, it is because “CLUTTER ATTRACTS CLUTTER!”I recently have been spending just 5 minutes a day, focusing my attention to one of those areas, and like magic, they are starting to disappear or at least become a bit more controlled! It is great.
I have many spots in my house that I would consider “Hot Spots.” Places that just scream, “leave stuff here, you can get it later” at every member of the family. One of them is our desktop. I am sitting at the desk writing this and on top of it right now are:
~earrings
~a half eaten burrito (my lunch:))
~a vitamin C pill
~ ipod & earphones
~an invoice
~my phone
~the camera bag
~ a gardening book
It was completely cleared off last night, but within minutes stuff just takes over. If I do not take a couple minutes and “rescue”my desk top, it will be a large magnet attracting more clutter, and by the end of the night it will be a hot mess!
“Hot Spots” that often need rescued around here are:
a couple of desk drawers
my dining room table
a chair in my bedroom
an area on my kitchen counter in the corner
my trunk
the stairs
the sunroom
my pantry
Back to the “5 minutes a day” part. I have been taking 5 minutes each day to focus on a “Hot Spot”(I made it part of my morning routine) and I have been amazed at what can be transformed in such a short amount of time! The KEY is STOPPING after the 5 minutes are up. In the past, I would not want to stop once I started. It would eat up my whole day and I never, ever would want to do a “5 Minute Hot Spot” check again, because I turned minutes into hours. Not anymore! I have been setting my timer, and stopping right when it goes off, even if the area is not finished. (Duh, right?:)) I tell myself there is always the “5 Minute Hot Spot” check tomorrow, and then go on with my day.
Today my “5 Minute Hot Spot” was my sunroom. It easily becomes a dumping ground for my family as they walk in the door. My girls are getting much better at not doing this, due to “pick up personals” on their charts. Recently, it became a mess and clutter attracted clutter. Then, because there was stuff in the way, I didn’t sweep it like I normally would. When my daughter said “Mom, the sunroom looks like a bug cemetery” I knew it was time to rescue my poor sunroom!
I set my timer for 5 minutes and:
~gathered up all the plastic bags for recycling
~moved the big black ball bag to the trunk (Todd takes the girls to the park almost nightly and they love having the bag of balls with them)
~put the pool float in the trunk to return to a friend
~put the bag of goodwill donations in my front passenger seat so I will HAVE to drop it off today
~swept the “bug cemetery” out to the front yard
water bottle that I love! I fill it with ice and water in the morning, and it stays icy cold all day. I never have to add more ice throughout the day, just water. Love it!
, great cookbook!) and it keeps me up to date with what is happening with food.
at a garage sale for ten cents. I bought it and devoured the insanely thick book from front to back! When I was 11, I made an entire Thanksgiving meal with very little help. I loved cooking! 
and a pen handy. When I come upon a recipe that sounds appealing, I write the name of the book at the top of the post it, *and list the recipe title along with the page number. I keep the post it (or two) stuck to the front of the library book. Then, on the day I am going grocery shopping, I find the book, look at the post it, and pick a few chosen recipes to make for the week. I look at each recipe to jot down what groceries I need to buy, which is the start of my grocery list.
to freeze in individual portions) for my husbands work lunch. I pack my girls lunch all though the school year, again keeping it simple. Usually a sandwich, vegetable, fruit and crackers. Sometimes they will get hot soup or noodles in a thermos if I’m extra motivated!
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