Sentimentality has not been my friend. I like to keep mementos reminding me of good times, happy things, and people I love. But when you’re so busy storing these items that you don’t actively display and enjoy them, you’re not getting any benefit, are you? I know I’m not.

So we’re learning to be a bit more ruthless. Donating books we’ll never read again (and being more discerning when we buy new ones), throwing out receipts and bits of paper that we no longer need.

There are two big lessons we need to learn and stick to:

1) Once you’ve started decluttering, don’t allow new clutter to take its place. Once you get that desktop or kitchen counter or dining room table nice and clear, keep it that way. Look for ways to embrace the clutter-free lifestyle and try to keep up – don’t let it gradually clutter back up. Be vigilant!

2) Fighting clutter is a continual process. Just one cleaning session will not be enough. Once you get an area clear, you must work to keep it that way. It will be much easier to maintain if you try hard not to let it get cluttered again. It’s not as hard as it sounds, as long as you don’t allow yourself to be lazy.

We’re working on our living room right now. Because our place is so small, we have my desk in the living room. It’ll be moving to the dining room as soon as we can get things cleared out in there. We have to do a section at a time.

I’m hoping that posting about these things will help us keep going, and keep us more accountable on doing what we planned. Does writing about it help keep you accountable? Or do you feel embarrassed by your projects and would rather just talk about them when they’re finished?

[image: stock.xchng]

Just like the rest of you.

This site is here to hopefully help you get more organized. And along the way I’ll talk about what I’m doing in my own household. Things that have worked for other moms. Things that have worked for you, even.

There’s no single “right” way to do things. What is right for you is what works. Be willing to experiment a little.

I’m experimenting right now with my schedule. Since I don’t get up and leave the house every morning, my routines are different. And I haven’t found that way of doing things that works best. Part of it is the baby and his schedule. Maybe I’m a little bit too much at his mercy. But I think there’s a time later for more regimented planning. Right now things are a little more flexible.

Hmmm, maybe too flexible. I still feel like a brand new mom, though, like I’m still learning a lot. In some ways it gets easier as he gets older. In other ways, not so much. He’s crawling – I need to keep an eye on him much more than when I could set him in a spot and he’d stay there.

It’s an evolving process, this keeping track of things and feeling in control. I confess I feel more in control some days, less in others.

What would you like to work on? What are you struggling with? Maybe we can work it out together.

[image: sxc.hu]