Using mytomatoes.com is what motivated me to have a day free of social networking one day last week. I realized how much time I was wasting on Twitter and Facebook and I needed a break to increase my productivity! For me, it also does double-duty — I need to track my time when I'm doing work for clients, and this way I have a reminder to log what I work on for every 25-minute increment (instead of remembering at 4pm that I should have been tracking my time for the last 7 hours. Oops).
Showing posts with label organizing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label organizing. Show all posts
May 26, 2010
tomatoes = productivity?
Staying productive when working from home can sometimes be a challenge, especially when I'm working on projects that aren't necessarily for a client, but are more self-assigned. I recently discovered mytomatoes.com, which employs the Pomodoro Technique: 25 minutes of work, then a five minute break, and after four "tomatoes" a longer break. Every time you complete a "tomato" and hear the alarm, you log what you worked on, so it's really great for accountability.
Using mytomatoes.com is what motivated me to have a day free of social networking one day last week. I realized how much time I was wasting on Twitter and Facebook and I needed a break to increase my productivity! For me, it also does double-duty — I need to track my time when I'm doing work for clients, and this way I have a reminder to log what I work on for every 25-minute increment (instead of remembering at 4pm that I should have been tracking my time for the last 7 hours. Oops).
Using mytomatoes.com is what motivated me to have a day free of social networking one day last week. I realized how much time I was wasting on Twitter and Facebook and I needed a break to increase my productivity! For me, it also does double-duty — I need to track my time when I'm doing work for clients, and this way I have a reminder to log what I work on for every 25-minute increment (instead of remembering at 4pm that I should have been tracking my time for the last 7 hours. Oops).
March 12, 2010
the little things (in the kitchen)
It's no secret that I am certainly not a master chef. It's rare that I make a whole meal from start-to-finish, and I am extremely lucky to have a husband who actually enjoys cooking so he doesn't see it as a chore to make up for my shortcomings in the kitchen. (He doesn't call them shortcomings, I do :)
The one thing that I have always enjoyed in the kitchen is baking. I don't know why I see this as being so different from regular cooking, but I enjoy it so much more. Maybe it's because the result tends to be a bit more sweet and a bit less healthy? I do love sweet and unhealthy things....
Last night I made some chocolate chip cookies from scratch, using the recipe on the back of the Nestle Toll House chocolate chip bag. I feel like that recipe never fails me, and I love the excuse to break out the KitchenAid mixer in all her Ice Blue glory. We have a pretty petite kitchen with limited counter space, so one of the keys to baking cookies without losing my mind (and all of my counter space) has been this:
We registered for this baby when we got married, and for a measley $9.99, dare I say, it has made baking in a small kitchen so much more pleasant. I kind of want another set so I can bake double-batches of yumminess and just keep stacking up :) (And by the way, my cookies look way better than those pictured above.)
While not handy for baking, my two other favorite inexpensive kitchen items are:
I have the worst time opening jars (small hands, overall wimpiness) and this little gadget is amazing. It's great for jars of any size, and it has not failed me yet!
Our oven doesn't have the sort of handle where we could hang towels, so we have two of these and they're awesome at making our kitchen look somewhat organized (or at least like not-a-complete-mess).
What are your favorite little things that make your experience in the kitchen more pleasant?
The one thing that I have always enjoyed in the kitchen is baking. I don't know why I see this as being so different from regular cooking, but I enjoy it so much more. Maybe it's because the result tends to be a bit more sweet and a bit less healthy? I do love sweet and unhealthy things....
Last night I made some chocolate chip cookies from scratch, using the recipe on the back of the Nestle Toll House chocolate chip bag. I feel like that recipe never fails me, and I love the excuse to break out the KitchenAid mixer in all her Ice Blue glory. We have a pretty petite kitchen with limited counter space, so one of the keys to baking cookies without losing my mind (and all of my counter space) has been this:
We registered for this baby when we got married, and for a measley $9.99, dare I say, it has made baking in a small kitchen so much more pleasant. I kind of want another set so I can bake double-batches of yumminess and just keep stacking up :) (And by the way, my cookies look way better than those pictured above.)
While not handy for baking, my two other favorite inexpensive kitchen items are:
I have the worst time opening jars (small hands, overall wimpiness) and this little gadget is amazing. It's great for jars of any size, and it has not failed me yet!
Our oven doesn't have the sort of handle where we could hang towels, so we have two of these and they're awesome at making our kitchen look somewhat organized (or at least like not-a-complete-mess).
What are your favorite little things that make your experience in the kitchen more pleasant?
September 2, 2009
jewelry stands
I am in a constant battle with my jewelry. I don't have a ton of jewelry, but I can never seem to find the best way to store what I do have and it always ends up being a cluttered mess. I bought myself a cheap-o jewelry box at Target a few years ago, but it is no longer doing the trick and I am on the hunt for a better (and prettier) storage solution. I am loving these jewelry stands that save space by taking advantage of height.
I don't love the price tag of that last one, but now that I think about it, it's something I could definitely replicate myself with a little creativity and some fun vintage dishes. Let me add that to my list of 472 DIY projects I plan to tacke soon! ;-)
I don't love the price tag of that last one, but now that I think about it, it's something I could definitely replicate myself with a little creativity and some fun vintage dishes. Let me add that to my list of 472 DIY projects I plan to tacke soon! ;-)
May 27, 2009
are you an unclutterer?
I love this post from Unclutterer. It's a nice reminder that not all clutter is physical "stuff" (although the physical "stuff" is definitely my biggest clutter hurdle). Go ahead... read it... I'll wait.
I always say that I am an organized person stuck inside a disorganized person's body... I am such a slob/lazy bum by nature in many ways, but I have become such an OCD nut in other ways. I ALWAYS had a messy room when I was younger, and I still acquire piles of randomness throughout our apartment pretty often; yet, I can't function at work until everything on my desk is organized and in its place, my web browser has the necessary tabs open (different Basecamp tabs for our different companies), I have read every new email in my inbox, and I have a nice to-do list set up for my day. It's almost like all of my organizational tendencies go into my work and there's none leftover for the rest of my life. (I'm weird... I know.)
These days, I'm trying to pinpoint what aspects of my life have too much clutter and I'm striving to rid the rest of my life (and our space) of clutter; I definitely feel a lot calmer and happier when there is less clutter surrounding me. It would also be great if when we're ready to move into a house, we can pack up everything in our apartment knowing that it's actually useful to us because we've already weeded out the junk. That's the goal, at least... we'll see how it goes!
What are your clutter habits?
I always say that I am an organized person stuck inside a disorganized person's body... I am such a slob/lazy bum by nature in many ways, but I have become such an OCD nut in other ways. I ALWAYS had a messy room when I was younger, and I still acquire piles of randomness throughout our apartment pretty often; yet, I can't function at work until everything on my desk is organized and in its place, my web browser has the necessary tabs open (different Basecamp tabs for our different companies), I have read every new email in my inbox, and I have a nice to-do list set up for my day. It's almost like all of my organizational tendencies go into my work and there's none leftover for the rest of my life. (I'm weird... I know.)
These days, I'm trying to pinpoint what aspects of my life have too much clutter and I'm striving to rid the rest of my life (and our space) of clutter; I definitely feel a lot calmer and happier when there is less clutter surrounding me. It would also be great if when we're ready to move into a house, we can pack up everything in our apartment knowing that it's actually useful to us because we've already weeded out the junk. That's the goal, at least... we'll see how it goes!
What are your clutter habits?
May 19, 2009
dreamy office
I dream of someday having a home office/art studio/inspiration space as organized as this one.
February 11, 2009
My 101 in 1001
I mentioned this challenge back in December, and I finally {FINALLY!} finished creating my 101 in 1001. I'm really excited about this, because I am the type of person who functions very well when I'm following a "to do" list. When I don't have a list, I don't know where to begin, no matter how much I want/have to do. Hopefully this list will keep me motivated to keep doing and learning and growing. I'll continue to update this post as I complete tasks (and I'll link to it in a sidebar for easy reference, if you're interested in keeping up with my progress!).
I'm back-tracking a bit on my start date, since I had many items in place weeks ago, and I completed a few tasks while I was working to finish the list. Here's the lowdown, taken from the lovely Kate at Pretty Damn Fabulous, who first brought my attention to this great idea... you can also learn about the project here.
The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.
The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).
Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.
Start Date: January 1, 2009
End Date: September 28, 2011
Bold/italicized - Completed Item
Strikethrough - Replaced Item (see end of post for replacements)
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Get Artsy
1. Take a Sewing Class
2. Sew a pillow
3. Design a Gocco wall print, just for fun (September 18, 2009)
4. Create/buy art for above the bed (January, 2010)
5. Paint mirror frames in the stairway (May 5, 2009)
6. Make a new scarf with the yarn I already have
7. Set up an Etsy store (April 18, 2009)
8. Sell something on Etsy (May 2, 2009)
9. Create rehearsal dinner albums for parents
10. Create wedding albums for parents (December, 2009)
11. Create Blurb album of Weddingbee posts
12. Create a shadowbox of wedding mementos
13. Create a scrapbook of RSVP cards, well wishes, postcards, etc.
Get Cultured
14. Read 5 non-fiction books (1/5)
15. Read 10 books of my own choosing (3/10)
16. Organize or participate in a book group
17. Watch all of AFI's top 100 movies (2007 list) (31/100)
18. Go to the ballet
19. Go to the orchestra
20. Attend a live music performance of someone I don't know who is not famous
21. Attend a play in the city (Philadelphia) (The Lion King, April 13, 2010)
22. See a Tony Award winning musical on Broadway (In The Heights, Feb. 19, 2009)
23. Attend a play at the local theatre (Media, PA)
24. Attend a concert of someone famous whom I’ve never seen before (June 12, 2009 - Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood)
Get Deep
25. Go to a movie alone
26. Identify 100 things that make me happy (0/100)
27. Identify 25 things I like about myself (0/25)
28. Go to a coffee shop with a book and enjoy the afternoon solo
Get Domestic
29. Take a cooking class (September 9, 2009)
30. Make dinner at least 3 nights a week, two weeks in a row
31. Make pizelles with Nana's recipe
32. Make home made ice cream
33. Host a party for friends
34. Take a cake decorating class
35. Decorate a cake (or cupcakes) for a loved one's birthday (October 4, 2009)
36. Take lunch to work everyday for two weeks (Jan. 2009)
37. Try 30 new recipes (6/30)
38. Have fresh flowers at home for 4 weeks (4/4)
Get Geeky
39. Set up personal blog with modified template to my specifications (Jan. 2009)
40. Finish wedding recaps on Weddingbee (September 15, 2009)
41. Take an Illustrator brush-up class/seminar
42. Create a project completely in InDesign (was trained in Quark!) (December, 2009)
Get Healthy
43. Lose 7 pounds (1.5/7)
44. Take a dance class
45. Try two new classes at the gym
46. Drink 8 glasses of water daily for 3 weeks (0/21)
47. Try three new OnDemand fitness routines (2/3)
48. Wear a bikini on a NJ beach (July 2010)
49. Floss every day for a month (30/30)
50. Eat fruit every day for a week (0/7)
51. Work out three times a week, two weeks in a row (February 2010)
Get Organized
52. Sell wedding items that are no longer needed (Jan. 2009)
53. Clean and vacuum inside of car and get storage systems for items in car
54. Organize family and friend's birthdays in one place
55. Buy/make birthday cards and greeting cards to have on-hand and send
56. Organize jewelry with a new storage system (September 27, 2009)
57. Clean tarnished jewelry
58. De-clutter the bedroom (January, 2010)
59. Solve MacMail alias problem (March, 2009)
60. Finish HTAC photo album
61. Legally change my name (June 12, 2009)
62. Change name on credit cards, etc. (June, 2009)
63. Get a new passport
64. Back up all digital images from 2008 and earlier onto disc (Feb. 6, 2009)
Get Covered
65. get AAA membership (Jan. 2009)
66. get life insurance
67. write a will (and make husband write one, too)
Get Rich (or at least get my finances in better order)
68. have checks printed under joint account
69. have portion of direct deposit automatically entered into joint account
70. set up BillPayer under joint account
71. get free credit report — cancel any dormant accounts
72. set up 401K
73. transfer old 401K into new one
74. Create a financial plan with the hubby
75. Set up PayPal to be able to receive payments (April 2, 2009)
76. Put money in savings each month (at least $50) (13/32)
77. Put $5 in savings for each completed task and $10 for every uncompleted one
Get Generous
78. Pay 10 strangers compliments (0/10)
79. Purge and donate old clothes from closets at least three times (3/3)
80. Volunteer for the MAC (Media Arts Council)
81. Pay for the person behind me at a toll or drive thru
82. Serve food at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter
83. Send 12 cards or letters for no reason at all (0/12)
Get Social
84. Mail Christmas Cards out before Christmas
85. Make plans with a new friend (March 4, 2009)
86. Call one faraway friend a week for 6 weeks (0/6)
87. Have a girl's night once every other month (8/16)
88. Plan a surprise birthday party
89. Have a dinner date with my husband once a month (16/32)
90. Have a double-date with friends once every other month (8/16)
Get Stuff
91. Buy a digital SLR camera
92. Buy a home
Get Adventurous
93. go to Chicago (May 12-15, 2009)
94. Go to a taping of Oprah
95. Go to Las Vegas (March 4-7, 2010)
96. Take a vacation outside of the US
97. Stand outside of the Today show on a weekday morning (and meet Matt Lauer) (Feb. 20, 2009)
98. Go to NJ to take glass-blowing class (wedding gift) (September 5, 2009)
99. Take a Mother Daughter Trip (NYC, Feb. 18-21, 2009)
100. Take a girls only trip (Las Vegas, March 4-7, 2010)
101. Take a completely impulsive, spur of the moment road trip with husband
Additions/replacements - 2010
6. start a business (April 2010)
45. run a 5K race
53. write a manuscript (and submit to publishers)
77. attend Altitude Design Summit
81. attend a Making Things Happen seminar with Lara Casey
I'm back-tracking a bit on my start date, since I had many items in place weeks ago, and I completed a few tasks while I was working to finish the list. Here's the lowdown, taken from the lovely Kate at Pretty Damn Fabulous, who first brought my attention to this great idea... you can also learn about the project here.
The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.
The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).
Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.
Start Date: January 1, 2009
End Date: September 28, 2011
Bold/italicized - Completed Item
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Get Artsy
1. Take a Sewing Class
2. Sew a pillow
3. Design a Gocco wall print, just for fun (September 18, 2009)
4. Create/buy art for above the bed (January, 2010)
5. Paint mirror frames in the stairway (May 5, 2009)
7. Set up an Etsy store (April 18, 2009)
8. Sell something on Etsy (May 2, 2009)
9. Create rehearsal dinner albums for parents
10. Create wedding albums for parents (December, 2009)
11. Create Blurb album of Weddingbee posts
12. Create a shadowbox of wedding mementos
13. Create a scrapbook of RSVP cards, well wishes, postcards, etc.
Get Cultured
14. Read 5 non-fiction books (1/5)
15. Read 10 books of my own choosing (3/10)
16. Organize or participate in a book group
17. Watch all of AFI's top 100 movies (2007 list) (31/100)
18. Go to the ballet
19. Go to the orchestra
20. Attend a live music performance of someone I don't know who is not famous
21. Attend a play in the city (Philadelphia) (The Lion King, April 13, 2010)
22. See a Tony Award winning musical on Broadway (In The Heights, Feb. 19, 2009)
23. Attend a play at the local theatre (Media, PA)
24. Attend a concert of someone famous whom I’ve never seen before (June 12, 2009 - Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood)
Get Deep
25. Go to a movie alone
26. Identify 100 things that make me happy (0/100)
27. Identify 25 things I like about myself (0/25)
28. Go to a coffee shop with a book and enjoy the afternoon solo
Get Domestic
29. Take a cooking class (September 9, 2009)
30. Make dinner at least 3 nights a week, two weeks in a row
31. Make pizelles with Nana's recipe
32. Make home made ice cream
33. Host a party for friends
34. Take a cake decorating class
35. Decorate a cake (or cupcakes) for a loved one's birthday (October 4, 2009)
36. Take lunch to work everyday for two weeks (Jan. 2009)
37. Try 30 new recipes (6/30)
38. Have fresh flowers at home for 4 weeks (4/4)
Get Geeky
39. Set up personal blog with modified template to my specifications (Jan. 2009)
40. Finish wedding recaps on Weddingbee (September 15, 2009)
41. Take an Illustrator brush-up class/seminar
42. Create a project completely in InDesign (was trained in Quark!) (December, 2009)
Get Healthy
43. Lose 7 pounds (1.5/7)
44. Take a dance class
46. Drink 8 glasses of water daily for 3 weeks (0/21)
47. Try three new OnDemand fitness routines (2/3)
48. Wear a bikini on a NJ beach (July 2010)
49. Floss every day for a month (30/30)
50. Eat fruit every day for a week (0/7)
51. Work out three times a week, two weeks in a row (February 2010)
Get Organized
52. Sell wedding items that are no longer needed (Jan. 2009)
54. Organize family and friend's birthdays in one place
55. Buy/make birthday cards and greeting cards to have on-hand and send
56. Organize jewelry with a new storage system (September 27, 2009)
57. Clean tarnished jewelry
58. De-clutter the bedroom (January, 2010)
59. Solve MacMail alias problem (March, 2009)
60. Finish HTAC photo album
61. Legally change my name (June 12, 2009)
62. Change name on credit cards, etc. (June, 2009)
63. Get a new passport
64. Back up all digital images from 2008 and earlier onto disc (Feb. 6, 2009)
Get Covered
65. get AAA membership (Jan. 2009)
66. get life insurance
67. write a will (and make husband write one, too)
Get Rich (or at least get my finances in better order)
68. have checks printed under joint account
69. have portion of direct deposit automatically entered into joint account
70. set up BillPayer under joint account
71. get free credit report — cancel any dormant accounts
72. set up 401K
73. transfer old 401K into new one
74. Create a financial plan with the hubby
75. Set up PayPal to be able to receive payments (April 2, 2009)
76. Put money in savings each month (at least $50) (13/32)
Get Generous
78. Pay 10 strangers compliments (0/10)
79. Purge and donate old clothes from closets at least three times (3/3)
80. Volunteer for the MAC (Media Arts Council)
82. Serve food at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter
83. Send 12 cards or letters for no reason at all (0/12)
Get Social
84. Mail Christmas Cards out before Christmas
85. Make plans with a new friend (March 4, 2009)
86. Call one faraway friend a week for 6 weeks (0/6)
87. Have a girl's night once every other month (8/16)
88. Plan a surprise birthday party
89. Have a dinner date with my husband once a month (16/32)
90. Have a double-date with friends once every other month (8/16)
Get Stuff
91. Buy a digital SLR camera
92. Buy a home
Get Adventurous
93. go to Chicago (May 12-15, 2009)
94. Go to a taping of Oprah
95. Go to Las Vegas (March 4-7, 2010)
96. Take a vacation outside of the US
97. Stand outside of the Today show on a weekday morning (and meet Matt Lauer) (Feb. 20, 2009)
98. Go to NJ to take glass-blowing class (wedding gift) (September 5, 2009)
99. Take a Mother Daughter Trip (NYC, Feb. 18-21, 2009)
100. Take a girls only trip (Las Vegas, March 4-7, 2010)
101. Take a completely impulsive, spur of the moment road trip with husband
Additions/replacements - 2010
6. start a business (April 2010)
45. run a 5K race
53. write a manuscript (and submit to publishers)
77. attend Altitude Design Summit
81. attend a Making Things Happen seminar with Lara Casey
February 8, 2009
an uncluttered life
One of the "adventures in adulthood" that I've been really working on has been de-cluttering my life. I have always, always been a pack-rat. For as long as I can remember, I have saved ticket stubs, notes from friends, birthday cards, clothes that I associate with a particular day, etc. More often than not, these things get buried away for years, behind more clutter, and become all but forgotten.
When I went away to college, I brought way more stuff than I needed, even though I was only a 45-minute drive from home (or a UPS package away from anything I may have suddenly needed). Photo albums, all four high school yearbooks, nick-nacks from friends, clothes I'd never wear, etc. I probably barely even glanced at half of the photo albums I brought, but I was so attached to my memories that I needed them there with me, even in a 10' x 10' cinderblock cell that they got away with calling a "dorm room" that I shared with another person.
When my mom sold my childhood home five years ago, there was an overwhelming amount of stuff that had to be cleared out of my old bedroom. I threw out a lot, but eventually I was so overwhelmed (and emotional) that I just boxed up whatever was left and moved it to her new basement. Over the last few years, I've tried to slowly go through those plastic bins filled with my youth and weed out the things that just aren't important anymore. Some things, I don't even remember why I saved them; other things I still associate a memory with, but then I have to ask myself if throwing out whatever token I have kept all these years will help me remember the memory any more clearly? The majority of the time, the answer is no.
I have really learned to reevaluate why I save things, and I've learned to get rid of clutter before it consumes my space (and my life). Nick has helped me with this; he often gets frustrated, but I try to remind him of how far I've come, and he reminds me when something isn't worth keeping. The apartment that we have now shared for two and a half years was solely mine for two years before he moved in. I had more clutter filling up this apartment during that time than two of us have now, so I think that proves that I've come a long way.
Instead of once or twice a year, I now go through my closet every few months to get rid of any clothes that I don't wear anymore (we donate old clothes to the Salvation Army). Recently I finally got rid of the pants that I wore on my first date with Nick. I probably hadn't worn them since the fall we met five years ago. Isn't that ridiculous? It's as if for the last five years, those pants signified to me how far our relationship has come. Well, my husband is sitting right next to me now, so I think that's a pretty good symbol of how far we've come. Bye bye, pants. (However, I do still have the Violet Beauregard Halloween costume I was wearing the night we met. There are some things I will always be attached to!)
I buy a lot fewer magazines these days than I used to, but now the only ones I save are Real Simple (and if there are interesting articles in other magazines, I'm starting a binder with items I'd like to keep for reference). Any books that I have already read (or haven't read and I have realized that I never will) get donated to the used book store down the street. (Unfortunately, this just closed last week, which I'm really sad about. They only accepted books in excellent condition, and every book was $2 to purchase. They were in such condition that you always felt like you were getting a brand new book for $2.) When my birthday or Christmas is coming up, I ask for things I need or really, really want so I won't end up with a bunch of stuff that just sits around taking up space (and was a waste of someone's money.... I hate knowing that someone spent their money on something that I'll never use).
Last weekend, we spent a good amount of time cleaning/purging, and I finished packing up the last of some wedding items that I sold through the Weddingbee Classifieds. Since last weekend, I have been in a noticeably more upbeat mood when I am at home at night and on the weekends. I feel more relaxed and a lot less overwhelmed. I feel more inspired to start little projects because I have a tidy space in which to work on them. It really makes a huge difference to live in an uncluttered space. Today I discovered Unclutterer.com, a great blog with daily tips on organizing your home and work space, which I'm going to bookmark to help me stay uncluttered.
Do you struggle with being a pack-rat, or do you live a minimalistic lifestyle? How do you decide when something is worth keeping and when it is just taking up space?
When I went away to college, I brought way more stuff than I needed, even though I was only a 45-minute drive from home (or a UPS package away from anything I may have suddenly needed). Photo albums, all four high school yearbooks, nick-nacks from friends, clothes I'd never wear, etc. I probably barely even glanced at half of the photo albums I brought, but I was so attached to my memories that I needed them there with me, even in a 10' x 10' cinderblock cell that they got away with calling a "dorm room" that I shared with another person.
When my mom sold my childhood home five years ago, there was an overwhelming amount of stuff that had to be cleared out of my old bedroom. I threw out a lot, but eventually I was so overwhelmed (and emotional) that I just boxed up whatever was left and moved it to her new basement. Over the last few years, I've tried to slowly go through those plastic bins filled with my youth and weed out the things that just aren't important anymore. Some things, I don't even remember why I saved them; other things I still associate a memory with, but then I have to ask myself if throwing out whatever token I have kept all these years will help me remember the memory any more clearly? The majority of the time, the answer is no.
I have really learned to reevaluate why I save things, and I've learned to get rid of clutter before it consumes my space (and my life). Nick has helped me with this; he often gets frustrated, but I try to remind him of how far I've come, and he reminds me when something isn't worth keeping. The apartment that we have now shared for two and a half years was solely mine for two years before he moved in. I had more clutter filling up this apartment during that time than two of us have now, so I think that proves that I've come a long way.
Instead of once or twice a year, I now go through my closet every few months to get rid of any clothes that I don't wear anymore (we donate old clothes to the Salvation Army). Recently I finally got rid of the pants that I wore on my first date with Nick. I probably hadn't worn them since the fall we met five years ago. Isn't that ridiculous? It's as if for the last five years, those pants signified to me how far our relationship has come. Well, my husband is sitting right next to me now, so I think that's a pretty good symbol of how far we've come. Bye bye, pants. (However, I do still have the Violet Beauregard Halloween costume I was wearing the night we met. There are some things I will always be attached to!)
I buy a lot fewer magazines these days than I used to, but now the only ones I save are Real Simple (and if there are interesting articles in other magazines, I'm starting a binder with items I'd like to keep for reference). Any books that I have already read (or haven't read and I have realized that I never will) get donated to the used book store down the street. (Unfortunately, this just closed last week, which I'm really sad about. They only accepted books in excellent condition, and every book was $2 to purchase. They were in such condition that you always felt like you were getting a brand new book for $2.) When my birthday or Christmas is coming up, I ask for things I need or really, really want so I won't end up with a bunch of stuff that just sits around taking up space (and was a waste of someone's money.... I hate knowing that someone spent their money on something that I'll never use).
Last weekend, we spent a good amount of time cleaning/purging, and I finished packing up the last of some wedding items that I sold through the Weddingbee Classifieds. Since last weekend, I have been in a noticeably more upbeat mood when I am at home at night and on the weekends. I feel more relaxed and a lot less overwhelmed. I feel more inspired to start little projects because I have a tidy space in which to work on them. It really makes a huge difference to live in an uncluttered space. Today I discovered Unclutterer.com, a great blog with daily tips on organizing your home and work space, which I'm going to bookmark to help me stay uncluttered.
Do you struggle with being a pack-rat, or do you live a minimalistic lifestyle? How do you decide when something is worth keeping and when it is just taking up space?
January 12, 2009
Goodbye, Martha. May we meet again someday.
Don't get me wrong — I love me some Martha Stewart. The woman has created an enterprise solely based on domestic goodness. But when I was subscribed to Martha Stewart Living a while ago, I couldn't help but feel completely inadequate every time I would read through an issue. Ideas for the large home and sprawling garden I don't have... recipes chock full of ingredients I've never heard of and probably will never use... and "good things" that I'll never get around to doing. I didn't renew my subscription, and instead found myself loving her Blueprint magazine a whole lot more — it was more geared towards the twenty-something crowd, and most of the ideas felt a lot more attainable to me.
Then, of course, Blueprint went kaput (one downside of the Martha enterprise is that if something doesn't do well immediately, bub-bye it goes); since I had just subscribed to Blueprint and would no longer be receiving the issues that I paid for, they decided to send me Martha Stewart Living in its place, which I'm still receiving. Gah. And yet, as much as they make me feel inadequate, I still hoard them, "just in case" they'll come in handy someday.
While cleaning the apartment last night, I found that I have 22 issues of MSL taking up space in our home, and I just. can't. take it. anymore. Yes, maybe in ten years I'll have a lot more use for Martha's recipes and gardening pointers, but I'll go out and buy new issues then. There is no reason for me to hold onto these piles of paper that are doing me no good and just making me feel like a crappy excuse for a grown-up.
What I have decided to do is spend a little time going through and cutting out a few of the "good things," recipes, and articles that may actually prove to be useful to me, and start a small binder with these ideas. It's something I've always wanted to do with interesting articles I've come across, but I've never gotten around to doing it. It will take up a lot less space, and all of these magazines wouldn't have gone to complete waste.
Unless anyone else has any good ideas for how to keep these ideas organized (anyone?), I think I'll get started tonight. Nick will be so excited that I'm freeing up some space around here. I'll have to go buy some new magazines now ;-)
Then, of course, Blueprint went kaput (one downside of the Martha enterprise is that if something doesn't do well immediately, bub-bye it goes); since I had just subscribed to Blueprint and would no longer be receiving the issues that I paid for, they decided to send me Martha Stewart Living in its place, which I'm still receiving. Gah. And yet, as much as they make me feel inadequate, I still hoard them, "just in case" they'll come in handy someday.
While cleaning the apartment last night, I found that I have 22 issues of MSL taking up space in our home, and I just. can't. take it. anymore. Yes, maybe in ten years I'll have a lot more use for Martha's recipes and gardening pointers, but I'll go out and buy new issues then. There is no reason for me to hold onto these piles of paper that are doing me no good and just making me feel like a crappy excuse for a grown-up.
What I have decided to do is spend a little time going through and cutting out a few of the "good things," recipes, and articles that may actually prove to be useful to me, and start a small binder with these ideas. It's something I've always wanted to do with interesting articles I've come across, but I've never gotten around to doing it. It will take up a lot less space, and all of these magazines wouldn't have gone to complete waste.
Unless anyone else has any good ideas for how to keep these ideas organized (anyone?), I think I'll get started tonight. Nick will be so excited that I'm freeing up some space around here. I'll have to go buy some new magazines now ;-)
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