Hi Guys,
The start of the year went well enough. Quiet, but pleasant. But the heat hit us like a ton of bricks.
We had 5 straight days of 40+ Celsius, with the nights for the 4 nights not going below 29. No relief and with rolling power outages it was a nightmare. Where I live this in period and not unusual to have this oppressive dry heat as we get the Northerly winds that bring with it the extreme heat from the dessert. All one can do is stay still and be in water to cool one's core temperature down. Somehow, most of us got through, but the bush fire season started in full vengeance with one fatality already. These are the summers I do not enjoy, but rather endure.
That being said, I still managed to go through the areas of where boxes had been left to be sorted in the office, lounge and dining table.
I started in the office first, which took 2 days in that heat. I just pottered in a go slow motion. Then I worked my magic with what was on, under and around the dining table and then what had been placed in the lounge room. This took over a week. I found so many things that now are proving useful. I even found my ring of commitment with my previous that I had forgotten about. An Irish gold ring - a Claddagh ~ symbolising 'Let Love and Friendship Reign Forever'. Well, that worked a treat ~ not. I bought it for him, myself ~ mine had an Emerald in the heart ~ and his daughter and my daughter and as our son was still a baby he was to get one later as our commitment as a blended family. My ex never gave that ring to his son, but that's a whole other story for him to explain to his son now.
But it is amazing how just seeing one item the memories come flooding back, good and bad. Trouble is you don't tell your children all these stories as you forget them. My daughter remembered the ring and still has hers. As for my son he never knew and said his Dad still wears his and had no idea that I had bought that ring for him some 17 years ago now. I was astonished to hear that he was still wearing the ring I had bought for him, especially by rights he should have passed it onto his son when we split. But due to the fact that I had forgotten about it, I never really gave it much thought. Something for them to sort out.
I found photos. I came across small treasures. Much of which had to be tossed and those that I wanted to keep a memory of to catalogue, well, I just took a photo and then was able to be discarded.
Found a quote I quite liked, which really is so appropriate to myself in light of my lack of motivation and that is "The secret to getting ahead is getting started" by Mark Twain. Makes perfect sense, now doesn't it.
After having achieved all that, I came to a standstill, due to some personal upheaval and stressful situation. There is nothing one can do when this happens and takes place. You will find at times, when this happens, you have to set your projects aside and concentrate on what is happening in the now.
Clearly a month has gone by and I have decluttered, but not to the extent I had intended when entering this year. However, I do not feel low about this as it was out of my control. In the meantime, a friend came over to see my Dad's and Granddad's tools and power tools to tell me their value and quality and what I should keep and what I could definitely let go.
The bedroom is functioning well now and now that the tools are out from more of the drawers, it will be better organised even more.
Just a short one this time. We celebrated Australia Day yesterday and I have to get a jiggle on with my studies of which I am massively behind on. Just dealing with one situation and project at a time.
My plan is to get all the tools sorted and the little shed cleared and functional. The spare fridge will go in there next. Clear the corridor and what is underneath the carport. That should take a few months as yet. If I am lucky, I will then get to start taking boxes one at a time from the attic ~ "the last bastion" ~ to be dealt with.
Then and only then will I feel I am on the home stretch.
However, you would think that would be it. Then I have to go through all the cupboards that I have left till last to go through and have that one last cull to cut right back.
My method is to cull twice. Not what the experts advice. But, hey, this works for me.
Do what best suits you and can live with. That way there will be few tears at the end. No regrets. Just glad to see the end of the overwhelming 'stuff' myself. But I am talking more than likely about another years worth of work as yet to be done.
Till next time. Hope your decluttering is still happening for you and that you keep being kind to thyself.
Ciao for now
Anita who needs to go find her mojo.
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