Small, Dancing Steps

Last week I set some modest goals for myself housework-wise. Today I'm proud to report that those tasks were completed every day last week. Woo hoo! Insert modest victory dance here...


My goals were to make my bed and wash my breakfast dishes, so they weren't all that difficult to accomplish. I had Hubby's help too. He leaves so early for work that trying to accomplish anything but the basics would require him to get up before he went to bed. He chipped in on his days off though, which made things easier for me. It makes me all warm and fuzzy to know that he's still got my back after all these years.


Overall I feel a little less overwhelmed by all the house-related stuff I've let slide over the years. Having accomplished something small each day, I feel a little less anxious about enjoying my leisure time. Could it be I'm a little more content?


I'm also finding it easier to take on other small tasks. Last week I started cleaning out the file cabinet, and I went through both our freezers and updated my inventory lists. (I keep a dry-erase board on each freezer. Each time I add or remove something I update the list. Or at least I try to. Obviously I hadn't been as diligent as I thought, as both lists needed updating. There were some forgotten, well-aged, almost unidentifiable things in the deepest, darkest recesses of both freezers.) 


I'm starting to see things I had stopped noticing. A few random, overused clothing items went into the trash. Other long-unworn items went into the donation box. I rediscovered a jacket my aunt gave me. It had been hiding in the coat closet downstairs. I had forgotten all about it. I've worn it twice now and have had compliments each time. Compliments increase my contentment, more confirmation that my wee project is working. 


On Saturday Hubby was waiting for me to get ready so we could head out to run errands. As I brushed my teeth I remembered an old, elastic headband in the drawer beside me. I don't know why I kept it. It had lost its sproing long ago and was of no use whatsoever. I figured I'd take a second and trash it before I forgot about it. A half an hour later, I had not only disposed of the offending headband, I had emptied the entire drawer, sorted all the stuff, tossed much of it (Because really, unless I'm going to take up lock-picking, do I need 37 bent hairpins?) and selected several items to donate. (In spite of my vow to wear more colour, I can't imagine ever wearing neon-orange scrunchies again.)


When Hubby came to see what I was doing I was vacuuming a wig's-worth of stray hair from the drawer before I put the remaining stuff back. Hubby calls this phenomenon "falling down the rabbit hole". I need to be aware of this tendency. Hubby may be patient when I wander into wonderland and lose track of time, but somehow I doubt my employer will be. 


With that in mind, I'm keeping this week's goals simple. I'm going to continue to make my bed and wash the breakfast dishes. In addition, I'm going to wipe down the tub and tiles after I shower. I already do this most mornings. I'm hoping stating it here will help me to do it more often.  I'm also going to clear the drain board before going to bed each night. Doing the breakfast dishes will be easier if I don't have to put away the dishes from the night before first. Please note that this doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to dry the dishes. I'm just going to put them away when they've air-dried. Don't want to overtax myself with all these goals.