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I’ve always had this deep desire to have my life completely organized, but it never seems to fall into place. Last year it was my New Year’s resolution to get more organized and I’m sad to say that it lasted maybe all of one week. Or maybe not at all. I tend to live in a state of constant cleaning and moving piles from one place to another. When I was a kid, my grandmother used to tell me that I’d have a hard time finding (and keeping) a husband if I couldn’t keep a clean house. Maybe I hid it well. Or maybe J loves me despite my faults in this area. Either way, it’s not that I want to have a mess on my hands. That’s just the way it’s been. We’ve always kept busy schedules so home organization has always been at the bottom of my to-do list.
This year, though – this is the year. I’m sick of the boxes and the stuff. We’re not only putting things away, but clearing it out altogether. I hate that we’ve been in this house for over a year and we still have boxes. I know, I know. Many of you still have unpacked boxes from the last time you moved. But for us, these boxes were packed maybe two homes ago and the things in them haven’t seen the light of day for years. Years.
So naturally, on my quest for a more organized home, I start with the smallest room of the house. J claims that it’s not really a room at all, so I’m not exactly sure where it puts me on the success to organization meter. But it’s one that’s always been packed and in disarray. And now that it’s not, I am overjoyed.
My first project was to tackle the linen closet. How’s yours? Messy? Towels and sheets stuffed in with the door barely shutting? Yep. Ours too. This house has the largest linen closet we’ve ever had and it was still packed to to brim.
Here’s the before and after, which I’m quite proud of:
Don’t let that empty space in the before picture fool you – I started clearing out some things before I thought to take a photo. I started with going through which things I could put in the yard sale pile and which ones I could just toss altogether. (I mean, who really needs sheets with holes??)
Then, I found some baskets at a local store so I could corral our hand towels, washcloths and bed linens:
The green baskets came with tags for labeling. I haven’t decided if I’m going to write anything on them because I’m not sure if everything’s in its permanent place. Plus, I have commitment issues.
Larger baskets for spare blankets:
And plastic bins for extra pillowcases, random things that seem seem to creep into the closet:
I’ve been completely giddy over this first project. Just ask J. I keep asking him to tell me what he thinks about it.
My next project is our master bedroom and my goal is to finish it by the end of the month. It won’t be perfect – I have grand plans of repainting the walls, new furniture (pretty please, J???) and a couple other special features, but those will have to wait. At least this will get the boxes of books off of the floor and give me a clear dresser top for once, though. I promise to share photos when it’s done!
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