Kitchen Sink Reflections - Conquer the Clutter!
While I was in the airport last month I stood in one of the little bookstores clutching my coffee in one hand and reading a book with the other while I waited for my flight to be called. One of the books I went through was [ "Kitchen Sink Reflections" by Marla Cilley ]. The book had some nice information and I ended up taking out my journal and making some notes from it on staying motivated and organized.
Today I just rediscovered them while clearing out that notebook and thought I would post them here.
First thing she advises is to start with just cleaning the sink. (It's one small contained space, but you'll feel better with it clean and the satisfaction of the dishes done.)
Pull out clothes for tomorrow. (It doesn't matter if you go to work, school, or stay at home. Decide what you're going to wear and get it ready. Set yourself up for the start of the day.)
Get up, get dressed, start moving! (Do not sit in your PJ's, even if you're working on stuff. Make a clean psychological start by getting dressed.)
Use a timer (15 minutes).
Clutter is anything that does not bring you joy, or you don't use all the time.
Clutter is anything that's become disorganized. Disorganization is a signal to re-evaluate (Should I keep it? Does this have a place to live? Why isn't it in its place to live?)
Replace things that don't work right. (If the box doesn't close right, you need a new box. If the stapler jams half the time, you need a new stapler. If you don't like the color, it's peeling, it doesn't hold enough, you'd rather see your files than hide your files. Then replace it!)
Hot Spots - a place that attracts clutter. Hot spots signal "I can put it here until I do it later." Ask yourself, why don't you put it away until you need it later? Are you worried if you do you'll forget? Find a solution that will remind you about it (like an ongoing list of all projects that you actually commit to looking at regularly) and put the rest away. (One paper or notebook vs stacks of projects.)
Concentrate on solving one thing not everything. (Everything is overwhelming. One thing is manageable.)
Adopt little routines. If you do the same small job over and over to clean, to get organized, to lose exercise, etc. a little new habit it will slowly change yourself and your environment.
Decide that each day should have one SMALL thing to be done. Something that you can set the 15 minute timer for (laundry, groceries, clean out fridge, dusting, sorting papers, filing one stack of papers, a cleaning chore, a de-cluttering chore, etc. If it's a big project, pick one small action to accomplish on it). If life looks too overwhelming, pick one item that you can do that day. One small thing to work on for change. It may be as small as reorganizing your sock drawer, or sorting your paperclip holder, r as she says starting with doing all the dishes in your sink.
Today I just rediscovered them while clearing out that notebook and thought I would post them here.
First thing she advises is to start with just cleaning the sink. (It's one small contained space, but you'll feel better with it clean and the satisfaction of the dishes done.)
Pull out clothes for tomorrow. (It doesn't matter if you go to work, school, or stay at home. Decide what you're going to wear and get it ready. Set yourself up for the start of the day.)
Get up, get dressed, start moving! (Do not sit in your PJ's, even if you're working on stuff. Make a clean psychological start by getting dressed.)
Use a timer (15 minutes).
Clutter is anything that does not bring you joy, or you don't use all the time.
Clutter is anything that's become disorganized. Disorganization is a signal to re-evaluate (Should I keep it? Does this have a place to live? Why isn't it in its place to live?)
Replace things that don't work right. (If the box doesn't close right, you need a new box. If the stapler jams half the time, you need a new stapler. If you don't like the color, it's peeling, it doesn't hold enough, you'd rather see your files than hide your files. Then replace it!)
Hot Spots - a place that attracts clutter. Hot spots signal "I can put it here until I do it later." Ask yourself, why don't you put it away until you need it later? Are you worried if you do you'll forget? Find a solution that will remind you about it (like an ongoing list of all projects that you actually commit to looking at regularly) and put the rest away. (One paper or notebook vs stacks of projects.)
Concentrate on solving one thing not everything. (Everything is overwhelming. One thing is manageable.)
Adopt little routines. If you do the same small job over and over to clean, to get organized, to lose exercise, etc. a little new habit it will slowly change yourself and your environment.
Decide that each day should have one SMALL thing to be done. Something that you can set the 15 minute timer for (laundry, groceries, clean out fridge, dusting, sorting papers, filing one stack of papers, a cleaning chore, a de-cluttering chore, etc. If it's a big project, pick one small action to accomplish on it). If life looks too overwhelming, pick one item that you can do that day. One small thing to work on for change. It may be as small as reorganizing your sock drawer, or sorting your paperclip holder, r as she says starting with doing all the dishes in your sink.