So an update after almost a week on The Welcome to Now Project (my 4 week project to declutter, find focus, be healthy and have fun). My aim in this project was to be accountable to you in order to maintain my focus, be honest and to learn from the experience. I've had some success but it's not been the easiest week for finding spare time for major decluttering. I will definitely have more time for decluttering in week 2 as I'm on holiday. And boy do I need it as I've discovered more clutter than I'd anticipated! Emptying cupboards and opening boxes has revealed items that I thought were lost, had already been donated (I think I must declutter in my dreams) and are broken beyond repair. Plus I found 2 pairs of first toddler shoes in the loft which sent me into meltdown. However, I'm pleased with how I've stuck to my plans in general and the healthy habits are making me feel good.
Here's a little more on my progress in each area.
The-once-and-for-all-declutter. Teaching for 3½ days didn't leave me much energy for decluttering in the evenings but on my full day off I did make good progress in the loft. Several boxes were emptied, 'maybe' clothes boxed up many months ago have been donated to charity and moving house boxes have been reduced. I've assessed that the loft contains unidentified wires, surplus decorating materials and too many photos that need editing. On Saturday I had a useful session with my husband streamlining our kitchen crockery, pans and glassware. We had lots of 'Have we used this in the last year/don't keep it just in case/does it bring us joy' conversations. Hubs is well versed in minimalism mantras. Together was definitely better. I could see what had attracted me to buying things originally but found it easy to cut my attachment because reduction was more important than any lingering sentiment.
Be Fabulous. I found starting my mornings with a drink of hot water and lemon an easy habit to maintain this week. I meditated sometimes in the morning or sometimes straight after work but I kept this habit up daily which is an achievement for me. I didn't use any music or apps just followed a similar routine to the one on Headspace. My daily walks were my favorite part of the week and a part of my day that I looked forward to. The only day I didn't walk was on Saturday but this was a running day so I was OK with that. I ran 3 times but my longest run was only 30 minutes as I didn't want to overtire myself as it was a busy week with work and other commitments.
Finding Focus. I was definitely more focused this week and more aware of time wasting. The 4 areas of the project took priority over other activities so I spent less time on ironing and cleaning than usual. Yay! I began to focus on building a relaxing bedtime routine and usually was offline by 9pm.
Try Something New. Some of you have read Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn the book about mindfulness meditation and you're right it's good. I found it pulled together many of the ideas I've been discovering over recent years from Walden to Zen Habits. It's helped me to be mindful of my reactions to decluttering (which can be difficult at times) to be realistic and to just let myself be when I've felt tired or under pressure. On Saturday we had planned to go to Birmingham Botanical Gardens as a treat but as the sun wasn't shining we went to a garden center instead to buy plants for a vertical planter made from an old palette that we're creating. Our tiny garden is shaping up nicely and we've made a few changes. I'll post on this soon. We also had cake at a canalside cafe, visited a farm shop and cooked a Sunday roast for Mum and the boys today. Pulled pork followed by rhubarb crumble. Life doesn't get much better.
How's your week been? Success? And treats? I loved hearing your plans. Please share.
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