Gentle Monday

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health and home, and how I will step up for the Natural Living Challenge.

Agenda:

1. Read "How to Keep House While Drowning"

2. Giving Each Thing a Home

3. Water habit

1. Read "How to Keep House While Drowning":

I got this little book by KC Davis (2020) from the library a couple of years ago and thought I'd like to review it this month. Her philosophy is "You don't exist to serve your space; your space exists to serve you. ... There is a big difference between being on a journey of worthiness and being on a journey of care."

Chapter 8 is Organized is not the same as tidy. "Being organized means tidying moves more quickly and makes my life more functional and cleaning less overwhelming." I'd like that!

I've always thought of myself as basically tidy, because I enjoy that state more than messy, but lately I've not arrived anywhere close. My mess is partly caused because I'm not organized, and partly because of not having sole ownership of spaces.

She suggests forgetting about athletics; just put a functional storage container or basket where the stuff most often lands. That is functional tidy.

2. Giving Each Thing a Home:

My house care theme for the month is Basic Care and Zen Order. This means do the basics each week (sweeping, dusting, etc.) and find a zen balance of order that feels good. I have asked myself "Why am I holding on to so much stuff - how can I make letting go super easy? How can I make sorting fun again?"

I thought it might be good for me to have an "End of Day Reset" habit, to sort out all the supplies and either put them away or replenish them, but I haven't yet gotten organized enough to simply reset. I need to do some big sorting and tossing this week, with a focus in the driveway, backyard, studio, and overflowing toy storage. I need to find the way that is enjoyable for me, so it doesn't become a barrier to doing it. "In the end, the approach that you are motivated to do and enjoy doing is the most 'efficient', because you are actually doing it, and not avoiding it."

My New Order Plan:

1. Simplicity Time: Each day before my nap take 30 minutes to tidy one area; gather all Homeless Items on the kitchen table.
2. Reset Time: Each afternoon, find homes for homeless items and craft supplies - make sure to leave abundant roominess!

This week I plan to:

• Garbages + Clear table for painting
• Recycling + Clear area around my paint cart! + Clear out acrylics and store them in a box in the paint cupboard.
• Clothes, towels, coats + potting shed and sawhorses                      
• In-basket, papers, notebooks + Set up a drawer and surface for watercolors.
• Sort big toys in the studio and under the table and donate some
• Refrigerator + Sort and put away old craft projects
• Sun: Zen tidy

3. Water habit:

Yesterday I made a renewal plan for the month. Today I'll plan some solid cues for water, and some set up, beginning in the evening:

9 pm: Set out glass of water in bedroom.

5:45 am: Dawn exercise alert- Take pills with water.

Post nap: Run Beingness routine

Dinner time: Drink water before anything else