My husband and I have had our camper for a few years and are constantly trying to get the most out of the small space available. We put our clothes in wardrobes mounted high on either side our bed. My husband’s clothes go into the wardrobe on his side of the bed and my clothes on my side of the bed. Easy right?
Well, it’s hard to get into the wardrobes, we have bedside tables that we must stretch over to reach our clothes. Our cat, who just started traveling with us, claimed my husband’s wardrobe as her bedroom. So, we now put all of our clothes into one wardrobe. (Picture a tiny little box, in a hard-to-reach corner overflowing with piles of clothes).
One morning, I realized that the closet where we store the cleaning supplies etc. might be a better fit for our clothes. It has more space and is way easier to access. So, we switched the contents of the two spaces around and voilà!! Life got a little easier. We thought outside of the box (or wardrobe in this case), and good things happened.
When we purchased the camper, we were told how lucky we were to have two wardrobes to store our clothes in. From that point on we got it in our minds, you put your clothes in the wardrobes. They are labeled wardrobes on the floor plans, and the definition of wardrobe is “a room or closet where clothes are kept”. It made sense.
Then we got creative, looked at the space a little differently, and discovered larger and better storage for our clothes. We no longer call them wardrobes; they are now a cabinet and Claudia’s (our cat) room. Just as we have looked at using something in a different way, I have seen LOTS of YouTube videos where others do the same, taking an item and using it for something completely different. That is creative – out of the box – thinking!
My husband and I struggled with our “wardrobe” use for years. It was an inconvenience, but doable. Sometimes I feel we go though our lives that way. The thinking of; “it has always been that way” or “if it’s not broke don’t fix it”. We get stuck in the familiar instead of exploring the possibilities! I encourage you to look around you and explore new and better ways to live.
In a few weeks Henrieta and I will be leading a Let’s Talk Teams! event hosted by Advocate Aurora Health, so there is no cost to attend. If you volunteer on a team, are a part of a team at your work, lead a team and/or want to start a team. Henrieta and I personally invite you to be a part of this event.
At this event we will look at teams and the work they do from different angles, share new and different ideas, and think “outside the box” about teams. We will be exploring possibilities.
Our vision for this event is to provide a space where we can learn from each other, support each other and, after the three sessions, make a difference in the teams that we are on and the lives that they touch. Won’t you join us? To sign up visit us at ie3.life and reserve your spot.
Reflections:
· Have you ever tried a new way to do something? What were the results?
· Has someone ever suggested a different way to accomplish something? How did you react?
· Go through an average day in you mind. Are there areas or tasks that you can change to simplify your day?