My Word for 2017: Simplify

This year my focus word is simplify. Every year, I’ve always struggled with resolutions. At school we’d often have that task in English where we had to write our resolutions and it would do often be a pointless exercise. My resolutions would fail either because they are unquantifiable or have been unenforceable. So often I wouldn’t bother but maybe they just needed to be simplified. Make them into attainable goals with quantifiable results. Anyway, here we go, let’s start with this…

My intention had been since October or maybe even September that 2017 was to be the year of the destash when it came to my wool collection. By Christmas, it was growing into a bigger idea.

As I write this I’m lying on our mattress on our bedroom floor. There’s a stink of paint in the air (which may have me reaching for painkillers tomorrow…) and the carpet and underlay are up from the floor. Our house is a bit crazy as there seems to be stuff everywhere. But this isn’t necessarily just because of the decorating. Prior to getting the Christmas decorations out, there was a lot of stress about where to put it because of the “stuff”.

On top of this, life, in general, can seem to get complicated. Whether it’s knowing which Planner to use (I know planner peace doesn’t exist but a sort of planner temporary peace must exist right?). Maybe it’s more technology based with hundreds of Facebook friends included that friend from school who you didn’t speak to then let alone now or people you follow on IG who you don’t interact with or only see their pictures on the rarity that they post. Sometimes it’s something completely different like just simplifying what I carry in my handbag!

I have therefore started a sort of to-do list. Mostly it’s currently dealing with the crazy that is our house but it’s also about getting to a Square One. By getting back to that point I have some kind fo starting point to keep the house tidier. I’ve been reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying by Marie Kondo. Some bits of it I’m not entirely sure about and I keep wandering off to read other books. For example at the moment I’m reading Mosaic of Grace by James Prescott (before it’s launched in February) and The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher).

Hannah’s Simplify Start List

1. Try to knit/crochet from stash only. This isn’t always going to be easy but I will try my best!

2. Sort stickers and journaling bits.

3. The other drawers in the living room. Sort them!

4. Living room bookcase – do I need all those books? Do they bring me joy?

Have you chosen a word for 2017? Do you have any goals or resolutions to achieve? Are you giving up something big or trying to make a difference with something little?