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10 Tiny Decluttering Projects If You Feel Cooped Up in Quarantine

by Courtney Carver

If you feel cooped up in quarantine, it might be time to make space. These tiny decluttering projects will help you declutter without getting overwhelmed.

I know that cooped up feeling isn’t just about your surroundings, but much of what is contributing to that cooped up feeling is beyond your control. It might help to focus on something you can change and creating a little space at the same time might allow you to breathe a little easier.

Objections for Decluttering During Quarantine

Let’s get the objections for decluttering during quarantine out of the way.

No one is accepting donations right now. They aren’t now, but they will again. When it’s time to come out of quarantine, you’ll be done with your decluttering projects and can simply make your drop-offs. Then you can spend your time doing something you really want to do.
It’s too stressful to take on new projects. The last thing you want to do is take on projects that feel overwhelming. We’ve got enough of overwhelming going on. That’s why these projects make big change small and allow you to do a little bit each day, noticing progress.

10 Tiny Decluttering Projects If You Feel Cooped Up in Quarantine

1. Junk drawer
The junk drawer is the ultimate form of procrastination. “Because I don’t want to take the time to find a place for this, I’ll just throw it in here…and never use it again.” For that very reason, the last place most people want to turn to when decluttering is their junk drawer.

For some, the drawer is an actual drawer (or 2) usually in the kitchen. For others, it might be a junk shelf, box or special area where all the junk winds up. You could spend time organizing your junk drawer, or just set it all aside for donating, but I recommend something in the middle. Dump the contents of your junk drawer into a bag or box. Label it and hide it for 30 days. If you don’t miss it, dump it. No peeking to try and remember what you might have forgotten.

2. Odds & Ends
You know what I’m taking about … odds & ends, knick knacks, tchotchkes (did not know how to spell that). Let them go. This video will help.

3. Underneath sinks.
I’m not sure how clutter builds up in this fun hiding place, but it does. Empty out one cabinet under the sink (kitchen or bathrooms). Wash out the space and only put the stuff back in that you actually use. Dispose of the rest responsibly.

4. Make-up drawer.
Get all of your make-up and skin care products in one place. Dump what’s expired (this chart will help). Put your favorite products (things you use at least weekly) away, and get the rest out of sight for a month. If you don’t miss it, bye bye bye.

5. Work space.
If you are working at home, create a space to work. If you have a desk, clear everything off that isn’t essential for what you have to do on a day-to-day basis. Consider a small box for the office supplies you need once in awhile that you can put in a closet until you need them.

6. Pantry
I suggest a shelf a day approach to the pantry, fridge and freezer. If you’ve been stocking up on items, chances are there are items you had before that got pushed to the back. You weren’t eating them before and you likely won’t eat them now. Remove all items from one shelf at a time. Toss expired items (you know they are in there). If there are unopened items you are aren’t using, see if your local food bank is offering curbside donations and drop them off. If you are hesitant to give food away right now, put it in a bag to be donated later if you don’t eat it and consider a donation to your local food bank.

7. Window Sills
You may have knocked this one out with #2, but do a sweep of the house, wiping down all window sills and random shelves where odds & ends might end up. The more you clear away from window sills, the more light you will let into your home.

8. Paper
Here’s another project to break into tiny chunks. That might mean one small pile, or 10 minutes a day. Here’s what I recommend.

9. Fancy clothes
The more time you spend in your leggings and loungewear, the more ridiculous it may seem that you have a few bridesmaids dresses or other things you promised to wear more than once and never did. Maybe it’s time to let go. This video will help.

10. Nightstands
Look at the tables and drawers in your sleeping area. If you cleared them off and decluttered, would you sleep better? Only keep the things you use on a regular basis and don’t leave anything that may distract you from sweet dreams.

If you want to have fun while decluttering, consider listening to The Soul & Wit Podcast (The podcast I record with my daughter, Bailey).Here are a few episodes I recommend while you tackle these decluttering projects …

How to Simplify Your Life
Less Stress
Productivity Hacks
On Being Overwhelmed
Q & A with Courtney & Bailey (our most recent episode)

Enjoy not only the space you create, but the time you take to consider what you want to surround yourself with. The best way to enjoy your favorite things is to only own your favorite things.

10 Little Reminders to Bring You Back to Calm

by Courtney Carver

Our emotions are all over the place right now, our thoughts are scattered and anxiety is at an all time high. Little mantras and reminders can help us come back to calm. I often practice coming back to calm and even more so right now.

When we find ways to come back to calm, we can restore and renew, building strength and resilience.

10 Little Reminders to Bring You Back to Calm

1.

If you feel worried about what’s ahead, keep coming back to where you are right now. When you feel overwhelmed, or things feel like too much, come back. Coming back is your connection to hope, and there is healing in hope.

Whatever it is that helps you feel better in your body, heart or mind, this is an invitation to come back to it. Come back to health. Come back to love. Come back to you.

2.

Self-care can’t be a “when I have time” thing or something extra or indulgent. It’s essential. Remove a layer of stress and overwhelm by taking care of yourself (especially when you don’t think you have time).

3.

Even though your schedule is different, or you have no schedule at all, you still get to be selective about how you spend your time, energy and attention. Is it going towards fear or love? Are you spending it on what you care most about right now? So much may feel out of your control but you still have agency over where these precious resources are going.

4.

Thoughts, fears and worries aren’t always true. Remind yourself of that when you are getting carried away by believing everything you think.

5.

We overdo, over-drink, over-eat, over-busy our lives but numbing our way through isn’t working. What if instead, we just felt the feelings? Not fixed them, or ignored them or numbed them. Just felt them and gave them time to teach us what we need to learn? It might not work every time, but if we can allow the feeling to come before the doing, maybe we won’t have to do so much.

6.

We’ve never done this before. We are figuring things out. We aren’t going to say the right things every day. We aren’t going to find balance (did we ever?) and some days are going to be better than others. Instead of striving for perfection or being the best, acting like you’ve got it all figured out or trying to do it all, just practice.

Practice …

being gentle with yourself and others.
taking care of yourself and others.
feeling your feelings.
losing it all together and coming back to your self.
setting boundaries around how much news you let in. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
how much energy you want to expend. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
finding your way.
trusting yourself.

All those other challenges, fears and hard things you’ve gone through and overcome were practice for this very moment. There’s no being perfect in practice, no competition, no comparison and no guilt … just noticing, learning and growing.

7.

Way, way less. Happiness isn’t waiting for us, it’s within us.

8.

Worry never works. Let your worries go. It won’t be easy, but do it anyway. Write them down, walk them off, shift your thoughts and keep letting it go. And then do that again and again and again.

9.

Gratitude makes the hard stuff bearable and the good stuff even sweeter.

10.

Our bodies, brains, hearts and souls need rest and time to do nothing all the time, but especially now. Rest makes space for recovery and sick or not, we are all going through something that is demanding our strength and attention, and will continue to demand our strength and attention.

The way we stay strong and present is through rest.

Rest your body. Rest your mind. Rest your heart.

It may be the most productive work you do.

14 Days of Calm & Comfort (because we all need a little relief)

by Courtney Carver

If you could use a little less stress (or a lot less) and way more calm and comfort in your day and your life, you are really going to like this.

For the last seven years, I’ve offered something special over the holidays. 31 Days of Gifts You so Deserve has become a holiday tradition. It’s an email program designed to help you slow down and be present during the holidays and to experience joy instead of stress. Thousands of people have participated year after year, sharing it with their friends, family, co-workers, book clubs, churches and other community groups. It helps people come together and feel good.

Thinking about how much joy and peace that program delivers, made me wonder if there wasn’t something similar I could create for you right now that would not only give you something you might not have a lot of right now … calm and comfort, but something that could give calm and comfort to those who are especially in need today.

After talking with Bailey (my daughter, and Soul & Wit podcasting partner), we decided to create 14 Days of Calm & Comfort together.

Because we need it more than ever.

What is 14 Days of Calm and Comfort?

14 Days of Calm and Comfort offers daily gifts in your inbox for 14 days. Your daily messages will include calm and comfort in the following categories:

Music
Craft
Food
Simplicity
Inspiration
Physical Health
Mental Health

This program will encourage you to stay present, slow down and be well. It will also help you build resilience to navigate stressful, uncertain times.

Click here for a free sample so you know what to expect during the 14-day program.

How does it work and how do I join?

Click here or on one of the images below to join for $5.00. You’ll receive a welcome letter and then one email a day for 14 days.

We’ll be sharing email messages that will offer you calm and comfort in all areas of your life.

How we can help people who need it most.

I mentioned above that we want to use this program to give calm and comfort to those who are especially in need today. We’ll be donating 100% to Together Rising, an organization that I’ve been supporting for years.

I asked Together Rising to share what they are doing to help right now. They said, “Together Rising exists to turn our collective heartbreak into effective action. We are working to help people affected by COVID-19. We are virtual first responders for individuals and families in crisis. We have spent the last decade helping people keep the lights on, pay rent, and feed their families. Our Stewardship Team has been working tirelessly over the last week to review all applications of those who need help to get through this time. We are reading and working one person at a time, and we will continue to work until the work is complete.

As schools closed, we were worried about kids who rely on schools for food. While many schools are continuing to provide breakfast, lunch or both for students, that stills leaves a lot kids without enough food over the weekends. Together Rising invested $250,000 to help feed kids and their families over the weekends between school food distributions. As the lack of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for our healthcare workers became more and more of a concern, Together Rising invested $50,000 to help send PPE to healthcare workers who are working to fight COVID-19 in under-resourced community health centers and free clinics.”

Questions

Q: When do I receive my first message?
Within a few hours of joining. If you don’t see an email, please check your junk folders. If you still can’t find it, reach out, and I’m happy to help.

Q: What kind of emails should I expect?
Sign up here for a free sample!

Q: How much does it cost?
You can join for $5.00. (All sales go to Together Rising)

Q: Is there a deadline to join?
No, join anytime.

Q: Can I join from anywhere?
Yes! If you have an email address, we’ll send you calm and comfort.

Q: Can I send this as a gift?
Sure! There is a gift option when you checkout. Please let your loved ones know to expect Calm & Comfort emails before sending.

Q: What forms of payment do you accept.
Paypal or card. Once you enter your name and email, you’ll have the option to enter your card number or choose to pay via Paypal.

Q: Do I need special login information or a password?
No. Everything will be delivered via email.

Q: What if I’m not very tech savvy?
We are going to keep this soooooo simple. If you can open email, you can enjoy this program.

Q: This isn’t a question, but I need help!
Great, We are happy to help! Please email.

Enjoy these daily doses of calm and comfort.

9 Things I Refuse To Make Time for Anymore

by Courtney Carver

I enjoy that I can make time for what matters to me. I’m relieved that (for the most part) my calendar isn’t jammed with appointments and that I have free time during the day. To protect that time, I continue to edit things out of my life that I used to spend time on.

When I think, “I wish I had more time for __________,” I take a close look at what exactly I’m spending my time doing. Is it stuff I really care about or have to do at all? Or, am I on auto-pilot and not paying attention to how I’m spending time? I used to ignore these questions but now I understand how important they are.

Notice how you are spending your time. The things I’m editing out of my life may not be an issue in yours, but if there are things that aren’t serving you anymore, remove them to make time for whatever you want in your life.

9 Things I Refuse To Make Time for Anymore

1. Rewriting the past
Even if I hoped it had turned out differently, it didn’t. Even if I keep wondering what would have happened if I had said or did something else, it’s over. I don’t want to spend time running every possible scenario through my head. Onward.

2. Hangovers
I never have to waste a morning or an entire day feeling hungover. I found the ultimate hangover remedy. It’s not drinking a glass of water for every drink you have or some other slick trick. Removing alcohol prevents hangovers 100% of the time.

3. Explaining or proving myself
I’ve jumped through all the hoops and climbed all the ladders and what was promised wasn’t waiting at the top. Instead it was lonely, empty and disappointing. The only person who has to be ok with what’s going on in my life and in my heart is me. I’ll make decisions people don’t like without explanation instead of people pleasing my way into convincing myself I have it all wrong. I want everyone to be well and safe and happy but I refuse to spend any more time making sure my choices are pleasing to everyone.

4. Laundry with extra care requirements
Dry cleaning? No thank you. Hand wash only? Hard pass. I’m more than happy to wash all my clothes together (darks, lights, towels, workout clothes) in cold water and line dry them but I’m not making time for items that are too special for regular washing. P.S. I will hand wash when traveling if necessary so I don’t have to make time for the next thing.

5. Watching luggage go around and around.
I refuse to wait for my bags when traveling so I only bring what I can carry. More on how to pack here.

6. Guilt and resentment
If you feel one of those things, you likely feel the other too. Guilt is the feeling you put all on yourself and resentment is the same feeling you put on others when they don’t feel guilty enough for what they’ve done (or what you think they’ve done). Madness!

If you’ve wronged me, I still wish the best for you. I may change the way we spend time or work together but I’m done with the resentment game. It hurts too much and takes up too much emotional energy.

7. Pretending
This is who I am and I won’t make time to pretend I’m something different. Being ourselves isn’t always comfortable but it sure feels better than faking it. I don’t make time for it anymore but I used to pretend that I was an extrovert, that I had my shit together all the time, that I could do it all with a smile on my face and lots of other things. I feel my best and make my best connections when I’m all the way me.

8. Weighing myself
It’s not that stepping on the scale takes up a bunch of time but time spent recovering from the results is time I don’t care to spend anymore. How much I weigh says nothing about me.

9. Shopping when I don’t need something
I used to go shopping when I was bored and even if I didn’t need something, I’d find something. Now when I think I want something, I consider what I already have. Isn’t that enough? Don’t let the things you want distract you from the things you have.

I used to make time for a bunch of things that weren’t serving me, but knowing how I really want to spend my time makes it easier to let go. I want time for big projects like writing books, time to watch movies or read, and time to do absolutely nothing. I want time to take care of myself and the people I love, to create things that make an impact, and to show up for my life.

I don’t anticipate ever making time for the 9 things above again but if I find myself sliding into one of these old habits (because I am human), I refuse to spend time beating myself up for it. Instead, I’ll simply come back.