October was a productive month. I’ve successfully ignored the slow creep of Christmas merchandise everywhere, but now’s a good time to begin thinking about the holidays because the additional planning will have an impact on my goals. I do want to keep the holidays simple so that I make progress like this in the coming months.

Objective 1: To create a home which contains only things we need and love.

What I accomplished: I donated, threw away and recycled a lot of things from the attic. FINALLY. Gaining momentum was easy once I jumped in- taking that initial deep breath and committing an entire day was the hard part. But it was also done somewhat spontaneously, so I didn’t have as much dread. Over the years if I stored something out of sight, I didn’t think of it as clutter. But I needed to face the fact that having a home for an item is no reason to keep it. Once I got over that misconception, I found myself creating a lot of space.

I donated lots of books too. The closest library taking book donations is about 20 minutes away and not close to any other stores I go to. Though Emma’s been taking a pottery class down the road from the library so I’m there once a week. Since the class is drop off, I hang out there while I wait. My first donation was large, about 30 books, and each week I’ve dropped off another 5-10.

Grade: A-

Next Steps: There’s still a lot more to do, namely the garage, but I cleared a big hurdle. I won’t call the attic finished, because I’ll be doing more organizing and hopefully getting rid of more stuff. Getting the garage empty enough for a car is my most ambitious goal, and some of what’s in there will have to be moved into the attic so I need to stay flexible about my expectations for the space.

I still need to come up with a better paper strategy. Thank you to everyone who gave tips on my last post. Looking online for manuals is definitely in my future. I can’t believe I didn’t think of looking for e-versions. A few years ago my sewing machine, a hand-me-down from my mom, needed troubleshooting. I never had the manual and didn’t expect my mom to, since she bought it around 1989. Even though I wasn’t optimistic, I did a search and found the manual! So the chances are good I’ll be able to do the same for my newer gadgets.

Objective 2: To implement routines and habits to help us manage our time, our house and our health.

What I accomplished: I haven’t given this objective the attention it deserves, thinking I needed to get the house fully purged first. But I think the two goals can happen concurrently. For the last few weeks, I’ve been consistent with my morning routine. I am NOT being a morning person, which has made a morning routine challenging. It’s hard to do anything beyond what I need to get out the door in a matching pair of shoes. But getting a few basic chores done in the morning makes such a huge difference, in the house and in my mood. Even in my  zombie-ish state, I’m able to empty and reload the dishwasher. Usually that’s my very first task of the day. By then, I’ve had enough coffee to feel more human, so I quickly clean the main bathroom and make the beds. Making sure I set up the coffee maker after dinner has been the key- if I know coffee’s waiting, it makes getting up easier. I recently realized the time between taking Emma off the bus and starting dinner is generally unproductive, but I’ve started using that time to box up donation boxes and fill trash bags.

Grade: B

Next Steps: While I want to maximize all my time, I also don’t want to be too regimented. I need to work in something to keep the clutter and junk off the flat surfaces.

Clear tables in the living room.

On Saturday Emma had some friends over for a Halloween brunch, so I cleaned the house pretty well. I realized that the house is pretty neat when there’s no stuff all over the tables, and I want to have a good system in place for that purpose.

Objective 3: To improve the quality of family mealtimes through better planning and organization.

What I accomplished: Because we were out for special occasions, and away for a weekend, I found it hard to get into a cooking groove. But I made my meal plan for November, focusing on a few changes to make dinners healthier and easier to prepare.

Grade: C+

Next Steps: We’re four days into the month and I’m on track, so the goal is to stay there.

Objective 4: To utilize free time more mindfully, individually and as a family.

A brief, fun farm visit.

What I accomplished: Not much. This didn’t go as planned. It was a busy month, and on the few commitment-free days, we were more inclined to relax at home. We didn’t pick apples or pumpkins, though we’re lucky to live near a farm store with a great bakery, so we were able to get fresh apple pie and a bag of apples even if we didn’t pick them ourselves.

Grade: B-

Next Steps: I’m trying to find a balance between taking advantage of all the great local things to do, everything the city offers, and enjoying relaxing weekends at home. Often we’re a bit worn down and are content to do nothing on the weekend, but I’d prefer for those weekends to be planned as opposed to the default mode.