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gardenspice

Name one new habit you want to develop

gardenspice
14 years ago

The good habits thread was so good that it got resurrected from 05! Reading it made me think of a habit that I kept for 6-8 months, but then lost. I'd like to get back to it.

Each week, I would clean out at least one cupboard, drawer or shelf. Trash, recycle, charity what needs to be shed and straighten up what is left.

Do you have a habit you would like to get back to or a new habit you would like to develop?

Comments (19)

  • des_arc_ya_ya
    14 years ago

    I need to start practicing my mantra of "Don't put it down - put it away!" more often. I've started just temporarily leaving things out more often and it's driving me crazy.

    Good topic for a post, GardenSpice.

  • talley_sue_nyc
    14 years ago

    Toss ten.

    And I would like to go BACK to cleaning off the DR table every day.

    And add in the clearing off of the kitchen counters.

  • claire_de_luna
    14 years ago

    I used to try one new recipe a week, but have gotten away from it. I'm sure that will be easier once summer is over. (Well actually, what I have been trying are frozen desserts, like ice cream, so I guess I'm still experimenting even though it's not what I would consider real meal-time food. I just realized I've tried 10 different ice cream/gelato recipes, which would cover me for the summer, anyway!) I mention it here because I have to be ''organized'' enough to have all the ingredients on hand, and keep the recipe front and center so I know where it is when I want to try it. Once I've made it and know it's good enough to repeat, I don't seem to have any trouble putting it in my Favorites binder. Getting there sometimes is another story!

  • metromom
    14 years ago

    Doing meal prep early in the day - currently I find myself chopping vegetables and grating cheese while my kids try to kill each other at 5 pm. I need to get it all ready earlier in the day so I can give them my attention at the witching hour.

  • brutuses
    14 years ago

    Only one!! I have a list. LOL I suppose the "don't put it down, put it away" tip is one I could practice better. I have gotten so good about putting away things that need filing in one container instead of stacking it. I still like to go through and do things, not stopping to put things away or clean as I go. Then I go back to do the organizing and well, it's not working for me because most times I don't get back to the organizing part of the task until another day. Hope that makes sense.

    Also, I tend to get distracted easily and end up running from one task to another and sometimes never feeling like I accomplished too much. Sorry, I told you I had a list.

  • socks
    14 years ago

    Do one job at a time. Finish it, start another.

    I usually have several things going at once which can make the house look torn up, when really it's a lot of little works in progress!

  • jannie
    14 years ago

    Clean one shelf in my refrigerator every day. I tend to let it go for weeks and then do a big clean-up that takes me all morning.

  • gardenspice
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Wow these are good ones. Putting things away instead of putting them down sounds universal! On my way to put a cookbook away this AM, I *almost* stopped short of the bookcase and threw on the couch, but I muttered "put it away!" and did.
    And as long as I'm back to my weekly clean out a cupboard or drawer routine, "toss ten" should be a doable combination.

  • jaybird
    14 years ago

    Thanks for starting a great post!!
    Ya-ya, I'm with you...sometimes I just get an item to the right room, but don't put it away...shame on me!!!
    I need a toss system too, but it better be more than 10 :^)

  • brutuses
    14 years ago

    I just thought of one I need to do right of way. Stop spending so much time on this forum and more time straightening up. LOL

  • gardenspice
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Oh Brutuses, are you saying that the studying we do here does not count toward organizing the home?? Say it is not so!!

  • maryliz
    14 years ago

    The new habit I want to develop:

    to exercise more regularly, without any excuses.
    (But I think that's a little outside the scope of this discussion, so I'll try again.)

    The new organizational habit I wish I could establish:

    instead of waiting until I have "time to do it," to just do it NOW anyway. Get it done and move on to something else...

    Both amount to stamping out procrastination.

  • brutuses
    14 years ago

    gardenspice, it falls under the category of "research" for decluttering. LOL

    maryliz, I started to exercise regularly and in the end I have more energy to keep the house organized. So yes, I do think they go hand in hand.

  • minnie_tx
    14 years ago

    Get on a regular daily schedule I used to have one but it has been gone for a while als Des' ide of "Don't put it down - put it away!" and that doesn't mean on an end table in the room it goes in it means put it away!!All good ideas

  • ronbre
    14 years ago

    daily put my and hubbies shoes away..as they tend to pile up by the door..we have to walk a long way to a closet to put them away..

    wanted a closet by the doors in this house but that did NOT happen.

  • postum
    14 years ago

    I need to work consistently with dd on helping her put her things away. She's happy to work along side me and loves to sort all her things, but she won't do it on her own (yet.) So I need to make time every week to coach her.

    Exercise is key for me! After walking outdoors for an hour I feel like that "Recycle Bin" in my brain has been dumped and I'm ready to start fresh.

    Now I want to go back and read all those old good habits!

  • des_arc_ya_ya
    14 years ago

    Folding each load of laundry as it comes out of the dryer and not piling it in a clothes basket for it to get cold and all wrinkly is something that I definitely need to work on.

  • gardenspice
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Good ones. I have not been 100% on my clean one cupboard or drawer per week, but I've made some progress and I did get the tupperware and small appliance cupboards changed.
    Someone in my neighborhood is having a charity book sale and I was able to find more than ten books that will get better homes.
    There are plenty of candidates for the next drawer clean out, that is for sure!

  • dody40
    13 years ago

    I really like this one and want to start on it right NOW!!! Maryliz posted it and I want to steal it. 'Instead of waiting until I have "time to do it," to just do it NOW anyway. Get it done and move on to something else...'

    I read one of the Speed Cleaning Books years ago and a habit that I worked at establishing and has really worked for me is one that I have seen mentioned here, it is to take care of something immediately instead of sitting it down 'just for now'. Made a big difference in how my house looks.

    dody