Christa, Day 25: Is Systemizing a Real Word?

Much like the Attorney at Large, I am a list making, system loving, organized living, task batching human being who is hot for better living through organization. (With a side of surface wiping, because dusting is extra easy when you just have a cloth handy and give things a polish when you're walking by.)

BUT I also a family. And a lot going on. Some things are bound to, and frequently do, slip through the cracks. In other words, there is definitely room for improvement in this area of my existence.

Today's voluntary simplicity idea:

Streamline your life. Many times we live with unplanned, complex systems in our lives because we haven’t given them much thought. Instead, focus on one system at a time (your laundry system, your errands system, your paperwork system, your email system, etc.) and try to make it simplified, efficient, and written. Then stick to it. Here’s more. Another good article here.

Now at first glance the idea of creating systems for everything and anything seems like an easy way to over-complicate your life. And maybe it's true, at least in the short term. Have you ever cleaned a really messy room and found that the clutter gets decidedly worse before it gets better? I think today's idea - called "systemizing" in one of the links, ugh - is one that will seem utterly too complex at first while doing quite a bit to simplify one's life in the long term.

My opinion is based on my own practical evolution, which is good and bad. Good in that the older I've gotten, the better I think I am at handling the overall complexity of modern living because I've developed natural systems born out of trial and error. Bad in that because these are systems that evolved inside my head, I don't realize I have to share them with other people if I want them to abide by this or that system. And the systems are all geared toward my preferences, not effective streamlining. Let's take a look at some of the areas that can be streamlined, modified to my household's needs:

• Mail: Opened, and stashed or recycled as soon as I get home. We don't get much mail, so I don't stress over this one.
• Bills: The biggies are paid automatically, so score. The occasional bills that don't lend themselves to automation or don't even come with that option are paid on an as-needed basis, usually through the bank account. Again, no stress.
• Tedd lunches: Mostly packed the night before, but I never do it at a set time and usually end up doing it at 10:45 p.m. because I've forgotten about it. VERDICT: NEEDS SYSTEM.
• Paloma activities: These days, what we do after daycare pick up is based on what I think she wants to do or what she expresses an interest in doing. I fear systemizing this because after daycare she seems to need some free play/down time most days.
• Chores: Sunday night vac and floor wash. Dishes washed and put away daily. Counters and table wiped after food prep and eating. Toys put away nightly. NEEDS SYSTEM: BATHROOM, UPSTAIRS FLOOR, BASEMENT, STORAGE ROOMS
• Laundry: NEEDS SYSTEM, ESP. WRT DIAPERS AND SHEETS
• Travel: Our main travel destination is NY and we have the car-to-ferry dance down pat.
• Yardwork: This gets done when I feel like things get ghetto, but I'm tolerant of a less than perfect yard because I prefer a messier garden look. That's what I tell myself anyway. I would like to institute a system of food growing next year to avoid this year's terrible harvest.
• Phone numbers: SYSTEM DESPERATELY NEEDED
• Freelance work: My system is a system but it's only a system to me, and you don't want to know the weird ways I use paper and Gmail to streamline task management because it would probably make you cry. It works for me, though!
• Incoming stuff (gifts, purchased items): Unwrapped and immediately put away. No problems here.
• Bookmarks: It's time for me to re-implement my system now that I'm no longer a bridal blogger or a lifestyle blogger. Currently, there are probably hundreds of links of interest to brides and home decor enthusiasts in my browser that need to get wiped. VERDICT: DELETE DELETE DELETE!

Honestly, I don't feel driven to name any of these systems or write them out on pieces of paper, though if I do create any new streamlining systems I will make an effort to discuss them with my husband first to make sure he's on board. He's definitely more of the spontaneous type, but he's mostly adjusted to my systems. Thank goodness! My task for today is to think about how to improve the areas in all caps above, and my guess is that with a little work I'll be able to streamline the heck out 'em.

Why? Because I feel like almost everything else I've put into practice while participating in the 72 Ideas in 72 Days Project has made my life a little easier (and I'm very much enjoying that).

Christa, Day 21: I Like Alone Time When It's My Kind of Alone Time

For me, a huge part of voluntary simplicity involves freeing up time otherwise wasted on overly complex tasks or unnecessary time intensive activities so I can spend more of my time doing what I want to do. That might be getting down on the floor to play with my daughter. Or making money. It could be exercising or keeping the car cleaner or some other thing that's not particularly important to anyone but me. The way I see it, voluntary simplicity means something different to everyone, and that's okay. We all have our preferences and we all have our thresholds of comfort.

Today's idea:

Spend time alone. See this list of ways to free up time for yourself — to spend in solitude. Alone time is good for you, although some people aren’t comfortable with it. It could take practice getting used to the quiet, and making room for your inner voice. It sounds new-agey, I know, but it’s extremely calming. And this quiet is necessary for finding out what’s important to you.

Day 21 is rooted in solitude and its benefits. Many people assume that solitude has to be lonely, but that's just not true. What is true is that finding time for solitude can be difficult, especially when you have a family. I know my husband would like more alone time to work on projects or just relax. My need for alone time is not nearly as acute, and often when I do have a chance to utilize solitude, I make use of it in the most practical way possible. Usually by working or doing chores that are more easily done without a toddler hanging around.

But I suppose I still do need at least some alone time to thrive. In the past, I've just spent that time doing what I want to do. I had the most solitude I've ever known when I lived in Costa Rica and I filled it by walking and staring out into the sea and reading book after book and swimming twice a day and little chores. The point is, I filled it. I sure didn't spend it making room for my inner voice.

(And I think that's okay. Some people get a lot out of meditation - my meditation is losing myself in a task. Or so I tell myself and hope I'm not actually sabotaging some amazing life changing experience I could be having.)

Honestly, I don't necessarily relish the idea of unproductive solitude. When I sit by myself for any length of time, what comes into my head is always ideas. So I get up, because I want to pursue those ideas! Even if my award winning idea is something like 'Let's find that book I've been thinking about so I can read it.' And that's actually more of the kind of alone time I want. Really want.

Not working alone time.


Or alone time filled with chores.


And especially not alone time filled with worry.

When I read today's item, my first thought was that I'd like to be able to spend my lunch hour, which I'm lucky enough to enjoy at home most days, doing things that are relaxing or fun or creative. Like reading that book or starting a painting or working on a sewing project that doesn't have any real deadline. Baking some muffins or just sitting outside as the weather gets chillier so I can say goodbye to summer properly. Doing these things means working more effectively when it comes to my contract work so I don't feel compelled to do professional tasks during my lunch hour.

And I find the idea of THAT more valuable than I find the idea of sitting for an hour letting my inner monologue get carried away or listening to myself breathe. If it works for you, awesome. I'd rather be doing something.

What are your thoughts on meditative solitude? Has that kind of alone time worked for you?

Christa, Day 19: Unraveling the Web of What I Love

True story: I started writing a post at my mommy blog before I read today's voluntary simplicity idea... it doesn't exactly harmonize with the underlying theme of Day 19, but it's tangentially related because it's about time. The time to do the things you love, in fact. I've always thought that unless your job is something you really, really love, the biggest thing that gets in the way of doing what you do love - other than a lack of motivation - is having to work for a living. And it's something I've been dealing with for the past few months - having to work in a certain place at designated times has been a real 'do what you love' killer.

But for me, it's not as simple as working less to do more non-work activities. Today's idea:

Do what you love. Once you’ve freed up some time, be sure to spend that extra time doing things you love. Go back to your list of 4-5 important things. Do those, and nothing else. Read more.

I'll admit right out of the gate that this one is a challenge for me because a lot of the things I love are wrapped up in work. Number three, for instance, is having enough money to feel secure because financial insecurity is probably my main stress trigger. Sometimes doing the things that make me happy, which is my number two, involves work or just work-like activities. Like the 72 Ideas in 72 Days Project, which requires daily writing and a certain degree of commitment. Or my favorite freelance gigs. Spending "quality" time with Tedd and the P. can sometimes involve making sure I have dealt with responsibilities beforehand so I can be fully present.

All in all, this is possibly the most difficult simplification idea I've encountered yet. Saying no to work? I said goodbye to a big project. Decluttering? I'm currently in the process of ditching excess storage containers. And so on.

Most days, I really enjoy the voluntary simplicity idea of the day - even if I reflect on it without actually doing anything. One thing I've noticed while reading everyone else's experiences is that we all have trouble with different things. Some of us have time management totally nailed. Not spending is not a problem for some. Decluttering is super easy for some. We all have our areas of individual expertise and things we need to work on. What do I need to work on? (Other than not ending sentences with prepositions, apparently...)

Unraveling the tangled web of what I love. For example, I love my family and have taken and am taking steps to create a life that allows me more time to focus on caring for them. But earning money is one way I care for my family, and so there's a small part of me that loves that I was able to find a job at all. I love working for one of my non-profit clients because it's a great organization. I love blogging, and I do it but it definitely takes time. Time that I could be using for other things that I love. I love spending time with P. but I think she gets a lot out of daycare. Some of the things I love doing, that make me happy, are also stressful. Etc.

See? It's complicated!

But there are things I've felt I wouldn't have time for if I even tried to fit them in, and today's list item has inspired me to make the time. Specifically, to start doing some Rosetta Stone German lessons to improve my grammar. Alongside Tedd, who could certainly use the vocabulary. I want to feel more comfortable speaking German with P. in the mornings when Tedd's already off to work and I want to speak better than your average German toddler. Where will I find this time? Probably in the evenings or when I'm home for lunch - I guess it's just something I need to figure out!

P.S. - Check out Julia's Day 19 and the Attorney at Large's Day 18-21!

Christa, Day 18: Why, Wherever DO You Find the Time?

Oh, Mr. Zen Habits guy, please stop asking me to find more time. If I had more time, I likely wouldn't be as interested in voluntary simplicity. Probably, anyway. Because I'd be happily busy doing all of the important stuff. In fact, thinking about how I never get to stop and hardly have a moment to myself makes me want to cry.

At present, even farting around on the Internet is in some way goal focused. Reading about simplicity and frugality. Looking for design advice so I can make my home more comfortable and inviting. Searching for social media strategies that will help me launch a business more effectively. And so on.

With all that in mind, here's today's idea:

Free up time. Find ways to free up time for the important stuff. That means eliminating the stuff you don’t like, cutting back on time wasters, and making room for what you want to do.

But maybe I'm looking at it all wrong? What exactly is "important"?

Just for laughs, I decided to think about what I would be doing if I did have more time. And what do you know? A lot of what I'd be doing is pretty much what I try to squeeze into every little corner of my life so I don't have to give it up. Silly pointless crafts. Projects like this one. I just wouldn't feel as rushed as I seem to feel all the time now.

The things I'd do if I had more time that I don't do much now would be things like read or go for long walks and of course spend more time with my daughter. (The first two don't sound very important, but they're important enough to me that I used to do both every day.)

Or I'd try to sew a bit more so I finally go good enough at it that I could make more of her clothes and toys that weren't just glorified pillows. Maybe I'd try jogging again - a pastime that literally cannot fit into my schedule unless I get over my fear of jogging after dark. I'd write fiction again. Try to enjoy cooking. Or expand my horizons, though how I'd do that is escaping me at the moment.

None of which is very important, except in the context of my mental health. Maybe I'd paint again. Important? Not important?

Wait, were we freeing up time for the important things on our Day 1 lists? Because the second item on mine was:

Doing more of the things that make me happy, which is sometimes actually work and sometimes messing around with cloth or painting my furniture.

Please please please don't read this as my just ranting about how there's never enough time. Naturally there's never enough time for anyone, even uber achievers. We're all going to die someday and we're all going to die with something, probably lots of somethings, left undone. It's just that right now I do kind of wish there were more hours in the day because work and silly maintenance tasks - why do you think I hate cooking so much - get in the way of being able to GET. THINGS. DONE.*sigh*

But wait! I'm not leaving this on a very action-oriented note.

For today, I'm just going to think about my biggest time wasters. And also why I'm prone to wasting time. What do I GET out of, say, clicking around on Facebook - and why am I doing that instead of getting my Adwords certification or some other thing? If I can figure that out, I can conquer the world.

Julia's Days 17 and 18: Because yesterday's post apparently never went through

Yo, dawg. I heard you liked blog entries about people's efforts to simplify their lives. So I posted an entry about limiting spending here, and one about freeing up time here, so you can read blog posts you might enjoy.

Christa, Day 5: The Good and the Bad of Keeping House Simply

Is it weird that I feel like I have today's simplification exercise pretty much mostly nailed? With the exception of cooking and dishes, that is, because it happens to be my least favorite chore set.

Simplify home tasks. In that vein, think about all the stuff you do at home. Sometimes our home task list is just as long as our work list. And we’ll never get that done either. So focus on the most important, and try to find ways to eliminate the other tasks (automate, eliminate, delegate, or hire help).

Of course, the reason why I have this one (mostly) nailed is that I am a sucker for keeping up appearances. In this case the appearance of being a close-to-perfect homemaker, even though I've also worked at home with a child and now work outside of the home. The thought of someone dropping by and seeing dust and counter stains and a toilet that isn't quite as white as it could be stresses me out.

Do I always win the war on dirt and disorder? Nope, but I am pleased to say that after a few weeks of work, I feel like I worked through the chaos and my home is now as clean as it ever was while I was actually there during the day. As for maintenance tasks, we are always quick when it comes to DIY repairs and calling for repairs. Tasks like putting the molding in the mudroom happen more slowly, but I'm okay with that.

Things operating in my favor when it comes to simplifying homemaking chores:

1. A small house. I live in a post-war Cape Cod revival, which means that all told we're operating on about 1,100 square feet. Which may include the finished part of the basement - space that, strictly speaking, shouldn't be counted. Living in a smaller than average house (avg. for the US is about 2100 sq. ft.) means needing less stuff. I have THE best excuse for getting rid of things ever. Less area that needs cleaning. And since visitors usually stay on the ground floor, I can concentrate the most homemaking efforts on the kitchen, living room, bedroom, playroom, and bathroom - and I'm a 'clean as you go' kind of lady. Our bedroom just stays neat because it's a bedroom, and the basement does what it does. We're working on it, but when time permits.

2. A preference for neatness. I inherited this from my dad, who puts his house in order every evening before bed, and I do love waking up to a house that is mainly clean and tidy. I am prone to a wee bit of depression and anxiety, and being in an orderly environment greatly decreases the amount of both I feel on any given day. A messy kitchen or very icky bathroom will eventually have me crying about how my life is out of control and I'm terrible, etc. I suppose it's not that unusual, though I take it to a level most people don't. My home, in my brain, is a reflection of who I am. A dirty, messy, or cluttered home, again in my brain, is a signal to the world that I am incapable of handling life in general. Uncool. Hence why I prefer things neat.

3. A willing partner in choredom. Thankfully, I have a life partner who is willing to live up to my ridiculous standards of neatness even though his standards are different. It was a source of strife once upon a time, but darling that he is, my husband has adapted and has grown to appreciate the streamlining benefits that a clean house offers.

4. Less stuff. I am one of those people who has a tendency to downsize rather than to acquire. Not that I don't like having new or new-to-me things, but I just prefer good quality things and can't afford to buy a whole lot of good quality things so I just don't buy things. And I hate the idea of replacing anything that's perfectly fine, so I now use the same handbag every day and typically don't buy something new unless it's something we don't have and need or I need to replace something that's no longer usable. Lately, I've been decluttering via donations, and that means less in my cabinets, less to clean, etc.

Things NOT operating in my favor when it comes to simplifying homemaking chores:

1. An emotionally-based preference for neatness. As mentioned above, at least some degree of my self-esteem is tied into what my house looks like, so letting just about anything go is practically painful for me. That makes simplifying difficult, to say the least. Let the dusting go? *gasp* Laundry in a pile? *dies* Right now, things that are driving me crazy around my house include big dishes that need washing, laundry waiting to be folded (in the living room, no less!), and especially the general weirdness in the basement.

2. My dislike of cooking. When I imagine it, the idea of weekly batch cooking and filling the deep freeze with homemade ready meals sounds awesome. In practice, the idea of spending a weekend day or even half a weekend day cooking and then cleaning up sounds like h-e-doublehockeysticks. I know that my dread of having to coordinate dinnertime because I am home earlier than my husband is just making the whole cooking-eating-cleaning up process harder, but cooking just isn't something I find enjoyable. When I imagine how nice it would be to have mountains of money, never having to cook again is what I see as the number one benefit!

3. A tendency to let certain bigger projects sit. As in, until they weigh so heavily on my mind that I totally freak out and start painting at 11 p.m. Or I just get depressed. For example, there are little pending painting projects in our bedroom (doors, touch ups) that I just try not to think about. Because having perfect walls or cool looking doors should NOT be a priority since it has about zero actual impact on my life AND who other than us is ever in our bedroom?

So, What's the Takeaway?

My home to-do list is just a part of my the weekly to-do list in the notebook where I log all pending tasks, and it's been suggested that things like 'pay the gas bill' and 'fold the laundry' shouldn't be on there. Except, sad as it sounds, I tend to totally forget to actually do any of the things that don't make it onto my list, and that gets problematic, not simple, when it comes to things like paying the bills. I think overall, what I should be concentrating on when it comes to home-based voluntary simplicity is not so much eliminating tasks or things as it is eliminating the emotional overlap between me and homemaking. Dinner? Has to get made, so get over it. Less than tidy house? Not hurting anyone, so get over it. And so on.

But in the interest of having an actionable item for the day, I am going to sit down sometime tonight and making a meal plan for next week. Then I will attempt to stick to it. Wish me luck!

P.S. - Check out Julia's Day 5 and the Attorney At Large's Day 5 over at their blogs!

Christa, Day 3: Redesigning My Day

Today's Simple Living Manifesto prompt is about time management. Which I am both very, very good at and very, very bad at. I love to play around and procrastinate. The computer is very good for that. All the work I do is done on the computer... see where this is going? I love social media and connecting with people online. True story: I feel a lot popular online. And since I was always a geek in my youth, feeling popular as a grownup is AWESOME. (You like me, you really like me!)

Conclusion: The temptation to shirk off and mess around on Facebook is omnipresent. Yes, I knock items off my to-do list like a boss. Usually in between writing my own blogs and posting to Facebook and looking at design blogs and generally self promoting because what I do for a living bleeds into my personal life like bow howdy.

Today's idea:

Evaluate your time. How do you spend your day? What things do you do, from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep? Make a list, and evaluate whether they’re in line with your priorities. If not, eliminate the things that aren’t, and focus on what’s important. Redesign your day.

Now I did this, sort of, in pictures at my personal blog, I Know How Is Babby Formed. But that was more of a fun take on it, than anything else. It's a good start, I suppose, though not at all reflective of how my day actually plays out when it comes to work and play, since I'm at work right now but I'm jumping back and forth between thinking about this and prepping docs for later tasks. What I see when I evaluate my time is that here's a very fine line between work and play.

A moment-by-moment list? Impossible. Doing that would mean I wasn't doing this OR working! (Or maybe I'm just a lazybutt.)

What I can do is think about how I manage my time when it comes to both work and non-work activities. Like I said, on one hand I am proficient enough when it comes to time management that I can handle an almost full-time job, freelance work, keeping my house tidy, staying on top of household duties, etc. On the other hand, I am a rampant procrastinator who would rather be reading or clicking or cleaning or playing pretend with my toddler than working or doing responsible stuff. It's like work and chores? Yeah, I cram those in wherever I can.

Which isn't exactly a responsible grownup type attitude about or approach to life in general, for sure.

How could I improve my currently fractured time management technique? First off, more specific time blocking. Since scheduling tends to work wonders for my productivity - including both avocations and vocation - I definitely need to draw up a better daily schedule for myself. A schedule that includes both work and play. Yes, I schedule play (hobbies, slacking, etc.). All that means is that I actually do play versus many other do-aholics who never get the chance to play because they get focused on doing responsible stuff instead of fun stuff.

Sometimes "make peanut butter cupcakes" is a to-do list item, and that's okay. Pretty much everything I do contributes to one of my list items from Day 1.

After all that rambling, what am I taking away from today's Simple Living Manifesto list item? That I need to make some blocks of time that are just for this activity or for that activity so I can FOCUS. My problem is not time management so much as it is the management of my own brainspace. Instead of spending five minutes on this, then doing this for three before switching to some other task, I need to allot specific spans of time - 15 min., 30 min., whatever - to the tasks that should be considered priority to-do items. And I'm going to start as soon as I hit publish post. My guess is that it will greatly increase the quantity of work I get done today and also the amount of time I have left over for my favorite activity, just messing around.

P.S. - Go check out Amy's Day 3 at vegparadise!