We’ve talked about my organizing philosophies before.
It’s not perfect here, and never will be. Sometimes it’s five miles from perfect. But, the last few years we really have paired so much stuff down and started to change the way we live….
This pic was from 2011…most of that stuff is gone, baby, gone. And just last night, I cleared out 6 more huge boxes of stuff from the deepest parts of the attic, from old soccer bags (really, honey?) to my old bar weights and even more Christmas stuff.
I have started purging and cleaning the last couple of years, but this last year, I truly made efforts to create some systems that work for us. And some are great, but some are still lacking. Since starting our battle with excess, and our process of ridding (and organizing what’s left), I’ve noticed something. I work really hard on it for a few weeks or a month or a couple of months, and get those areas trimmed down. Then I take a break, and pick up where I left off when I’m motivated.
I think when you first become serious about working on the simplicity and efficiency of your home, it has to be like that. You have to work when you’re motivated, and when you aren’t, you gotta watch a few episodes of Downton.
After, though, you’ve cleared most of your home…you’re just ready to have it all tackled, simplified, less. My friends Marian & Ashley have been talking about this lately, too.
You crave less, and you want less in your way…you see how easily stuff rules the roost and how much it controls your life, and not the other way around. And so I am to that point…and just ready for it all to be finished-ish.
Here’s what’s happened for me the last year. I’ve gotten some areas in great shape, but there are still these giants that have to be tackled (i.e. giant theater closet full of baby clothes, playroom closet with bin of a million random pieces, and the garage–again.) Plus, there are all the little tiny areas that need re-tackling each year (i.e. the junk drawer, bathroom medicine cabinets, kids’ closets, etc.)
And that’s okay. Organizing is kind of like health…it’s a lifestyle, not an end destination.
But…what if it could be sort of a destination just once? What if I could, in a few short months, finish this journey of de-junkifying and for everything to have a place…everything?
We have a couple of things going for us on this timeline: our main areas are done. Living room, kitchen (mostly), kids’ rooms, my office, most of the playroom, attic…those are all areas that are done and have stayed excess-free. But there are a million other drawers that need reworking and those closets to tackle (which are like 2 rooms in and of themselves.)
Plus, even when you simplify & organize, then you write a book and this happens…
My plan is to tackle 1-2 spaces a week. Some weeks will be just one space because they’re beasts i.e. the theater closet. And some weeks will be filled with several easier tasks to give me a break.
Would it be annoying if I update you on our process? I’ll just pop in from time to time to let you know how it’s going, and not that’s revolutionary, but I thought I’d go ahead and share my plan with you in case you’re on a similar part of your journey to live a more simple life…
This isn’t a perfect plan, and I’m sure I’ll deviate and skip and do more in certain weeks than planned. But I just wanted a plan, to break it down to see how long it could take me if I just put my mind to it. Here’s how I’m approaching it:
January 1-10
- Christmas & Attic Overflow
- Finish Gray’s room (includes decorating plus cleaning out bath cabinets & finishing closets)
- Filing/Kitchen Desk area
January 13-19
- Pantry
- Laundry Room (cleaned out, but need a couple of added systems like a wall shelf in place)
- DVD’s & Media Drawers
- Playroom Closet
January 20-26
- Theater Closet- baby clothes
- paperwork
- furniture & random things collected
- move it back in, and add any kids’ items needed to save
January 27-Feb 2
- Kitchen: every drawer, cabinet, & shelf cleared and organized *done before we work on the kitchen
February 3-9
- Guest Closet
- Guest Bath Cabinets
- Kids’ Bath Cabinets
- Ava’s Vanity Drawer
- Finish any closets
February 10-16
- Master Bedroom: bedside tables & dressers
- Closets
- Medicine/Laundry Cabinet
- Rest of Bath Cabinets & Jewelry
February 17-23
- Garage–again.
- Check office drawers & Dining built-ins
February 24-March 1 ish
- extra time to finish up this month for all the things I’m forgetting and the times we have to go watch a movie instead of clean out a closet
And that’s the plan for now. Admittedly, so many of these areas will just be touch-ups since we’ve tackled at least a little over half in the last year or two. But, again, I really would love to have it all pretty managed at one time…and that’s my challenge.
Not that this is a perfectly situated plan, but do let me know if you want to join us…I know it’ll make me more accountable! If you want, we can even have a little party/link up at the end to celebrate. Nonetheless, I’d love to know if you are doing the same thing in your neck of the woods.
Here’s to living simply in 2014…
Amen, amen. Let’s get rid of all the ‘stuff’!!! Thanks for the inspiration. Just a question: how do you take your family along for the ride? I’m trying to teach my children that it’s a good idea to throw junk away, but guess what? The saying ‘One person’s junk is another person’s treasure’ applies to our family!! My daughter is in tears over a hairbrush that her little sister demolished and I wanted to throw away. My four year old son believes every free Chick-fil-A toy should be treasured for ever. My husband treats every Ikea piece of furniture we bought years ago and that I want to replace as precious family heirlooms! Help!
I find the battle is half way done when I have a plan written down. So, hats off to you. Don’t you just love to check things off the list? What a great feeling that gives me. Sometimes I put the smallest details down just so I have more things to check off. Also, I find if there is no list, then there is no urgency. Good luck, I’ll be happy to cheer you on. You go girl!
It all looks AMAZING 🙂 I hope you had a lovely Christmas holiday.
Check out my new post…Cute Swedish Curtain inspiration 🙂
Have a fab day.
LOVE Maria at inredningsvis – Swedish decor, food, and fashion
I’d be interested in reading your progress updates since I am always looking for strategies to organize our rental townhouse and keep things simple.
I’ll follow along! My husband has wanted to tackle one room a week in our house forever – but we never actually do it. Maybe now’s the time to start! Only this week I’m not sure where we’ll begin – it’s already Wednesday and we were all sick for the first half of the week and will likely crash at night. So maybe we’ll pick one easy room for this week. I’d like mine all done before March when I start working full time again. Can I do it? In the words of Bob the Builder – “Yes I can!” 🙂
Hey Kim!
Yep, let this week be the junk drawer, even! Just to do a little goes a long way!!
🙂
shaunna
I’ve been de cluttering for over two years now & like you have made great headway in the majority of room. I haven’t tackled the attic though… Out of sight, out of mind especially when visually in all rooms there was much to re organise! Your time line is tighter than my 6 month one so I wish you success and look forward to your up dates. Good luck.
Very blessing 🙂
Love it. Everytime I walk in to my basement I get hives. I have been thinking of taking vacation days just to work on organization. Instead I am going to put together a 5 month plan with a goal of being more organized by summer. I am going to start with a trip to WalMart to pick up some clear containers with lids.
The local Goodwill is going to be very happy.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Love the plan and I agree with Jan when she says that “half the battle is writing the plan down”. 100% right.
I’m almost always decluttering, but I love the idea of doing it on a more regular schedule. I’ll definitely be following along. I’m also going to share this on the Penelope Loves Lists FB page, as I know other Penelopes will want to do the same.
Happy Organized New Year!
Love your plan to simplify even more. I’m always trying to purge. How do we get so much stuff?
You finish your house, then come on down and help me with mine! 😉
Yes, yes, and yes! I’m starting a “One Small Space at a Time” project on my blog next week, in fact! Let’s do this!
xo Heidi
Yes. Yes and Yes! I am in. Let’s do this. As “newbie” to getting / staying organized this would really help me get on track, already.
Sign me up – I’m with ya, hon! As soon as we thaw out here in North Carolina, I’m tackling the garage (again) and get everything put back in the outdoor storage barn (which is actually very organized!). With all the rain and cold weather we’ve had since Thanksgiving, our backyard is a muddy disaster. There are Fall and Christmas decorations piled high in the garage so that I can’t get to any of my DIY supplies and unfinished craft projects. All that stuff in the garage makes me feel stressed out. Can’t WAIT to get that done. Then I’ll get started on all of the junk drawers and closets inside. My 16 year old son’s room is a lost cause though. Maybe I’ll get it cleaned out and organized when he leaves for college!
Hi, I log on to your blog regularly. Your humoristic style
is awesome, keep it up!
This post came at a perfect time! I too am doing the same. P,ease do share the progress! I also would love to hear a post on your method to choosing what to purge. I tend to freeze when I get to those perfectly good and often practically new items/clothes/etcs that are still in style but haven’t necessarily been used by us lately. Then once I freeze once or twice on said items, I completely get overwhelmed and walk away from it all together. Ugh. Why is it so hard to get rid of stuff!? Thanks for sharing.
Hello! I am working on a space in my home for me, I love your picture of the white desk and map above it. This is what I have had in mind. Would you mind sharing where the desk is from? Thank you!
Your style is so unique compared to other people I
have read stuff from. Thank you for posting when you have the
opportunity, Guess I will just book mark this site.
Hey! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but after reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me.
Anyhow, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be bookmarking
and checking back often!