I'm a fairly good organizer when I want to be, but I usually just delay getting stuff done. Hence why it took me until March to go through the Christmas cards and put up the pictures. (And hence why it took me so long to get me and my mom's Etsy store up and running.)
I'm pretty sure I've said this before on this blog, but recently I have been trying to simplify my life. I'm slowly, but surely, decluttering everything. And I mean everything. From my clothes, to nick-knacks, even the activities J and I do. I've been listing many of my books and some DVDs on H*lf dot com. I've pulled piles of stuff out of various stashes to donate. I have a bunch of clothes to get ready for the children's consignment sale I participate in (even though J JUST turned two). I have many more "thing" things to list on e-b a y. If it is just sitting around, not being used here, perhaps there is someone out there who can use my various "things".
I've been following a fellow adoptive parent whom I "met" on one of the adoption internet boards I browse. She lives very simply, but she said it took her two or more years to get there. She has been giving advise on the board and then re-posting said advise to a blog, so that others can benefit. One of her greatest wisdom moments for me was the sock drawer. Most people only wear about 1/4 of all the socks they own (the ones that sit on top of the drawer). If you can get rid of half your socks, you will be more likely to wear all of your socks, because you can see them and sort through them easily. Thus you "gain" twice as much socks as you "had" before. (Have 20, typically wear 5, get rid of 10, end up wearing all 10.) Voila, it was a miracle and really simple to do, so it inspired me. :)
Most of it is just stuff, but I'm also trying to simplify my expectations of myself as a mom, wife, and woman.
Before children, I always envisioned myself as a perfect mom. I had 4 years to day dream about being a mom; from the time we first started TTC, then going through fertility work-ups and treatment, and finally waiting through the adoption process. That's a lot of time to dream. I would of course do everything right, would always have a clean, perfectly obedient and very talented child, a sparkling clean house, AND have tons of time to continue to pursue my hobbies. Um...... NO! (Well, I don't know about J's talent tendency yet, unless it is picking his nose.) Those day dreams are soooooooo not how it is in real life. I do carve out time to continue some of the things I enjoy the most, such as reading, but it is usually at the sacrifice of something else, (i.e. sleep).
So anyway, that's what I've been doing this week. Neglecting the blog in favor of getting some things done for one of the organizations I'm in charge of. I'm hoping that by finishing the newsletter and various other tasks, it will help simplify that one specific aspect of my life. Right now, I'm in charge of the organization. Literally. If I didn't do anything, nothing for this group would get done. I think I'm actively holding 4 positions on the Board of Officers. Not a good thing for my stress level and it just makes me put it off more and more. The newsletter should have probably gone out in January, so that's why I'm trying to get it done. We are holding "elections," i.e. who wants to volunteer, in May. I'll continue to serve on the Board, but I will do ONE position. I don't really mind which one, but I can not continue to spread myself that thin. This particular organization is something I enjoy having in my life, so I don't want to give it up completely. It is just finding the balance. Living simply.
Breathing!
Time for some deep relaxing yoga breaths now. :)
If you made it through all of that, you deserve a new picture of J. I snapped this with my phone last night at our favorite Indian restaurant. J has war wounds and was very proud of his "mo-mo day-daid" (Elm0 bandaid). He just tripped yesterday, but it was a lot of blood for the size of the scratch. Now I will have to wait even longer to go get his two year old pictures done. Sigh.
4 comments:
After reading this post, I almost feel more organized and decluttered myself! I think this is a good thing to be working toward and I commend you for it and am inspired to do more myself :)
Heidi -
I commend you for this huge endeavor of simplifying. We're attempting the same thing, and I know how hard it can be! Love the pics of J, as always.
I looooove decluttering! Now I'm inspired to do even more :)
I can relate to so much of this post. I, too, was a perfect mama before I became one! Also, I have been going through the house trying to declutter as well. I love the sock drawer example. I'm off to go through my socks!
Cute pic!
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