As I write this, it’s Fall, but I can’t put off the Spring cleaning any longer. I need more clarity and mental acuity, so I’m getting organized. I’m decluttering my personal space–mental and physical. Ireland recently declared their National Declutter Day initiative. I’ve declared it for the entire month.
I recently moved to a townhouse that, unlike my apartment, has an outside storage closet but no linen closet. Thankfully I have a large master bathroom that I can add a towel tower to. But the two-bedroom house is smaller than my former three-bedroom apartment. I have decisions to make. And lots of them.
Getting Rid of Dead Weight
Sometimes people say bygones should be bygones. But I think sometimes you need to just be gone. Nature took its course with helping me eliminate dead weight in my personal life. It happened on the first of the month, and it was a lovely kickoff.
I’ve also refined my weight loss process to include less processed food (even if it’s “free” on Weight Watchers) and more weights and resistance training. Muscle weighs more than fat, and I see the difference in my jeans. 🙂
Why Do I Still Have THIS?
Over the years, and all the times I’ve moved as an adult, the decision of putting off the decision of “what do I do with THIS?” has cost me. (Making no decision is a decision.) My problem has always come down to making decisions about what to do with things. I tend to hold on to stuff for no good reason, always thinking that once I have found good information or things I can use later, that I can’t lose it. I’m afraid that I won’t be able to find it again (think file cabinets, internet bookmarks, Instapaper, having 60+ tabs open in Firefox even though they will all disappear within a week).
I don’t want to be buried under stuff because it drains my energy whenever I walk in the room and see it. I’ve got so much stuff that A) I’m never going to use again, and B) holds no significance in my life today or sentimental value from yesterday. Stuff like Girl Scout patches, notebooks from high school–you name it. I had three crates of VHS tapes that I’ve got down to one, but the anticipated hours of time-consuming video editing have kept me from finishing the digitizing process for now.
I’m a Junkie
Being a magazine junkie has cost me less than $1 an issue, but it’s also cost me some peace of mind. Sorry O, but you’ve got to go. I can’t renew any subscriptions with a clear conscience. In the future, once I get this “addiction” under control, I’ll take the digital option if the various subscription tempting me are available on something other than an Ipad (I don’t have one).
I’m An Outtie
This means that I have to see things lying out in plain sight or else I will forget about them. I’ve recently learned that the best organizers for me are clear containers, labelled boxes, hooks and wall mounts, so when I put things away, I can see what’s in them and find things easily. Putting something in a drawer is kind of hard on me when it comes to things I use regularly, with few exceptions (like the bathroom and kitchen).
I’m Not Getting it Done Fast, But I’ll Get it Done Soon
In closing, I’m working on becoming less overwhelmed and getting better focus in the wake of the massive to-do list I created after reading Push LINK. I’m reminded to be patient with myself from this quote I got from Michael Hyatt: “You don’t need to get everything done. You only need to get the right things done and leave the rest with God.”
Michele Connolly of Get Organized Wizard gave this tip for perfectionists and procrastinators: “Lower your target and you may well improve your aim. This applies whether you’re organizing your closet, decluttering the living room, starting an exercise program or anything else. Getting started can be the hardest part of any change. To make a start and gain momentum, it’s a great liberator to let yourself opt for the baseline version of a task or challenge… You can always come back and improve, tweak, refine and raise the bar later.”
And she also says: “If you don’t use it or love it, then let it go.”
Daree's Insights 