“Where’s my Passport?!?”
You wake up in a cold sweat.
Damnit!
You’ve been trying to focus on planning this amazing vacation and your brain’s scrambled AGAIN. The crippling, foggy nightmare of not being able to find your passport has you gripped in panic. You look around relieved to see you’re in your room.
This reoccurring nightmare has plagued your mind more times than you care to count.
Getting up you shake it off and start getting ready for your day.
You’re thinking about embarking on a mind blowing vacation…
Relaxing.
Margarita in hand on a beach.
Strolling down a cobblestone street toward the museum.
But, organizing it has so many aspects:
Lodging.
Transportation.
Passport.
Visa.
Travel vaccines.
And those must see places.
You need to focus!
Dressed for work, you close the closet door. Shaking your head you can see yourself doing the exact same thing a thousand times before. Walking out of your bedroom you pass the hall closet.
Same thing.
There is so much stuff in there…
You DETEST seeing the clutter.
Your brain screams, “Get rid of that crap!”
It’s embarrassing and frightening when clutter starts taking over. It takes over your brain’s ability to make quick, clear decisions. It clogs your mental airwaves. Your desire to focus on what is important in your life is struggling with the thought of the daunting task you know has to be tackled.
I’ve been there. We’ve ALL been there.
These simple concepts are helpful toward the implementation of decluttering your house. And that goes a long way toward keeping your sanity. And a long a way toward planning that long awaited, much deserved vacation.
Starting This Daunting Task is This Easy
Walk around your house and take a hard look at the task at hand. Give yourself permission to spread this out over several days or longer. It took you a long time to gather all that stuff. It’s going to take some time to sort it out.
Be kind to yourself and grant yourself some patience.
Gather some boxes, markers, packing tape and garbage bags.
Use This Short Homework Exercise to Start Implementing the Task You’ve Been Putting Off for Much Too Long
Go to your favorite room in the house.
Now, sit down with a pen, paper and a timer. Make 3 columns on the paper. Leave the first column blank and write, “Keep It” at the top of the second one, and “Pitch It” at the top of the last one.
Set the timer for 20 minutes.
Now, start the timer!!
Look around the room and start listing “Keep It” and “Pitch It” things. You can change your mind later but this will help you get the ball rolling. Be spontaneous. Don’t overthink it. Write like all this stuff will be thrown out if you don’t get it on a list in the next 20min.
This forces you to prioritize your prized possessions.
This exercise will help you clear your mind and your clutter.
Take a Break to Refocus and Start Planning Your Vacation
You’ve started the hideous, daunting task of decluttering. It’s time to reward yourself. Take the timer and set it for another 20 minutes.
Start the timer!
Write down everything you can about a vacation destination, leaving several lines in between each item.
Mind-blowing sites you want to see.
Foods you want to try.
Transportation you expect you’ll be taking.
Again, don’t overthink this.
You can go back and change anything you want. This gets your brain focused and putting it in writing keeps your subconscious engaged even when you’re not looking at what you’ve written down.
Time to Clarify and Implement the Decluttering Job
Grab a box and a garbage bag.
Start filling them with the things on your list from the “Pitch It” column.
You like the idea of recycling and giving things to charity. If some of the items are just past the point of no return, put them in the garbage bag.
Now, look at the things in your “Keep It” column.
In the first column list when the last time you used or wore the item. You may want to follow the rule of thumb, “If you haven’t worn it or used it for a year, pitch it.” This doesn’t necessarily count for your grandma’s china. And it’s your rule and your stuff. It’s your choice. But, think about what you consider a reasonable time frame and write that at the top of the first column.
Back to Your Vacation Planning
Grab your vacation planning paper.
Pick a category.
Set the timer for 20 minutes.
Start the timer.
Researching online can suck you down a rabbit hole in a big fat hurry.
The timer forces you to focus. Scan and write down a few of the things you’ve found intriguing.
Part of the struggle of vacation planning is the overwhelming amount of information at our fingertips.
Switch categories and go through the exercise again.
Imagine following these simple time driven tasks. Imagine you’re in command of the chaos in your life. Imagine the more decluttering you accomplish, the more vacation planning you do.
With your new found confidence unleashed, you can visualize a more peaceful living environment. You can visualize a margarita in your hand on the beach. The museum exhibits you’ve dreamed of. You can visualize your well deserved vacation coming to fruition.
What obstacles do you face when planning your well deserved vacation?
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