Home

 

Homesteading [hohm-sted-ing]
noun
1. an act or instance of establishing a homestead.
2. the act of loving where you live so much that you actively ignore the fact that your house is trying to kill you on a regular basis.
For Kathi Lipp and her husband, Roger, buying a house in one of the most remote parts of Northern California was never part of the plan; many of life’s biggest, most rewarding adventures rarely are.

Kathi shares the hard-won wisdom she’s gained on her homestead journey to help you accomplish more at home, gain fresh perspective, and give yourself grace in the process. Here’s a handful of the lessons Kathi shares:

  • Prepare before the need arises
  • Everything is always in process, including us
  • Your best household solution is time and patience
  • You don’t have to do everything the hard way
  • Be open to new and better ways of doing things
  • A lot of small changes make a huge difference.
    Highly practical, humorous, and inspirational, The Accidental Homesteader will encourage you to live with more peace, joy, and contentment.

Order your copy of The Accidental Homesteader: What I’ve Learned About Chickens, Compost, and Creating Home here.

Links Mentioned:

Meredith Lynch at meredithmlynch on Tik Tok

Meredith Lynch at meredithmlynch on Instagram

Stefanie Fritz- Luxury Makeup Artist at stefaniefritzxo on Instagram

Jamie Greenberg – Celebrity Makeup Artist at jamiemakeup on Instagram

Learn more about Clutter Free for Life

Clutter Free Academy Facebook Group

Do you have favorite beauty product to share with us? Tell us in the comments!

Let’s stay connected

To share your thoughts:

  • Leave a note in the comment section below.

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read each one.

Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our newsletter now.

Meet Our Guest 

 

Meredith Lynch

Meredith Lynch is a writer and pop culture deep diver based in Los Angeles.

You can find her on Tik Tok  and Instagram .

Transcript

#575 Best of Series – Back to Basics: How to Declutter Your House Fast

#575 Best of Series – Back to Basics: How to Declutter Your House Fast

575: Best of Series – Back to Basics: How to Declutter Your House Fast

Welcome back to the basics! Kathi Lipp is joined by Roger, her husband and fellow declutterer, and they are here to recap some of the best tips they have discovered about decluttering.

How do you declutter quickly? Kathi has an easy to follow decluttering system for you and it only takes 15 minutes.

Step 1 – Gather your tools. Kathi likes to use 3 tote bags. One bag is “give away,” one bag is “put away,” and one bag is “other rooms.” The 2 additional bags Kathi adds to the mix are a garbage bag and a recycling bag.

Step 2 – Pick a small area. This could be a desk, drawer, or shelf. Make sure it is something so small, you don’t have to move your feet for the 15 minutes you are decluttering. This will also limit the number of decisions you have to make and avoid B.S.O. (Bright Shiny Object Syndrome).

More decluttering tips from Kathi and Roger:

  • Listen to something dedicated to your declutter time. Kathi listens to the Scientology: Fair Game podcast from Leah Remini.
  • Body Doubling – Make yourself accountable by telling someone you will be decluttering. Or have someone in the room with you – this is also known as body doubling. It helps to have someone there to help you focus and accomplish your goals. Join Kathi’s Clutter Free Academy group on Facebook for some online accountability with a community who understands!  
  • Break big projects into smaller goals. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed. Find doable steps such as spending 15 minutes a day to declutter.
  • After each 15 minute decluttering session, set your timer for another 5 minutes to take care of the items you have sorted into different bags or boxes.
  • Remember that when you declutter every day, it keeps you from wanting to bring things into your house in the first place.

Don’t forget to give Clutter Free Academy a one sentence review on your favorite podcast platform! Thanks!

Sign up here for the Clutter Free Academy newsletter and be notified when future episodes are released.

The Accidental Homesteader: What I’ve Learned About Chickens, Compost, and Creating Home

 

Homesteading [hohm-sted-ing]
noun
1. an act or instance of establishing a homestead.
2. the act of loving where you live so much that you actively ignore the fact that your house is trying to kill you on a regular basis.
For Kathi Lipp and her husband, Roger, buying a house in one of the most remote parts of Northern California was never part of the plan; many of life’s biggest, most rewarding adventures rarely are.

Kathi shares the hard-won wisdom she’s gained on her homestead journey to help you accomplish more at home, gain fresh perspective, and give yourself grace in the process. Here’s a handful of the lessons Kathi shares:

  • Prepare before the need arises
  • Everything is always in process, including us
  • Your best household solution is time and patience
  • You don’t have to do everything the hard way
  • Be open to new and better ways of doing things
  • A lot of small changes make a huge difference.
    Highly practical, humorous, and inspirational, The Accidental Homesteader will encourage you to live with more peace, joy, and contentment.

Order your copy of The Accidental Homesteader: What I’ve Learned About Chickens, Compost, and Creating Home here.

Help Roger out – What is your favorite pillow? Tell us in the comments!

Let’s stay connected

To share your thoughts:

  • Leave a note in the comment section below.

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read each one.

Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our newsletter now.

Meet Our Guest 

 

Roger Lipp

Roger is a productivity and quality engineer for a Fortune 50 company.

Roger helps teams reach their full productivity potential by teaching them the practical and simple steps to reach their goals. Roger and his wife, author Kathi Lipp, teach communicators how to share their message through social media and email marketing.

He and Kathi coauthored Happy Habits for Every Couple with Harvest House Publishers.

Transcript

#573 Best of Series – 5 Reasons Your Home is MORE Cluttered

#573 Best of Series – 5 Reasons Your Home is MORE Cluttered

573: Best of Series – 5 Reasons Your Home is MORE Cluttered

Do you ever look around your home wondering why it feels more cluttered, despite your decluttering efforts? In this “Best Of” episode, Kathi and her decluttering partner Roger are uncovering this mystery by clueing us into five reasons our homes may be more cluttered:

  1. You don’t know what you have, so you keep buying more.
  2. You have backups for your backups. (We’re looking at you, broken can-opener in the garage!) 
  3. You are storing things for other people, with no limit or deadline.
  4. You are holding onto things for “some day.” (Is that item something you would buy again today?)
  5. You are keeping tools that were useful in a past season of life. Your life has changed and moved on, so now those items have become clutter. 

Clutter is a battle that has to be fought on every side. Together let’s learn how to break these habits that leave us with more clutter and less peace. Want some encouragement on the journey? Join us on Facebook in Kathi Lipp’s Clutter Free Academy.

Sign up here for the Clutter Free Academy newsletter and be notified when future episodes are released.

The Accidental Homesteader: What I’ve Learned About Chickens, Compost, and Creating Home

 

Homesteading [hohm-sted-ing]
noun
1. an act or instance of establishing a homestead.
2. the act of loving where you live so much that you actively ignore the fact that your house is trying to kill you on a regular basis.
For Kathi Lipp and her husband, Roger, buying a house in one of the most remote parts of Northern California was never part of the plan; many of life’s biggest, most rewarding adventures rarely are.

Kathi shares the hard-won wisdom she’s gained on her homestead journey to help you accomplish more at home, gain fresh perspective, and give yourself grace in the process. Here’s a handful of the lessons Kathi shares:

  • Prepare before the need arises
  • Everything is always in process, including us
  • Your best household solution is time and patience
  • You don’t have to do everything the hard way
  • Be open to new and better ways of doing things
  • A lot of small changes make a huge difference.
    Highly practical, humorous, and inspirational, The Accidental Homesteader will encourage you to live with more peace, joy, and contentment.

Order your copy of The Accidental Homesteader: What I’ve Learned About Chickens, Compost, and Creating Home here.

Links Mentioned:

Kathi’s remodel update!

Which of the five reasons for excess clutter resonates most with you?

Share about it in the comments!

Let’s stay connected

To share your thoughts:

  • Leave a note in the comment section below.

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read each one.

Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our newsletter now.

Meet Our Guest 

 

Roger Lipp

Roger is a productivity and quality engineer for a Fortune 50 company.

Roger helps teams reach their full productivity potential by teaching them the practical and simple steps to reach their goals. Roger and his wife, author Kathi Lipp, teach communicators how to share their message through social media and email marketing.

He and Kathi coauthored Happy Habits for Every Couple with Harvest House Publishers.

Transcript

#572 Best of Series-Clutter and Creativity – How Decluttering Helps the Creative Process

#572 Best of Series-Clutter and Creativity – How Decluttering Helps the Creative Process

572: Best of Series-Clutter and Creativity – How Decluttering Helps the Creative Process

In this Best of episode, Kathi Lipp is talking with Clutter Free community leader, friend, and screenwriter, Grace Church, about how decluttering and creativity can actually help one another. Have you ever struggled to balance decluttering time and creative time? You are not alone. In this episode, Kathi and Grace share how they have found that balance by:

  • Shifting their mentality
  • Doing a little bit every day
  • Establishing routines

If you’ve ever found your creativity blocked by the clutter around you, you won’t want to miss this episode.

The Accidental Homesteader: What I’ve Learned About Chickens, Compost, and Creating Home

 

Homesteading [hohm-sted-ing]
noun
1. an act or instance of establishing a homestead.
2. the act of loving where you live so much that you actively ignore the fact that your house is trying to kill you on a regular basis.
For Kathi Lipp and her husband, Roger, buying a house in one of the most remote parts of Northern California was never part of the plan; many of life’s biggest, most rewarding adventures rarely are.

Kathi shares the hard-won wisdom she’s gained on her homestead journey to help you accomplish more at home, gain fresh perspective, and give yourself grace in the process. Here’s a handful of the lessons Kathi shares:

  • Prepare before the need arises
  • Everything is always in process, including us
  • Your best household solution is time and patience
  • You don’t have to do everything the hard way
  • Be open to new and better ways of doing things
  • A lot of small changes make a huge difference.
    Highly practical, humorous, and inspirational, The Accidental Homesteader will encourage you to live with more peace, joy, and contentment.

Order your copy of The Accidental Homesteader: What I’ve Learned About Chickens, Compost, and Creating Home here.

What does your creative space look like? Do you need to clean BEFORE you create?

Share about it in the comments!

Let’s stay connected

To share your thoughts:

  • Leave a note in the comment section below.

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help, and I read each one.

Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our newsletter now.

Meet Our Guest 

 

Grace Church

Grace Church is a screenwriter, blogger, and budding podcaster in Los Angeles — but her favorite “job” has been working on Kathi’s Clutter Free Academy leadership team! Grace discovered Clutter Free through Kathi’s “2000 Thing Fling” in January 2015. Since then she’s been counting, cleaning, and decluttering her way through her home, one item at a time. Grace has been a regular contributor in our private Facebook community since it began in 2016 and a member of the Clutter Free for Life membership program since its inception in 2019. She is now the community manager for the membership program and stays active in our free group as well.

You can connect with Grace on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube at “Rise and Write with Grace & James” — or catch her movie “DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH” on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Tubi!

You can connect with Grace on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube at “Rise and Write with Grace & James” — or catch her movie “DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH” on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Tubi!

Transcript