If you were to come inside my house right now you would probably be appalled and disgusted with the state of things right now. It's really embarrassing and even more frustrating to live in a house that feels like it's too small with way too much stuff in it.
(Thankfully it's not as bad as this picture...but you get the idea!
There is a war going on inside of me that is tearing me into different directions. Get rid of anything I don't use anymore OR keep it because I might need it in the future. I never thought I would be a pack rat. But alas, I am. It doesn't help that my wonderful husband has the same problem. We both tend to keep things "just in case" and then they end up getting in the way and floating around the house driving us crazy!
I have this vision of emptying my house completely and then, one room at a time, bringing only the things that I use regularly back in and leaving everything else on the curb to be taken by people. It's a fantasy really and it sounds WONDERFUL! Wouldn't it be great if it was that easy to do something like that? Maybe it is and I'm just missing it here...
Anyway, I told you I needed your help deciding where to start. So, here's what I need your input on: I'm going to list several organizing/cleaning/purging projects that desperately need to get done and you're going to tell me which one you think would be best to start with. Please leave a comment telling me which one you would suggest and why. Also, if you have any tips on how to do any of them (especially the one you thing I should do first), PLEASE be so kind to write that out for me as well. I would greatly appreciate it. Maybe, just maybe, I can get one of these projects done in the next week, document it on camera and then post about it. I would of course give you credit for any tips and tricks you give me.
Here is my list: (in no particular order, just as they came to mind and I wrote them down in my notebook)
1. Master Bedroom: clean out closet, organize bathroom cabinet, purge clothes, re-arrange furniture for a nicer look (aesthetic), hang curtains, get wall hangings for the bare walls (I don't have one single thing hanging on the walls of our room, it's very stark!)
2. Office: clean out closet, re-arrange for a better set-up, get rid of some stuff that we don't use in there (right now we have our recliner and Waylon's electric drum set which both take up a TON of space and neither gets used very often), organize our papers and set up a filing system, organize bookshelves and hang some office-type decorations and curtains.
3. Kitchen: purge cabinets of un-used appliances and dishes, organize pantries and get a system going on that, clean out fridge, clear off counters and make more space by storing stuff that normally sits out in the open, clean off the bar top and find a solution to keeping it clutter free (right now it's the dumping ground when we walk in the door or are walking to our room and need to put something down).
4. Living Room: Re-arrange the furniture so that we can fit the recliner back (or get rid of the recliner), get rid of our pale blue end tables that don't match anything and either replace them or go without (therefore creating more room!), clean out and organize the coat closet and find a solution for keeping Brooklyn's toy and Layla's swing, bouncer and exersaucer out of the way. Oh and I want to re-decorate our mantle. It has had the same pictures on there since the day we moved in and I'm ready to switch it up (I would love something with our family name on it or a monogrammed something-or-other).
So, here's the part where you all share your opinion as to which room/project I should tackle first, why you think that and what tips and tricks do YOU have to share with me that work for you. I will then choose one (either the one with the most votes or the one that has the best advice and tips for) and get to work on it. I will, of course, document with photos as I go about it and post updates. My goal is to get all this done by the time Christmas decorating rolls around. I'm not all that concerned with decorating for the fall but I do want to decorate the house nicely for Christmas.
I should also add that it has taken me three days to write this post. During that time I decided to go ahead and tackle one of the things that was on my hand-written list but was not put on here because, miracle of all miracles, I actually FINISHED IT! So I will be writing a post about how I cleaned out and re-organized Brooklyn's room (and future shared room with Layla) with pictures included.
Pretty, pretty, pretty please share your thoughts. I'm in desperate need of help from any of you who have good organizing skills or have something in place at your house that really works well and is simple. I will of course give you credit for it when I post about what I did in that room and who gave me the genius ideas!
10 comments:
I hate clutter! My first instinct is to 'get rid of it!!'.
So my first advice is to seriously think about everything you touch while you're organizing and decide if you really need it. For example, the end tables... we don't have end tables. They take up too much space with three kiddos running all over the place. Do you really think you need them? If you use them for drinks, think about replacing one of them with a cube/box thing that can double as storage and a flat surface for drinks (we have one of those for the kids throw blankets). My basic rule is this: If I haven't used it in 3 months and/or if it's in the way, get rid of it. This goes for clothes, shoes, kitchen stuff... almost everything. (Seasonal items are, of course, exempt from this rule!)
With that said, I would start with the kitchen. This is where you have to do some of the worst chores (dishes, scrubbing floors, clearing clutter, etc) and the more peaceful the room is the easier it will be to get those gross chores done. Plus, once you get all those unused items out of the way you'll be relieved in the new breathing space you've been given (I should know- I recently did this same thing).
Our bar is also a dumping ground. I've made a habit to clean it off every evening after I've finished the dishes. That way it's only one day's worth of crap to put away!
One more suggestion (this is already super long... sorry!) is regarding all the toys. Sometimes I'd like to throw all their toys out! I had Michael build an extra wide shelf that hangs from chains that are hooked in the ceiling. It's the exact width of those plastic storage bins. Each box has a different type of toy (there's a car box, princess box, dress up box, etc). They are each allowed to have one box down at a time. If they want a different box they have to throw everything back into their current box to be put back on the shelf and out of reach. This keeps me from having to constantly sort through and put away toys. The shelf/box system has made a huge difference in how often I have to clean up toys and how long it takes me to do it. It might not be the prettiest shelf ever, but it's practical and cheap! (We also have two of these shelves in our garage for storing Christmas stuff, old photos, etc)
Good luck! Once you get a good system going it'll be easier to do everyday cleaning and pick up!
I would suggest you start with the Living Room. It's the first room people see when they walk in and it's probably where you spend most of your time. Definitely get rid of the end tables (I don't know if you have a coffee table, but I would suggest getting rid of it too. They just take up so much space and with little kids you need all the space you can get. At least try it without one and see.)
If you love the recliner and can get it to fit, then find a place for it, otherwise get rid of it.
If you don't have one already, I would buy some type of attractive basket or canvas-type container to hold any medium or small size toys. Limit the number of toys that can be in the living room to the amount that will fit in the basket. Anything more than that, would stay in the bedroom. I've always kept our basket on the fire place hearth because it's out of the way and it uses a space that isn't typically being used. Then if you have a spare corner or more room on the hearth, you can keep Layla's baby equipment when you're not using it. It won't look amazing, but it's efficient and keeps it out of the way.
I'm not sure where your coat closet is, but if it's in close proximity to the living room, once you clean it out, if there's room, you could also use the floor space there for baby equipment. If you're not hanging much in there, you could get a hanging organizer that hangs from the rod and use that to help organize miscellaneous baby things or shoes or toys, etc.
For the mantle, you could frame some cute snapshots of your girls or the family or if you have extra money to spend, check out engravedeuniques.com. Have a tile made with your family's name on it and put that up there.
I can really relate to your post! My kitchen and master bedrooms are my main areas of chaos, but my living room has to be at least semi-clean and organized or I feel crazy. Good luck!
My suggestion as far as end tables is to get rid of them. Although we do have some tables in our living room now, we used to use dinner trays. We got them out when we needed to set drinks on them or whatever and then put folded them up and put them away when we were done. Of course, we didn't ALWAYS put them away. They'd get left out alot. But if you really like having something that might work :-)
And I promise, cross my very heart, that your house is not worse than mine. When you have kids it's just impossible to keep it clean. I know how you feel though, about it stressing you out. Our house is a cluttered mess, from top to bottom. And I just say that I'm going to get one thing done each evening. Like I have a mountain of clothes in our room that I HAVE to put hang up or put in the laundry...I have like six loads of clean laundry I need to fold and put away. I just pick one of those things and make myself do it when the kids are asleep and then I feel better during the day just knowing I will for sure accomplish at least one thing.
And then the kids shake a box of cornstarch all over the house and I just give up :-) Maybe my best advice is to pretend it's not there! I'm probably the worst person to give advice on anything organizational! Good luck! Let us know how things go.
Have you heard of FlyLady?? She's AWESOME. (www.flylady.net) She has a few great rules:
- You are never behind. Don't try to catch up. Just jump in where you are.
- You can do anything for 15 minutes.
- Your house didn't get dirty in one week. It isn't going to get clean in one week. Baby steps.
She has a really great program that I can honestly say has transformed my life! Good luck :D
These are all great ideas! Keep em' coming! I'm not going to respond in too much detail because I'll be writing all that in a blog post and addressing each thing you have suggested.
Betsy - I'm definitely adopting the getting rid of it mentality. It's becoming easier and easier to just throw things out (especially if I'm home alone and Waylon's not around to consult! haha)
Lydia - you have a ton of great ideas for the living room! I'm probably going to do ALL of them! Can't believe I've never thought of those before. So simple!
Jackie, I think you and I have very similar issues with our housekeeping styles! Your laundry situation sounds like mine! I always have several loads of clean laundry piled around (getting horribly wrinkled) that need folding and put away! So frustrating! And it's definitely very easy to feel like giving up when the kids do something like that! Today, it was Brooklyn pouring out the entire contents of a jumbo bag of white cheddar popcorn onto the kitchen table and floor. Sigh....
Lauren, I have looked into FlyLady. She does have some WONDERFUL ideas and plans. I think the last time I went to her site I was pregnant and exhausted and had no energy and was home on maternity leave with Brooklyn so I put it on the back-burner because I knew I wouldn't have the energy or commitment to stick to it. I should go back there now though and look it back over. I did shine my sink though once and it was beautiful! I was amazed at how well that worked!
I'm sure everyone will have a different opinion( and all these ideas sound awesome, by the way) but here's mine... I think you should start with your bedroom. The reason I say this is because that is your haven, ( and because I know how easy it is for our own rooms to get taken care of last, speaking from personal experience). No one is really going to see it but you and Waylon, true, BUT you two will see it and it will be an oasis to go to every night after you work on everything else.
I would start with the clothes and closets to free up space. Then rearrange your furniture. Then, later as you have time/money you can redecorate slowly. (Tip for curtains...sheets make an inexpensive no-sew option. Just cut each end of the top"pocket" and slip your rod through.) A few throw pillows and a new fuzzy throw and you won't believe the difference.
And your house sounds perfectly normal. I have to reorganize every little bit too....and half the time I pick every other room in the house to do first and then wish i had started with my own.
Then go on to the Living room ( to feel better when company comes), Office ( mental organization next), and kitchen( because although this should probably be my first priority, it just doesn't interest me as much =).... in that order. Baby steps.
One book I will recommend that I just found a few months ago is called Organized Simplicity. Not too expensive and fabulous in it's content. It will be your step by step guide that will help walk you through and keep it from being overwhelming. And personally I like something tangible, like a book, better than online help. Although both are great and I've gotten help both places. Amazon carries it if your local bookstore doesn't.
That's my 2 cents! hope it helps!
Oops sorry Steph, This is Jessica. I didn't realize i was signed in under my husbands google account. And I just thought of one more thing, I agree with Lydia about the coffee table, but what I did a few months ago was get a storage "chest" (rattan-style) in place of my coffee table because we do drink alot of coffee and are serving it to others. It's amazing the chaos that it hides. Ok now I'm done.
You've already got lots of great tips but I wanted to throw my two cents in too. :) I personally would start the organization process in my kitchen. Every time we have moved that has always been my first priority because if I can't get to cups and plates and the kitchen counter is a mess of stuff, I feel like I am going nuts. That's just me though. I can see the benefit of everyone else's suggestions for the starting room too and they are all valid.
I am a huge fan of keeping only what you use regularly. If you don't actually use your end tables in your living room, then of course they should go. If they take up too much space but you use the table tops to hold drinks, I like your other friend's idea to use TV trays. We did that for awhile till we got the end tables we currently have. The way our living room is set up, our tables don't get in the way of the kids and we use the drawer in one of them to hold all TV remotes and Xbox controllers. The open space in the bottom of the tables holds our throw blankets that are used often during the cooler weather. But if yours never get used and you would have no use for them as a storage area, then for sure lose them and don't replace them.
Our neighborhood has two community yard sales a year and since we have moved here I have really culled down all the unnecessary kitchen items that I don't use. I'll just pull out those things that never get used and that I have more than I need of (such as coffee mugs). I do have one space in my kitchen where all school papers and clipped coupons that I haven't put in my purse yet seem to land and I have to go through that periodically. It can sometimes get out of hand but it's all in one spot and it's in a corner out of the way. I know how easy that is to have a spot that is a dumping ground. Maybe you could get a cute basket that is big enough for paper to fit inside but that fits nicely on your counter and that is where you could put mail, your Bible or any other papers or things that you carry inside and need to put down right away - even car keys. I had Paul put two hooks on the inside of our hall coat closet and I hang my purse and the diaper bag there and that keeps me from just putting those things on the table or the counter and leaving them there.
One other thing I wanted to say is this: once you have gotten all of your own things organized, your girls toys and other things won't feel so overwhelming. Their things are all surface stuff that you probably already have baskets for (in the case of smaller toys that get spread everywhere) and you know they are going to be gotten out on a regular basis. I can ignore my kids toys spread everywhere much easier than I can dishes and mine or Paul's things spread out all over. That may just be me, but if I have a place for all of my things and I know exactly where to put something of mine that has been taken out of it's spot, I don't feel so overwhelmed by the kids toys once again being drug all through the house.
I hope it goes well for you!
I think once you pick what room to start with, you need to divide it into smaller more manageable pieces. I think you are more likely to finish a project if you can celebrate small victories on the way. Also, when you are cleaning out things, only touch each item once. Decide to either get rid of it or find it a permanent home. (Everything in my house has a home where it lives and goes when not being used.) Do not create temporary homes for anything or you have a tendency to ignore it for a while and will just have to purge that area later. When I was cleaning out my secondary bedroom closets, I moved all the stuff into the middle of my living room. I knew that if I put it nicely into a corner until I could get to it, it would find a new home there and I wouldn't go through it for a while. I wanted it to be in the way so that it would annoy me enough that I'd have to deal with it.
It feels so good to go through something and actually get rid of stuff instead of moving it around. Happy House Organizing/Cleaning!!
Jessica, when I saw the first comment I wondered who it was but I figured it was someone I knew because you mentioned my husband by name. lol. I really like your reasons for me doing my room first. I agree, it's definitely my haven and should be a place I enjoy going to! There are two reasons I won't start with it though: Layla's baby stuff is in there right now (changing table, crib and a cube shelf to keep her stuff in) and in order to do all the stuff I want to do in there, I'm going to have to save some money up for a few purchases that will be needed to spruce it up. I don't think it will feel haven-like until I get the baby out and into her own room. I'm hoping this will happen sometime this fall. I'm very excited at the thought of getting our room back to just Waylon and I! I will definitely look for Organized Simplicity at Half Priced Books. Sounds like a great tool to help me.
Grace, my first instinct was to definitely start with the kitchen but I was quite overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done in there. It's going to be a long process and I will probably have to do a little at a time as I work on other rooms in the house. I cannot wait till I have a well-organized and functional kitchen though. It's going to feel like a fantasy I think! lol. Especially now that I'm cooking at home a lot more. I'm finding a lot of flaws with my current set-up. One thing I loved with your suggestion was the coffee table with drawers and storage space. I've decided I'm going to get rid of my crappy end tables and start hunting for something sturdy with a drawer for our remotes and a bigger storage area for our winter blankets we keep out in the living room. That will work perfect and we will only need one. I'm going to save up money for it and I'm going to shop around a lot until I find "the" one that I love. I'm also going to look at Goodwill and see if they have any older ones for cheap that I could repaint or something. I'm totally up for a good bargain on that!
Sandra, those are great ideas! I do need to break up each room into smaller projects, especially rooms like the kitchen, office and master bedroom. They simply cannot all be done in one day. I'm very guilty of putting things in a corner/closet to deal with later and then never getting to them. I'm determined to not do that anymore! Thanks for stopping by!
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