Shifting out of a slump - accountability

[dez]

Hello,
I've recently discovered this forum & have been really encouraged by several of the posts here. Thank you!

I am going through some tough challenges in my life, and having a hard time following through on any of my decluttering or household project goals for quite a while. I really don't think it would take very long to make a notable difference and make my home much more comfortable, if I stayed focused and busy, even in small but regular chunks of time. But I still feel quite overwhelmed when I even attempt to start digging in. I'm far more likely to collapse in front of HGTV or a documentary. My job is enjoyable but also pretty exhausting, and lately just the bare minimum of housekeeping maintenance is all I've been up for. Obviously, this only contributes to my blah feelings about myself & my struggles in general. I'd like to be kinder to myself.

I work in a school, and we're off for Spring Break (a real luxury, I know!). I'd like to use some of the extra time this week to get some traction in tidying up, decluttering, and making my home more comforting and welcoming.

Hoping to use this forum to support my accountability to myself, as a place to post even the tiniest of goals, report back upon completion, repeat . . . as often as I can manage! I'm tired of disappointing myself in this area of my life, so that's all I can put out there as my intention for right now.

Any support and/or participation via posting your own hopes, goals, etc are welcomed.

Goal 1: Put away the clothes laying out & around in my room & bathroom; start a load of laundry.

Thanks for listening! :)

[dez]

Goal 1: Put away the clothes laying out & around in my room & bathroom; start a load of laundry. Done!

Goal 2: Move all clean laundry to one room. Put away my clothes & household stuff. Lay out others' clothes for them to sort & put away.

[Yppej]

Can the others help?

[dez]

Yes! I'm fine laying their stuff out, but they will sort & put away when they are home. My youngest is the only one not working today, and she's helping with another household task. I am slow to ask for help, so it's a good question to consider regularly. :)

[Chicken lady]

Lovely!

i’m on Spring break also!

I put all the clean laundry away, stripped all the beds and washed the sheets (haven’t remade them), picked the clothes up off the bedroom floor, and got all the dirty dishes reduced to one full sink.

[dez]

Yes! I'm fine laying their stuff out, but they will sort & put away when they are home. My youngest is the only one not working today, and she's helping with another household task. I am slow to ask for help, so it's a good question to consider regularly. :)

[dez]

Yay, Chicken Lady! :)

Goal 2: Done!Goal 3: Spend 15 minutes (using timer) dealing with a pile of paperwork & assorted stuff sitting on top of file boxes in my room, while trying to move/decide quickly!

(Noticing that I'm feeling silly for posting such tiny baby steps. :/ WHY? . . . choosing instead to be grateful that I'm getting things done!)

[dez]

Goal 3: Spend 15 minutes (using timer) dealing with a pile of paperwork & assorted stuff sitting on top of file boxes in my room, while trying to move/decide quickly! Done!

I'm noticing how resistant I am, sometimes, to calling trash "trash." I tend to pause, consider value, possibilities, later uses. Not wanting to label that habit as bad or a problem--believing it's more worthwhile to simply notice it open-eyed, as something I do.

Need to leave the house until late tonight. Feeling good about progress made so far!

[nswef]

Dez, It sounds as if you are the right. The tiniest steps make a big difference and it is great to have this forum to post accomplishments. We'll happily cheer you on and share our own progress, in the tiniest steps, too. Or great big steps!

[rosarugosa]

Good progress, Dez! I think setting small goals is an excellent strategy for attacking daunting tasks.

[dez]

Thank you for the encouragement, nswef & rosarugosa!

At around 11am today, I thought I posted another 15 minute goal to declutter a junky corner in my room, but it didn't end up posting. (?) Regardless, I got busy and stayed busy until now. About 3 hours have passed and the area is very near clear. It's such a relief. Yippee! :)

Taking a break now. May jump back in a little later.

[nswef]

Bravo Dez!

[Chicken lady]

Does, three hours is amazing! How are you doing today?

i cleaned out my car.

[dez]

Thanks, nswef & Chicken Lady! :)

I've gotten some pretty good momentum going. Yesterday I finished putting away and/or tossing all of the clutter on the floor of my room. Also cleared off the top of my messy nightstand, and reorganized 3 of my 4 dresser drawers, getting rid of several items. Felt great!

This morning I cleaned, decluttered & re-org'd 2 kitchen drawers and a few cabinets in the kitchen. With the cabinets, I didn't get rid of as many things as I had hoped--got a little hemmed up in decision making and kept some things out of "what if I (or someone else) needs it for..." Not sure that was the most rational thinking, & I feel a bit like I wasted some time moving stuff around for not much net gain. ...bummer.

Took a break for the last few hours & now I'm trying to decide what to go for next. . . . bookshelves? a closet? other kitchen cabinets? . . . I have the mixed blessing of living in a place where land/space are fairly cheap & my late 50s home has lots of storage spaces, most of which I've got too fully stuffed! All of the areas I'm thinking about feel pretty overwhelming.

[Lainey]

Good for you, dez, for recognizing the blessing/curse of "storage space."
My live-in SO has trouble with understanding why a shelf would be empty or stay empty - isn't it there for you to find something to put on it?? :~)

It will be so freeing to see your house breathe again with some empty open space. Keep going!

[iris lilies]

Good for you, dez, for recognizing the blessing/curse of "storage space."
My live-in SO has trouble with understanding why a shelf would be empty or stay empty - isn't it there for you to find something to put on it?? :~)

It will be so freeing to see your house breathe again with some empty open space. Keep going!yep, DH cannot
uNderstand empty shelf space. I tell him it represents options and potential. Like yesterday, I moved his bread machine off the kitchen counter into a newly bare cupboard. He uses it in the wi ter, not terribly often, but wont use it i. The summer.

Now the kitchen counter surface is free from it, the counter is easy to clean, and the bread machine doesnt get covered with cooking splatters and dust.