I can’t believe it’s been a month since I started my Simple Year project! It’s flown by but it’s been great. Once again I’m grateful to Kerry for giving me this opportunity to share my story. I haven’t had a chance to respond to all the comments but I’ve read and appreciated all of them. Knowing I need to share my progress has given me much-needed motivation. This was a good month, but next month will be even better.
Objective 1: To create a home which contains only things we need and love.
This was the objective I devoted the most time to. Before I officially landed this opportunity, I’d already filled several bags with clothes and other items we didn’t need or want anymore.
Here’s what I accomplished:
- Cleaned out the junk room so Emma would have space for her Legos and dolls.
- Re-organized two drawers in my kitchen and bathroom.
- Gave up on my attempt to decorate with books by housing them all on shelves and donating ones I already read and don’t want to keep.
- Went through all my clothes and donated many things I no longer wore, and tried a new folding technique.
- Sorted many often-used items into bags so I know where to find them when I need them.
Grade: B
Comment: I’m not penalizing myself for the bad weather, which did impact my plans. But I did run out of steam with regards to sorting and donating stuff, which I know will happen. For next month, I want to manage my time better so I have periods where I take a break from decluttering to work on the other objectives. Many of the projects from this month were pretty spontaneous, and came from me looking at something and thinking, “Ugh, that really annoys me.” I want to be more focused and consciously choose next month’s tasks.
Objective 2: To implement routines and habits to help us manage our time, our house and our health.
I haven’t consciously devoted much time to this objective, but as I’m writing this I realize I’ve been doing things in enough of a pattern to now call them a routine. Here are some new things I’ve been doing in response to last month’s work:
- Putting things back in the drawer neatly while emptying the dishwasher.
- Making sure the vanity drawer is neat at the end of each day when I brush my teeth. This photo’s from this morning.
I have no idea how the Cinderella shoe landed there, but the drawer is otherwise still neat.
- Reading only library books and not buying any, and working on the unread books I already own.
- Making a spot for drinking glasses in an attempt to make less of a mess.
Grade: B-
Comment: I feel I can’t go any higher with my grade because I didn’t devote enough attention to this part. Also, the one thing I did do, designating a spot for daily drinking glasses, didn’t work very well. I need to put coasters there to remind us to use them, otherwise it’s just an empty spot. Next month I’m planning to devote more attention to this. I really hate the rush and scramble to put stuff away that accompanies having people over, and I think establishing better routines will help.
Objective 3: To improve the quality of family mealtimes through better planning and organization.
This fell flat despite my grand intentions. I wrote a meal plan, which was only partially executed. The planning aspect still needs to be simpler.
Grade: C-
Comment: I think I am going to plan meals while we’re eating a meal, getting everyone involved. My husband’s willing to cook and I’m willing to let him. This is something I really don’t want to put off any longer.
Objective 4: To utilize free time more mindfully, individually and as a family.
My attempt to simplify birthday parties was the only effort I put towards this objective. I wanted to devote less time to planning the party so I would have a little more free time. Even before the party happened I knew I’d failed. But I’m not bothered. I concluded that party planning for kids is like trigonometry: overly complicated, with no true real world applications unless you are a mathematician or a professional kids’ party planner. In the end, Emma had fun and I once again felt grateful to see how many truly nice kids she has in her life. Tomorrow we’re taking the generous donations from her friends over to our local food pantry.
Items donated by Emma’s friends.
Grade: Incomplete
Comment: Next month I’m going to give a little more attention to this objective.
On Wednesday, I’ll share my list of goals for the next month. There are lots of things flying around my head but I need to narrow it down. Here’s a preview of one item that’s staying on the list:
Laundry, the current bane of my existence.
I just wanted to let you know that I have thoroughly enjoyed your first month. I have very similar goals (& similar setbacks). Looking forward to month 2.
Thank you! I appreciate the feedback!
We sit down and do meals for the week, we start with breakfast and if V gives me a hard time, I say, “let’s start with Wednesday”, he looks at me and asks me why we can’t start with Monday, so I give in and say, ok let’s do MOnday. he wins…and so do I. I use a planner, write down B – , L – , S – . And write accordingly.
I am not ready to think about any meal other than dinner! Haha. Emma is really difficult about breakfast, and picky. The other night Bob and I planned together right after dinner and I think that will be my idea approach from now on.