Streamline and Simplify

“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.” –Marie Kondo

 

I love vacationing and spending time at our cottage. It is so “me” to drink good coffee, go adventuring, look for fun earrings to buy, read while the family is watching TV, and write in my journal.

Now I can do all these things at home too, of course. But the kicker is that a couple of other things always seem to block me. If I could just let go of them or figure out how to minimize the space they take up in my world…I would be a super happy camper.

The Constant Need to Cook and Clean

I first recognized what a burden this was when my boys were little. I had long dreamed of being a full-time stay-at-home mom. And I did that for our first 6 months as a family. You know what I discovered? Being a stay-at-home mom entails three main jobs: cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry. Of course, we did have fun, and I luxuriated in the time as a new family. But I never felt like I was doing enough. I eventually did live in the moment with my sons, but I had to let go of “house beautiful”. You know, every creation leaves a mess. Every day was a series of meals and snacks that kept me in the kitchen or following the kids around with a bucket and a rag.

Now, this is something I have (mostly) gotten over. I lowered my standards, delegated, and made do.

What?

Let me explain…

As I said earlier, “house beautiful” isn’t my goal anymore. Instead, I’ve spread house responsibilities out so that the house isn’t a trash pit nor perfect at any one moment in time.

I want the beds made and the dishes put away daily. Vacuuming gets done on Saturday morning. Aubrey chose jobs that she was willing to commit to every week. Bathrooms get cleaned once a week, and a small load of Craig’s and my laundry is always in the works so that it immediately gets folded and put away. Aubrey is in charge of her laundry and her bedroom. (But I do use my permission to go places with friends as leverage to motivate her to complete these tasks.) Our house is pretty dusty–no one likes this job, so it rarely gets done. I’d say that the dogs get brushed 10x to every 1x someone dusts the main floor.

Mail and Paper Overload

I am stuck–currently–in a struggle here. Mail and random paper clutter my entryway, the kitchen counter, my computer desk, the mantle in our bedroom, and fill two drawers in the living room cabinet.

I thought things were bad when I had three kids in elementary school. Well, there was more, but now that I have only a single High School student, the paper is less hers, but my random stuff is still overwhelming.

I’ve read blogs and scoured the internet for de-cluttering and minimalist ideas for my paper problem. Suggestions always begin with telling me to pay bills online, sort out junk mail immediately, and trash it.

I pretty much already do these two tips.

But I still don’t have a system for medical stuff. I also don’t have a place for insurance documents I don’t understand. I’m not sure where to stash Craig’s papers that can’t get thrown away, but he will probably never look at them until he needs them two years from now, and then he’ll want to know where I put them!

This is the kind of stuff I desperately want to just “let go of” but…I can’t.

I don’t want to live my life shuffling papers around from pile to pile and then spending hours looking for a needed page down the road a few months from now.

Kadon suggested that I repurpose the green living room cabinet (that I mentioned earlier) into a paper organization station.

That has definite possibilities. It has served several storage functions over the years: holiday table decor, table linens and stuff, homeschool supplies, and podcast/life coach materials and tech.

The journey of simplifying my life aligns with Marie Kondo’s philosophy of decluttering and intentional living. It involves confronting the challenges of household chores and paper organization with patience and creativity. Through reflection and adaptation, I’ve learned to redefine my standards and delegate responsibilities, fostering a more balanced approach to managing our home.

While the struggle with paper clutter persists, the suggestion to repurpose a living room cabinet into a paper organization station offers a promising solution.

As I continue to explore ways to streamline our home and simplify our routines, I remain hopeful that I will find the balance and peace of mind I seek.

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