Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Order


Assouline bookstore in the Cosmopolitan (Las Vegas)


A lot of people ask me how I'm doing with "not buying clothes for a year".  I actually don't think about it that often.  I have refocused my efforts onto neglected areas in my life including my house (which unfortunately costs a lot more than clothes - so we are not saving any money.)  Every once in a while, we feel like our house is too small, but I think I can streamline it and make it function better.

I have been trying to get rid of a lot of our stuff which is mostly comprised of baby gear that we have been hoarding "just in case".  (When I posted a random photo of a crib on Facebook, many of my friends thought I was announcing a pregnancy.  No, I am just giving things away.)  Reorganizing a whole house can be overwhelming and really hurts my brain.  Today, I thought I would share 2 tips that have helped me to get started -

1) Ask "Is this where this really goes?" - I learned this tip from Andy Rooney on 60 minutes.  I spend a lot of time moving the same piece of paper around from spot to spot, because I don't take the extra 15 seconds to put it where it actually belongs.  So, when you are about to lay something down, make sure that is where it ultimately belongs.  It will save you time later.

2) Tackle one tiny area each day - Don't feel like you have to reorganize a whole room at one time.  You will be too overwhelmed and probably will never finish (or may never start).  Just pick one corner...or one stack.  Do something that will take 5 or 10 minutes.  It will contribute a lot to your mental health and encourage you to do the same the next day. 

Because of my young children, this process sometimes feels like moving sand around on the beach.  However, even children can appreciate order.  At this very moment, my older daughter is lecturing my younger daughter on cleaning up her toys when she is finished playing with them.  Maybe one day my house will look as beautiful and orderly as this bookstore.  I can only dream.




1 comment:

Anonymous said...

good advice...I'm taking it to heart.