Spring has sprung. I can tell not by the robins that are pecking for worms in the backyard, but because of the urge I have to clean and organize. To clean and organize places I don’t seem to get to like the playroom studio. To clean and organize rooms that are the catch all for cleaning frenzies when company comes like my bedroom. To clean and organize the flat file otherwise known as the dining room table.
That urge struck this morning. Well, it’s tried to strike before this morning, but the chaos of the playroom studio is so overwhelming, I tend to give up before I start. There is so much to do, and so little time to do it in along with other tasks that need more attention.
Last night, I was surfing the web for tips on organizing photographs. There are boxes of photographs that are just begging to be put into order too. Where to begin? One site remarked how you didn’t take your photographs over night. Break up the task into a manageable chunk of time. Light bulb!
This morning I decided to tackle one small area of the playroom studio. (Btw, most of the mess down here is mine.) I set a timer for 30 minutes and tackled the boxes that hold scrap paper, fine paper, paper making equipment, paper marbling equipment, Fimo clay equipment and so on. I’m a very organized person, I just don’t put my toys away.
Something I need to work on so I’m not faced with an overwhelming task in a few months.
Lots of stuff that had been living on the floor, got pitched. I fought the urge to hoard. I silenced the little voice screaming “But you might need that!” Nope, in the trash. I figured if it was on the floor, and it had been living on the floor for awhile, then I didn’t really need it or want it.
Thirty minutes passed by quickly, and I was surprised I had made quite a little dent. I even worked over the time limit just so one area would be complete. I look at the neatly stacked boxes and I’m filled with pride. Bravo Zulo. Job well done. Over all the room is still a disaster, but if I stick with the thirty minute routine, I know I can do it and get this place squared away.
What’s your cleaning style? Are you immaculate? Do you clean in a frenzy every few months? Any tips or hints to share?
That urge struck this morning. Well, it’s tried to strike before this morning, but the chaos of the playroom studio is so overwhelming, I tend to give up before I start. There is so much to do, and so little time to do it in along with other tasks that need more attention.
Last night, I was surfing the web for tips on organizing photographs. There are boxes of photographs that are just begging to be put into order too. Where to begin? One site remarked how you didn’t take your photographs over night. Break up the task into a manageable chunk of time. Light bulb!
This morning I decided to tackle one small area of the playroom studio. (Btw, most of the mess down here is mine.) I set a timer for 30 minutes and tackled the boxes that hold scrap paper, fine paper, paper making equipment, paper marbling equipment, Fimo clay equipment and so on. I’m a very organized person, I just don’t put my toys away.
Something I need to work on so I’m not faced with an overwhelming task in a few months.
Lots of stuff that had been living on the floor, got pitched. I fought the urge to hoard. I silenced the little voice screaming “But you might need that!” Nope, in the trash. I figured if it was on the floor, and it had been living on the floor for awhile, then I didn’t really need it or want it.
Thirty minutes passed by quickly, and I was surprised I had made quite a little dent. I even worked over the time limit just so one area would be complete. I look at the neatly stacked boxes and I’m filled with pride. Bravo Zulo. Job well done. Over all the room is still a disaster, but if I stick with the thirty minute routine, I know I can do it and get this place squared away.
What’s your cleaning style? Are you immaculate? Do you clean in a frenzy every few months? Any tips or hints to share?
While I'd love to say my house and yard are immaculate and I'm a fantastic organizer, it would be a total lie.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I do the time thing. If I don't, cleaning expands to fill ALL the time you have available for a chore. Also like you, I pick a section--one closet--on shelf-- one part of a room. Or, if something is looming on the horizon like a family holiday, I take a week just to clean. EAch day I work on one room and superclean. Of course, this means shifting piles from here to there or stashing bags of stuff to be sorted later, but the bottom of the house is presentable.
Photos are my waterloo too. I have thousands of photos and negatives. This year I plan to organize them so I can make scrapbooks for my nieces and nephews.
Of course, you might like the FLY LADY website. She says never go to bed with a dirty kitchen sink.
We usually clean a little every day, and deep clean about once a month. I hate clutter.
ReplyDeleteMy house is mild to moderately cluttered. I have family coming to visit in 3 weeks so THAT has gotten me off my keester to take care of that mild to moderate clutter.
ReplyDeleteMy studio, however, is not conisidered part of my house. At least not by me. I don't like to put away my toys either, so I usually go through like a dervish once a year, b*tching all the way. I've needed to turn into a dervish for a few months now but haven't had a huge chunk of time to devote to it. So I too have been breaking things down 15 to 30 minutes at a time AND I've been putting things away when I'm done with them - what a concept! I'm about 2 hours away from being done and I think I'm just going to bite the bullet & get it done tomorrow.
I became rabidly anti-clutter a few years ago. With rare exception, if it hasn't been used in six months... It's GONE! Course, now when ever the weebles visit, all I hear is, "where is... Why did you..."
ReplyDelete