February's Project

My 15 minutes a day in February?

Exercise!

I can't think of a better way to beat the winter blahs than to get out there and exercise. I've been trying to be more diligent about walking around our wonderful neighborhood. Today I even got in two walks!

This afternoon I noticed spring in the air. The small areas of melting snow reminded me of the feeling I get in March. Almost giddy, anticipating what's around the bend. Kicking the remaining snow piles from the edge of the yard into the street to make it melt faster. Stepping on the ice overhangs along the street side of the curb to hear the crunch and see whether or not the water will still flow under it.

February is going to be good.

Organizing - Weeks 2 and 3

Project: File Cabinets

Goal: Be able to add to file folders without having to use brute force to squish back surrounding files in order to get 1/2" space in which to open desired file folder and insert new materials

Progress: 1 complete drawer organized

Method: Pull each folder. Paperclip '09 materials, '08 materials, etc. Place each year's materials in decorative storage box to be kept for obligatory 7 years.

Entertainment Value: High

Most Interesting Finds: Checking Account receipt from 2003, Doctor report from 2005, collection of maintenance requests from old apartment

Mission Organization - Week 1

The above photos are items added to our Goodwill pile this week. For 15 minutes each day, I chose an organizing project and got to work. So far, I have gone through my clothes, our DVDs, one of our kitchen cupboards, and our bookshelf to determine what we use and what things can be given to Goodwill.

It's pretty satisfying and liberating to be cleaning out like this. I oftentimes get weighed down by stuff. Each item I put in the Goodwill bag represents one less thing to worry about, one less thing to mend, and one less thing to dust. :) I like that.

Don't worry, I'm not going to have an empty house by the time I'm done with January. I'm making sure to keep plenty of things, some of which are unnecessary still.

Also, here is a picture of the shelf I organized last Saturday. The boxes contain my canning jars, ready to go for this summer!

The Resolution

From Dictionary.com:

"resolution - the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc."

I like resolutions. I like them best when I can keep them. As January 1 approaches each year, I carefully weigh each of my ideas and try to determine which is most worthy of being my New Year's Resolution.

In talking with a friend of mine in late December, I confessed my anguish over trying to choose from the many worthy resolution ideas I had been tossing around. Here are a few: practicing guitar, practicing piano, practicing Spanish, practicing yoga (I know, a lot of practicing), organizing the house, eating organic, and writing regularly. Well, this very wise friend said to me, "What if you resolved to do one of those things each month? You don't have to do the same thing for the whole year."

Brilliant. I don't have to choose just one thing, I can choose 12!

Well, it's not all set in stone for the whole year, but for January, I have chosen to spend 15 minutes each day organizing. It's one of my secret passions, and you can frequently find me organizing a cupboard with the same amount of satisfaction and guilty pleasure as a kid who locked himself in the closet with the cookie jar.

Today my task was organizing my canning jars and lids. I happily sorted all of them into neat rows based on capacity and lid size. Then, I packaged them up in cardboard boxes, clearly labeled the boxes, and stacked them back on the shelf where they previously sat. Now everything is in stackable containers, easy to access, and ready to go when I need them. I also managed to throw out some really rusty lids (why did I keep them?) and a plethora of those plastic containers that strawberries and blueberries come in. I saved 4, but threw away about 10. I don't think I will ever EVER have a need for 14 containers like that. It felt great.

I was tempted to start the next organizing project, but decided to stay strong and hold out until tomorrow. This is fun!

It IS almost tomorrow, though. Only 1.5 hours away. So, I could technically start tomorrow's organizing project before bed tonight...., right? :) It would only take 15 minutes...

I am rich!

"We don't have to define wealth in terms of money. Why not define it by relationships, friendships and community well-being?" -- John D. Ivanko

If I define wealth in terms of friendships, I recognize that I am rich indeed. This week I have been blessed with time around some amazing friends. Last night Zac and I spent the evening with two of our friends who feel like family to us. What a gift it is to sit in the presence of friends and be comfortable with conversation or times of companionable silence. To be relaxed enough to let all sides of your personality show, even the awkward parts that you try to hide from others. What a relief to open yourself up, knowing that you will be loved no matter what you say or do.

This morning I had the pleasure of meeting a life-long friend for breakfast. For two hours we sat in the morning sunlight at Bruegger's Bagels and chatted vigorously, catching up on all that had happened in our lives in recent weeks and discussed all that was to come. I think we could have talked the whole day away!

It is an incredible feeling to walk away from time spent with friends and feel your heart smiling. What a joy to not recognize the cold air around you because you're reflecting on the warm conversation and thinking about the next time you can be around those friends.

I am rich.