Help Me Start This

[AnnaNova]

hi,
i am new to this part of mdc. what brought me here? basically tremendous lack of mindful home management at the present time. i want to organize, delcutter and simplify my life and i dont know where to start. my son is almost 5 mo and i want to have a home that is more like a home, and not the pigsty that it currently is.
i guess my problem is that i dont know where to start, there is so much that needs to be done that it is overwhelming. starting from cleaning out the kitchen cabinets, to making it a cozier environment, planning our family meals and more of a family home... i am so overwhelmed that even when i do have time, i dont know where to start and end up doing nothing or something thats not important at all...help.

[nathansmum]

I think I'd start with the thing (or area) that will give you a pretty quick cozy, homely feel - create a little haven in amongst everything else. For me that would be a family/living area or a bedroom you hang out in a lot or kitchen if that's your thing. Depending on what you're starting with and instead of getting overwhelmed and feeling like you're getting no where, I think I'd take out everything from the room and only put back in what you love, has a use and looks good. Set it all up nice. Put everything elsewhere for now - don't try and make any big decisions about what to declutter if it means you're getting hung up on it, just put it away for now to revisit later (I found when I decluttered, that I did it in "layers". It took years to let go of certain things so I just packed them back up for another time).

i'm a person who likes a bit of quick gratification when it comes to chores and jobs to be done around the house. so I'd make a list of the things you really want to happen first (maybe best not to write out *everything*) and just make a start on ones that you can change quite easily and quickly. Once things start to snowball and you see the little changes that make you feel good then start to tackle the larger jobs (or go back and declutter all that lounge junk you removed).

HTH

[andiamomama]

flylady helped me tremendously. I started with the book "sink reflections", but she has lots of stuff on the web too. good luck!