3 Keys Thursday: 3 (Almost) Invisible Habits Worth Keeping

Photo: Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

Last January, I posted 18 Things to Try in 2018. It wasn't a contest, nor was it a race to try to accomplish everything on the list. Instead, it was a starting point -- ideas to use to get started on the road to organization.

I thought about reposting the list, or even coming up with 19 things for 2019, but increasing the pressure seemed to defeat the purpose of the original list. And, since organizing is a process, some of the things we try work and stick, while others don't; part of the trick of getting to Easy Upkeep is determining which things to keep and which to abandon.

Which led me to the solution for my list.

Here are three (almost) invisible things I'm keeping in 2019. Each gives me a payoff that goes beyond a single project; because they continue to have benefits even after the project is finished, they're ideas worth hanging on to.

Drawer makeovers. Sometimes, these seem unimportant. Not only does my beautiful work remain hidden, I'm often the only one who uses the drawer in question. But, for someone with an I need to see it personal style, being able to open the re-sorted drawer and see everything inside is a wonderful thing. In addition, it makes it much easier to put things where they belong and find them when I'm looking for them.

Decluttering storage spaces. After 25 years in our home, both our basement and our crawlspace house a lot of stuff. As I was (finally) putting away Christmas decorations a few weeks ago, I spent some time moving beyond the space where the Christmas decorations were stored, pulling things out of the crawlspace and sorting through them. Wow. I didn't even remember I had some of that stuff, which made getting rid of it that much easier. Like drawers, storage spaces aren't as visible as living spaces, and so they get neglected. Taking the time to sort through their contents, even if only a little at a time can yield a big payoff in the form of clear space to store new stuff in, or to simply appreciate.

Just say no. I declared 2018 the Year of No. I didn't intend to say no to everything and, in fact, I said yes to a few opportunities that were time consuming, some of which I'll do again, and some of which I won't. The important thing was that they were, in my eyes, opportunities. Being intentional about what we take on is an important part of time management. I'm still working at finding the sweet spot every time, but giving myself permission to say no instead of automatically saying yes is a good start.

What (almost) invisible habits will you keep this year?