Declutter for five minutes each day

I have been doing it for a week now and so far so good. In no particular order–large and small projects:

• sun room
• living room bookcase
• kitchen top cabinets
• kitchen base cabinets
• countertops
• junk drawer
• key basket
• linen closet
• toys
• hall bath closet
• closet
• tops of dressers
• nightstands
• fireplace bookshelves
• boys clothes
• dresser
• basement countertop
• spare room closet
• office
• basement bookshelves
• desk
• kitchen utensil drawer

This post puts forth the idea that setting goals is basically fruitless; whereas, the creation of habits focuses on enjoying the process.  The author offers four practices that helped him: get up early, over commit, talk to strangers, and practice generosity.

Like many people, last year, I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish during the year.  This year I’m going to focus on making space in my life and creating habits in the following areas:

• Finances
• Household
• Healthy Eating
• Exercising
• Career/Hobby
• Spirituality/Relationships

So…..if I am thinking about this correctly, a goal would be: lose ten pounds; exercising on a regular basis would be the habit.

For me, I have so many things that I want to accomplish.  It is often difficult to stay focused.  I want to sew more, travel more, blog more.  These are all things I love and want more of in my life.  I want to declutter the house, exercise on a regular basis, build stronger friendships, study the Bible, eat healthier, and stay on top of our finances.

The key, as outlined in this post, is to tackle one habit at a time, start small, and do something you enjoy.

What habit should I start first?

L was quite a trooper today as we made our way around various shops. The real quicker though was when I got home and realized that one of the bags was missing. We headed back to the mall, and thankfully a gentleman had returned it to the store. Yeah!

I did a ton of online shopping this year–probably about half of everything. I LOVE Etsy. I got so many great handmade items from there. Can’t wait to get them an hope they are as good as I think they will be. Handmade wooden bowling pins–a hand stamped silver necklace–wooden sorting bowl and balls–handmade journal with deer stamped on the cover–storytelling telling dice and journal–all kinds of things!

With a few exceptions most shopping is complete although I do need to order the cards. Awesome!

• I hate doing the dishes
• I am the only person in the house who washes the plastic Ziploc bags.  Why is this?  The others just let them pile up on the countertop until I wash them.  (see #1)
• I hate clutter.  Why do I have so much of it in my house??  It is like this constant, exhausting battle that I am bound to lose.
• My dining room is drab and dreary.  I would like it to be light and bright and cheery
• I need an interior decorator…and a housekeeper…and a lawn service…and a professional organizer
• What happened to spring?  Rainy, rainy days and now boiling hot weather
• My feet are swollen
• Headaches suck
• Oregano popping up in the garden.  ”It’s a good thing.”

This time I used Mixbook, which I learned about on PhotoBookGirl’s site.  I had no idea there were so many online bookmaking options from which to use!

Mixbook falls more into the digital scrapbooking category than some of the other tools I have used before although with all of the control it allows you, you could make any kind of book you wanted.  You can select from all types of backgrounds and stickers to customize the book’s look  although I can see where you could really go overboard with the embellishments.

Since I’m more of a “plain Jane” than a “bells and whistles” kinda gal, we’ll see what the printed version looks like.  Either way, it’s great to have a record of the year, and I enjoyed putting it together.

Update: My book arrived this week, and I LOVE it.  Will post pics later.

Skinny people, heavy people, people of all ages, a lady in a bright pink jogging suit, the guy who is about to fly off the elliptical machine he is going so fast, the couple who speed race around the track, the teenager checking himself out in the mirror.

I was bemoaning my current physical state when I looked around and realized that while I wasn’t the skinniest person there I certainly wasn’t the heaviest either.

It just struck me how a situation or person might be viewed totally differently depending on where you are in your life.  I know this in my brain, but for some reason it jumped out at me the other night.  It is a good reminder and helps combat any self-pity.  If someone is pounding it out who needs to lose 100 lbs., I should just shut up and get to work on the 10 I want to lose.

So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own.  Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Matthew 7: 27,34

I was folding the boys’ laundry this morning and was struck with how much they have changed and how those changes are reflected in their clothes.  No more blurp cloths or drooled-encrusted onesies fill the laundry.  Nor are there any more bibs or teeny, tiny outfits to spray with Shout and rub clean.

Miniature jeans and t-shirts for L now, and even those have given way to larger jeans and shirts for E.  Ankle socks for him now, and soon the footed pajamas for L will be a thing of the past.  Little men with their miniature Hanes underwear and holey jeans will give way to sports uniforms, dress shirts, and name brands.

There are days I think we must have been out of our minds to have children, but then there are moments like these where I feel incredibly blessed and just crazy lucky.

I haven’t written in ages…

The past two days at home with the boys have been great!  We’ve played outside in the snow, had a scavenger hunt, made paint, done a little bit of housework, visited with Mom, and just had a great time together.  If I was a SAHM, I would definitely have to beef up my stash of activities.  An hour can be a very long when little hands need to be busy.

I hate to think about going back to work tomorrow.

I can’t help but wonder what it would be like to be a stay at home mom.  It’s great now, but I also have a pay check coming to cover these two days.  Would the financial change make it too stressful?  Would the pressure on W as the only money maker cause friction?  Would I got nuts doing this day after day?

I wish I could take a sabbatical and try it out for a few months–just to see.  Doesn’t quite work like that though.

• England
• Washington, D.C. (special trip with E)

Spaces to Declutter/Organize

• desk
• office
• toys (1/1/11 made awesome progress on this project.  one more basket to go)
• pantry
• storage
• sun room cabinet
• jewelry (1/30/11)

Projects

• Sew the couch cushion cover for the sun room
• Sew sun room curtains
• Finish L’s baby book
• Finish cross stitch for niece
• 2010 photo book
• Create coat hang up area
• Start a compost pile
• Plant something in the yard

Household Well-being Tasks

• Get will signed
• Complete receipts/budget every month
• Get W disability insurance
• Increase retirement investing
• Increase 529 investing
• Close credit card accounts