apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Lovely list! Just a little preparation plus a lot of self-care equals balance. Well done.

I have to say, I've been weirded out for quite some time about the way that all the bloggers here use "we," even when it's clear they're only talking about themselves. Since WE live alone? WE are our own husband?

Why always "we"?? It's just strange.

Yes, unless the bloggers are actually reincarnations of Queen Victoria.

shayshay213,
They use "we" because they are speaking for the entire AT community as a whole when they blog. Using "I" would single out the particular writer when this is not solely Abby's blog, it's a collection of voices and opinions, hence the "we". Oui?

What a great list--some I do and some I will start doing! As a single mom I especially appreciate it because it always seems like there is so much to do and no one to help.

that's a great list.

one thing i find helps me out is if i have errands to run i try to get them done on my lunch break or on my way home from work. then when i get home i don't have to worry about going out again.

I thought I'd share my sanity system. I keep a spiral bound notebook on my landing strip. A page is divided roughly into two columns. On the left, my "to-do" list; on the right, my shopping list.

The to-do list includes things that are likely to get done either this week/month, or within the next 6 months. Critical items for the week get circled. When something is completed, it gets crossed off. When there are more items crossed off than not, I'll start a fresh page. E.g.,

Vacuum cleaner to repair shop
Hair appt
Necklace restrung
Match wall-paint
Taxes
Change light fixure in downstairs hall
Sew pillows
Dry cleaning
Oil change
Craigslist listings
Dry wall repairs
Clean out garage


The shopping list includes "staples" I'm about to run out of and don't want to be caught without -- but not grocery items I get every week, like milk or wine or salad.

Canola oil
Saffron
Night cream
Dish towels

This system does several things for me:

It's a catch all to-do / to-get list. I feel less stress when I don't have to remember something. I just write it down.

It's a positive reinforcement mechanism. I feel accopmplished as I check things off the list (I'll even put things I just finished on the list that weren't there before and immeidately cross them off).

It's a planning tool for short, medium, and long term goals. I priortize on the fly, don't let things drop from week to week, and relieve pressure to do everything "right this second" (it's on the list and not going anywhere).

That reads like a good system, kimg924. When you write, "I'll start a fresh page" do you mean you carry those chores you haven't completed onto the new page?

"Oui" -- j-girl's right about the use of "we" a/k/a the editorial we. nice explanation -- and nice punning -- j-girl!


cheers!
abby

"Social creature that we are" ???

shayshay213 - I totally agree with you. "We" just isn't working here.

love the list...very cute, very appropriate.

my life is way too busy now. Monday-Saturday is planned out by the minute. Aside from my full time job, I have taken on a few side contracting jobs so that I can reach my personal goals. What I have decided is that Monday-Saturday will be crazy temporarily...leave Sundays for myself. I try to get all the grocery shopping and other weekly errands done Mon-Sat. Sunday I leave blank.

On Sundays,I wake up early and lay in bed watching a Netflix with a cup of tea. I think everyone is owed one day to themselves. This has added to my happiness.

Eh - the speaking for the entire community thing isn't really accurate I'd say. I'm a real "We" - I'm a husband. And, gasp, I don't even live in an apartment (although I have lived in many over the past 12 years...) but rather a small ranch. But I do like coming to the website to check out design ideas. So do I not belong here? Maybe I should move on - ask Atomic Ranch if they will start a blog/forum just for me - or should I say we.

This list reminds me of a great quote:
"To love one's self is the beginning of a lifelong romance."
-Oscar Wilde

The editorial "we" is correct, however it is pretentious too!

'we' (and there are actually two of us) make a list of dinner menus for the week taking account of concerts, classes etc. that may mean we are not together for a meal or will need a quick meal that night.

we have a chalkboard in the kitchen that these dinner meals get written on for reference so the first person home can start prepping.

grocery shopping is made a whole lot easier when you can get exactly what you need for the week.

For dinner, we make meals for 4 and pack the rest for next day's lunch.


stress release for two busy professionals. :)

I use a system similar to kimg924, except it consists of two notepads stuck to the fridge. One is to-do, the other is a grocery list. I keep a pen on top of the fridge, right above the notepads, and I'm usually in the kitchen when I notice I need something at the store.

This way I can just rip the top page off of the note pad and take it to the store with me, or out running errands.

Nice list! Speaking of which, I'm a lister, too, like kimg924. Sometimes, I go so far as to e-mail or txt msg myself so I don't forget things.

davidasposted --

yes, anything that wasn't completed gets carried to a fresh page. I'd say that on average I start a new page every three weeks.

I keep a notebook in my purse for regular grocery shopping, but rather than tear out old lists, I fold the page down, diagonally in half. I use old grocery lists as reference for new ones.

Oh, and PS -- I find the argument over "we" vs "I" a bit vacuous and illiterate. Call me a pretentious English major if you like, but "we" is correct and refreshing in this age of hyper-content. Thanks to the editors for going with Strunk and his elemtents of style.

PS -- even English majors typo.

[verbing nouns is de rigueur, ne'st pas?]

Hmmm... flylady?

Or you can just get less busy...

Please drop the we. It sounds ridiculous.

Is the "old school source" of your 15 minute trick Flylady? If so, why not say so and link to her site: www.flylady.net.

She may be old school and un-hip, and her site won't be winning any design awards, but her system is great and has made a big difference in many lives including mine and perhaps the writer of this blog's.

It feels a bit shady to me to use her ideas without attribution. If I'm off-base and the idea actually comes from somewhere else, I apologize! :)

This list makes me wish I lived by myself...

Yaaay!!! I love Flylady!!!

Thanks for the reply, kimg924.

As a fellow student of English I would humbly suggest that "we" no longer enjoys the same popularity as in times past, in large part due to legitimate concerns from feminists and postcolonial scholars about the appropriation of voice by representatives of majority groups (racial, gender, class, whatever). I find that a lot of academics have begun returning to the self-consciously subjective pronoun "I" in recognition of the subjectivity of their argument/s about a particular issue.

Great list! I love your suggestion to go ahead and dine or watch the movie alone. I live in the midwest and it seems like people don't do these things alone, because "what would people think"?

Keep using 'we', if you want to. It's not pretentious or insulting. In fact, it's a bit refreshing to hear the collective in a sea of 'rugged individualism'. Your reference was clear that you were talking about traits shared with your audience, not the multiple personalities in your head or your slew of imaginary friends. Despite what the "English majors" say, your choice of words delivered your message accurately, and that is the goal of any language.

Flylady rocks! And yes, I also think you should give Flylady her props.