The Vicky Challenge. When too many things are overwhelming!

My Vicky Challenge for last week consisted of some things I am not sure how to count! I have almost gone from an unusable storage room to a lovely little nursery so I guess that is a big value right there!
Things I can add up with some accuracy included:

Mum gave me a roast saving me $20
Andy salvaged an old tv and made it into a large computer monitor saving $200?
I made all the work lunches and coffees saving $100.
I made two dozen banana cakes saving $60 compared to bought cakes.
And I pruned citrus trees myself saving $40.
Also I did the usual things which mean we don't buy take away or use a dryer and water the garden with recycled water etc.

I wrote $420 in my savings book.

Many of us seem to be decluttering and organising. The US ladies and the English ladies have been harvesting, canning and busy as bees.  Here we have several big projects going that we hope to have finished by Christmas including new doors at the back, (Andy making those) the solar system, the rest of the house painted... and several others.
Like with many big projects you go through such a mess before you get to the end. Things seem to get worse before they get better!  At about that worst moment possible the general rule is you get visitors that haven't seen you since high school.

Vicky has been working on a mass of projects and wrote to me about managing it all. Some things you just have to get on and do or the opportunity is wasted! Growing the crops and harvesting, using it and preserving don't wait. You have to get busy and get it done.
She also has re arranged the house to have a new pantry room. And they have a cellar like I do that hasn't been used (for the same reasons as mine wasn't... creepy, scary, and dark etc) and they have cleaned it up, painted it and added shelves ready to fill. This is a big asset!
All apart from planting a massive vegetable garden, harvesting and preserving... and it all happening at once!
Just about daily we report in with our progress. I am always amazed at what Vicky has done!
So I am sharing what Vicky wrote along with pictures of the work she is doing. They will show the magnitude of it all!

Over to Vicky:

I was asked with all of the things you have to do how do you not feel overwhelmed with it all? 

Well for starters some seasons are busier than others and Winter is the season where I can relax and just have more of a normal schedule. 

When there is a lot going on and projects lined up one after another and this needs done and that needs done how we choose to look at things can make a big difference in feeling overwhelmed by it all or not. 

We can only get so much done in a day. Some days are very productive and others there are interruptions galore and slows down the process, but as long as we don't lose sight of what needs to be accomplished it will fall in place. 

This person asked if I ever felt that I bit off more than I can chew? Most assuredly, but I have to stop and revisit the situation and get my bearings. 

For example this new pantry project. It is not going as fast as I had hoped it would and parts of my house look like a hoarder is in residence with boxes and containers stacked up all over the place! My table is covered and even the chairs. Isn't it funny how things don't look like much until you have to start moving it all? At the moment I'm not winning a feature in Better Homes and Gardens that's for 

sure! 

Meanwhile I am working in the garden and canning and have the regular household duties to do as well. 

So even though I have a big mess and things prevent me from getting as much done as I like as quickly as I would like as long as when I am working on something I give that task my all. I have slowed down in one area and picked up in another and that's ok. 

Having a clear plan first and don't just jump into something because it can be a time waster if you get to a point of what do I do now? Because even if you have to toggle back and forth on the project you know what needs done next. 

Some planning ahead is super helpful! I know when I am that busy I will not feel like cooking every night so I make sure to have quick meals ready and if I am going to be using the oven I will do double duty and bake a cake or brownies at the same time. 

So feeling overwhelmed by things doesn't have to get to the point we need to go to the looney bin, just stop get your bearings and tackle things one thing at a time. Also if you set things up so you can multitask some of the smaller things that need done it helps with productivity. Example- When really busy I keep toilet bowl cleaner and cleaning rags next to the toilet so when I'm already in there I will put the tb cleaner in and spritz the toilet then next time I go back in I clean the bowl and give the toilet a quick wipe down. Then it's ok until I can back to my regular schedule. The next time I go in I give the mirrors a quick cleaning and so on. 

So just stay positive and know you'll get to that finish line eventually!

XOXO

Vicky

Coming up you will see Vicky's new pantry and the cellar when it is full of produce. 

Vicky called her garden "The Victory Garden" and the pantry is her "Victory Pantry". I just love this! 

We just have to make hay while the sun shines and where possible plan ahead. Today I have beef in the crockpot cooking away ready to make meat pies tonight. Some of these will go into the freezer. On days coming up where we will be working on  projects or I will be painting these meals help a lot.  Vicky is right, there is only so much that can be done in a day.  Some getting ahead when we can helps in those really busy times.

How did you go on your Vicky Challenge, savings and earnings? And how do you manage when there is a lot on your plate? 

Have a wonderful week!  I want to finish this room and we are getting quotes for solar panels.  Progress....