The Chinese, while an atheistic society shunning foolish beliefs, are very superstitious. One of their many superstitions that they dare not break involves cleaning and the New Year. Prior to the New Year, you are supposed to clean every nook and crany of your residence, so you won't carry any old germs/dirt/baggage into the new year. Considering the lack of great cleaning supplies and the fact the area I lived in was desert with frequent dust storms that piled an inch of dust up under the door and window frames, I found that idea crazy, futile and pointless.
But for some reason I found myself thinking about that this holiday season. I normally push myself beyond exhaustion right before we leave on a trip trying to clean the house (don't ask me why). This year I made sure the laundry was done, and that was it. Yep. I left my house with wheelchair dirt tracks and dust. And no one cared at all (well, except for maybe me...a little).
I began jotting out a list of housework items that I need/want to do. It's title "January", and my goal is to actually finish those items before the month is out. One of them was actually putting up Christmas decorations, and thankfully that was done as of last night. I don't know how many things are on my list, but I do know that I had to cut myself off or the list would never ever be completed.
One of the things I've been working on in stages (cleaning out the pantry), and have made it down to the topmost and bottommost shelves. This morning I had a few errands to run in North Raleigh, so I made a brief stop at The Container Store to get two shelves to help arrange the rest of the mess.
The Container Store has to be one of the most wonderful places in Raleigh. I think it might even rank higher than a bookstore and a quilt store, both of which are very high on my list of fantastic places. I was thankful I had very limited amount of time, a budget, and a very specified need or I might not have ever gotten out of there.
A few years ago I made out a list for each month of projects that I wanted to do for the year. It stressed me out a little (because I actually published it on the blog as a sidebar), but I found at the end of the year I actually got quite a few things done. I don't think I'm going to publish the list this year, but I do think listing my projects helps me get them done a little faster. If nothing else, it may actually help me FINISH a project (as opposed to cleaning half of the pantry and then half of the medicine cabinet and taking down part of the Christmas decorations) just so I can cross it off my list.
I plan to plod through my list of projects that I've plotted out for this year. I don't plan to break any records for speed, but I do hope to feel a tad bit more organized in life, even if that means cutting back/out some activities. 2014 may not have gotten off with the start I had hoped for, but I am pleased that I finally feel well enough to get something done!
But for some reason I found myself thinking about that this holiday season. I normally push myself beyond exhaustion right before we leave on a trip trying to clean the house (don't ask me why). This year I made sure the laundry was done, and that was it. Yep. I left my house with wheelchair dirt tracks and dust. And no one cared at all (well, except for maybe me...a little).
I began jotting out a list of housework items that I need/want to do. It's title "January", and my goal is to actually finish those items before the month is out. One of them was actually putting up Christmas decorations, and thankfully that was done as of last night. I don't know how many things are on my list, but I do know that I had to cut myself off or the list would never ever be completed.
One of the things I've been working on in stages (cleaning out the pantry), and have made it down to the topmost and bottommost shelves. This morning I had a few errands to run in North Raleigh, so I made a brief stop at The Container Store to get two shelves to help arrange the rest of the mess.
The Container Store has to be one of the most wonderful places in Raleigh. I think it might even rank higher than a bookstore and a quilt store, both of which are very high on my list of fantastic places. I was thankful I had very limited amount of time, a budget, and a very specified need or I might not have ever gotten out of there.
A few years ago I made out a list for each month of projects that I wanted to do for the year. It stressed me out a little (because I actually published it on the blog as a sidebar), but I found at the end of the year I actually got quite a few things done. I don't think I'm going to publish the list this year, but I do think listing my projects helps me get them done a little faster. If nothing else, it may actually help me FINISH a project (as opposed to cleaning half of the pantry and then half of the medicine cabinet and taking down part of the Christmas decorations) just so I can cross it off my list.
I plan to plod through my list of projects that I've plotted out for this year. I don't plan to break any records for speed, but I do hope to feel a tad bit more organized in life, even if that means cutting back/out some activities. 2014 may not have gotten off with the start I had hoped for, but I am pleased that I finally feel well enough to get something done!
Comments