Blitz-It Friday #3

Hey! It's time to blitz-it again. For those of you who are just blitzing for the first time, here are some great starting points.

Basically, blitzing is forcing ourselves to focus for a set period of time on hands-on tasks.

Originally, I wrote about the one hour blitz and staying focused. 

You can choose any length of time to work and any type of chores to work on. Not everyone has the physical stamina to "stay in the air" for an entire hour. Not to worry. You can make it a 10 minute blitz, every day for a week. (Hey that's 70 minutes!) 

But I like to do a full 60 minute blitz.  My natural tendency to stop a task is at exactly 19 minutes.  Do you know how I know that?  

When I set my timer for an hour, determined to keep working for that length of time, and I look at my timer when I feel like quitting. It always says: 41 or 44 minutes left!  

Then, you have to bear down and keep working.

It's like working out.  When you first start your workout, you feel like dying at the 5-7 minute point.  If you can make it through that first hurdle, you can easily double or triple your time on the elliptical or tread mill.  

So, the 19 minute point is my testing point.  In my mind, I console myself my saying this,

"We're only doing this for an hour.  One hour and then you can quit.  Just give me ONE HOUR" and I press on.  

I was at the pool this week, determined to swim 10 laps.  I don't love swimming, but I think it's good for me.  I told myself at EVERY LAP that I was going to reward myself with a (carrot-orange zinger: a freshly squeezed juice from the Y CAFE).  Yes, I need EXTERNAL MOTIVATORS TOO.  But it worked.  I did it.  And you can too.  

So, I'll get off my pulpit for a few minutes and show you the progress for the week.

My laundry room.  

Let's just say this.  On some days, I sit wondering what it would be like with a separate laundry room, and a separate mud room and a linen closet.. instead of having them all in the space of a hallway with a family with five children... but on this occasion, I thought I would use it as an opportunity to

1) be content

and 

2) think creatively and resourcefully with what I have

and

3) remind myself that I am not going to the laundromat and all appliances are working.

So, here's the space beforehand:

On the left are the washer and dryer.  On the right are hooks for: drying clothes, gym bags, winter coats and everything else under the sun.

)

In the hour, I removed everything hanging on the hooks and put it into piles on the floor in a different hallway. Most of it had to go in different places of the house, but some of it returned to the laundry room.

Finished!

I also had time to organize the cupboards above the washer/ dryer.

Before:

After: 

and: 

I also had time to refill my spot removal system bucket. I'll have to talk about that later.

I also: took all of the clean clothes out of the room and sorted and folded them

started a new load and got the laundry going

reorganized the cupboard with lightbulb replacements

swept the floor and wiped down the machines!

Yeah!  happy productivity!!  

If you need, the blitzing post are directions here.

Let's link up!