This Week's Goal (Yes, that is singular--shocking, I know)

Last night when I read this blog and all of its wonderful ideas, I clicked on nearly every link given. They all sat on their own tabs on my browser until I had time to get to them (why am I saying "had?") I guess I should say they still are sitting there on my browser. I've read a number of them, but this one really caught my eye.

If you've ever read any of my posts on goals, you know I sabotage myself from the very beginning. I set myself up for failure by overwhelming myself from the get go.  That's why I LOVED this idea.  I particularly liked how you set it up from the very beginning with baby steps for that one, most important, goal.  I also think it's brilliant to make setting up the baby steps for the next goal one of the baby steps in the previous goal.  LOVE it!

So, first thing it says to do is list your goals and prioritize them. At this point, I really only have one goal that I'm working on, and it's late, so I'm not going to come up with an extensive list at this moment. I will attempt to do that another day soon. I'd better if I'm going to set up my next goal as one of the baby steps for this goal. Yikes!  Hey, I know, I'll make making my list one of my baby steps. My goal will be to set goals.  There, how's that?

Here's my goal for this week....
Now that my house is clean, keep it clean, and work on making it even cleaner.

Here are my baby steps....
1. Empty the final box.
     This is usually a KILLER for me. What do I have against that last box? I did this with the garage clean out too.  I think I must just love to torture myself. Why do I set it on the back burner? All that happens is that it seems to multiply. I have to get rid of that last box if I'm truly going to be successful at this goal. The sooner I do it, the better off I'll be.

2. Clean out #6's box o' books.
    Put his treasures away in his treasure box and put the books in the bookshelf. The box itself goes into the garage. If he has that box in his room, it'll just get filled with stuff he doesn't need in his room and eventually end up all over his room again.

3. Create a list of goals.
    Just brainstorm, choose some, and prioritize them. Choose what comes after this goal.

4. Clean out the music cupboard.

    Be ruthless. Have #1 go through it with me. Put only the music we really play in there. Get rid of the rest.

5. Clean out the filing drawer.
    Get a box for recycling and a container for things that need to be shredded. Get rid of them right away.

6. Create the baby steps for the next goal.

7. Study up on a new filing system.

8. Implement new filing system.



I'm thinking my next goal will be to put the finishing touches on the garage. The boxes have been emptied and the shelves are all organized, but I need to clear off the work bench and the area where the tools are kept.

Having a clean house is lovely! Yesterday I was a bit annoyed by kids dropping their backpacks on the bench just inside the front door, but I figure they're not used to this. Their patterns have been set, so it will be a matter of creating new habits, which we all know isn't easy. I just need to be a bit more patient and persistent. They'll get it.

#4 told me this evening that when he walked into the house from school today his first feeling was "Ahhh." He said it was nice to come into a clean house.  YAY!  I figure, with time, they'll learn to value it as much as I do.