Homekeeping Dreaming

I spent some time tonight paging through Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook. It is a book filled with information about ANYTHING you ever wanted to know about "keeping house". I have a fascination with "keeping house". When I was in the 8 to 5 world, I would daydream at my desk about organizing, cleaning and repairing whatever needed to be fixed in my house. Sometimes I would even come home at lunch time and clean out a drawer or organize a corner of the garage, pull weeds or clean a bathroom. I also talked to my co-workers about the joys of laundry and ironing and gave them helpful hints like not adding fabric softener while washing towels (the towels dry your body better that way).

As I was cleaning under and around the stove yesterday, I thought of Martha. I remembered I had this book and pulled it off the shelf.

Martha writes in the opening paragraph that she started to research and compile information many years ago when she realized that homekeeping, homemaking and housekeeping were her favorite subjects. Since leaving the 8 to 5 world I had forgotten that they are some of my favorite subjects as well. Thanks for reminding me. I didn't (and still don't) have a "routine cleaning" and "periodic maintenance" list as Martha does in the book. Hmmm - I think I want one.

Creating Space...

Ever felt stuck? Like, nothing is changing. It's all the same. Nothing new, all old? That's how I've been feeling recently. What is up with that? I'm not sure and I stopped asking the question. I decided it was time to Create Space for new, grander and more inspiring things to come into my life.

What does that mean, you ask?

On the yoga mat: Twists - twisting out the old to create space for new in my body. New cells, fresh blood, new thoughts, new feelings.

In the house: Cleaning, decluttering - clearing out and organizing the pantry, the refrigerator, little spaces behind little doors or drawers. Whatever I have not used in the last 6 months is going to a new home.

On the computer: WOW! I have 4 email accounts and two of them both had over 700 emails in the inbox, 4000 photos to be sorted and backed up, over 50 subscriptions in my Reader. I have set up folders and tags to organize emails as they come in. I have unsubscribed from many blogs and newsletters and scheduled time to start organizing and backing up the photos.

At the library: There were over 15 books in my queue - there have been up to 30. I took all of the ones I know I will not read off the list. Today I picked up two and knew for sure I would not read one, so I dropped it off at the counter as I walked out the door. I now have 3 books out and three requests waiting to be filled.

And that's just the beginning.

Ever felt this way yourself? What did you do? How do you create space in your life?