So, its time for New Year's Resolutions. I don't know about you, but I love new beginnings. I love starting fresh and turning over a new leaf. I was one of those dorky kids who could not wait for school to start. Mmmm, crisp fall air and new clothes, brand new school supplies, and a fresh new chance to get it all right this time. So, now that I no longer have new school years to look forward to, I look forward to the New Year and my chance to make resolutions.
Not that I'm so Polyanna that I think they are all going to stick. I know, that most of us make the same resolutions over and over again, but I still like making them. This just could be the year that I follow through, right? Hope springs eternal. And I'm not going to make the classic 'made to be broken' resolutions (you will see nothing about gyms or weight-loss on my list). I just really, really like the idea of self improvement. And I think that's a good thing. So in the hopes of making resolutions that I can follow through on, I'm going to give concrete examples of my big general concepts. Which are as follows:
1. Completion.
2. Organization.
3. Tidiness.
4. Health.
I have a picture that sums up three of these categories very nicely.
This is the side-table in my bedroom. On it is piled a stack of clean laundry. It has been washed. It has been folded. And yet somehow, SOMEHOW it has a very hard time making its way into the drawers it should call home. This un-put-away laundry nicely encapsulates my issues with completion, tidiness and organization all at once. I should say, that this pile is even kind of a step up from the usual state of things, because the folded clean laundry usually just stays in the laundry basket for about a week, as we pick socks and underwear out of it as needed. But I had to use the laundry basket for something else the other day, and so it got piled on this side table. Sad really.
I wish I was a better home maker. I'm kind of a stay-at-home mom right now, and in two months I will definitely be a stay at home mom, at least for the length of my maternity leave, and it'd be so nice to be, well, better at it. I've got the mom part well covered I think, its the home part that I'm a little weak on. My home is generally a little cluttered and run down at heels if you know what I mean. The housework gets a lick and a promise, more than a thorough job well done. And really, it would just take me treating it like a job. We had friends come to stay for an overnight recently, and the day before they arrived Hubs and I attacked the very messy, downright dirty house. Vacuuming was done, bathrooms scrubbed, floors washed, surfaces dusted, and you know what - it only took a morning. Not even a long morning, as we did not get down to it till about 9:00. So really, it took us three hours, together. And I'll bet we could totally improve on that time. So this year, I think I will work on scheduling the housework to be done, and try and do it once a week. I know, this is a goal my mother and my grandmother for that matter would laugh at, but there it is. It matters not how lofty the goal, it is much more important that you make one. Also, I'm going to put away clean laundry as soon as it is folded.
Also under the completion subheading, I need to finish more projects. I'm really good at starting, and terrible at follow-through. For example, there are the bedrooms (ours and the Little Dude's) that are 85% done. They are painted, and have curtains and furniture, but the furniture is just kind of plunked there and there is no art on the walls, which is just embarrassing, seeing as we are both artists. Honestly, its not like we don't have a lot to choose from. We've just got to make some choices and follow through. So, I'm planning to finish up those bedrooms. Because if we don't do it before the New Baby gets here, it'll never get done. Also, I need to finish the Little Dude's baby quilt, which I may have mentioned a million times before, but today I got my big, tired, congested, pregnant butt up off the couch, and pulled out all the supplies and got to work. And I've got 6 out of 18 blocks finished, so I'm feeling optimistic about that one.
Healthwise, I need more sleep. I'm tired as we speak, and its just rolling up to 10:00. Its just there is so much to do, and I love my evening down-time. Plus also, I have this blog, and I tend to remember to start writing it last thing in the evening. And it always takes longer than I think. So, starting tomorrow, I'll be going to bed by 10 o'clock, barring emergencies, and fun evenings out. Both of which don't happen very often, so surely, I should be able to do this one, at least until the new baby arrives, at which point all hell will break loose with the scheduling, and I'll just sleep when nobody needs me.
And lastly, though somewhat randomly, I want to learn to darn socks. I have the sharpest heels in the world, and routinely wear through socks that are not that old. I'm tired of buying new socks. I'm cheap/poor, and also feel wasteful/environmentally unsound throwing away perfectly good socks that are just missing the heels. And I'm good with a needle and thread. I can knit and sew and crochet and embroider, so really, darning should be a cinch to add to my skill set. I even understand the basic concept and own all the necessary tools. I'm just unsure about what fibre type to use (Do you match the sock? Use wool for strength? Acrylic for durability? What about shrinkage?) but really these are all questions that are just a quick bit of research away, and I'm certainly capable of doing that.
So there they are, my resolutions. How about you? What are you going to resolve to do? Big picture issues, small quirky things, I'd love to know. And how do you keep yourself to them? Any tips?