Wednesday, August 6, 2008

In the zone

Yep, I'm in the organizing zone. Gotta keep the momentum going.

I set a goal a few months back that our home would be "open house ready" by Christmas. Not to sell it, but to actually host an open house where nothing is off-limits. No, not even the laundry room or the closets!

So I've been plugging away at it, little by little.

I hope this gives you that, "Oh, I'm glad it's not just me!" feeling. I imagine there are a lot of ladies out there with an area or two (or entire rooms...or an entire home!) that's "off-limits." It's the thing where I start at the front of the house, in the public areas, and stuff without a home gets pushed further and further back, until it just gets tossed into the closet, where I can shut the door and forget about it. Can you relate?

Maybe you feel like the only woman out there without a magazine-perfect home. Well, you are not alone! And if you DO have a magazine-perfect home, you can be free to feel superior and all, like, sniffy or whatever. Unless you have your home professionally cleaned, then just shut it.

So, I give you...the Master Bedroom Closet.

We live in Arizona so anything heat-sensitive has to be stored inside. Our closet is like a storage room for memorabilia, photographs and out-of-seasonal clothing, besides linens, personal care items, accessories and...oh, yeah. Clothes.

I had to tell myself, as I hesitantly entered, "Don't be a perfectionist! Just dive in."

It took me about an hour. Naturally, part of my hesitation had been the day-long project I thought it would be. To give my hubby credit, he spent an entire day working on this a while back, which is largely why I was able to do it so quickly.

Before, from the bathroom...



After.



Before...



After!



Another after. I'd like my folded sweaters and tees to be more tidy. I'd also like a way to display my hats so I know what I have. The linens and my personal care items need some help, too.



So!!! Here's what I learned.
1. I have a lot of nice clothes!! WHEN I can see and access them all!
2. There was a lot of space in there I wasn't using! Still is! But ya wouldn't know it, with everything just piled up.
3. I'd been making piles every time I cleaned up our bedroom, of stuff to be hung in the closet. That stuff got wrinkled so now, before I can wear it, it will have to be pressed. I hope it serves as a reminder that it's easier to just hang it up or put it away properly in the first place!! Naturally, my mother taught me this, but...well, we don't do everything Mom tells us, do we?
4. I need hangers. Seems crazy, huh? But I do. Pink, perhaps.
5. I have plenty of maternity clothes, assuming I'm not hugely pregnant in the two cool months we have here every year. I wish I didn't have to store it all but, oh well.
5. I still have a lot more work to do in there, to get it fully functional and visually appealing. But I've made an excellent start!!

What organizing project are you working on right now??

2 comments:

Ruth said...

Awesome! Great work... I love before and after shots... I bet you feel great after all that sorting :-)

Ruth xx

Diane said...

Hi what a great idea to set yourself a deadline instead of just thinking it will slowly get done . That is me by the way!
I love your blog and will be back to read it daily. I love finding other like minded women who want an organized home. I love the pics of your house btw.
I too work with children.
Just wanted to say Hi.
Diane