Two Month Anniversary Reflections

I know. Two months isn't a long time. This week I've been feeling like I haven't accomplished much since I started this project, but for the first time I have documentation about what I have done. Journaling would have accomplished the same results, but I like blogging because I feel acountable to the people in Internetland to get something done and write about it. If I'm just writing for myself I get tired, decide I'll write about tomorrow. Nothing gets written for a week, and next thing I know I'm starting a new effort to make some order in my home.

So I will review what I have done in two months.

• Largely decluttered the bar, and it rarely has a large pile of things that need to be dealt with.
• Created a habit to put away clothes (like my sweater) in the closet if they aren't dirty, rather than leaving them on the bathroom counter to make clutter.
• Got rid of the Lost Sock Basket in the laundry room, making a lot of space!
• Created a shopping list and a shopping plan that give me a lot more time at home (and less time running errands).
• Began making a weekly menu plan. It doesn't work out perfectly, but it is easier than coming up with a plan last-minute, like I did in the past.
• Decluttered a lot of food items. Things that need to be eater, things that aren't expired but would expire if I continue to ignore them. Arborio rice, dried mangos, manicotti shells, unloved beans have all become dinner, not clutter. (Ok, not the mangos. They became breakfast.)
• Rehomed the canoe, several vintage magazines, a lot of yarn and possibly a couple other things on ebay.
• Developed a roll of film that has been sitting around for YEARS.
• Got rid of a shoe rack, and I can reach my hats better than I ever have before.

There are a lot of little things that I didn't put on the list. These all add up. In two months I've gotten rid of things I've been walking around for years. In another two months, I'm sure I can make more improvement. It's not an overnight process, even though spending a few days in a cluttery house makes me feel like I'm not actually making progress toward my goals.