Wednesday, December 30, 2009

SORT

I don’t believe too much in New Year’s resolutions, per se, because I don’t think you need to wait for a new year or even a particular day to resolve to do something. However, I certainly do believe in resolutions. Remember Project ESCR? Let’s get down to it.

Exercise. Sort. Create. Read. I am least excited about the S (Sort) part, so let’s talk about that one and get it over with.

We move a lot. And, as a result, we are almost always getting ready to move (packing) or recovering from a move (unpacking). When we get to a new place we try to unpack everything and get it into place as quickly as possible so as to enjoy a “normal” life in our current home as long as possible. Inevitably, though, we get to a point where everything we absolutely need is out of boxes and in place, yet there are still x number of boxes that remain unpacked. Motivation to continue unpacking goes right out the window. At our last home, in Germany, we had a whole storage room (the infamous Room Seven) filled with unpacked boxes. I kept meaning to unpack these boxes and sort through them, but due to our circumstances there, I never got around to it. These boxes are now compounded with additional unpacked boxes here in Kansas and a whole slew of unpacked boxes from Washington that were in storage while we lived in Germany.

It’s all here taking up valuable space. I’m talking not just about physical space in our home, but also about EMOTIONAL space. Having the boxes sitting in our storage room and garage here in Kansas makes me antsy because I don’t know exactly what’s in them. I know I don’t need everything in them, so I have to go through (i.e. SORT) them, to find the few things I would like to keep from each box. I am looking forward to getting rid of the things that I DON’T NEED. Someone else could make great use of these things, so to have them sitting around in my house, unused, is selfish and silly.

So there will be SORTING. I am committing to 4 hours a week. That is one hour a day for 4 days out of 5. The 5th day will be the processing day: Goodwill, Salvation Army, women’s shelters, here I come. Sorting, like exercise, is something that takes an enormous amount of willpower to get going, but once you’re in it, it feels great. And the cumulative effects are awesome.

I’ll begin today.

4 comments:

Vicki said...

Okay, so I might have to start on the same path. I just finally put away a bunch of baby things. Kera is nearly 2 and I just put away the burp cloths. :)

pakosta said...

Hi! I am from the class over at big pic scrapbooking!
ONe thing I plan to do is called "drawer a day" with my neighbor. we are challenging one another to empty and clean one drawer per day (or closet, pantry etc.) it will be inspiring! I want to get rid of clutter! tara

The Gutsy Mom said...

I love the drawer a day challenge with a friend! My plan, once all the boxes are done, is to spend my "sort" time in exactly that way -- doing a drawer or a shelf or a cubby a day! We'll see what decade it is when THAT starts! LOL.

Scottie Mom said...

I thought I was the only one with extra boxes!

It is like they multiple in the moving van.

I love your idea...I going to implement once I
am back in FL.