The Year of Subtraction
My CEO stated that this would be the "year of subtraction" at work. She plans to reduce paperwork, one way or the other. She plans to reduce repetition and recidivism. I can hardly wait; we really need to do this. It would make life so much simpler and much more enjoyable.
I plan to do the same at home this year. Of course I claimed this same goal last year, just different words. Last year was to be my year of simplification, to get rid of all the stuff in the house that we didn't need, cut back on all the "clutter" in the house, in my mind, in our lives, and give us more time, room and energy for the things we enjoy most. But I never got it done.
One of the biggest challenges is that of the four people remaining in this house, none of us can agree on the priorities. Now, with the girls, I can pull rank and just make an executive decision. Afterall, I am the mother! With DH, it's a little more complicated. He's all for reduction and getting rid of non-essentials, seldom used or long ago overused items. So I can start cleaning things out. And the keyword in that sentence is "START."
You see, the problem with starting is that it must be finished. Otherwise, it becomes a bigger mess. When I clean out the girls' clothes and package them for the Thrift Store, the boxes must go somewhere. That somewhere is my living room until one of us can take the boxes out. DH will then come home from work (he comes in as I'm going out) and decide these boxes just simply can't be in the living room in his way, so he moves them to the porch or garage. If he moves them to the porch, I guarantee you it will rain that day! It has happened far too many times. If he moves them to the garage, he will decide that they will be in the way of his tools, and will then change his mind and return them to the house. And guess where they will go? Right back into the girls' closets!
If I clean out larger items to make more room, within hours DH will plan a purchase of something to replace the disposed item and fill the space. And I guarantee you that the replacement will take up more space than the disposal! There is no subtraction in this house....just swaps! ~sigh~
I think what I need is a week off work, here at the house, all by myself. That's the only way this will work. Now to plan how I'd do that......
hmmmmm.......
I plan to do the same at home this year. Of course I claimed this same goal last year, just different words. Last year was to be my year of simplification, to get rid of all the stuff in the house that we didn't need, cut back on all the "clutter" in the house, in my mind, in our lives, and give us more time, room and energy for the things we enjoy most. But I never got it done.
One of the biggest challenges is that of the four people remaining in this house, none of us can agree on the priorities. Now, with the girls, I can pull rank and just make an executive decision. Afterall, I am the mother! With DH, it's a little more complicated. He's all for reduction and getting rid of non-essentials, seldom used or long ago overused items. So I can start cleaning things out. And the keyword in that sentence is "START."
You see, the problem with starting is that it must be finished. Otherwise, it becomes a bigger mess. When I clean out the girls' clothes and package them for the Thrift Store, the boxes must go somewhere. That somewhere is my living room until one of us can take the boxes out. DH will then come home from work (he comes in as I'm going out) and decide these boxes just simply can't be in the living room in his way, so he moves them to the porch or garage. If he moves them to the porch, I guarantee you it will rain that day! It has happened far too many times. If he moves them to the garage, he will decide that they will be in the way of his tools, and will then change his mind and return them to the house. And guess where they will go? Right back into the girls' closets!
If I clean out larger items to make more room, within hours DH will plan a purchase of something to replace the disposed item and fill the space. And I guarantee you that the replacement will take up more space than the disposal! There is no subtraction in this house....just swaps! ~sigh~
I think what I need is a week off work, here at the house, all by myself. That's the only way this will work. Now to plan how I'd do that......
hmmmmm.......
posted by Senati | 7:53 PM
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