Bogged down

[imtnt]

Ugh! I am getting bogged down in my quest for attaining the HHP! I'm totally caught up and actually a little ahead of the game on the "holiday" part for each week, but I got behind right off the bat for the decluttering. The filing week was a whopper! lol! It took me a good two and a half weeks just to get that part done, which totally put me behind for the rest. (not to mention that I am playing single mom this month with 3 kids, two of which are not in school). So, I started this week with making up for last week's Me and Mine and can say that other than one laundry basket of some fair things to put away and some jam jars to find a place for, that room is decluttered. So, because I skipped another massive task of going through my "creative spaces" which is a huge compilation of scrapbooking supplies and a huge amount of quilting material and projects, I started on that. It has been mentally/emotionally difficult more than task difficult to weed out 80% of it knowing that I'm not going to ever get to it, if I'm being really honest with myself.

Okay, so that was the long drawn out background leading to my ?. How do you keep yourself going over that next decluttering hurdle when you feel like you're getting further behind every day (esp. when there is an emotional element to getting rid of some of the stuff)?

Tips appreciated! I really want to get out from under the burden of all this "stuff". Thanks!

T

 

[luludou]

well, all I can say is every little step counts and what is done is done and hourray for doing that much! :applause: Keep on going, you'll get there!

 

[Snowbelle27]

I think it sounds like you are doing a wonderful job, keep it up. My advice would be is to stick with the plan and work on the week which is current so that it feels as if you are on top of things. Then when you have a spare couple of hours go back to the things which you have fallen behind on. Just remember whatever you acheive is all going to make your Christmas special, and there is always someone here at MHH to support and encourage you.

:flower:

 

[snowlvr]

Well, T I am right there with you! I work full time, so time in the evening is limited between homework, cooking, etc...I agree doing some from the current week is a good thing, and keeping up on the holiday stuff is HUGE, and you are already doing that! the clutter and cleaning out? well, some of it might have to wait until Jan around here :haha: but doing a little when you can, and breaking the job into small bits helps-one night this week, all i could manage was to sort out my dd bookcase, then another night, the old clothes, etc...i have been doing the HHP a couple of years, and each year it gets better..hang in there, but don't stress...you are already ahead!

 

[SpanishRanch]

To get over a hurdle, my best advice would be to spend a few moments thinking about what you're trying to accomplish with the plan and why. Then think about the one task (large or small) that, if it were completed, would cause you to feel like you are making progress. Perhaps that could be where you start. If it is a small task then you can be very proud of your progress when it is completed. If it's a large task, you can be very proud of your progress when you have figured out how to break it into manageable pieces and you have made progress on the first part. This technique works for me! Remember, there is no rule that anyone must be working on holiday prep in September, so anything you get done now is icing on the cake.

My second piece of advice would be to keep in mind that "shoulds" are generally not helpful. If you are fretting because you "should have" done things last week but they didn't get done, then you are exerting energy in a direction that does nothing to help you move forward. In fact, it only hurts your body and soul. If you are doing the tasks that are most important to you and if you are using your time in a way that you think is reasonable (not necessarily "optimal") then you are doing everything right!

 

[ciderjo]

It does get hard doesn't it? I sometimes think I should just throw in the towel, but then I realize I wouldn't be ready for Christmas. My advice would be to sit down if you have a spare minute or two and really list what is important to you, what you want to get done. I've had to re-do a lot of my expectations, examine them and then toss them out the window. They just were not going to work. I'm not cleaning the whole house, but I had decluttering it. The public rooms will get decluttered and cleaned, spruced if they really need it or I feel like it. I decided, that I will definitely concentrate on planning our Christmas, but beyond that, if it gets done so be it, if it doesn't, who cares. HA!
Peace of mind for you might just be the public rooms and your own bedroom and that should be fine for everyone else. Just do what you can, when you can and you will be at least a 100 steps ahead of those who laugh at us because we come here. :-D

 

[MinnieCo]

Just try and at least give it 15minutes. It will add up each week! Something is better then nothing!!

 

[SparkleNana]

Another cheerful thought: January is a great time for a burst of decluttering and organizing. It's the "Make New Year's Resolutions" syndrome. We are going to be taking down Christmas decorations and putting them in storage. This is a great opportunity for a little more cleaning. So, I think we can look forward to some natural inclination to do that.