Susan commented on my last entry. Yes, Susan, accountability is definitely good.
I have managed to keep my kitchen fairly spotless since my last update. Just doing the "clean as you go" routine has really helped. Mind you, when unexpected company dropped in yesterday. . . :(
Needless to say, this morning was a clean and vacuum morning!
It is a continuing process, this decluttering. I am someone who likes to create, finish, and then move on. But this process seems to always be there, demanding attention! I even heard about decluttering in a sermon recently! Convicted, I am once again determined to tackle my office.
Through the Word Guild Digest today, I found my way to a new blog by Laura Davis called The Writer's Keep. Todays entry was "How to Be Organized in Your Writing" She made some really good points, and although I will probably never be that organized, she did inspire me to try again. Thanks Laura.
Showing posts with label cleaning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cleaning. Show all posts
Monday, March 8, 2010
Saturday, November 28, 2009
The Endless Circle
Here I am again, caught in the emotional wheel that has to do with clutter.
I arrived at a good space in my organization and felt triumphant about myself as the conqueror of the invasive monster. Going with the flow of that “high”, I took on new projects, got involved in more areas of interest, and have been working on sprouting this dream of writing, but . . .
You guessed it. Here I am once again, sitting by a desk that is covered with papers to file, junk to toss and a whole assortment of other things yelling at me to attend to them. HELP!
Emotionally I have gone into a bit of a funk, berating myself for never getting ahead. The whole “How could you possibly be in this space again?” battle of negative self talk is having a raging good time in my head! And that certainly does not help to lift the mood or feed the will to get back on track.
Maybe I need a twelve-step program for compulsive clutterers! I wonder if anyone has designed one. I'd be the first to sign up. After all, I'd rather be at a meeting talking about clutter, than out on the front line dealing with it.
Or . . . hmmm . . .
Perhaps I need to get off the computer, grab my 3 boxes and attack my house once again with Fly Lady's Boogie Fling. (See Day 2 of this journey)
This business of clutter really is an emotional wheel!
I arrived at a good space in my organization and felt triumphant about myself as the conqueror of the invasive monster. Going with the flow of that “high”, I took on new projects, got involved in more areas of interest, and have been working on sprouting this dream of writing, but . . .
You guessed it. Here I am once again, sitting by a desk that is covered with papers to file, junk to toss and a whole assortment of other things yelling at me to attend to them. HELP!
Emotionally I have gone into a bit of a funk, berating myself for never getting ahead. The whole “How could you possibly be in this space again?” battle of negative self talk is having a raging good time in my head! And that certainly does not help to lift the mood or feed the will to get back on track.
Maybe I need a twelve-step program for compulsive clutterers! I wonder if anyone has designed one. I'd be the first to sign up. After all, I'd rather be at a meeting talking about clutter, than out on the front line dealing with it.
Or . . . hmmm . . .
Perhaps I need to get off the computer, grab my 3 boxes and attack my house once again with Fly Lady's Boogie Fling. (See Day 2 of this journey)
This business of clutter really is an emotional wheel!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Day 13 – Letter N – New Ideas
On coming home from work today, I decided to watch a little TV. Oprah was on, and what do you suppose her theme is this week. You guessed it – decluttering! I decided to pass along some of the ideas that I found helpful.
There is a connection between what your house is like, and what your life is like. Does your house tell you that your life is cluttered and disorganized? Decluttering your house will actually help you to improve your life.
The speaker mentioned that it is important to think through what you want from your living space. Knowing that, will help you to know what to keep and what to throw away or donate. That was a new thought for me, an interesting thought. As I ponder what I would like my home to be, the words that come to mind are such things as peace, beauty, freedom, a sense of comfort and ease, a thoughtful ambiance. Perhaps to attain that I need to clear my shelves and only have a few carefully chosen items on display. Those scraggly- looking plants that I am trying to overwinter ...they certainly do not add to the atmosphere! And the collections that I started, when I am really NOT a collector....what is that about? Get rid of them, Helen.
He suggested that one must set strict limits as to what you allow in your office and desk area. I already knew that! It is how to achieve it and keep it that way that is my challenge. Joking aside, it is a good piece of advice. What am I going to allow in the office? Just my materials for my writing? Or am I also going to use it as my bill and records centre? That makes sense since I make my payments on line. But what about the closet full of materials left over from my teaching days? They need to go! My books...yes, I think they will stay, but after I clear the unwanted items, I will have a better idea as to whether this is the right place for them.
He suggested using the same approach in other areas, like the closets, the kitchen, the bedroom. I could add the cellar, the laundry room...you get the picture. As you work through each area, set a limit as to what you will allow to be there! For some of us it would be encouraging to know that he had his client decide what she could sell, and what to just donate, or pitch. A little extra cash never hurts, and if it provides incentive for you, then go for it!
The last idea that caught my attention was his question, “Does your house say that you don't care about what you own?” When you spend money on something, you should value it, and therefore take care of it. Otherwise, why buy it? Save your money! If it is lying around, guess what? Maybe you don't think enough of it to keep it. If you do, then pick it up and put it away in a place that shows it is important. Here he was not talking about precious items, but clothing. Are your clothes neatly folded or hung in their spot? ...a thought for me to remember on those nights when I come home tired and just want to crash.
Thank you, Oprah and friends, for providing these new insights in the quest for peace and order in the home. This week on www.Oprah.com there is a program you can sign up for, Oprah's Clean Up Your Messy House Tour. You will find the things I have been sharing and a lot more.
Remember to keep smiling, and enjoy the ride!
There is a connection between what your house is like, and what your life is like. Does your house tell you that your life is cluttered and disorganized? Decluttering your house will actually help you to improve your life.
The speaker mentioned that it is important to think through what you want from your living space. Knowing that, will help you to know what to keep and what to throw away or donate. That was a new thought for me, an interesting thought. As I ponder what I would like my home to be, the words that come to mind are such things as peace, beauty, freedom, a sense of comfort and ease, a thoughtful ambiance. Perhaps to attain that I need to clear my shelves and only have a few carefully chosen items on display. Those scraggly- looking plants that I am trying to overwinter ...they certainly do not add to the atmosphere! And the collections that I started, when I am really NOT a collector....what is that about? Get rid of them, Helen.
He suggested that one must set strict limits as to what you allow in your office and desk area. I already knew that! It is how to achieve it and keep it that way that is my challenge. Joking aside, it is a good piece of advice. What am I going to allow in the office? Just my materials for my writing? Or am I also going to use it as my bill and records centre? That makes sense since I make my payments on line. But what about the closet full of materials left over from my teaching days? They need to go! My books...yes, I think they will stay, but after I clear the unwanted items, I will have a better idea as to whether this is the right place for them.
He suggested using the same approach in other areas, like the closets, the kitchen, the bedroom. I could add the cellar, the laundry room...you get the picture. As you work through each area, set a limit as to what you will allow to be there! For some of us it would be encouraging to know that he had his client decide what she could sell, and what to just donate, or pitch. A little extra cash never hurts, and if it provides incentive for you, then go for it!
The last idea that caught my attention was his question, “Does your house say that you don't care about what you own?” When you spend money on something, you should value it, and therefore take care of it. Otherwise, why buy it? Save your money! If it is lying around, guess what? Maybe you don't think enough of it to keep it. If you do, then pick it up and put it away in a place that shows it is important. Here he was not talking about precious items, but clothing. Are your clothes neatly folded or hung in their spot? ...a thought for me to remember on those nights when I come home tired and just want to crash.
Thank you, Oprah and friends, for providing these new insights in the quest for peace and order in the home. This week on www.Oprah.com there is a program you can sign up for, Oprah's Clean Up Your Messy House Tour. You will find the things I have been sharing and a lot more.
Remember to keep smiling, and enjoy the ride!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Day 12 - letter A - The Appetite is Whetted
Today was a housework day. It's amazing how when you begin to see progress, it whets the appetite for more.
Yesterday I had oragnized a few shelves in my kitchen. This morning, as I was innocently doing my dishes, a sudden urge overtook me to tackle more: the cupboard with my good dishes and all the wasted space, and the one I had trouble getting things out of because it goes way back into a corner that is hard to reach. Aha! The perfect solution! Put the good dishes into that cupboard where they can await their rare ventures onto my table, and use the cupboard with all the handy space for large and frequently used items.
I am not sure everything has reached its final destination, as one really has to give it a trial run to smooth out any kinks. This I do know. I open that long cupboard and see my dishes, and crystal neatly stacked, and I feel proud, proud of myself for persevering, proud that I was open to doing things differently, and proud for finding a good solution.
That's what this should be all about; feeling good in our nest. And that I am ... for now.
Yesterday I had oragnized a few shelves in my kitchen. This morning, as I was innocently doing my dishes, a sudden urge overtook me to tackle more: the cupboard with my good dishes and all the wasted space, and the one I had trouble getting things out of because it goes way back into a corner that is hard to reach. Aha! The perfect solution! Put the good dishes into that cupboard where they can await their rare ventures onto my table, and use the cupboard with all the handy space for large and frequently used items.
I am not sure everything has reached its final destination, as one really has to give it a trial run to smooth out any kinks. This I do know. I open that long cupboard and see my dishes, and crystal neatly stacked, and I feel proud, proud of myself for persevering, proud that I was open to doing things differently, and proud for finding a good solution.
That's what this should be all about; feeling good in our nest. And that I am ... for now.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Day 11 – Letter E – ESCALATE!
Yesterday I mentioned that I wanted to shake things up a bit today. To be honest, I was starting to get bored with the process, and for me that it not a good sign. It means I am going to be tempted to give up.
I woke up thinking, “I have to do something where I will see more progress.” Dealing with papers is good, but it takes a long time, and well, one can get bored of making progress by inches, so to speak.
With the big Give Away box in hand, I headed to the kitchen. The use of my shelves to house my family heirloom china has still been weighing on me. What could be done? I actually started with another cupboard, the one where I keep my everyday dishes.
You may remember that my house was built in 1870. I think the kitchen cupboards may be the originals! That is probably an exaggeration, but they certainly are not new. They are like old farmhouse cupboards; big, solid, and with unmoveable shelves, with a LOT of space between them. How could I make better use of the space and still have things accessible? Home Hardware had just what I needed. With one of those rubbermaid stacking units for dishes, and a stacking corner unit for my glassware, all for the enormous outlay of about $12, everything I use regularly is now on ONE shelf, and two shelves have been opened up to house items that free up space in my storage unit.
Exciting! Now there is an E word. This escalation of the attack was just what I needed. I can see my progress, and once more I am keen to carry on. After all, I still have my fancy dishes taking up too much space, and my storage area needs to be more efficient, and there are all those other cupboards still to be culled (farm kitchen, remember?), and,...and, ......and ....... You get the picture. My enthusiasm has returned.
So if you get bored, just remember an escalation to an area that will show faster progress can be a good diversion to get you back on track. Keep flinging! Happy cleaning! Take tomorrow off as a day for you. Monday comes soon enough.
I woke up thinking, “I have to do something where I will see more progress.” Dealing with papers is good, but it takes a long time, and well, one can get bored of making progress by inches, so to speak.
With the big Give Away box in hand, I headed to the kitchen. The use of my shelves to house my family heirloom china has still been weighing on me. What could be done? I actually started with another cupboard, the one where I keep my everyday dishes.
You may remember that my house was built in 1870. I think the kitchen cupboards may be the originals! That is probably an exaggeration, but they certainly are not new. They are like old farmhouse cupboards; big, solid, and with unmoveable shelves, with a LOT of space between them. How could I make better use of the space and still have things accessible? Home Hardware had just what I needed. With one of those rubbermaid stacking units for dishes, and a stacking corner unit for my glassware, all for the enormous outlay of about $12, everything I use regularly is now on ONE shelf, and two shelves have been opened up to house items that free up space in my storage unit.
Exciting! Now there is an E word. This escalation of the attack was just what I needed. I can see my progress, and once more I am keen to carry on. After all, I still have my fancy dishes taking up too much space, and my storage area needs to be more efficient, and there are all those other cupboards still to be culled (farm kitchen, remember?), and,...and, ......and ....... You get the picture. My enthusiasm has returned.
So if you get bored, just remember an escalation to an area that will show faster progress can be a good diversion to get you back on track. Keep flinging! Happy cleaning! Take tomorrow off as a day for you. Monday comes soon enough.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Day 6 – letter I - INVESTIGATE
Not having a lot of time today, it seemed right to choose one drawer to investigate, the notorious Junk Drawer. Most people seem to have one, if not two or three, or one in every room ( like you-know-who)!
Deciding to tackle the kitchen drawer, I set my alarm for 10 minutes and started pulling. How can one possibly collect so many plastic bags; big ones, little ones, fat ones, thin ones? Whoever thought I would need five rolls of scotch tape, two flashlights with dead batteries, or all those elastics; big ones, little ones, fat ones, thin ones? It was rather depressing to see what had collected there.
A half hour later (yes, I miscalculated!) with enough twist ties to build a small sculpture organized once again, and the elastics of many colours draped over a pill bottle in the corner of the drawer, I ended this phase of the cleanse with a smile on my face. And tomorrow when I go to find a sandwich bag, I will smile once again.
Take time to investigate, one spot at a time, and enjoy those little feelings of victory when you master even one corner of your castle. Yahoo! We're making headway.
Deciding to tackle the kitchen drawer, I set my alarm for 10 minutes and started pulling. How can one possibly collect so many plastic bags; big ones, little ones, fat ones, thin ones? Whoever thought I would need five rolls of scotch tape, two flashlights with dead batteries, or all those elastics; big ones, little ones, fat ones, thin ones? It was rather depressing to see what had collected there.
A half hour later (yes, I miscalculated!) with enough twist ties to build a small sculpture organized once again, and the elastics of many colours draped over a pill bottle in the corner of the drawer, I ended this phase of the cleanse with a smile on my face. And tomorrow when I go to find a sandwich bag, I will smile once again.
Take time to investigate, one spot at a time, and enjoy those little feelings of victory when you master even one corner of your castle. Yahoo! We're making headway.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Day 5 – letter T – TAKE TIME
I had an inner debate this morning. Would the letter T stand for True Confessions? Would I tell you that when I looked at my dresser this morning, I discovered that the clutter monster had snuck back into my room, not leaving a huge trail of chaos fortunately, just enough to let me know that he was still lurking in the shadows. As I walked down the hall I saw he had passed by there as well, and into the kitchen too. It was rather disheartening. Here I am doing this creative cleanse, and I still haven't been forceful enough to let him know he is no longer welcome here.
But then I thought to myself. “It's OK, Helen, this is only Day 5.” They say it takes 30 days to create a new habit. That is why this cleanse is geared for 35 days. So pick up the little trail of stuff, smile as you hear his muffled groan, and move on.
In my office it was reinforced once again, that turning on one's computer before the morning routine and the 27 Boogie Fling (See Day 2 and/or Flylady.com if this sounds bizarre.) can prove disastrous. One e-mail led to another, and before I knew it, it was time to head out to help a friend. (That's why I had to turn on the comupter in the first place. I thought I had enough self-discipline to just read the one note that I needed. Hah! It can't be done!...at least not yet.) I DID delete a few files though, to justify the time spent.
The errand led to coffee. You know how it goes. I was back around noon, and settled on my target area, the office. I have decided that if I boogie in my office for a few days I will actually gain a fair amount of control in here. So boogie I did. My computer table now shows its wood! I moved to the desk and worked my way through a pile or two. It's amazing how much paper one can recycle when cleaning the office! Another friend called who I hadn't spent time with for a while. That allowed me to get out to enjoy the sunshine as I walked downtown and to run an errand after the obligatory coffee. After a further appointment that took longer than expected, I got home just in time to make a salad and head out for supper and a video.
Coming home around 8:30 gave me time to reflect on my day and how it fit with this cleansing process. I realized that it's all right to experience a delay or two when life brings along a more important choice. For me, being there for my friends is high on my agenda, it is part of what God calls me to do. I think carefully before closing the door on opportunities to build relationships or to be of service. It really is a matter of balance. If I left the clutter constantly, and forgot the goal, this cleansing would not happen. But occasionally...I think that's OK. It adds to life's sparkle. And after all, life is not so much about sparkling kitchens as sparkling moments in time. This process of cleansing the clutter will take time, but while I'm going through it I need to be true to myself, and to occasionally take the time required for that.
I hope you will too.
But then I thought to myself. “It's OK, Helen, this is only Day 5.” They say it takes 30 days to create a new habit. That is why this cleanse is geared for 35 days. So pick up the little trail of stuff, smile as you hear his muffled groan, and move on.
In my office it was reinforced once again, that turning on one's computer before the morning routine and the 27 Boogie Fling (See Day 2 and/or Flylady.com if this sounds bizarre.) can prove disastrous. One e-mail led to another, and before I knew it, it was time to head out to help a friend. (That's why I had to turn on the comupter in the first place. I thought I had enough self-discipline to just read the one note that I needed. Hah! It can't be done!...at least not yet.) I DID delete a few files though, to justify the time spent.
The errand led to coffee. You know how it goes. I was back around noon, and settled on my target area, the office. I have decided that if I boogie in my office for a few days I will actually gain a fair amount of control in here. So boogie I did. My computer table now shows its wood! I moved to the desk and worked my way through a pile or two. It's amazing how much paper one can recycle when cleaning the office! Another friend called who I hadn't spent time with for a while. That allowed me to get out to enjoy the sunshine as I walked downtown and to run an errand after the obligatory coffee. After a further appointment that took longer than expected, I got home just in time to make a salad and head out for supper and a video.
Coming home around 8:30 gave me time to reflect on my day and how it fit with this cleansing process. I realized that it's all right to experience a delay or two when life brings along a more important choice. For me, being there for my friends is high on my agenda, it is part of what God calls me to do. I think carefully before closing the door on opportunities to build relationships or to be of service. It really is a matter of balance. If I left the clutter constantly, and forgot the goal, this cleansing would not happen. But occasionally...I think that's OK. It adds to life's sparkle. And after all, life is not so much about sparkling kitchens as sparkling moments in time. This process of cleansing the clutter will take time, but while I'm going through it I need to be true to myself, and to occasionally take the time required for that.
I hope you will too.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Day 4 – letter A – ALL THOSE BILLS!
One of the frogs that I referred to yesterday is my ever-growing stack of bills and other assorted papers awaiting attention.
Last year a speaker at Christian Women's Club tried valiantly to give us the magic solutions to clutter in our homes. I must admit I learned and incorporated this wonderful filing system that she advocated into my office. I ran out, bought and carefully labelled the multicoloured file folders. I added yet another small file holder to the wonderfully wide window sill by my computer. And I must admit I am more organized than I used to be because of this system. All my financial papers are in red files, ministry things are in blue, my writing projects in yellow, my home business in green. It looks beautiful, this rainbow in my office; beautiful that is, except for the overflowing of the papers within!
Despite the lovely system, I still have to deal with those papers that get stuffed into the “Bills to File” folder. Those are the ones that have graduated from the first folder, the “Bills to Pay”. I must confess that sometimes the “out of sight, out of mind” rule has taken over with that folder, and I have learned by paying the consequences that I do have to keep an eye on it, or better yet, deal with it immediately.
This morning was an hour-chunk morning. I cleared off the kitchen table and took the bulging folder of bills to sort. All of 2008 is now safely esconced in yet another file box awaiting Income Tax time, with each bill sorted under the appropriate heading. During this process, I decided to add a few more red files to the sorting area on my window sill. Next time I won't have to go through all the bills. The Hydro has its own little folder, as do all the other utilities that need tracking. What a novel idea! It's amazing how creative this cleansing can be!
Now to relish the victory. One section of my overflow of papers is neat and tidy. I am not even going to look at all the others stacked on that window sill. They are for another day, another letter. It's beautiful and sunny so I am off for a walk before work.
Blessings to you, and my your clutter pile begin to disappear for you...one little pile at a time.
Last year a speaker at Christian Women's Club tried valiantly to give us the magic solutions to clutter in our homes. I must admit I learned and incorporated this wonderful filing system that she advocated into my office. I ran out, bought and carefully labelled the multicoloured file folders. I added yet another small file holder to the wonderfully wide window sill by my computer. And I must admit I am more organized than I used to be because of this system. All my financial papers are in red files, ministry things are in blue, my writing projects in yellow, my home business in green. It looks beautiful, this rainbow in my office; beautiful that is, except for the overflowing of the papers within!
Despite the lovely system, I still have to deal with those papers that get stuffed into the “Bills to File” folder. Those are the ones that have graduated from the first folder, the “Bills to Pay”. I must confess that sometimes the “out of sight, out of mind” rule has taken over with that folder, and I have learned by paying the consequences that I do have to keep an eye on it, or better yet, deal with it immediately.
This morning was an hour-chunk morning. I cleared off the kitchen table and took the bulging folder of bills to sort. All of 2008 is now safely esconced in yet another file box awaiting Income Tax time, with each bill sorted under the appropriate heading. During this process, I decided to add a few more red files to the sorting area on my window sill. Next time I won't have to go through all the bills. The Hydro has its own little folder, as do all the other utilities that need tracking. What a novel idea! It's amazing how creative this cleansing can be!
Now to relish the victory. One section of my overflow of papers is neat and tidy. I am not even going to look at all the others stacked on that window sill. They are for another day, another letter. It's beautiful and sunny so I am off for a walk before work.
Blessings to you, and my your clutter pile begin to disappear for you...one little pile at a time.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Day 2 - letter R - Raising the Bar
Upon waking this morning, my mind was a-buzz with subjects I could discuss that begin with R.
I settled on Raising the Bar.
I definitely need to raise the bar on how I care for my home. Not that I don't love my place. I do. But I'd much rather be puttering in the garden, or working on my writing, than wandering through my space with a dust cloth. I'm sure at least some of you will understand this mindset.
So Raising the Bar it is. But the question remains. How do I do it?
Realism certainly needs to play a part. I am not suddenly going to change my personality. I do have a life other than tidying, cleaning and organizing. So I need to be realistic. How much time am I prepared to donate to this cleansing of the clutter? If you are joining me in this adventure, how much time can you realistically afford? Deciding this is definitely an important first step in getting ready.
Resources are needed too. This time, (thanks to the book I picked up yesterday) I did not run out to buy containers and a mountain of cleaning supplies. I already have those, and they will do just fine.
I told you yesterday that as we work away at this creative cleansing, I would share things that were helpful to me. The first one is a website, which puts the fun into cleaning and motivates to boot. A friend who shares my aversion to housework recommended http://www.flylady.com/to me several years ago. Last week I pulled out the things I had learned from it. To encapsulate her teaching is difficult, because she shares a wealth of wonderful, crazy, humourous ideas, but one thing that struck me is her constant theme that one should use small blocks of time, and not let yourself get overwhelmed. The new book, Common Sense Organizing, by Debbie Williams that I purchased yesterday, picked up the same theme.
A few years ago, as I was going through a time of healing, my doctor said, “This is going to take time, Helen. It took years for you to get to this place.You won't heal in a day.” It was good advice for that area of my life. It is also good advice for this. Don't rush. Slow down, set aside the panic that may have arisen just thinking about this cleanse, and enjoy the process.
“So, what did you do today?”, you ask. Let's see.
As soon as I got up, I made the bed. I learned that from Flylady last time around and have done it ever since. The other day I had started on her 27 Boogie Fling, so I had my boxes already gathered.
1. Toss
2. Give Away
3. Keep
4. Not Sure
5. I have added a Put Away box for the things whose storage place I know and that I can do
easily.
After I dressed, I boogied around the bedroom picking up 27 things. Guess what! My dresser top and windowsill are now tidy. Amazing! (If you are intrigued with the idea of me boogieing around my bedroom, do check out the Flylady website and have some fun yourself.)
Raising the Bar and the whole cleansing idea has another element. How am I looking after my body. I tend to be slack in the area of feeding myself well. So, while cleansing the house, I decided to also work on caring for my own interior, so to speak. Sitting down to a bowl of healthy cereal, I planned out my day. Included in that was a block of 15 minutes to start on my office. I will probably work in another 15 minute block later this afternoon, but right now I have a clear table top beside my computer except for the work laid out to do immediately after I write this. The toss bag is waiting by the front door to go out the the garbage can. Taking another 5 minutes to empty the Put Away box is essential for me. If that isn't done immediately, it will become another box waiting to be dealt with. My give-away collection is growing. I decided to leave that box in the room until it is full. Then it will go out to the car, ready to be dropped off.
I put supper in the crock pot and forced myself to make a healthy wrap for lunch. The dishes are either done, or rinsed and collecting in a dishpan under my sink, my version of a dishwasher as a collection place for dirty dishes, another hint from Flylady that preserves water and keeps my kitchen looking tidy. I have done that one, more or less, since I first met Flylady, but lately my kitchen counter had become quite cluttered, so I am really trying to do apply it more faithfully.
That's it for today. How do I feel? Great. Join me tomorrow for day 3, letter E.
I settled on Raising the Bar.
I definitely need to raise the bar on how I care for my home. Not that I don't love my place. I do. But I'd much rather be puttering in the garden, or working on my writing, than wandering through my space with a dust cloth. I'm sure at least some of you will understand this mindset.
So Raising the Bar it is. But the question remains. How do I do it?
Realism certainly needs to play a part. I am not suddenly going to change my personality. I do have a life other than tidying, cleaning and organizing. So I need to be realistic. How much time am I prepared to donate to this cleansing of the clutter? If you are joining me in this adventure, how much time can you realistically afford? Deciding this is definitely an important first step in getting ready.
Resources are needed too. This time, (thanks to the book I picked up yesterday) I did not run out to buy containers and a mountain of cleaning supplies. I already have those, and they will do just fine.
I told you yesterday that as we work away at this creative cleansing, I would share things that were helpful to me. The first one is a website, which puts the fun into cleaning and motivates to boot. A friend who shares my aversion to housework recommended http://www.flylady.com/to me several years ago. Last week I pulled out the things I had learned from it. To encapsulate her teaching is difficult, because she shares a wealth of wonderful, crazy, humourous ideas, but one thing that struck me is her constant theme that one should use small blocks of time, and not let yourself get overwhelmed. The new book, Common Sense Organizing, by Debbie Williams that I purchased yesterday, picked up the same theme.
A few years ago, as I was going through a time of healing, my doctor said, “This is going to take time, Helen. It took years for you to get to this place.You won't heal in a day.” It was good advice for that area of my life. It is also good advice for this. Don't rush. Slow down, set aside the panic that may have arisen just thinking about this cleanse, and enjoy the process.
“So, what did you do today?”, you ask. Let's see.
As soon as I got up, I made the bed. I learned that from Flylady last time around and have done it ever since. The other day I had started on her 27 Boogie Fling, so I had my boxes already gathered.
1. Toss
2. Give Away
3. Keep
4. Not Sure
5. I have added a Put Away box for the things whose storage place I know and that I can do
easily.
After I dressed, I boogied around the bedroom picking up 27 things. Guess what! My dresser top and windowsill are now tidy. Amazing! (If you are intrigued with the idea of me boogieing around my bedroom, do check out the Flylady website and have some fun yourself.)
Raising the Bar and the whole cleansing idea has another element. How am I looking after my body. I tend to be slack in the area of feeding myself well. So, while cleansing the house, I decided to also work on caring for my own interior, so to speak. Sitting down to a bowl of healthy cereal, I planned out my day. Included in that was a block of 15 minutes to start on my office. I will probably work in another 15 minute block later this afternoon, but right now I have a clear table top beside my computer except for the work laid out to do immediately after I write this. The toss bag is waiting by the front door to go out the the garbage can. Taking another 5 minutes to empty the Put Away box is essential for me. If that isn't done immediately, it will become another box waiting to be dealt with. My give-away collection is growing. I decided to leave that box in the room until it is full. Then it will go out to the car, ready to be dropped off.
I put supper in the crock pot and forced myself to make a healthy wrap for lunch. The dishes are either done, or rinsed and collecting in a dishpan under my sink, my version of a dishwasher as a collection place for dirty dishes, another hint from Flylady that preserves water and keeps my kitchen looking tidy. I have done that one, more or less, since I first met Flylady, but lately my kitchen counter had become quite cluttered, so I am really trying to do apply it more faithfully.
That's it for today. How do I feel? Great. Join me tomorrow for day 3, letter E.
Monday, February 2, 2009
The Idea
February 2, 2009
It is the beginning of a new month. Wiarton Willie has seen his shadow, so we will stay bundled up for six more weeks. I spent some time on the road today, prowled a new bookstore and went with my purchase to an adjoining cafe. Finding yet another book on organizing your home reminded me once again that although I vowed when I retired three and a half years ago (Can it really be that long?) that my number one priority would be to get myself organized and efficient, I am still sitting in an office crammed with papers and break into a sweat every time the doorbell rings.
As I drove home, I had this idea that maybe if I committed to you, my readers, to faithfully organize for the next month or so, and to be accountable by reporting my progress; maybe, just maybe, I would manage to tame the monster, or whoever it is that keeps messing up my home!
I am a creative person, sometimes too creative for my own good perhaps...but that's a whole other issue. “So,” I proposed to myself as I drove along, “if I can find a creative way to do this, maybe I will actually achieve my goal, have fun along the way, and still get to write, which I love,...and which, if truth be told, often draws me away from duller chores like housework. (Who needs tidy when one can escape into the wonderful world of the imagination?)”
As I waited in the lineup for the car wash, ( That's a first step, right?) my plan was finalized. I am embarking on a 35 day accrostic journey for the “CREATIVE CLEANSING OF MY CHAOTIC CLUTTER” (I do have a penchant for alliteration.) Perhaps you would like to journey with me. Check in each day to find out what the next letter of the title entails, and join in the fun. I hope you will share some of your own joys and successes by using the comment option...and, although I don't want to envision such a possibility, maybe you can encourage me to keep going if you sense I am falling off the rails.
So here we go: Day 1, letter C – CONTRACT.
I am contracting with you to make the most valiant attempt possible to embark on this creative cleansing of my chaotic clutter. I promise to keep you posted and to share any little tricks I learn along the way. I have a feeling we are going to have a good time, and come through at the end with happier households... or at least a better handle on managing our now calm and comfortable castles. Ready? Let's go.
Check in tomorrow for Day 2 – letter R
It is the beginning of a new month. Wiarton Willie has seen his shadow, so we will stay bundled up for six more weeks. I spent some time on the road today, prowled a new bookstore and went with my purchase to an adjoining cafe. Finding yet another book on organizing your home reminded me once again that although I vowed when I retired three and a half years ago (Can it really be that long?) that my number one priority would be to get myself organized and efficient, I am still sitting in an office crammed with papers and break into a sweat every time the doorbell rings.
As I drove home, I had this idea that maybe if I committed to you, my readers, to faithfully organize for the next month or so, and to be accountable by reporting my progress; maybe, just maybe, I would manage to tame the monster, or whoever it is that keeps messing up my home!
I am a creative person, sometimes too creative for my own good perhaps...but that's a whole other issue. “So,” I proposed to myself as I drove along, “if I can find a creative way to do this, maybe I will actually achieve my goal, have fun along the way, and still get to write, which I love,...and which, if truth be told, often draws me away from duller chores like housework. (Who needs tidy when one can escape into the wonderful world of the imagination?)”
As I waited in the lineup for the car wash, ( That's a first step, right?) my plan was finalized. I am embarking on a 35 day accrostic journey for the “CREATIVE CLEANSING OF MY CHAOTIC CLUTTER” (I do have a penchant for alliteration.) Perhaps you would like to journey with me. Check in each day to find out what the next letter of the title entails, and join in the fun. I hope you will share some of your own joys and successes by using the comment option...and, although I don't want to envision such a possibility, maybe you can encourage me to keep going if you sense I am falling off the rails.
So here we go: Day 1, letter C – CONTRACT.
I am contracting with you to make the most valiant attempt possible to embark on this creative cleansing of my chaotic clutter. I promise to keep you posted and to share any little tricks I learn along the way. I have a feeling we are going to have a good time, and come through at the end with happier households... or at least a better handle on managing our now calm and comfortable castles. Ready? Let's go.
Check in tomorrow for Day 2 – letter R
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