Month 1, Schedule Decluttering. Step 2: Streamlined Chores

As a great prank that I apparently played on myself, my "Physical Decluttering" phase cleaned my house, but cluttered my schedule instead. Suddenly, hours of my life evaporated into cleaning, donating, and – what may be considered cruel and unusual punishment – shopping for replacements.

Grocery shopping doesn’t make me anxious – it just annoys me. It devours time yet demands constant repetition, like some retail-based Sisyphean punishment.

I surrendered to Green Chef meal delivery, deciding my hatred for grocery shopping outweighed the financial hemorrhage and my general snootiness at the thought of having food delivered to a doorstep. I did keep one shred of self-righteousness, though; I didn’t purchase the pre-made meals. I still had to chop the vegetables, season the meat, and cook the dang things.

So, when it comes to food, variety is good, but grocery store efficiency is better:

I enter,

I grab,

I flee.

The meal service offers variety without wandering through fluorescent-lit aisles of despair. While I romantically imagine myself as a homesteader making artisanal syrup and raising free-range chickens, reality has cruel limitations. In this season of life, I need to swallow my pride and recognize that I will be happier, healthier, and have more time if I use a delivered meal plan.

And congratulations to me, the meal plan has allowed me to enjoy cooking more! Other benefits aside, I have new, healthy, and delicious dishes to replace my regular tin of unseasoned sardines.