I am
just getting over a mean bout of tummy flu or food poisoning – who knows. It
sounds weird, but today I had a lovely content feeling that came because I am very happy about
the good habits I’ve been developing. One of them is „buy new toilet paper when
you have two rolls left“. This doesn’t sound so amazing unless you’ve got the
trots, all stores are closed for a religious holiday (it’s GERMANY!) and you
still have enough paper to get you through. That’s satisfaction... But I’m not
hoarding the stuff.
Meditating,
yoga, tidying up twice a day shortly, putting dishes into the dishwasher
straight from the table, getting into bed on time and reading a bit, getting up
on time, leaving for appointments a bit earlier than necessary, never keeping
newspapers longer than a day, giving somebody the magazine you just read, etc.
Small things that add up to a smooth life.
My
efforts to lose weight were accelerated by the sickness but that isn’t the way
I want to go. Today I ate a modest meal of three asparagus tips and two cooked
carrots and enjoyed them immensely. My tummy won’t take more than that! But it
stayed down, so yay.
I’ve
been thinking about more ways to cultivate small yet effective habits without a
sense of dread or “have to”.
Try
these:
Whenever you’re boiling water for tea or making coffee, tidy up the
kitchen. If the kitchen is tidy, tidy up the next room
– it’s only 3 minutes but it keeps you on top of everything.
“Don’t Need It – Don’t Want It.” I
say this mantra to myself while shopping. It reminds me that I can get my kicks
through other healthier means. Keeping to a list helps, too.
Designate a spot for incoming papers.
Papers often account for a lot of our clutter. This is because we put them in
different spots — on the counter, on the table, on our desk, in a drawer, on
top of our dresser, in our car. No wonder we can’t find anything! Designate an
in-box tray or spot in your home (or at your office, for that matter) and don’t
put down papers anywhere but that spot. Got mail? Put it in the inbox. Got
school papers? Put it in the inbox. Receipts, warranties, manuals, notices,
flyers? In the inbox! This one little change can really transform your
paperwork. (Ideally, you’ll file or act on these papers. But if you don’t, at
least you’ll find them!)
Start clearing a small zone.
What you want to do is clear one area. This is your no-clutter zone. It can be
a counter, your kitchen table, or the coffee table. Wherever you start, make a
rule: nothing can be placed there that’s not actually in use. Everything must
be put away. Once you have that clutter-free zone, keep it that way! Now, each
day, slowly expand your no-clutter zone (even by inches) until it envelopes the
whole place!
Clear off a counter. You want to get
your housing so that all flat spaces are clear of clutter. Maybe they have a
toaster on them, maybe a decorative candle or flowers in a vase, but not a lot
of clutter. So start with one counter. Clear off everything possible, except
maybe one or two essential things. Have a blender you haven’t used? Put it in
the cupboard! Clear off all papers and all the other junk you’ve been tossing
on the counter too.
Pick up 5 things, and find places for them. These should be things that you actually use, but that you just seem
to put anywhere, because they don’t have good places. If you don’t know exactly
where things belong, you’ll have to designate a good spot. Take a minute to
think it through — where would be a good spot? Then always put those things in
those spots when you’re done using them. This is an amazingly effective habit!
Pull everything out of a drawer.
Just take the drawer out and empty it on a table. Then sort the drawer into
three piles: 1) stuff that really should go in the drawer; 2) stuff that
belongs elsewhere; 3) stuff to get rid of. Place the things that belong in the
drawer into small containers which prevent the objects from rolling around! Get
rid of the junk and put the stuff that belongs elsewhere where it belongs.
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