I felt really overwhelmed for about 30 seconds after taking this picture. The room in the camera view finder looked insurmountably bad. I had to remind myself that it wasn’t as bad as it looked and it wouldn’t take as long as I feared. I’ve learned this over many years of organization day-to-day clutter.
You would think, after so many years of organizing, that I would have a technique for avoiding clutter. I don’t. Some people are great about keeping a tidy house at all times and have family buy-in. Some people, like me, let things slide. It was getting easier as the boys got older, but adding a full time job has been an adjustment. Two steps forward, one step back. I’m figuring things out.
We took all the leaves out of the table months ago, which has been great except for the plethora of chairs we now have floating around the house. They’ll come in handy on Friday, but after that they’ll go back to being a problem. On top of one floater chair is a bag of shirts I bought for Mikey on Sunday, one of which ended up on another chair after he tried it on for size.
Once I calmed down and assessed the situation, I could see the dining room wasn’t too bad. Cards from Father’s Day the day before, the pens the boys used to write them, two books, the contents of a toy Maggie destroyed as retribution for leaving her alone for too long on Father’s Day (under the table), and Nico’s cars. That was easy to take care of–no more than a few minutes. After that, Nico and I pushed aside the table and chairs. I got to work.
It took about an hour to clean out the bookcases, which I use primarily to hold my cookbooks (top shelves), Maggie’s toys and treats (linen basket), and the boys’ school and art supplies (three out of the five remaining shelves). The computer and camera on the top is a longterm project of the Mister’s. He’s transferring all our videos and photographs to the cloud, or something.
The table leaves, one of which you can see floating around in the pictures, are out for the party on Friday. They’ll go back into the guest room closet this weekend.
From start to finish, it took about 1.5-1.75 hours, but that includes me going through every single book/piece of paper and polishing all the shelves.
When I’m productive, I can usually do one big project and one small project in a day. I plan it out that way, too. I try to pick something overwhelming, but achievable, and something really easy so that if I bomb the big project, I at least have something to show for my day.
My kitchen hook sums up nicely how my year went. On the door leading outside there should be only two items: my purse and Nico’s epi-pen pack. This year I was so disorganized that I got in the bad habit of partially changing out my purse. Tell me I’m not the only one who changes out their purse on a whim, but only of the essentials. The promise, which I always break, is that when I get home I will finish emptying out the discarded purse and transfer everything over to the new purse.
This never happens! If I don’t empty out the old purse right when I first change purses, forget it. I need to make a new rule: I can’t change out a purse unless I completely empty out the discarded one.
Those bags on the doorknob are returns that never happened. *eye roll*
Sorry about the bad picture. I had to leave to pick up Mikey from camp, and by the time I got home, the sun was setting inside my kitchen. Despite that, the door looks much better, and it only took 10 minutes. That’s the part that kind of kills me, to be honest. That door stressed me out every time I left the house and again when I hung up my purse on my return. Months of stress over 10 minutes of work!
Oh well. Onward and upward!
p.s. It goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway. This is not a design blog. If you are looking for well photographed room that are on trend and and magazine-ready, you’re reading the wrong blog. I’m a huge fan of pretty rooms, but that’s not where my strengths lie. : )
Welcome back! I love your organizing posts; they’re so inspiring to read.
Have you considered a purse organizer? I got mine off Amazon for $6 and it was life changing. Not only can I find everything in my purse easily since it has a ton of pockets, I can easily lift it out and plop it in a new purse anytime I want to change things up.
I’ve looked at them, but never purchased. Is there one you recommend?
I got this one [Travel Organizer Bag Multi-pocket Insert Handbag Purse Tidy Bags For Multipurpose (rose) M https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L897CBG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_cTEszbVVMXM59%5D after reading a post by Shutterbean about hers. There’s a bunch of sellers and I think they’re all the same so you can shop for the best price.
After awhile it start collapsing a bit so I slipped cardboard in the two big pockets to keep it upright. It added structure without a bunch of additional weight.
I was using the small bag system before but this is much better. I can reach in for my chapstick or pen and know exactly where it is without having to find and open the correct bag.
I am always amazed when something bothers me for weeks or months, then I do it and it only takes 15 minutes or less.
Low how your dog smiles and poses for pictures. Looks like she has been a great addition to your family.
There were, maybe, 2-3 old receipts and some mints in one purse and nothing in the other. Sigh. Maggie is a total ham! I had no idea!
You are living my life. The never-returned items are the bane of my existence. I think I need to make a master list of these projects and start knocking them out.
I always am most productive when I have a deadline or a list. Without either one, I’m a bit hopeless.
I’m exactly the same with purses. When I switch back to a previous one it’s like finding treasure.
Hahahahaha!! That’s how I felt yesterday when I pulled out a brand new pack of my favorite mints from my old purse!
Nice work! Love the post, the happy dog, and the real pics. I create my own stress from partial purse/bag switches and unreturned packages that I move from bedroom to kitchen to car (and then out of the car to make room for sports equipment or people and then forget about. Why do I do this to myself?).
Thank you! I suspect Maggie will feature heavily in my posts. I had no idea she was such a camera ham; she inserted herself in every picture!
The reason why I’m such a die hard follower is that you are NOT a design blog. You’re a real blog. Thanks for the inspiration
Thank you!! That means a lot.
Welcome back!! I always love seeing your posts – no matter the subject! You are probably one of the most “real” bloggers I follow – not staging every photo and making life look entirely rosy and perfect. I am so on board for more realness in blogging. :D I love to switch purses – usually every week – but everything from one always goes to the other. I keep everything corralled into separate pouches – receipts, lip sticks/glosses, and a separate make-up bag for miscellaneous stuff. If I keep everything in it’s place, then it’s easy peasy to switch purses on a whim. My issue right now (and one I think you’ve covered before) is getting rid of A L L T H E T H I N G S! I tend to be an organized hoarder.
:/
My mom is an organized hoarder! She has on display, in the garage, my youngest brother’s cast from when he broke his leg in kindergarten. O_o
Your dog is so cute!
It’s fun to see your transformation!
My trick on the returns is to challenge myself to return the items before the credit card bill arrives. I also pile the stuff at the front door and refuse to move it anywhere else. The only way to purge it is to deal with it.
I hang my returns from the doorknob, so I’m thinking there is something more I have to do. Maybe I should put it on the doormat leading out of the house. I’d have to walk over it to get out of the house!
I gotta tell ya: I find this whole post oddly comforting. I cannot seem to keep piles from piling! I can’t!! And last week it took the better part of a morning to clear one table and counter (but it sure made me feel good to have them both clear.)
You are most definitely not alone on the half-full purses. Every bag in my house seems to be littered with old lists, lip balm, hair rubber bands, and more than likely expired “peace of mind” Immodium capsules. Every one of them. It’s madness. They’re neatly lined up on the closet shelf, though — well, most of them — so it’s totally managed. Clearly.
“peace of mind” Imodium capsules made me laugh out loud! I have those same capsules!
Oh, see — I knew I felt at home here!
Welcome back Jules! I love reading about your organizing. It gives me inspiration to do my own organizing. As for the non-magazine ready photographs, don’t worry. Your house is lived in. You have two boys and pets. I always question the “design” blogs of normal people, where nothing is out of place.
Enjoy your summer!