I’m making things wait. Sorry to bogart your song, Carly.
If you are like me (which clearly, you are not. But still.), you procrastinate. Big projects, little projects, heck, even just rinsing off a dirty dish – all these things can be put off until later. Like the next decade or so…
However, the New Year always inspires me to Get Things Done and 2010 is no different. Each day, I’m trying to accomplish some task I’ve been putting off for far too long.
For example, today I finally vacuumed the back seat of my car. Now, I hate vacuuming the car – lugging the machine out to the garage, struggling with the stupid attachments, emptying out the accumulated crap on the seats – it all sucks major hoo hah.
However, last Friday my dearly beloved goddaughters spilt BBQ chips* (aka the worst smelling/tasting chips on Earth) all over the seats. And today, I could take the mess no longer and commenced with the cleaning. While I was at it, I also filled (once again, finally) the windshield wiper fluid and cleaned out the trunk. Yay me.
*By the way, when you ask small children, “Can you eat this in the car without making a mess,” and they roll their eyes at you and sigh, “Ugh, YES Aunt Erin,” they LIE. Just thought you should know.
Other tasks I’ve completed thus far? I cleaned off the shoes I wore to Bristol (in August) and the Minnesota Ren Fest (in September) so now they’re wearable again. I dug out my white winter coat and bought OxyClean Carpet Cleaner* to clean it. I organized my patterns and found my ruler (missing since October). I tested my theory of vinegar’s ability to clean glass without streaking and made my own cleaner. I updated the business end of my website, to include looking at a new header. And last but not least, I started researching how to make videos and create a podcast. All in all, I’ve been busy, no?
*By the way again? OxyClean for carpets does an excellent job of cleaning white winter gear. It works so much better than the Oxy formulated for actual clothing. Also? I’ll stop with the asterisks now.
Let me ask you – what tasks have you accomplished in the New Year? And what things do you continue to put off? It’s okay, there’s no judgment at the Cheap Chick Empire. Unburden yourself in the Comments and who knows? Maybe typing out loud what you’re procrastinating will be that kick in the pants you need to get stuff done.
Spreadsheet Update: Many, many, many of you want to track your spending in the New Year. And thanks to the incomparable Stephanie, you can! Except for one small thing – I need to know where you’re at online. So please email me via thecheapchick@gmail.com as to what YOUR email address might be, and I’ll send the spreadsheet out to you pronto. And on this, I won’t procrastinate.
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Not sure I’ve really accomplished (as in finished) anything yet. BUT, I called our local women’s shelter to do a pickup on the 19th and I actually used my day off on the 18th to pull together some things for them to pick up. I always have good intentions but unless I call and actually schedule something, I’ll keep putting it off. And, I also started the ‘keeping track of cash expenditures’ thing so I’ll know where that wad of cash I get from the ATM actually goes. Nothing like seeing it in black and white to make you re-access your spending habits! I’m still working on the ‘clean out every closet and drawer’ thingy but that will take a while longer.
As far as what I have accomplished, I just tried making corn tortillas from scratch (with “masa harina” — corn flour, Maseca brand — no corn grinding and lime adding for me). It’s something I’ve always wanted to learn. Corn tortillas are cheap and easy to make, and better for you than flour tortillas. Yummier, too! A tortilla press helps the process quite nicely.
I also fixed my sewing machine issues, and am slowly working through making and fixing things. I’m no expert seamstress. But I love sewing, and have been wanting to work on improving those skills. It makes me feel good to fix or make something, even if I’m not yet as good as you Ren Fest costume-making folks.
Well…I’ve still been putting it off, but this has been very inspiring to get me to finally clean my walk-in closet! Those things are like black holes, I tell ya.
Well. Hmmmmmmm. I finally cleaned picture frames & actually hung a couple on the walls. (We moved into our fixer upper house in November 2008.) I wood glued & screwed the back of the silverware drawer. (Again, fixer upper…) I sorted by room & then stored our Christmas decorations. I also got rid of decorations that haven’t been used for 2 or more years. & I finally sorted all of my scrapbook supplies & got them put into containers. Yippeeee! I made a resolution to not sit down until 8 pm every weeknight, so I am actually accomplishing things!
I cleaned my bathroom top to bottom, and my bedroom is fairly cleaned out now, including sorting through clothing. I only have a small section of my basement left. THEN, on to the upstairs… sigh…
Read Tale of Two Cities, started learning how to use Excel, straightened out the basement and started taking down outside Christmas lights. Still putting off bringing cleanliness and sense to the garage.