1.6.15

The Welcome to Now Project: Week 3

Week 2 of The Welcome to Now Project has had its highs and lows (I vowed to be honest, remember). Have you made any progress or learnt anything new? I'd love to hear. Here's my progress to date and plans for week 3: 

The-once-and-for-all-declutter. I've completely finished streamlining the kitchen. Each cupboard, drawer and surface has had a thorough clean as well as a declutter and I can't describe how much more enjoyable my kitchen is now. Every time I put away a mug or plate I feel a shot of happiness as I realise that each item has a little more space to breathe. Time will tell how organised, clean and tidy the kitchen remains but for now it's been worth the hard work. 

I've also started to make headway with the loft but there's still lots more to do there. So, that area is my decluttering priority for week 3. 

What's really surprised me though is how draining I've found this round of decluttering. Although, I'm trying to focus on the present and envisage a lighter future dealing with clutter does bring negative emotions to the surface which I find tires me out. I find it easy to decide what to discard but actually parting with some items is difficult. To deal with this I've found sorting clutter one day and donating/removing it the next day works for me. This gives me chance to sleep on my decisions and make changes if necessary. It's easy to forget that decluttering takes up both physical and emotional energy as well as time. 

However, returning home after dropping off items at the charity shop and recycling centre does feel good. Knowing that I'm helping others by donating and recycling keeps me going as does realising how much nearer I'm getting to being decluttered once and for all. This is my goal after all; to be decluttered to a level where I have more time and energy for what I want to do. 

Be Fabulous. Having committed to 3x30 minute runs publicly I found sticking to this fairly easy and enjoyed some lovely runs. Walking every day (between 15 minutes to 45 minutes) was a great way to uplift my mind and relax my body. I've missed several days meditation this week but have tried a lying down meditation which was very relaxing. My new hair dryer arrived and I felt more fabulous being able to style my hair my usual way. I was tempted to have my hair cut professionally this week but have decided it doesn't need it. In week 3 I'm going to stick to the same running and walking routine and try to meditate daily.

Finding Focus.  Keeping both the decluttering and healthy habits going was hard work in week 2 and left me little enthusiasm for anything else. On a positive note I've spent time developing some ideas for future projects and I've also expressed my interest in volunteering for the local food bank who put out an appeal for new volunteers in the local paper. For week 3 researching and writing something useful for this project is a focus continued from week 2.

Try Something New.  Again, this area has been more neglected than others. Simple pleasures like walking, chatting with a friend or going out for coffee and cake kept me going. At the weekend we're off to Lunar Festival which is a small (but growing) festival not too far away. There will be plenty of workshops so I have no excuse not to try something new in week 3!

And I thought this project was simple.

I've learnt this week that I have ups and downs as I declutter and try to stick to goals. After a difficult day I can wake up the next morning with new resolve and ideas to keep moving forward. I'm rediscovering discipline and focus that I've been lacking over recent months and that is what this project is all about. 

Through repeated resolve to make time for now by managing our physical and emotional health I believe we can follow our dreams.

I'll keep you posted and I hope some of you will let me know how you're doing (your comments have been brilliant and motivating). Thank you to all of you who are following the project. 

Well done on any progress in week 2 and here's to your continued success. *gentle ripple of applause*



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15 comments

  1. I bulk chuck, and have no qualms getting rid of things until I realise later I might need what I have sold or donated.

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    1. I admire your confident decluttering. At least you're quicker than me!

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  2. I am enjoying your 'Welcome to now project' and am enjoying joining you decluttering in my own home :) Like you, I have been sorting the kitchen cupboards and am so happy with the results.
    My problem area is candles and candleholders. I love having candles on the mantlepiece but I have candle holders for tealights and taper candles and pillar candles etc. etc.
    I really loved your glass tealights you had at Christmas for advent and had decided I would just keep my similar set of those - but then I have worries about living without lovely tall taper candles!
    We don't have a separate dining room to keep candles in, so the mantlepiece is the only safe area to light them so that the cats and dog don't have a fire accident. So how many candles can you really get on a mantlepiece!! Help!
    Any advise to get my stupid head in order and get my candle collection into perspective! :)
    Thank you Claire

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  3. Hi Corrina. Thanks for your comment it made me smile. I have a candle fad too - I think I'll address this in a separate post with photos if that's OK (thanks for inspiring a post). Thinking I have too many candle holders now ;)

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    1. Oh brilliant - a post all about candles!!! Thank you Claire - with pictures - can't wait!
      I will look forward to that. I also have wall scones, hurricane lamps, scented pillar, and those lovely Bolsius coloured jar 'lowboy' candles (the red one is lovely) :)
      I need help with my addition!

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    2. sorry..wall SCONCES not scones!

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    3. Can't beat your collection but yes a post is underway!

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    4. Can't beat your collection but yes a post is underway!

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  4. Well done Claire! I find that I can spend the afternoon de cluttering but then it all ends up in the spare bedroom without ever donating/recycling. I have several bags of clothes, bedsheets etc. that have been in my spare room since Christmas time which I can't bare to part with 'just in case'! Maybe I will eventually get round to it this week....!
    Ps. Loving your blog, thanks for the inspiration.

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    1. Hello and I know how difficult letting go finally can be. I keep thinking "I'm going to get rid of this eventually so why am I waiting?" This is helping speed up the decluttering process. Good luck and thanks for commenting ;)

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  5. Hello Claire - my progress so far: Further de-cluttering of wardrobe and as I took photos out of all the albums to store in boxes I removed any that were almost duplicates or blurry etc (from the days before one could delete from camera and everything got printed!) I've been using coconut oil to wash my face, as all over moisturiser and deep conditioner for my hair and am very pleased with the results. Have been doing a breathing meditation a few of times a week and am aiming for every day! We are going to Berlin in a week or so and that will be a new place for us.

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  6. Thank you for the update Claire. Thankfully I don't need to declutter, although I wish my boyfriend would. You do, however, remind me how much I need to take time for myself. I always find I'm at the bottom of the pile and there's only me that can change that. It's easier said than done when you're used to putting other people first all the time. X

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  7. I enjoyed your blog post about de-cluttering. I have been on my own journey of de-cluttering but I think I am a bit more brutal with my decluttering than you are. Once something is selected for removal, I can't get it out of the house fast enough. I will say that it was funny. I just posted my own decluttering post on my blog - and then I opened up your blog - and lo-and-behold, we were on the same subject.

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  8. I am very much with you on the de-cluttering, I'm almost scared to stop in case I lose the thread! Do you ever get that feeling!...I've got some good momentum up now. X

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  9. I have started my annual cull of books. Last time a couple of hundred went to charity shops, this time perhaps a hundred or so. But as many come into the house, so we're at a sort of stalemate! It's hard to part with lovely, mint condition books, but it's a fact of life that space in our homes is finite.
    Margaret P

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Thanks for reading and leaving your comments. Keep in touch xo

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