About the Book

Book: Uncluttered: Shaping Your Heart & Home for What Matters Most

Authors: Liana George and Angie Hyche

Genre: Nonfiction Devotional Book

Release date: June 11, 2024

In a world where chaos reigns and clutter overwhelms, discover the profound connection between orderliness, faith, and inner peace.

When organizing gurus like Marie Kondo and The Home Edit talk about orderly living, people listen! From Container Store junkies who love labels and color-coded files to homeowners who struggle with too much stuff, fans of these experts often consider their teaching sacred knowledge.

But is that the only help available?

Thankfully, for Christians, the Bible is a wealth of organizing principles waiting to be mined.

In Uncluttered: Shaping Your Heart & Home for What Matters Most, professional organizers and authors Liana George and Angie Hyche delve into the timeless wisdom of God’s orderliness, revealing how it extends far beyond mere tidiness. Through poignant personal anecdotes, Scripture, and practical advice, this four-week devotional invites readers to embrace the beauty of simplicity.

From decluttering your physical space to clearing your mind, each day offers a transformative insight and actionable step towards a more serene existence. Whether you’re a seasoned organizer or a clutter connoisseur seeking solace, Uncluttered provides a roadmap to a life of harmony, purpose, and joy. And ultimately, making room for what matters most.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Authors

Liana George is a sought-after speaker, blogger, and author. Before pursuing a career in writing, she was a professional organizer and is the former owner of By George Organizing Solutions in Houston. Her debut novel, Perfectly Arranged, Book One in the Hopeful Heart Series, was released in October 2021 from Scrivenings Press. The second book in the series, Perfectly Placed was released in July 2022, and the third book in the series, Perfectly Matched, was released in April 2023. When she’s not putting things in order or scribbling away, you can find her reading, traveling, or watching tennis.

Angie Hyche is a certified professional organizer (CPO®), author, speaker, and the owner of Shipshape Solutions in Kingsport, Tennessee. She is passionate about helping her readers and listeners declutter and simplify their lives so they can focus on what’s most important and spend time doing what they love. Her first book, Unholy Mess: What the Bible Says about Clutter, was published on Amazon in December of 2020.

More from Liana and Angie

If you were to do a Google search for books related to the topic of organizing, you’d see a wide range of options—from books on decluttering your home to the best way to manage your time. But nowhere on the list would you see the Bible listed as a resource.

Why? Because most people don’t consider the Bible to have much to say on the topic. But they’d be wrong. The Bible is full of organizational principles waiting to be mined!

That’s why we wrote the devotional, Uncluttered: Shaping Your Heart & Home for What Matters Most. We wanted to show people—in a non-judgmental format—that God has a lot to say on the subject.

Here’s one example:

Day 12

A Time to Let Go

”… a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away …”

Ecclesiastes 3:5-6 (NIV)

It was time.

The soles of my favorite silver sandals were worn paper-thin. Ten years of constant use had taken its toll. Every time I slipped those shoes on for an outing, I knew I would slide them off in pain.

It was time I let go.

But I couldn’t. I was certain I would never find another pair of sandals with such unique style and flair. They were my go-to shoes, my favorites, the ones I couldn’t travel without. How could I possibly get rid of them? Yet, my season for these beautiful sandals had surpassed the time they were intended. They did the job they were supposed to do—and then some. It was only fitting that I say goodbye to them so I could make space for a new pair.

It was time I let go for good.

While you may not have trouble parting with a certain pair of shoes, you likely have other items in your home that you are endeared to—your old, comfy jeans; the worn-out stuffed animal that’s missing an eye; the trophies you won in high school that remind you of your glory days.

There was a proper season for those things, but now it may be time to let them go once and for all. It’s never easy, but it’s usually necessary. When we do, we are no longer bound by things that tie us down, bring us stress, or cause us pain. Instead, we can live with peace and freedom.

But we’ll never see those results if we continue to cling to the things that no longer serve us. It’s only when we let go that we can receive what’s waiting for us in the next season of life.

Prayer

Father, give me the strength I need to remove the unnecessary so the essential has first place in my life. Help me make room for that which serves me well and brings glory to You. Loosen my grip on what I need to let go of so my hands will be free to receive all You have for me.

Now, Unclutter It!

When is it time to let go?

How do you know when it’s time to let go of a pair of shoes, a piece of clothing, an unused kitchen appliance, or anything else in your house? Is it a feeling you get, or are there visual indications that an item you own is no longer serving you?

While there’s no definitive guide to dictate when or what to remove from your home, here are a few signs it might be time to part ways with your physical stuff:

Dust collecting on the item
Tears/rips, broken or missing parts, rendering it useless
It’s been crammed in the back of your drawer or closet, and you haven’t missed it
It no longer works properly and makes it hard to use
You have no idea what it is or how to use it You’ve had it for a while, and it’s still in its original packaging, untouched, or has the price tag attached
Its “best by” date has passed

As you work through different rooms or spaces in your house, keep this list handy to help you determine whether or not to hold onto an item. In most cases, you’ll find you can probably discard or donate the item without any regrets. Whatever it was had its season in your life. Now, it’s time to let it go.

Reflection: Which of these signs did you notice most often as you worked through your stuff? What does that indicate to you?

We hope you’ll find Uncluttered to be a valuable resource, not only for your heart but for your home as well.

Author Interviews

Can you share 5 random facts about you that we will not find in your bio?

Angie:

Before becoming a professional organizer, I had careers in science (lab assistant in the leprosy lab at Centers for Disease Control), medicine (pediatric physician assistant), and in education (high school science teacher and elementary school teaching assistant).
I played three sports in high school (volleyball, basketball, and softball) and was a college volleyball player at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tennessee.
My husband and I are on a quest to visit all 63 national parks. As of June, 2024, we’ve visited 53. After we finish, we’re going to write a book about our adventures.
In 2019, soon after becoming empty nesters, my husband and I downsized into a small downtown loft. In the process, we got rid of about 75% of our belongings. It was fantastic!
I love acting in community theatre. I started in 2002 and have acted in 25 plays. Three favorites include Marilla in “Anne of Green Gables,” Doris in “Same Time, Next Year,” and Ralphie’s Mom in “A Christmas Story.”

Liana:

I’ve traveled to 6 of the 7 continents (only Antarctica left!)
I lived as an expat in China and Germany for 5 years
Although I’m a terrible cook, I love watching cooking shows
I played the bassoon in middle school (and despised every minute of it)
Next on my bucket list is to be on Wheel of Fortune

When did you first discover you had a passion for writing?

Angie: Oddly enough, my first writing experience was as a volunteer contributor to the food page of the local newspaper that I’ve been writing an organizing column for since 2017. I was working as an elementary school teaching assistant, and an email was sent to staff asking for volunteers. I thought it sounded like something fun and something I would be able to do, so I started writing. It was very simple—we just had to share a recipe and a story/connection with the recipe. That writing not only showed me how much I enjoyed the process of writing, but it also gave me leverage when I boldly came back years later to ask for an organizing column.

Liana: When I was in 3rd grade I remember writing a story and running to my mom to read it to her. I knew then that I wanted to write books.

What drew you to your chosen genre? 

Angie: Working as a professional organizer led me to writing about organizing. But the connection with faith happened because I wrote a presentation for a Sunday School class called “The Spiritual Implications of Clutter.” That class eventually became my first book, Unholy Mess: What the Bible Says about Clutter.

Liana: I always thought I would write a non-fiction book (which I did eventually with Uncluttered), but my first 3 published books were novels (Contemporary Fiction), which I never thought I would, or could, write. I always thought my crazy ideas were just my brain on overload but I finally realized that I was playing out the stories in my head and I just needed to write them down—so I did! I enjoy contemporary fiction because it’s the here and now that I know.

Are you a planner or a pantser?

Angie: As a professional organizer, it should come as no surprise that I am 100% a planner, not a pantser. However, sometimes I surprise myself and go in a different direction than what I’ve planned, especially in the play I’m currently writing.

Liana: For the most part I’ve always been a planner type of writer. However, when I get back to writing (I’m taking a break for a while), I’m going to try going the pantser route and see where that takes me.

What was the most rewarding part of bringing this story to life?

Angie: Without a doubt, the most rewarding part was working with Liana George and Scrivenings Press. The story of how God brought us together to write this book is very inspiring. (To hear the whole story, watch or listen to Season 3 Episode 11 The Big Reveal of our podcast). God knew I needed more support this time around!

Liana: I had the idea for this book back in 2001 but every time I presented it to publishers I was told that the material was too judgmental. I put the manuscript in a drawer for a LONG time, but then one day (around 2016) God gave me the idea to turn it into a devotional. I love that it worked out that way in the end because I realized that writing the material in that format allowed me to get out of the way and let the truth of God’s word speak for itself.