I don’t know about you, but I am feeling the stirrings of Spring!

I was recently a guest on the EP Podcast where we talked about Spring Cleaning, thanks Chris, for having me on!

When this podcast episode and article are published, it will be mid March. We will have celebrated St. Patrick’s Day, and celebrated my husband for his birthday. Happy birthday, honey.

While I live in the Chicago area and there is no telling if we’re feeling Spring-like weather the day you are hearing or reading this, the official first day of Spring is Thursday, March 20.

So, perhaps you are feeling stirrings of Spring as well!

Last week, we sat at the table and made a list of things we wanted to do or buy for Spring. Big things and little things. Big projects and little projects.

This week, I want to walk us through planning and projects. After asking a client some questions in a recent email, she said it became obvious that she needed to get organized about getting organized (I am paraphrasing). And I love that idea because it’s true. We have to do the planning and then do the work. Both are required for success! So, here are the questions I ask my clients when they tell me they want to get organized, and the questions work for Spring Projects as well!

• What are your projects, and what is their priority order?
• What are you willing to add in (habits) or part with (clutter, or in this case, time or money in exchange for products or services), to make these projects succeed?
• Why are these projects important to you?
• What is your deadline for the projects?

First, let’s look at “What are your projects, and what is their priority order?”

Which means it is time for the Clipboard Activity.

If you ever have attended one of my classes like Downsizing or Clear The Clutter, I always suggest we grab a cliboard. I talk about how everybody looks cooler holding a clipboard, how I feel more empowered when holding a clipboard. But to be honest, an actual clipboard isn’t required. The clipboard represents the planning process. Write your notes in a notebook or on your computer. Often with my clients, I will take notes on my phone or iPad, and then send them the notes in an outline form.

When we grab the clipboard, literally or figuratively, we are organizing to get organized.

I won’t suggest something I haven’t tried, so here is what the Clipboard Activity looks like in my home, identifying Big and Small Projects for Spring.

• I am working on this artice in my living room, so first on my list, I need to wash my windows inside and out. Yikes. Rain and snow have not been kind this winter, so I will plan an hour or two next weekend and wash my windows. That’s a Spring and Fall task.
• A bigger project, though, is replacing the couch and likely the chairs as well. I love my gorgeous green leather oversized couch. But we have had it for about 20 years now and it is looking a bit sad. It has been the best couch, but I think it’s time. And a new couch requires research, decision making about size and styles and colors and budget, and a trip to the furniture store, and then likely some waiting. And sadly the chairs are as old as the couch, and not nearly as comfortable as they once were. So those small and big projects go on the Clipboard list, and then we move on.
• In the dining room is our thermostat, and we want to have the HVAC company out to install a new thermostat, so that is a phone call and appointment to make.
• My dining room is always good, organizationally speaking, because there is not much to it. I need to oil the top of my dining room table to treat it, and the windows need washed, too. Two small regular maintenance projects go on the list, and then we move on.
• In our house, geographically, next is one son’s room, but there isn’t anything we need to do in there.
• On to the bathroom and linen closet. I need to have the plumber out because my drain is draining very slowly, so that is a phone call to make. Hopefully that doesn’t end up as a big project. The small projects on the list are replacing a set of towels that I purged last week because they were worn out, and tidying the linen closet. (I took care of that last weekend in about 10 minutes. I purged the old bath towels and took care of the bin of cold and flu medication. That bin got messed up when my son and I both had the cold and flu in February. So, I tidied that up, determined items to restock, and DONE! And I am happy again when I open that closet door.)
• On to our bedroom. Our bedroom is pretty good. A small and regular project is switching my clothes over for Spring. Another small project / purchase is replacing my portable laptop desk which is no longer portable and is listing to one side like a drunken sailor. So that is on my list of purchases. It’s a different kind of purchase than going to the furniture store, so that goes on a different list and my company will purchase it.
• Next is my other’s son’s bedroom, and decisions in that room are not my decisions to make, so moving on!
• On to the Family Room and My office (same room). It’s pretty good back there. We may need to replace that couch, too. Again, it has been here for a while and has gotten a lot of wear and tear as my sons have grown up. So, more decision making and perhaps some shopping.
• A small project in my office will be in May when I am officially done with Board of Education Work, and I will need to clear out and shred the papers I have kept over the last 8 years, and dedicate that reclaimed storage and file cabinet drawer for other things. Not a high priority item today, but it goes on the list.
• And then finally, the kitchen. The kitchen is good, there are no large projects in there. As soon as I think that, I realize there are things I want from the grocery this week, but that is a completely different task. And today, I need to put away some serving dishes we used for a big family dinner yesterday. But, again, that’s just maintenance.
• Another small project, already complete? I bought forks. Yes, forks. When all the dishes are clean and put away, we have a nine piece setting of flatware. 9 each of knives, 2 sizes of spoons, and 2 sizes of forks. 9 of each. Except for the big forks. We were down to 4. I have no idea what happened to them. We’ve had those for a long time, too. We tend to keep our stuff for a long time, and take good care of it, which is great. But the fork thing was bugging me EVERY DAY when I had to eat everything with a small fork. And it turns out I can buy just 4 or 6 forks in the same pattern, which is apparently very common from Oneida. Such a small and simple remedy, for $20 and about 10 minutes of my time.
• If we head outside, we want the HVAC folks to clean the AC unit while they are here. And another large project I have in mind is new plantings in front of my house. I had the idea last Spring but never got around of doing it so my shrubs still look the same as they did for the last 15 years, only a little worse.
• And I love to think about what to put in my container garden, but that is more of an April question.

Whew! Thanks for walking through my house with me! And the more important part is not what MY big and small projects are, it is teaching you the process for you to apply it to your own home. Grab the note-taking device and then walk from room to room and make your notes for big and small projects, and what priority level you want to assign to them.

And… next questions: What are you willing to add in ( habits) or part with (clutter, time or money in exchange for products or services), to make these projects succeed? And, Why are they important, and what is the timeline?

Again, let me walk through that with you.

We are pretty solid with our habits, so I don’t need to answer that part of the question. We can look at the “What am I willing to part with to make these projects succeed?” question though. What work am I willing to do to complete these projects? And this is typically the Resources question. Planning means assessing our resources like time and money and know-how, and supports like other people.

I am willing to do the actual physical work for most of these projects, of course. OR the mental work, if research and decision making are required.

And, all of these larger projects have been considered for at least a few months, so we have considered who our experts are (plumber, HVAC company, landscaper) and also what the budget is, at least vaguely, for the projects and purchases (couch? couches?) will likely be.

And time frame? Let’s look at the calendar.

Let’s consider how long furniture takes to arrive these days. The last time we bought furniture it was a six week time frame for delivery. But that was a very long time ago, what is typical now?

I should probably call or text my plumber today. He is awesome, and knowing him, he will offer to come and checking things out right away, but I just want to get on his schedule for the next few weeks. The HVAC company is my husband’s call to make because he knows what he wants. But again, sooner rather than later.

And I need to ask my family member about their friend who may be able to help with the landscaping. That is another text for today or this week.

And now… the doing. Planning and Doing, right? Or were you hoping I would forget about that part?

I will not. And neither can you. Planning is great, seriously, I love planning. But we also must commit to the doing. Or my windows will stay dirty, I will never have enough forks, my shower will still drain too slowly, and my shrubbery will still look sad and tired.

The doing.

I will make the calls this week and get the appointments on the calendar. We will start the conversation about couches and chairs. I will order the adjustable rolling laptop desk, and the new white bath towels. If the weather stays pleasant, I will carve out an hour or two for washing my windoews. And I will appreciate eating with a full sized fork and acknowledge the benefits that come from having an idea and then acting on it.

Happy Spring!