So we’re rapidly winding up our 31 Days of Simplicity Series. Hopefully you’ve found some really useful tips to simplify your life.
As we finish up our series, let’s focus on finishing up any unfinished projects. You know what I’m talking about: the garden that was 1/2 planted. The bathroom you were going to redecorate but ran out of steam after you bought the paint. The ironing that still needs to be done. (Guilty!)
Unfinished projects often clutter our space. And they always clutter our minds. They’re always on our mental To-Do List. To simplify your life, you need to make a decision: commit to finishing the project (and decide when), or admit that it’s no longer that important to you and let it go.
2 years ago, I was totally intrigued by Pinterest posts for hand-made Advent calendars. I wanted to make one with pretty little envelopes to announce a special activity for each day like baking Christmas cookies or decorating the tree. I bought a few of the supplies, but that’s as far as I got on the project. For 2 years, I told myself I was gonna make it. This last December, after my daughter asked me 10 times a day how many days there were until Christmas, I finally admitted to myself that I was never going to make an Advent calendar. So I broke down and bought one. And viola! 5 minutes and $5 later, I had a re-useable Advent calendar. No more unfinished project, and no more endless questions about when Christmas would arrive.
Right now I’ve got a pile of ironing to do, and a small but growing stash of my daughter’s stuffed animals that need minor surgery to patch holes. I think about it almost every day, especially when my sweet 5 year old asks me if her polar bear’s fixed yet. So not only does it clutter my mind, it also makes be feel bad because I didn’t get to it yet again. And I know I’m letting my daughter down. (Interesting how procrastination affects self-esteem….)
Fly Lady suggests you make an Anti-Procrastination Day each week, when you finish all those unfinished projects and everything you’ve been putting off. I think that’s a great idea. So I’m scheduling my Anti-Procrastination Day for Feb 1st. I’ll stitch up all those poor injured stuffed animals. And maybe I’ll take the ironing to the dry cleaner 😉
What unfinished projects are cluttering up your space and mind? Can you finish them up, or let them go?
