Hello my Crafty Friends,
It has been awhile since I posted…it seems like life and all its happenings kidnapped me from my creative desk and plunked me down into reality! In reality, I was trying to find my way out of all my clutter. I will be sharing some of my creative ideas in the coming months. Be sure to check out my FB Craft Wagon page too!
Do you set goals/resolutions at the beginning of the year? This year, well for many years, I have added: clear the clutter, get organized, throw away stuff, donate stuff, get a dump bin and just let it go! ” This year…”, yet each year end I find myself with stuff and the feeling of overwhelm.
Well my mantra for 2019 is the “The Year to Clear”… this can be all encompassing. It’s amazing when I started to think about this mantra. I can use this mantra for my health, relationships, mindset, thoughts, goals and the actual physical stuff I own. My resolutions have been based on what I see in front of me. I get overwhelmed with all the stuff I own, and I vow I will just get rid of it.
I mark the calendar and I begin, and then it happens… My decision making skills go out the window along with rational thinking. I throw out what matters, like a wedding gift and keep crazy stupid stuff, because we all know how important it is to own 13 different coloured pens and every size of Post-it notes that were ever invented! Then someone comes along and questions, “Why are you throwing out this?” and I second guess myself, wondering if I have missed it’s importance. I am unable to move forward with the goal, and like 80% of us who are unable to keep resolutions after six weeks. I ditch it! (Business Insider )
According to Lindsay Dodgson in her article: The psychology behind why we’re so bad at keeping New Year’s resolution, the internal battle inside of us between should and want causes us to not fully commit. When we are told we “should” do something, we can often become defiant and then make the decision not to continue with the goal or resolution. Seriously, I am an adult, you can’t tell me what I should do!
This made me think of myself, and the “shoulds” in my life and head. This is perhaps why I have had many attempts at this, and little success. Yes, I have been able to get rid of a ton of stuff. We have had dump bins on our driveway, several years in a row. Ask me what we put in there? NO idea! When I look around, I know I do not have as much as I used to but still I have come to the realization that:
Over the year’s I have tried just about EVERY type of craft, at least once. I have collected the supplies to create these handcrafted items and realized that perhaps it’s a form of addiction! I talk to other crafter’s and discover I am not alone, many have mass collections as well. I have often joked with my family that if I did not craft, our house would not be so cozy. (Yes, it’s insulated with fabric and yarn and other neat stuff!) All kidding aside, I have read a number of (most) organizing and cluttering books. I will leave links at the bottom of this post, of a few of my favourites. In case you need a distraction from your procrastination of clearing the clutter.
Creatively Yours,
Roxane
LINKS:
Soulful Simplicity by Courtney Carver
The link is to Courtney’s website, she has provided amazing content on her website and a sample chapter for preview. If you have followed me for awhile, I participated in her Project 333 for a number of years.
The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
I have recently discovered her series on Netflix, I am hoping that it will kick start my year:)