A Muse on Pajamas and Finishing Up Housecleaning for Christmas

Image Courtesy of [photostock]/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Whether your favorite mode of dressing around the house is pajamas or nightgowns, I think it would be safe to say most of us are fans of lounge-wear.  However, I have been musing on whether that is the most appropriate wear when we really want to get things done around the house.  Be assured, I am not going to fuss about people wearing pajamas to do housework.  If I did that, I would be giving myself a D in the appropriate costume for cleaning my house.

Are you wondering what brought this on?  It was the news on television. I was listening to two women commentators talk about wearing pajamas -- big news--right?   The anchor said she would be wearing them there if she could, and all of a sudden, I realized that I would not want to wear pajamas all the time.

Today, I had on my pj's until 2:00 PM.  I did not feel like cleaning, and I needed a boost.  What was my boost?  Getting dressed was just the thing to get me going.  I feel more in control of my household and my energy level.
I know it sounds merely psychological.  But, there is nothing wrong with a psychological boost when you need it.  

All I need now are some bright lights and some Christmas music;  and, I am ready to go.  Deck the halls with boughs of holly.  FA, la, la, la, la, la, la...

P.S.  Merry Christmas.  I thought your kids and grandkids might enjoy these songs too.  I did.  

I almost forgot to tell you, I look forward to putting on my pajamas tonight after a warm shower.  That is one of the ultimate comforts -- warm, soft pajamas on a cold night.

When Christmas Is Only Six Days Away

Image Courtesy of [David Castillo]
/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Last October and November, you may have felt like getting ready for Christmas was under control. Maybe, you still do;  however, many of you may feel like life and illness are spinning out of control.  

What do you do if you know you are already getting overtired, as well as suffering from sensory overload from too many Christmas parties or too much shopping.  Here are some suggestions for getting through the holidays and still enjoying them.  Just pick and choose what will work for you in your situation. 

 A Reminder:  You all are in different stages of illness and recovery.  Many of you have overlapping illnesses, and this has a huge impact on what you are able to do.  There are some people reading this who cannot figure out why they feel good one day and horrible the next.  Furthermore, FM and CFS/ME are not the only illnesses that drain energy

Here are ten ideas to keep you more relaxed through the holidays;  even though, Christmas is only six days away. 

1. Remember to use your timer.  Do chores in increments of 5 to 15 minutes.
2. Rest frequently.
3. Remember "The Principle of Three."  Your daily to-do list of things you want to get done should consist of three things.
4. Haven't decorated yet?  Keep decorations light.
5. You haven't had the energy to send out Christmas cards.  That's OK. Send the have to's:  close relatives, best friends and your boss.  You still want to connect to more friends?  Don't forget Facebook.  You can wish them a "Merry Christmas."  online.  Send out a New Year's card or letter. It's okay to deviate from some of those man-made  traditions.  Or horrors of horrors  (Gasps are heard)  don't send out Christmas or New Year's greetings. 
6. Shift your gift-giving mindset to remembering it really is the thought that counts.  
7. If you wrap one or two gifts at a time, it is less tiring.  
8. Gift bags are the easy way to package gifts for giving.
9. Use short-cuts for food preparation.  Easy meals are a blessing this time of year.  Moreover, it is refreshing to eat simple food rather than eating too much rich food. 
10. The single most important thing is to take some time to just breathe. Meditate on the meaning of Christmas.  Enjoy doing something that rests you.  Let God refresh your soul:  He will if you ask. 

 

Merry Christmas!

Finally, God bless you:  You are never far from my mind. 

Deborah

*Snowman image courtesy of [Feelart]/FreeDigitalPhotos.net


P.S.  I apologize for not having more posts.  I am having a hard time getting used to this keyboard and having such a sensitive mouse pad.  I delete things by accident.  My letters jump into the middle of other sensitives, and all I know is it must be user error.  Eventually, I may have to get an external keyboard and mouse so I can type at my usual rate of speed.

However, I am learning to use this computer in little tiny baby steps.  Tonight, I deleted my Libraries, because they did not work.  I kept getting this message it was safe to delete them.  I did.  Then, I restored them to default libraries.  It was so easy.  However, for days I have not known what to do, and I could not load my pictures for the blog.  So, like one of my grandsons says, I did it!  Yea! 

A System for Filing Unpaid Bills

Bills!  Almost every adult gets them, and they have to be paid -- preferably, on time.  I hate to mention them this time of year, when some of you are already stressed out.  However, if you have a system, it will be easier to keep track of the bills that come in.

Bear in mind, I am not qualified to give any advice on how to manage your money;  however, I can give you suggestions  on organizing so you know when to pay the bills that come in.

Losing bills is something that often happens when you live in clutter.  Bills get lost in the pile of mail on a counter or a table.  Then, you move the pile and you forget you even had the bill.  Maybe your focus is not the best, because you are fighting brain fog.  Or, bills may set off anxiety attacks, because you are living on the edge of depression.

One thing you can do is put your mail in a basket, as soon as it comes in the house.  If you are in the middle of something, come back later to sort it.  And if for some reason you forget to sort it, the mail is not going to be shuffled around.  You will know where to find it -- right there in the basket.  However, don't use the basket as an excuse to let the mail pile up;  because, you will basically be in the same boat.  Just throwing the mail in a basket is not enough:  this is only the first step for busy people.  The best thing would be to go through the mail right away, filing the bills and trashing the junk mail;  however, the basket is an excellent container for when that isn't possible.

The next step is to have a file system.  It doesn't have to be a big file;  but you need to be able to mark it according to when the bills are due, so you can get them mailed on time.  If you are using a paperless system on your computer, you may need to mark the days you pay bills on your calendar.  Moreover, it is best not to wait until the last minute, because it will be more stressful waiting until the last possible day to pay them.  Not waiting until the last minute is also a matter of being good to yourself.  That way you have some space, just in case you are in the middle of a flare with brain fog galore on bill paying day.

http://www.amazon.com/Mesh-File-Silver
For more information, you can
check out the bottom of my page.

For bills, I like a desktop file organizer that contains hanging files.  You can arrange the folders  according to the bill due date;  or, they can also be arranged according to the date bills should be mailed to reach the vendor:  ie.  Due 1-8, Due 11-18, Due 19-23, Due 24-31.  If you need some buoying up on bill paying day, you might want to attach some inspirational stickers that inspire you -- something that makes you smile.

I hope this helps.  It's something practical you can put in your to-do file for January if you don't have time now.  Meanwhile, keep an empty drawer, box, bowl, or basket handy to save that mail.  Also, you can post sticky notes in handy places to remind you of what you need to do.

P.S.  You can also put a folder for each of the bills that come in, so you can file the bill after you pay it.  Or, I suppose you could have one of those nifty machines that scan and file bills for you.  However, I suppose I am still a little old fashioned.  It's nice to have the paper backup, in case you ever need it.  I would have to check out the legality of the scanned paper, and I need a break -- not doing it today.

~Deborah~

Baby Steps, Celebrations, and Victories

Image courtesy
of [Stuart Miles]/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Introduction

Early this morning, as I finally get up after a night of sleeping and dozing, I am thankful there are some things in life that can be changed or improved.  Like this piece I published yesterday, I am unfinished.  I thought I had myself together, but I discovered I am actually a rough draft, a work in progress.  Just as I am being changed, I have edited this post. 

 The title never quite set true with me.  It felt awkward and uncomfortable.  The original title was Warnings, Celebrations, and Victories.  Perhaps, I was warning myself:  slow down, be careful, you are overdoing.  I knew that I had to rest yesterday.  My activities were quiet, things I could do with my hands with my feet up.  I think the most I did on my feet was fix two simple meals and clean up the kitchen.

Here is the cleaned up version of Warnings, Celebrations, and Victories.  In this cyber world of instant publishing, it is easy to publish something too soon before it is ready.  One can change titles and do updates.  However, the change of title doesn't show, unless you copy the old piece, paste, and republish.  Here is my cleaned up version, with a couple of changed paragraphs, deletes, and an added cookie recipe.  Also, I have a new title, which fits:  Baby Steps, Celebrations, and Victories.

This is the time of year that can drain our physical resources because of traditions we are not willing to let go.  When one has a chronic illness, there are Christmases one has to lighten up on the traditions.  And this varies from year to year.  We may have willing minds, but our bodies don't always cooperate with what we want to do, so we push ourselves to a point we have reached all physical limitations by January and often fall into an exhausted state of relapse.

Image Courtesy of [Artur84]

The important thing to remember is your reason for celebrating.  If you cannot cook all the traditional dishes or elaborately decorate your house, you can still remember the Christ Child's birth.  Or, if you are Jewish, you can remember why you celebrate Hanukkah.  Whatever tradition you celebrate, you can choose to keep the important elements of your tradition, but lighten up on some of the frills.  

One of the things I want to do this year is spend time in meditation and prayer -- quiet time, which can be refreshing to the body and soul.  Spending time with our creator and Lord is important.  It makes the celebration dearer.  

Hopefully you will be able to spend time with family and friends, but rest is an imperative.  You no longer have to be the host or the hostess  with the mostest.   Feel free to let others help you or be the preparers of the feasts.  By the way, deli trays are good too when preparation is too much.  After all, what is more important -- spending time with family or eating the traditional feast?

Please don't feel like I am admonishing you.  I have pushed myself until I was in a relapse by January more times than I want to admit, so I know how hard it is to not be influenced by what we think we have to do.  I am merely encouraging you to think about how you can have a fulfilling holiday without pushing yourself into a corner.

Here's a quick list of ideas:

1. Put up a smaller tree.
2. Don't use every decoration you own, just the ones you like the best.
3. Use bags for presents, or wrap one or two presents a day.
4. Figure out which edible treat you cannot live without and make it. Or, maybe you can buy it ready made.
5. If you have a party at your home, it could be "bring your favorite party food or snack."  I can practically guarantee  everyone will enjoy themselves.
6. Maybe you think paper plates are gauche or a waste of perfectly good  trees, but they don't have to be washed.  Your energy is precious too.

The important thing is to baby step your way through the holidays!  

Victory Report

I would love for you to share your holiday victories with us.  Large or small, they all add up.

I already have a few, which I believe are a result of what I have been working on in small steps for the last two years. Here they are.

We have had a light out in one of our rooms for two weeks.  My husband put in a new switch.  We had a knowledgeable friend that came over and tested circuits.  Today, we had a trained electrician over and he fixed it.  The thing that impressed me was for the first time in a long time, I felt ready when I had to have a repairman come into the house.  The only thing that looked messy were the counters in the kitchen;  and, I had those wiped off before he got to our door.  It felt good to not have to repress embarrassment:  instead, I felt calm and did not frazzle myself with quick pick ups.

A few days ago, I almost had a crisis about our Christmas tree, which my husband was eager to have up this year.  I started melting down, because I felt like I was right back in the middle of clutter again.  I didn't want to ask my husband to move the furniture, so I had the tree in possibly the most unbalanced position I have ever seen for one.  In fact, it looked plain old ugly where it was placed.  

However, when I explained to my husband how the tree and the boxes of decorations were overwhelming me, he wanted to help.  He even offered to put the tree back up in the attic.  But, I finally remembered how we had the furniture last year:  note to self -- draw a picture and put with my Christmas information for future use.  He moved the furniture and it made all the difference in how I felt about that tree.  As for the decoration boxes, he started putting the emptied boxes up in the attic in the evening to get them out of the spare bedroom.  The spare bedroom was my other source of frustration, because I felt like the progress I had been making by getting out the things I was saving for the cancelled garage sale had been destroyed.    

The good news is there is progress at my house.  It was not instant, but I am reaping the fruits of my labors.  This is how I know baby steps work.  I am experiencing it.

From feeling comfortable about short notice someone is coming to my house, to having one mantel decorated, to having the tree up, to having the Manger Scene arranged, and having three wreaths up, all before the second week of December, I am experiencing success.  After my husband and I readjusted how the job was going to be done, I could breathe easier.  Moreover, it was a boon not having to clean the living room before we decorated the tree.  

I know it is going to take perseverance and many more baby steps to continue what I have started.  I hope you know that too.  May we continue to encourage one another, changing methods when what we are using doesn't work anymore.  Thinking out of our normal boxes can revitalize and make our lives better.  

Finally, if you haven't joined my Facebook Page, Chronic Fatigue and Creative Decluttering, the exchange of ideas and methods for managing our clutter and cleaning has been helpful.  Also, look for the cookie recipe  below the picture.  I think I have had this "secret" recipe for forty years.  It is one of the frills I don't want to give up this year, so I plan to make it.  And, I can sit down to decorate the cookies.

Image courtesy of [africa]/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Nana's Sugar Cookies (possibly the best sugar cookie recipe I have ever tasted)

Image courtesy of [apolonia]/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Cream together  1/2 cup of butter
                          1 cup of sugar

Blend in              1 large egg

Sift together and add to mixture (I use sifted unbleached flour, so I just mix the following ingredients with a wire whisk.) 
                          2 to 2-1/4 cups all-purpose or unbleached flour
                          2 tsp. baking powder
                         1/2 tsp. salt
                         1/2 tsp. vanilla

Divide dough in two parts.  Chill 1 to 2 hours so it will be easy to handle.  Roll dough, one part at a time on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness and cut with cookie cutters that have been dipped in flour first.  Keep other part of dough chilled until ready to roll.  Transfer to ungreased cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven (375 degrees) for 8 to 10 minutes.  (Use a spatula to transfer the uncooked dough to your cookie sheet.)  

If desired, Frost with Confectioner's Sugar-Water Glaze while the cookies are still warm.  I like to make small bowls of different colors, and "paint" the cookies.  I use an inexpensive water color brush for each color (wash the brushes first).

Confectioners Sugar-Water Glaze

Blend together 1 cup sifted Confectioners sugar and 5 to 6 tsp. water.  Add food coloring, if desired.  Brush glaze over cookies while still warm.


Hugs,

Deborah

You Can Do It Too

I really enjoy "seeing" everyone here on facebook. I get discouraged when I 

have so much to do -- that I don't know where to start because of my 

"exhaustive" feelings. BUT I have decided to take three tasks a day, put 

them into priority order -- one for morning, one for afternoon, and one for 

evening -- with nice breaks in between -- THEN when I was sitting on my 

couch reflecting on how good it felt when I had my focus, I also cleaned out 

the end-table drawer as an extra. ! LOL!!! Break it up in to small tasks works 

best for me and I hope someone else benefits from my post too -- it's doable 

-- baby steps -- even if just ONE task a day for the 365 days -- as already 

expressed on this page -- and it truly can make you feel so accomplished!!! 

Thank you so much for this fb page. (Takes sip of coffee and smiles) 

 Written by Nancy K.

I love my storage box,
 which I found at an outlet store.

I learn things from the wonderful 

ladies that comment on my Facebook 

Page, Chronic Fatigue and Creative 

Decluttering.  Moreover, I find that I 

am encouraged to keep on writing 

and to clean my own house -- even 

when I don't feel like it.




Changing from being a get the 

house clean in one or two days person to a 

woman, who can only get it done in small units of time, is a huge change.  It 

is easy to feel guilty, when you are sitting in your recliner with your feet up 

or waking up at 2 p.m., because you had to lie down.  



Say good-bye to that negative voice that questions you about what you 

cannot get done.  Instead, think of the things you can do, 

and do one thing at a time.  If a job is too big, divide it into 

smaller sections.


Since last week, that is how I have been cleaning my dining room.  I thought 

I would get it done in a couple of days, but my energy has been lower than 

usual.  However, I knew baby steps would get me there.


Something nice happened yesterday.  My husband said, "I guess I will have 

to stop piling mail on the table."  What a blessing when your family notices 

progress.  And, because,  I have been decluttering so many things, I had the 

perfect sized empty basket for him to put mail in.  It is on a chair by the door.  

I don't know if I will ever have much energy again, even though I do hope, 

but I know I can have a clutter-free house.  All I have to do is take baby 

steps, and I will get there.  



You can do it too.

Before

Before

Cleaned Just in Time

My work table/dining room table



with fall decor. 

Clean Is Possible

Seeing this picture of my dusted, neatly displayed books, and other items is a lift to the hope in my heart, that I can get to the point of being able to easily keep my house clean and uncluttered.  The bookcases were the last things I cleaned in the living room.  I usually give them a quick once-over, but this time I took the two days to do the job right.  

Sore knees, as well as tired and achy body, slow me down;  however, they don't have to keep me down.  Nor, do similar conditions have to keep you from doing things you would like to get done.  

Sometimes, persevering and sticking to it seems easier said than done;  but, you can do your chores in baby steps.  It's a matter of dedication.  

Some people learn to pace themselves and get the house in a reasonably clean condition faster than others.  Learning the how-to's is often dependent on a number of circumstances, so don't have a guilt trip over how long it takes you to develop a routine you can manage.  It has literally taken me years to develop my habits to a point I do not have to stuff things in a closet or take them out to the garage to have a house that looks clean.  I still consider myself and my habits as works in progress.

What are some of the negative circumstances that often keep people who have chronic illnesses and chronic conditions from keeping their homes uncluttered and clean?  

• Stress
• Fatigue
• Relapses
• Flares
• Depression
• Guilt
• Anxiety
• Surgery
• Pain
• Afraid pain will develop from being more active
• Lack of help or/and understanding in your home
• Permanent Disability
• Financial Conditions
• Have developed bad habits while ill
• Have grown physically weak from being sedentary

Two months ago, I did a detailed cleaning of the master bedroom.  My bedroom is still clean!  I am more conscious of hanging clothes up and putting my belongings away.  Dusting the bedroom is easier.  My next detailed cleaning of the master bedroom should be simpler.  I don't want it to take five days to get the job done, nor do I want to breathe in dust every night, as I sleep.  

It is lovely to know this is working.  I am feeling more confident that I can keep my home cleaned and uncluttered, despite my illnesses and my flare-ups.  

The truth is there have been bumps in the road for me.  I have gotten rooms clean before, and I've had them go back to messy.  However, the more I work at this, the better it gets.  In my gut, I have known there was a way to take care of my house better, even while ill.  Now, I am being assured by the results I am experiencing.

What can you achieve as you build better habits?  Can you let go of obsessions?  The following list may be some things that have bothered you:  obsessions over what you keep in your house; obsessing that the house has to be cleaned or decluttered in one day or one week; obsessions that only the way you clean is right;   and the obsession that if the house is not perfect, than it is not clean.  

Baby steps will get you there.  

We can do this.  We can improve our habits.  We can get the clutter out of our houses.  

Together,    We    Can   Do   This.  

You and I are thinking about decluttering:  getting it out of the house, and cleaning our homes, because we want it.  We want to enjoy the serenity of living in a clean, tidy environment.

I am praying for you, and I am cheering you on.

Love, 

Deborah

Making Yourself More Tired on the Internet

Image Courtesy of [stockimages]
/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This is going to be short, because I just realized I am making myself more tired on the internet.  

Now, I know this will probably ruffle some feathers.  I can hear the defensiveness now!  But, I am not tired:  I have bone-deep, muscle-deep, mind-numbing fatigue.  Yep!  I get that.  So do I.

Then, why am I sitting here, with my eyes about to close from weariness of wondering what should I read on the internet?  Being a person that runs out of energy quickly, one would think I would use a good day  to do some housework or go somewhere.  However, here I sit making myself tireder more tired on top of my fatigue, which adds up to getting nothing done.  

Therefore, I'm going to start working on the things I didn't do on my list yesterday.  It's time to put my laptop up, and do some things on my cleaning calendar.  I also have the option of working on undone things from yesterday's list.

                                                           

 Image Courtesy of [Carlos Porto]
/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How about you?

Keep It Simple Holiday Cleaning Calendar

Choose one job a day to work on your
Christmas or Holiday preparation.
Image Courtesy of  [Salvatore Vuono]/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

KISS = keep it simple sweetie!

Morning

Make bed

Take meds and supplements

Breakfast

One load of laundry

Unload dishwasher

Rest

Afternoon

Lunch

Take meds and supplements

Load dishwasher

Rest

Chore of the Day

(If you are still in the Declutter Stage, work on this for 5 to 15 minutes or this can be your chore of the day, depending on your energy level.) 

Night

Supper

Load dishwasher

Wipe kitchen counters

Rest

Pick up for 5 minutes 

   (use a basket)

Get ready for bed

Weekly

Monday:        Dust 1 or 2 rooms

Tuesday:       Clean Toilets

Wednesday:  Mid-week Planning

                       Catch up 

Thursday:      Vacuum 1 or 2 rooms (Centers)

Friday:           Mop Floors

Saturday:      Time for family to help or 

                       Just  Family Day Fun

Sunday:         Time to Meditate and Worship  






P.S.  The way to print this is to hold your left mouse button down and slide the mouse along the 
part you want to print.  It should turn blue.  Then, you click on the blue with your right button, and you will see choices like Copy and Print.  You can right click on print to print it out, or you can copy it and save to your computer.  I am printing and framing my copy.  Then, I can use a dry erase marker or a wet erase marker to check off what I have done or write down something for the day or week.

                   

The Holidays Are Just Around the Corner, and That's OK!

Image Courtesy of [suphakit73]/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Don't panic:  the holidays are just around the corner!  I'm a Christian, so I 
celebrate that Jesus Christ, whom I really do believe is the Savior of the World, has come, died on a cross (Easter), and arose from the dead.  He is actually my living savior, and I will see Him some day. 

I realize that some of you may not be Believers;  however, you may believe in God and you may like celebrating this time of the year, whatever your religion may be.  I do not hide my beliefs, because I believe that Jesus taught that he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that no one can be with the Father (God), unless he or she believes in Him.

Some of the ways I like to celebrate is with bright colors, sending out cards, fixing festive food, and putting up a Christmas tree.  I use to always sing special Christmas music in church, but this year I have not had the energy to go to rehearsals.  However, I am sure I will sing carols around the house and in church services.  Different years, we have found special things to do for someone else;  as well as spending time with friends and family -- also exchanging gifts.

My early gift to you is going to be in my next post.  It's a Holiday Cleaning Calendar that you can put in a notebook, put on your refrigerator, or frame. It's free.  

Just print it out and enjoy.  

You may not do things on the same days I do, but I consider this an outline. I don't always know how I am going to feel from one day to the other, so I do what I can.  And, I do what I think is most important.  That is why I tell you to make a list.  Start with three things.

Have I mentioned that you don't have to have everything perfect or the way it used to be to enjoy your holiday?  Since I have been at the point I was most ill, I have discovered that simple is good.   

Simple is good!

May blessings abound in your lives.

Love,
                                   
Deborah