Thursday 11 September 2014

Project WDIWTBWIGU and positive procrastination

So, after indulging myself on Friday with a spot of interesting-shop-browsing, I got up on Monday morning, took the Smalls to school then realised that I had the whole week stretching before me like a blank canvas. A canvas into which I needed to put rhythm and punctuation. There was a highlight already in there - a lunch date with a girlfriend but the rest of the week needed pattern and purpose as does next week, and the week after that.

It is not that I have nothing to do, oh goodness me no, but how to structure it, where to start, and how to minimize negative procrastination (as opposed to positive procrastination, which I am all for).

Obviously I need to fit in the not-so-fun-but-necessary-stuff: food shopping, house cleaning, washing, cooking, correspondence. Then there is the stuff I need to do in the short term: preparing for our large number of belongings to arrive from St Helena, unpacking them and shoe-horning them into our house. It has all arrived at Tilbury docks and is with the lovely folks at HM Customs and Excise for them to do whatever it is they do for ten working days then we will be able to arrange delivery up here. 

Next there is the more long term project of finally stripping back, doing up and decorating our lovely but exceedingly beige house. And my complete joy at finally being able to get back in my beloved garden. 

Lastly, but by no means least, there is what I am calling Project WIWTBWIGU (What I want to be when I grow up). You see I am lucky enough not to have to rush out and get a job. If we are careful we can get by without. And employment begs the question: what on earth do I do with three Smalls in the holidays? Or if one is sick? Or at 3.15 every day? But a few more pennies would be nice, to I am trying to work out how to square that circle. 

This is where the positive procrastination comes in. I can't really make at the moment; my sewing machine is at Tilbury with most of my stash. But I can prepare... So I moved all of this stuff



out of my tiny study/sewing room, vacuumed, wiped, de-cobwebbed and dusted until it was all shiny and lovely then attempted to cram a lot of the stuff back in. I did remove three binbags full of rubbish and recycling.

It really is tiny, about 6 foot square. Shall we take a tour?

On the left is a set of drawers waiting to be filled, a boring but necessary filing cabinet and a tiny table that normally has the printer on it.


The little window alcove holds my sewing table.


To the right of the window are some shelves and the radiator which is tucked behind the door.


See - tiny.


Oh. and I love this vintage light fitting that our ever-patient electrician rewired for me.


I am going to use these old gift bags to hold patterns and paperwork.



This bunting was a leaving present from a lovely friend in St Helena. I am going to put it in the window once I have located, nails and a hammer.


Look! Aren't I a lucky girl? This is my beautiful view. So I can sit and sew, or sit and stare, whichever takes my fancy.


So I think my plan is: a chores day, a house day (sorting or decorating), a garden day, a Project WDIWTBWIGU day, and an other stuff day. Five days neatly filled. Today was a garden day and it was great!

So, what do you want to be when you grow up?

xx

9 comments:

  1. This is a lovely post - filled with thoughts of change & new beginnings for you. Keep your ears & eyes open, chat to everyone you know, and the right job will happen as & when it's meant to. And in the meantime, enjoy getting some structure into your week, it sounds to me like you're pretty organized already.
    And thanks for the tour of your lovely little craft room - wish I had a view like that from my window instead of the shrubbery!
    Happy weekend, xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am getting increasingly frustrated about not actually being able to use my sewing room since there is no table and no sewing machine!

      Delete
  2. More secure in my life as an artist.......deb

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a great room, you're all set to go now when the sewing machine arrives. Good news, you've won my Sarah Raven giveaway. Can you please let me have your name and address details so that I can get the publishing company to send you your prize. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lovely craft room and view to inspire. Can I have one too?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, I do love it even if it is tiny. The best part is not having to put everything away. I can just shut the door and come back later.

      Delete
  5. When I grow up - will that be on my approaching 63rd birthday? I would like to wake up and find myself a bit organised. My son has recently diagnosed me as having Adult ADHD -yes, it does exist - so now I know where my thirst for the NEXT thing, my low boredom threshold, and my chronic procrastination come from! But I live in hopes that one day I will fully grow up and be like proper adults who are organised, and in control, and tidy ........a little nudge from you there re the clearing out and de-cobwebbing the sewing room ..... one day, one day! I hope you get all your stuff back - it was a wonderful feeling all those years ago when we began to open our crates after they finally arrived from Malta when my husband's Naval posting brought him and us home after two years. Such fun!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Forget organised and tidy - your way sounds fun! But the spiders have and free reign for two years and really needed putting in their place! We went to Malta once on holiday before we had the Smalls. We spent a week on Gozo and a week staying in old town Valetta and loved it. I think it was the first holiday J and I ever took together. We had no money but I got a big tax rebate and blew the lot going on holiday!

      Delete
  6. I'm wildly behind on your blog but enjoying a catch up this morning. This post especially got me as I think this is my favorite room in your house and if I lived there it would be my studio too! My space has a skylight that lets in a lot of natural light and it may as well because I have nothing like this view anywhere near me!

    ReplyDelete