From Mountain to Molehill--Update

A little over ten months ago (see "From Mountain to Molehill," August 20, 2006), I started going through boxes of paper and junk that I had piled up, mostly in my bedroom. I've averaged one paper grocery bag of recycled paper a week for ten months--and I'm only halfway there, folks, volume-wise. For ten months I've been sorting out mostly paper, but now I am starting to run into more and more physical stuff that was buried under the paper. Just looking at it, I'm guessing it's about a half-and-half mix of stuff with papers, but I won't know for sure till I actually deal with it.

I have finally begun the filing process! It's only in its first stages and will need further refinement, but it's already making a big difference in how quickly I can find documents I need.

When I first started sorting papers, it was so overwhelming that I could only handle it in three steps: Step 1, sort papers into "Keep" or "Don't Keep." Step 2, sort "Don't Keep" papers into "Shred" or "Recycle." Step 3, sort "Keep" papers into "Important/Information" or "Just Interesting."

Then, in January, I chose five colors--the most common colors of the hanging file folders I prefer--to use as very broad organizing categories. BLUE = ACTIVE (that is, the "Important/Information" papers I kept) and the other colors are going to be for the "Just Interesting" papers: GREEN = MONEY (investing/home business . . . advice, not documentation), YELLOW = RELIGION, ORANGE = PERSONAL (interests, not records), and RED = HOW-TO (including recipes).

Even just getting all the "Keepers" into color categories made it a lot easier to find documents or information I needed, because I could spend 20 or 30 minutes digging through a particular stack instead of hours--or even days--fruitlessly searching an entire house. Now, however, I'll be able to lay my hands on any paper I want in less than 30 seconds! To prove it, I timed myself doing a couple of random searches. Oh, yeah . . . much, much better!

What I've done is set up tentative filing catagories with alpha-numeric codes for BLUE papers, with an index to the codes in the very front folder. For a couple of days now, I've been working my way through a two-foot stack of them, jotting down the filing code in the upper-left corner, putting them in order, and dropping them into file folders. I'm about a third of the way, so within the next two or three days, I should be able to finish filing all of the BLUE papers I've sorted so far.

I'm using cheap and re-used manilla folders for now. I don't want to buy the more expensive colored hanging folders until I know how many I really need. In any case, I won't be filing any of the other colors until every last BLUE scrap is in my filing cabinet--and that won't happen till I've gone through all the remaining boxes and bags of stuff. With fewer papers to sort out and a way to file the BLUE papers, maybe (maybe?) I'll be able to get through all the rest in just a couple of months, instead of ten. I hope so.

It's Been a While, Eh?

Good grief! Where'd the time go? I'm back to working on my book.

Yeah, just a TAD bit uncomfortable . . . .

Whoops. Sorry about not posting for so long. I got side-tracked for a while there, but I'm back and I'll be posting more regularly from now on. :)

Turns out I'm not OK without my medications. I need them to help control symptoms of diabetes, high blood pressure, and lymphedema. I haven't been feeling as well--as normal--as I had been, and it started to be a struggle again just to keep up with the basics of daily living. It scares me that it only takes a week or two before I'm overwhelmed, floundering. I haven't recovered all the lost ground yet . . . it's taking longer to regain than it took to lose.

Incentive to Keep At It

Dang it all . . . I'm broke, out of meds, and pay day is a week out. I'll be fine, although probably a tad uncomfortable. I'll be glad when my efforts at writing start to pay off.

Mama Mouse's Recipes

There are just about 100 more recipes from Mama's notebook to be posted at http://mamamouserecipes.blogspot.com/. I should have them all entered by the end of September, and then I can start on her green recipe box. I haven't found the recipe box yet, but I haven't really looked for it either. There are only a couple of places it could be anyway.

Expert: Bob Bly

I'm doing a bit of research online today, looking for resources to help me as I "grow" my projects. I came across a professional copywriter named Bob Bly whose materials look like they will be extremely helpful in getting me off to a good (that is, profitable) start. His website http://www.bly.com/newsite/home.html (especially the newsletter archives http://www.bly.com/archive/ and his blog http://www.bly.com/blog/index.php) have a wealth of information. I'd like to check the library for his books.

Another Progress Report

I've worked myself about a third of the way through my mother's recipe book, usually posting about ten per session in my recipe blog ( http://mamamouserecipes.blogspot.com/).

I'm somewhat bogged down with de-cluttering and going through old boxes, but I'm still making daily progress.

I'm keeping up with my writing projects; especially my books, but also my blogs (this blog and "Thank God It's Friday" at http://thxb2god.blogspot.com). I don't post every day, but I definately write something every day. Also, regarding my book projects, the research and organizational aspects are ongoing, and I've been making daily progress.

I've been feeling cheerful lately. Probably because I'm not stressing out over getting stuff done immediately or sooner. I just keep chipping away at everything. I try not to just sit doing absolutely nothing. Every now and then I take stock of things, so I know that my efforts are making a difference, because I can see gradual improvements all around me!

I have more and more elbow room and I'm spending less time looking for mislaid items. (Except my cell phone . . . danged if I know what I did with it.) I'm sleeping better, too. I feel great! But I feel sort of strange, too. I'm not used to things getting better and better instead of worse and worse!

Digging Out from Under (Progress Report on De-Cluttering)

It sure didn't take me long to get frustrated with going through old paper. I've only done one box today. You know, sometimes I can see the light at the end of the tunnel . . . and sometimes I can't.

I started feeling a bit overwhelmed about everything this morning and went on a sort of tirade. My brother Nick was on the receiving end, but fortunately had a better grip on his temper than I did.

Once I calmed down, I started thinking that if I'm feeling overwhelmed, then maybe I should take a break from de-cluttering and just veg out for a couple days. But I realized almost right away that if I cave in now, I don't stand a chance of ever clearing it all out. The only reason I'm making progress in so many areas of my life right now, is that I am resolved to do something toward my goals every single day, no matter how small a thing, no matter what! And I know myself all too well. If I "take a day off," I won't actually get back to business after my "break", and in four or five months from now I will have accomplished nothing!

So I went right back to work and started feeling better about things right off! Someone must have flicked the light switch back on, down at the other end of the tunnel.