Drops in the Bucket: When Chores Become Self-Care

Drops in the Bucket

My check-in for the week — a quick look at what’s been going on. It’s not much, or at least it doesn’t feel like much. But here’s my week of drops in a bucket. Eventually, that’s how the bucket gets filled: drop by drop.

Prepping for winter weather:

All of the coats and jackets were inspected and washed this week. It’s a good thing, because it was 27° one morning during our morning walk with the dog! Having clean, ready-to-go coats, hats, and mittens has made facing the cold a little more pleasant (!).

Continuing with the inventory:

I unearthed another hat — to add to the 15 I already had. I know, it sounds ridiculous. How did I collect that many?

Let’s see:

• Always saying yes to hand-me-downs

• Keeping things far past their “best if used by” date

• Playing it safe with the same colors

About a third of the hats have now gone into a “holding area” instead of being tossed outright. I’ve learned the hard way that sometimes I regret being too quick to declutter. These pieces are still in the inventory, but will be noted separately, so I can revisit them later and make a more informed decision. Most likely, I won’t miss any of them — but for now, it feels better to leave room for the possibility.

Pondering:

Time, effort, and progress. We all have to wrestle with how much time and energy we’re going to give our wardrobes in any given week. How much — or how little — progress are you willing to tolerate from week to week, or month to month?

I washed all of my coats, but I didn’t catalog anything for the inventory project yet. That’s just how my real life went. I keep reminding myself that though I didn’t meet the mark I wanted to, that doesn’t mean I’m out of the game. I’m learning to be okay with a few drops in the bucket at a time.

If I’m being honest, I got a little hung up on perfection. I photographed a few coats but wanted the photos to be just right. Sometimes, the “just get it done” mindset really is the only way things move forward.

Chore vs. self-care:

The week got me thinking about the line between something feeling like a chore and something feeling like self-care. I couldn’t resist looking up the definitions:

Chore: “A job or piece of work that is often boring or unpleasant but needs to be done regularly.” — Cambridge Dictionary

Self-care: “The process of protecting someone or something and providing what that person or thing needs.” — (source unknown)

Getting ready for winter can be both, either, or fall somewhere between the two. Maintaining our wardrobes and cultivating personal style probably belongs there too. It just depends on the day, the week, or the season of life we’re in.

Sometimes the difference between “mundane but necessary” and “meaningful and nourishing” is just a shift in perspective. You might wonder if this woman ever did her laundry until now, but somehow this time — putting on freshly laundered winter gear reminded me that even small acts done for our own benefit can pay big mental dividends. Somehow, it crossed the line of being a chore to becoming a way I can take care of myself.

That realization is just one small thing that helps keep me moving forward. I hope, in your own way, you’ll find that to be true for yourself too.