A 15 Minute Epiphany

I've talked about Flylady a lot because what she says about taking baby steps and using a timer make so much sense.  I'm the kind of person that has to prove the rule wrong though.  It's not always intentional, but when I try things, they don't always work.  And I've tried using a timer on more than one occasion.  I even had to buy a second timer because the first one got lost somewhere in my house (and yes, I know how bad that sounds!).

I've been using a timer more lately and even started using it for my oldest daughter.  She doesn't mind picking up her room or reading a book if she knows that she only has to do it until the timer goes off.  Tonight I made some muffins so that we would have some fresh (somewhat) healthy snacks for our road trip tomorrow.  Once I put them in the oven, my first thought was to get on my computer.  Instead, I put away all the stuff I used, then I decided to wash the dishes since I wanted to stay close to the oven because I haven't made this recipe before.  Now washing the dishes may not seem like a big thing, but it gets to be crazy here.  I am not home most nights for dinner and hubby cooks dinner and feeds the kids, he just doesn't do the dishes afterward.  Instead, the pots get piled around the kitchen and stress me out.

Seriously, I get so angry about these pots and pans sitting there, but I let the stress build instead of doing anything about it.  What a waste of emotional energy!  I got those pots and pans washed and looked at the timer on the muffins.  Guess how much time I spent cleaning the kitchen.  That's right! Fifteen measly minutes.  If I had just done them and gotten it over with, they would have been done, the kitchen would not be a minefield and I wouldn't have been stressed out about it.

Who knew that 15 minutes could make such a difference?  I even did some of my writing in 15 minute blocks this week, alternating with chores I had been putting off.  I will get this clutter tamed, 15 minutes at a time.

Getting Organized, Baby Steps!

timer
Originally uploaded by Aunt Owwee

I've been focusing on the getting fit part of the blog lately, so today I thought we'd take a look at getting organized again. I must admit, I have a reason to get organized right now. I have to find the little one's birth certificate for kindergarten registration. I know it is somewhere in the paper clutter on my table, or around the table or just somewhere! So I have to declutter to find it!

We've been working on potty training our special needs daughter by using a timer. We set it for every half hour, and when it goes off, she knows she has to try to go potty. Well, what I've been trying to do is declutter for half an hour in one place and then take a break. The first day I did this, I had a garbage bag full of trash and another bag full of recycling! Where does this junk come from? Junk mail, newspapers, pieces of the kids' toys that they have left lying around, and just pure junk.

By working for half an hour in one spot, it helped to focus me on the task at hand and I knew it was going to end, so it wasn't too overwhelming. I have a long way to go, but there are some clear spots I can see now. I even cleaned around the hubby's chair, and he thanked me, saying that he had been overwhelmed and just didn't know where to start.

What I've learned is that you just have to dig in and start somewhere. Who knows how far you will go or who you will inspire?