Making Life Easier

I have been organizing a friend's paperwork. Because I like it. I know that is strange, but she is dealing with a long term medical crisis in her family and she asked me if I could take it over for her for pay. She and I have been friends since college, and there is no one I would rather do this for.

I have enjoyed getting her stuffed chronologically filed and her bills on a schedule to be paid automatically. Dealing with several years' worth of paper has me thinking of the most efficient ways to do this, and it has me dealing with some of my own paper clutter. Photographs are my main paper issue. I have so many that I could never part with --so many in frames and oodles of albums. Space is becoming quite an issue!

I recently purchased an external hard drive and have moved over all photos from my computer. It feels great to have these backed up, but what about all of my pre-digital stuff? Looks like some serious scanning is in my future.

Tonight I was really getting down to the last of the photos and making some decisions about more albums, etc. I have even put several photos of ancestors in an album, all black and whites, names, dates of birth (if I know), and how they are related. Sweet N was right there with me, asking what he could organize. We even moved a little furniture around, placed a few things, and he got into a drawer with cords and electronics. He sorted and untangled these for awhile and did not want to quit! Later he said, "It feels good to be organized, doesn't it? It sorta makes our life easier, right?"

Oh, out of the mouths of babes. But where is that voice when I am tossing random things in a drawer and slamming it shut?Ok, just had to go and scan this one for ya! It is my paternal grandmother (standing, middle) who was the oldest of 5 girls. They posed with their mother for this shot in about 1936. I think each one looks absolutely stunning.

A Clean Slate

Something about the brand-spanking newness of the year has me motivated. I am all “a-swirl” with ideas for home improvement and am excited about a clean slate, about forward progress, and about getting things done. Last year my only goal (I read we should nix the word “resolution” and substitute “goal”--forgot why, but I was compliant) was to read at least one book a month. It was a great goal for me. I tried to alternate between fiction and nonfiction. I’ll let you know the year’s favorites soon.

For something different this year I visited this website (http://www.getorganizedwizard.com/, see Life and Goal organizer) that suggested making 20 “goals”. It doesn’t just leave you hanging there, though, it helps you break them down and send them to dates on the electronic “goals and priorities” and “monthly planner”, which incorporates them into your daily to-do's. Exciting!

Typically, though, I do not get all energetic in January. I prefer summer and fall, and January seems . . . well . . . long. I remember that a friend was helping me rearrange furniture once, which I love to do. We did it early in the year, and it seemed to bring us mutual satisfaction. “There,” she said, “that will get us through January.” Hmm, I wasn’t the only one who did not feel fondly toward the first month. But this year seems different; I don’t want to endure January, I want to accomplish stuff and have fun doing it.

I got out a notebook from a class I took last year, called “Woman on a Mission”. It was a fabulous class that helped me learn so much about myself and my purpose. One exercise (and there were many) that opened my eyes was to simply write down 20 energy drainers. It need not take all day, just sit down and spill it. It could be anything from “the garage” to “not knowing what’s for dinner”. I put “not having easy access to the backyard” and a few other things that have morphed into goals for me. (Help me remember to read my “Boundaries” book again.) There is nothing better than taking an energy drainer and making it work into something positive.

One of my goals this month is to train N to be more responsible for his personal space and for his clean clothes. That will be quite a feat; even though he can do laundry, it takes quite a bit of reminding to get that room into something presentable! And, it gets destroyed in no time flat—not sure what all he does in there. So, I’ll keep you posted on that, and if you have any creative ideas to help me with that room, please share. Do you have any goals for this year?

FLY into the holidays!

Have you heard of the Fly Lady? She is an actual person who lived in c.h.a.o.s. (can't have anyone over syndrome) for a number of years, decided she was not born organized, and decided to find out how people live who ARE born organized. She changed her habits and wrote a book to help those like herself! She also started a very helpful website which will send you emails that remind you to do things like plan dinner. She has got something going on here and I have followed her for several years now. One of the best habits she taught me was to do certain tasks on certain days. For instance, I do laundry on two certain days, grocery shop on Thursday (or Friday), work on checkbook/budget on Wednesday, etc. (I am not committing to the clean- the- house thing on Monday--- haha! But I usually do.)

One great thing she has set up is a Holiday preparation guide. I love it! It helps you do things early so you won’t be stressed out when it gets here. She has a vision of one enjoying oneself during the holidays! If you go here, you will see all kinds of fun ideas. My favorites are the missions and the journal. Just today, I picked up several grocery items that I know I will need in a month, but getting some of it ahead spreads the expense and it makes me feel like I am “on my game”. A great feeling.

I was trying to get my gift ideas list going in my Holiday Control Journal, so I asked my dear N what he might like for Christmas. Considering his souped up, super- testosterone- driven , wrestling, competitive self, can you guess what the first items requested are? “ALL the Rocky movies!” I can only imagine how those would fuel his fire. He seems as though he thinks he might die without them, yet I can see us having to hide them because he will want to punch out everything in sight. I promise we do not feed this! Ted and I are pretty docile and mild creatures. Our older son was not into sports. Yet, this guy seems to live and breathe for any kind of battle of the wills and test of strength. I do not think a few broken noses would slow him down, either. YO, ADRIAN!!!!! I need some help here!