• What is 'THE CLEAN HEART, CLEAN HOME CHALLENGE'?
• The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge is for those who have fallen behind and are overwhelmed, those who are in the “spring cleaning” mode, or those who may have a clean house at first glance… until you open up the drawers and closets!  If you fall into any of these categories, then this challenge is for you!  A word of caution before you begin… this is not for the faint of heart.  This challenge doesn’t just include the cleanliness of your home… but digs down deep and deals with the cleanliness of your heart as well, for out of the mouth our heart speaks (Luke 6:45).  Having our homes in order and running smoothly is always a good feeling… but having our hearts right with the Lord, who is the Creator of order, is even more satisfying.
  

• Why is The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge 52 days?  Can I do it faster?
• The Challenge is set up to take 52 days so you WILL be able to finish.  It's easy to get excited about something, pour your whole heart into it in the beginning,  have a few bad days... and then give up.  Unfortunately, this is a pattern that many perfectionists and "messies" fall into (speaking from experience).  The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge is for anyone, but especially for homeschool moms who know there isn't a "pause" button to have a difficult or all-consuming plan to get organized.  The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge is set up so you can get your entire house cleaned, one day at a time.  It's completely do-able.
• If you'd like to work ahead or faster, you certainly can.  Just be careful so you're still spending time with the Lord and seeking His plan for you.  If at any point you begin to get frustrated... SLOW DOWN!  It didn't take a day to get your home in a mess, and it won't get clean that fast either! 
  

• Do I have to do this at a specific time?
• No... You can start The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge anytime... There's a free printable Organizer arranged without any dates for you to fill in to start whenever you'd like. (NOTE:  The organizer is currently being "revamped" for the challenge in April 2007.  If you plan on joining us (as a group) then, please wait until the end of March to print your free organizer out.  You can also sign up to be notified of posts made on this blog, which will inform you when the new organizer is ready.  To read more about that, click the following link:  A CLEAN HEART Blog Notification.)
• You can start any Sunday (you begin with a day of prayer and devotional) and then the challenge "tasks" begin on Monday.  There is a calendar that gives you all 52 days and the rooms/areas to work in so there's really nothing for you to have to plan out, other than when you're going to begin!
• For those of you who would like some accountability, we will be having our next challenge starting in April 1st, 2007 (Sunday).  Sometimes being in a group brings on extra accountability and encouragement, so you may want to do this, especially if you've struggled getting things in order and might get discouraged easily.
  

• How will I know what to do?
• Complete instuctions and explanations will be in the revamped The Clean Heart, Clean Home Organizer.  They go into more detail about how to put your organizer together and what to do to start as well.

• How do we know what we're supposed to do in each room/area?
• The organizer has a "To Do" List that covers the rooms/areas to clean and a place to put notes about anything specific.  There are also detailed cleaning lists to help you evaluate and remind you what needs to be done in each room/area of your home. 

• Do I have to follow the schedule given in the organizer?
• You don't have to follow the "challenge schedule" to a "T", however, it's been laid out for those who would rather not have to deal with that aspect.  If there are rooms/areas of your home that don't need cleaning, or need cleaning before they're scheduled on the calendar, you can still take advantage of the "At A Glance" calendar (that has all 52 days laid out) by just crossing out the rooms you've completed as you finish them (no matter what day they're scheduled). 
  
• If you finish a room/area before the scheduled time, you can work ahead.  You may have to spend more time than scheduled in a room/area as well, so by crossing out the days on the calendar you'll be able to keep track of where you're at as far as the 52 days go.

• I printed out the organizer and have blank pages.  What are they for?
• The organizer has been laid out for double sided printing (saving you paper).  In order to print on both sides, click on "PRINT", then click on "PROPERTIES".  Click on the tab "FINISHING" and you should see the option to "PRINT ON BOTH SIDES".  If you're having trouble doing this, please feel free to contact me.

• What is the devotional "Create in Me a Clean Heart" the organizer refers to, and why can't I find that anywhere?
• The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge Organizer has eight devotions taken from the "Create in Me a Clean Heart Devotional for the Disorganized".  It's not been published, but you can read it here on A CLEAN HEART Blog, where they're listed weekly (there are 52 weeks total).   To read more about the devotional, please click the following link:  Create in Me a Clean Heart Devotional for the Disorganized 

If you have any other questions, please don't hesistate to contact me.  To read more about the challenge, click the following link:
THE CLEAN HEART, CLEAN HOME CHALLENGE

I pray The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge will be a blessing to you as you seek to clean your heart as well as your home!

Bless your heart and home,
Amy Verlennich