It must get worse before it gets better.
I have been on a mission to clean and declutter the main rooms and closets before next Saturday, when we'll be having a big Open House for Eric's high school graduation! There are 5 closets in the dining room ( pantry/craft closet), den (school & craft supplies, videos), front hall ( coats, hats & mittens, games, toys, misc), and bedroom hallway ( linens, first aid, toiletries, misc ). I have pulled EVERYTHING out and forced myself not to just "organize the clutter", as I am prone to do, but really scrutinize and get rid of things that we don't need, don't use, have outgrown.... and then try to find a neat and orderly way to store the remaining things in containers, bins, & baskets. I know that this seems 'oh so simple' to most of you reading this, but this really does NOT come naturally to me! I am a pack rat by nature - I hate to get rid of things that are perfectly good and that I MIGHT use someday! And it takes me a while to figure out ways to be "organized". I love looking at pictures of organized closets, shelves, and rooms, with rows of labeled bins and baskets and no piles of disorganized clutter... and think, "oh, if only someone could do that for me!" To top it off, I am very easily distracted and will get caught up in rabbit trails for hours - like sitting down to flip through a catalog I found in one of the stacks or sitting down at the computer to write on my blog - instead of staying focused on the task at hand.
I am making progress! I have thrown out about 4 Hefty tall kitchen trash bags of junk, and filled another 5-6 bags with stuff for Goodwill! I brought some outgrown toys over to my friend Eileen's house, for her little boys. I have breathed in a LOT of dust. Things still look a wreck, partly because I am doing 4 closets and a book shelf simultaneously! ( for some reason, doing one at a time just didn't seem to make sense at the time) My husband has commented that it looks like instead of "one step forward, two steps back", I've taken "five steps back". Hmmmm - he's very helpful.
I have been on a mission to clean and declutter the main rooms and closets before next Saturday, when we'll be having a big Open House for Eric's high school graduation! There are 5 closets in the dining room ( pantry/craft closet), den (school & craft supplies, videos), front hall ( coats, hats & mittens, games, toys, misc), and bedroom hallway ( linens, first aid, toiletries, misc ). I have pulled EVERYTHING out and forced myself not to just "organize the clutter", as I am prone to do, but really scrutinize and get rid of things that we don't need, don't use, have outgrown.... and then try to find a neat and orderly way to store the remaining things in containers, bins, & baskets. I know that this seems 'oh so simple' to most of you reading this, but this really does NOT come naturally to me! I am a pack rat by nature - I hate to get rid of things that are perfectly good and that I MIGHT use someday! And it takes me a while to figure out ways to be "organized". I love looking at pictures of organized closets, shelves, and rooms, with rows of labeled bins and baskets and no piles of disorganized clutter... and think, "oh, if only someone could do that for me!" To top it off, I am very easily distracted and will get caught up in rabbit trails for hours - like sitting down to flip through a catalog I found in one of the stacks or sitting down at the computer to write on my blog - instead of staying focused on the task at hand.
I am making progress! I have thrown out about 4 Hefty tall kitchen trash bags of junk, and filled another 5-6 bags with stuff for Goodwill! I brought some outgrown toys over to my friend Eileen's house, for her little boys. I have breathed in a LOT of dust. Things still look a wreck, partly because I am doing 4 closets and a book shelf simultaneously! ( for some reason, doing one at a time just didn't seem to make sense at the time) My husband has commented that it looks like instead of "one step forward, two steps back", I've taken "five steps back". Hmmmm - he's very helpful.
I am trying to keep up my momentum, and not resort to just throwing everything that's left into a few boxes and stuffing them back into the closets until "later". I am longing to walk through my home and see that there is a place for everything, and everything is in its place!
I can dream....
I can dream....
3 comments:
I have to admit that is one good thing about moving every 2 years or so - it forces me to get rid of things. I know you are so organized about school and projects so I'm sure you're much better at closets than you think! Look forward to seeing you soon and graduation next week.
-F
I'm on the same mission...I finally finished the girls' closet last week just before conference. Now B keeps saying, "What about MY closet, Mommy?!" Monday morning that's where I'll be.
Hang in there! :)
~S
I am sure that I will see 4 very well organized closets when I arrive on Thursday.
Love, Dad
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