half way update on 15 things a day

Last updated on: September 22, 2010 at 1:13 pm by Mary Alice

half way update on 15 things a day 2010-09-22T13:13:19-06:00 Mary Alice

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I have been working on flinging 15 things a day. This has meant either throwing away, putting for give away or finding a permanent home for something that has been in our way. I wanted to give update and encouragement to those who are participating.

First, let me admit that I have not done 15 things everyday, though there have been days when I have done a few more, so I think it will even out. Second, let me say that this is helping me tremendously. I have given myself permission (or a requirement) to take the extra time to put something back where it belongs if I use it or if I come across it. As my life gets less cluttered, on a daily basis, it is easier to do this, because the one or two things left on the kitchen counter really stand out.

The permission to throw away has been huge, too. All of my kids got new sneakers this fall, and before we even walked in the door I had them throw away their old ones from the mudroom shelf. In the past I would have put these away for handing down, but now that sneakers are getting long, hard use from my big kids, it doesn’t seem fair or healthy to have to wear your big brothers worn out sneakers, so 8 shoes went straight into the bin, as did the boxes. Now, the shoe shelf is not overcrowded and the children don’t have a choice as to whether to wear the old or new sneakers. Shoes are lost less often.

While I waited in the doctor’s office yesterday I cleaned out my wallet, tossed all those receipts for back to school clothes that the kids are already wearing, and I felt so much lighter!

Things continue to trickle in to our life, through shopping and gifts, mail, forms that need to be filled out, etc, so I think that this 15 things practice is something that I would like to keep up forever. After September, I may create some different goals, 15 things in the basement, for example, or the garage.

I am amazed that I have thrown away almost 200 things and I still have yet to hit on anything hard to part with — this is all totally superfluous stuff that has accumulated in my life, my purse, my home, my car.

What is amazing is how much just two weeks of flinging has added to my peace at home. Order is very important to my mental health and these small steps are really adding up.

I have just made a decision, for myself and for all of you who are joining in. Mental clutter counts, too. So, if you have something that you have been holding on to, some grudge that you can decide to let go, fling it away. Older ones are much harder to let go of, but perhaps when something gets to you, say to yourself, I could add this to my pile of mental clutter, but I choose not to. Fling it away. It counts.

If you have been trying to fling 15 a day, let us know how it is going!

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