Operation Joyful Space

/ Cheryl Wilcox / 3 Comments

What a goofy title! But I had to call it something, and Bobby liked it better than “Totally Organized,” which was the first simplifying book I ever read.  It was 1998.  I was pregnant with my first child. Our five room apartment looked pretty tidy, except for the SPARE ROOM, which was filled with all of those things we didn’t know what to do with. It was my dream to be totally organized before the baby arrived. It didn’t happen.

Fast forward twenty years. We now have six children and instead of five rooms, we have ten rooms! (Not counting the three bathrooms, the three car garage, the shed, and a basement the size of eight rooms.) Yikes!

Our house looks pretty tidy, (if you don’t go in the pantry or garage or basement or upstairs).  I feel like I’m working my butt off to keep up with the main living areas and any extra efforts I put into those “spare rooms” are short lived. I know it can be so much simpler.

I’ve seriously read at least 30-40 books on simplifying. I know the FlyLady. I’ve Konmaried. I always stop somewhere in komono and never reach that elusive clicking point. I’ve been an aspiring minimalist ever since I heard of the concept in 2009.

But back to Operation Joyful Space. I got the “Joyful Space” from Rachel Jones, founder of Nourishing Minimalism.com.  She calls herself the Joyful Space specialist. I just finished a free five day Minimalist Mindset course she offered. (You know I like these kinds of things.) As a result of that, I set a goal to declutter my entire home in six months. (I’ll write more specifically about this goal, criteria, and assessment in a later post.) I’ve made a handy-dandy checklist, titled “Operation Joyful Space”, designed for my unique home and schedule.  Operation Joyful Space I’ve also made decluttering checklists, which break the tasks down into smaller chunks. And while I was at it, I made a checklist for the normal monthly tasks that I try to do in addition to daily chores and weekly cleaning. Monthly Checklist

 

I realize I’m going to be busy. One of the tasks in the course was to decide exactly what you are willing to give up to complete your goal. I decided that I’ll give up DVD’s and Netflix on weekdays, time reading my iPhone in bed and fiction novels. This doesn’t include going out to the cinemas with Bobby during the week. I’m just giving up sitting around on the couch at home. And by the way, I don’t know the FlyLady in real life, just her ideas.

Whole30: Week One Notes

/ Cheryl Wilcox / Leave a comment

Day 1: 

7:30 2 eggs, red pepper, onion, tomato, broccoli, and a banana

11:00 feeling hungry

12:15 arugula, baby carrots, tomato, 1/2 avocado, 2  1/4 lb. burgers, mustard

3:00 C25K week one, day one

4:00 Larabar

5:30 feeling hungry

6:00 pulled pork,  salad, steamed carrots

Day 2: 

5:55 slept 7 1/2 hours and super tired

6:45 Whole30 Breakfast Bowl

12:30 leftover pulled pork, carrots, 1/2 baked potato

3:15 Larabar

3:30 C25K week one, day 2

5:45 burger, arugula, tomato, baby carrots, cucumbers, avocado

11:00 Larabar (saw Downsizing with Bobby, disappointing with some funny parts)

Day 3:

 

10:30 Whole30 Breakfast Bowl

2:50 Chicken and Prosciutto Salad

3:30 C25K week one, day 3

6:00 ground beef, romaine, cucumber, grape tomatoes, walnuts, cauliflower rice

Day 4:

IMG_5919

11:30 Whole30 Breakfast Bowl

12:30 C25K week one, day one

1:00 Larabar

5:00 Chicken and Prosciutto Salad

9:00 tuna, arugula, part of an apple, celery (only ate 1/2 of plate)

I went to bed early and had the most horrible night’s sleep.

Day 5:

8:00 I met my friend, Karen, at Crepes Tea House in West Springfield, MA. I ate 2 hard boiled eggs and drank one of their fruit and vegetable power drinks.

12:30 Chicken Salad

3:00 green tea

5:30 ground beef, romaine, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, guacamole

9:00 seltzer water

Day 6:

11:00 Whole30 Breakfast Bowl

2:00 Chicken Salad

6:00 Easy Chicken Fajitas

10:30 1/2 of a Larabar (saw Father Figures with Bobby, we laughed like crazy)

Day 7:

6:40 2 hard boiled eggs and Sweet Potato Applesauce Mash (didn’t like for breakfast)

12:00 leftover pulled pork, steamed carrots, salad with nuts

3:30 C25K week one, day one

5:30 Garlicky Shrimp, cauliflower rice, baby carrots, salad with nuts, apple slices

2018

/ Cheryl Wilcox / 1 Comment

Day2 (1)

I’m beginning this year with a BANG! I’m making lots of changes around here, such as starting a new blog and making it public. Here is where I’ll write about all the other changes I’m making too.

In 2018, I started doing a Whole30. This is drastic for sugar-loving me. I’ll admit my biggest reservation about starting it was giving up eating movie popcorn, “with extra butter layered,” as my husband requests it. So far I’m doing well. I’m cooking my butt off; and cooking, for those of you who know me well, is not something I do frequently. Unless you count popping frozen food into the oven.

I’m also exercising. No killer workouts for me. I’m taking it easy, but committing to doing it almost daily. Let’s say five times a week for at least 30 minutes. Last week I did the Couch to 5K (week one) five times on an old treadmill we have in our basement.

The next thing I’m doing is not much of a change. I’m decluttering my home. Yeah, I know I’ve been trying to get totally organized for 20 years now, but I mapped out a plan to finish my whole house in six months. This means that by June 30, 2018, everything in my home should have a place, and all of my own stuff will be used or loved (or both), including sentimental and digital clutter. That is the goal. I plan to take baby steps daily to get there.

Finally, I’m making daily prayer and meditation a priority. This, more than any other thing, will be a change for the better.