So you know you want to start tidying up, decluttering making a start on getting your life in order but you just CAN’T!!! What is this block that stops you? For me it sometimes feels like a dead weight in my stomach and at other times it is as if my entire body is heavy and inert. However you experience that feeling you will know that at times like these, it is well nigh impossible to get moving.
So…
Here are some of Sally and Jane’s Top Tips to give that feeling the heave-ho and start shifting the clutter, clearing the dishwasher or tackling that pile of paper.
- It’s a competition. That’s right it’s between you and the kettle. You switch on the kettle for that cup of tea you so richly deserve and then you do as much as you can in the time it takes for the kettle to boil. You will be amazed at what you can do (load the dishwasher, do some washing up, tidy stuff away…) and yes you might even cheat a bit and carry on for a bit longer. It’s OK the kettle won’t know. Or you might pit yourself against the microwave and the jacket potato you are baking in there. You get the idea!
- Put on some really upbeat music as loud as you dare and get moving. Do the dusting, grab a load of laundry or do the ironing and don’t forget to belt out the tunes as riotously as you want. There’s a slight danger with this one that you’ll just end up dancing around the living room for 10 minutes but at least you will have slung your downbeat blues along the way!
- Set the timer for 10 minutes. Or for 5 minutes. When I was facing my filing one day for the first time in years I found I couldn’t bear the thought of doing filing for even 10 minutes. I had to set my timer for 2 minutes! But it worked because starting is more than half the battle.
- Invite someone over!!! It’s amazing the motivation I find to get tidying and cleaning when I know I have a guest coming. This is not always an option if your home looks like three bomb pits piled one on top of the other and you are deeply embarrassed by it but it can work wonders for your energy if you are able to.
- Do one thing every time you go in a room. That’s it. Pick something up and either throw it away or put it away. Don’t fuss about what it is, just grab something, anything and deal with it.
- Don’t stare at the screen while your computer boots up or your email loads – do the filing, shred some papers, tidy up your desk.
And remember it’s all about changing your mind set and transforming your home one small step at a time. Happy decluttering!!
