clutter

Sunday Lately: Week 52

- Mel

I’m participating in this week’s Sunday Lately round-up again with Wild & Wanderful. Today’s focus: Doing, Appreciating, Designing, Humming, Expecting.

Doing: Now that we’re back in Pittsburgh and unwinding from the Ohio holiday celebrations (and their respective party platters and mixed beverages), we have to focus on some of our growing clutter situation in the basement. Admittedly, I have my own personal piles of clothing and shoes that need to go to the donate bins or listed for sale online; we’ve also realized several boxes on shelves that haven’t been opened for a few YEARS… and well, it’s time for this stuff to go. So, I’ll be doing some organization and de-cluttering!

Appreciating: I’m so thankful for the time I could spend with the boyfriend our families this holiday, and I’m also looking forward to spending a day with my sisters and nieces this week. I appreciate my work organization giving us these extra days off to be able to see everybody!

Designing: There are some big things that are happening early in the New Year. This weekend, I’m designing a weekly plan for January and February to keep my goals in check, so that I don’t get overwhelmed and/or procrastinate.

Humming: Have we moved on beyond Christmas songs? Because I’m still humming this one.

Expecting: I’m expecting to finish two more books this week to make my 52 Books in 52 Weeks challenge a reality. I can’t wait to cross this one off my 30s Life List! And it truly grew my passion for reading for fun again.

Weekly Therapy: The same… but different.

- Mel

the week:
Every day my boyfriend asks me what I’m going to do with my evening. For the last two years, my “free time” consisted of my head in a book or laptop and hours spent on homework. More often than not my answer these days is somewhere between “nothing” and “everything.” I feel like I have no gear, but I’m trying to be mindful about my time with minimal obligations and my intentions for using it wisely.

It still hasn’t quite hit me that I’m done with my degree program. So, now I’m currently vacuuming a lot.

weekend:
Long run! A street party with lots o’ pig. And some yoga in the outfield of PNC Park. Yeah, pretty stoked for this weekend.

52 books in 52 weeks:
#30 “Whisper My Secret” by JB Rowley – Wow, I got completely caught up in this book! While the story was a bit predictable, the writing style kept me engaged until nearly the end (where I feel as though some of the writing fell flat).

seven things, seven days:
1. I received a postcard from a hello prompt subscriber in India. Made my week! I seriously love that tiny letter community so much.
2. I guess I got a head-start on my 30-day challenge to get rid of stuff… by leaving a bag of hair styling products and accessories in my hotel room over the weekend. RAWR.
3. Oh, just stockpiling my favorite running shoe that was discontinued and on 6pm.com at a closeout discount. What was that about getting rid of excess?
4. So excited for the boyfriend, who had the opportunity to golf in an amateur-champions game this week. He got to golf with a LEGEND and that is just the coolest. I really wish I could have been there to watch.
5. TRIGGER WARNING: And how those Trigger Warnings are coddling us. {via The Atlantic}
6. The difficulties of change management sums up my unusual work week. {via HBR}
7. For me and for my fellow social introverts: How to Avoid Introvert Burnout {via PsychCentral}