In a world where it seems like every continent is in a Hollywood movie, we need to stick together, really stick together.. Many of us have intermittent feelings of being overwhelmed with the situation we find ourselves in..
We were told over a month ago that this virus will effect us all in one way or another, more than we’d realise – it’s tough. Now we are in lockdown and these feelings of being overwhelmed are very real, it causes fear, panic, sleepless nights – regardless of how we try to feel calm and in control. It stops us in our tracks, it messes with our minds & clarity of thinking, but what can we do about it?
MY TOP TIPS TO GET YOU FEELING A BIT HAPPIER AND LESS OVERWHELMED:
SHARE HOW YOU ARE FEELING.
Be open about it, try not to bottle it up. They say it’s good to talk and it really is. Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s OK to have a good cry or feel a bit rubbish sometimes, it’s how you deal with it that counts. Talk to loved ones and good friends, it’s OK to be vulnerable and share how you are feeling.
HAVE A POWER HOUR
I’m a big one for lists and am rather old fashioned so recommend grabbing a piece of paper and writing down every little thing you are worried about – everything… no matter how big or small. Make it exhaustive. Keep going until you can’t write any more. Trust me, you’ll feel so much better for getting it out of your head and on paper.
OK, now I’m going to invite you to have one of my ‘Power Hours’ – grab a cuppa, turn off all distractions and notifications and set your timer for ONE hour. Take a look at your scribbled list – some of the things you may have written down you won’t be able to do anything about – we are in a world of the unknown. However, there will be things that you CAN do something about. What are they? How can you action them?
Taking a small amount of control about what you CAN do something about is really powerful. By taking back a teeny bit of control, that huge overwhelm, I hope will diminish, even if just a little. This is a great task to do with your children also, get them talking about how they are feeling or even enjoying about being at home.
COFFEE AND CANDLE CHATS
Meeting up with friends isn’t always easy so we arrange a time to catch up on the phone – which for me has become known as a coffee and candle chat. Having an arranged time to call, much like you would with an actual coffee or lunch date, I make sure I have a fresh coffee and light my favourite candle in my study at home. It might sound a bit silly but it’s one of my favourite things to do. Now with the new guidelines around Coronavirus, my candle and coffee chats have been more valuable than ever. (Although I’m considering switching coffee for wine, obviously depending on the time of day!)
We are social beings and we are living in the most surreal of times. Connection is more important than ever. I’d love you to have your own candle and coffee chats and encourage you to organise a FaceTime chat for your children and their friends, write it into your home schooling timetable, maybe a different friend each day perhaps? I know we moan about screen time but if we are feeling a little lost, our children will be too.
HAPPY POST
We all know how fabulous it is to receive some happy post… I love writing, always have, I also have quite a passion for planners and stationary. Anyone else buy lots of cards they love, just in case? Yup that’s me, I have a box of cards ready to go…!
I’d love you to join me in sending a card or a letter to someone – a relative, friends, whoever you think it would make smile to have a lovely envelope come through the door. In fact please don’t limit it to just one! We used to write to each other when we were little before the age of technology – yes I’m old! Happy post is always a good idea, even if you can’t be sure it will get there. The Royal Mail are now able to sell stamps online so you won’t need a trip to the post office for stamps.
THE LITTLE THINGS
It’s the little things that take up the most head space. Well sometimes! Dedicate some time to sorting out the little things, the ones that every day you think “I must sort that out”. Imagine that squeaky door that no longer squeaks.. The tap that no longer drips… That kitchen drawer that you don’t have to battle with each time you open it – (we all have a drawer like that don’t we?).
It sounds silly but spending a few moments checking around the home OR maybe in the car, your desk at work – wherever it maybe. This week, take a look at the little niggly jobs that would make life lighter.
I promise, when they have been addressed & fixed, you’ll smile!
During half term, along with my linen cupboard project, I had a real spring clean in my study and yes those kitchen drawers! I even spring cleaned my Pinterest boards & changed the screen protector on my phone that had a crack on it in a silly place! Spark Joy? Oh yes!
BOOST YOUR VITAMIN D
We’ve been blessed with sunshine and have really enjoyed the first signs of spring. We all know that vitamin D is essential for maintenance of teeth and bone health, but did you know that if your vitamin D levels are low, you can feel blue. A way to boost your vitamin D and your immune system, is to get outside when you can. Get outside in the fresh air… regardless of the weather and I promise you will feel better for it. Honest, even if it’s a quick trip around the block or to the post box on your daily walk with those cards!
POSITIVITY JAR
I’d love you to look forward and think about what you are looking forward to doing again when all this is over. When my daughter was revising for her GCSE’s just a few weeks ago, we had a jar that she would put a note in suggesting something she’d like to do, just her and I, after when the exams are over. She’d add this note on a day she felt overwhelmed or bogged down with the studies, we flipped it to a positive by thinking of something fun we could do, having a chat about it and then adding the idea to the jar. We’ve now turned this into a post Covid19 jar – the things we as a family would like to do when we are through this;
Meeting and hugging our friends & family again, maybe we will even have a street party!
Having a BBQ on our glorious Devon beaches
Walking on Dartmoor
Long coastal walk for a pub lunch
Visit to our favourite hotel in Cornwall as our visit last month was cancelled
These are just a few things we’re looking forward to doing. This is a really simple but fun idea. Why not get the whole family involved and see what you can come up with?
A FEW MORE IDEAS…
BBC Sounds has a fantastic array of audible books and podcasts which are free to download, suitable for children and adults alike.
Challenge a family member or friends to a game of online chess – my son currently has a championship going on with his grandfather and cousin.. it’s fantastic for all involved!
Stick on a top tune and dance around the kitchen – this is my current playlist which is keeping us moving!
Look through a photo album of a fun summer holidays or even plan one!
Exercise and release those feel-good endorphins!
I really hope these tips for bringing a little positivity to the situation we find ourselves in help you.
Daily Planner Weekly Planner
I’ve created some planners which I find really useful in keeping me focused and organised which you can find here. I hope these will give you a little inspiration so that you can create a feeling of being more in control and less overwhelmed so that you can concentrate on the things that are most important to you.
I’d love to know which one is your favourite and which ones you’ll be trying out.
What makes you feel less blue? I’d love to hear from you.
A little Mission, my linen cupboard makeover and organisation, sharing the 5 things I did in order to create an organised space for the laundry in our family home. So where to start..? With some good music and focus, my Power Hours came in handy! #powerofanhour
This time of year when the sun starts shining and the days are a little longer, it makes me want to throw open the windows and have a really good declutter – are you the same?
I don’t know about you but when everything is in order, I feel my brain works little more effectively and the house runs more smoothly. (My family may disagree, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!) I was the same when I was revising for my exams at school, I simply couldn’t take anything in if my room or desk was cluttered or untidy..
The Declutter
It’s essential to know what space you really have and it’s tricky to see with anything from towels to an assortment of pillows and toiletries in the way. Everything was removed and put into piles; what needs to stay, go or recycle. Where this may seem drastic, a clear space is much easier to visualise what you have to work with. I gathered everything I needed from cleaning products to paint so I had everything to hand. The cupboard was then dusted from the top down, including the light fitting and prepped for painting.
The walls were painted in School House White and the shelves in All White, both Farrow and Ball. This immediately brightened the space and made so much difference. Exciting!
With everything now out of the space and the paint drying, it was a time to get radical: old towels, bed linen that had seen better days and as Marie Kondo suggests didn’t “spark joy” were recycled. Toiletries and medicines that had expired were disposed of and everything that didn’t need to be in this cupboard had a new home to be found. It’s so easy to accumulate these items over the years. Somehow even our gift wrapping paper had found its way in here!
The Planning
With a clean slate so to speak, and a piece of paper, I planned what would work and where, what needed to be most accessible and what was required in order to make the best of the space. Everything should have its place. This way there should be more chance of the family being able to find and replace items with ease. The system should work!
Items that are used seasonally, such as beach towels and Christmas table linen, were placed on the higher shelves. Items such as towels, bed linen and body products that are used more frequently, were placed on lower, more accessible shelves.
I knew I wanted to have our washing baskets in the cupboard, a change from the bedrooms. This way, they would be hidden away and not taunting me to pop another load of washing on! This meant an additional shelf would be required, together with additional baskets and labels.
Measurements were recorded and off to the DIY store I went where they kindly cut the wood to size so that it matched the existing shelves. I’m quite pleased with the results, having learnt to make the shelf on the job!
Creating A System For Linen Cupboard Organisation.
Having decluttered and now having an idea of what was to go where, neatness and having a system makes a difference. Each bedlinen set is neatly folded together with the sheets into one pillow case. No more digging around looking for pillow cases and sheets. (We’ve all been there right, especially when the children are poorly in the middle of the night!) These are now housed in their own basket, perfectly large enough to hold all our bedlinen.
Hair, body, first aid, cleaning products and hand towels all have their own baskets as do our toilet rolls. I know that may sound a little over the top! However, if this area is to maintain a sense of calm and tidiness, everything needed had to have their own home and to be easily accessible. These have been placed in the middle shelves.
I adore jars, they not only are super for storage but they also add a different dimension and light. Here in the larger jar I’ve decanted my Magnesium (epson) Salts so we all know where they are after exercising!
Problems I encountered
Well thankfully only one and it’s a little one! The cupboard has a light at the top from the ceiling. It would have been really helpful to have sensory lights on each shelf so they activated as the door opened. I found some in Ikea, They were really reasonable and I bought one for each shelf.
Unfortunately, the door is too far away from the shelves due to the depth of the cupboard so they aren’t activated as soon as the door opens. However not all is lost, as soon as there is movement, the lights are activated. Not perfect, but not a huge problem either!
Everything in it’s place for optimal linen cupboard organisation.
Having decided what to go where, the gorgeous clay tags from Fabaclay were the perfect finishing touch for the baskets. Where it wasn’t possible to use the clay labels, these antique brass metal file holders add a unique touch.
The linen cupboard makeover and organisation has been complete almost 2 months now. I can happily share that it works! We can all readily find what we need and yes the washing does end up in the correct basket! Honestly, it’s a joy to now going to the linen cupboard rather than having a “heart sink” moment each time I open the door. It’s currently my favourite cupboard in our house!
I’d love to know what you think in the comments below. Best wishes
I was delighted to hear that I’d won a giveaway with Fabaclay and the Basket Company as I was planning this project. It really helped the organisation of this makeover. I’m thrilled to say that both companies collaborated with me, with an instagram giveaway with The Basket Company and 5 tags gifted by Fabaclay.
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Opinions, as ever, are wholly my own and 100% authentic.
Thank you for joining me! Grab a comfy seat and read on to find out more.
It’s with huge excitement that I am launching my blog, having taken some time away from the keyboard and writing last year..
In truth I missed it which is why I continued to share my musings on Instagram. However thanks to some wonderful friends, I have been encouraged to get back to what I love. That’s sharing information that I hope will inspire and help you to tackle your every day lifestyle and wellbeing missions.
I’m Claire!
Wearer of many hats, the biggest one is as a full-time mum. I live in a beautiful village in the South Hams, Devon with my husband, our two teenagers and our cat Fred. I feel young at heart, mostly! Life is hectic but I love it. Trust me, I really know how tricky it is juggling everything!
I love seeing my friends and family happy, being by the sea, interiors, candles, white flowers, a good Sauvignon (& more recently Gin!) and warm, sunny days.
I don’t love people who are unkind.
Where will you find me?
You’ll usually find me hiking along the Devon Lanes, especially as the sun is coming up. I love being outside and feeling fit. A particular love is hiking along the South West Coast Path.
In addition to being mum’s taxi and cheering my teens along poolside or at the edge of a rugby pitch.
Failing that, I can usually be found at the gym, at my desk, pottering in the garden or decorating!!
Women On A Mission was born as part of my VIP lifestyle, wellbeing and coaching business several years ago. I believe we are all on own own little Missions and we each have our missions each day, me included.
Whether it be to be the best parent, partner, friend, to be the best version of ourselves in work and at home. Your Mission might be to leave the house on time or taking on a big renovation project. Whatever the Mission, big or small, in order to do so well, we must look ourselves to the best of our ability.
(There is a reason the airlines suggest we put on our masks first before helping others in case of an emergency!)
I’m now working freelance. I still love writing and if you follow me on Instagram and Pinterest, you’ll know I still love sharing my mini Missions and Power Hours.
They are small but very effective and I believe, make a big difference. One mission a week, leads to 52 missions year. 52 ways to bring positive and motivating habits to our lives, to help us live the best life we can.
Whatever your Mission in life, work, home and garden, it’s good to know there’s someone out there to support you. Our house is our home, our castle, the place we feel safe and special and as we spend our downtime there, let’s focus on how to feel amazing there too.
I live my life one Mission at a time, hence the name but my passion is to share my nuggets with as many people as I can and so will be sharing with you my musings on all things lifestyle, wellness, nutrition and fitness with a little interiors and gardening thrown in!
The F Words..
You’ll hear me talk about my favourite F’s words along with Fun, Food, Fitness, Faith (self belief) Friendship, Family, Finance and Focus… there are lots of F’s within my Woman on a Mission programme which I still use today (with a few f**k it moments along the way from time to time!) We all have them right?!
This is a place where I hope to help and guide you to a work and life balance where you have boundaries around the things that are important to you.
I’ll be helping you so that you are in control of the things you desire, creating a guilt free lifestyle but more than anything, I hope this blog will make you feel looked after, inspired and accomplished!
I’m so very pleased to welcome you to the Woman on A Mission Blog. I do hope that you’ll join me regularly and invite your friends. It’s the beginning of a whole new chapter.
