A Selfish House-guest, Oh My!

What was your first thought when you saw the title A Selfish House-guest, Oh My!?  Did you think of people seeing your cluttered house, sorrow that you are embarrassed to have anyone over, or worry that you would be worn out by preparing for any house-guest?  

Only the first part of my title is original, because I am actually pointing you to another article that made me curious.  I never expected to be confronted with the idea that Clutter is a guest in my home, nor all the things that it keeps me from.  Even though, my home is better than it was, I am still working on it.  Of course, some things about keeping house are ongoing, but Clutter fills one with a sense of guilt and obligation.  Please read on by clicking on FlyLady's article called Your Selfish Houseguest.  I just had to share it with you.  

Instant Feel Good Moment

Feeling Serene...

This morning, I had an excellent feel good moment from something that almost anyone can do each day.  This is something that was an instant lift to my spirit.

Let me explain.  I sat down in my chair in the living room, as I swallowed my morning medicine;  and, I saw a pile that I could tell was going to drain some of the good feelings from my spirit.  It was a mishmash of a massage thing with rollers that go up and down your back, electric cords, and the heating pad.  I know I left it there with the idea that I would only have to reach for it if I needed it;
however, it was so depressing seeing that pile there.  And, I had not used it for a couple of days.

I picked that pile up:  put the heating pad in it's drawer and put the roller thingy away.  Pile gone:  spirit better.  It was as easy as that--less than 5 minutes, folks!  You can do this too!

Not Worth It To Stress Over Unplanned Interruptions

Yesterday was one of those days that I had unexpected work and interruptions that I had not planned.

image courtesy of Iamnee
www.freedigitalphotos.net

Unfortunately, that meant I didn't do the things I had planned to do.  While I found it unsettling, I also found it educational, because I could have let myself be thrown into old feelings of inadequacy, which does not do myself, nor anyone in my family any good.

I did spend about 30 minutes working on organizing the Guest Room, in which I made the mistake of pulling out more than I could get done in one day.  Unfortunately, it was one of those times I really had to get to the back of the stack in the closet to go through what was there. This week, my goal is to put that room back to rights, but I continue to do it bit by bit, step by baby step.  I want to be ready for company at any time, and I do not want to have to do an emergency cleanup session, so steady I go, chipping away at it.

In the past, I have had that room guest ready .  It was me pulling out the boxed clutter that made the mess, as well as throwing things in that room from other rooms.  Does anyone else ever take out too much, making a bigger mess in the process of cleaning things up?

Why am I telling you all this?  I want you to realize that getting rid of clutter is ongoing.  Sometimes, it is an imperfect process that seems like it will never get done.  And unfortunately, there is some truth in that.  Most people have paperwork they have to save, things they have not gotten to, and work that begs to be done that day, not later.  Some things are immediate, and you cannot put them off to another day.  It does not mean you are doing anything wrong or your schedule is going to be permanently messed up.  Like FlyLady says, "Jump in where you are."

image courtesy of marin
www.freedigitalphotos.net

Take one step at a time, and know that you will again be back to working in that room you neglected.  Keep making the circle in your zone work.  If you have a few extra minutes and the energy, pop into that room that got out of control and work on it for a few minutes.  However, it is not worth stressing over.  Stressing over the way your house looks will not make you healthier or happier.

I hope this helps.  Keeping your house clean does not end.  It is an ongoing process.  Keeping out the clutter seems to be an ongoing process too.  The thing that I really want us all to learn is to be smart in how we go about it.  And, of course, the less we have to clean and move around, the easier it will be.  So, keep on getting rid of that clutter.  We can do it!  You can do it!