Spring is almost…sort of…on its way! (I say this from underneath a mountain of heavy snow piled on top of ice). Well, I am hopeful that it will be here soon, anyway.
As we emerge from a long, hard winter, spring cleaning is on my mind. Not necessarily in the traditional sense of getting out the mop and bucket (those who know me well know that I'll do pretty much anything to avoid cleaning), but I’m thinking a lot about shifting from the heaviness of winter and heading into the new growth of spring. What habits and structures of mine are supporting my goals? Similarly, what am I doing that is NOT supporting my goals? And then how do I work to shift these elements in the right direction?
Right now, I’m having some trouble with my home office. I put it together quickly before my home was featured on the Design Mom blog. I had solid ideas about the overall feel, location, and types of inspiration. But organizationally and structurally, it’s just really not working for me. I need a LOT more space for all of my beloved books and to keep my office files and supplies organized. I am sick of piles and piles of things, of good ideas and projects literally getting lost in the shuffle, and of moving things around into different, even less-organized piles when it’s time to get to work.
Projects like these always take time, but I have certainly identified what is NOT working. Making small changes to this area could make a significant difference in my day. Now I need to think more about what I do need to make better use of my space and time once I am able to get to work. I know I need more storage for books and resources. I’m not using my whiteboard calendar, so that is just taking up valuable wall space. I tend to get a lot of creative ideas while I’m playing with my kids. Right now, I write ideas on scattered pieces of paper and notepads, and then they get lost in the busyness of the day. But I like having one place to write them all down, so when it’s work time, my daytime ideas are organized and I can more quickly get started. Solution? I ordered a decal whiteboard I will put in the space of the unused calendar.
I’m tweaking other spaces in my home and life too. But I think I will get the biggest bang for my buck here in the office, because it is a big drain on my productivity. Having some solid, creative and productive chunks of time in my week is really important to my health and well-being, and right now this slightly dysfunctional office space is interfering with my ability to accomplish that.
How about you? What are some spaces that just aren’t working for you right now? What tweaks or shifts would make things run a bit more smoothly and leave you with a little more time and energy?
If you’re ready to tackle a spring cleaning project, here is a worksheet that will help you do just that.