Resolutions

I love to see what this young couple has done and the transformation of their house. I'm loving their taste in style. Thanks Kimi for the link to it! If you have a sec, check out this site.


It's a new year and once again I find myself making lists, recording each detail of my conviction to change, to be better. This year, as it was last year, I am once again attempting to organize my home, organize my life. Why? When I feel like everything is in its place, I feel much more joy, much more peace. That and also there are places in my home that I have not touched since we moved here 2 1/2 years ago--those boxes need to be unpacked! My four kidlets and hubby can attest that when I ain't happy, ain't no one happy and clutter make me cranky! Unfortunately, it doesn't take much to push me over the edge these days. I could blame it on hormones, but that just sounds like a cop-out. What else can I say? Um, well shoot, hormones just plain play a factor. I digress. Back to dejunking my life. Why is it that we need all this "stuff" anyway? Quite frankly, I think I could live with a lot less stuff. It just clutters my brain, house and everything in-between. I'm becoming more of a minimalist day by day. Bare walls, clean straight lines; yes, I like these things. I came across a helpful list on www.WebMD.com that will surely help me in my quest. This week I have tackled my bedroom and medicine cabinet. Yikes, was that an undertaking. I'm happy to say that I threw away two large garbage bags of "stuff" and am sending 4 large bags of clothes to charity. Ah, cleansing it is. Maybe Todd can be influenced to do the same? Hmmmm, we shall see. I have many other "projects" on my to-do list. I'll let you know how it turns out. Here's hoping I can keep my resolution going for at least a month or two. . .

Organizing Tips:

Organize in bite-size bits:If the thought of getting organized completely overwhelms you, set a timer for just 15 minutes a day. Knowing you won't spend hours working on an organizational project might make working in small nuggets easier to manage.

Mainstream email: Instead of checking email with each ding of the inbox, read your emails on a regular basis only twice a day. When you open an email, answer it immediately and don't save it for later.

Handle snail mail only once: Create a special time and place to read your snail mail regularly. During the appointed time, open the mail and immediately take action on it. File it with bills, shred it, toss it in the trash, etc. Commit to touching each piece of mail immediately and only once.

Avoid horizontal piles: When possible, avoid putting paper in horizontal stacks in your home or office. Save time and frustration by categorizing and finding a home for paper as soon as it comes through the door.

Purge regularly:This applies to every room in the house but don’t forget the kitchen and bathroom. Check expiration dates regularly on medicines, vitamins, supplements, and cosmetics. Stick to the “when in doubt, throw it out” rule. If you can’t remember when you purchased it, let it go.