babystepping

[verbicide]

Well this weekend went by in 5 seconds. I've also decided that I haven't been getting as much stuff done because there's so much to do and I don't know where to start, so I do nothing. Brilliant, huh? Also the whole idea that I can't do anything on a week night because I'm too tuckered out from work is bullshit. So I think I need to start assigning myself very small, reasonable tasks to do each day. And hopefully by next week, I won't feel so behind on everything.

So, for tonight, before going to bed, I need to:

- fold laundry
- tidy the dresser top
- go through dresser for clothing to donate and bag items
- put laundry away
- sweep the master bathroom floor, and put the newly washed bath rugs back down

bonus round:

- tidy the sewing machine top
- make the bed with fresh sheets
- swap sofa and sewing machine table


Some of the tidying is really just reconciling that I need to get rid of knicknacks I don't need.

I know it's 10:30, and it's unlikely I'll get to all of this, but it would be really nice to accomplish some of it.

For tomorrow:

- collect a bag of garbage to take out tomorrow morning (morning)
- French homework
- take dishes out of dishwasher
- load dishwasher
- anything I didn't do from the bonus round for tonight

Comments

[archaica.livejournal.com]

That whole baby steps thing is a good idea. Too bad I never manage to practice it myself!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

It really works well. Otherwise I spin in chaos :)

[archaica.livejournal.com]

I did my laundry yesterday. At this point, that's a full day's work.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Yay! Laundry used to be my most hated task, so I always gave myself extra credit for doing it!

[lietya.livejournal.com]

This seems like a good plan, and I'll weigh in to say it works for me - I tend to keep the lists in my head, but it's the same sort of thing. When you start with "the house is filthy and there are 5,000,000 things to do," you never get the courage to start *anything.*

plus, your baby steps are pretty good. :) Some days, I manage "Dustbuster for 5 minutes"!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

I have to say I deeply admire that you can keep that list in your head. My mind is way too flighty for that. If I don't write it down, it's GONE.

But lists are amazing. And powerful. The lure to cross something off my list overpowers the lure of sitting around doing nothing!

[lietya.livejournal.com]

Lists are great that way!

I can only do it in my head after a few years - you do sort of memorize the basic set of chores eventually. :) (Random stuff like, say, filling out my health savings account claim forms.... well, let's just say I've made a note to myself this morning after week of "meaning" to!)

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Gotcha. And yes--I think I could do that, too. Everything here is still so new, so a lot of my list can still be filed under unpacking.

I used to save up housecleaning for the weekend, but as my weekends have gotten so much busier, I find that doing a room a day makes it so much more manageable. That twenty minutes a night leads to a clean house and guilt free weekends.

I can't believe I'm 34 and just realizing this.

[lietya.livejournal.com]

Heh. I forgot to add that I cheat - I only have to do half the chores, because Shash handles 50%. :) I'd be drowning if I had it all to handle myself, and I'm amazed that you've "figured out" that much!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

It's amazing how much having a second person helps. My college roommate Amy and I would clean on Saturdays (and then reward ourselves with something fun) and it really went by quickly.

And it's really not cheating because you have two-people and five(?)-cats mess to contend with!

[lietya.livejournal.com]

you're right, I had overlooked the "contribution" of four cats and two long-haired people. :) (Did I mention that perhaps our house isn't exactly free of tumbleweeds of hairballs?!) Still, you've got more on your plate overall - and yet more with the unpacking/moving crud still lingering.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

God. Hair. I was sweeping floors last night, and simply wanted to shave my head. It's worse than Hobbsie's fur! It's everywhere!

It will be nice to have things better organized, though I think there are always little projects. There's never a place where it's all done and you have nothing to do! (Or I think that's called Death...)