A Stinky Carpet and the Power of Verbs & Baby Steps

For the first month of living in our new home, every time I've walked by the room that will eventually be our cozy den, I've hated catching a waft of stank.

The prior owners had a dog and the old carpet in that room was rank and nasty, no matter how much cross breeze drifted through the space.

We've been so busy cleaning, unpacking boxes, and juggling meals, work, laundry, and parenting that we kept delaying on pulling up that carpet - but every time I traipsed by, I was disgusted by its odour.

If you've got something on your to-do list that you keep avoiding or that feels overwhelming, read on...

The dank carpet - I wanted it OUT!

Days turned into weeks and that stink persisted.

Truth be told, I've never ripped up carpet before and I felt a bit intimidated by the prospect.

How the hell does one actually wrangle a huge carpet and get it out of one's home? (Renos aren't my forté).

My partner Dan had his hands full of other projects, and the stench didn't seem to bug him as much as it did me.

I was parenting or coaching most days - how would I find the time?

Finally, I recalled a trick I learned from Katherine North in her Queen Sweep program (a lovely course for anyone who wants to take a bit of life's chaos and create systems to to nurture more space, order, and beauty):

Draw on the power of verbs and baby steps.

Getting it DONE!

Ok, so how does this verbs and baby steps thing work?

Well, you take your task, like "Get rid of the stinky carpet" and start breaking it down into all the tiny, sequential steps it's going to actually take to pull it off.

You also check that you're using verbs to be sure that each step is a do-able, concrete action.

My list started to shape into something like this:

1. Gather tools to rip out carpet

2. Rip up carpet

3. Roll up the carpet (I would need help for this part)

4. Take out all the nails and wood framing

5. Strap the carpet to the car roof (more help needed)

6. Drive the carpet to the dump

I wrote each step onto a post it note and put them onto our weekly schedule, so that I could check off each one as I achieved it.

But the truth is, I had to back up even more - and you will probably need to do the same.

See, before I could getting working on that list, I had to run three separate trips to get rid of the junk that was dumped on top of said carpet - and even before I could run those trips, I needed to arrange childcare to make it all easier.

On top of all that prep, after I got the carpet up, I would need to clean up. I wasn't going to leave the floor dirty or in dangerous condition.

So, in actuality, my list needed to be more like:

1. Arrange childcare (Dan for the car trips and a babysitter for the big job)

2. Take electronics and toxic stuff to Hazardous Waste Depot

3. Drop items at Donation Place

4. Take scrap metal to that guy's driveway who accepts it

5. Gather tools to rip out carpet

6. Rip up carpet

7. Roll up the carpet and get it out of the room (I needed help for this part)

8. Take out all the nails and wood framing

9. Sweep the floor and hammer in stray nails and such

10. Vacuum

11. Mop

12. Put the carpet on the car (more help needed)

13. Drive the carpet to the dump and dispose of it once and for all

That may look a lot more daunting than "get rid of carpet" but now I had a plan and a realistic assessment of all it was going to take to achieve my goal.

And... step by baby step, over many days, I made it happen.

Eventually, that god-awful stench was gone. Small miracle!

Mission Accomplished. Ahead: tearing down panelling; installing new lighting, drywall, baseboards, flooring, blinds; painting, furnishing - but hey, those can all come in time with more verbs and baby steps!

Now it's your turn:

What do you want to make happen this week or month?

Explore the power of VERBS and BABY STEPS for yourself:

1. Take your goal and break it down into the tiniest of action steps

2. Ensure that each action starts with a verb

3. Work backwards and double check that you've appreciated all the preparation and follow up / integration required

4. Start taking action and work steadily through your list

This may sound simple or obvious, but it works.

So often, we underestimate a seemingly simple project - and it's self-respecting to break it down and acknowledge all that's actually required.

Further, when we're staring into the face of a monster task with dread, we can boost our power when we remind ourselves that we only need to take it on one wee action at a time.

One other little bonus trick is to celebrate your wins as you go.

You don't have to wait until it's all done.

Give yourself props and cheers - even little rewards - each step of the way.

I took pictures so that I could better appreciate my progress - and I shared them with a few friends in real time to celebrate my small victories.

Now, I delight in a deep inhalation of fresh air - and a little surge of pride! - every time I walk by that room.

Sure, there's a TON of work ahead (and that's just ONE area of our fixer-up gem of a new home!), but for now, I'm so pleased with my progress.

I tackled something irritating and learned a new skill - and I did it.

You can slay your nemesis, too.

Get cracking on your verbs and baby steps - and you will.

Please feel free to send me an update below on something you achieve this week or month.

I would LOVE to celebrate with you!

P.S. If you have a project, decision, or goal that feels daunting, massive or terrifying (beyond the scope of the above strategy) and you think you might appreciate a coach to provide some accountability, companionship or guidance, please reach out for a free consultation with me. We all have moments we need and deserve some extra support - and I'd love to chat with you!

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Nicola Holmes is a Life Coach who helps people turn their potent questions, dream and longings into inspired action. With warmth and wisdom, she’ll guide you to untangle constraints and cultivate courage to create a more aligned and joyful life. She has a BASc in Human Development, an MEd in Adult Learning and spent two decades working in the non-profit sector. Along with coaching for the past 14 years, she’s mama to two young spirited kids and dedicated to Buddhism. Having experienced long Covid and a move over the past two years, she brings deep empathy to others who are exploring how they’ve changed and who they’re becoming in turbulent times. Check out Nicola @nicolaholmescoach or join the email party for inspiration and resources to fuel the changes you want.