I am a regular visitor at unclutterer.com, a great website with loads of tips and really supportive, friendly and informative forums.
I was having a quick browse this evening and came across this - A Thing A Day: 2011 Challenge
The basic idea is to get rid of a thing a day and post about it on the forum - everyone is motivating everyone else. I think the best thing about this idea is that no matter how demotivated you are feeling, no matter how rushed, no matter what else is going on - there is always time to get rid of A Thing A Day.
I am inspired! I have just shredded a pile of receipts that I have been staring at for the longest time! To keep track of my A Thing A Day, I am going to set up a Twitter account and link it to the blog. That way there will be a rolling record of what I am getting rid of and I can 'tweet' quickly and from anywhere!
Phew! A sudden burst of inspiration is just what I needed!
Declutter Diarist
Showing posts with label motivation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motivation. Show all posts
Monday, 31 January 2011
One Month In...
It is a month since I started my Declutter Diary and I cannot believe that tomorrow will be February! When I started this blog, I set myself the task of not just decluttering my house, but my life - read my first post here.
It sounded pretty big, and it is a challenge. Sorting through a few drawers and straightening your wardrobes is all well and good, but it only makes a real difference in your life if you change your habits as well. Its a bit like going on a diet, if you think about it as a diet, it is only a temporary state and often the pressure you can put on yourself makes it unsustainable.
I have definitely hit a wall at certain points, or intended to do something and then not got round to it for whatever reason. In the past, I would have berated myself for failure, piled on the pressure or done a rush job and then been left feeling dissatisfied.
The big difference I have made this time is just to be a but more forgiving of myself. I have a busy life, sometimes I just want to watch telly or go to the pub. The clutter isn't going anywhere, it can wait. The trick for me has been to keep a vision in mind of what I want to achieve.
When I have made big leaps, I have enjoyed it and allowed myself to be a tad smug about what I have achieved. And more importantly, where I have made progress, I have maintained that area. So, I am pleased to report that I have kept the sitting room immaculate and I have kept my desk clear and my inbox empty.
So, I think tonight I will recline with a small gin and tonic and think about what I want to achieve in February. I may blog about this in a bit, that way you can all keep check on me! I am also going to think about how great it will feel to blog on New Year's Eve when I have got where I want to be. When even the Room of Doom is a sanctuary of calm and organisation....
Onwards and Upwards Friends!
The Declutter Diarist
It sounded pretty big, and it is a challenge. Sorting through a few drawers and straightening your wardrobes is all well and good, but it only makes a real difference in your life if you change your habits as well. Its a bit like going on a diet, if you think about it as a diet, it is only a temporary state and often the pressure you can put on yourself makes it unsustainable.
I have definitely hit a wall at certain points, or intended to do something and then not got round to it for whatever reason. In the past, I would have berated myself for failure, piled on the pressure or done a rush job and then been left feeling dissatisfied.
The big difference I have made this time is just to be a but more forgiving of myself. I have a busy life, sometimes I just want to watch telly or go to the pub. The clutter isn't going anywhere, it can wait. The trick for me has been to keep a vision in mind of what I want to achieve.
When I have made big leaps, I have enjoyed it and allowed myself to be a tad smug about what I have achieved. And more importantly, where I have made progress, I have maintained that area. So, I am pleased to report that I have kept the sitting room immaculate and I have kept my desk clear and my inbox empty.
So, I think tonight I will recline with a small gin and tonic and think about what I want to achieve in February. I may blog about this in a bit, that way you can all keep check on me! I am also going to think about how great it will feel to blog on New Year's Eve when I have got where I want to be. When even the Room of Doom is a sanctuary of calm and organisation....
Onwards and Upwards Friends!
The Declutter Diarist
Sunday, 30 January 2011
Staying in Hotels
When I was glancing around other decluttering websites, I noticed that someone had written about how much they like staying in hotels. And I agree with that, there is nothing like a night in a posh hotel.
The crisp bedding, fancy soaps, spacious rooms, fluffy towels and clean lines.
I also act differently in a hotel room. I neatly put my clothes away, after getting ready I gather up my make up and put it away, and despite room service, straighten my bedsheets.
Then it hit me, I could actually live this lifestyle all the time.
At home.
But moving house is not an option, although that would be great. Put everything in a skip and start over again. But this is me all over - when things get on top of me my tendency is to be dissatisfied with my current life and dream about another one.
So, that is my new goal - crack on with the decluttering and live the hotel life style at home. Well, except for the room service, Husband is good...but not that good!
Declutter Diarist.
The crisp bedding, fancy soaps, spacious rooms, fluffy towels and clean lines.
I also act differently in a hotel room. I neatly put my clothes away, after getting ready I gather up my make up and put it away, and despite room service, straighten my bedsheets.
Then it hit me, I could actually live this lifestyle all the time.
At home.
But moving house is not an option, although that would be great. Put everything in a skip and start over again. But this is me all over - when things get on top of me my tendency is to be dissatisfied with my current life and dream about another one.
So, that is my new goal - crack on with the decluttering and live the hotel life style at home. Well, except for the room service, Husband is good...but not that good!
Declutter Diarist.
Monday, 17 January 2011
All Work and No Declutter Makes a Messy House
Yep, I knew that this was a potential risk. After good plans, good intentions over the Christmas period, going back to work was always going to hit me like a tonne of bricks.
I have quite a busy job with weird hours and lots of weekend and evenings to do. On the upside, my diary is my own, and if I want I can clear a day to do what I like, (this wouldn't make me very popular if I did it often though!)
So consequently I have not achieved a great deal over the past two weeks. But saying that the sitting room has stayed exactly how it was after the declutter day and I am still on top of my emails after following the Bit Literacy technique. I feel a lot more in control about my work, which is a huge relief and Husband says makes me a nicer person to live with!
Tonight I got home at 8:30pm and I had organised a home delivery of the groceries. So my declutter job was to go through the fridge. Doesn't sound like much, but after 20 minutes there was only food in there that was fresh and would be eaten and it was clean. It was hardly grotty, but it is better now!
Sometimes, just taking some action, any action helps keep you on track. No matter how little, it is something.
Let's keep at it people!
Declutter Diarist
I have quite a busy job with weird hours and lots of weekend and evenings to do. On the upside, my diary is my own, and if I want I can clear a day to do what I like, (this wouldn't make me very popular if I did it often though!)
So consequently I have not achieved a great deal over the past two weeks. But saying that the sitting room has stayed exactly how it was after the declutter day and I am still on top of my emails after following the Bit Literacy technique. I feel a lot more in control about my work, which is a huge relief and Husband says makes me a nicer person to live with!
Tonight I got home at 8:30pm and I had organised a home delivery of the groceries. So my declutter job was to go through the fridge. Doesn't sound like much, but after 20 minutes there was only food in there that was fresh and would be eaten and it was clean. It was hardly grotty, but it is better now!
Sometimes, just taking some action, any action helps keep you on track. No matter how little, it is something.
Let's keep at it people!
Declutter Diarist
Monday, 10 January 2011
Progress to Date
Realise that I have been a bit quiet the past couple of days. My friend was married over the weekend and I was working on Sunday. I was a bit worried about whether or not I would still be able to keep the momentum going when I went back to work properly after Christmas, but it has been OK!
In my post about organising my desk, (remember the photo?), I said that I would have everything sorted by Friday and I did! Also, I am on Day 7 of finishing work and having an empty inbox! I literally glide out of work knowing that I haven't missed anything and that I am ready to get stuck in when I get back in the next day. The empty inbox is a technique recommending in Bit Literacy which I talked about here.
I have also maintained the sitting room, it really is a sanctuary when we are both home after a long day. Husband also make a conscious effort to straighten it all out before we go to bed at night as well.
In new decluttering news, I have mainly been concentrating on my brain. Sounds weird? Well, I have basically been getting in some new habits to avoid me carrying round lots of info and 'to-dos' in my head. This 'Brain Clutter' was making me anxious and stressed and I didn't even realise!
Now what I am about to tell you is neither revolutionary or outstanding. It is common sense. Amongst sensible people, it is common.
I put all my addresses in one place. An address book.
Now, I know that seems bizarre, but I actually send a lot of mail. I am good at remembering addresses, but not postcodes. I am forever on the Royal Mail postcode finder website trying to piece together addresses. And I say I am good at addresses but Mother rang the other day to say that she actually lives at 11 not 13....
When it came to cards for Husband's Canadian cousins this Christmas, I searched through old emails for an hour until I found a message my sister-in-law sent me three years ago. This is not organised. My brain clutter consisted of bits of addresses and numerous places where I keep other addresses and who I need to send cards to and who has sent me a card or a letter and .....
Anyway, you get the point.
This also led me to applying my empty inbox to Facebook messages and my private email. Between the two, 2675 messages. Not any more! Majority deleted, some kept, tasks lined up for completion. The brain is decluttered, but I didn't find any money!
So, next project is sorting out my hallway. Coats from the dark ages, impractical shoes I've worn once, random man junk from Husband. Look out I am coming to get you.
Oh, and various items removed from the sitting room when I decluttered...ahem....
This mission will be completed by 10pm GMT tomorrow, or my name's not
The Declutter Diarist
In my post about organising my desk, (remember the photo?), I said that I would have everything sorted by Friday and I did! Also, I am on Day 7 of finishing work and having an empty inbox! I literally glide out of work knowing that I haven't missed anything and that I am ready to get stuck in when I get back in the next day. The empty inbox is a technique recommending in Bit Literacy which I talked about here.
I have also maintained the sitting room, it really is a sanctuary when we are both home after a long day. Husband also make a conscious effort to straighten it all out before we go to bed at night as well.
In new decluttering news, I have mainly been concentrating on my brain. Sounds weird? Well, I have basically been getting in some new habits to avoid me carrying round lots of info and 'to-dos' in my head. This 'Brain Clutter' was making me anxious and stressed and I didn't even realise!
Now what I am about to tell you is neither revolutionary or outstanding. It is common sense. Amongst sensible people, it is common.
I put all my addresses in one place. An address book.
Now, I know that seems bizarre, but I actually send a lot of mail. I am good at remembering addresses, but not postcodes. I am forever on the Royal Mail postcode finder website trying to piece together addresses. And I say I am good at addresses but Mother rang the other day to say that she actually lives at 11 not 13....
When it came to cards for Husband's Canadian cousins this Christmas, I searched through old emails for an hour until I found a message my sister-in-law sent me three years ago. This is not organised. My brain clutter consisted of bits of addresses and numerous places where I keep other addresses and who I need to send cards to and who has sent me a card or a letter and .....
Anyway, you get the point.
This also led me to applying my empty inbox to Facebook messages and my private email. Between the two, 2675 messages. Not any more! Majority deleted, some kept, tasks lined up for completion. The brain is decluttered, but I didn't find any money!
So, next project is sorting out my hallway. Coats from the dark ages, impractical shoes I've worn once, random man junk from Husband. Look out I am coming to get you.
Oh, and various items removed from the sitting room when I decluttered...ahem....
This mission will be completed by 10pm GMT tomorrow, or my name's not
The Declutter Diarist
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
My Declutter Playlist
To help me stay motivated I decided to put together a playlist that I can listen to on my iPod Nanp when I am decluttering. It is 30 minutes of music that is upbeat and feel good. When I am putting off getting started and need to feel motivated, I think this will get me into the swing of things.
My Declutter Disco playlist consists of:
Do Your Thing - Basement Jaxx
Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash
Don't Stop - Fleetwood Mac
Love Today - Mika
Feeling Good - Nina Simone
Use It Up, Wear It Out - Odyssey
Don't Stop Me Now - Queen
I'm Every Woman - Chaka Khan
What would be on your playlist? The Declutter Diarist
My Declutter Disco playlist consists of:
Do Your Thing - Basement Jaxx
Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash
Don't Stop - Fleetwood Mac
Love Today - Mika
Feeling Good - Nina Simone
Use It Up, Wear It Out - Odyssey
Don't Stop Me Now - Queen
I'm Every Woman - Chaka Khan
What would be on your playlist? The Declutter Diarist
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