Less than a month ago I confessed that our lives had gotten out of control. The tax returns hadn’t been filed in almost three years, the junk was piling up and even the dishes seemed to be getting done a little less regularly. Life was winning and beating us down with its stuff to do. Life had gotten messy and we felt it.
Do you know that feeling when you don’t want someone to come to your house because it’s a mess? Or you don’t want to see someone down the street because you still owe them a catch up or some work? That feeling right there makes you wary, on the lookout… Nervous. It hands your power over to someone, if not everyone, else.
It’s just really, really hard to look confident hiding behind a kerbside garbage bin.
When you are kicking life’s butt, instead of the other way around, when there are no pressing issues looming over your head you just feel good. Good about yourself, mostly. Like, yay me, gosh I’m awesome. So we’re going to try and get you there. You’re going to start by making a list. Of everything and anything you have hanging over your head. Writing this I just added burn a CD for my Aunt’s bowls club Christmas party. Because every time I see her I think, oh poo, I still haven’t done that. So get out that pen and paper and start making a list.
- Clean out the closets
- Empty the junk draw
- Vacuum your car
- Ditch that bad friend
- Burn that disc for your Aunt
- Finish your tax return/s
- File those papers
- Return the necklaces I borrowed from my sister
You know, that sort of thing.
I always feel the most confident when I feel on top of things. You will too. And making the list shouldn’t make you hyperventilate or anything. It’s just a list. Some of these things you can do today, or tomorrow. Some might need to be done this week, some this month or this year. Write them all down. Add a little symbol or number for when you’d like to have it done by. Start the list with something you have already accomplished today and cross it off. That helps too.
I bet you feel pretty darn awesome now. Don’t you?
Daily Challenge: Make a messy life hit list and get to work crossing some of those things off. Show us your BIGGEST mess. Own it, you’ll be fine. Haha.
Hi! I’m Suger and I’m the Chief Blogger here. I make stuff for the internet. Which means I take photos, build websites, write copy and create social media plans for people. This is my blog where I share my life and the things that interest me. It’s been living its best life on the interwebs since 2009.
Love this! But if I start writing this list I fear it’ll be pages & pages & pages!
Haha. It might be, or it might not be. Seriously, it’s never as bad on paper as it is in your head. 😉
It’s so crazy this is today’s challenge, I can safely say I have ticked this off the list- complete with polishing (yes wax on wax off) my car! However my husband, not so much. Last night we had a BIG chat about how he needs to start taking more control of his own life after he once again forgot he had to get a hair cut before work today, and I only remembered late at night. I did it- good job actually. But anyway…
It’s great to feel proud when people enter your home, or you pick someone up in your car, or to just not feel like your losing grasp on your life. I never tied this with confidence but you’re so right babe, great challenge!
Excellent! I hope you enjoyed your day off! There really is nothing better than that moment of quiet nothingness that comes from nothing hanging over your head. Enjoy!
I’ve already started doing this – first thing was when I did a wardrobe cull a couple of weeks ago. I threw out basically nearly ALL my clothes bar about 15 items. I’ve felt a lot lighter since. It’s stopped me from standing in front of my wardrobe, going through clothes, complaining I have nothing to wear and wearing the same things all the time. That complaint no longer exists, the time is no longer wasted, I just grab my clothes and go.
We’ve started decluttering at home, getting rid of stuff we don’t need. The dishes are done every night without fail. The washing is up to date. Friday night we got rid of ALL our fish and are selling 3 of our 4 fish tanks – in preparation for our move next year but it feels good to be organised.
x
You absolutely have! That wardrobe clean out was epic. Clean it up and clean it out.
Oh i have been “cleaning” up my life for the past few weeks and feeling so much better for it… Living on campus at uni though, I will def have a big mess photo for you later on today 🙂 xx
Haha. That you did! Well done lady. End of Semester was always really good for cleaning up your life at Uni. It puts the full stop at the end of the year nicely, I think.
This is the sort of list I make on a reasonably regular basis, with little check boxes beside each item so I can tick it off. I like my life under control. The only thing hanging over my head right now is sorting out my i-tunes files, but there’s no rush for that, so I’m doing just a bit every day. Everything of real importance is done daily.
Great advice River, once you get on top of things you really can work through daily or weekly and mark stuff off, none of it becomes overwhelming. Great way to do it I think. I would love to master that.
I’ve been looking at this post most of the day. You’ve hit a nerve I think! I don’t really know what else to say but just wanted to leave you a comment so you know your words are making a difference. 🙂
Thank you for letting me know. It can, I know when I realised I’d done it AGAIN, I’d let the things mount up and they were weighing on me I was so disappointed with myself. So I can say, one hundred percent, that this pushed every button I had to write. To acknowledge that I’d let this one go. Start by writing the list, you’ll feel better. I always do. xo
I’m a lists person. I used to be real good with them but now I write them and lose them or forget about them. Ironic huh?
I am a huge believer in decluttering my surroundings. I know when things are chaotic physically at home there is no way I can calm down inside my head. So it makes me a little OCD? So what. Better than being crippled with anxiety right?
Where I struggle is in time management. I say yes to a lot and want to do so much but in reality I don’t have the time for it all unless I put a couple of balls down and there are some (like my children, their education, house care) that I cannot put down. The gym for example, which is for myself and my family, but also very draining on me that after a hard work out I need to sit down and rest for a bit where I could have used those hours to clean or prepare dinner etc. So my decluttering I guess is having to learn how to work everything into my time or working out what I have to let go.
Time management can be as easy as doing one thing at a time. Tough for a young hot Mumma like yourself sometimes but it’s true. Singular focus works wonders and cuts down the time it takes to do something. Maybe try that. If you’ve got dishes to do, just do them. Only. Same at the gym, get in work hard and get out. Playing with your kids, be 100% present so they get quality time and you don’t have to be there as long {gosh that sounds bad}. Good luck!
I don’t think you ever have to put any balls down if you plan your work and work your plan. And say no when you really can’t fit something in. Tell them you checked your diary and you can’t. Live and die by the diary.
Does all that make sense, it’s hard to do this via a teeny comment box. Haha.
I am going to seriously be ruthless and use my diary next year. I think it will be my resolution. I want to feel less all over the place and exhausted but not having achieved anything when I look back on my day.
Do it. It will literally CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Don’t commit to anything until you’ve checked. Anything, not even a maybe plan. You’ll love it. Promise.
Did you know it takes about three minutes to clear the toys, jackets, and rubbish out of my car? I hate my messy car, yet always put off fixing it, because I ‘don’t have time’. I totally have time!
My to-do list is pretty epic at the moment (hello interstate move in about 10 days!), but you’ve given me the boost to turn it from the scrambled notes all through my master notebook, to one comprehensive list in the binder I’ve been meaning to put together.
3 minutes is all a lot of things take when it comes down to it. Maybe 10… GREAT addition. You are such a resource on these posts Amy, thanks for contributing.
A binder! YES. Great. Good luck with the move.
“It’s just really, really hard to look confident hiding behind a kerbside garbage bin.” SO true. I will make my list and work on it daily.
Soooo true, right!? Haha. Good luck with your list. xo