Clutter Control

As if I didn't have enough things burdening my brain these days, I have decided to tackle my clutter.  I pinpointed 3 problem areas where things tend to just pile up.  Do you have any spots like that?  I did not have the foresight to take 'before' pictures, so I only have the 'afters'....

Here we have the kitchen counter.  This is our communication center.  I tend to hoard pens and pencils and scraps of paper, yes, scraps. Waste not, want not, right?  I'm not even sure what that means, just that it applies to my scraps of paper.  Anywho, this area tends to pile up quickly with other papers that need to be filed elsewhere, toys, rocks and any other items confiscated from children, etc.

This is my supposed crafting table in our office...otherwise known as the table that holds everything that doesn't have a home.  It's such a source of frustration because it's so easy to throw things on it and leave the room.  Outta sight, outta mind, right?  I got a million of 'em.

Here, we have my dresser in our room.  Most of the time, the top cannot be seen.  It tends to get covered with things that need to go downstairs, but quickly get forgotten about.  What goes up must come down, right?  Wait...that's not right.  oh well...

So, I have committed to let ANYTHING sit on these surfaces that doesn't belong there!  I will be implementing the concept of 'O-H-I-O', Only Handle It Once.  If something has a home, it needs to go there immediately.  If it doesn't have a home, I will make one for it.  Since Trey and I will (most likely) be going to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to continue Trey's treatment for more than a month, I really felt like it would be a gift for Jay to NOT have to look at my clutter the whole time we're gone.  (It really is only my clutter!)

On a completely unrelated note, I read about a new hipster phenomenon called 'the Monkey Tail' and I challenged our friend, Drew, to grow one...and he did!!!  And it was great!

Can you see the monkey tail?  Awesome sauce!

Did you know???

Did you ever hear the phrase "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"?  I bet you have...but, did you know that's not the actual definition of insanity?  Nope, it's not.  And believe me, I  looked it up like a million times. 

Good ol' Albert Einstein thought up that quote.

Anywho, even if it's not the real meaning, I appreciate it and apply it to our home office.  Our office used to be our unused garage and I'm very thankful for the hard work and man power and hours that went into converting it into a finished room complete with a doorway into the living room.  (Ask Jay about getting to use a concrete saw...I think he thinks he became a man that day.)  However, this office has also been a thorn in my side.  It's constantly cluttered, overflowing with all the things we don't want to the kids to touch or play with barricaded by a baby gate...It's floor to ceiling with my dust covered scrapbook supplies, countless books, bills (of both the paid and yet-to-be kind),framed pictures with no where to hang, memorabilia of yore...Don't forget the computer, printer and the desk that holds it all, too.  My organization skills fail to exist in here.  I'm stuck in a void where plastic bins can't save me and file folders mock me.  The source of the problem eludes me.

So, every few months, I clean the living ink out of this room and make empty promises that "This time will be different!"...then a few months later, I clean, then a few months later, I clean...do you see my insanity?  To keep cleaning the office is not going to solve the problem.  The room is set up to fail. 

All that being said, we are making some major changes in this room.  Not just surface cleaning, but actual go through the drawers and throw away the 10 year old gas bills and receipt for a dryer that's been gone for 5 years kind of cleaning.  I'm rearranging furniture, too!  It would've helped if I had remembered that I anchored the bookshelf to the wall before I tried to move it.  I seriously thought I was trapped in a Twilight Zone episode...

So, please excuse me temporarily while I get this room in order!  I'll be back soon!

p.s. Trunk or Treat went great!  The kids had fun, no one was shaking in fear and there's plenty o'chocolate for Momma!  I'll post pics soon!

Organize the Already Organized

I absolutely should be cleaning right now...my aunt, cousin, cousin-in-law and 3 second cousins (or is it cousin once removed???) are visiting this weekend and our house looks like, well, like 3 kids and 2 busy parents live here.  Unacceptable, I tell you.  But, instead of cleaning, I decided to post this TIP. 

Years ago, I organized our linen closet to within an inch of its life.  I'm talking bins with labels, stickers, designated shelves, the works.  And that system has had its ups and downs but has basically held true to form.  For example, on the floor of the closet is a big drawer bin that holds cleaning supplies.  (Before you panic, the bin has a Mr. Yuck sticker on it AND the closet is locked).  That bin hasn't moved once since I put it there.  There is a bin labeled "Kids Medicine" and a bin labeled "Adult Medicine".  One shelf for towels, one shelf for bed linens and nary the two shall meet...See?   It's really quite lovely. 

However!  The problem is this...I haven't cleaned out this closet in forever!!!!  So, while I love to have cleaning supplies at the ready, I really only use 2 or 3 products which renders that 13 year old bottle of ammonia useless.  Not to mention all the things that leaked inside the bin creating quite the Petri dish of combustibles.  I found a few other things in the closet that struck me as odd....like 6 die (dice, dices, deeces??), a yo-yo, a bubble maker, pack of matches and a partially used bar of soap. 

I like to keep things.  This may explain why I've held onto a bottle of perfume that someone once told me they liked because it reminded them of their Grandma.  Or why I held onto a set of breast shells from my nursing woes of Joe (he'll be 7 next month).  Or the travel sized make up bags with broken zippers.  Or the expired medicines...

Breath easy people!  I've thrown out a ton of stuff and rearranged the placement of bins so that the cleaning supplies are off the floor and out of little hands' reach and all is right with the world.

So, my tip is this....Even if a spot in your home seems to be organized, if its been awhile since you went through it, maybe it would be a good idea to organize your already organized space.

You're welcome.  Carry on.