The day started off slowly. I had so much that I wanted to do but couldn’t work out where to start. So, I looked around at what was in my path. The Really Useful Boxes which are partially empty (as we’ve put most of the decorations up now) needed to be put in the loft so I took them up there one by one and stacked them nicely.

I then focused on what was in my way in the study. The first things I wanted to get out of there was the mattress which I propped up in the hallway. It needs to be sold with the divan base or given away so I advertised it on Facebook Marketplace. I might store both parts in plastic in the garage in the meantime.

Once it was out of my way I was able to start clearing the build up of stuff in the rest of the room. I got a little way through it but I was getting a bit fed up as I didn’t know where to store some of the things we want. I sat down and looked around knowing that my attempts at tidying the room weren’t really getting anywhere as I was just moving things about. I needed to do something drastic to break the cycle.

Then as if my magic, the book turned up

Stephanie Bennett Vogt’s first book Your Spacious Self has been an inspiration to me. Her second book that I ordered yesterday and want to work through over the next year is called A Year to Clear and it wasn’t meant to turn up until tomorrow. I was so pleased that it turned up early. All I did was read the introduction and it jump started me into clearing.

Imagining a clear desk

I don’t know what came over me. I was sitting on the sofa with the book in my hand and an idea hit me. If I wanted a clear desk, why didn’t I just take everything off it, give it a wipe down and sit at it enjoying the clear space. I could then work out what to do with the rest of the stuff afterwards. Within five minutes, everything was off it and on the floor! It felt so good.

The funny thing is that after I’d done this, I felt so much more motivated to clear the stuff on the floor. It was like I was looking at it in a different light. It’s not all cleared away yet as I had to cook dinner etc., but what it has done has allowed me to get to the desk drawers which I have discovered are still full of my daughter’s stuff. She’s sorting out her new drawers and cupboard at the moment and working out what goes where so I might just box this stuff up for her in the meantime. This will give me three drawers and a small cupboard which I have plans for. I can do that tomorrow if I get time.

I ran out of time to sort out the other items piled up on the floor but at least they are tidy. I then had to vacuum the floor as it hadn’t seen light of day for a while. I do like a clean floor. Sitting back on the sofa, I looked around feeling quite pleased with myself.

It’s starting to feel like a proper room with a purpose and it is so much more spacious and cleaner. If I was still trying to sort out the clutter haphazardly I would never have got this far. The way I see it is that the clear desk space spurred me on. It energised me into moving a few more steps forward today.

The girls walked in and said that I’d done really well which made me feel happy as they don’t usually hold back if they don’t like something. I sat there to write this evening which felt good.

A couple of good movies

We watched two films this evening. Mulan (the non-animated 2020 version) was the first one and then we watched A California Christmas. Both were really good and I actually didn’t fall asleep through either of them which makes a change!

Time to get some sleep now though.

Until tomorrow…

Sandra