Tip #15 Weighted Wonders; IKEA is good for the soul?

     Yep, I said it and I meant it... IKEA is good for the soul - or at least for peace of mind! I can't tell you how many times I've spoken to people recovering at home and their caregivers who begin to feel like they're going mad because of the chaos around them. I recognize that some people have no problem living in chaos, but for the rest of the world this can be very frustrating. You usually don't incorporate furnishing your living-room with a hospital bed, nor design your floor plan to accommodate large amounts of medical supplies in the main areas. It can especially be emotional and/or frustrating for people because:

• Having the house that way is a constant reminder that you or a loved one are ill.
• Other people expect you (especially if you are a caregiver) to have it all under control because you're at home all day. BUT that doesn't take into account the fatigue and exhaustion from just the stress of being ill (or worrying about a loved one who is ill). Nor does it take into account that you now seem to have a new full time job; you're either focused on caregiving or on getting better, or both.
• Even if you have kind friends and/or multiple caregivers: 

• Most of you won't really want to ask others to do some of the things that you would like done, because you don't want to put them out OR
• Maybe you don't have the luxury of having those people (above) to help out OR
• You can't afford to hire a cleaner in their stead AND,
• No matter who is doing the cleaning, no one is going to do everything the way that you would do it. So, pants shrink, whites turn pink, things are put away where you'd never look to find them, the vacuum cleaner is parked in the middle of the living room and you can't move it out of the way, etc.

Here is the most important thing I can say about all of that; it likely drives you crazy for one reason.

1. It represents the lack of control you have in your life right now. 
2. (I know I said one, but wait for it...)You live in that area all of the time (all day, all night, or both), so the dust on the window is going to drive you crazy because you're looking at it for weeks or months. But, here again I say the number one reason above is applicable; it's really driving you crazy because illness/trauma has made you (understandably) feel that life or things in life are out of control - and that's a really hard thing!

     So, what to do about all of it? 

• This is where the IKEA comes in: if possible, reorganize! Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome (paraphrased here). Things are going to keep getting messier and messier if you don't make a concerted effort to adapt your environment to your new status. This can make a VERY big difference as far as I am concerned! I get that this isn't always possible financially (although there are some smaller plastic units in the pics below that were non-IKEA, $30, and did the job for a long time). And the manpower can be difficult too - since you won't be able to do it yourself. If you can't do this, you may still be able to work on the following items (which I suggest you consider even if you can do the reorganizing!).
• Allow yourself to be unapologetic to others for doing whatever it is you have to do to get well/help a loved one who is ill (which includes carefully choosing where your energy is expended). For instance:
• Foo-ee to those who take issue with your messy house. They're not living your life. You have nothing to be apologetic about
• You don't need to explain your financial status to anyone. Illness and recovery add extra financial strain. That's just the way it is usually.
• If 5 things are driving you crazy, try to do 1, or part of one yourself. Choose carefully (maybe dusting the window might be possible, but don't try to clean the bathtub). Why? This helps you feel like you have a bit more control - you've chosen something. And, while this may mean a bit more pain for example, sometimes that's worth it for quality of life (for which peace of mind is a criteria!).
• Change your expectations. You're not Wonder Woman, Super Man, or any other superhero. You're a human going through a rough time. Don't expect to be able to do all you could before. Have a better quality of life, with the types of expectations you would want to see from others in the same state (after all, we're always harder on ourselves than anyone else). 

     Okay, so back to IKEA. With a hospital bed in the living-room, and a gazillion supplies (medical and office) plus some of the regular living-room things, it was very chaotic in this room. But, with help from IKEA, the room looks more like a living-room and less like a hospital storage room. What a change in the state of mind it is to have made these changes!

BEFORE                                                  AFTER

 Some was dispersed into other places.

BEFORE                                                                               AFTER 

                                                                                                                            

AND the drawers within are even organized too!    
Supplies now look like this....                                         even though delivered like this....                                       

                                                  

HOORAY!!!

     So whether you need to change your expectations (reorganize your mind), change your way of doing things (reorganize processes), or change your storage solutions (reorganize your environment), try it! You don't have anything to lose. Every little piece of mind that you can add to your peace of mind goes a long way towards quality of life, no matter what your medical situation!

Happy reorganizing!