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Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,019
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Another organizational saga!

I suppose some of us are done with organizing for the new year, and some have not even started, while some like me are plodding through at a speed that resembles moving backward!!

 

I have a spare bedroom that while looking neat and tidy on the surface, was a nightmare when looking in and under things. I had a closet so full I couldn't hardly open the door. Much removed and donated, other things kept arranged in new Kano storage boxes...done.

 

Under a side table covered with a tablecloth was stored at least 30 flameless candles along with pedestals etc. All removed from that room, organized into Kano boxes, and stored on new shelving in the basement. Before, it was a horrific nightmare to access the one or two candles I wanted, now, I unzip the box, and pull out just the ones I want. All neat, organized by brand and color, no fuss o muss! Done!

 

Under a dresser, I had scrapbooking materials. All are now organized in a Kano box and in the basement. If I don't do something with them in the next year (I have never made a scrapbook yet), it will go to donations. I'm giving myself this year to do something with them, as I spent a couple of years doing photo albums and have some really great ideas to make scrapbooks for my son, niece and nephew of their ancestors. So at least for now, out of that bedroom and in one place on a shelf downstairs.

 

Baskets! Today's dilemma! I have a twin bed in that room and it sits kitty cornered, leaving a nice big triangle behind it...great for storing some of my less used baskets. I had them stacked, nice and neat, nested and organized. You couldn't see them over the headboard, so not unsightly. But....every time I wanted to use a serving or picnic basket, I'd have to go and dig and what a pain. Most of the time I'd just turn around and leave the room, and choose to use something else. 

 

Today I took out all the baskets, discovered there were a couple I simply don't want anymore...gone into a donation bag. Then I realized there were several that belonged in my decor in certain areas, and I don't know how they got put away, but got them back to the spaces they belonged. A few I decided could be used in certain closets, like one is now on the top shelf of the linen closet holding our unused toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss etc. It replaced a shoe box of all things. Why was I using a shoebox when I have a nice pretty basket to hold something like that? Another one is going under the kitchen sink to help organize a few things there. 

 

So today started with some 'quality' time online looking at ideas for using baskets. The picnic and serving baskets that I go to use but give up because they aren't accessible will be going down on those new Origami shelves, ready to be used on a regular basis because I can easily get to them, but the covers on the shelving will keep the dust off. There will be nothing going back behind that bed....man that feels good. A few more will end up going to donations, as when the shelf is full, that is all I will keep.

 

This year has been all about "what good is it to have things you never use, only because they are too hard to access (as opposed to you just don't use them because you don't like or need them any more). I want to be done with boxes of things in the basement that I'd like to use, but it's too much trouble to dig the stuff out. Or closets so full, you don't use 90% of what is there because it is too hard to dig it out and put everything else back. Or things stored under beds because you can't find anywhere else for them!!!

 

This room alone has been a really big challenge. It became the storage area for anything I couldn't find a place for elsewhere. Even I'm amazed that for the room looking so nice and neat and inviting, how much stuff was crammed in under and behind things. It was beginning to give me nightmares!!

 

Just thought I'd share my latest battle in the organizational war zone!

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,672
Registered: ‎05-13-2010

Re: Another organizational saga!

@Mominohio  Good for YOU!!!  Sounds like you're winning the clutter problem instead of this battle beating you up.

 

Keep up the great work!  Hopefully this time consuming but necessary project is finished and if you have more rooms to tackle, go for it while you're in the mood, see results of your accomplishments, and ready to kill the clutter!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Another organizational saga!

Op, You , like many other ladies here like to decorate and do vignets throughout the year. I'm sure storing all that seasonal stuff is not easy to find space for. I'm somewhat thankful I am not one who is into seasonal decor much. I change out the garden flag out front, and maybe add a little something to my DR table centerpiece, but that is pretty much all. I do love to look at what you all do, though. Except for Christmas I pretty much have the same things out for the whole winter here and up in Pa. I have a few "country" or "farmhouse" style items. Not much room up there. 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,217
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Another organizational saga!

Bravo to you.   I can hear the sense of accomplishment in your post.

 

Since I retired-- three years ago--I have been donating, downsizing, and organizing.  I have been going through everything in my rented townhouse every six months to ascertain how my current organizing systems are working and to identify other items to donate as well as ways to integrate new purchases-- yes, I still buy new items, but only those that have purpose or bring me joy--into my home.  I feel much more in control of my home now. 

 

Like you, I love those Kano containers and also use Origami shelves. Thanks for sharing your saga.  Smiley Happy

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,574
Registered: ‎06-19-2010

Re: Another organizational saga!

We're having pavers installed today and while the men are working outside I decided to clean my closet. 10 bags of clothes, shoes to donate and about 6 purses to sell on EBay.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,473
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Another organizational saga!

@Mominohio

 

Congrats!!!! its a good feeling knowing it's done & if you donate someone else will get to enjoy it!

 

I haven't bought one home decor item since November - I'm kinda sticking to it....but, I am starting to falter a bit with all the cute "Easter" and spring decor! 😱🙃

 

 

Valued Contributor
Posts: 515
Registered: ‎07-12-2010

Re: Another organizational saga!

Wow!!  I wish I had your ambition!!  My spare room is a disaster right now.  I have taken everything out of my hutch (donated some) and packed everything away..then took everything out of my cupboards and put them in my hutch and my spare room.  I'm scheduled to have my kitchen remodeled in a couple of weeks and just preparing for that.

 

I didn't realize how much stuff I had in the cupboards until I took everything out!!!

 

My spare room will be a temporary kitchen with microwave, toaster oven, coffee pot, etc.  So at least maybe I can cook a little bit instead of eating out ..oh, also my upright freezer is in that room..makes it convenient (instead of in the garage), but takes up space..

 

Then after the kitchen is done, we'll be getting a new floor throughout the kitchen, dining, living and hallway, plush 3 closets..

 

Cannot wait for everything to be done..I'm giving them and myself about 3 months til everything is put back together. 

 

Geez.. that'll be nice...just thinking....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,411
Registered: ‎03-02-2014

Re: Another organizational saga!

@Mominohio - I so enjoy reading your organizational adventures!  They inspire me.  I know what you mean - out of sight doesn't necessarily mean out of mind.  Accessibility is the key to using the things we have.  After I retire in January of 2018, I plan to spend blocks of time re-evaluating and organizing things.  P.S.  I also have a ton of scrapbook materials with the intention of doing ones on my parents.  In the mean time, I am trying to winnow down things.  I also read a lot of minimalist blogs.  While I never will be a minimalist by any stretch of the imagination, it helps me to read their take on what items to keep and to really think about new purchases.  Keep up the good work!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,019
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: Another organizational saga!


@DecorDiva wrote:

@Mominohio - I so enjoy reading your organizational adventures!  They inspire me.  I know what you mean - out of sight doesn't necessarily mean out of mind.  Accessibility is the key to using the things we have.  After I retire in January of 2018, I plan to spend blocks of time re-evaluating and organizing things.  P.S.  I also have a ton of scrapbook materials with the intention of doing ones on my parents.  In the mean time, I am trying to winnow down things.  I also read a lot of minimalist blogs.  While I never will be a minimalist by any stretch of the imagination, it helps me to read their take on what items to keep and to really think about new purchases.  Keep up the good work!


 

@DecorDiva

 

Congrats on the upcoming retirement! IT is a good time to reevaluate and realign your stuff with your new life's chapter. I think some people find it a chore and others and adventure. Hope it is more of an adventure for you, kind of that first step into the 'first day of the rest of your life' kind of feeling.

 

I'm going to Google and find some minimalist blogs. I don't know if I would ever get to the place of calling myself that, but I always look to a new perspective when it comes to ideas for the home and family. So far, my main motivator has been watching episodes of "Hoarders"! LOL. 

 

You hit on two really specific things that are up front in my mind right now.

 

"Out of sight doesn't necessarily mean out of mind". Boy that is true with me these days. When I was working full time, had a small child, then was a stay at home mom, volunteering at school and really busy, I could ignore (to some extent) what I didn't 'see'. If it was clean and tidy, uncluttered to the eye of people walking through the door, I was good. I'd empty out the closets, drawers cabinets, once a year, clean it all and load it back in. Not as easy for me to do and tolerate now.

 

"Accessibility". That is indeed my new mantra! I'm sick to death of digging to find what I really want or simply not using it because the effort to retrieve it isn't worth doing so.

 

If anything, I'm a little mad at myself for acquiring so much stuff. I have always purged every year, but it is obvious I have brought more in than I've take out now for quite some time. And while I won't be (quite yet anyway!) downsizing to just one set of dinnerware, or only three flameless candles in my home anytime soon, I am definitely on a mission to take back some of my closets, cabinets, and drawers. And I'm on a mission to get things out from under and behind things (especially beds!). 

 

Right now, I am donating some things, trashing a few (not much though), putting some things that were just stored into actual use (with the baskets for example, pull them out and use them or get rid of them), rotating things (like towels and wash cloths...taking the ones that should be rags and making them so, and replacing with good stuff in storage). I'm asking myself "Just how many (fill in the blank) do I really need?" Sometimes I will say just one, but with other things, it will be 10. It just depends.

 

One thing I have found helpful, is rather than thinking in terms of number of somethings (say sheet sets for example), I set aside so much space for them. Once that space is full, then the rest have to go. It makes me look at all of that particular item I have, realize that the space I have allotted will only hold, say 6, then choose the 6 of that item that are the best or my favorite. 

 

What I have been doing, because we have such very limited closet space in this house, is having the same item stored in several places. For example, the sheets. I had them in my closet, in my son's closet for his bed, and yet others in the spare room. If I put them all in one place, they would choke out other things needed in that room. I easily acquired way more sets of sheets than even I realized I had. 

 

This practice, when used with boxing things up and putting them in the basement or attic or other 'hidden' storage area, leads to not really realizing just how much of a given item you have. You might open your closet or cupboard and see a certain number of something, but in reality you have three times that many of the same or similar things, they are just 'out of sight out of mind' for the moment. 

 

I have two things that will be the biggest purge, but they aren't happening just yet. 

 

First my son has a ton of things here, and when he finally makes his move (it was going to be this spring, but looks like circumstances have changed and he....and his stuff....will be here longer than we expected), and all his things go, that will open up quite a bit of space. 

 

Then some of the things I'm moving to the basement (on shelving that I can see exactly what I have, and group it with other things like it) are now more accessible, and if I still don't reach for them and use them on any kind of regular basis, they will be weeded out as well. I guess for me, the first step is to get the stuff 'exposed to the daylight'. Get it out of closets, boxes and the dark recesses of the house, and put it front and center where I can see and get my hands on it. Get all like things in one place to get a true reading on just how many/much of each thing I have. Some of it I know right way, I want it gone. Other things, it takes a little more time to come to the conclusion that I don't need or want it any longer. 

 

AT any rate, it is a process. I'm not at this point, the person that will just take entire areas of something and move them out of the house. Other folks might have taken those baskets out from behind the bed and taken all of them straight to the donation center. That just isn't how I operate on most things. The process is a bit more involved for me. I tend to weed out my things in stages. I got rid of a number of baskets yesterday, and over the next couple of days, more will go. Then I'll use what I have until sometime in the future, it feels like it needs to happen again. Slower pace, but same goal!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,019
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: Another organizational saga!


@ptagirl wrote:

Wow!!  I wish I had your ambition!!  My spare room is a disaster right now.  I have taken everything out of my hutch (donated some) and packed everything away..then took everything out of my cupboards and put them in my hutch and my spare room.  I'm scheduled to have my kitchen remodeled in a couple of weeks and just preparing for that.

 

I didn't realize how much stuff I had in the cupboards until I took everything out!!!

 

My spare room will be a temporary kitchen with microwave, toaster oven, coffee pot, etc.  So at least maybe I can cook a little bit instead of eating out ..oh, also my upright freezer is in that room..makes it convenient (instead of in the garage), but takes up space..

 

Then after the kitchen is done, we'll be getting a new floor throughout the kitchen, dining, living and hallway, plush 3 closets..

 

Cannot wait for everything to be done..I'm giving them and myself about 3 months til everything is put back together. 

 

Geez.. that'll be nice...just thinking....

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

@ptagirl

 

You are living my dream! A new kitchen! I'd be so excited, and in a tizzy as well, trying to get everything moved out and get ready. I know this will be quite a mess and inconvenience for awhile for you, but the payoff will be so worth it. Have fun with the process of choosing your new look and watching it come together. I'd love to see pictures, before and after!

 

But boy the stuff that comes out of those cupboards! They are like a magician's hat, or a clown car aren't they? Stuff just keeps on coming! You had no idea they really were holding that much stuff!!

 

When the kitchen is done, and you put things back, will be the best time to purge heavily. These months, when you do without so much in the kitchen, might be very revealing about what you still want and need, and what you don't!