paring down
Over the last several months, I’ve been on a mission to eliminate clutter from my life. I started with the most immediate source of chaos: my children’s playroom. Over the past two months, I have cleaned and organized this room at least twice. The first time was the most challenging, but I convinced the children that the task would be SO MUCH FUN, and for some reason, they believed me. Madeline plugged in her hot pink radio clock and flipped through stations until she found the local hit music station. And with Katy Perry and Maroon 5 keeping us energized, we piled old toys and forgotten playthings into piles: throw away, give away, and put away. After a couple of hours, we were done.
As I looked around the finished room, the tight knot in my chest loosened and untangled itself. I seemed to be breathing more easily, more steadily.
My office at work came next. It was on one of my administrative days – a day reserved for catching up on writing manuscript drafts, working on educational modules, returning patient calls, and wading through the accumulating pile of emails – that I realized I couldn’t just get motivated to do any of it. I couldn’t focus. So I pulled the old procrastinator’s trick: I cleaned. After an hour, my desk was clear, my printer was filled with paper, loose file folders were nestled snuggly in their proper cabinet, and the recycling bin was filled to the brim. And then I got to work. That day was one of the most productive I’d had in what felt like months. Through the process of clearing the clutter from my workspace, I had also shaken off the mental cobwebs that had me distracted and listless.
I reorganized the pantry before Thanksgiving. The kids helped me gather food items that were appropriate for the local food bank, about 5 or 6 grocery bags full. I love that my husband keeps us well stocked on the nonperishable items we use, but his stockpiling can sometimes get out of control. Anything terribly out of date (oh, hello, plastic bottle of honey mustard from 2008) went into the trash, and much of the packaging – glass bottles and cardboard boxes – went into the recycling bins. It was lovely to be able to see the wood floor of the pantry again.
I’ve done some housekeeping here, too. I’m sure you’ve noticed – it’s such an obvious change from before. I love this blog, and I loved the old design of it, but I was beginning to feel overwhelmed when I looked at it. There was too much stuff on the page, stuff that didn’t seem to reflect me and my style. This is still a food blog, but I wanted the style of it to reflect that it’s also more than a food blog. I wanted simplicity, a minimalistic style, a pared down look and feel. I wanted less clutter, more empty space…more room for my thoughts.
I feel like writing here will be easier now. That is my hope, anyway.
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Thank you so much to Lindsay and Taylor from Purr Design (and the food blog, Love and Olive Oil) for understanding so well what I was going for, and for making it happen so seamlessly. Thank you to Irvin of jackhonkey.com (and the food blog, Eat the Love) for the beautiful logo that perfectly represents what I was aiming for with the site.
I don’t believe in the adage that a cluttered desk is a busy desk. I have to have things organized, a place for everything and everything in it’s place. May be a bit OCD on my part but I function much better when things are neat and tidy.
I’m glad that you were able to clear the clutter from your home and your office, it really does help clear the mind and enable productivity. Less mess is less stress for sure.
I love your new blog look and your charming logo.
I am definitely a bit OCD, Paula. I have several friends who would agree to this fact. 🙂
blog looks gorgeous. matches the writing.
Oh, thank you, Katie.
First, I love the new look!
Second, I am so inspired to pare down, too. Did you read the book 7? It’s a bit like reading someone’s journal, but the gist is eliminating clutter and reorganizing your life.
Thanks! I haven’t read that, but I’m going to go search for it. (I love book recommendations!)
Beautifully done, MJ. I’m going to my paper shredder right now.
Thank you, Gail.
first of all, congrats on the new look – it’s lovely! secondly, i can’t co-sign this enough. after we went to Tulum – and I spent a perfectly content week in a one room hut on the beach with minimal STUFF – I’ve come back home and i feel overwhelmed by the amount of crap we accumulate. with the pending move, i can’t wait to just throw away – or give away – so much of the “things”. i’m a minimalist at heart, in the end. happy holidays, love! xo
Thanks, Tami. Happy holidays to you and Mike, too!
The site looks lovely and now I’m feeling inspired to attack the various piles in my life, too. All the best wishes to you and yours this holiday season!
Thank you so much, Carol! And good luck with those piles.
I love the new look. Paring down takes determination. Bit by bit, clean spaces appear. I agree with Gail. Time to shred.
Thanks, Mom. 🙂
Love the new site, MJ! So simple and perfect.
I just love simple, Winnie. I’m so glad you like it!
What a beautiful new site design! I’m a bit envious of your organizing… I keep trying, but my efforts don’t seem to produce much results, haha. If your organizing bug continues, you’re always welcome to come help with mine 🙂
I just wish I had more time for organizing. That’s the eternal problem, isn’t it, Laura? ps – Happy holidays to you!
Love the clean, fresh design. And love that post-decluttering feeling, too. Lightens up the mind.
My mind definitely feels lighter with this redo. Hope you’re well, Maria!
If my desk is clutter I feel out of control. And that goes for pretty much everything else that gets cluttered too. Just call me a control freak – lol!
The site looks wonderful, I love how clean and bright and fresh. You’re so right – it makes such a different to my mood and focus if I’m not living in my usual state of chaos. Happy holidays to you and your family : )
I am really looking forward to January, when I organize the house, so much so that I already have a good idea of what is getting the boot! I always feel so liberated when purging things that we do not need or use any longer.
Love the new look as well, it is so cheery and bright. We are feeling the same way about Chez Us. We changed it once this year but still have not gotten it right or the way we see it in our minds. I have a feeling there will be a “new and improved” coming soon as well. After all, cleaning and organizing all areas of our lives is a good thing.
Happy Holidays!
I can relate to every paragraph you’ve written. I don’t do well with clutter and I feel the mental heaviness that goes with it. My favorite line is ” I wanted less clutter, more empty space…more room for my thoughts”.