AdventureMoms Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 ok, i'm in. I've been working on my kitchen, but it's stupid hot down there and I'm in a munchy mood, so I'm going to work on the bedroom (with a/c! today). It's by FAR the worst of my main living spaces. Ugh. I should take a pic, that will help motivate... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 My dd has been wanting a desk since before Christmas. I've been looking but haven't found anything in our price range. A friend emailed yesterday she had one for sale and it's beautiful. We're going to declutter dd's room today and move furniture to make room for her new desk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted July 17, 2012 Author Share Posted July 17, 2012 Plunged into the girls' room this morning. It's going to be a rough day! :glare: My dd has been wanting a desk since before Christmas. I've been looking but haven't found anything in our price range. A friend emailed yesterday she had one for sale and it's beautiful. We're going to declutter dd's room today and move furniture to make room for her new desk! Just popped downstairs for a drink (and a chocolate fix). Phew! Kid rooms are exhausting. I feel your pain Carrie. Jaz, love that your DD is finally getting her desk :) Back to work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I have been doing this all summer, and it feels great to be nearly done! Keep it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-2-7 Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 My 6 year old cannot let go of anything. This morning she went into meltdown and refused to clean her room. So I did it for her :D One bag of garbage and two bags for Goodwill out of the house without her knowing! There's still a lot left to do. She will be out of the house for the day next week and I'll finish then. After school today I plan to tackle the computer hutch and continue in the office. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 FINE. I'm in, but the Pot Organizer lady NEEDS to come back with a link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Oh wow, what a great thread!!! Thanks for linking me, Sheryl! I'm about 75% of the way through my bedroom, but I still need to go through my closet and drawers. I actually did that not long ago, so it won't take too long, but it needs to be done again. I may be done for the day though--have to go run an errand and then make the long drive to go pick up the girls. Though I may actually just let them chill with a movie when we get back so I can get some more done! I'm eager to read about what everyone else is accomplishing too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readinmom Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I've been working on my school room for about 2 weeks now. I swear I'll never get it done, lol. I feel this way, year in, year out! It doesn't help when I see all the great pix everyone posts on here thinking, "Oh, I should do that too..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 My 6 year old cannot let go of anything. This morning she went into meltdown and refused to clean her room. So I did it for her :D My oldest was like that. It's only been in the past year that she's started to be able to look at "things" more rationally and make choices about what to keep and what to let go. She's not totally there yet, but I don't expect her to be. I mean, I'm not totally there yet! :lol: At 6, she was definitely not ready to participate in the process but was clearly overwhelmed by the volume of stuff she had. My youngest, though? She did a happy dance when she saw her clean room yesterday, then promptly sat down with me and purged half her books :lol: I actually had a harder time letting go of some of those books than she did! She said, "Mom, if you want to keep them, you can, but you have to deal with them." :001_huh: Hmmm, where have I heard that before? :tongue_smilie: But we have a friend whose toddler will love them, so I'm OK with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeLovePassion Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Got the playroom done. Haven't decided what to do with the ironing board yet...probably move it to the craft side. There is only one bin of misc stuff left in the girls room to go through/put away now that all the other stuff is in it's home. I am thinking of buying 2 bean bag chair covers to hide all their animals and make a sitting area in the playroom. Tomorrow is errands in the AM. Maybe finish a couple small hot spots or start the desk if I feel inspired. Then tball at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmomma Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 This post really spoke to me. Thanks Scuff. I have cleaning cycles but the problem for me really is I keep bringing those deals in the house. I need to let somebody else find those deals. I am decluttering my basement and it is just sad. I looks like a have and elementary school :tongue_smilie: .Maybe I will get brave enough to post a picture. Just keep doing it. Keep purging. Keep getting rid of stuff. Eventually, it changes the way you think about stuff. You get that twinge of want and then think, "But where would I put it?" or you see that cute nick-nack and picture it dusty and in a donation box 3 years from now. Decluttering is a lot of work and needs to be done on a continual basis anyway. The more you do it, the more you begin to guard what comes into your house. After 10ish years of decluttering and living in a small house, I don't have any desire to go garage saling. I just don't care what deals i'm missing out on, because I know most of it is someone elses junk. I have my own junk, why do I want to spend time and money on theirs? So unless i know ahead of time that someone has something that I truly need, I stay home. (and most true needs can be found on CL much easier than a garage sale) so, just keep doing it. The art of decluttering is perfected over time. But the great thing is that your house will be better for it immediately. And eventually you'll be given a bag of kids clothes and imagine it all ober the floor. Your first thought will be, "Where am I going to put all this carp?" And you'll immediately sort and donate half of it before it even makes it into your house. ETA- We also keep a continual donation box at the bottom of the steps, in the basement. As we live life, if we find something we don't really need anymore, it goes in the box. This helps keep things in check, though major purges are still needed every once in awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 My 6 year old cannot let go of anything. This morning she went into meltdown and refused to clean her room. So I did it for her :D I had a kid who insisted everything was a treasure, so I had a box or bag somewhere that I'd put these "treasures" in. I'd wait a week. If anyone asked about them, I would have produced them. But no one ever did. To the trash they'd go. I have been gingerly starting on books. My closets need a going through. Ugh. Nothing should escape scrutiny! At least that's my goal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Today I got the art closet (under the main stairs) totally cleaned out, put in a cubbie shelf thing, and reorganized it. LOVE it. Now we can walk in, and get what we want! And I did a small operation on my vacuum. Yesterday I got the girls room done, packed up some stuff for grandkids, changed the beds around and redecorated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-2-7 Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 I had a kid who insisted everything was a treasure, so I had a box or bag somewhere that I'd put these "treasures" in. I'd wait a week. If anyone asked about them, I would have produced them. But no one ever did. To the trash they'd go. I have been gingerly starting on books. My closets need a going through. Ugh. Nothing should escape scrutiny! At least that's my goal. That's my thinking too. I'm not planning on having a garage sale for about a month. That should give her plenty of time to figure out what's missing. I'm betting she won't though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-2-7 Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 I got the computer hutch cleaned out. That may not seem like much but every drawer and cubby was so packed that I was afraid to open anything for fear of avalanche! I reduced it to - 2 shoe box sized rubbermaid containers, a spool of blank cd's, and some blank paper. :party::party: Tomorrow is the equally scary "junk" cabinet in the kitchen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 On a board of homeschoolers, this is gonna sound nuts, but the best thing I've done in ages is: Throw away all my pens. No seriously. Yes pens are always useful, but I realized I hated looking at the ugly mass of mismatched trashy swag pens. I have a stock of great pens that I love, and I kept those back, along with the Sharpies, and then everything else got discarded. I now have one pen container of favorites, plus the extra boxes of favorite pens in storage. Now whenever I reach for a pen, it's one I love, and it feels so great to have the rest of that junk out of my house! Someday I might be brave enough to try a refillable fountain pen! Meanwhile, today I cleaned out a kitchen cabinet and the medicine cabinet. I recycled many plastic containers, recovered many lids I was looking for and found an All-Clad pot I've been meaning to use more. In the medicine cabinet I used a funnel to unify three separate bottles of eye makeup remover and filled up a bag with nail polish, hair products I never use and bottles of perfume that were given to me at my old job. Yay less junk! Now I'm heading back to this photo gallery for further decluttering inspiration! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykdsmomy Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Me! I know EXACTLY what you mean. I have certain weaknesses and tend to collect books, yarn, fabric, vintage dishes. Yikes. I know it's possible to homeschool and keep a clean, uncluttered house because I've seen it. (not in my house, unfortunately) One mom I know, who is the moderator of a list I'm on, has NO clutter, and nine children. Two of them are now grown and gone. I've visited her home a couple of times. She has many floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, thousands of books, but no knick knacks, hardly any art work on the walls. The house has a lot of windows though. The children play, but toys have homes. All the plastic dinosaurs had a bin, the puzzles had a bin, etc. The home was filled with happy, smiling children but no junk. I kid you not, I never even saw a pile of mail on a counter top. She must keep it in a drawer. I know she does purge regularly because she talks about it on the list, though I have no idea what she has to purge. Outgrown or broken things maybe? She is a very hard worker and always has some project going, whether it is cleaning out closets or sheds or refinishing a floor or whatever. She is also very organized and has all the children up at 6:00, and cleaning for about 45 minutes after breakfast. Everyone knows what jobs they have. She also does a fantastic job of educating her kids. I'm sure there are moms here who are similar. Clutter just drives some people nuts so they get rid of it immediately or never let it in. I think I needed to start 17 years ago when my oldest was a baby .....that's part of the problem. I haven't trained my kids well enough to clean up after themselves :( I am constantly working on it now but sometimes it feels like I'm fighting a losing battle. I started keeping a hamper in the bathroom for TOWELS ONLY....all other dirty clothes go to your room in your hamper.....well, it went ok for a while until someone threw a shirt into the bathroom hamper and then everyone else thought they could too! I feel like a broken record.."Get your clothes out of the bathroom!!" (just had to vent that ;) ) Just keep doing it. Keep purging. Keep getting rid of stuff. Eventually, it changes the way you think about stuff. You get that twinge of want and then think, "But where would I put it?" or you see that cute nick-nack and picture it dusty and in a donation box 3 years from now. Decluttering is a lot of work and needs to be done on a continual basis anyway. The more you do it, the more you begin to guard what comes into your house. After 10ish years of decluttering and living in a small house, I don't have any desire to go garage saling. I just don't care what deals i'm missing out on, because I know most of it is someone elses junk. I have my own junk, why do I want to spend time and money on theirs? So unless i know ahead of time that someone has something that I truly need, I stay home. (and most true needs can be found on CL much easier than a garage sale) so, just keep doing it. The art of decluttering is perfected over time. But the great thing is that your house will be better for it immediately. And eventually you'll be given a bag of kids clothes and imagine it all ober the floor. Your first thought will be, "Where am I going to put all this carp?" And you'll immediately sort and donate half of it before it even makes it into your house. ETA- We also keep a continual donation box at the bottom of the steps, in the basement. As we live life, if we find something we don't really need anymore, it goes in the box. This helps keep things in check, though major purges are still needed every once in awhile. Thank you for this :) It definitely is a process and not a one time task.. Although I have to admit, every time I read someone's response on this thread that is donating 'school' materials, I think "hmm, I wonder what it is...maybe I could use it :svengo::leaving: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 I've been working hard on our master bedroom the past week or so. It was a total disaster area, by far the worst area of the house (not including the basement or garage, lol) because since guests never go in there, it always seems to be the last thing I declutter or clean, lol. I am almost done -- just the desk area to go. I had mountains of out-grown kids' clothes in there along with too many books to count, etc. All that is gone, gone, gone. YAY! Out grown clothes (probably 10 file boxes worth) are sorted/shipped/donated/given away (one huge box still to deliver to a local friend, but it's out of my way in the basement) and the few boxes of stuff still-to-be-handed down to youngest dd is neatly sorted and boxed. I decided to banish books (except for 30-50 current books that will fit in a pretty glass fronted secretary) from the bedroom, and I moved the ugly IKEA shelves to the basement. I still haven't reshelved their books (to a different shelf down there), but I did load the shelving unit with all our science supplies for this year (biology kit arrived this week!) and it looks great! We really needed more science storage space, and this is fab! I love recycling! (I also was able to recycle a lot of little storage containers from my cleaned-out bathroom into my new science storage area!) I've also hauled out a bag or two of garbage from our bathroom storage area and have made noticable progress in there. I've also hauled out a couple big bags of trash from the basement and just got agreement to give away Playmobil! I'm trying not to get distracted from my master bedroom for too long, so tomorrow I *will* finish our desk area, which means I can then go buy PAINT as I am going to finally paint our bedroom a pretty color! (I already bought new linens! YAY!) I think the key for me is to truly complete one area at a time. I think it'll be easier to keep on top of things when an area is TRULY clutter free. I need to get to that point with my MBR, as we've been living in clutter in there too long, as it seems to always be last priority, which is so unfair! I'm determined to make it PRETTY for once and then to keep it that way. I've got almost 3 weeks until we start school. I've got to get this house whipped into shape, and I've got to finish lesson planning . . . When one of those tasks gets too irritating, I switch to the other. The painting part is going to be my fun time! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeLovePassion Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 I had a kid who insisted everything was a treasure, so I had a box or bag somewhere that I'd put these "treasures" in. I'd wait a week. If anyone asked about them, I would have produced them. But no one ever did. To the trash they'd go. I have been gingerly starting on books. My closets need a going through. Ugh. Nothing should escape scrutiny! At least that's my goal. My girls each have a shoe box for special things. If it's too full they have to remove something to make it fit. These aren't toys per say, but rather an award ribbon, the balloon weight from their birthday balloon, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 My girls each have a shoe box for special things. If it's too full they have to remove something to make it fit. These aren't toys per say, but rather an award ribbon, the balloon weight from their birthday balloon, etc. Yes, we have lots of those here. I have a kid who was keeping old candies and wrappers of things. Happily a younger sibling came along and took care of a few of those "problems," and I took care of the wrappers. :001_huh: I think the box is a great idea. Unfortunately we need more extreme intervention. I am probably the worst of all. SIGH! On a board of homeschoolers, this is gonna sound nuts, but the best thing I've done in ages is: Throw away all my pens. I had a giant tub that had been sitting around since 1902. I went through and (surprise!) 90% of them didn't work anyway. Great idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Stephanie, I'm working on our master bedroom, too, and it is my downfall for exactly the reason you stated. BUT...I want it to be an oasis and not a catch-all, neglected room! Way to go on all you have done!!! What color are you painting your bedroom? Are you going to post photos? I've been working hard on our master bedroom the past week or so. It was a total disaster area, by far the worst area of the house (not including the basement or garage, lol) because since guests never go in there, it always seems to be the last thing I declutter or clean, lol I'm trying not to get distracted from my master bedroom for too long, so tomorrow I *will* finish our desk area, which means I can then go buy PAINT as I am going to finally paint our bedroom a pretty color! (I already bought new linens! YAY!) I think the key for me is to truly complete one area at a time. I think it'll be easier to keep on top of things when an area is TRULY clutter free. I need to get to that point with my MBR, as we've been living in clutter in there too long, as it seems to always be last priority, which is so unfair! I'm determined to make it PRETTY for once and then to keep it that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krista in LA Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 I thought I already cleaned out my dd's room, but it seems to be accumulating more stuff. She has to be moved out of the room in a couple of weeks so our exchange student can have it, so it is all going to have to go somewhere soon! The kids' bathroom also is on my list for the next couple of days - I can't believe how much stuff has been crammed in the cabinets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live2Ride Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Yesterday ds and I cleaned out the garage of things that had been accumulating and left it at the road for pickers and the trash trucks. DD and I are cleaning out her bookshelf in her room. We are going to be installing shelves on the wall for her instead which will make her room more open and provide more storage for her stuff. Plus we'll be able to go through the books and list them on Paperback swap. Which reminds me...I plan to delist some of them today and donate them to the thrift store here in town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Well I haven't gotten to do much, but I did quickly reduce 3 boxes of mystery junk to one box before I had to stop, and I set out about 10 giant cardboard boxes for recycling. I've also filled up two boxes of books to pass on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykdsmomy Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 My big kids are gone today so it's just me, ds8 (big challenge) and the babies :) It's going to be a bigger challenge to get things done but I have goals!!! I'm working on laundry and the boys room. I've been putting off going in there because it's just daunting but it needs to be done!! Ds12 wants me to take down the loft bed because it's too high for him....so I need to figure out how to disassemble our Swedish friends' furniture (Ikea) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 I think I needed to start 17 years ago when my oldest was a baby .....that's part of the problem. I haven't trained my kids well enough to clean up after themselves :( :iagree: This is a major reason I'm trying to revise the way we look at our stuff. I don't want my kids thinking this level of clutter is normal, and I don't want them to be so attached to possessions. I want them to be able to make more rational decisions about their things. I've been working hard on our master bedroom the past week or so. It was a total disaster area, by far the worst area of the house (not including the basement or garage, lol) because since guests never go in there, it always seems to be the last thing I declutter or clean, lol. Here too :lol: We just had people in town visiting for almost two weeks, and I lived in fear that they would go into my bedroom for something, because I just plain ran out of cleaning time before they got here *sigh* Yes, we have lots of those here. I have a kid who was keeping old candies and wrappers of things. Ah, that's my oldest! She's a work in progress. DD6 can have a shoe box for those loved things. DD9 would need a trunk. She and I are still working on that. I had a giant tub that had been sitting around since 1902. I went through and (surprise!) 90% of them didn't work anyway. Great idea. Huh, I did not picture you as being that old! :lol: Stephanie, I'm working on our master bedroom, too, and it is my downfall for exactly the reason you stated. BUT...I want it to be an oasis and not a catch-all, neglected room! Here too. I looooove going into it when it's clean and dust-free and peaceful. I cringe every time I enter it when it's not :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Yay less junk! Now I'm heading back to this photo gallery for further decluttering inspiration! Eeep...those photos made me downright twitchy. Nearly as motivating as Hoarders. I did have to laugh at the surrounding advertisements for Target, though, telling us how much we need kicky plastic dinnerware for summertime. And how anybody could work in the Photo 5 office is beyond me. That terrifying portrait of the kid who looks like she could wish you into the cornfield? Yikes. [perfectly cute, normal kid, I imagine, but that picture makes her look scary] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Now I'm heading back to this photo gallery for further decluttering inspiration! I can't understand why they had to use 10 year old photos, as if finding a messy home is a rare cultural event (file footage of the last known Homo Erectus Hoardus in its habitat, last seen emerging from its garage before the housefire that killed it in 2003, preventing researchers further access to its habitat). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted July 18, 2012 Author Share Posted July 18, 2012 Well I haven't gotten to do much, but I did quickly reduce 3 boxes of mystery junk to one box before I had to stop, and I set out about 10 giant cardboard boxes for recycling. I've also filled up two boxes of books to pass on. Those mystery boxes are some of the hardest to get through. Good job! I worked my way through DD's bedroom yesterday (you can't see all of the "before" as it is hidden from view, but there were thousands of bits of string, notes, and tinfoil treasures that I wrestled into submission). And, no, we don't own that amazing castle, a friend sells them and needed to use DD's room as a backdrop for their new website photos. That's one way to force yourself to clean a room. Today's plans for decluttering got a bit derailed when I spontaneously invited my cousins and their kids over to play this morning. (15 kids. Yikes! What was I thinking?) Having a clean home is great for my social life, but it is hard to maintain any standard of "put-away" with that many kids in the house. Off to re-establish order in the playroom and maybe attempt a swipe at the bathroom cabinets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 @PrairieMom, thanks for the encouragement. :) Knowing y'all are here and that I'd posted that I WAS going to finish the desk today made me do it! I even took pics of the desk area just for kicks, and it really is astonishing! I am going to paint the walls a nice medium blue (white trim and ceiling) and the bathroom (next!) will be a medium brown (white trim and ceiling). My new bedding and curtains have those colors, so it should tie together nicely. Before: After: I hauled out about three white trashbags of garbage (including shredded stuff) from the desk area! I still have one file box of misc stuff that is back in the closet, but that is the ONLY unsorted misc. box in the entire bedroom area! (And, I can't really function without a little escape valve, so that is OK with me.) Woohoo! Amazingly, the after picture actually has MORE stuff in it b/c the little rolling set of drawers wasn't in the before pic (and now it is under the desk where it belongs) and neither was the TV (which was across the room on the rolly drawers where it didn't belong). The air filter on the floor in the after pic was on the other side of the file drawers in the before pic, so you couldn't see it in that pic. PROGRESS! YAY! Tomorrow, I will haul the stuff away from the walls, wash them, and get ready to paint. I should be painting by tomorrow night! WOOHOO!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 The girls and I got most (not all) of their room done yesterday. Today, I scrubbed out my fridge and freezer. The crumb and drip clutter had been driving me crazy, but I kept dragging my feet on tackling it. Tomorrow will be kitchen cabinets, I think. (We don't have many, lol!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Ummm - all your before pics look like my after pics :o Actually I think your before pics look BETTER and CLEANER then my after pics :001_huh: We have way too much stuff -way too much. I don't even know where to begin.:glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Ummm - all your before pics look like my after pics :o Actually I think your before pics look BETTER and CLEANER then my after pics :001_huh: We have way too much stuff -way too much. I don't even know where to begin.:glare: Sewingmama, Don't worry; you are not alone! I thought that about some of the photos, too! "Wow, it's not that bad. Might take five minutes to clean that up." Well maybe. Anyway, it's not a contest. And I still plan to post my photos of my bedroom. Tuesday and today were "running around" days and tonight we had church so I didn't get it all done. But I will! Remember, it's not a contest!!! Just jump in and start where you are. Anything you do is better than not doing it at all. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Fantastic job!!! I love the colorful little boxes on the top of the desk. I love to paint. I hope you will share share photos of your rooms after you paint them. @PrairieMom, thanks for the encouragement. :) Knowing y'all are here and that I'd posted that I WAS going to finish the desk today made me do it! I even took pics of the desk area just for kicks, and it really is astonishing! I am going to paint the walls a nice medium blue (white trim and ceiling) and the bathroom (next!) will be a medium brown (white trim and ceiling). My new bedding and curtains have those colors, so it should tie together nicely. Before: [ATTACH]9601[/ATTACH] After: [ATTACH]9602[/ATTACH] I hauled out about three white trashbags of garbage (including shredded stuff) from the desk area! I still have one file box of misc stuff that is back in the closet, but that is the ONLY unsorted misc. box in the entire bedroom area! (And, I can't really function without a little escape valve, so that is OK with me.) Woohoo! Amazingly, the after picture actually has MORE stuff in it b/c the little rolling set of drawers wasn't in the before pic (and now it is under the desk where it belongs) and neither was the TV (which was across the room on the rolly drawers where it didn't belong). The air filter on the floor in the after pic was on the other side of the file drawers in the before pic, so you couldn't see it in that pic. PROGRESS! YAY! Tomorrow, I will haul the stuff away from the walls, wash them, and get ready to paint. I should be painting by tomorrow night! WOOHOO!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmp3400 Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I am so in! I spent hours in our playroom, this weekend and it is still not quite done (but almost). I wish I would have taken a picture before I started (but I probably would have been too embarrassed to actually post it here!!). Let just say you could not even see the carpet ANYWHERE in the room and every bin was overflowing with toys. My boys are playing with things they have not touched in years because they could not find all the pieces. My next task is SCHOOL BOOKS (and stuff). That has to be done in a month before our school year starts!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I am so in! I spent hours in our playroom, this weekend and it is still not quite done (but almost). I wish I would have taken a picture before I started (but I probably would have been too embarrassed to actually post it here!!). Let just say you could not even see the carpet ANYWHERE in the room and every bin was overflowing with toys. My boys are playing with things they have not touched in years because they could not find all the pieces. My next task is SCHOOL BOOKS (and stuff). That has to be done in a month before our school year starts!!! Good job! I know exactly what you mean about the embarrassing photos, but I think I'm going to bite the bullet and post mine. Maybe it will encourage someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-2-7 Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 My scary junk cabinet is done! It took me about 4 hours to clean. My closet is next on the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 My scary junk cabinet is done! It took me about 4 hours to clean. My closet is next on the list. Way to go! The junk closets/drawers/etc are the worst! I made more progress today! Decluttering: I handed off all my size 6 to size 12 boys clothes to a friend! It is probably about 6 file boxes worth! YAY! I also handed off a small bag of art supplies and huge box of playmobil stuff! It's so easy to give things away when I know a friend will get use out of it, but it is so much harder to just give $200 worth of playmobil or 5 years of clothes to goodwill. I love giving things away to friends! On the MBR front: To prepare for painting, I pulled all the furniture away from the walls and vacuumed everything thoroughly. I also steamcleaned a few of the dirtiest spots in the carpet while I had things moved so that if when I put things back in new places those dirty spots are covered up with furniture the dirt doesn't remain hiding there. Gross. I went to Sherwin Williams to buy my paint, and as the fella' was mixing up my paints (6 gallons total), he asked if I was going to be painting today. I said, well, yes, I hope so, and he said that the paint is 40% off TOMORROW! I said, woohoo, hold the phone! They have it all mixed up for me and I can come buy it tomorrow for the 40% off! I have my color book and I am going to go ahead and buy a bunch more of the basic white that I use for trim and halls/closets b/c at 40% off of $58/gallon, that is a whole lot of money! I am so excited! For the same $300 I had budgeted, I'll get $500 worth of paint! Now, I'm going back into the painting zone. Going to spray paint the recessed light fixtures tonight, since I do already have the spray paint. Then I'll wash base boards and various other dirty spots that need washing. Tomorrow my room will start turning "blissful blue" with beautiful white trim and ceilings instead of "hideous pukey builder beigey/white everywhere." I LOVE to paint pretty colors! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureMoms Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Last night I did 2 of the 3 junk drawers in the kitchen. I still have only sort of started on my room. Sigh. It's the worst room in the house because we stick everything in there. It's the only place where neither kids nor company tend to be regularly. But I would like to sleep in a room that looks like something other than sheer chaos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 Ummm - all your before pics look like my after pics :o Actually I think your before pics look BETTER and CLEANER then my after pics :001_huh: We have way too much stuff -way too much. I don't even know where to begin.:glare: Got it. No more pictures. Sorry if I made you feel bad. If it helps, I am a "junk hider" so most of the rooms appear cleaner than they actually were. I need a panoramic lens ... or at least I should have included a shot of the evil closet heaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeLovePassion Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 After a couple day break (other activities planned....I would have like to have kept the momentum) I am trying to plan my day. There are some errands I want to run today but it will depend on the girls mood when they awaken, so I am not sure what will win out yet for the day. Otherwise, I was thinking of doing the craft room next, but am thinking of switching to the desk area because we got a new printer. I also would like to paint the hall this weekend. We got new flooring a couple months ago and it needs to be painted. And maybe I'll design a built in for the end of the hall for Dh to work on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 We are working on the study/schoolroom today. I am struggling with what to sell/give away and what to keep. We also need to reorganize. I need to look up some schoolroom pics for inspiration. Feel free to share. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeLovePassion Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 After a couple day break (other activities planned....I would have like to have kept the momentum) I am trying to plan my day. There are some errands I want to run today but it will depend on the girls mood when they awaken, so I am not sure what will win out yet for the day. Otherwise, I was thinking of doing the craft room next, but am thinking of switching to the desk area because we got a new printer. I also would like to paint the hall this weekend. We got new flooring a couple months ago and it needs to be painted. And maybe I'll design a built in for the end of the hall for Dh to work on! Ha, I already detoured from my detour. I am tackling the bathroom vanity. Tossing old stuff and getting my drawer in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 My dad always said that when it comes to getting rid of stuff, that two moves is as good as a fire. :lol: That is funny, but not very true in our case. Movers *always* comment that we have way too much stuff. It is very embarrassing. For our last move, the realtors had us move lots of furniture and boxes of stuff to the garage. The estimator said we had stuff for a house twice the size of ours. When the packer opened the garage door, he said, "You've got to be kidding" and uttered an expletive. You'd think the shame alone would cause me to let go of more stuff. :001_huh: The odd thing is that we have less stuff than most people I know. :tongue_smilie: I don't get it. The pictures have been very inspirational. I love seeing people's before and after photos. I wish I had thought to take some pictures before my latest round of decluttering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 I've cleaned out the bathrooms. Now to start using all those hotel shampoo bottles. Ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeLovePassion Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 I've cleaned out the bathrooms. Now to start using all those hotel shampoo bottles. Ugh. We've been using up all the toothpaste samples. No need to buy any for a while. Silly to store them I am now realizing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykdsmomy Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 I wasn't able to get any de-cluttering done in the last few days but I'm planning on working on the laundry monster today! I'm also hoping to get to the boys room....which is still a disaster. I HAVE to have the house DONE by the end of this month. I need to start focusing on school but I can't until this clutter gets tamed!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Today I visited Sherwin Williams for paint . . . due to their 40% off sale . . . $400 later . . . I ended up with THIRTEEN GALLONS of paint, so I think I know what I'll be doing the next few weeks/months. MBR (blue), M Bath (lighter shade of same blue), upstairs hall and stairwell (light khaki), and kitchen (yellow). And adjacent closets (white). I always do all trim and ceilings (I am neurotic about fresh white trim and ceilings.) I have my hands full! You never know what a little decluttering can lead to, lol! I wish I'd taken before shots of my MBR before all the cleaning began. It was scary in there. I'll take pics post-painting for sure. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofsbandeg Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Today I visited Sherwin Williams for paint . . . due to their 40% off sale . . . $400 later . . . I ended up with THIRTEEN GALLONS of paint, so I think I know what I'll be doing the next few weeks/months. MBR (blue), M Bath (lighter shade of same blue), upstairs hall and stairwell (light khaki), and kitchen (yellow). And adjacent closets (white). I always do all trim and ceilings (I am neurotic about fresh white trim and ceilings.) I have my hands full! I love a yellow kitchen!!!! So inspiring!!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I've cleaned out the bathrooms. Now to start using all those hotel shampoo bottles. Ugh. Funnel them all into a larger bottle! Fun project for a kid maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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