Reaching an unambitious goal
Posted by Arwen Mosher
in Homemaking
on Monday, November 03, 2008 6:47 AM
I have frustrated-perfectionist tendencies, and it’s only in the past couple years that I’ve figured out that setting long-term goals works way better for me than trying to reform myself all in one week.
In 2007 my goal was to get strategies in place for weekly menu planning and grocery shopping, and by the end of the year I had those things conquered. Lots of setbacks, but since I knew I had a whole year to figure it out, I didn’t get frustrated and give up like I do when I set too-ambitious goals.
For 2008 my goal is laundry.
My husband laughed when I told him about it back in January. “A whole YEAR? Just to… get the laundry done?”
Before this year I just barely maintained on the laundry, meaning that my husband would let me know that he’d run out of undershirts and I would wash a load. Then I would get distracted and forget about all the rest of the dirty clothes until the next wardrobe crisis.
It was a sad state of affairs.
I was starting to make strides by June, and then I got pregnant. First-trimester sickness and exhaustion set me back big time, but they did pass eventually. Finally, within the past month or so, through dogged perseverance, I’d finally gotten to the point where I wanted to be. Every week I was washing, folding, and putting away all the dirty laundry in the house.
For several hours every week - until it was bedtime or the toddler spilled something, both of which occurrences are inevitable parts of every day - all the clothes in the house were either clean or on our bodies. I was so proud!
Then our dryer broke.
Dear husband: THIS is why I needed a year.
Fortunately the problem was simple and the dryer was fixed by the repairman who was able to come, amazingly, less than a week after the dryer-breaking occurred. This means the laundry backlog is small and I’m confident in my ability to overcome it by the end of this week.
When I do, I’m going to declare my laundry goal officially reached - eight full weeks ahead of schedule! Our dirty clothes, which used to have the run of the place, now live in fear because they know I will not hesitate to put them through the wringer, tumble them dry, and cruelly fold or even - gasp! - hang them. It only took me ten months to bully them into submission.
It’s not crazy to be proud of that, right?
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Filed under chores, goals, laundry, resolutions
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Comments
1. Posted by Joan on Monday, Nov 3, 2008 6:52 AM (EST):
Good going girl! I remember when my kids were little how daunting that task was. Now, don’t faint when you hear this. My husband does the laundry! I work full time now, and that is one of his jobs. I was reluctant at first, but he is doing a good job! Everyone once in a while I catch him doing something weird though, like washing my sweaters with his white shirts. (Like I did yesterday) Everything is intact though, so I guess I shouldn’t complain.
2. Posted by Nicoe on Monday, Nov 3, 2008 7:46 AM (EST):
great post!
3. Posted by Laura on Monday, Nov 3, 2008 8:36 AM (EST):
Not crazy at all! It’s fun to hear how different moms manage their households. I’ve always been pretty on top of the laundry, but I do a load every day instead of having one designated laundry day. I’m also good with organizing social events, planning parties, and kid activities but I am awful about meal planning. I’m very impressed that you conquered that one. It’s great to celebrate the areas where we’re successful, so good job on the laundry!
4. Posted by Lisa R on Monday, Nov 3, 2008 11:16 AM (EST):
It’s not crazy at all to be proud of this accomplishment. It may not seem like a big task, when not done the huge piles of laundry can be overwhelming & stressful. I think my husband thinks I’m a little nutty, but I am always excitedly telling him about the new system I came up with to conquer another household task.
5. Posted by Debbie
[website] on Monday, Nov 3, 2008 11:33 AM (EST):
Visit Flylady.net. Cute website with a great program for us frustrated-perfectionists out there!
6. Posted by Hoo on Monday, Nov 3, 2008 10:40 PM (EST):
Very timely as I designated today as catch up on laundry day. I’m impressed as I’m *still* weeding out of the summer clothes and making piles of what will fit the kids next year and what ought to be given away. I having trouble resolving those and the growing pile of unmatched socks. I am ever optimistic that I will find all the mates!
7. Posted by jenny
[website] on Tuesday, Nov 4, 2008 3:40 PM (EST):
you should be very proud. And it is very smart to break up your goals into chunks and give yourself enough time to develop good habits. On Nov 15, I’m headed to a Smart Martha Seminar in Champaign, IL to get some more ideas about how to get it all done. For anyone close enough who might be interested you can register as htttp://www.stmatt.net. I’ve heard good things.
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