The Black Cloud

The last two years have been a challenge (to put it lightly) for everyone. 

Being locked in at home had its perks of course… but it also forced us to live in our space, with very limited time away from our homes.

I remember in the first few months, piling the kids in the car to go to a drive through just for a coffee and apple pie. Not because I was hungry… but because the kids were buckled in, not fighting or repeatedly shouting on me every 36 seconds for snacks… we would sing Disney songs and sometimes they would even fall asleep. I needed (WE needed) that half an hour break from home. Away from the clutter, the dishes in the sink, the half finished crafts that we started that morning… some time to breathe and enjoy our little bit of sunshine in a cloudy world.

These car rides were some of the best memories I have of those difficult times.

Which made me think….

Why did I want to escape from My home?  Shouldn’t my home be my safe place? The place that brings me joy? Comforts me?

Then I realized that the reason I felt I needed to escape was because I felt trapped. Trapped by the stuff in my house. Those dishes, the crafts… it was all waiting for me at the end of the day to be cleaned up, put away… hovering over my head like a black cloud.

I knew I needed to change.

I started researching. Reading. Listening. Asking questions…

How can I simplify my home and my life?

What can I do to bring more ease and joy to myself and my family?

How can I have more time to do the things I love?

I found A LOT of information… who knew there were so many ways to declutter and organize!?

I quickly became overwhelmed with all the information but I wanted to learn. I was intrigued. So I jumped in with both feet and stared on my journey.

Over the next few months I took notes, joined groups and even downloaded a few apps to help keep my thoughts organized! I’m a planner…but that’s a whole other chat for another day!

I took the bits of information that suited myself, my family and my home. The rest I set aside.

But there was STILL soooooo much information! So much i could chance to get where I wanted to be!

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHERE TO START!!???

And that’s when I learned… the important thing isn’t WHERE you start, it’s that you decided to start.

And so I did.