Last week when I read Focus Check Friday, I knew I wanted to participate this week. I was going to Focus on the closet in my master bedroom. I even took before pics, well actually most of them are still now pics. I started the week off strong determined to feel accomplished. I started by cleaning up the main living areas of my home and the focused one day on my closet. I did get about 1/5 of it done and it took my the entire school day.
By Wednesday, I was done. Instead of cleaning I watched a season of a show. Where did my motivation go? I somewhat know the answer... I got sick of the hamster wheel. The laundry that is never caught up, the dishes that are constantly in my sink. I take care of both but every time I think I am done there's more hiding somewhere. Then there is the nightly Kidnado that strikes. Not to mention me. My house is in such disarray that my mind follows suit. It is as cluttered as my home. I keep jumping from one task to another never fully completing anything.
`So this week for Focus Friday I am going to concentrate on one thing and one thing only. (I will keep up the main living areas, but everything else will wait). My focus this week will be on the boxes and boxes of paper clutter. This week I want to make a command center.
` For all of you that have been on the decluttering mission for awhile, I would love to hear where you started. What were the beginning steps that helped you? Most days I feel overwhelmed and just shut down and find other things that "need" my attention.
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LOVE the word "kidnado"!!!
ReplyDeleteFor me, I started with the dishes. I know that's too simple, but I had to get that one thing under control before I could move on to another thing. As a whole, it's just too overwhelming. I know you've read my blog, so you know that I just do one very small decluttering project at a time, and then try to keep it maintained by doing my daily basics. If I don't do that, it gets re-cluttered so unbelievably fast.
Good luck!
That kidnado sure gets around! It hits my house every afternoon.
ReplyDeleteIf you look at the big picture it can be so overwhelming and paralyzing at time. Just take small steps, maintain, and then add things one at a time.
If you are going to tackle the paper clutter, make that your main focus. Try to maintain the living areas, but stay focused on the paper. Once you have it under control and have a place for everything you just work on maintaining it.
I gathered all of the stacks of paper from the kitchen, bedroom, family room, and office, then placed them on the kitchen table. I had three big plastic bins one for recycle, one for need to file, and the last one was for items needing action. I went through all of the stacks and sorted them quickly. I then took the recycling outside immediately. That way I was 1/3 done!
Then I started on the need action box. Again three piles - today, this week, or this month. I sorted quickly again. I then did everything in the today pile (pay bills, fill out permission slip, etc...). Now I felt like I had accomplished something!
I put the items needing action this week and this month in a clear folders on the desk and would work on a couple each day.
I worked on the file box gradually, sorting again (bills, school, warranties, pictures, etc) and then putting them away.
When "new" paper comes into the home, I have a spot for it and try to go through it each night. Same process of sorting (recycle, file, or action).
Just take it one step at a time and don't beat yourself up for losing motivation. Everyone does at some point. Hope this helps.
Nony- love your blog very encouraging with a twist of humor.
ReplyDeleteNorCalMom- Thanks for the tips I plan on using them :)
I homeschool so the kidnado warning is always going off in my home!! Please tell us how you dealt with your paper purge. My household also struggles with this.
ReplyDelete