Faith Mom, now that school is back in session for most families, does your home feel like it went from summer freedom to school year chaos almost overnight?
The backpacks are there, the papers are back, the lunchboxes, sports gear, laundry piles, and busy schedules are all back. And whether your family home schools, goes to a traditional school, or does something in between, the truth is clutter can quietly steal your peace. Today, I'm talking with Melinda Grace, a professional organizer and lifelong follower of Christ who helps women turn their homes into sanctuaries of peace, purpose, and faith.
Through her Grace Method and her book, Reclaim Your Space with Grace, G-R-A-C-E, Melinda helps women declutter their homes while reconnecting with God, their calling, and people they love. Melinda, welcome to the Faith Mom Mentor. Thank you so much, Ann, for having me on your podcast. It's wonderful to be here.
Well, we're glad you're here. Melinda. I want to start with your story because I think a lot of moms are going to connect with it. How did God use your own journey through burnout, anxiety, and rediscovering your calling to lead you into professional - organizing?
That's a wonderful question, Ann, and I just wanna start with that I love the verse Romans 8:28, which says, "And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purposes." And, um, that is true in my case. God has used and is using every single inch of my personal experience with burnout and anxiety in the most beautiful way that I could have never imagined.
And, um, I go more in depth with this in my book, but I'll give your listeners the Reader's Digest version. So basically, in 2018, I just had a complete panic attack from burnout with doing acting and the stress of finding a new career, and then paying the bills in Los Angeles, which is not cheap.
And, um, and I also took a job at that time that was a total... was not in alignment with my personal value system, and I was in love with a new guy, and I desperately did not want him to leave me because I couldn't figure this new phase of my life out. And to be honest, I was going through all of this without slowing down and, like, really praying and seeking the Lord.
I was just bootstrapping my life and hustling it, and trying to figure out a new life and a new vision, but that vision had no purpose because I wasn't involving Jesus. And, um, so when the panic attack hit, I, I packed up a bag and I drove home. And I'm from Houston, so I w- am in LA, so I drove 3,000 miles and, um, just by myself 'cause I was just freaking out and I needed some peace and calm.
And my parents were so kind and gracious, and they accepted me with open arms. And with their help I regrouped, I reconnected with my faith, I went to church again, and I, I quit that job that was totally wrong for me, and I just took a big deep breath and exhaled. And then, um, about a month later, I took a chance, and my boyfriend stayed with me, and I moved back to Los Angeles.
And he also accepted me with open arms, and he helped me get back on my feet here in Los Angeles. And he loved me, and then he married me. So, so God gra- Congratulations. Yeah. So God graciously gave me a happy ending to that story. And, and then the real work began of, um, like where, where was my calling?
What was I to do now in Los Angeles now that I wasn't going to be an actress and pursue that career anymore? And honestly, it was the perfect storm because I needed to find a career other than acting. And, um, and I also wanted to find a career where it felt like I was helping people. It felt like a calling, you know, a purpose from God.
And, um, and use all my gifts and align with my value system. And also at the same time, it's 2020, and we're in the middle of a pandemic. And the one thing that everyone was doing was watching Netflix all the time. And there were two show ... wonderful shows that made everyone wanna organize by the rainbow and then declutter everything.
And so, um, so it was great. And I started working with a life vocational coach at the time. So I really dug into, like, who God made me to be, uh, my strengths, my weaknesses, um, everything And through all that, I had a lot of open communication with my husband, and he was just so supportive. And, um, I went through, down, down a list of a lot of jobs, and professional organizing was on there.
And he was like, "What is that?" And I was like, "Oh, well, let me tell you. I love shopping at The Container Store, and there's, there's two shows on Netflix, and can we watch them together?" And he was like, "Oh, I had no idea that this was a thing, and it actually sounds like you, because you're always organizing our house.
And, um, even when I think it can't be organized more, you're, like, still organizing more." Anyways, and so we just kinda zeroed in on that. And, um, I prayed a lot about it. And, um, I took a little how to start your organizing business class on Facebook, and then I made a post, and I haven't stopped organizing since.
And it's just been the most beautiful... well, really hard, but most beautiful experience, because I feel like, or I know that God literally took everything in my life. I have a business degree. I'm creative. I... obviously, I have an organized mind. And, um, and he just melded all that together into this beautiful career of becoming a professional organizer, and I'm, I'm just really grateful every day.
And he literally does not waste anything, and, um, that's what I love about being a Christian and, like, being able to connect with Jesus and God, and He's just always there for us. He is. Absolutely, He is. And I, I just picked up on that you said that you had been bootstrapping it. Yes. But there was a time when your bootstraps decluttered and turned to something different.
And a lot of Christian moms are carrying so much right now, and they feel like they are just bootstrapping. They've got their school, their schedule, their work, and meals, and church, and family needs, emotions, and spiritual care. And they are just- They are just cluttered. Everything is on top of each other.
Like you said, like, your journey was kind of everything was just you were trying to sort it all out. Mm-hmm. Why does clutter feel so heavy for moms, especially during the school year? Yeah. Um, I love that question, too. I love all your questions. They're so great. Um, I think, I think that it is the clutter, but I also think it's everything that the clutter represents, right?
It's, um, moms for better or for worse, whether it's fair or not, we often become the managers of our home. So we're juggling all these things, right, that you just explained. And when we see the clutter, it just reminds us of, reminds us of everything we're managing. It reminds us of everything that we're not getting to.
It reminds us of the supplies that are running low, how we need to sign these forms, how we need to change out the clothes 'cause our kids just grew out of them. And then quickly, before we know it, the holidays are gonna be here, so then you're shopping for teacher gifts, and then you're... You know, it just all remind...
The clutter is just a physical representation of everything that we have to do. It's also a representation of decisions that we haven't made yet. So a lot of times clutter builds up because we don't know where it goes, and we don't have time to slow down and, like, figure out where it should go. And I think most people who love organizing or know anything about organizing know that everything must have a home.
And so the clutter starts to create this mental noise in addition to, like, all the mental noise from managing our home, and taking care of our kids, and loving our husbands, and supporting them. And, um, we actually know from scientific research that clutter affects us mentally. Um, there have been studies that have shown that women living with chronic clutter have higher levels of cortisol, which is the body's stress hormone, and it's associated with chronic stress and fatigue.
And basically, cortisol is, um, the stress hormone that triggers the release of glucose for immediate energy so your body can react to perceived danger or stress. And, you know, this helped us survive, like, thousands of years ago. But in our homes, like, we don't need to trigger cortisol. We don't need to be saved.
We, we're fine. Everything's okay. And so when you have that consistent and persistent level of high cortisol- It's a, it's going to have a physical and mental impact on you. So, like, no wonder you walk into your room and it's cluttered, and you're like, "Oh my gosh," and your body immediately, like, tightens up, and you're like, "Oh, what do I do with all this stuff?"
So, you know, give yourself a little grace, like, as well. Like, your body is responding and trying to protect you. And, um, I think it's great if we can notice that and be like, "Oh, okay, my body is trying to protect me. Now how can I deal with the clutter?" Yeah. I think that's very important, just dealing with the clutter.
And your book is not just about dealing with the clutter, organizing the bins and closets. Um, your book connects decluttering with faith and scripture, reflection and prayer. H- how can faith-based decluttering help a mom actually reconnect with God and, and create a more peaceful home? Yeah. So I think that when our homes are filled with hundreds of unfinished decisions and just lots of mental noise, like I just said, we know it raises our cortisol levels, and we physically can't slow down and be present with our families or even hear God's voice.
And I believe, um, that organizing can be a deep spiritual transformative experience. And in my Grace Method, there's room to connect with God, to take care of your soul, to journal and pray. And it's kind of crazy, but I love encouraging others to literally stop and pray about where to donate something, who to pass that item on to.
Um, and it's amazing just how God answers and how cool the stories are from just stopping and praying, like, "Lord, please help me declutter this," or, "Help me know where it goes." Um, and I love that silly popular pop culture quote, "If mama ain't happy, nobody happy." Ain't nobody happy. And so for mama, if you're happy and stressed, and it, it's gonna carry over into your home.
And, um, I bet that's, you know, not a very peaceful place to be. And then so for the Christian mom, I love the concept of what Emily P. Freeman teaches, which is taking time to have a soul declutter, and that's included in my book. It's kind of like one of the first steps, and, um, just taking time for ourselves to sit down and take care of our souls because our responsibility and the clutter on top of raising that, and then our cortisol levels, we need to invite Jesus to be a part of the experience and help us get through it.
Um, 'cause if you're taking care of your soul, then you can take, help take care of your kids and your house and create that space that you want for them to experience. You're... Yes, Melinda, that is fantastic. I had a guest, um, a week or so ago that was talking about that same thing, and she likened it, and I've often said it as well here on the podcast, that the...
It's like a oxygen mask. What you were just saying there is like, Mom, you put on the oxygen mask for yourself before you try to help somebody else. You know, in a plane when you go, the s- Mm-hmm ... the person over the intercom would say, "If, if we have an emergency, put on your oxygen mask before you try to help somebody else."
What you're saying here, part of the declutter is putting on your oxygen mask yourself. Mm. So faith mom, if this conversation is already helping you breathe a little easier, would you 📍 take a second to like this video? It does help another mom find this encouragement, another mom who may be trying to manage all the things, home, school, faith.
family while wondering why she feels so overwhelmed. And Melinda's book, 📍 📍 📍 Reclaim Your Space with Grace, G-R-A-C-E, is such a helpful resource for this. It gives you step-by-step organizing help, reflection, questions, prayers, scripture, and practical encouragement to help you create a home that feels more peaceful and purposeful and welcoming.
And you can click the link in the description for more details about the book. But Melinda, your organizing method is called G-R-A-C-E, Grace, and I love that because moms need that practical help. But we also need grace, as you mentioned, in the process. Can you walk us through the Grace method?
Yes, absolutely. I love explaining it, and, um, in case you're wondering where the Grace came from, my middle name is Grace, and then, you know, from my story, I experience God's grace firsthand. And then when we declutter, sometimes we can hit, come across some hard things, and we need to give ourselves a lot of grace, especially when setting up new organizing systems.
So that's where, like, the Grace comes from. But the first letter is G, which is gather. Um, there's a couple things that we wanna gather for, before we start, um, the whole process, and the first one is our goals for the space. So you've taken care of your soul. You're like, "Okay, I'm ready. I need to declutter."
So what space are you gonna start with? And then what are your goals for that space? So some great questions to ask yourself is, um, what are... how do I want that room to function? Um, an example would be, like, if you're gonna do your guest room, like, is it a guest room, or is it a storage room? Is it a craft room?
Is it a workout room? Like, what is the function of that space? And then how do you wanna feel when you're organizing that space when you're done with the project? Um, do you wanna change the look of the space? Do you... what... just, like, you know, just your dream vision, and write it down or journal, or if you do a voice memo, like, voice memo it.
Like, however. I think it's so good to just have a clear vision for your space. And then, um, then we're gonna gather where we wanna donate things to. So I find that if you have that kind of prepared ahead of time, when you hit, like, harder- uh, items that maybe have a question. You're like, "Oh, I'm just gonna donate it here, so now it's not a question."
And you can just do a quick 10-minute Google search, what are the cool charities around you? What do they accept? What do they not accept? Just kinda make a list. And if you're doing your closet and you know you wanna sell your clothes, um, then just kind of make a list of where you wanna sell them. Do you wanna do ThredUp?
Do you wanna go to a local Buffalo Exchange? Like, what, where do you wanna... Just have that list ready, and make sure the places are close to where you live, 'cause we're busy enough, so you're not gonna drive an hour away to donate something. I can guarantee you that. Um, and then we're just gonna gather the supplies, Post-It notes, trash bags, boxes, like, whatever you have to put in the stuff that you're gonna donate, and then trash bags for trash.
Um, s- and then we're actually gonna gather everything in our space. So whatever space you're working in, you're gonna pull everything out of the cupboards. You're getting the drawers, under the bed. Wherever there could be stuff, you're gonna gather it all. And, um, and then you're going to sort them into categories, so like with like.
So if you're working on your closet, you're gonna pull out, group all your T-shirts together, all your socks together. Um, just like with like. And, um, so that's the G. So kind of a long step, but, like, very important to the process. And then the R is release, and I love that word, um, release because it just has such a deep meaning, deeper meaning, and even, like, a hint of surrender in there.
And as Christians, you know, I feel like God's always calling us to surrender whatever it is so that He can, um, speak to us or tell us the next step in our faith journey. So I love that. So then you're just gonna release the items you've chosen to declutter. So you're gonna take the donations to the donation place.
You're gonna give that shirt to your friend, whatever. And sometimes you can hit, um, memorabilia items that are particularly hard to release. And, um, and so for that, you know, I just encourage people to invite God and Jesus into that process and to have Him help you walk through whatever it is that is holding you back from releasing something you know you want to, to part with.
And then the A is acquire, and this is, like, a really fun part for me. And this is just acquiring, like, any bins, um, or baskets that you would need to finish the project and put everything away neatly, like how you envision in your space. And acquire can even mean- Um, bringing in a handyman to fix something, grabbing a fresh coat of paint, maybe getting some stick-on wallpaper.
Just anything to make your space beautiful like you envision. Um, so that's the acquire. I had somebody once ask me, "We just got rid of everything. Why are we acquiring more, more things?" I'm like, "No, you're not acquiring, like, things. You're acquiring, like, bins to hold the things so that everything has a home."
And then after that is the C is cultivate, and I think this is one of the most important steps, and it can also be the hardest. Um, it's where cultivate is a gardening term, so, like, when you garden, you're cultivating the ground to grow, like, a beautiful plant or vegetable, and it just takes time to, like, grow that tomato.
And so it... With the organizing process, it can take a little bit of time to cultivate, um Your organizing system. So when you put everything away, you're putting it away very thoughtfully and thinking about how you move in that space. Um, where is it most efficient to grab a pen out of your desk if you're sitting there and you need to work?
Where is it efficient to put computer paper near your printer? And, um, how you, how you move in that space so that when you pull things out and then you wanna put them back, it's easy. It's easy to maintain. It makes sense to your kids. It makes sense to your family. So that's the cultivate. And then after you've done all this really hard work and you've gone through stuff, the E is enjoy.
And I think it's so hard in our society to just stop, even for five minutes, and just enjoy, like, something you've done. And as moms, you know, we're so busy. We gotta bounce to the next thing, and we even wonder if we did a good job. Is this right? Like, whatever. And so I just... It is. It's right. It makes sense for you.
It's your home, and you did a great job, and so you should just acknowledge that and grab a cup of tea or flowers or whatever it is that brings you joy, and just, um, thank God for helping you get through the process and however easy or hard it was, and just, like, enjoy the, enjoy the space. So that's the process in a nutshell.
That's really good. I like the, the G part, the gather part, that you spent quite a bit of time on. But unless you lay that foundation, unless you know where you're going, you don't know how to get there. And so that gather part was part of that foundation. What are your goals? What's your purpose? And so that's really good.
Um, but sometimes we are holding on to things that are not just physical. They could be emotional things, like guilt or, or memories or fear, expectations, even the idea that we thought we had to be a certain way. How do you help moms, women, release items or, or habits or emotional attachments that no longer serve them and just feel like clutter?
Yes. Um, I love this question, and I recently went through it myself, so I wanna answer it with a story. So my background is coming from acting and the whole acting world, and in my office, you can see I've got bookshelves, and they were full of, like, my favorite acting books. I love Chekhov. I love Tennessee Williams.
I lived in New York. I played some of the, some of their main roles in classes and on stage. And the women in their plays just really spoke to me, and, like, they taught me a lot, and it reminded me of my New York days and just becoming a strong woman and growing in my faith. And but I knew that I don't live in New York.
I live here in Los Angeles. I'm not doing acting anymore. I'm totally loving this... the life that God has graciously given to me. I have a toddler now. I have a husband. This is a completely different life. And something in me was like, "You need to get rid of those. Like, they are no longer serving you.
They're not part of your story anymore." And I was like, "No, but they're a part of who I am." And, and my brain was telling me, like, if I get rid of those things, I'm gonna lose part of myself, and I think that happens a lot with women. We're very, uh, most of us are very sensitive and emotionally connected to life, to our experiences, to our families.
And so I learned, um... So I made a webinar with my friend Glenda, who is a life coach, and, um, she really teaches that the brain's function is to protect you and keep you safe. ... To seek pleasure. When you're letting something go and trying to release it, like that hard memory, your brain doesn't want to because it doesn't feel safe. And it's not a pleasurable experience to let go of something so closely tied to you, so your brain is like, "No, no, no" but, like, your soul is like, "Yes, yes, yes.
Please, give me this relief. Let me, let me have a new experience and ... . do what God is calling me to do next." And so Glenda taught, taught us in this webinar that the reality is is that the connection is not in the thing. It's not in that emotion. The connection is not in that guilt that you're feeling.
It's not in the item. And so we can in fact call upon the positive memories whenever we want to. So if you're trying to let go, like I was trying to let go of these books, but they had this positive impact on me, but I don't need the books to remember that. I've got pictures. I have my memories. I have friends.
You know, I don't need that. And so the biggest takeaway for me to recommend to your listeners and, um, busy moms is that it's okay to ask for help. Like, I got stuck, so I asked my friend who knows all about this and, um, did a webinar, and she helped me walk through it. I had to stop and slow down and get curious about why I was feeling this way.
Like, why are you feeling the emotion of guilt? Why are you feeling the emotion of not guilt? Um, yeah, so I would just say get curious. Ask questions. Ask God for help. Ask your friends for help. Um, the ans- God always provides the answers. And you know what's crazy? I don't even miss those books. They're not on my shelf.
I don't even miss them. Yeah. You probably didn't spend a lot of time with them anyway. They were just taking up space. Mm-hmm. You, um, you mentioned about asking others for help. Now, moms of middle schoolers or moms of kids 8 to 12, they are competent of helping. Would you... How can moms invite their children into the process without turning it into another lecture or chore battle?
Yes. This is a great question. And so one of the, uh, things I recommend is to Simply ask them for help. Like, if you are trying to organize their space, just invite them to be a part of the process, and make it fun, right? Like, it doesn't have to be this boring, drab thing, even though sometimes it is. You can turn on fun music.
You can put on their favorite TV show, their favorite music. You can look at it as a way to just spend time with your child as well. Um, one of the other things I love is to just start with yourself, too. Like, sometimes our kids are very aware of what we're doing, even if we don't think they are. They, they know.
They know when we haven't... When we're asking them to do something and we haven't done it ourselves. And I... And so my biggest tip is to just start with you, start with your things. 'Cause a lot of times when kids or your husband see you decluttering your stuff and see the change in you, they'll, they'll notice.
And so then when you ask them, "Hey, can I help you with your things?" They're like, "Oh, sure. Like, I saw that change in you. Um, yes. Sure." So that's my biggest tip. Um, my sister has done this with her daughter. They, um, did her pantry and, like, I know that her daughter jumps in and helps every now and then, too, because the pantry is y- it makes sense where things go and they organized it, so.
Hmm. Yeah. And that's good practice to do it alongside of a mom as well. It's good a learning experience. Mm-hmm. It's also good to invest, um, that time in the child and to give them an investment. It's like it's giving them a piece of the pie, so to speak, or a, or a responsibility that's a little bit out of their, their norm, and yet it teaches them a very important, um, process for decluttering and organizing.
- Yeah, and it's a life skill, too, right? That they'll have the rest of their lives. Yes, it definitely is a life skill that is needed, and they'll use it. They will- Mm-hmm ... they will need it the rest of their lives. You're so right. And 📍 Faith Mom, if this kind of conversation is helpful for you, please subscribe to the Faith Mom Mentor.
This channel is here to help Christian moms know God deeply and teach their children faithfully and build peaceful home systems that actually work in real family life, whether you're homeschooling, traditional schooling, working full-time, or simply trying to make your home feel steady again.
Melinda, for the mom who feels overwhelmed and does not know where to begin, what is one, one small area where she can start with this week? Yes. So I would tell her to take a minute and pause, close her eyes, walk through her space in her house, and really feel in her body where is the area that is stressing her out the most.
Is it the kitchen? Is it the laundry? Is it, you know, 'cause everyone is different with the triggers, and the clutter, and the piles that are stressing you out the most. And then I would say start there. My biggest phrase is, start where you're stuck. So start where you're the most stressed. Um, declutter, figure out a system, organize it, and you're gonna instantly feel better, and then you're gonna wanna tackle other areas.
And, you know, this area could change from week to week, from day to day, just depending on life and, like, how it's going for your family. So, um, so yeah, start where it's most stressful. Start where you're stuck and, um, I'm a big believer that you can do anything for 15 minutes, so just set a timer for 15 minutes and just get started.
I'm so glad you said that because sometimes we find those projects so overwhelming we don't even want to get started. So I'm so glad that you gave that practical tip of just setting a timer. If you don't have 15 minutes, if you just have five, set whatever time you have and do what you can to make that space a little, um, more of goal in- oriented.
If you have to break out that grace in s- in steps and say, okay, I'm gonna do my goal for- Mm-hmm ... and set my timer. I love that timer, um- Yes. ... mentality because that- Yeah ... really helps to just m- make the space for it. You know when your next appointment is or when your next thing is that you have to get to, so if you do have that space, just go ahead and utilize it, and work in the cracks of your day.
Yeah. It makes a big difference. And you will... I, I think Melinda, you will agree that you will feel the difference just by a 15-minute time in a space, and you will be amazed at how much you can get done in just 15 minutes. It will just really shock you. It's, it's true. And I even have clients that when I start with them I'm like, "Do we need to declutter anything?"
And they're like, "No, I'm fine." And then I'll start and, like, within the first 15 minutes it's like I've thrown away a bunch of trash and, you know, this thing. So even just, like, that 15 minutes of getting the trash out of the space so you can- Yeah ... even see your items is, like, so peaceful and beneficial.
Yeah. And it's so freeing to be d- to, to have less clutter. Melinda, how can the Faith Mom Mentor community connect with you, learn more about your work, and find details for your book, for Reclaim Your Sp- space with grace. G-R-A-C-E. Yes. So I have a website, melindagrace.com, and, um, that has all the information for my book, my course.
If you wanna work with me in person or virtually, there's a form you can fill out, and it gets to me. Um, I also have a freebie on my website about setting your kitchen up to save time and energy. Um, so that's there. But also, I'm on Instagram, so you can find me @melindagrace. That's, uh, melindagraceorganizing is my Instagram handle, and you can always DM me.
You can always comment on a post. Whatever, I'm there. If you get stuck somewhere and you wanna ask me a question, or if you want me to make content on something, like please ask. And, um, my book is on Amazon, but if you make it to my website, there's a drop-down box for more infor- more info about my book as well.
And, um, yeah. And I made a new freebie if your audience would be interested. It's called Seven Tips for Keeping Your House Organized When You Have a Messy Family. So I will pass that on to Anne, and she'll tell you how to get it. Yeah, and I'll definitely put that in the show notes. Melinda, thank you so much for being here today.
You have encouraged me to go set my timer for 15 minutes and declutter something. Yay. So thank you for being on the Faith Mom Mentor. I love the reminder that organizing is not just about having a prettier home. It can become a grace-filled journey toward peace, clarity, connection, and deeper faith. Faith Mom, if your home feels heavy right now, you do not have to fix everything.
Just start small. Invite God into the process, and take one faithful step toward creating a home that helps your family breathe, gather, and grow. 📍 Be sure to check the link in the description for details about Melinda's book, Reclaim Your Your Space With Grace. And I'll be sure to link her Seven Tips for a Messy Family that you can download.
Thank you for joining us on the Faith Mom Mentor. Keep knowing God deeply, teaching your children faithfully, and building a Christ-centered home with grace.
