Our first space to consider as we Make Room for Joy is the Kitchen.
The season for gatherings is complete and these spaces have likely been working on overdrive with cooking, baking, entertaining, and kids home from school eating ALL. THE. SNACKS. I love it and am overwhelmed by it all at the same time. But mostly, I love it. How about you?
I am purposefully starting here because it’s top of mind. You may very likely have used more items in your kitchen and dining area than you do any other time of year. (If not, then perhaps that’s a sign that owning a lot of platters and serving items for entertaining isn’t necessary? Food for thought).
First on the list isn’t about organizing really, or minimizing even. It’s about removing the sensory overload that cramps our style. If you’re like me, then you might walk into a room and something catches your eye. You pick it up, forgetting the ACTUAL reason you walked into the room in the first place - to start dinner. Gah! And then, if you’re me, you are shifting from room to room and then dinner gets behind schedule. Oops!
Stop. Let’s clear those counters, and the kitchen table. Let’s make room for conversation with family and for a fresh start to the month.
If the counter is covered with papers, stack them neatly and work through them one by one in front of the TV with a glass of wine. Recycle, add action items to the calendar or create a file for reference.
Load the dishwasher.
Ask yourself, “Do I actually use these appliances on the counter top?”
Is there an unfinished project on the table that you need to own up to not have the mental capacity for right now? Bag it up for another day, in freedom.
Have a project spread out on your surfaces that IS a priority? Write it down in your calendar now to get it done.
