Out of My Control
by GrowingFlowers
I hate doing housework, but LOVE a clean house. Well, I don’t really hate the housework, but I don’t like to spend tons of time on it. It’s not the journey, but the end result that I crave.
I feel calm and grounded in an organized and neat environment. At work and at home. It’s my personal ritual, I guess. My entire life is kind of out of my control. Babies are born whenever they want to. Quickly, full force, screeching into this world. Or slowly – hesitant to budge. There is nothing I can do to make a baby come faster, or more slowly. They don’t usually come when I am completely ready for them. I am usually in the middle of something.
My teens have insane and busy schedules. We finally posted them on the refrigerator like a normal family. Everyone coming and going. We are beginning the college application process. SAT tests. Now my hubby is in Nursing School for his next career. His schedule is busy. In and out. Wild.
If we had massive disorganization in the house, I might just die. Seriously. I couldn’t take it. So slowly, slowly, we are getting to a place where everything has a place. Counters are clear. Excess is eliminated. Gone. Dumped in the little green boxes in the supermarket’s parking lots in town. Or taking to our local community shelter. They will have more use for it. Not me.
I’ve been reading lots of minimalist blogs and it feels good. I am definitely on the right track – even my daughter is downsizing.
So – how to do it?
- “When in doubt, throw it out.” It’s a mantra. If you aren’t absolutely sure you need it. You don’t. Probably. (And of course I am not advocating adding to the landfill. Recycle it. Reuse it. Donate it. Give it away.)
- Don’t Buy. Really, really think about what you bring into the house.
- Use it up! When you are de-cluttering make sure you know what you have so that you don’t have more than you need. Don’t buy a new conditioner until your other one is empty. Do you have four tubes of opened toothpaste? Know what you have, know what you need. Don’t buy more.
- Get rid of it. Again. You probably don’t need it. It won’t enhance your life. If you don’t love it, need it or use it often. Get rid of it.
What do you do? What are your three tips for de-cluttering?
Geez, I guess I shouldn’t send your birthday gift.
Send it!!! I’ll get rid of something else!!!!
I am like you this way. I don’t like to spend lots of time cleaning, but I love a clean house and the way it makes me feel grounded and organized in a very hectic life and schedule. I clean a little every day. I do these same things you suggest. I have all my life been very picky about what I buy and bring into my possession and get rid of things whenever I can.
Like you, I function better in a clean and organized environment. As a mother who home schools two sons and a disabled daughter, if my environment wasn’t organized…well, I know I’ll not be able to accomplish a thing.
Thanks for sharing…I just found you. What a blessing your writings are.
m.
Thank you Maria….:)
YES, so true. I long to declutter and reduce, but sometimes it is overwhelming with where to begin… or hard, because the easiest time to tackle areas to clean out is the end of my days, and that’s the last thing I want to do when I’m tired.
Thanks for your reminders, the end result is so worth the struggle to get there!
Yes! Exhausting…always.
I feel a lot better when I have a clean clear kitchen. It’s the room I spend most of my day in. When it is clean it makes me smile and I enjoy it with my daughters. We have room to do whatever we want to do. I have just this week started shining my sink again using flylady baby steps and it is slowly getting me back into being organised
Three tips for decluttering
– keeping a bag in the hotpress and trying to put something we no longer use or need into it anytime I can. Once it is full I drop it into the charity shop.
- emptying a drawer of childrens clothes onto the table and getting it down to the basics we really use and need. The rest goes into the charity bag. (This really cuts down on my washing)
- just keeping toys we use around the house and a few extra in the attic to rotate. I regularly clear out toys that are not used or get broken and either bin them if broken or donate them to the charity shop.
I just came across your website. It’s really lovely.
Absolutely. It makes the world of difference to me too!
Thanks for commenting!
I’ve been reading through some of your older posts and I just want to say I love your blog. I can really get a sense of you and your life and it’s beautiful.
I’ve made a huge effort to de-clutter and simplify my house the last couple years and every time I think I’m doing great I find more I can get rid of. It’s such a game a chase sometimes. I like your tips!
[...] Out of My Control [...]