…and how to work around them.

In Aby Garvey`s organizing class we are tought to acknowledge the roadblocks that keep us from getting organized, and how to work around them.  I had to acknowledge a lot of roadblocks the first time I did this class. Maybe I still believe that being unorganized is a treat I am born with, but at least now I know what to do about that.

Filling in the form once again last night there were only one roadblock left; The fear of failure. Just the thought of doing all this work, spending all this time on getting organized just to find myself in the mess again is enough of a reason to forget the whole thing.

So – my organizing binder is my new bible. Off to clean something…

If so – it will be a good word for Me – The Abridged Version. I think I have lost control. To many things I want to do at the same time. So many enjoyable things to chose from. Today I couldn`t chose so I started cleaning my hall. Good choice. If you are bogged down with clutter and have trouble maintaining order in your home, I highly recommend joining in on Aby Garvey`s  next class starting next Tuesday. The forum is already on a roll.

So –  no scrapbooking today – but here is a layout from Jessica Sprague`s Beautiful Evidence class.

Influences…I love Kolette`s quote; I am my own work in progress – so true.

…is the most difficult thing to handle. And even worse if you are a paper scrapper who loves to take classes. The stacks of paper grows and grows. In the beginning I had to print everything and every paper was put in a binder. I have nine of them. And I have never – ever opened one of them. Maybe I will one day? Or maybe not… But that is not the problem. The binders are stacked in a cabinet and are not hurting anyone. It is the paper that are not in binders that create the problem. Because somewhere in those stacks of paper there are one or two treasures hidden.

I signed up for Aby Garvey`s Paper Clutter class weeks ago but she lost me in the third lesson. I wanted to set up a perfect system for all my papers and made it very difficult for my self. Mistake number one- I gave up without trying. Mistake number two – I didn`t ask for help. Well, I am stupid, but I am not going for mistake number three. With five days to go before the class close – I set the timer and went to work. 

I am not done. Still have a long way to go, but I am making progress. And I have a pretty good idea of how I want my system to work. While the rest of the house is completely decluttered, my work space is not. I did organize my scrap things at the beginning of the year, and that is still working great, but I have been moving things in here for three months without taking action and it shows. Well – that ends now.

Good thing I made my layout for “Beautiful Evidence” early this morning.

Love the beautiful papers Jessica provided us with. Good thing I`m working digital these days…

…with the name I will never learn. Me: The Abridged Version  – I don`t know what it means and I have no idea how to pronounce it. That don`t stop me for signing up for the class at Big Picture Scrapbooking. What ever Cathy is teaching – I want to learn. The workshop is inspired by Amy Krouse Rosenthal`s Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life. Even more words I don`t understand. But I was lucky and found the book in one my book clubs; with a uncertain delivery date…But that is okay, the class don`t start before September.

I spent most of my evening organizing my Master Project List for my new and improved life.

Going over every room writing down how I want to improve them. When I was done I was a little disappointed. I had expected it to be a very long list. It was rather short. So – did I sensor my needs and wants to avoid a lot of work? I think I did.  I have made new list and I am starting over tomorrow!

…or cleaning up my messy lifestyle. Well, cleaning is never waisted. I have totally disinfected my kitchen and I have organized my books so you might say that I have been doing a little of both.

The problem wasn`t the books in the book case, but the mountain of books stashed on top – reaching for the ceiling. Now they are all in place and I have a new problem. Where do I put the new book I brought home with me today?

On the top of the shelves? More shelves? Read the book and recycle? Or move on to other challenges?

Coming home from work today I decided that I needed a nap – that nap lasted for two hours…Was it a good nap? Yes it was! After napping for two hours I felt obligated to clean out the kitchen cabinet I left undone yesterday. Did I know that I owned a gourmet grill? No, I did not. Behind the kitchen machine with all that gear I don`t know how to use, I find a gourmet grill…I can remember having this chat with my brother and his wife a couple of years ago. We discussed which room to use for a scrap room. My sister in law totally agreed with me that the kitchen would be great. It has the best light and it is the nicest room in the house. I don`t cock much or not at all. My brother who loves to cock did not agree and since he is the head of this family – he wins.

Now –sometimes you find surprises that make you happy and feel good. Last weekend when I needed some comfort and pleasure, I found this goodie. (My brother`s if I remember correctly – and no, he is not getting it back).

Today I have been creative in my kitchen cabinets – again. And I am asking myself why I have 10 pans when I almost never cocks – and live in a single household?

Pairing down was a unknown word for me before I joined Get Organized – Be Inspired at Big Picture Scrapbooking earlier this year. It worked fine in my scrap room so it might work in the kitchen cabinets. With all the pairing down and decluttering going on these days I almost feel like I`m on a move. I am not. But it is a good thing to know – that I can travel light if it comes to that.

…even if the evening sun shines through my window right now at bedtime. If I rise and look out the window there is clouds – a lot of clouds out there. My first customer this morning was a German tourist and he had a two year old girl with him – in a tiny skirt, and I have been freezing cold ever since.

I am not done cleaning and decluttering my kitchen yet. I managed to finish the last drawer when I came home from work today. Just two more cabinets to go and I am done. Ready to move forward and that`s a good thing, tomorrow Aby Garvey at Simplify 101 has  a new handout for us.

But – a girl can`t just work…

…and a little anxiety about my Thursday appointment at the dentist inspired today’s entry in “the black book”.

It was a lot easier to poke holes this time around. I had to look close to find the holes I made  last year. I must have been set free. Kidding – I am still grounded.

And I am still cleaning. Trying to decide what small project to choose for Aby`s organizing class. Since I am an obsessed person I can`t see why I can`t organize it all while I am at it. That should be doable in the amount of time this class run. It`s not like I have so much to organize. I want to travel light so what ever I don`t use is going to the dumpster.

This evening my candle is burning for Barb in Texas…

 …and all my positive thinking is going her way, wishing for her recovery.

…not only decluttering. After two weeks of daily decluttering it feels like I have created some space around me. I am so grateful for Aby Garvey`s guiding along the way. Her class at Simplify 101 runs over 6 weeks and we are still decluttering. An since the decluttering have left me energized, I have moved on to cleaning. I took a look inside my kitchen cabinets and had to admit to myself – they had not seen water since my mother cleaned in there. And she died four years ago…

Now they are clean. Inside and outside (and I may have removed some paint…) I found more than one thing I had forgotten about and I found a few things I don`t need anymore. I also found a set of car keys, the second set I find during this decluttering session. I found a set of house keys, lost a few years ago. 

Talking about obsessions. Jamie Ridler inspired me to make a full moon dreamboard last night. I have never done this before and knew very little about it. But her post inspired me and without any knowledge – I tried.

As I understood it, this it is supposed to inspire you to work towards  your dreams.

Yep – it`s all about kitchens this week. Blame it on the sun – overshadowing the moon.