It is time to revive this category on my blog. My last entry was in 2019, and coincidentally enough, I was preparing for company. It is a year and a half since I wrote it, and my how things have changed.
I have been working part time at a day job. I work a lot of weekends, and that is okay, because it is what I was hired for. It is in the beauty industry, and relates to my direct marketing jobs with clothing and makeup. I wasn’t kidding when I wrote about changes.
One thing stays the same. I am still working on cleaning and organizing my home. This year, I am trying new tactics. I am not trying to finish one job before I start the next. I am working on multiple areas at once. I get it to the end of one phase, and I move on. I am slowly making progress, more than I have in the past.
I am giving myself grace. I don’t have any deadlines for company at the moment, but I am working on it anyway. I have been watching Cas from the Clutterbug on Youtube, and something she said made sense. It changed how I look at the whole concept of cleaning. I need to retrain my brain, to understand that I will be cleaning because I love to live in a beautiful, inviting home. I am a long way from getting to this goal, but I have made some small steps in the right direction.
I grumble under my breath as I put trash where it belongs. In the trash. Not all over the kitchen. Sometimes I get lazy about it, and other times I am picking up after my husband. The point is not who dropped it, but that it needs to be taken care of. It could be a bread tie or the seal from a milk carton. Nothing to cause the kitchen to be deemed unsanitary, but just enough to make my eye twitch as I grumble on the way to the garbage can.
I am not cleaning the dishes every day, but I am working on getting there. We use the dishwasher frequently, we take turns with it. The same goes for laundry. As I am working on changing my mindset in other areas of my life, I am finding it is easier to do in terms of housekeeping too. I want to have a home that welcomes me when I get home from work. It isn’t there yet, but I know I am going to find my way.
I am also watching a month-long declutter series on Youtube, set up by The Minimal Mom. I am not a minimalist, but I do see the value in having fewer things. I am working on how to incorporate some of the things I learn into my lifestyle. Last week it was about the kitchen, and this week it is about clothing. There will be a week about paper clutter, and I am not sure what the other week will cover. I am watching and learning.
One thing about choosing the word BALANCE for my word of 2021 is that I need to continue learning, but to also take more action. The learning is no good to me if I just absorb information and never do anything with it. I am trying new things, and this year I am learning about Bullet Journalling. I feel like it might be an answer I have been searching for. I am still setting it up, and I have 2. The good news is that it is helping to relieve my tension as I am working on it.
Yesterday I worked. I took the evening to catch up on TV and relax. Today I took my time. I slept in, watched Mass For Shut-ins on TV, and a few more shows. I went to an online book club meeting, and will be attending a weekly goal setting meeting, also online, later this evening. In between the meetings, I am working on dishes and laundry. Changing the bed. Things I can start and walk away from or things that can be finished in a short amount of time. I decided to take a few minutes to share about my weekend because I am working on getting back into the blogging, and I really used to have fun with this category.
When I get these chores done, I can then work on a creative project as a reward. I need to make time for crafts and writing so that I find inner joy in more of my days. Being creative brings me to life. I need to allow myself time for this so that I can cope with and manage the things which aren’t so much fun.
I also used my face cleanser machine for the first time today. I am learning about skincare, and I want to improve how I take care of myself, too. This will be done over time, by making time to do it. It is important to do something for me, and while one of my two bullet journals will be for my health, the other is for me. My lifestyle, goals, and ideas. Things I need to write somewhere so that I don’t forget about them. With so much on my mind, I am finding I am forgetting things, and I am trying to find a way to build the habit of writing things down, in a pretty and functional space.
All things considered, I feel like this weekend is a win. I am not at the end, yet, but I am going to keep working on things so that I can complete the plans I set out to do. Working on finding a balance in all areas of my life is the tone I have set for 2021. I really feel like I am on the right path.
I am admitting to dragging my feet again about the business plan. It is something which I do need to work on, and therefore have to make time for. I am learning one thing this year, it is that things always take longer than I think they will.
I have made some decisions about the new direction for my business. It will happen. Next, I need to find time to work on the business plan. To make sure I get it accomplished, I have given myself a deadline.
What else have I been doing?
Cleaning. A lot of cleaning has been going on in my home. It was long overdue and very necessary. I am doing well. My parents were here for a visit. They like to stay busy and asked if they could help with anything. As they are on vacation, I hate to think that they are helping me with my mess. After all, it is my responsibility to clean it up. I let them choose what they wanted to tackle; the result is I am farther ahead in my cleaning than I would have been without their help.
In Roy’s shed, to start to organize Roy’s tools, Dad hung up a peg board to have a place to hang things up. When Dad is here, he also helps with the BBQ, except for Father’s Day. Roy cooked on the BBQ as a treat for Dad. I surprised him with a new ball cap. Dad also took down our front step and helped Roy get the area ready for the new step. A friend has been hired to build a new step, and it is coming together nicely.
Mom dusted in the bathroom and helped me to get started with the kitchen reorganization. It is easier to move things from one place to another if two people are working together. She also dusted the kitchen table and chairs. She also cleaned the cupboard doors. I didn’t expect so much help when they were here. It motivates me to keep going.
Deadlines help me to finish projects.
I set a deadline for the cleaning to be finished on Thursday. It needs a final push in the kitchen, master bedroom and living room to get it done. I am very close to finishing, and then I can work on more fun things while upkeeping the new cleaner home.
Making Time
It is easy to slip into what my friends refer to as ‘Tish Time.’ I try very hard to be punctual, and this year I am managing to do so more than ever. It isn’t that I don’t think things are important, rather that I find it difficult to manage my time. When I am working on a project, I rarely look at the clock and the time surprises when I do. As I am learning this year, things take longer than I think they will take to do. Planning ahead is something I am working on planning ahead when I have to be somewhere. It is working, but I can do better. I will keep at it, and soon it will be a non-issue.
My parents experienced ‘Tish Time’ while they were visiting. My mom was very surprised at how time just flies in my home. It is nice to see that it isn’t just me and that it doesn’t only relate to punctuality. I am an anomaly, I often say, meaning my health, but it also relates to time itself. Time really does fly around me!
We did take a day to do fun things also. We took a short drive outside of the city to the town of Oromocto, for lunch and to go to a store. The Oromocto Galleria is a place where local artists have their work for sale, like a gift shop. It is one of four in our area, and there was something I had wanted to check out. I picked up some paint samples on popsicle sticks of Fusion Mineral Paint. The plan is to paint the front door, and the window shutters with it, after the front step is rebuilt.
Mastering My To-Do Lists
I work well with lists. Of course, I need to take the time to write them. Normally just make them before packing suitcases, to make sure I don’t forget anything. Lately, I am making them for cleaning. I have 2 agendas, a small one and a large one. The small one helps me to keep track of all of my appointments, except for the one I was 24 hours early for. I chose not to wait for that one, I went back the next day.
The large one is to help me to keep track of my health. Medicine doses, water intake, food diary, sugar levels and activity. I did well with it for about a month and stopped. I will clear a space in my living room to have it readily accessible to use. It is on my list of things to do.
The important thing to note here is things take time, and when you find a method which works, use it. I am making time today to revise the current to-do list to add in the rewriting of the business plan. Cleaning and writing my next book will also be a priority. The second book is a part of my current business plan. It will be the foundation of what I am about to build.
Nothing makes me want to clean on a daily basis. I am working on it. My new routine has left me with time to do what I should be doing all along. I know how to clean, it is just not something I enjoy because things just get messy again. For most of the year, I putter. Company is coming, Weekend Warriors, and it is crunch time!
When we adopted a kitten, and I can’t believe it has been three weeks ago already, I had started cleaning a bit. I decided that before we took our new fur baby home, that I would clean the main bathroom, in case we needed an isolation space. Am I ever glad I did that!
She came to us and it was a week before she was using the litter box properly. She is doing great since we got her to start using it, and we only had to isolate her overnight for a week. Isolation included a litter box, food, water and toys. We weren’t punishing her, we just needed her to learn to use the litter box.
Phew! I was tired of waiting for the next mess to clean up during that first week. Once she caught on, things became easier to handle. She is now running at full speed in most of our mini home; from one end to the other, with the exception of two rooms.
The Cleaning Bug Is In Full Swing!
The guest room will never be open to her. My mother is allergic to cats, and because of this, we want to keep that room as free of cat hair and dander for her visits. It is a small room, and once I finally get to cleaning it, there won’t be much Jazzy the kitten will be missing in there.
The master suite is where I have been focusing. I started moving my craft studio out of the guest room, into the master suite two years ago. It became overwhelming and I had left things where I piled them while in transition. I am sad to say that last year when I had company; I was embarrassed about the state of my home. To be fair, I wrote a book and held a full-time job in that year, so it wasn’t a complete waste my time or energy. It was being poured into the work of my heart, and the day job.
This year I am preparing to start my own business. I am working on a business plan. When I started, I had an idea in mind, but it has since changed. You can read more about it in the latest Tishspiration Tuesday blog post. All has not been revealed yet, but I am making changes to help me on the way.
Jazzy Will Have Access To The Master Suite
When it is ready. We have been working hard on cleaning, and the master suite has been my own project. Roy is working on replacing window screens, as some had tears in them, and we don’t need Jazzy finding any more hornets for Roy. He took care of them before she got near, but she was very curious when she found them. Roy had to keep that window shut until today when he fixed the screen. He plans to go into our shed and organize his tools. He inherited some from his father this year, and he has not had time to sort through them yet.
I try to clean when he is here so that Jazzy is not lonely while I am on the other side of a closed door. She will fuss a bit, but she is also very good at entertaining herself. I crinkle up a ball of paper for her to play soccer with to distract her from the door if I am the last one going to bed, to distract her. Soon, that won’t be a problem.
Today I go in to remove the half closet with shelves we added a while ago. It has 3 parts, 2 shelving units which have cube storage for 3 shelves, and a pole for hanging clothes. The pole will be removed. The 2 shelving units will be relocated by the bed, where my tall dresser is. They can attach to the wall, and the place I wanted to put them has a fuse panel door which would cause a problem. So I am moving the dresser back there. It used to be there before, and it will be able to move when we need access to the fuse panel.
As I Write This, Jazzy Has Come For Snuggles
Can we say spoiled rotten? Of course, she is! She has 2 boxes on my desk, but still wants to lay next to me, between me and the keyboard. Jazzy has a very loud purr and is demanding of attention at times. She is very much a part of our family already, and I want things to be the best we can for her and our visitors.
So this weekend, I am going to finish the master suite. I will have to run the dishwasher a few times, as I was ill earlier this week and things fell behind a bit. It does help to have it going while I am working on other things, so I don’t have to wash all the dishes by hand. It also helps me to feel productive when it is going, therefore it motivates me to do more!
I am not going to share any pics at this time. It is not done yet. I will say that I am known to be lazy when it comes to cleaning, and I am trying to fix that. In the last few weeks, I have sent bags of donations, paper to be recycled and garbage out of my home. I am just making time to finish some important projects.
About a month ago, this website was relaunched for the third time. Why is it such a big deal for me? This can be a daunting task when you are new to building websites and maintaining them. Therefore, I am still learning, and working on this new website design when I get time. It is going to need more work in terms of housekeeping and keeping things fresh. If something is left alone long enough to go stale, it gets thrown out. I hope to keep injecting enough excitement here to create a buzz, and to excite you enough to keep coming back. If you do enjoy the blog or other parts of the website, don’t be shy! Tell people about it. Share it for your friends to see. If you like it, maybe they will like it too!
There is a new chapter coming with #Tishspiration. All the cool kids are sending out newsletters, and as an author, I have been struggling with what to use for content in a newsletter. Sure, you can expect to see recent blog posts, some cool graphics, and a surprise. The surprise might be something I write, or a picture you haven’t seen anywhere else. When I am feeling braver, more downloadable content might be what the surprise will be. I do plan to write a continuation of the first place winning short story from November. The link is in the previous blog post in this category and will be in the first newsletter.
Since I am going to be working hard on this, I am going to make as much as possible exclusive to the newsletter. So if you liked the first place winning story, and you want to read more, I will be happy to work on the continuation of it.
If you want to sign up for the newsletter, scroll to the bottom of the page.
Really easy to do. I will be publishing it once a month, and it will arrive in your inbox. There are so many newsletters and blogs in my own inbox, I know I have to work hard to make sure you want to open mine. I will do my best, and it will be only once a month. Once a month was picked for the newsletter because I don’t want to overwhelm myself, or your email inboxes.
Today, I am cleaning my desk.
Although I know the value of being organized, it is exhausting. It takes so much time! I think that is why I fall behind. I am, as I wrote more than once, an all or nothing person. Once I slack off, I start to lose all willpower when it comes to things like being organized. I am again working on it and trying to overcome the clutter. It is a lengthy process when you are so far behind it is overwhelming. This is why I have to really want to make the effort before starting.
This is not a Weekend Warrior post. Why am I writing about cleaning and organizing? If you are a regular reader of my blog, first of all, thank you. Secondly, I do have a point. I have been wanting to really dig in and write my second book. It has been on my mind, frequently. I need to get it written if I am going to keep my deadline.
Guess what I found today? The whole reason I wanted to work on my desk organization was to find my one page, rough draft for my second book. There will be more to add to it in the second draft. There are things I need to write about which had not been on my mind when I made the one page, rough draft. This is good because I want to have a book that has a bit of depth to it. In addition, it will add more substance to my story. See, there was a point there, it was related to my #Tishspiration book.
I have been working on myself, lately.
I am working on a better sleep schedule. This helps me to have more productive days. More productive days mean I do have some time to relax in the evenings, which has been a nice bonus. Appointments are being made and they are for my health, and to help with a job search. I want to be my own boss all of the time, however, I understand that I need to earn an income. Meanwhile, I have faith that things will work out, no matter how scary they might be at times.
Since I am working on myself, I enrolled in a Lisa Nichols course. It was free, for 5 days. She had different options for paid coaching at the end. I am interested, but not at this time, because I have a more important task right now. Freelance writing is something I need to spend a lot more time figuring out. It mightwill be my answer to replacing a traditional full time job.
On the other hand, I have to look for work in traditional jobs too, because I need to explore all of my options. Today, I printed out some jobs to prepare for an appointment with the same office where I got help with my resume last year. At the time I saw them, I was working, and looking for a way to find a different job. I don’t want a traditional job, but I can’t afford to not look at all of the possibilities.
Most importantly…
Between freelance writing, job searching and working on myself, I will also be writing my second book. #Tishspiration: The Art of Surprising Yourself has so much potential. It is going to be an important book for me to write, because of the concept it will explore. I found the rough draft, that excuse is no longer a valid reason to put it off any longer. I am happy that I was able to find it in a day, I knew it was here, somewhere. As a result of finding my rough draft, I can continue writing #Tishspiration: The Art of Surprising Yourself. In my heart, I know someone is waiting for this book. Therefore, it is time to get serious about writing it.
What makes you open a newsletter when it arrives in your inbox? I want to make sure it is something you look forward to reading every month! Your comments will help me identify what to include and consequently what to avoid. Please let me know.
In Weekend Warrior #54 And the Academy Award Goes to…I am writing about my weekend as I am watching the Academy Awards. This was a weekend of big and small things. I made a significant decision in my life. It was important, and it will affect me for the next few years.
I have been searching for my new glasses for about a month now. I went out again this weekend with the intention to buy this time. I went back to Costco, where I learned that yes, I could get a temporary shopping pass twice a year, and I could get a member to buy me gift certificates to buy my glasses with there. It seemed like a lot of hassle to me, after I thought about it.
I went back to Pearle Vision. When I couldn’t find the paper in my purse with the frames I had tried the other time I was there, the salesperson walked away. I had told her that I was at Costco and that I was planning to buy my glasses. She lost that sale because she didn’t want to help me finalize my purchase. I had a friend with me, and she wanted to try another store.
I went to Hakim Optical with her. I was worried that they were going to be more expensive, and they were, a little. The prices are not listed on the frames, which made it a little scarier. Vogue was the most expensive store I had visited. I just hadn’t found any glasses that I thought were the pair I wanted to wear for two years or more at this point.
I have written about this on my Facebook page. There was a moment, at the last store. I was looking at a wall of glasses (they have the most frames to choose from of the 4 stores I visited) and my friend missed a pair that I am now saying picked me. Yes, just like the wands on Harry Potter, these glasses stood out from the wall and drew my hand to pick them up. It was magical. That was it. I found them. I got help with the sunglasses, and I am pleased with them as well. I will be sharing my new look as well as a new eyeshadow technique (new to me, anyway) a week from now, as it is less than 20 minutes into Monday where I am now. I might just try something different with my hair, too. If it works, I will be happy. If not, it will be time to plan to go and get my hair cut in a few months. I have been letting it grow, with a new style in mind, but I do not know if it is going to be an option for me. So I will see what happens when I play with my hair and makeup and new glasses, and I will share that in a week.
Sunday had a slower pace. I have gotten up at my normal time, did a little creative work, and went back to bed. I slept in. How I love sleeping and not having to set an alarm. I worked a little on the computer and helped another friend. I ran the dishwasher and did some laundry. I am starting to get my gumption back. This is good, because it is MARCH already, and I have yet to get my spring cleaning done! If I leave it too late, it becomes a miserable job in the heat. I know this. Spring turns to summer overnight here. One day it is cool and rainy, and the next the heat wave hits. Just like that. So I need to get my act together and get some cleaning done. I started tonight, which gives me hope that I can keep it going and make things better here. I have other things to do too, and I find I need to start wherever I feel like I can, and then I can keep going. A start was made today, and this is a really good thing.
I did watch The Academy Awards. They just finished, and I loved all of the dresses. THere were a few beautiful gowns, and I think my favourite look was the one of Sandra Bullock tonight. I really thought she looked beautiful.
That is a wrap for this weekend. I must say that for me this week, it was a win. Hands down! I made an important purchase, planned an extra blog post for next week, and I got some chores done around the house. When you look at the big picture, that is a win for me!
