I do like a clean house. But I have learnt with time that it is not a good thing to strive for perfection in the home. There is just no point with three kids. Or even one. Good enough has to be good enough. Perfection will always make you feel that not enough has been done. It breeds dissatisfaction.
Which makes me think about the idea of simplifying. Not just the act of simplifying your life itself. Less money. Less activities. Less stuff. But what about the mind? Do we need to de-clutter that also? I often feel my mind is cluttered with to do lists. Cluttered with future sewing projects. Cluttered with ideas for the garden. I may be suffering from information overload. Overwhelmed? Sometimes.
I have no real answers for all this. But this week I am going to try and concentrate on each little thing I need to do. I am going to try and simplify my mind a little. Put less pressure on myself. Lessen my to do list. One thing at a time. Learning to let go of some things. Simplify.
This is exactly how I have been feeling lately. I need to simplify and lessen the load on myself. Thanks Tania for reminding me that I'm not the only one who gets like this.
ReplyDeleteGood Idea Tania, we could all take a leaf out of your book this week, I find myself doing the same thing, especially as a blogger having all those goodies thrown at you that you just want to have a go at Making, Baking or Planting...MY motto is One Step at a Time, although I do find myself Running a lot!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the rest of your week, enjoy your view and all those simplicities that surround you... :)
Wow Tania...like you climbed inside my mind! I fear i constantly have to many 'to do' lists in my head also and this sets me up for disgruntlement when i don't get them achieved.i have clingy twins at the moment and it has really been frustrating me as i watch the 'jobs' pile up!
ReplyDeleteYour post today though has helped me put things into perspective so thank you....i hope you are able to simplify this week and clear some of the clutter...your sleeping bubby pic is just gorgeous and maybe one you can revisit when the lists begin knocking on the door again!
love this post. so much.
ReplyDeleteI like it! I have been going through a very similar experience this year - I am finding moving to a house half the size of our last a little challenging though - although I have given away so many material items... we are very tight for space and organisation - that clutters my brain! xx
ReplyDeleteYes. I absolutely know what you mean. Although I must confess I don't always help myself, veering from being a world champion procrastinator to multi tasking madwoman. There must be some middle ground.
ReplyDeleteSounds a lot like me at the moment! If i cross just 2 things off my "to do" list everyday i feel like ive achieved something.
ReplyDeletewow, what a super post! I read this as I am in the middle of writing a housework schedule. seems like the long way around, but i need to simplify things to daily tasks, rather than mad panic at the end of the week! thanks for visiting my place, too.
ReplyDeleteoh yes, sometimes we are hardest on ourselves...when i achieve something i often will wonder why i couldn't gt more done instead of celebrating the actual acheivement. xx
ReplyDeleteGREAT post! And something we could all do with remembering more often... I saw a beautiful print floating around on Pinterest that said 'Live Simply'. What a lovely mantra to live by!
ReplyDeleteI feel like you have read my mind today. I've been feeling overwhelmed and dissatisfied with myself for not 'getting things done'. I shouldn't focus on task lists as there are so many more important things in life.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post - I'm going to aim to enjoy the moment and simplify!
I really am feeling the same way lately. We moved into our house last ocotber and with the combination of a small child to look after and a husband who can work around 60hours a week i've yet to find the time to do any much decorating at all (my cleaning also gets way-laid a lot of the time) now with 6 weeks to go til baby number two is due i find myself feeling pretty inadequate as a homemaker a lot of the time. I don't know when i'll ever get any of it done with a rampaging toddler about and a rapidly expanding bump. But how much does all of this matter? Probably less than it feels like.
ReplyDeleteThis is something I deal with (and have blogged about) a lot before. What starts out as great ideas, and 'ooh, I'd like to make that' becomes 'I wish I had some time for that' and 'Damn, I'm never going to get this finished'!
ReplyDeleteI certainly take on too much in many areas of my life, but my way to 'relax' or have time to myself is to... do more!!
It comes & goes... I just have to recognise it and try to relieve the pressure without giving myself too hard a time. I know how I am, who I am, and am learning how to deal with the clutter in my life and my brain! I write lists to keep on top of it, but then put them out of my mind while I focus on enjoying the task at hand.
Housework is one thing I've certainly lowered my standards on over the years since having kids, because the 'filth' will always be there... the kids, the garden, the fun stuff is more important! it's hard, because having the house 'under control' means I can relax and enjoy the other stuff more!
http://eatatdixiebelles.blogspot.com/2011/03/downside-of-being-seven-kinds-of.html
this is the best way to go tania. don't let those to do lists drive you nuts. it happens to me all the time. i am learning everyday to let go a bit and just tackle a piece here and there. some stuff takes longer to get done than others, but it is more manageable that way. xo.
ReplyDeleteExactly how I feel!
ReplyDeleteLong time reader, first time commenter ;-)
I am also a stay at home mum with 3 and often wonder lately how the "working" mums do it, I mean, I expect myself to do it all pretty perfectly, cook from scratch, bake, craft etc but there are only so many hours and with little ones still at home there are never enough hours in the day and I just end up frustrated and overwhelmed like you just did.
Yes, yes, yes! I feel the same way, so I look forward to hearing how you do this. I am positive less cluttered living will clear my mind so we will be 'downsizing' out possessions in readiness for our new home (eventually)
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
It's hard sometimes to get it all done, often things take much longer than we expect and then we disappoint ourselves when we can't achieve it all. Trying to let go of all the things we want to achieve isn't always easy some days. I try and have a list to focus on but I try really hard not to get frustrated when I don't achieve them all, one day I'm sure that dusting of the blinds will get done;) Thank you for the reminder to try and relax a little more. I hope today is a good day. xo
ReplyDeleteGreat point. I find myself often getting overwhelmed with my thoughts and all the possibilities...especially when it comes to being more eco-friendly, organic, grow-it-yourself. I would love to be there in those things, as well as do a bunch of crafts and have a tidy house (I agree with you on that one too!) but...it's true, we need to give ourselves some space and go one-at-a-time. Thanks for the reminder :) Love the photo of your gorgeous little sleeping beauty :)
ReplyDeletemaybe this feeling is the classic spring clean. i love ridding myself of the clutter. leaves space to enjoy the beauty. x ashley
ReplyDeleteSeems as though this sentiment is being shared by a lot of us on a lot of different levels. Thanks you for voicing it so beautifully. Hope you're enjoying a simple day :-)
ReplyDeleteOh boy was this the post I needed this morning. I woke up fearing it was going to be one of those weeks. Classes every night this week. Food to be put up that isn't getting any fresher! A visit with an old friend. Laundry, cooking, and the day-to-day. Oh, I am a to-do list maker!
ReplyDeleteBut I think you are right. What is simplifying our lives if we do not slow down and simplify our minds. I shall try to remember that. Thank you.
i so needed to read this today Tania. Thank you ever so much for sharing x
ReplyDeleteI could have written this post myself. I find when I'm too determined to do the things on my 'list' we all end up frustrated and grumpy. I read a book a while ago called Buddhism for Mothers that helped me with the decluttering of my mind to some degree and to help me focus on what was happening right at that moment and to accept that regardless of what I had planned.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful post. Thank you for sharing your heart and thoughts. I have thought of simplifying almost everything but rarely think to simplify my mind, thanks for the reminder. Barefoot mama
ReplyDeleteSimplicity is something I have been striving for too Tania. Much of my time is spent juggling far too many balls and I am finding my thoughts becoming more and more disjointed and jumbled with to-do lists and the like. I am beginning to appreciate the simple in the everyday, the ability to slow down, just being in the moment.
ReplyDeleteWishing Luca a very happy birthday :) and hoping you are feeling much better.
Xx