I haven’t written in a while. I had technical and practical limitations at our summer house. I have also had some clutter in my head, silly little health ailments and a case of mild anxiety related to my inability to just chillax and enjoy the summer.

I am not good at lengthy stays away from my routine and order at home. So when I find myself on too long a “vacation” I find myself feeling a little lost, unproductive and anxious. Past the 5th day or so, I am craving my more controlled, orderly environment at home. I also get bored of the beach and sea pretty quickly…and then I start feeling guilty about being bored of such luxuries and it is a downward spiral from there…(not a dramatic downward spiral but enough of a downward trend to make me less than perfectly grateful and happy about being somewhere as beautiful as a resort town in the Mediterranean).

Ok. So…back to our topic at hand. I am a “slight” control freak. This we know. Now…let’s talk about how a control freak regains control and clarity when there is clutter/chaos in her head, heart, body or home…I am going to share my list of tried and trusted little purging/cleaning/de-cluttering/clarifying/focussing activities. Some are silly, some are simple, some are serious…but trust me, they are all necessary because left untended they ALL cause some form of dust, noise/static, viruses, germs or negative energy.

Do at least one of these each day…

1. Empty your inbox. I erased 1500 emails this morning.
2. Wash your make-up brushes with shampoo.
3. Throw-out old vitamins and drugs.
4. Start taking your vitamins again. Buy a pill box if you have to.
5. Schedule a thyroid disorder/cancer screening.
6. Get your teeth cleaned.
7. Empty your purses, wallets, gym bags and return everything to it’s proper place.
8. Sort through all receipts and bills at home and either toss or file.
9. Clean your shoes. Take ones that need repairs to the shoe doctor. Give away ones which hurt your feet.
10. Get a PAP smear.
11. Call your grandparents. Visit them if you can. Call any relative you have been avoiding calling.
12. Clean your computers/electronics/screens with a proper cloth/solution.
13. Update your software.
14. Unsubscribe from all things you no longer read.
15. If there is a gift you haven’t bought in the last year (b-day, birth, wedding etc) make a plan to buy and give them all until you are caught up… asap.
16. If you have said “let’s have lunch, dinner, coffee soon” to anybody within the last year and not followed up…follow up and schedule something. If they leave you hanging, at least you tried.
17. Throw out all old magazines.
18. Do a dream-board activity with your girlfriends first before you throw out your old magazines.
19. Identify clothes that have stains or need repairs…and fix them.
20. Identify clothes that don’t fit, don’t look great…get rid of them…fix them, have them altered.
21. Get rid of old makeup (anything over three years old).
22. Get rid of books you will never read, CD’s you will never listen to. Gift them.
23. Paint furniture chips with a furniture pen.
24. Try to remove stains from upholstery.
25. Paint your house or just a wall.
26. Change batteries. Charge batteries.
27. Have your carpets cleaned.
28. Get rid of bras, underwear that do not fit or look less than Victoria’s Secret New Year’s Eve Show material.
29. Find and call a dietician.
30. Start walking places.
31. Get rid of all appliances, gizmos that you haven’t used in two years. Or use them within the next month.
32. Clean and organize the inside of your car.
33. Go for a check-up (or at least a blood test).
34. Cancel credit cards you don’t use.
35. Break up with toxic people.
36. Start therapy.
37. Get your hair trimmed and conditioned.
38. Call someone who is going through something rough and listen.
39. Fluff your house, especially your bedroom.
40. Make a decision about something big and STICK to it.

Make room for new and beautiful things in your life by getting rid of all things that you no longer need. Clean, polish, nurture and preserve all things you should not/cannot get rid of for whatever reason. If you can’t decide what belongs in which category, call me, write me, ask someone you trust…don’t leave things in limbo…please don’t leave things unaddressed.

Ignorance is NOT bliss, cleanliness IS next to Godliness (FOR A VIRGO at least).

Holler if you’ve missed my posts…