Asthenia, the world, and me

When you feel sick but nobody believes you (even doctors and family), what do you do?

I am always tired. And by "tired" I mean the "my eyes close, my back hurts, my head pounds and my legs won't hold me" kind of thing at 11am, just because I've already exhausted the energy allotted for that day. There's days when I lay down in bed a few hours before I can actually go to sleep and cry silently because of how worn out I am.

I am that tired.

Sadly, I can't tell people. At best, they'll look at me with pity and stay silent, and I'll see clearly in that gaze what they think. At worst, they say clearly what they think, with a slightly shocked and disgusted voice and a headshake.

"That's bullshit, nobody feels like that. You are just lazy." which basically translates to "I don't believe you, and, anyway if it was true, it'd just mean you are unfit for life. Stop whining and try harder."

Do you know what's worse than feeling like a car trying to run on an empty tank? Feeling just like that all while hearing people say you are either a liar or meant for the scrapyard. It's particularly hurtful when it's professionals or family. By now, after nearly three decades of feeling like that, I should be used to my relatives and closest friends making comments like "Yeah, we know, you were born tired" or "Good grief, OM, you're aaaaaalways exhaaaaausted" with an eye-roll and a sigh. I am not. And I am certainly not used to doctors giving me that look, that sigh, that "Just be more active".

Add depression and anxiety to the mix, and you've got one particular kind of hell.

So I try to do more, to fulfill other people's expectations of how I should be and do... and it backfires in the most horrendous way. I've spent days in bed, nauseated and with a fever, all my body hurting, because of over-exhaustion. 

But I'm not going to do it any more.

I know my limits, small as they are. I know my pain, my sadness, my strength. If they think I am a bore, so be it. If they want to leave me because of how I don't conform to their ideas of me and my abilities, so be it. But I am not going to get sicker because they want me to pretend I am not sick to begin with.

My body has a different battery life than others', so what? I am not going to apologize for it. That would be like apologizing for being born a brunette. I am much more than the energy I am allotted each day, I am tons more than the labels they want to stick to me (whether they are "lazy" or "liar" or "weak" or "whiny" or "broken").

I am me and I am tired, and the world can deal with it. 

Oath's mom

Seasons of change

July is about to end, which means that here we've just navigated through half this season. Not the astronomical season, and not the meteorological season either (we've had one week of real summer weather so far, it's driving me mad!), but what I always considered summer: the two whole school free months. They are supposed to be the months of relax, calm and fun. No obligations (well, not many) and lots of opportunities. But this year is kicking my ass really hard, and this July has been the month of stress, anxiety and changes. Things do not look much calmer for August, and September...

Next September things are going to change a lot around here, both because of going back to the usual parts of our routine (housekeeping, university...) and because of new things that we will have to make a place and time for (job hunting, Oath starting daycare, English tests, competitive examinations...). I am feeling so stressed just thinking about all I'll have to do in so little time, and I know that I tend to unconsciously hide my anxiety, even from myself, so seeing I am stressed means it can easily get out of control. And nobody wants an out of control stressed OM, hmm?

So, I've decided to start working on it now. How? Timetables, plans, schedules. On one hand, planning helps me relax; on the other, if I manage to get our lives into some sort of routine now, then I'll only have to manage it.
Without further ado, then, I present you OM's Summer Schedule:

Click to enlarge.

Now I only need to learn how to stick to it!

Oath's Mom

A weekend to catch up

It's a fact: a busy off-line life means a lack of online life. 

The silence on the blog just means that I've been running up and down, with lots of things to do and too little time to do them, not that I am gone. My mind has been occupied by my studies, mostly, and Oath's increasing taste for danger (his passion for outlets, power cords and trying to throw himself off of beds, cribs and couches are a constant source of activity in this house!) hasn't made things better, either.

But the blog hasn't been the only thing to suffer from my absence: our house is a mess. If I got a penny for every time I say this, I'd be rich soon, but it's true. When I have to let go of something to retain my sanity, order and organization are some of the first things to go (as is food, which explains my lack of menu planing lately). And oh, have I let go lately!

The old me would be so appalled that this happened that she would not know what to do. The new me (the mom me) knows what she has to do: start again, keep trying, not give up. Preferably before Monday.

Why? I do not work well when there's people around: if I feel watched, I turn into a clumsy bunch of nerves and nothing gets done. But Partner is gone this whole weekend and this means it's the perfect time to do a quick home rescue mission! Oath is here (but I can clean with him watching me, thankfully!), so a bit of organization and planning ahead is needed:

Click to expand

This is how my weekend will hopefully go. What about yours? Now that summer is just around the corner, are you taking time to relax or, like me, frantically trying to get everything in order?

Oath's Mom

April evaluation

So, the kitchen month. It was a very short month, what with being two weeks away from home and starting studying right when I got back, but I managed to do some things. In fact, going by feeling alone, I manage to do quite a lot of things (we'll see if it's true, in the end!).

What did I do?

• Tackle the bags drawer. Get rid of the ones that can't be reused and fold the other ones, so that they aren't trying to take over the whole kitchen. Restrain those bags, ma'am! I'm halfway through it, and I'm keeping up folding the new bags that come home, so I'll consider it mostly done.
• Clean the cutlery drawer. It is the most organized part of the kitchen, so it might not need much more. Oops. Not done.
• Put some kind of order in the mixer and the bowls drawers. Done. Also, I cleaned it.
• Organize and clean the "plastic containers + mixing bowls + baking pans + everything else that fits here" big drawers. Done! As above, also cleaned.
• Same for the tiny cutting boards and wrappers drawer. Uhh... No, not really.
• Clean the pots and pans drawers. Done!
• Brave the fridge! Get rid of leftovers and food past its date (if any), clean, reorganize. I had also started reorganizing, but then a big meal with friends came and Partner took over it, and now any semblance of order is gone.
• Organize under the sink cabinet. If at all possible, replace chemicals with homemade cleaners. Not done. I managed to keep Oath very far away from it, though, does this count?
• Buy/find some alphabet magnets Oath can play with. My mom has some in his kitchen and he loved them! Not done, I haven't found any that I liked!
• Review the plans, see what worked and what didn't. Post. Doing it!

Well, what can I say? It certainly felt like more!

Now, I know why it is: I organized the entry shoe-rack-thingie drawer, and the one in the kitchen that's full of warranty papers that I didn't think of while doing the plan, plus the one with the stick blender, the elastics and kitchen towels, and such. I also organized half the pantry cabinets, which aren't many, but there was quite a lot of work there. And, completely unrelated, tackled Oath's room again as we gave the beds back to Partner's brother. Keeping all of this in mind, I'd say it's been quite a good month.

8.5/10 for me, for the effort!

Oath's mom

PS: And yes, as I said, I have photos... but they aren't really interesting and it does not feel like they fit. If you want to see them, though, just tell me!

May plan

I'm going a bit out of order here, as I haven't done my kitchen month evaluation yet, but I hope you'll forgive me. I'll tell you, though, that I'm quite sure I succeeded, and that there's some photos this time (not amazing photos, mind you: my pots and pans drawer isn't a beauty...)!

 

In this new Ready, steady, clean! 2013 plan installment I am supposed to tackle the master bedroom (which is, to be honest, the only real bedroom as of now). I've been itching to put away the winter clothes and get out the summer ones, but have been postponing it until this month, so I am so glad it is May already!

But it doesn't matter how much do I want to do this month's tasks, because I am in exam mode. This goes two ways, so who know how it all will end up: on one hand, I must study because I have my priorities straight (right?); on the other, the only think that makes me want to clean more than anything in the world is studying (procrastination at it's best! In fact, I should be studying now... and what am I doing? Talking about cleaning. So predictable!). If I manage to follow this month plan, prepare Oath's birthday (one year already! My, time sure flies by!) and pass all my exams, I'm going pass out of happiness.

So, back on track.

 

The facts:

• My clothes need organizing. Badly. Specially because I no longer need five polar fleece jackets, and some more short sleeved T-shirts would be great to have on hand.
• Partner's clothes are a mess, too!
• But this month is full of things that need to be done: studies, birthday parties...

The plan:

• First things first: season clothes switcharoo.
• Organize my clothes.
• Organize Partner's clothes (after all, I am the one who puts them away after folding, so I might as well know where should everything go!). I'll need his assistance on this one, so he knows where everything is, too.
• That bit on the top of our small closet? Linens go there, and if I can organize them by bed-size, even better.
• Towels should be rolled up and stacked at the bottom right, for easy access.
• Organize under-the-bed storage.
• Clean outside the window! I always forget this one, and then wonder why it doesn't look as clean as I know it should...
• Review the plans, see what worked and what didn't. Post. 

I already did some things (like re-arranging the shelves and clearing the top of the dresser) before this month started, so it should be easy.

Wish me luck!

Oath's mom

April Plan

Nearly half a month late, my Ready, steady, clean! 2013 plan comes again. This time I have an excuse, as I've been out of home until some years ago, but this is not excuse enough to completely give up. Oh, no: if I've learned one thing from having a child is that giving up is not an option. So there we go!

April is the kitchen month. I've been looking forward to it, because there are so many things that can be done! So many cabinets in need of a serious organizations, and so many drawers that can turn into quick and satisfying projects.
Now, I can fail very easily: less than 20 days to do it, with my exams coming up on May... it will be easy to get distracted from this plan. But now that I enjoy being in the kitchen, that I can bake again, I want it done. So it means I'll have to do it.

The facts:

• Even though some years ago I wouldn't have believed it, I love being in the kitchen: cooking, baking, snacking...
• A little organization would make my cook like easier...
• ...as there is hardly any organization right now!

The plan:

• Tackle the bags drawer. Get rid of the ones that can't be reused and fold the other ones, so that they aren't trying to take over the whole kitchen. Restrain those bags, ma'am!
• Clean the cutlery drawer. It is the most organized part of the kitchen, so it might not need much more.
• Put some kind of order in the mixer and the bowls drawers.
• Organize and clean the plastic containers + mixing bowls + baking pans + everything else that fits here big drawers.
• Same for the tiny cutting boards and wrappers drawer.
• Clean the pots and pans drawers.
• Brave the fridge! Get rid of leftovers and food past its date (if any), clean, reorganize.
• Organize under the sink cabinet. If at all possible, replace chemicals with homemade cleaners.
• Buy/find some alphabet magnets Oath can play with. My mom has some in his kitchen and he loved them!
• Review the plans, see what worked and what didn't. Post. 

I know it isn't much, but I think it is enough to make a difference (while still being manageable). I'm letting all the pantry cabinets alone for now, and the dishes and glasses ones too, as we (somehow) manage to keep them pretty nice.

Wish me luck!

Oath's mom

March evaluation

Now that I am back home, as I told you yesterday, it is time for last month's evaluation. It is late, you say? Very late indeed, but life was busy and time was short, so it had to wait.

On to the evaluation, then!

This was the living room month, and it was scary, both before starting and during. And now that's it's finished, even, I must say. It was well timed because this month Oath has turned fully mobile, and even though he's not actually walking yet, he just does not stop trying. Even if I hadn't planned to baby-proof the living room this month, I would have had to!

But, apart from that, what else did I do?

• Organize the cabinet. Done!
• Organize the table end where our printer, modem and some office supplies live. Not done, at all! My excuse? Partner has been working a lot on this space, and it was in constant use (lame excuse, I know, I know).
• Get rid of the random stuff behind the big couch, so the mat can be properly stored there when not in use. Partially done. Even though the mat can be stored there now without any problem... I must admit I haven't thrown away or relocated what was (and is) behind the couch. Why? I have nowhere to put it and I do not dare to trash it!
• Organize the small shelves and my university items (bags, books, odds and ends) corner. Done! Not that it isn't falling into disarray again...
• Move the small sofa and rescue all the toys that rolled beneath it. I'm sure there will be a handful waiting patiently to be found! Done! Curiously, there weren't as many toys as I thought there would be... but let's not talk about the dust bunnies.
• Turn the wine shelves into toy shelves. Move the wine into the bar-cabinet or down into the storage room. We don't drink wine, anyway, so we do not need it here. Partially done. They are now wine and toy shelves (wine on top, far away from little hands reach; toys on bottom, where Oath can go and help himself)
• Organize the TV thingie, being careful not to leave anything dangerous within Oath's reach. Partially done, I suppose? No organization here, but relocation of several non-baby-safe items happened.
• Empty the chair corner and put the chair back on its spot by the table. Done. Except for moving the chair back to where it belongs. I must get up and do it now.
• Then, buy the extra chairs we need and move the mismatched ones to the storage room.
• Baby-proof everything! Drawers, corners, sockets... We've already started on this one, so I am one step ahead. Yay! Done!
• Take care of the plants. Get rid of the dead ones, replant some, clean the ledge... Done! I posted about part of it here, and will post more soon!
• Review the plans, see what worked and what didn't. Post. Doing it!

It feels like I did less that I should have and, to be honest, I think the feeling is closer to the truth than the list is. While writing the list I was thinking I had actually done something but... no. It's not true. The days I spent with my family were many, and very nice, but they didn't help me get all of this accomplished.
I'll give myself a 5/10, right on the border of pass and fail. I hope April is better, though it hasn't been off to a good start either!

What did you this month?

Oath's mom

"A" is for...

...daily planner!

It doesn't make much sense, does it? I've always called my daily planner (when I had one, that is), my agenda. And, of course, the fact that my name starts with "A" (which is what actually makes sense, isn't it?) also matters. You'll soon see why.

This year I had bought a cheap, boring daily planner. I wasn't using it much, but I found the need to use it grew as the days passed:

 When is Oath's next doctor appointment? I know I called a few days ago to check but now I can't remember...

 Oh, so you told me you wouldn't me coming for dinner today? I must have forgotten...

 If I just had a planner! Wait... I do, don't I?

These (or a variation of them) happened once too much and I decided I needed to start using the cheap, boring, not-so-pretty daily planner. What could I do to make me want to use it more?

Crochet!

Does the "A" make sense now?

I loved this color combination, even though I thought I wouldn't.

Two bookmarks.

Now, the execution isn't perfect, nothing near the perfect idea I had. The rainbow seven-strand braid I wanted to do as a bookmark was too chunky and I had to make two bookmarks, a regular and a four-strand braid... and now I don't know what to use one of them for (woe is me!). I didn't sew it all that well and it does not lay as nicely as it could...

But I love it.

I smile every time I look at it, and it's not only because rainbow-y colors make me happy. It is because for the first time in a (way too) long time, I've done something for me. I have believed that the effort to make me happy (even with something so simple as turning a boring "agenda" into a pretty one) was worth it.

Now if I could only find what to use the second marker for...

Oath's mom

March plan

Today is already March 2, so I am a bit late for the next installment of my Ready, steady, clean! 2013 plan. But better late than never, right?

This is going to be the living room month, and -I must admit it- it scares me. Quite a lot, in fact. Our living room is also our dining room, and so it turns into the most used space of the house. We spend all our awake time here, except potty and cooking breaks (and some cleaning that has to be spent elsewhere, of course), so there's always something going on. It might be me with a crochet project (I still haven't learned to put them away between each crocheting session), Partner working on his computer, Oath playing on the mat we have specially for him (so he doesn't bump his head too hard when he, inevitably, tries to stand unassisted and falls), TV watching... or everything at the same time! I know it is difficult to clean something we're using, and let's not talk about organizing.

But it must be done, and this is the month. Wish me luck! (I'll need it!)

The facts:

• The living room is a mess because it is the most used room and there's always someone there, except while we sleep (and, sometimes, even then!)
• It is, also, where we settle when we have guests, so it is the room other people see most... and they judge our house for it.
• There are way too many things there, but since they're not mine, I can't purge them. Organization it must be, then.
• I do not like the TV stand/cabinet/thingie, but it must stay. I hope to like it a bit more if it stays organized. (I do not have high hopes, though.)

The plan:

• Organize the cabinet.
• Organize the table end where our printer, modem and some office supplies live.
• Get rid of the random stuff behind the big couch, so the mat can be properly stored there when not in use.
• Organize the small shelves and my university items (bags, books, odds and ends) corner.
• Move the small sofa and rescue all the toys that rolled beneath it. I'm sure there will be a handful waiting patiently to be found!
• Turn the wine shelves into toy shelves. Move the wine into the bar-cabinet or down into the storage room. We don't drink wine, anyway, so we do not need it here.
• Organize the TV thingie, being careful not to leave anything dangerous within Oath's reach.
• Empty the chair corner and put the chair back on its spot by the table.
• Then, buy the extra chairs we need and move the mismatched ones to the storage room.
• Baby-proof everything! Drawers, corners, sockets... We've already started on this one, so I am one step ahead. Yay!
• Take care of the plants. Get rid of the dead ones, replant some, clean the ledge...
• Review the plans, see what worked and what didn't. Post. 

I think all of this will be too much, but all that gets done will take me a step closer to having a living room I can like... and a living room I like is something I need in this period of life I am in.

What about you? Is there any room that you could like a bit more in your home?

Oath's mom

February evaluation

 This "kid's room" month has been, in my opinion, a success. If you take a glimpse at the list it doesn't look much like it, but honestly, the things I haven't done are the small ones. I might have not gotten rid of the desk, but I have tidied it up and it looks like a desk again. I haven't even looked at "our" side of the closet, so the shoes and coats are still a mess, but Oath's side is all nice and pretty. At least, as nice and pretty as it gets around here! And my sister G. had a clear bed to sleep on, which was the ultimate point of this month's plan.

So:

• Store the kid's clothes and bring them to the storage room, or to my in-laws, or somewhere they do not add to the mess in this room. Partly done.
• While I'm at it, organize the clothes that still fit him and the next size, so the closet stops trying to spill its guts onto the room's floor. Done!
• Organize the other side of the closet, with all the shoes and suitcases and coats.
• Get rid of the desk and all the things on it. At least, of the things on it.
• Keep the laundry routine going, closing the clothes' rack if the clothes are dry and the next load is not ready. It does not solve the problem, but at least some days it will look like the problem does not exist. Done!
• Clean! Sweep, vacuum, mop, dust. While I am at it, clean the window too. Partly done.
• Change the bed sheets, and make the beds. Done!
• Review the plans, see what worked and what didn't. Post. Doing it!

Give myself an 8.5/10, because the big things got done and, even though it's not perfect, now I smile every time I enter the room. Ah, the joys of clear floor space! I have even started gathering ideas on Pinterest to slowly turn Oath's room into something I love... before he gets a say and I have to give in to his preferences. I shiver to think what will he become obsessed with (Pocoyo? Lightning McQueen? Who knows!), but there's no way to know yet. I'm sure I'll be notified, eventually, don't you think?

What about you? What have you done this month?

Oath's Mom

Oath's room clean-up: the table

Oh, that table... If you read the first part of this month's organization (or, more likely, clean-up) project, you have gotten a glimpse of the state of the table. I am not sure I am ready to show more than just that glimpse.

You see, this table was my desk back when there was only the two of us, Partner and I. I had my important files tray, my art supplies drawers, the colorful hanging folder for uni papers... Partner had his desk, as big as mine, on the other side of the room, with all his stuff. And then, we had to get rid of one of the desks to fit the bed in there, so we could have people over (I was pregnant and my family wanted to visit us). 

So all his stuff was moved over to my desk, and I started working on the living room instead of there, because there was so much stuff. And the stuff (are you tired of that word yet? Not as much as I am of seeing the actual stuff there!) just kept growing. Multiplying. I am quite sure it even bred.

And we got to the point we were then, were there was not a single square inch of free flat space on the table.

I was torn on whether I should clean it up completely and store it (it's only a board and two small sawhorses, nothing fancy) or keep it there but organized. So I just started cleaning, sorting and organizing as I went, as I did with the room.

And you know what?

It was easy. I had been dreading it until the last minute, and that made me wait until it was nearly too late, but once I got started it was a breeze. Fast and easy, as it happens most of the time.
 
Oh, well... Live and learn, eh?

Oath's Mom

Oath's room clean-up

This month was the month I was supposed to tackle Oath's room, the worse room in the house, and turn it into a place where people could sleep without fear of being drowned by a random piece of clothing.

Do you want to see how it's going?

It went from this...

 

 

...to this.

Step by step:

Can you see the difference? When I look at it now, I can't remember how bad it was, but when I look at the photos... wow! 

And I even organized Oath's closet!

It is not an amazing organization feat, but now I know where everything is (again. When he was born I knew it also, but 8 month os use hat turned the order into a chaos!): onesies, socks and bibs on the top drawer; t-shirts and trousers on the second drawer; pajamas and sweaters on the third; bed linens on the bottom one that does not open well. Towels in the basket with the plushies on top. Extra wipes on top of the mini-dresser, along with diapers, booties and hats. Extra shampoos, soaps, creams and the like, in the box. And on the space on the right there are extra diapers, the few too small clothes that I love and want to keep, and clothes he has to grow into. And an empty basket (this was before the treasure basket, so now it's no longer there).

Everything else is on hangers (coats, shirts...) along with my coats. Yes, I'm taking over the kid's closet...

See? I know! And that's the point of organizing, isn't it?

Now only the table (that mess of things on the back) is left. And then it will be time for someone to stay over!

Oath's mom

Tackling a virtual mess

Last January I admitted that my computer is severely disorganized. I decided I would tackle it after my exams, and so I could start the new semester with a freshly organized working area (I use the computer as a notebook, and do not print any notes unless necessary, so most of my studying is done with the laptop. That's why it was so messy... or so I want to believe.)

And then?

Then I tried. As you know if you read my January evaluation, trying wasn't quite enough. I found myself easily overwhelmed just by thinking I should start working on it. And when I did, I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of files so out of place. Where to start? And, most importantly, how to start?

So I developed a system. Amazingly (and even though my results do not reflect it), a system that worked. I am willing to bet it would work for everybody. Why? Because it is simple. Easy. It doesn't require a careful pre-planning of which folders to create, where do they go, are they really needed... You can stop halfway through it and resume when you feel like it without any problem.

The cons? It is a bit tedious if you, like I, have let the mess get too big. But that's my fault, not the system's!

Are you like me and now you want to know how to do it?

1. Open the folder you want to organize.
2. Forget about the folders for a while and go to the first file there. Does it need to be there?
1. If the answer is no, drag and drop to the desktop.
2. If the answer is yes, can it go in a sub-folder?
1. If not, leave it there.
2. If yes, drag and drop to the sub-folder. If the one that you need doesn't exist yet, create it first.
3. Repeat #2 until there are no more files to go through.
4. On with the folders. Just act as if they were files. Drag and drop. Or leave them there.
5. And then choose one of the sub-folders and start again! (once you reach a point where there are no more sub-folders nor need for them, go back until you find one you haven't tackled yet).

Really. That's it. Just two yes/no questions, so evident that I had never thought of them before.

A little example:

That's where I started.

That's my Documents folder. I had already organized the random files there into all those folders. I decided to not go in order, to save my sanity, and opened the Studies folder.

You could scroll down for a while, in there!

Time to repeat the process. Nearly all the files went into the UO folder, which is the one for the courses I am taking now, so it makes sense. All the others were mostly organized in previous attempts.

Ah, that's better!

When it was done (why is it that there's always a lone file that does not belong into any sub-folder and just sits there?), I opened the UO folder and started sorting. 

Now, I forgot to take screenshots of that process (or maybe you can say I opted for not showing it so I would not bore you with too many pictures of folders and files). You can see, though, that in there I have a folder for each subject, plus one for important things (like enrollment fees bills) and one named Old. There go all the subjects I have already passed, so I don't have lots of folders I don't need hanging around when I am trying to save a file in its proper place.

The end!

That's how it ended: two folders for my current subjects and the Old and important things ones. There is no need to add further levels, so this branch of my folder tree ended there.



Now I just have to go and organize all the others, but what about you? Do you also feel overwhelmed by organizing "virtual" messes?

Oath's mom

February plan

February is here! Time for a new monthly plan for my Ready, steady, clean! 2013 plan.

This month that's just beginning is my kid's room month, so all my efforts will go towards that room in my home. Which, incidentally, is also our guest restroom, and my sister is coming towards the end of the month, so I have less than 28 days to turn it from a storage room into a decent bedroom!

The facts:

• The kid's room is a mess because:
• Oath sleeps in our room, so he's never used "his" room.
• We have no dryer, and no clothesline outside, so the clothes rack lives in that room and is used constantly.
• I still haven't stored all the clothes that Oath no longer fits in. So, they live on the guest bed, and on the unused desk there, and in the now no longer used pram... So, a mess of clothes is everywhere.
• The stroller also lives there, because it has no place anywhere in the house... nor is there space to park it anywhere else. The joys of a small flat...
• We need a guest bedroom soon enough!

The plan:

• Store the kid's clothes and bring them to the storage room, or to my in-laws, or somewhere they do not add to the mess in this room.
• While I'm at it, organize the clothes that still fit him and the next size, so the closet stops trying to spill its guts onto the room's floor.
• Organize the other side of the closet, with all the shoes and suitcases and coats.
• Get rid of the desk and all the things on it. At least, of the things on it.
• Keep the laundry routine going, closing the clothes' rack if the clothes are dry and the next load is not ready. It does not solve the problem, but at least some days it will look like the problem does not exist.
• Clean! Sweep, vacuum, mop, dust. While I am at it, clean the window too.
• Change the bed sheets, and make the beds.
• Review the plans, see what worked and what didn't. Post. 

What are your plans for this month?

January evaluation

So, how has my January plan gone? According to my yearly plan it was the study month. Well... if there's anything I am completely sure this month, is that I have studied. A lot.

I had two exams (subjects A and B), and essay (B) and a presentation (B), plus two more essays for subject A that I did not mention on my plan because I was still brainwashed from all the effort. I did everything I had to do: the end result was sometimes good and sometimes not that good, of course, but for having to juggle the writing, studying and preparing with caring for an active boy, Christmas with the family and traveling, I'd say I did the best I could.

The results? All passed! I did not do too good on subject B, as I got a mere 5/10, but hey, I passed and that's what matters right now! Some years ago I would be all sad and down about this, but I've had to learn that my priorities change, and this reflects it: my kid goes first, even if it takes away time that could have been used to get great grades. Subject A was 6.5/10, so not that bad but not brilliant either. Oh well, at least one of the essays there was perfect! 

The last part of the month was to be spent organizing my computer, and well... I tried. I honestly tried, but I was so tired from the exams (I know, I know... just two subjects, not that many assignments... but it wore me out so much) that I did not do much. My desktop looks way better, and thing are mostly in the folder they should be, but I never even got near the Downloads or Images folders. Oh, well. I can tackle it again on the Odds and Ends month (I think that's December... plenty of time for my files to get really messy!)

Long story short:

• Find or re-download, read and organize all the materials for both A and B. Done!
• Then, study one subject every day, alternating until the 10th. Done!
• Study subject A until the 14, while organizing all the materials needed for B's essay.
  Done!
• From the 14th to the 17th, get all stressed out studying for B and actually writing the essay.
  Done!
• Take the 18th as a free day. Breath deep, resist the urge to cry. Also, sleep a lot.
  Done!
• 19th to 22nd, prepare the presentation.
  Done!
• Morning of the 23rd: do the presentation. Afternoon and evening: breathe deep again.
  Done!
• Then, time to start with the computer organization by:
• Organizing the Documents folder and all it's subfolders (specially the Studies one) The Studies one is done! The rest, not so much.
• Organizing the Downloads folder. This one it's the one that gets worse.
• Organizing the Documents folder again, because I know how I am and it will have been turned upside-down this fast.
• If there's time, start with the Images folder.
• Review the plan, see what worked and what went wrong. Post it to keep accountable. Doing it! 

If I had to grade my work this month... I'd give me a 7 over 10. Could be better, but at least the most important things got done, and got done right!

What have you done this past month?

Oath's Mom

Ready, steady... clean! - A 2013 plan

As I promised, I'm posting about my yearly plan to organize my life and mi home. The one which, sadly, consists mostly of cleaning. I am still at that stage where things have to be cleaned/decluttered/found/straightened before they can be properly organized, so no pretty containers or amazing new systems for my linens. I hope someday I'll get to them, and I'll have a pretty home, full of little details that make my heart sing with joy, but today is not that day. This year is the year I do my best to get one step close to that day.

And this is how I intend to do it:

• January. The study month.
• February. The kid's room month.
• March. The living room month.
• April. The kitchen month.
• May. The main bedroom month.
• June. The bathrooms month.
• July. The blogging month.
• August. The bathrooms month, take two.
• September. The bedrooms month, take two.
• October. The kitchen month, take two.
• November. The living room month, take two.
• December. The odds and ends month.

As you can see, I've assigned roughly two months to each room in our house (yes, it's a small flat, there are not too many rooms around here! I am both thankful and sad for it.) This way, I'll make sure they do not get too much out of control before the end of the year, and maybe I'll be able to sneak in some actual organization projects and start the prettifying. A girl can dream, right?

 Also, I might change some months of order (for instance, at first February was the living room month and March was the kid's room one, but my sister will come to stay for some days at the end of February... and the kid's room is also the guest room! I need it clean and nice sooner than the end of March, as you can understand.), but apart from that I'll stick to it. Hopefully. With a bit of help from this blog, I will.

Expect from me, then, at least two posts every month (one the first, or as close to it as I can get; and one the last day of it) about this 2013 plan. Hopefully, I'll have more to share than that!

And, last but not least, if you want to join me, feel free! I'd love to have some friends walking this road with me.

Oath's Mom

My January plan

I've started the year in a pretty organized way, or I like to think so. I'll post about it in the wrong order, though, sharing my January plan first and then, soon, my yearly plan. Which is kind of going backwards, but anyway.

January had to be (and, thankfully, has been) the month dedicated to studying and organizing my student life. This included studying for my January exams (I did the last presentation today, and already have my grades! The teachers have been fast) and organizing my studying station, which is mainly my computer.

So, let's imagine it's the beginning of January, and sharing this makes sense.

The facts:

• I have four deadlines: an exam on the 14th (subject A), another exam and an essay due date the 17th (subject B), and a presentation the 23rd (also subject B).
• It might not seem much, but I have a kid who demands all my time and attention, plus the Three Wise Men and all the presents (we don't do Christmas, the gift giving is on January the 5th), plus visiting family and only coming back home the 11th... I do not have much time.
• I haven't been able to go to class at all this semester (I know, shame on me, but see the bullet point above)
• My documents folder is a mess, which doesn't bother me much except for the fact that I am having a hard time finding my notes and important documents for studying.

The plan:

• Find or re-download, read and organize all the materials for both A and B.
• Then, study one subject every day, alternating until the 10th.
• Study subject A until the 14, while organizing all the materials needed for B's essay.
• From the 14th to the 17th, get all stressed out studying for B and actually writing the essay.
• Take the 18th as a free day. Breath deep, resist the urge to cry. Also, sleep a lot.
• 19th to 22nd, prepare the presentation.
• Morning of the 23rd: do the presentation. Afternoon and evening: breathe deep again.
• Then, time to start with the computer organization by:
• Organizing the Documents folder and all it's subfolders (specially the Studies one)
• Organizing the Downloads folder. This one it's the one that gets worse.
• Organizing the Documents folder again, because I know how I am and it will have been turned upside-down this fast.
• If there's time, start with the Images folder.
• Review the plan, see what worked and what went wrong. Post it to keep accountable.  

Until now it has worked well, we'll see how the actual organizing goes! I have done it before and have a pretty reliable course of action, but it has gotten out of control lately and it kind of scares me. Am I the only one with a terrible computer organization? Tell me I'm not, please...

Oath's Mom

On to 2013

We have a tradition of eating twelve grapes, one with each ring of the midnight bells, on the last night of the year. Years ago, somebody told me that if you wished something different with each grape, and you managed to eat them all without choking (not a small feat), they would become true during the new year. I've been perfecting my grape-eating technique for years, and many of the things I wished for came true, so this year I hope I can end up with twelve wishes granted.
This past year has been both difficult and amazing, and I feel it has put me in a path of life that can lead me somewhere great. There are lots of things I have to change, though, and also I like to indulge my planner side. So, my wishes have been:

1. Get the house company ready. One room a month (so I get two tries for each room, in case the first time around does not go well!), so I can go slow and keep up with everything, but not so slow I am tempted to stop. I'll have to plan it so the living room is ready for Oath to start moving on his own... pity that I do not know when that will happen.
2. Re-design the blog. I have ideas to make it a bit more personal, and I need to dust my Photoshop skills so they do not rot more than they already have. Time to bring out the graphic tablet and get the creative juices flowing!
3. Keep the blog running and post more often. Specially post more often (that will keep the blog running, won't it?).
4. Start working out some. I am actually not looking forward to this one: I am a couch potato, and now with Oath I am doing more exercise than ever, but my body seems to be getting weaker. I carry 10 kilos (that's the baby) around all day every day, but the only thing I get out of it is tiredness. Maybe (hopefully!) some exercise routine will help.
5. Do more activities with Oath. I have to use my degree! I feel like I am not doing enough for my son, and that I am letting him watch Pocoyo a bit too much. True, it's the only way that I can do anything (make the bed, cook dinner, go to the bathroom...), but I have to wean him from it. I know plenty of things to do with babies, I just have to get around to doing them with my own baby (which is harder than it sounds).
6. Crochet! As in, crochet a lot. I'd like to finish, say, 12 projects. One of them, a big king-sized blanket for our bed. I love the feeling of a heavy blanked over me when I sleep, but I have none now. It can even be my next years Christmas present!
7. Get out of the house more often. Another one my couch potato self does not look forward to, but I need it. Maybe I can start just opening the windows and imagining I am outside instead of actually doing it... (kidding!)
8. Write some stories for Oath. I love writing, I love Oath, I love telling stories. How nice would it be if I managed to create (and illustrate, while I'm at it) some special stories for him? Maybe I can even do it during NaNoWriMo. Which leads me to...
9. Finish the *¡#$∞% NaNoWriMo story. I know it has potential, but it just does not want to flow. I must write it, it is personal now.
10. Take photos. Maybe try a 365 challenge again: last year I did not get much farther than 10 days, which is a complete fail I need to erase from my list. I have not brought my camera with me to my mother's house, but I have my sister's ready, so I can start already with this one.
11. Get a solid cleaning routine going. I nearly had it this year, but lost it towards the end. I have to try it again. And succeed.
12. Plant the plants. I have had those seed packets for a while now, and the dream of having fresh herbs for way longer, it is time I do something about it. I know that starting them from seed it's not the easiest way, but at least I have to try.

Be prepared to read my giving in to my planner side, because I feel it stirring inside. Maybe this year my do-er side will kick into action too!

Of course, I also wish this year is filled with love and joy and good things, that goes without saying!

How about you? What do you wish your new year to bring?

Oath's Mom

Back to routine #4: where I failed (but it doesn't matter)

I planned, got my home to a "just messy" state, started over and then... failed. The fourth step of my back to routine plan never came to fruition.

I went a week back home so my family could see Oath (boy, it's that kid growing fast or what? He's not even 6 months old and he's already wearing 12 months old's clothes!) and when I came back the house was back in the disastrous state that made me start this "back to routine" series. Awful. Really, really bad.

I think what I had to learn this time is that I can't trust that Partner will keep things as I leave them. Because he won't. He may try, but he just does not see messes (I talked about that before, didn't I?) as I did not see them some years ago. Lucky me.

So,  the week that had to be used, supposedly, deep cleaning, was used getting the house to just messy again. I felt like I was watching a movie I had just watched. But what's a girl going to do? Cleaning is like a movie in repeat in the best of circumstances, too (in the worse it becomes a horror movie!) so I just started again without fussing too much.

And now I am somewhere in the middle of the process: NaNoWriMo started, and that never helps.

I have to say, though, that the first three parts of the plan worked, and that's much more than what would have happened if I hadn't even tried. So yay for trying, and let's start again!

Oath's Mom

Back to routine #3: start over

After planning and spending one week trying to get our home just messy, it's been time to really start over. 

I have to admit I thought it would be harder, but the world wanted to help me a bit, it seems, and sent my in-laws to visit us on Monday. Which I don't mind, but the house was in its "just messy" state. Desperation! Mondays are the main bedroom cleaning days, and that had been done, but I couldn't entertain them there, now could I? It would have been really weird, and if they do not think already that I am a bit cuckoo that would have been the last straw. So, turning the messy living room into an in-laws ready living room was in order.

And I did. I even called Partner (it was and impromptu visit, and he was working and could not help me gather most things and hide them in the guest room) when I finished mopping to tell him that if he ever wants me to clean fast, to tell me his parents are coming. Yep, I trust him to not use this knowledge against me, though sometimes I'm sure he should.

This meant that I started the week more tired that I should, but with less mess on my way, which in the end caused less stress. I do not recommend it, but the visit certainly helped me get on my way and achieve what I had planned for this week!

I did not loose that momentum, and have kept up with weekly room cleaning; loading, running and unloading the dishwasher; doing laundry (4 loads, and would have done more if the weather had been better and the last load had dried today)... I even sorted the 7 (7!) bags of baby clothes I hadn't even looked at! Now the clothes I don't like/need are apart, and the ones that I might use are already sorted by size and kind, all neatly folded!

I love it when things happen as I planned them! Don't you?

Oath's Mom