I have issues with finishing stuff. For some reason, it’s that last little step that trips me up. I heard Dr. Phil explain years ago that some people are that way because they want to avoid criticism. If they don’t finish, no one can criticize how they did because they aren’t actually finished.
That might be part of it, but I think some of it is me not seeing that last detail. Today, I went grocery shopping, and when I came home it was completely natural to put away the refrigerated stuff, and leave the rest in the middle of the kitchen floor. I decided to make myself finish, and I put away every last thing.
Then, ten minutes later, I noticed that all of the grocery bags were just laying on the floor of the kitchen. Truly, they were covering the majority of the floor. How was that not part of my determination to finish? My selective vision really gets on my nerves sometimes.
So, I made a point today to finish things. Tie up loose ends. I got out my handy dandy list and walked through the house, attempting to be thorough.
I:
Closed cabinet doors.
Made bed.
Emptied dishwasher.
Swept kitchen.
Cleaned kitchen. (Finishing that last dish that I never finished yesterday.)
Did a focused 5 minute pickup. (Finishing the task of putting away every last book that was used as a writing surface for a game at a recent baby shower here.)
Checked bathrooms for clutter.
I still have to hang up and put away clothes in the master bedroom, which includes a basket full of folded clothes from yesterday that I never finished putting away.
(Finishing, in all of its forms, is definitely one of those words that starts to sound wrong when you say it over and over and over.)
Ohhhh, finishing is SO my nemisis. Right now, at my desk, are a few piles of receipts and whatnot that need to be filed and put away. I didn't quite have time to finish when I did the bulk of my bookwork, and I've let them sit since. And it looks like it'll be a bit longer as the little one is ALL DONE QUIET TIME. :>) Maybe after I tuck her in…
I so relate. One of my friends asked me why I had a bottle of cooking wine in my bedroom and I'm like, um, because it didn't get to the kitchen…
I tend to lump all my shopping together into one day and often come home with stuff from 6 different stores, groceries included. My way of making sure it all gets put away is to dump ALL the bags at the front door as I carry them in. I only bring 1 or 2 bags at a time past the entry (fridge/freezer first) and walk room to room pulling and putting everything away. Now granted I may make the trip to the same room several times but it all gets put away because I hate seeing the pile at the door. This very unlike my husband whose idea is to take everything into the kitchen and just start dumping it on the counter no matter what room it goes in!
I determined my a few years ago because I was doing the same thing at the office – not finishing. Apparently, I so like having something important to do that I can't finish it. If I had many tasks, I would finish all but the last one & then I'd start to dawdle. It finally dawned on me that I wanted to leave something undone so that I always had something to do. Odd, huh?
Lisa in Hixson
i can SO relate to every SINGLE part of this!
I’m reading backward and I have been tempted to comment before but this pushed me over the edge. This is my problem. For me I do the things I know…I know where the books belong, put them away, I know where the hair brush belongs, put it away, where does this belong, I give up!
It’s been incredibly interesting reading your blog because I have very similar struggles. Our house is looking much better now than it has in the 10 years of our marriage because we just moved in November and we learned some new habits while our house was on the market. However, I still tend to work on housekeeping in crazy fits and bursts and we’ve fallen back into needing a cleaning day before people can come over. I need some routines. You are inspiring me. Thanks!
Welcome, Aimee! Finding a place for everything is so much easier said than done!
Oh my gosh! This bit about not finishing is so much like me! And so funny I read this today because just this afternoon I, too, came home with groceries and put away the perishables but left the rest sitting out… And then I looked at it and thought I NEED to start putting away ALL of it and not leave it for later.. So I did and was glad of it! Also glad to know I’m not the only one who does this… LOL
The only household chore my kids never squabbled about was putting groceries away. The rule was everybody works till they are all put away. Once they were old enough to be left home so my trip was easier, I think they just wanted to know what there was to eat.
My pal Paula E reminded me today… One of her mantras is “Focus and finish”. I wish I could give credit to the first person who invented that but I don’t know who that is !!