February Decluttering Challenge-

28 Day Decluttering Challenge: Days 4-7

Pacing Yourself, Resting, and Getting the Job Done in Baby Steps

Image Courtesy of [Danilo Rizzuti]/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Today, I get to exercise practicing the art of slowing down.  While I write this, I think, "As if I wasn't slow enough already."  It is true that I don't see myself as speedy anymore, nor do I  accomplish everything I would always like to accomplish, but that doesn't bother me like it used to.  I have learned to accept it as part of my life, and I have learned I can still make improvements in areas that for a while, seemed impossible to change.

One of the things you need to learn when dealing with chronic illness is pacing yourself.  Sometimes, it includes uncomfortable attempts to change one's upside down schedule to a more normal one.  When I woke up today, after only sleeping about 5 hours of only partially restorative sleep, I decided to make another try at staying awake and going to bed at an earlier hour than usual.  Have you ever tried to do something like this?   It may or may not work.  Unfortunately, my night owl tendencies tend to override a normal daily schedule with the fact, I often lie in bed wide awake, even when all I want to do is sleep.  I have found different ways to compensate, and I have gotten to the point in my life, it is not worth it to agonize over a weird schedule.  It is what it is.  

However, once in a while, I have to try to normalize my schedule to fit in with some of the scheduled activities I want or need to do.  If it works, great!  If it doesn't, I am not  going to be miserable and guilty over something I can't help.

The second thing I want to mention about pacing is knowing when to say no to work.  Sometimes, we feel like we have to force ourselves to do things, even though our bodies are drained and the very thought of work is almost painful.  The bone deep fatigue is something we can feel gnawing at our muscles and nerves.  Our cells are depleted of the energy they need to function normally.  Sometimes, it hits us unaware.   And there are times, it is not surprising at all.  

However, even though the fatigue is there, we know there are things that need to be done.  Only  you can decide what is important.  If you still have children that live at home, then sometimes you have to push through to get something done.  However, you need to remember that when you give in one area, you will have to let something else go.  Otherwise, you could end up where I was a few years ago, which was on empty--able to do nothing.  And I have never been able to fully recover.

If you have been following this blog, you know I have been trying to make our house less cluttered, as well as making it a welcoming, comfortable home.  I have had to contend with dark walls and changes that were not in my former home, which was newer;  and, it is even more challenging with my disabilities.  However, I have been taking baby steps, and I am seeing changes that help improve our surroundings and my motivation. 

It seems to me that getting started is often the hardest thing to do, whether you are ill or not.  But if you take the first step you can usually take another one, and then another one.  And the wonderful thing is that the first step can be as small as putting one thing away or cleaning for one minute.  The pre-step can be visualizing what you are going to do, and how you are going to do it.  

1.  Yep, looking really bad.

That is how I got this sideboard cleaned  off -- one baby step at a time.  In fact, I have more to do to complete the job:  I want to decorate.  But I have done the hardest part for me, which was to clean it off and not just shove things into a bag or box, and stick it in a closet.  It took me about two months to get this done, because I have been working on the whole dining/work room

3.  Here, I have a nice clean palate to work with.
I see  endless possibilities.  Woohoo!

2.  It's better, but very dusty and there
are those icky little pieces of paper  to
go through -- not my favorite thing.

Finally, I want to end with how I am pacing myself.  Today, this sideboard and wall does not have to have objects placed on it.  In fact, every time I walk by it, I can enjoy the uncluttered surface and anticipate with enjoyment the thing I like better  than cleaning, which is decorating.  Moreover, I think I may still have a couple of boxes that were never unpacked from moving.  Next week or sometime this weekend, I might have Christmas in May and discover what is in one of those boxes.  Delicious anticipation...  Will it be something that looks good on that wall or on the sideboard?  What fun it will be finding out!

One final word:  I believe you can learn to do this.  I have not gotten to this point overnight.  I have been working on rebuilding good habits and learning new ways to get the job done over a period of years.  It took not being able to do anything for me to learn how to do things in  baby steps, and to give myself a psychological break.  Be kind to yourself:  do what you can and realize tomorrow is another day.  We are building habits.  That does not happen overnight.  

God bless you and have a good weekend.   

Persistence in Cleaning --an example of success!

One little candle in the darkness

 A light in the darkness, could that mean a glimmer of hope?  Or is it merely, the cute rabbit some friends gave me with a battery candle that flickers?  Yea!  It is the rabbit, which is shaped so much like a turtle, I had to see it to remember what it was.  But the point is I can see it now on my table that has taken me a month to get shipshape amidst illness and other jobs that need to be done in a house.

Rabbit and Birthday Box in the Light

So now I present the unveiling of the Clean Table, my work table and my dining room table when we have more than four people eating.  It is old; and it is special to me, because it belonged to my grandmother.  I am thinking of painting it, but I haven't yet.  I think the legs would be hard to paint, and my body would not like the contortions it would take to do it.

Here it is, my table with my box that can hide notebooks,
craft paper or whatever needs moving when it becomes
a dining table.  The big box is part of my birthday.
I love the brightness of it in this paneled room

   

 Would you believe it took me almost two months to get to this point?    And I'm not done, because I have a sideboard to finish.  And I did not pile everything on the sideboard.  I have been systematically working on this from five to fifteen minutes a day, minus a few days for sick leave.  I have been organizing craft supplies, throwing away trash, filing direction booklets and other filables, and giving away clutter that is usable.  I have less than I started with, which makes me very happy.  Also, I have found items that made cleaning feel like Christmas.  Today, I am closer to my goal than yesterday.  

You can do this too.  It has just been proven what can be done using a few minutes out of your day.  It may take longer than you want, but it feels so good to know you are not hiding papers and other paraphernalia in your closet, just to make it look like you have a clutter-free house or room.

Those bags and boxes that are hidden in the closet only seem to attract more clutter, which adds up to a pile that seems insurmountable, so one ignores it, because that is easier than dealing with it.  It becomes a habit to clean up quickly, until one cannot do it anymore and there is not anyplace left to hide the clutter.

Moving did it for me, even though I  was slowly working it before.  Even though I was decluttering before, it wasn't enough after moving into a small house.  I know the decisions about what to keep and not to keep are going to get harder, but I am determined to do this one step at a time.

Perfectionism, Procrastination, or Both?

Image Courtesy of [scottchan]
/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sundays, I usually wait until the last possible moment to think about what I am going to do on Monday.  Do any of you do that?  Maybe, that is a remnant of wanting to savor the last possible moment of weekend family time or not wanting to face going to work or to school the next day.  Or maybe, it is my propensity for procrastination raising it's little head and saying, "You don't want to do that now, do you?  Come on, let's do something fun!".

At any rate, I am breaking the mold today, and popping procrastination's little balloon.  I was thinking about what to suggest for Chronic Fatigue and Creative Decluttering this week.  I still have jobs that are not finished yet, but it may not be accurate to think you are as slow at getting things done as me.  Even though, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME have similar symptoms, not all people who have these debillitating symptoms have exactly the same ones at the same time.  Therefore, according to age, other illnesses that affect you, life stresses, responsibilities, flare-ups, or coming out of a flare-up, we are not experiencing exactly the same things on any one day.  Sometimes, we do, because of weather or whatever, but there are multiple variables.

Because of the variables, I feel a responsibility to suggest areas to work in that we have not recently touched;  so I decided to look at FlyLady  on Facebook for inspiration.  I ran into a neat little article called Ducks in a Row,  that had neon words flashing themselves at me.  Marla had written, With our ability to hyper-focus and our perfection thrown in to boot, we have a tendency to want every thing perfect before we even start. How about that control journal of yours? You want it absolutely perfect before you begin to even think about establishing your routines. This is another excuse for not getting started. 

Again, I have been enlightened and reminded by Marla Cilley of some of the important things that most clutter-challenged people can learn to apply in their lives:

• Routines are a good thing, thus she helps people to establish a control journal.  My routines are in a plastic sleeve in my control journal and one on my bathroom wall.  Unfortunately, I cannot always stick to my routines, but being aware and having worked on them in the past helps me to get back on track.
• Perfectionism can be something that keeps us from even getting started.  Is this true in your life?  Does it keep you from getting dressed in the morning, tackling the mess in your bedroom, the spare room, or another area of the house?  Does it keep you from making a short list of things to be done in the house?  Does it keep you from your family or friends?  Or writing in your journal, writing a poem, or painting a picture?  What does perfectionism keep you from? 

Just a reminder: I know the chronic illness is often the thing that gets in the way.  When we are in pain and unrelenting fatigue assails our bodies, our routines often fly out the window.  We wonder how to get started up again, as we compare what we used to do with what we get done now.  I understand.

The best example I can think of right now comes from my own personal life.  About a month ago, I started getting rid of the clutter in my dining room, which is also my  workroom, and the most used entry into our house.  I had a goal, which included having the table and sideboard decorated for Easter.  However, as I worked, I realized I needed to organize my arts and crafts supplies or box everything;  also, I was working on a couple of blog posts for Deborah Lynne's Inspirations.  I had other things that had to be done too:  laundry, bathrooms that needed to be cleaned, blogs and Facebook pages to tend to.

 "What's the point?",  you may ask.  The point is not finishing the dining room did not kept me from working on it a little bit at a time.  I have done the necessary everyday things, which I can rarely finish in one day.  I do what I have learned from FlyLady.  I jump in where I am.  I try to do a little bit everyday.  On the days I feel better, I may do a little more.

An example would be the bathrooms I cleaned on Saturday.  I cleaned the sinks and counters in both bathrooms, and in one I wiped down the toilet.  I had done the inside and outside of the half bath toilet two nights before, so I concentrated on the things that needed cleaning the most.  I didn't do the shower in the big bathroom, because  it was too big a job for me to tend to that day.  Nor did I do the inside of the toilet bowl in the master bath, because I was plumb out of energy.  I thought I might get back to it, but I haven't yet.

The point is I have not let perfectionism keep me from cleaning my bathrooms.  It is not an all or nothing thing.  My house is cleaner than it was a month ago.  In fact, I was able to rest comfortably when I needed to, because I had cleaned the toilet bowl  less than a week ago.   I feel good about what I'm doing, because I am making progress.  Truthfully, I doubt my house will ever be as clean as I used to keep it when I was healthy.   But, that does not mean I have to give up.  Nor do I have to compare myself with people that are physically able to do more.  I am doing what I can do, baby step by baby step.

So, I want to say thank you to FlyLady, who reminded me  routines are good, I can have a cleaner house by taking baby steps, and I will enjoy the results as I gradually take control of my life again.

Focus and Distraction: Managing Mine

Focus and Distraction:  do those words feel familiar?  Oh yes, I purposely used the word "feel", because I
have been dealing with this today, yesterday, the day before, etc., etcetera.  I feel sure you understand, and I realized it is making me more fatigued than I need to be.  The neat thing is that God answered prayer for me today;  and in the doing of following His path for me, I am finding direction.

One of the things that has been bothering me is having five blogs and two Facebook pages.  For someone that has ME/CFS among other illnesses that sounds plain crazy.  And maybe, I was feeling a little guilty:  it's the perfectionist thing kicking in.  I can't spread myself around that much.


I was wondering how I got myself into this, and I remembered that I was called.

Today, God helped me to see that by answering a prayer for me.  (He tells us in the Bible to bring all our cares and anxieties to Him.)  This afternoon, the answer was in the things I read, and I it was also brought to me by a member on one of my Facebook pages.  I am thankful God cleared up my lack of focus and the distractions with which I've been dealing;  moreover, I am absolutely amazed at how the picture of what I'm supposed to be doing is clearing up.  I feel as if I have been looking through a fogged window, and I now I can see the landscape before me.

I feel relief.  With all that is in me, I am thankful to God.

Secondly, I have been wondering if I should combine blogs, go to Wordpress, get my own domain and combine blogs.  I have that answer for now.  And it goes along with the the acronym, KIS:  keep it simple.

1. It costs money to get your own domain -- can't do that one yet.
2. I am already here, and you know I am here.
3. Blogger is easy to use.
4. Why expend energy on changing something that works.
5. I can share the information for and from Chronic Fatigue and Creative Decluttering here. (Why does this feel like one of those "duh" moments?  After all, having enough energy to clean is something with which people with chronic illnesses struggle.)

I am not going to delete the other blogs, but I am not going to struggle with what to do with them anymore -- at least, not until I am led to do something different, if that ever happens.  This is my plan:

• The two main blogs are Learning to Balance Life Changes and Living Better With An Invisible Illness.  
• Learning to Balance Life Changes will continue to be about information on Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS; dealing with our health, our psychological balance, and our physical issues; and at times I am going to mention how spiritual issues affect our life (because that is who I am).  Also, I plan to incorporate more about the decluttering of our house, our lives, our bodies, as it comes.  Why?  Because these are issues with which many people deal -- not just those with chronic illness.
• Living Better With An Invisible Illness has become a mixture of a devotional blog, a book and blog review, as well as, sharing how art journaling can be a healing tool.
• Deborah Lynne's Inspirations is going to be mostly creative things that I share on Pinterest -- DIY, up-cycling  art, etcetera.  I haven' t had much time to do that lately, because I have been floundering.
• Saying Bye to Clutter is my photo journal for decluttering.  I don't post everyday.  I accumulate pictures, then I post.  This is a fun thing for me, and I am interested to see how I feel after having posted 365 days of clutter gone.  The inspiration to keep doing it is useful too.  
• Take Comfort has been a blog of short devotions, that I began to minister to those that cannot concentrate on long Bible studies and devotionals.  Occasionally, I will do a short Bible Study to add to the collection, but lately, my devotional writing has taken a trip to Living Better With an Invisible Illness.  For right now, I think I am supposed to do it that way.   

For now, that is it.  I will be reworking my links and pages during the next few days.  But right now, I need to give my derriere a rest.  I have been sitting too long.  Also, I have some decluttering to do.  I wonder if I could convince my husband hamburgers are a good idea tonight.  I forgot to defrost something for supper.

I love you all.  If this is too long, I am so sorry.  I have become very conscious about that lately, especially since I have been reading many blogs.  My brain can only seem to take in so much; but also, I don't think our eyes were meant to stare at a computer screen for hours at a time.  See you later.

Decluttering With A Timer

Image:  Balancing Act by D. Bolton

Hi Everyone!  I was just picking up clothes to hang up or put in the dirty clothes in my master bedroom.  I was in the closet, and I realized I was holding my breath.   Also, I began to feel shaky.  This made me think other people may start to breathe faster or hold their breaths when working with at timer.  Either one is not a great idea if you have a problem with chronic fatigue.

Decluttering with a Timer

• This is not a race!  The timer is being used, so you know when to stop.
• A timer is a tool to encourage you to work in an amount of time that will not wear you out psychologically or physically.  The timer is your friend, not your competitor.
• Breathe.  I began taking slow deep breaths in my closet when I realized what was hPpening.
• If you give out before the timer does ( I am talking about legs shaking, body says sit), Stop.  The clutter won't run away, and you can come back to it later.
• Work in increments of 5 to 15 minutes.  I have found I can start with 5 minutes or less after a flare-up (relapse), and that gives my muscles a chance to grow stronger.  If I jump into things too quickly, I end up too tired to do anything and discouraged.  As I grow stronger, I can add more minutes.
• Sometimes, you can go to a less physical activity after doing something  that requires a lot of effort, but listen to your body.  You should take breaks.
• The rules here are not ironclad, but they are a guide to help you pace yourself.  Sometimes, I am able to go past 15 minutes, but I often pay for that by being more fatigued the next day.

Do What You Can Do

Image Courtesy of [graur codrin]/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Foggy brain go away.  Don't come back another day -- I wish!  But here it is,  you are going to get the "Do what you can do, and don't worry about the rest talk."  That is what I plan to do;  because, if I start stressing over brain fog, it will get worse.

• Earlier today, I started an excellent post by accident as I was commenting on another blog.  I copied it, and redid the blog post comment.  Lesson learned:  immediately copy to stick it note or new template, because I might delete the really good stuff, while I copy a name so I won't forget to spell it properly.  If that post makes sense to me tomorrow and my fog will let me edit without feeling brain dead, it will be in Living Better With An Invisible Illness.
• I can do a load of laundry and put away the basket that has been sitting there a week.
• I can do the FlyLady habit for the month, which is to declutter for 15 minutes every day.
• I can write down a couple of things I need to do, and when I finish I can check them off my list.
• Also, I can continue to get dressed daily, which I had let up on because I have been fighting depression.  This is something I have already accomplished --  Hooray, me!
• What can you do?  Your list doesn't have to be as long as mine.

You and I can do this.  I know we can.  Take Baby Steps back when flare-ups, depression, or brain fog hits -- that is the way to go.  Be grateful for what we can do.  Enjoy doing something that doesn't make the brain fog worse.  You will have to decide what works for you.  I like to read something entertaining or watch a funny movie.  Sometimes, I work on my art journal.  Or I take a short walk with the dog.  Or I take my anti-anxiety medicine, and I go lie down in my quiet bedroom if there is too much coming into the brain and my nerves are on end.  If you have Fibromyalgia, you probably know exactly what I am talking about.  Sometimes, it is a daily battle and sometimes, we seem to have moments of respite.  Never again do I want this disease to flood my life with guilt over the things I cannot do all the time.  How about you?

Positivity for the New Year

Dear Readers,

I hope your Christmas was wonderful, despite the inevitable fatigue and aches so many of us deal with.  I am learning to separate the good from the bad:  maybe, it is simply a more philosophical approach to dealing with pain and fatigue.  I know it is going to slow me down and keep me from doing some things, but it doesn't control my life.  However, it does slow me down, and that is not always a bad thing.  

Now that I have to slow down, I don't have to worry about things being perfect, which never worked that well for me anyhow.  My family still knows that I love them and that I do the best I can.  They also are incredibly helpful.  God bless you all, and as the new year approaches may you find ways not only to endure, but to enjoy your life.

Image Courtesy of [Idea go] / freedigitalphotos.net

One of the things I want to continue is my mission to declutter my house; because it less stressful to have less stuff.  It seems that for years most people were on a mission to get more things, but I think many people are realizing it is easier to live a simple life.  However, that seems nearly impossible.  We really do live in an information age, and I think that makes life more complicated if we don't control how much comes into our lives.  So I suppose I am talking about control of items or things, as well as control of how much "world noise"  I allow in my life.  I am not talking about hiding or being a hermit, but to be healthier, we need to seek the positive not just look at the negative.  One of the nice things about Christmas is I think the news stations actually look for some positive news.

Many blessings to all you precious people.  God loves you and so do I.  Happy New Year!