Last week, I mentioned that I was challenging myself to declutter 100 things from my house, by my parents' Thanksgiving visit. Rather than one big purge, I've been adding to the stash consistently a little each day. I didn't think it would be too hard, and it wasn't. In fact, I'm guessing I could easily get rid of twice as much if I wanted - so that might be a goal for another time.
Everything is packed up and in the back of my car, ready to be dropped off at the thrift store this afternoon. Here's the complete list:
3 paintings
2 pairs of shoes
8 bags
2 boxes
2 sets of cards
7 holiday decorations
1 roll of ribbon
1 floor square
1 drying rack
1 easel
1 small filing cabinet
1 miscellaneous wall decoration
1 big lint roller
1 file holder
4 bowls
1 terrarium
1 hanging basket
6 vases
1 basket
1 candle plate
scrap fabric
1 curtain rod
2 plates
11 shirts
7 towels
4 skirts
3 leashes
1 dog collar
6 books
1 scarf
1 wristband
1 pan set
2 pans
2 baking dishes
2 measuring cups
3 sets oven mitts
3 picture frames
1 bucket
1 thermos
1 pillowcase
3 bead cases
Total: 103
Showing posts with label Organize. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Organize. Show all posts
reminders of the undone.
Sometimes it feels like everywhere I look, I see reminders of things that aren't done. There are dishes in the sink, dirty clothes on the floor, clean clothes in the laundry basket AND the dryer, mutant weeds all over the flower beds, and tools and materials for craft projects spread out all over the table.
My usual reaction to something like this is to start writing things down. Do a mind dump and get everything out on paper, starting making to-do lists to plan how I'm going to tackle everything. But the reminders seem to come faster than I can process them - this is the part where I start to get overwhelmed. And not in a good way - this is the kind of overwhelmed where I want to bury my head in the sand and pretend the problem doesn't exist.
With the mind dump and to-do lists not really helping, its time to move on to the next strategy - a grand purge. With a deadline. My hope is that clearing out the physical clutter will not only make it easier to finish the things that I need to, but will help to create the mental space I need to be productive, instead of overwhelmed.
This idea was actually inspired by a post from Young House Love (and a desire to continue to work on clearing out the clutter in my house). Their initial goal was to get rid of 100 things before moving in December. Just a few days later, they posted the results - 222 things gone.
I'm using my parents' Thanksgiving visit as my deadline, giving me just over a week to finish, and I'm keeping a growing list of my refrigerator to help me stay motivated. I'll post my results next week.
My usual reaction to something like this is to start writing things down. Do a mind dump and get everything out on paper, starting making to-do lists to plan how I'm going to tackle everything. But the reminders seem to come faster than I can process them - this is the part where I start to get overwhelmed. And not in a good way - this is the kind of overwhelmed where I want to bury my head in the sand and pretend the problem doesn't exist.
With the mind dump and to-do lists not really helping, its time to move on to the next strategy - a grand purge. With a deadline. My hope is that clearing out the physical clutter will not only make it easier to finish the things that I need to, but will help to create the mental space I need to be productive, instead of overwhelmed.
This idea was actually inspired by a post from Young House Love (and a desire to continue to work on clearing out the clutter in my house). Their initial goal was to get rid of 100 things before moving in December. Just a few days later, they posted the results - 222 things gone.
I'm using my parents' Thanksgiving visit as my deadline, giving me just over a week to finish, and I'm keeping a growing list of my refrigerator to help me stay motivated. I'll post my results next week.
reorganizing the bathroom cabinet.
This is just one more project in my continuing quest to get rid of the things I don't need, organize what's left, and hopefully in doing so, create space for the other things God wants to do in my home and life.
My friend Heather asked me if I could watch her boys one evening this week while she and her husband ran a few important errands. I was happy to - I was just planning on being home, working on house stuff, and I always love hanging out with their boys. So while the boys played for a while with their brand new toys and with my dogs, I looked around to see what kind of straightening I could do in bits and pieces. I decided to sort through some of the stuff in my bathroom cabinet, particularly getting rid of expired medicine, both mine and the dogs.
Once I got going, I kept at it, until I had tossed the stuff I didn't want, laid everything else on the counter around the sink, and pulled off the old contact paper and shelf liner. I was going to start loading everything back in, until I remembered that I had always thought it would be fun to paint the inside of the cabinet (and it would clean it up a bit, too, as the white was looking pretty dingy). I figured it wouldn't take long to paint and it wouldn't hurt to leave the stuff sit out on the sink overnight, so after Heather and Nick picked up the boys, I spent a quick 15 minutes painting the inside of the cabinet.
Its not a perfect paint job, but its definitely good enough for the inside of a cabinet! I loaded everything back after giving it a full day to dry. I got rid of a lot of things that I don't need, and was also able to move some extra supplies in here from the hallway closet, where they'll be more visible and more likely to get used. This will also help when I re-organize that closet a bit - its a little more full than I'd like.
All told, I spent maybe 30 minutes on this project, over three different times (sorting/unloading, paint, and putting everything back). Sometimes I wonder why I make things so much harder than I need to? Planning is all well and good, but there's a lot to be said for just getting it done, too.
My friend Heather asked me if I could watch her boys one evening this week while she and her husband ran a few important errands. I was happy to - I was just planning on being home, working on house stuff, and I always love hanging out with their boys. So while the boys played for a while with their brand new toys and with my dogs, I looked around to see what kind of straightening I could do in bits and pieces. I decided to sort through some of the stuff in my bathroom cabinet, particularly getting rid of expired medicine, both mine and the dogs.
Once I got going, I kept at it, until I had tossed the stuff I didn't want, laid everything else on the counter around the sink, and pulled off the old contact paper and shelf liner. I was going to start loading everything back in, until I remembered that I had always thought it would be fun to paint the inside of the cabinet (and it would clean it up a bit, too, as the white was looking pretty dingy). I figured it wouldn't take long to paint and it wouldn't hurt to leave the stuff sit out on the sink overnight, so after Heather and Nick picked up the boys, I spent a quick 15 minutes painting the inside of the cabinet.
(the before - see, grungy, right?)
Its not a perfect paint job, but its definitely good enough for the inside of a cabinet! I loaded everything back after giving it a full day to dry. I got rid of a lot of things that I don't need, and was also able to move some extra supplies in here from the hallway closet, where they'll be more visible and more likely to get used. This will also help when I re-organize that closet a bit - its a little more full than I'd like.
All told, I spent maybe 30 minutes on this project, over three different times (sorting/unloading, paint, and putting everything back). Sometimes I wonder why I make things so much harder than I need to? Planning is all well and good, but there's a lot to be said for just getting it done, too.
from to-do to done.
I'm a planner and a list-maker. I would be in trouble without the ongoing to-do list I keep in my Blackberry - seriously, if I don't put it in there, chances are its not getting done. And for as long as I can remember, I've always started my work day with a to-do list, complete with little checkboxes. I usually make another when I get home. So I'm a big fan of the to-do list.
But recently I started doing something new. Rather than making a list of things to do, I've started keeping a list of the things that I've done. And it has been very freeing.
Despite my best intentions to make a reasonable list, its rare that I actually complete everything I plan to in a day - so it is much more encouraging to have a list of accomplishments, rather than even a few empty checkboxes, at the end of the day. It also gives me a chance to record the things that come up, that need to get done then but never make it to the list.
I'll keep using my Blackberry to track my long-term to-do list, but on a daily basis, the done list is working well for me.
But recently I started doing something new. Rather than making a list of things to do, I've started keeping a list of the things that I've done. And it has been very freeing.
Despite my best intentions to make a reasonable list, its rare that I actually complete everything I plan to in a day - so it is much more encouraging to have a list of accomplishments, rather than even a few empty checkboxes, at the end of the day. It also gives me a chance to record the things that come up, that need to get done then but never make it to the list.
I'll keep using my Blackberry to track my long-term to-do list, but on a daily basis, the done list is working well for me.
project inspiration (vol 1).
Just a few of the projects I've seen lately that are inspiring me:
DIY garden chandelier from Ecologue - I'm trying to convince my sister to let me create something like this for her outdoor reception in August - I think it would look amazing hanging above the railing on her deck.
Old window turned display frame from 71 toes - I already have a thing for making stuff from old window frames (exhibit a, b, and c), and I'd definitely like to do this with a huge window I have in the garage. Choosing photos will be the hard part.
Front door quote from Apartment Therapy - I've been thinking of quote ideas for my front door, whenever I figure out what I'm actually going to do with it. Love this one!
Hidden cabinet inspiration board from Young House Love - I'm definitely doing this, as I think I already have all the pieces I would need at home!
Greenhouse window from Martha Stewart - One of the few things I regret about renovating my kitchen 4 years ago is that I didn't plan for a deeper window sill (and the gooseneck faucet that I love makes adding one impossible). Something like this might would be a great way to add space for growing herbs in the window.
DIY garden chandelier from Ecologue - I'm trying to convince my sister to let me create something like this for her outdoor reception in August - I think it would look amazing hanging above the railing on her deck.
Old window turned display frame from 71 toes - I already have a thing for making stuff from old window frames (exhibit a, b, and c), and I'd definitely like to do this with a huge window I have in the garage. Choosing photos will be the hard part.
Front door quote from Apartment Therapy - I've been thinking of quote ideas for my front door, whenever I figure out what I'm actually going to do with it. Love this one!
Hidden cabinet inspiration board from Young House Love - I'm definitely doing this, as I think I already have all the pieces I would need at home!
Greenhouse window from Martha Stewart - One of the few things I regret about renovating my kitchen 4 years ago is that I didn't plan for a deeper window sill (and the gooseneck faucet that I love makes adding one impossible). Something like this might would be a great way to add space for growing herbs in the window.
updated jewelry organizer.
While I'm working on painting the closet (a process that I'm convinced will be longer and a lot less fun than building the shelves), I thought I'd share another project I finished up recently.
I've been planning to redo my old jewelry organizer for a while, since I painted my bedroom (6 months ago!). Since then, my jewelry has been sitting in a big pile on my dresser, which, clearly, doesn't work too well.
I love using fencing mesh to store my jewelry, because its completely customizable to what I have, and I like having my stuff on display. The problem is, because this stuff comes in a roll, its really difficult to get it flattened out properly, unless its stapled to something.
I've made some of these for others using an empty frame, but for this one, I wanted to use an old window - thanks to Victor, I have tons of them in my garage (and boy do I have plans for them!). I busted out all of the glass (very carefully), then cleaned up the frame and primed and painted it. Painting took quite a while - its so cold in my garage that it took a while for each coat to dry.
I had originally hoped to use the mesh from my old organizer - unfortunately, it wasn't quite large enough. I bought more, then cut it down to size using wire cutters (I used one of my jewelry-making tools, but you could also use the inside part of a pair of needle-nosed pliers).
I stapled the mesh to the back using my staple gun, then realized the mesh wasn't straight. So, I took out all of the staples, lined it up properly this time, then stapled again.
One thing that's difficult about working with this stuff is that the edges are really sharp, particularly in places where you've just cut it (and I have the scratches on my hands to prove it). This also makes laying it out just right a bit tricky, especially because it just wants to roll right back up again. Once the first two staples are in place (each on an opposite side), it goes much more quickly.
I also bought knobs to attach at the bottom (then had to buy longer screws, too), just to add some more hanging space.
After I hung up it up and added all my jewelry, I discovered a couple more problems. I used a picture hanger on the center of the back, and while that would be sufficient for most things, the varying weight of the jewelry and the fact that I was constantly touching it meant that it never quite hung straight. Also, the mesh hung right up next to the wall, meaning it was difficult to hook the jewelry into it.
To fix both of these, I added a couple of small pieces of wood (leftover from the closet project) to each side of the back, then added picture hangers to those pieces. I also added a couple of pieces at the bottom so it would hang straight.
All told, the project cost me about $20:
mesh - $8 (with plenty leftover for other projects)
knobs - $10 (5 at $2 each)
longer screws - $2
old window - free
wood pieces for the back - free
picture hangers - I already had these on hand
And now my jewelry is organized, once again!
I've been planning to redo my old jewelry organizer for a while, since I painted my bedroom (6 months ago!). Since then, my jewelry has been sitting in a big pile on my dresser, which, clearly, doesn't work too well.
I love using fencing mesh to store my jewelry, because its completely customizable to what I have, and I like having my stuff on display. The problem is, because this stuff comes in a roll, its really difficult to get it flattened out properly, unless its stapled to something.
I've made some of these for others using an empty frame, but for this one, I wanted to use an old window - thanks to Victor, I have tons of them in my garage (and boy do I have plans for them!). I busted out all of the glass (very carefully), then cleaned up the frame and primed and painted it. Painting took quite a while - its so cold in my garage that it took a while for each coat to dry.
I had originally hoped to use the mesh from my old organizer - unfortunately, it wasn't quite large enough. I bought more, then cut it down to size using wire cutters (I used one of my jewelry-making tools, but you could also use the inside part of a pair of needle-nosed pliers).
I stapled the mesh to the back using my staple gun, then realized the mesh wasn't straight. So, I took out all of the staples, lined it up properly this time, then stapled again.
One thing that's difficult about working with this stuff is that the edges are really sharp, particularly in places where you've just cut it (and I have the scratches on my hands to prove it). This also makes laying it out just right a bit tricky, especially because it just wants to roll right back up again. Once the first two staples are in place (each on an opposite side), it goes much more quickly.
I also bought knobs to attach at the bottom (then had to buy longer screws, too), just to add some more hanging space.
After I hung up it up and added all my jewelry, I discovered a couple more problems. I used a picture hanger on the center of the back, and while that would be sufficient for most things, the varying weight of the jewelry and the fact that I was constantly touching it meant that it never quite hung straight. Also, the mesh hung right up next to the wall, meaning it was difficult to hook the jewelry into it.
To fix both of these, I added a couple of small pieces of wood (leftover from the closet project) to each side of the back, then added picture hangers to those pieces. I also added a couple of pieces at the bottom so it would hang straight.
All told, the project cost me about $20:
mesh - $8 (with plenty leftover for other projects)
knobs - $10 (5 at $2 each)
longer screws - $2
old window - free
wood pieces for the back - free
picture hangers - I already had these on hand
And now my jewelry is organized, once again!
a bit of randomness.
Just a few random updates on my life...
First, any photo in a post about food - its probably a safe bet that I stole the photo from the same place I got the recipe. I wish I was that talented, as either a stager or a photographer. I should probably start documenting those appropriately.
I just sold my car, tonight. Victor has been taking care of it for me for a portion of the price (which has been a fabulous help!) and called me today with an offer. I accepted it, then a few hours later I was holding the cash in my hand. So glad to have that taken care of.
I'm planning a community Easter egg hunt as a Bridge outreach for the day before Easter (so if you're local, come and bring kids with you!). Lots and lots of details involved, trying to find the best prices for everything we want to do. I'm trying to plan a duck race and having a hard time finding inexpensive ducks that will float upright, as odd as that sounds.
Katie and Jake (and maybe a few others) are coming for a visit in a couple weeks. He wants to ride the ferry and go to the zoo. I can't wait to hang out with that kid. And his mom, too, of course.
And here is a problem that has been running through my mind for a while, with no clear solution - I can't figure out how to organize my bead supplies, in a way that doesn't involve spending a ton of money I don't have and that actually makes it convenient to use them. I've been looking for inspiration online, without a lot of luck. I have a couple kinda-ideas floating around in my head that might work - just need to start trying them out.
First, any photo in a post about food - its probably a safe bet that I stole the photo from the same place I got the recipe. I wish I was that talented, as either a stager or a photographer. I should probably start documenting those appropriately.
I just sold my car, tonight. Victor has been taking care of it for me for a portion of the price (which has been a fabulous help!) and called me today with an offer. I accepted it, then a few hours later I was holding the cash in my hand. So glad to have that taken care of.
I'm planning a community Easter egg hunt as a Bridge outreach for the day before Easter (so if you're local, come and bring kids with you!). Lots and lots of details involved, trying to find the best prices for everything we want to do. I'm trying to plan a duck race and having a hard time finding inexpensive ducks that will float upright, as odd as that sounds.
Katie and Jake (and maybe a few others) are coming for a visit in a couple weeks. He wants to ride the ferry and go to the zoo. I can't wait to hang out with that kid. And his mom, too, of course.
And here is a problem that has been running through my mind for a while, with no clear solution - I can't figure out how to organize my bead supplies, in a way that doesn't involve spending a ton of money I don't have and that actually makes it convenient to use them. I've been looking for inspiration online, without a lot of luck. I have a couple kinda-ideas floating around in my head that might work - just need to start trying them out.
september.
Do you ever suddenly look at your schedule for the next few weeks and realize its bordering on insanity? I'm not quite sure what happened to summer, but September just blew up.
I'm finishing up last minute packing and straightening so I can drive to Frederick in an hour, because I'm meeting friends tomorrow to go see Les Miserables at Wolf Trap. So excited!
Last night was a frenzy of activity, but today, I'm oh-so-prepared. I've now bought all the presents I'll need through the next three months (birthday party, housewarming, 2 bridal showers, and 2 weddings), and half are already wrapped. I bought the materials to make the invitations for the second shower (as I'm hosting it). I'm almost ready with the games for the first shower, this weekend (and will be done by tonight). I bought enough food to last me through the beginning of next week and have already started on my grocery list for Katie, Vince, and Jacob's visit next weekend. I chose the song I'm singing at Emmanuel two weeks from Sunday and made arrangements for someone to accompany me. And I found a great denim skirt that looks really cute (I've been looking for one, off and on, for a couple months now).
See? Prepared. Now I'm actually excited about September, instead of stressed out.
I'm finishing up last minute packing and straightening so I can drive to Frederick in an hour, because I'm meeting friends tomorrow to go see Les Miserables at Wolf Trap. So excited!
Last night was a frenzy of activity, but today, I'm oh-so-prepared. I've now bought all the presents I'll need through the next three months (birthday party, housewarming, 2 bridal showers, and 2 weddings), and half are already wrapped. I bought the materials to make the invitations for the second shower (as I'm hosting it). I'm almost ready with the games for the first shower, this weekend (and will be done by tonight). I bought enough food to last me through the beginning of next week and have already started on my grocery list for Katie, Vince, and Jacob's visit next weekend. I chose the song I'm singing at Emmanuel two weeks from Sunday and made arrangements for someone to accompany me. And I found a great denim skirt that looks really cute (I've been looking for one, off and on, for a couple months now).
See? Prepared. Now I'm actually excited about September, instead of stressed out.
cheap storage.
Since I started making jewelry, I've been playing around with a lot of different ways to store beads. Because let me tell you, as little as those suckers there, they sure can take up a lot of space!
At first I used bead organizers - those clear plastic boxes subdivided with little compartments. It worked for a while - but now that my collection has grown, its just not practical - its too difficult to keep like items together.
For my birthday, my friends Kristina and Hannibal gave me a great tote filled with old baby food jars (the labels have been removed and the tops spray-painted). These have been working really well, and Kristina has since given me more old jars to use - but I still need a place to put them. I was keeping my eyes open for a low bookself or storage case at thrift stores, until I went into my shed to pick up some things for church (that's about all that's stored in there right now), and saw this:
.jpg)
This is the cleaned-up, primed version. It old, cheap, and rickety, but it was free! A little spray paint, a few cute plant holders I picked up on clearance at Ross (I love these things!), and its a great solution!
.jpg)
At first I used bead organizers - those clear plastic boxes subdivided with little compartments. It worked for a while - but now that my collection has grown, its just not practical - its too difficult to keep like items together.
For my birthday, my friends Kristina and Hannibal gave me a great tote filled with old baby food jars (the labels have been removed and the tops spray-painted). These have been working really well, and Kristina has since given me more old jars to use - but I still need a place to put them. I was keeping my eyes open for a low bookself or storage case at thrift stores, until I went into my shed to pick up some things for church (that's about all that's stored in there right now), and saw this:
.jpg)
This is the cleaned-up, primed version. It old, cheap, and rickety, but it was free! A little spray paint, a few cute plant holders I picked up on clearance at Ross (I love these things!), and its a great solution!
.jpg)
more spray paint projects.
I found both of these at the Habitat for Humanity Restore in Virginia Beach. The door bucket, below, had no price sticker on it, so the cashier gave it to me for 50 cents. It was dark green with an odd check pattern, so I spray painted it black. Normally, a deep blue/violet is my favorite color of hydrangea, but with the pink flowering plants in my flower bed, I thought these colors were a better choice.
I was searching for a way to store the jewelry I'm making, and this rack is perfect. I could make another jewelry organizer, like the one I use for my personal jewelry, but I don't really need everything on display, just easily accessible. I paid $2 for this rack, and tried painting it green, but didn't like the end result. So, I went with a dark brown instead.
I was searching for a way to store the jewelry I'm making, and this rack is perfect. I could make another jewelry organizer, like the one I use for my personal jewelry, but I don't really need everything on display, just easily accessible. I paid $2 for this rack, and tried painting it green, but didn't like the end result. So, I went with a dark brown instead.
Doing the happy dance
Remember last year, when I said that this is my very favorite Christmas CD?
Andrew Peterson's Behold The Lamb Of God
Well, I thought I lost it. And this isn't even the first time I've lost this CD! I couldn't find it anywhere, until today, when I dug out some of my Christmas CDs and realized, opened one CD case, and found it in there!
This is just amazing - I'm singing every word while I'm cooking. I love it!
And Nick, if you're reading this, I think we should do some of these songs in December. :-)
I also got very excited when I realized that the VA would be doing pick-up donations next week, so I don't have to lug everything out to my car and Goodwill. I'm not sure what it says about me that these are the highlights of my day.
Andrew Peterson's Behold The Lamb Of GodWell, I thought I lost it. And this isn't even the first time I've lost this CD! I couldn't find it anywhere, until today, when I dug out some of my Christmas CDs and realized, opened one CD case, and found it in there!
This is just amazing - I'm singing every word while I'm cooking. I love it!
And Nick, if you're reading this, I think we should do some of these songs in December. :-)
I also got very excited when I realized that the VA would be doing pick-up donations next week, so I don't have to lug everything out to my car and Goodwill. I'm not sure what it says about me that these are the highlights of my day.
Progress
I really did want to finish dealing with paper before the weekend was over, but after helping Trish and Billy with their move on Sunday, too, I was just too tired. I came home, sat on the couch and started to watch Cold Case, picked up the first piece of paper to deal with it, and immediately realized that I was too exhausted to do anything other than go directly to bed.
But - I did finish dealing with all the paper Monday night. I also started a list of what exactly I need to store in here, with ideas on how it should be stored, keeping in mind the containers I already have. So, that means I need to go shopping.
Also, today, I read a few entries from Kristin's blog, which is so fun because she's just a really good writer and its so great to read about the stuff she's doing while she's in London for the semester. I love that she's writing about real life stuff, too, like what she's thinking and feeling. And I love that she seems to be really enjoying these moments, and it made me think that I need to be careful to really enjoy moments in my life, too.
Last night, I wore Christmas socks with bells on them. I have a lot of Christmas socks, because I went through this period where I had a kind of sock thing and I bought a lot of them and a lot of people bought them for me, too. I don't wear these outside the house, because I think it would be really annoying for people to hear a little bell every time I took a step and because, let's face it, I'm not that much of a dork. But I like them. So did Harvey - she kept trying to figure out where the sound was coming from.
But - I did finish dealing with all the paper Monday night. I also started a list of what exactly I need to store in here, with ideas on how it should be stored, keeping in mind the containers I already have. So, that means I need to go shopping.
Also, today, I read a few entries from Kristin's blog, which is so fun because she's just a really good writer and its so great to read about the stuff she's doing while she's in London for the semester. I love that she's writing about real life stuff, too, like what she's thinking and feeling. And I love that she seems to be really enjoying these moments, and it made me think that I need to be careful to really enjoy moments in my life, too.
Last night, I wore Christmas socks with bells on them. I have a lot of Christmas socks, because I went through this period where I had a kind of sock thing and I bought a lot of them and a lot of people bought them for me, too. I don't wear these outside the house, because I think it would be really annoying for people to hear a little bell every time I took a step and because, let's face it, I'm not that much of a dork. But I like them. So did Harvey - she kept trying to figure out where the sound was coming from.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)