Seven Layer Dip?

No, this is not another version of how you can creatively layer all of your Thanksgiving leftovers and come up with a new recipe to post on Facebook! Just think of the array of dips, salads and desserts that call for carefully layering one ingredient upon another.  Why?  I’ll tell you!  The other day I was helping a mom “dig out” from all of the toys that had taken over their home.  She stood up during the sorting of all of the many tiny toy pieces and lamented, “How did we get here?  How did it come to this?” We took a look around and noticed a pattern and some themes and began to recognize there were many layers in this toy concoction devouring the family of any area for calm living. Each “layer” represented a birthday, a Christmas, and many other celebrations that had been added year after year until they overwhelmed the space. We do this this with more than toys! How many layers and themes can you recognize in your closet? How many seasons can you see in your crafting supplies? How many “latest gadgets” can be found layered in your kitchen or garage? Clutter happens when stuff accumulates — and the seasons and fads and gadgets make many layered piles around our homes. We just closed out another year of counting our blessings and giving thanks — but right around the corner is the potential for another layer to pile on as we give and receive during the Christmas season.  Set aside a few minutes each day to clear the area and let go of those things we simply haven’t taken the time to identify as items we no longer love, use or need. It doesn’t have to be a big project to completely organize the space. Simply pluck out the things that are easily identifiable as the “first layer” that can be removed.