It’s important for my progress to record how I felt when I walked into the garage today.

• Despair
• Sadness
• Closed in

I think I left it too late in the day to make a start as I wasn’t feeling my usual positive, energetic and motivated self even though I’d had been out for a walk and then had some me-time. We also popped out to get something to eat and go to the shops and it was 4.30pm before I managed to make a start on clearing some space in the garage.

I’ve learnt recently that when I feel overwhelmed, it’s a sign that I need to take a step back and take some time out, rather than force myself to keep going. I sat on my garden swing seat with a cup of tea and couple of biscuits, and switched on an appropriate audio book from my collection called Clutter Busting by Brooks Palmer. Although I’ve listening to it before, the first chapter helped.

I already know from other books that I’ve read that what you see around you is a reflection of how you feel inside your mind. I’m certainly getting better at feeling detached and calm about it all, but I do have set backs now and again. I’m really glad that I have these new skills to hand now.

I remembered my reason for going in the garage today which was to make some room for the following:

• My husband’s easel that’s taking up space in the dining room
• Some stuff that I’ve put aside in the spare room to be stored in the garage.

Clearing space in the house always makes me feel good so I focused on how I would feel after that. It helped. I also called my mum for a chat whilst I was clearing stuff and that helped too.

I moved the easel and box of accessories out of the dining room.

I took the left part of the above picture yesterday just before I sorted the blue basket. I moved the rest of the items out of the corner. I still have a few items in a box to sort out but at least they are not in the dining room.

After I’d finished, I swept the floor and asked my youngest daughter to help me clear the table and move it lengthways.

I feel happy that my dining room is clear and I’m going to do my very best to keep it like this now.

Games night

The clear space on and around the dining room table was like a magnet. My youngest said that she wanted to play a game so I suggested playing the ones that I’d taken out of the games cupboard a couple of weeks ago that are causing clutter upstairs. I’d been waiting for someone to have time to go through to see if we wanted to keep them. We played a few games this evening and made decisions about them. The one that made us laugh the most was Pig Goes Pop.

Although it’s a child’s game, it was fun and I really want to play it round my mum and dad’s house one day when all this craziness is over, and see their faces when the pig goes pop! I just know that my mum will be in fits of laughter.

We’ll work through some of the other games tomorrow and then I’ll do a full post one day on what we kept and what we’re donating or throwing away.

Hope you’ve all had a good Saturday.

Until tomorrow…

Sandra