The Clutter Fairy Weekly #132
Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda: The Nagging Problem of Incompletions
Many of us accumulate “incompletions”—unfinished DIY, art, or craft projects; coupons or recipes to clip; papers to file; laundry to fold and put away; and so on. Stale tasks and unfinished projects add to our clutter load and can take a costly psychological toll. In episode #132 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, examines the nature of incomplete projects and suggests strategies for moving them off your to-do list and out of your head.
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The Weekly Tittle is an exercise designed to focus your attention on a specific space, aspect, or challenge of decluttering and organizing your home. We assign a new tittle in each webcast/podcast, then check on your progress the following week.
Begin the End
This week’s assignment is to make forward motion on one of your nagging incompletions using the approach we outlined today:
- Select a project or daunting task on which you’ve made no progress for a while. If you don’t already have a written plan, start a one-page project plan.
- Reflect on the goals of the project and decide whether it’s still something you want to accomplish. If the answer is no, you’re almost done! All that remains is to gift, donate, or dispose of any tools or materials that belonged only to this project.
- Make a list any obstacles that stand in the way of continuing work on the project. Overcoming each of these obstacles will be a “next action” on your project plan.
- Identify the very next step that would move you toward completion.
- Set a date! Schedule an appointment with yourself to resume work on the next step you already identified.
- Work in manageable chunks of time. If you’re badly stuck, set a timer for 10 minutes. Take breaks as needed to rest or work on something else, and return to the project when you’re ready.
- Repeat steps 4 through 6 as often as you can manage. You may find that you gain passion and momentum as you start to see progress!
For the full discussion of this week’s tittle, watch the Weekly Tittle segment on YouTube.
Hi Gayle/Ed/All I will be late today yet powerful Tittle #132!
#1. Daunting Task = Outside Storage Unit
#2. Reflection On Goals = wanted too yet No now.
a) Salvage family treasures that I could
b) No, I’ve given up due to mold/water damage
c) No, also due to Loss of my wedding pictures & non replaceable few familia treasures that we had.
#3. Listed Obstacles In My Way =
a) Emotional = Intense anger as now burdened by property Owners/this was THEIR responsibility…to keep repaired. Dang.
b) Financial = $3800 dollars to repair entire leaking roof .
c) Physical = So much mold/water damage, items are heavy.
d) Ability = Not able to work in the area/mold and our current heat wave.
e) Hijacked emotionally to tears by each loss I have to handle.
#4. VERY next Step of my “Next Action” on my 1 page plan moving me towards completion =
a) Embrace I am not alone now Thank you Clutter Fairy!
b) Assigned the Financial grievances’ with our State Attorney General’s Office…Yahoo! And they are coming through with it.
#5. Date/Deadline is October 7th, 2022 =
*also my deadline with owners for they are retaliating with..
a) *Tear down of entire storage and carport by Owners.
#6. Work Manageable Chunks =
a) Set up lights so I may work in the cool of night and alerted my neighbors.
b) Keep Returning in Itty bitty steps for each pile
#7 Gaining somewhat passion and momentum =
Now making a picture map of what goes where, to whom or just trashed (Hard to let go yet the heat has also been my blessing to help dry or save some).
….and will hang map up in carport to help guide me.
Love the podcast!! Would it be possible for Ed to turn down his volume? You are much louder than Gayle. (apologies if I didn’t get your name right!)