Slow Progress = Progress

This past Sunday I tackled my kitchen and dining areas. The closets remain untouched. To be honest, that task frightens me a bit. They’re my junk closets after all. The stuff of nightmares!

But I’ll get there. Slow progress is still progress.

So how did it go? I didn’t know where to start at first so I just dug in. Things flowed well after that. I had to actually stop and think about stuff. Do I really need this? When was the last time I used that? What in the world is this contraption? I realized I had accumulated stuff for those “if” moments too. Takeout menus for example. I always cook my food at home so why did I have them taking up space in a drawer? “In case I have company and they don’t like my cooking.” That’s really what I would tell myself! But guess what? Those menus are in the trash because I don’t need them.

Some other items were a bit harder to get rid of and I just couldn’t let go of them. A Foreman grill was one item. Granted I am mostly vegan these days so I’m not about to slap some ribs on the grill. But nothing beats grilled fruit and it isn’t a cheap kitchen item. So it stays. I was worried I was giving myself excuses for keeping extra crap around. But in reality I’m doing what works for me. If a year goes by and I haven’t used it, then it’ll be time for it to go. No offense George.

Here is a picture of the kitchen and dining areas before and after my adventure:

Before on the left. After on the right.

On the outside it might not look like  much. “Congrats, you cleaned your home dirtbag.” Touché. But the peace of mind that comes with having clutter-free areas is amazing. This is more than feeling good after cleaning up. This is a fantastic feeling of getting that weight off your shoulders. It really is wonderful.

Mother Nature: The ultimate minimalist?

What now? I’ll definitely work to maintain those two spaces. The nightmare junk closets are up next. They may have spooked me initially but I’m ready for it this time.

Have you encountered a daunting task such as preparing for a big move or major cleaning? I’d love to hear your tips for handling it all!