I highly suggest you read the linked post first. Trust me, it's for your own good. Heehee! So were done with the physical aspects of energy -- Go to Sleep Earlier and Exercise Better. Now let's move on to the mental aspects. Ika nga ni mareng Gretchen, outer order would bring inner peace. With that said, can you imagine how critical this part is for the mentally challenged obsessive-compulsive freaks such as myself? Di ko alam kung magegets nyo 'to o lalo kayong mababaliwan sa 'kin pero.. I really can't seem to focus when there's clutter or chaos around me. It's a must that my OCness approves of my surroundings before I can work, study or even blog! Minsan pa nga, I can't concentrate on my instagram-ing just because my OCness didn't give a thumbs up to where I'm situated. Ganun kalala! Hayy, why did the OC life chose me? Why???! Hahaha! :)
TOSS, RESTORE, ORGANIZE
Although I can say that I have mastered the art of dealing with my OCness, a little help now and then wouldn't hurt. And I swear I tried to stop myself from spoiling the book for you but I really can't help it! Gretchen's words are undeniably too perf not to document. #Sorrynotsorry, my OCness manifests in documentation too! Inhale, exhaleee, let's begin now!
Clutter comes in distinct varieties. (1) Nostalgic Clutter, made up of relics we cling to. Who's guilty of keeping receipts, movie tickets and tons of keychains as remembrances? Raise your hands! Me, me, me!! Taas na mga kamay at paa sa sobrang pagkaguilty. Hahaha! My ability to keep garbage is no joke! I actually kept all my books, binders and Cattleyas from college for sooo long. Hehehe! I only let them go after two or three years of working when I realized I need their space for my growing collection of shoesies. Oops! But up until now, my registrations cards, class cards and enrollment receipts are carefully kept in a plastic sheet folder. Also, I keep two more boxes of relics. One holds letters & stuff from grade school to college and the other holds cards & gifts from work -- keychains, phone holders, little stuff toys among others. I also have a couple of paper bags keeping my old stationery collection and two huge scrapbooks showcasing the highlights of my life. Aguyy! I had to stop after college 'cause my social media accounts displaced scrapbooking. Personally, I'd say it's okay to cling to SOME nostalgic clutter as long as they are well-kept. Take it from the master basurera!
(2) Conservation Clutter, made up of things we keep because they can be useful, although useless at the moment. I'd plea guilty again, pero medyo lang! Hehe! I used to keep so many paper bags until I decided to let go of some -- the ugly ones, oddly-sized, etc. I was able to cut down the clutter butI, err the family, still have enough for mini vacays or outings. I guess the key is to be logical. Will this be useful? Yes! But not in a hundred years. Nyee, to the trash can it goes!
(3) Bargain Clutter, results from buying unnecessary things because they're cheap or on sale and the related (4) Freebie Clutter, from hand-me-downs and giveaways. Bargain clutter.. a little guilty! I have a lot of unused accessories 'cause sometime last year, we discovered this cheap online shop of accessories and other trinkets. Of course I hoarded but sadly, they no longer appeal to me after a few months. The sister and I are thinking of starting an online preloved shop and I'm positive I'll be able to get rid of all my bargain clutter. On the other hand, I don't suffer from freebie clutter. Yayy!
(5) Crutch Clutter, the things we use but we shouldn't. Gretchen used her horrible sweatshirt as an example; I'll be using my rotten nighties. And with rotten, I really mean tattered and torn, full of holes big and small. But will all honesty, I don't consider them as clutter because I actually use them; and even if everyone's been telling me they're better off as basahan, I still don't give a damn. So please, just let this stubborn little girl keep her three rotten nighties. Please? :)
(6) Aspiration Clutter, the things we own but only aspire to use. Not guilty with this! Although a little guilty with its flip side, (7) Outgrown Clutter. Boyyy, I seriously need to let go of my old cross stitch kit! Hahaha! Remind me when I do my next round of general cleaning, okay?
Lastly, (8) Buyer's Remorse Clutter. This happens when we keep things instead of admitting that we made a bad purchase. Come on guyss, we all make bad purchases. The best we can do is to admit it to our ourselves and do something about it. I've sorted my clothes and rearranged my closet a couple of times already and the result? a storage bag full of clothes that are ready for giving away or selling. I actually gave away a lot when Typhoon Haiyan hit the country. Again, for my remaining buyer's remorse clutter, I'm hoping to dispose them off as soon as possible.
Wheww! Did you evaluate your stuff? Tell me you did! Tell meee! Hehehe! I know it's not easy but really, the first step to minimizing clutter is to decide what needs to be tossed, given away and kept well. Practice good judgment and be definite with your decisions. You can't always get back what you've given away just because you changed your mind, remember that! Saka, dyahe yun noh! Hahaha!
Okaay, according to Gretchen, the festering heart of household clutter is none other than.. our own closets! She's right!! Well, she's always right but this time, I'm nodding my head in total agreement. And I'm sure my mom would agree too. It's not just once or twice that I heard her complain about clothes. Now if only I can convince them to clean up their closets as often as I do. Okay, maybe not THAT often, but once at least once in a while. Can you picture the amount of clutter the family will be able to get rid of? Nostalgic clutter, bargain clutter, crutch clutter, buyer's remorse clutter.. almost all types of clutter that Gretchen identified are hiding inside our cabinets. The brighter side? It's easy to ditch the mess! Again, identify what needs to be tossed, given away or sold, and kept. In the end, it's as if your have MORE to wear because everything in your closet are pieces that you actually wear. Trust me on this! This is what I felt exactly after my major closet clean up.
Last on this topic, I promise! You'll love these tips. :) In line with one of the commandments she made which is "Do it now", she came up with the "one-minute rule". Never postpone any task that could be done in less than one minute -- put away the things you've just used like notepads, markers, scissors; return your chocolate mug to the pantry; throw your snack wrappers; put your dirty clothes in the hamper; hang your towel. See? They're quick and easy but their impact's impressive.
Now, "evening tidy-up". Allot ten minutes or so before bed to do simple tidying. Make your bed and your room ready for the next day and generally have a better morning. Since I instilled this tip into myself, I no longer wake up with accessories on my bedside table, or a bag beside me on my bed, or a pair of shoes wandering on the floor. Just like the one-minute rule, this works wonders too! No more excuses, even when you're dead tired!
TACKLE A NAGGING TASK
Gahh, who doesn't hate long-delayed chores?!! I hate them so, sooo much, you have no idea. And yes, even if I'm a bum, I have a long list of things to do. But Gretchen's right yet again.. "Sometimes, the more difficult part of doing a task was just deciding to do it." Apparently, human beings tend to delay tasks for no definite reason. Wala lang, ayaw pa lang gawin. I used to be like that too thinking I have endless tomorrows since like I said, I'm a bum. These days though, I'm a procrastinator no more! Back to my old self, finally. Hehehe! I check my to-do list every day and pick out the most appealing task to me, depending on my mood and the amount of time I have in my hands. But unlike when I was working, I try not be so hard on myself this time. Although, of course, I try my best to accomplish something on a daily basis. I acknowledge the fact that my to-do list is actually a never ending list, but a long one will forever make me restless. Backlogs are ugly as heck! Pffft!
ACT MORE ENERGETIC
So were done with the mental aspects of energy too -- Toss, Restore, Organize and Tackle a Nagging Task. Now the fifth and last subtopic for the month of January is another "Gretchen Commandment", "act the way I want to feel." Although we presume that we act because of the way we feel, in fact it's the other way around.. we often feel because of the way we act. It's simple, "fake it till you feel it!"
This has been so helpful too me especially now that I'm vulnerable to the feeling of being down and low. This is a little embarrassing but I'll share it to you anyway if you promise not to make fun of me. You promise? Pinky swear? Okay, here yah gooo! Everytime I wake up feeling sluggish, I'll get out of bed really fast and make these weird sounds as if I'm trying to frighten or shock myself. Hehehe! Ginugulat ko yung sarili ko, dahil sino naman ibang gugulat sa 'kin dba? I know I'm such a weirdo but it has been my way of shaking off the ugly feeling. Or sometimes I tap my dude YouTube for help. We sing, dance, watch funny videos together. My other pal, Tumblr, keeps me company too. We go senti and emo emo together and it's surprisingly therapeutic. I like it that way.. cheering myself up so I won't need other people to do it for me. If the more normal ones go out with friends when feeling sad, ako, etooo, pinapasaya lang ang sarili. Hahaha! Kidding aside, it works for me most of the time. It makes me feel lighter and of course, happier. Exactly Gretchen Rubin's purpose. Thanks, girl! Hehehe! :)
(2) Conservation Clutter, made up of things we keep because they can be useful, although useless at the moment. I'd plea guilty again, pero medyo lang! Hehe! I used to keep so many paper bags until I decided to let go of some -- the ugly ones, oddly-sized, etc. I was able to cut down the clutter but
(3) Bargain Clutter, results from buying unnecessary things because they're cheap or on sale and the related (4) Freebie Clutter, from hand-me-downs and giveaways. Bargain clutter.. a little guilty! I have a lot of unused accessories 'cause sometime last year, we discovered this cheap online shop of accessories and other trinkets. Of course I hoarded but sadly, they no longer appeal to me after a few months. The sister and I are thinking of starting an online preloved shop and I'm positive I'll be able to get rid of all my bargain clutter. On the other hand, I don't suffer from freebie clutter. Yayy!
(5) Crutch Clutter, the things we use but we shouldn't. Gretchen used her horrible sweatshirt as an example; I'll be using my rotten nighties. And with rotten, I really mean tattered and torn, full of holes big and small. But will all honesty, I don't consider them as clutter because I actually use them; and even if everyone's been telling me they're better off as basahan, I still don't give a damn. So please, just let this stubborn little girl keep her three rotten nighties. Please? :)
(6) Aspiration Clutter, the things we own but only aspire to use. Not guilty with this! Although a little guilty with its flip side, (7) Outgrown Clutter. Boyyy, I seriously need to let go of my old cross stitch kit! Hahaha! Remind me when I do my next round of general cleaning, okay?
Lastly, (8) Buyer's Remorse Clutter. This happens when we keep things instead of admitting that we made a bad purchase. Come on guyss, we all make bad purchases. The best we can do is to admit it to our ourselves and do something about it. I've sorted my clothes and rearranged my closet a couple of times already and the result? a storage bag full of clothes that are ready for giving away or selling. I actually gave away a lot when Typhoon Haiyan hit the country. Again, for my remaining buyer's remorse clutter, I'm hoping to dispose them off as soon as possible.
Wheww! Did you evaluate your stuff? Tell me you did! Tell meee! Hehehe! I know it's not easy but really, the first step to minimizing clutter is to decide what needs to be tossed, given away and kept well. Practice good judgment and be definite with your decisions. You can't always get back what you've given away just because you changed your mind, remember that! Saka, dyahe yun noh! Hahaha!
Okaay, according to Gretchen, the festering heart of household clutter is none other than.. our own closets! She's right!! Well, she's always right but this time, I'm nodding my head in total agreement. And I'm sure my mom would agree too. It's not just once or twice that I heard her complain about clothes. Now if only I can convince them to clean up their closets as often as I do. Okay, maybe not THAT often, but once at least once in a while. Can you picture the amount of clutter the family will be able to get rid of? Nostalgic clutter, bargain clutter, crutch clutter, buyer's remorse clutter.. almost all types of clutter that Gretchen identified are hiding inside our cabinets. The brighter side? It's easy to ditch the mess! Again, identify what needs to be tossed, given away or sold, and kept. In the end, it's as if your have MORE to wear because everything in your closet are pieces that you actually wear. Trust me on this! This is what I felt exactly after my major closet clean up.
Last on this topic, I promise! You'll love these tips. :) In line with one of the commandments she made which is "Do it now", she came up with the "one-minute rule". Never postpone any task that could be done in less than one minute -- put away the things you've just used like notepads, markers, scissors; return your chocolate mug to the pantry; throw your snack wrappers; put your dirty clothes in the hamper; hang your towel. See? They're quick and easy but their impact's impressive.
Now, "evening tidy-up". Allot ten minutes or so before bed to do simple tidying. Make your bed and your room ready for the next day and generally have a better morning. Since I instilled this tip into myself, I no longer wake up with accessories on my bedside table, or a bag beside me on my bed, or a pair of shoes wandering on the floor. Just like the one-minute rule, this works wonders too! No more excuses, even when you're dead tired!
TACKLE A NAGGING TASK
Gahh, who doesn't hate long-delayed chores?!! I hate them so, sooo much, you have no idea. And yes, even if I'm a bum, I have a long list of things to do. But Gretchen's right yet again.. "Sometimes, the more difficult part of doing a task was just deciding to do it." Apparently, human beings tend to delay tasks for no definite reason. Wala lang, ayaw pa lang gawin. I used to be like that too thinking I have endless tomorrows since like I said, I'm a bum. These days though, I'm a procrastinator no more! Back to my old self, finally. Hehehe! I check my to-do list every day and pick out the most appealing task to me, depending on my mood and the amount of time I have in my hands. But unlike when I was working, I try not be so hard on myself this time. Although, of course, I try my best to accomplish something on a daily basis. I acknowledge the fact that my to-do list is actually a never ending list, but a long one will forever make me restless. Backlogs are ugly as heck! Pffft!
ACT MORE ENERGETIC
So were done with the mental aspects of energy too -- Toss, Restore, Organize and Tackle a Nagging Task. Now the fifth and last subtopic for the month of January is another "Gretchen Commandment", "act the way I want to feel." Although we presume that we act because of the way we feel, in fact it's the other way around.. we often feel because of the way we act. It's simple, "fake it till you feel it!"
This has been so helpful too me especially now that I'm vulnerable to the feeling of being down and low. This is a little embarrassing but I'll share it to you anyway if you promise not to make fun of me. You promise? Pinky swear? Okay, here yah gooo! Everytime I wake up feeling sluggish, I'll get out of bed really fast and make these weird sounds as if I'm trying to frighten or shock myself. Hehehe! Ginugulat ko yung sarili ko, dahil sino naman ibang gugulat sa 'kin dba? I know I'm such a weirdo but it has been my way of shaking off the ugly feeling. Or sometimes I tap my dude YouTube for help. We sing, dance, watch funny videos together. My other pal, Tumblr, keeps me company too. We go senti and emo emo together and it's surprisingly therapeutic. I like it that way.. cheering myself up so I won't need other people to do it for me. If the more normal ones go out with friends when feeling sad, ako, etooo, pinapasaya lang ang sarili. Hahaha! Kidding aside, it works for me most of the time. It makes me feel lighter and of course, happier. Exactly Gretchen Rubin's purpose. Thanks, girl! Hehehe! :)
ELSEWHERE
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