3.07.2011

Cleaning Challenge

As you know I am forever cleaning.  It seems that while I do manage to make some progress I am easily distracted and not especially motivated.  Now that spring is on its way I am in the mood to clean and organize and I have been on a roll, cleaning things that haven’t been cleaned, sorting, rearranging, and storing.

I have recently discovered that my lack of motivation is because I am a messy perfectionist, really.  Basically if I can’t do it perfectly then why bother doing it at all?  Now I have a new mantra: It doesn’t need to be perfect, it needs to be done!  Also: You can always go back later and make it perfect.  I has been going much better, I am accomplishing more than I have in a very long time and seeing how much better it is starting to look is even more incentive to do more.cleaning craft room progress 1This is an in progress shot, notice that the table is pretty clean, but there is a lot of stuff in the doorway and what you can’t see it the ironing board on the left is stacked pretty full, with only a tiny spot left to iron on.cleaning craft room progress 2Here is what I accomplished in an afternoon, notice that there is some stuff piled on the table now.  I have a weird way of cleaning, I sort everything in to piles and then put the piles away one at a time.  The stuff on the table is stuff that I want to work on in the near future.  There is a stack of pants that I have big plans for, a crate full of flannel waiting to be cut, a variety of plastic bags that need to be made into plarn, and a fish bowl full of misc. stuff that I couldn’t sort into a category.  I’m just happy to see the floor, even if it needs to be swept, and to be able to shut the doors again.

My challenge to you is take 30 minutes and “just get it done” really, it doesn’t have to be perfect, done will be enough for now.  Sort out your yarn, put all you current projects together in a tote, clean off a table or counter top, recycle all that junk mail, anything.  Once you’re done you’ll be surprised at how much better you feel. 

Once I get this all cleaned up it will be sooooo much easier to get stuff done, no more time wasted clearing a spot to work or hunting for supplies, Happy cleaning, let me know how it goes.

2 comments:

kelly o! said...

Yay you!! I am a "20 minutes at a time" kind of gal...in the morning I'll (take 20 minutes to) clear off my cutting table and then be able to baste and quilt my kiddo's latest request!

Thanks for the inspiration!

Crafterella said...

Thanks Kelly, it was your idea.
I should also mention that you can break up your cleaning time into 10 or 15 minute increments if that is more doable for you. I try to do 30 minutes because I can really get a lot done, but I don't get sick of doing it.