Can something as simple as a tidy sock drawer change your life? Photo: Carrie Allen.
If you’re a ‘Type A’ person, this article is not for you.
And you’re probably not reading it. You’re at the gym, meal prepping, or head down in your calendar setting up your ideal work week.
I honestly don’t know what Type A people do on a Sunday evening, but it’s probably not doom-scrolling, re-watching favourite comfort shows, or staring forlornly into a pile of unsorted clothes, questioning if they were on their way to or from the laundry.
As a person whose prefrontal cortex operates in fits and starts, this is closer to my reality.
I wouldn’t necessarily label myself Type B, though. I’m more akin to Alphabet Soup.
My organisational prowess appears at random, usually triggering major tasks like a total wardrobe rehaul. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm often abandons me halfway through, leaving me adrift in a sea of loosely categorised clothing for weeks, until the wind changes once more.
That said, I’ve found a few simple solutions to curb the chaos and regain a sense of control.
Professional organisers like Marie Kondo have built entire empires on the premise that seemingly small changes – as simple as re-organising our sock drawer – can have a mega impact on how we feel.
Celebrated US Admiral William H McRaven wrote an entire book on the impact of such small achievements. The book is literally called Make Your Bed.
In it, he says: “It was my first task of the day, and doing it right was important. It demonstrated my discipline. It showed my attention to detail, and at the end of the day it would be a reminder that I had done something well, something to be proud of, no matter how small the task.”
They may be illusions (or delusions), but these tiny tasks send happy messages to my brain – about systems, routine, law and order – and keep me feeling calm and capable.
1. Fresh flowers
Though many (read: my husband) view them as a waste of money, I believe fresh flowers pay for themselves by disrupting dull spaces and creating an aura of smug satisfaction. Maybe that intangible ROI is why they send such a potent signal. They say: Hey, I have good taste and at least $50 of disposable income.
Unfortunately, what I never seem to have is an appropriate vase, which is why my last bunch spent two weeks perched unceremoniously in a disused blender – greatly diffusing the air of superiority.
2. Sourdough and a bowl of lemons
As a feeder, a well-stocked fridge or pantry generally gives me good feels.
But certain menu items somehow convince me I’m on top of life. For me, it’s a loaf of locally produced sourdough and a burgeoning bowl of citrus fruit. No further questions, please.
3. Clean windows
A cruel irony indeed that my least favourite domestic chore yields one of my favourite feelings.
When you can look upon the world without squinting past dead bugs, pollen dust and miscellaneous mystery stains, you know you’ve made it. It’s like giving your mind a good Windex.
4. Tidy Tupperware
Tupperware rage is a universal language. Everyone thinks they have an adequate system in place, but none of us does. We are all at the mercy of the Tupperware Gods, who smite us with lost lids, lid oversupply and – occasionally- completely foreign lids you’ve never seen before in your life.
But once in a blue moon, right after our annual lid-sorting ceremony, I feel the warm glow of lid parity and know that all is right in the world.
5. Painted Toenails
I genuinely don’t understand how people keep their nails manicured.
Anytime I’ve attempted this level of grooming, within 24 hours I’m more chipped than my Dad’s 70s-born Datsun. But toenails? That paintwork lasts!
Painted toenails feel extra. They’re giving. In summer, I feel like an extra on Home and Away, and even when concealed, these dainty digits hold a hidden superpower. They give me a quiet confidence nobody can quite place. People probably assume I have confidence, conviction or strength of character. Nope. It’s pink glitter toes.
Whether I’m genuinely kicking goals or not, these are the little maneuvers I’ve discovered that make me feel closer to “winning”.
What are your tiny triumphs?
Original Article published by Hayley Nicholls on Region Canberra.
