Giving yourself more time

How many of us rush only to find that we have forgotten our keys or you didn't have time for a coffee and you've missed the train or bus and now you are making up time. It can get to the point which you wished you hadn't got up or want to turn back the clock and start again. 

Neither are possible but doesn't mean that this continues. Start by doing one change. This can be take a coffee with you from home. Look where you put things. I make sure my bag is in the living room where I know I will pick it up and my coat in the hallway near the front door. 

The same with shoes and I love slip on trainers because they do save up time or sliders. 

I like to concentrate firstly on waking up and my son turns off my alarm. If I don't let him then it can lead to a tantrum and then he goes back to bed and waits for the second alarm for him and I don't do anything else once my son is up as I like to focus on getting my son ready for school. His uniform is laid out and so it is so he can get himself dressed and so I can focus on with filling up his water bottle and put it in his bag. I have create a travel kit bag for him, of wipes, Sun Cream, pocket tissues. Once he is off to school then I will either pop out or start writing a blog, work on a book and so just focus on one thing. 

Today I went out as I wanted a book from a Charity shop in Wimbledon and picked up some shopping and wrote in my journal and drafting the sequel to my new Book out When Mothers Are Real. 

I will batch some tasks. Today it was catching up on my weekly finances that I have missed and gone through my weekly expenses and caught up. I no longer going to use a spreadsheet because my laptop is no longer working and so using my husbands and lost many files and so writing it down. 

The issues with technology makes you go back to old school planning and keeping track of my money and using google docs for my books as not sure if they can be retrieved and it has made me still write things down and I know these won't suddenly crash.

I have an excuse to have a notebook rather than relaying on an online planner all the time. 

So save yourself time by making one change to your day or week and  eases stress and no longer forgetting what you need and have time for a coffee and never miss the bus, train or stuck in traffic again. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Use It Up and Reducing what I buy

I love it when I have an empty fridge because it challenges me to use what I have in my food cupboard and freezer. I have not bought anymore skincare until I have used up my creams and I have enough Shampoo to last me a life time and shower gel and so I can focus at the moment on booking things to do in the Easter holidays. 

It is good to have a back up of food especially when it is freezing cold outside or your cooker goes on the blink and we tend to have sandwiches or soups for lunch and so the two things we buy is milk as that is what my son drinks, along with water and bread. 

Breakfast is usually toast, yogurt or cereal. 

We don't do our washing everyday but this helps me wear the clothes I have and not buying any this year. I like the clothes I have and I rotate my clothes and I was watching a Sheerluxe video on youtube and a lady saying she doesn't allow the weather to dictate what to wear so challenging myself to wear all my clothes still even when it is cold and not stop the weather from wearing a skirt and I think it is a British thing to do to dress by the weather and I have enough for the year. I have clothes that I can layer up but I have a blog about Versatile Fashion and try to buy clothes that suits all seasons.  Carries Versatile Fashion – I love Fashion that can be mixed with all seasons

I am keeping my hair short now because I don't need to keep investing in hair bands and I will still wear my baseball caps and winter hats but I just don't want to have to tie it up. 

I have reduced buying biscuits and I am still ordering from Amazon but the fact that I almost up all night waiting for a notebook to be delivered is the spirit telling me to stop relying on Amazon and buy from the high street as I have allowed myself one notebook a month. 

I am trying not to buy reading books and this has made me listen to the audiobooks I have and so holding myself in from buying so many. 

It is good to have no more baked beans and use tin spaghetti instead to use, pasta is great for meals and my son and husband love salt and pepper and so we keep staples like that but not too many. We at one time had a collection of herbs and spices and they never got used and so had to be thrown. 

Instead of buying fresh garlic we use Garlic Granules and have sauces like Mayonnaise, Ketchup and BBQ sauce. These are always used and never go to waste. 

So if you use it all the time then it is good to stock up, but if it is only one recipe then buy less and make meals you know you will have. I feel that we buy, and this from my own personal experience for the "Ideal person" we want to be, so I am realistic now with what I know I will get consumed and to reduce waste. Keep it realistic and go through the diary to go through what you are going to be doing and what you will be using and I always have hand cream, a packet of tissues, wet wipes and an umbrella in my bag and my sons pocket money but not over doing it as my bags can be heavy. 

Also I like cloth bags and have one I use if we do need to pick up something from the shop.

We now have a mug we no longer use store money for shopping should we need more milk or bread. 

It is good to always have a back plan and I often will go through my stuff and what needs to be used up and keep a list. 

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Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

 

Sometimes It is good to get away from #TODO lists

Today it is a lazy day. Not had one of these for a long time. My son is unwell so been making sure he is okay and was a day indoors but we changed our minds and went for a drive. His Hayfever really takes over and last year he was taken to hospital because it turned into a Chest Infection and so had to be put on antibiotics. So tomorrow when it is Monday will be contacting the doctors. Not an easy thing to do as you have to fill in a form and then await a phone call. 

A picture from our drive through #ashtead surrey

It has been good though not to have to wake up with an alarm and usually my son would be at his rugby club. He plays with an inclusive rugby team. He has ADHD and Development Delay and we would have gone but as he is not well, thought it would not have been a good idea so I have read my book, did my sons breakfast, listened to some music and an audiobook, watched Match of the Day and now got Sunday Brunch on and decided to go on my laptop and it is good to just have a proper relaxing day. I am watching, please no judgement, a lady stacking books. She sells secondhand books and something I would like to do. So have a good reason. 

I do like my to do lists and it is good to tick things off but it is good to take a break from that and catch up on TV, we watched the athletics lastnight, this morning watched an episode of the Apprentice and it has been a blissful day so far. I hope Henry gets better and we have a roast today so feel that even though its not gone as planned its good to be relaxing and be back on my to do lists once my son is better. 

Kids get sick as they're immune system gets stronger and they do change things. You do have to put your life on hold. I find it hard when he gets sick because rest of the time he is fine but he has been fine. He was able to sleep in and he is smiling and played with his trains but he is tired. When your nose is constantly running it can be exhausting and his nose has been like a tap and he was shivering last night and was alarm bells that his Hayfever has taken a turn and so he has had Calpol and just taking it slow. 

It is good we aren't far away from our local hospital and his GP so hopefully if I contact them all will be okay again. I do enjoy the weekend because it is like having a personal day, which some people call it and just enjoy each hour and minute. 

So if you want a break then do it. Honestly it will give you the boost to get back to the to do lists and allow some down time.

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Carrie X 

Why I love my Mornings

I love my mornings and it is when I am most energized and I feel good in that I use my time to read, get dressed, do my sons breakfast and see my son off to school and then I will do a tidy up and may pop out for a walk. 

Took on one of my morning walks and love getting in touch with nature 

It is a good time to journal and go for a coffee.

On Wednesdays I go for a swim and just got back from swimming and achieved my steps.

Listening to Mel Robbins she is right about moving in the mornings as it really helps with fatigue and helps with the rest of the day.

I do have for me the perfect set up, because it gets over the tiredness and spending time putting the dishes away after breakfast helps clear that time to move onto the next time. I like getting up in the mornings where there is noone else up. I like watching the sun rise and today saw a beautiful butterfly and took a picture and it was if it wanted me to take a photo. 

Not loaded on to photos but see above of a Robin I took whilst walking outdoors in the morning.

I would argue with my friends who would call me a morning person but now they are right. I love the morning and having a whole day to write a blog, work on a book and sort out the home. 

It helps with my sleep. I have a overactive mind and as soon as I would put my head on the pillow my mind would become active. I would me ratty and found it hard to switch off and so now I listen to what my body wants and getting up early helps the energy in my mind. 

I properly relax in the evening. I scroll less too. I use my phone when travelling or when on treadmill to to play music or listen to a podcast and at the moment I play four songs whilst on treadmill and I really enjoy it. I find I do concentrate better, I look at the good things in my life and the mornings is when I am the most creative. 

So what time of day do you like? Do you like the mornings? 

You can leave a comment below. 

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Carrie X 

Shut things away if it helps

So when I think I have decluttered and getting things order there is more stuff and moving can really make you aware of the stuff you have. I was living in Wimbledon but that has changed, so we have moved. I do keep notebooks because they are my tools. I write blogs, create vlogs and a mum, so if there are some things I don't want to deal with then I will put them away and concentrate on what I want to deal with.

My Working Space how I plan my tasks and get stuff done 

I have been putting a plan together to get the spaces in my home together. The good list is to have to remind me of what needs to be done, is to create an Overdue list. I go through never used, sometimes use and always use. I use my notebooks and so going to use the notebooks still with pages available before using a brand new one and file notes for books, blogs or video ideas in a folder. 

My son has inherited some more books to encourage him to read. I am hoping my son would suddenly want to read. He loves charts and maps and now he is in school again hope this will give him some encouragement to read. His Tutor before he got a place in the school he is in now, really helped because he does not like to read at home however much I try. 

Getting back to organisation, it is good to priorities. My main focus at the moment is to get my son ready for school now he has now got a placement and using the time he is at school to do home projects. Tomorrow I am going to the shops. Really glad to be able to go on a morning walk and so putting things away is great for focus on my regular weekly tasks so I have clothes that are clean, for my son to change into when he comes home from school, food and so I like to have an excuse to walk outdoors to pick up some shopping and that my bed has fresh bedding to put on and my son has many sports clubs at the weekend and so making sure I have his football clothes and rugby clothes clean and back to school next week. 

Being enthusiastic does not mean you want to get it done, so I go on how I feel right now. I do change my mind and was going to tidy the living room but looking at my list today I have changed my mind so going to clean my bedside cabinet and clean my sons room and clean the fireplace in the Living room. 

I have to break it up as I know I will be on my laptop all day which I will change my focus so waiting for my camera to charge and vlog and check out my last vlog which features me sorting out my home and post a Vlog every Friday: https://youtu.be/Cl9ESwGVp60

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Carrie X 

Dealing With Avoidance

I think I have blogged this before, but it feels like it's a regular occurrence when I know that it will get done just not now. At the moment I am focusing on mainly getting my son settled now he is back to going to school and is an adjustment and some things I have to accept will have to be on hold. 

I love a list and it is good when things are ticked off but I have come to realise that it doesn't always have to be on a list. I do plan but often it can make me rebel. So now I use lists as a guidance and if I decide to do something else then so be it. 

As long as my son is ready for school then that is my focus at the moment. A plan is there to make space for things not listed, as there are items sometimes that take over. Like if Henry becomes unwell or has an event at school and been moving. This is a transition and so if something is causing you to be anxious then what would make it easier? Address your avoidance. Who can help you with it? 

I like to spend at least 10 minutes tidying and putting things away and when I got upstairs take something with me and I love pottering around the home and helps me take time off my laptop or go or a walk. Going shopping can help with fitting in exercise. Check out this blog: Get Active Get Fit : Shopping can have its benefits when staying Active

I am putting a declutter vlog together as I am altering my sons bedroom and my room in Epsom and I planned to do some today but as soon as a I do anything like that my son wants me and not in school today as he is doing a transition period as its his first week going to school again and so be back doing it tomorrow and today my mum was putting things away in the summer house we have and my needed new trainers and my husband wanted to do a dummy run to my sons school as the last two days it was my mum and step dad and so tomorrow me and his dad will be taking him and then next week, my son will going to school by taxi.

So in my journal I write what is my focus and what is worrying me and do it every morning now and helps to lower my apprehension and anxiousness. 

I'd recommend that. What one thing could you do, to stop avoidance and go through the weeks of the month and go through dates you already know you have set aside. Like a school visit. My son has world book day so need to find a costume and is going to be horrid henry. 

We aren't meant to to do everything. My husband will be doing dinner tonight and cooks on Sundays. So create a Rota and schedule and we just plan as we go, but if that doesn't suit you them do what works for you. 

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Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

I finally Cleared out my handbag

Why has it taken so long? Because I hold my hands up because of how long it would take and worried I'd get rid of something important. 

Did I though? No. 

My New Handbag 

I have other bags to go through and spent some time as I have gone upstairs clear some bits and doing some as I go, so going to go through one bag at a time. We are moving from Wimbledon, because my Mum and Step dad have moved to a new home where I will be still spending time, but not have to pack every week and because of the move we have had to sort a lot out. 

I am putting together some items for the charity shop or may sell, but it is working out what is the best for those items and skincare that has not been opened. I love a gift set because I like the lotions and some items I can give as gifts or donate or sell. I may give some items to my nieces.

When sorting out my bag I found a broken pair of sunglasses and receipts. How many can nod, who also keep a lot of receipts? I found some loose change. Some cream that lost a lid and tablets I take as some of the bottles of the pills have lost their lids and lipsticks and so it was good to have completed this dreaded task. 

I know Kon Marie says you should do it everyday but for me, just unrealistic, but going to see what I can do about receipts. If you have any tips please feel free to share. You can leave a comment in the box below. 

It is good to have a bag and I feel lost if I don't, so my a goal is to take better care even though I used it a lot and was a while, until I had to sort it out and it has been through many weathers and so it is time to use a new one and others that I have. 

I have my sons old bag to go through and donate as this as it is in good condition and sometimes it is good for items to go to a new home and I am a lot more vigilant in letting things go because of landfill and so I am becoming less wasteful. 

I ask myself "What use does this item have that I need?" So I am going to go through my bags and if they would be good for someone else, then it may be gifted, if it is in a good state wonder "Could it be recycled?" 

I love donating, recycle and I love to use some bits like labels and different type of paper to journal. I find it so good for my mental health and so going to sort more out and then I have clothes to be bought over. I may have to really decide on them because of space so lets see if I am strong enough to have less when it comes to clothes because I know it will be impossible to have them all even though I had done that but still got lots. 

Wish me luck and more blogs to come. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X