Over the past little while, especially while working on my August Reset, I have found myself thinking a lot about how much pressure we put on ourselves to have everything done perfectly. I know I am definitely guilty of this. I can look around my home and immediately see everything that still needs to be done, the things I want to organize, and the projects waiting for me, but I don’t always stop and look at what I have already accomplished.

And that is something I am really trying to change.

When I started this August Reset, I thought I was just going to be working on getting my home organized. Cleaning things up, tackling areas that had gotten out of control, and finally getting things done that I had been putting off. But the more I work through it, the more I realize it is about so much more than that.

It is about creating a home that feels like mine.

Over the past couple of years, I let things pile up. Life happened, and honestly, there were times when I just didn’t have the energy or focus to keep up with everything the way I wanted to. I would start one project, get distracted, move onto another one, and before I knew it, I had a bunch of things started but nothing completely finished.

Anyone else do that? 😂

That is exactly how my table became the place where everything goes. I can clean it off and feel so proud of myself, and then somehow, before I know it, things start appearing there again. I swear things sneak over there when I am not looking because I honestly don’t know how else it happens. 😂

But this time feels different because I am not looking at everything thinking, “How am I ever going to get all of this done?”

Instead, I am trying to look at it one small step at a time.

What is one thing I can do today?

That little change in thinking has made a bigger difference than I expected.

I think a lot of us struggle with wanting things to be perfect because we have been surrounded by that idea for so long. From the time we are young, we are constantly seeing messages about how we should look, how we should act, and what our lives should look like.

Now add social media into the mix and wow… there is a lot coming at us every single day.

Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, television… it never really stops. There is always something else to see, someone else to compare ourselves to, and another reminder of what we think we should be doing.

And honestly, I sometimes wonder how kids today keep up with it all. Their little brains are exposed to so much information, so many opinions, and so many expectations from such a young age.

The funny thing is, we often compare our everyday life to someone else’s best moments. We see the cleaned-up version, the happy moments, the finished projects, but we don’t see everything that happened behind the scenes.

Nobody has a perfect home.

Nobody has a perfect life.

And nobody has everything figured out all the time.

For me, progress over perfection means accepting that I don’t have to be perfect. I just need to do the best I can.

It means realizing that even the smallest things count. Putting something away, cleaning one drawer, washing the dishes, wiping down the kitchen counters… those things matter too.

Speaking of kitchens, that has been one of my biggest wins lately.

There is something about walking into a clean kitchen first thing in the morning that just feels good. It makes me feel calmer and more organized, and it gives me that little boost of “okay, I have this.”

This week I finished the dishes, wiped everything down, and yes… I even remembered to clean the microwave. 😂

Now, someone else might look at that and think, “That’s not a big deal.”

But when you haven’t been feeling well, when you are trying to get yourself back into a routine, and when things have felt overwhelming, those little accomplishments feel pretty amazing.

I think that is something we forget to do. We celebrate the big wins, but we don’t always celebrate all the little steps that get us there.

We wait until everything is finished.

We wait until everything is perfect.

But what if we celebrated ourselves along the way?

That is something I am working on.

I am learning that my home does not have to be perfect. It just has to feel like my home.

Every little thing I organize, every little change I make, and every little piece I add is helping create a space that feels more comfortable and peaceful.

And that feeling means a lot.

Of course, I can’t talk about my home without mentioning the one person who believes he is in charge of all inspections…

Principal Sir Kit Kat. 🐾

His inspection report this week?

Probably a C+ if I am lucky. 😂

He is a tough principal. The standards are high, and the treat requirements are even higher.

The living room would probably get his highest grade though because he absolutely loves his new rug. Apparently, it is now his official meeting area, nap zone, and place to supervise my every move.

Some things in our homes are easy to let go of, and some things are much harder.

For me, the grandkids’ toys are one of those things. Someone else might look at them and see toys taking up space, but I see memories. I see moments that mattered. I see pieces of a chapter of my life that meant something.

And honestly, I think that is okay.

Not everything has to be rushed. Not everything has to be removed just because it doesn’t fit someone else’s idea of organized. Our homes are allowed to hold the things that matter to us.

They are where our lives happen.

They are where our memories are made.

So if you are feeling overwhelmed and you don’t know where to begin, don’t look at everything all at once. That is usually when we freeze and end up doing nothing.

Just start somewhere.

Maybe it is a drawer.

Maybe it is your kitchen.

Maybe it is something as simple as making your bed today.

It doesn’t matter where you start. What matters is that you take that first step.

And please remember this…

You are not behind.

You are always moving forward.

Even making a to-do list means you are already ahead because now you have a plan. And crossing something off that list? That is a win. Celebrate it. 😂

A small step today can create a big step for tomorrow.

So be proud of the little things. Celebrate the progress you are making, even if it feels small.

Because those little steps are what create the big changes.

Until next time…

Be kind to yourself.

Celebrate the little wins.

Keep moving forward one step at a time.

And never forget…

You Matter. 💜

Love Always,

☕ Shelly