I'm calling it 'nibbles' because I know I've gotten something done even if it doesn't look like much! My computer desk is neater, the treadle only has sewing stuff on it, and my room stays neater. I took an under-used, smaller hanging file container and used it as a desk organizer. It now has folders for Incoming Bills, Notes, Notepads, and several for scrapbooking paper for the current project. This is a huge help for my desk! There are also two tins on the desk for holding other office supplies, since I have no drawers and a very small surface area. Each tin is about 2 inches deep, one is 8x10 inches and the other about 3x4 inches, so not large at all.
As usual I have several projects in the works. I did fix a stuffed animal and put her back where she goes. I still have to revamp the two older feather pillows, hem curtains, and finish working on that scrapbook as soon as I buy the supplies I need. I have a bit of clothing repairs to do, as well. Some can be dropped off at the seamstress as long as I remember to do it!
The decluttering has slowed down but not stopped. Partly because I am busier, partly because I think I've gotten through the top layers of easy-to-sort clutter. I am still working on it but it is somewhat delayed till I declutter the garden. I need to get the weeds out so that I can plant more food, before the summer is over! We can double crop some things in this area, and that's now the only way I will get some of this food in. First crop never got planted, second crop needs to go in soon. Hopefully this weekend!
Out:
3 stacks of books
grocer bag of fabric
1 full car trunk to thrift
In:
2 books
linen for a dress
Friday, July 13, 2012
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Reassessment
I went and re-assessed the storage unit (about 6x6ft) last night. Prior to the move, it was filled to an average depth of 5-6ft. Now, I have 2 visible shelving units on two walls, the floor has a treadle base, camp chair, punching dummy, and a couple garden items. The treadle needs re-homed.
One shelf is RM's stuff. It's also holding treadle parts and an extra lamp of mine.
One shelf is mine. It is about as decluttered as I can get it: one box each of Yule decor, Other Season decor, fabric, smaller clothes for me (am loosing weight now), Mathom box, and one box of decor I expect I'll use later. And the camping stuff, too.
I'm happy with where it's at.
I do still have to declutter the area around my computer desk. Currently, that involves my toolbox, a half-empty filebox, a box of some kind of books (I've forgotten what's in it since I filled it about 2 weeks ago), and a box of cookbooks I want to get recipes out of. And the small paperdrift forming on top of the desk itself.
A lack of organization is hurting me here. Incoming mail? Place on 'puter desk. Note to self? Place on 'puter desk. Keep in mind, said desk is 24" long and about 12" wide. It already holds the monitor & good speakers, which take up 75%+ of the available space.
The filebox I plan to use to hold incoming bills, scrapbooking papers, and another section or two that will depend on what's in the paperdrift. That should help with the chaos. The toolbox needs to find a permanent home and I need to do a general straightening in that area at the same time.
On the brighter side- the living room and kitchen are staying clean, and I now have a lovely view to the balcony. I straightened up out there last night and now instead of a mess there are baskets of nasturtiums and herbs, and the tomato plants that I need to get into the garden. I'll be adding cascading petunias too, and soon it will be a lovely viney wild delight of blooms.
One shelf is RM's stuff. It's also holding treadle parts and an extra lamp of mine.
One shelf is mine. It is about as decluttered as I can get it: one box each of Yule decor, Other Season decor, fabric, smaller clothes for me (am loosing weight now), Mathom box, and one box of decor I expect I'll use later. And the camping stuff, too.
I'm happy with where it's at.
***
I do still have to declutter the area around my computer desk. Currently, that involves my toolbox, a half-empty filebox, a box of some kind of books (I've forgotten what's in it since I filled it about 2 weeks ago), and a box of cookbooks I want to get recipes out of. And the small paperdrift forming on top of the desk itself.
A lack of organization is hurting me here. Incoming mail? Place on 'puter desk. Note to self? Place on 'puter desk. Keep in mind, said desk is 24" long and about 12" wide. It already holds the monitor & good speakers, which take up 75%+ of the available space.
The filebox I plan to use to hold incoming bills, scrapbooking papers, and another section or two that will depend on what's in the paperdrift. That should help with the chaos. The toolbox needs to find a permanent home and I need to do a general straightening in that area at the same time.
On the brighter side- the living room and kitchen are staying clean, and I now have a lovely view to the balcony. I straightened up out there last night and now instead of a mess there are baskets of nasturtiums and herbs, and the tomato plants that I need to get into the garden. I'll be adding cascading petunias too, and soon it will be a lovely viney wild delight of blooms.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Progress, Week 3
Progress has been made!
All the pictures are up on the walls. I've learned how to fold up my futon easily in the mornings before work - when it's flat, I barely have room to walk in my room. If it's folded, I have SPACE. So nice!
The Pantry
I've assessed more of the pantry area over the washer & dryer. The majority of the food is out of there. The top shelf is rarely-used, large items that I want to keep: the pressure canner, roasting pan, the popcorn popper I'm so tempted to get rid of. Jiffy-Pop takes less storage space, and actually gets used. Hmmm. The bottom shelf is some 'seconds' of food items (extra bottle of ketchup, for example), glass storage jars that are being filtered, and a bunch of stuff I can't remember. I guess it needs to be thinned out more!
The Library
I've dramatically thinned out my library. I have 2 1/2 bookshelves full (half of one bookshelf holds my DVDs) and about half a storage bin. My cookbooks are kept separately because I am working my way through them. A few books are kept in the living room, but most of those are on probation. I'll revisit my books in a few weeks. I know some are waiting to be read, and then can be donated.
Storage
There is a storage unit attached to the apartment - it's the same size on the new one as it was on the old one. At the old place it was packed hip-deep right to the door. Now? I can walk to the shelf against the back wall. Granted, there are things stacked on 3 walls, but there is also a small pathway. And I've put most of the metal bi-fold doors out there as well. I really dislike those doors, and have replaced them all with white sheets hung from tension rods. I do need to hem the sheets, but they work nicely and look great. Plus I can actually reach what is in the closets!
Out:
All the pictures are up on the walls. I've learned how to fold up my futon easily in the mornings before work - when it's flat, I barely have room to walk in my room. If it's folded, I have SPACE. So nice!
The Pantry
I've assessed more of the pantry area over the washer & dryer. The majority of the food is out of there. The top shelf is rarely-used, large items that I want to keep: the pressure canner, roasting pan, the popcorn popper I'm so tempted to get rid of. Jiffy-Pop takes less storage space, and actually gets used. Hmmm. The bottom shelf is some 'seconds' of food items (extra bottle of ketchup, for example), glass storage jars that are being filtered, and a bunch of stuff I can't remember. I guess it needs to be thinned out more!
The Library
I've dramatically thinned out my library. I have 2 1/2 bookshelves full (half of one bookshelf holds my DVDs) and about half a storage bin. My cookbooks are kept separately because I am working my way through them. A few books are kept in the living room, but most of those are on probation. I'll revisit my books in a few weeks. I know some are waiting to be read, and then can be donated.
Storage
There is a storage unit attached to the apartment - it's the same size on the new one as it was on the old one. At the old place it was packed hip-deep right to the door. Now? I can walk to the shelf against the back wall. Granted, there are things stacked on 3 walls, but there is also a small pathway. And I've put most of the metal bi-fold doors out there as well. I really dislike those doors, and have replaced them all with white sheets hung from tension rods. I do need to hem the sheets, but they work nicely and look great. Plus I can actually reach what is in the closets!
Out:
- 3 more 13-gal trash bags of donations
- 2 paper grocer bags of books
- rack for my closet (needed for organization)
- 2 pairs shorts (needed)
Monday, April 30, 2012
Getting Started
We've managed to put away everything that has a place to go, and most of the artwork has been hung. There is a still a pile in the living room, and a smaller one next to my desk, but it looks much better.
This weekend, I was able to repack my carved chest. It had been used for general storage, so I emptied it out and I have repacked it with winter clothes and extra linens for my bedroom. The total volume of off-season clothes & extra linens that I am allowing myself to keep is what will fit in that chest. One thing that does help with this is that I keep the linens for each bedroom, inside that bedroom.
Some of the linens that didn't fit went to Roommate, who can use them. A full Outbox load came out as well. Doing this emptied one storage bin; unpacking the 'extra' coats emptied out another one. Neither bin will be refilled. I also unpacked my DVDs and CDs and put them away, allowing me to toss the empty box.
Out:
This weekend, I was able to repack my carved chest. It had been used for general storage, so I emptied it out and I have repacked it with winter clothes and extra linens for my bedroom. The total volume of off-season clothes & extra linens that I am allowing myself to keep is what will fit in that chest. One thing that does help with this is that I keep the linens for each bedroom, inside that bedroom.
Some of the linens that didn't fit went to Roommate, who can use them. A full Outbox load came out as well. Doing this emptied one storage bin; unpacking the 'extra' coats emptied out another one. Neither bin will be refilled. I also unpacked my DVDs and CDs and put them away, allowing me to toss the empty box.
Out:
- box of books (library)
- Two empty storage bins (thrift donation)
- 13-gallon trash bag of items (thrift donation)
- broken cookie press (I kept the pattern rounds, though) (tossed)
- two other trips to thrift store, a full car load each time
- new cookie press (thrift store, $5, all pieces there)
- rug for underneath cat food, and the bench where our shoes go.
- Curtain hooks to use at laundry area & one window.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
First Impressions
The new place is 1184 sq ft (110 sq. m.) - the largest place I've ever had, and yet still cluttered right from the start! I am applying things I learned from the ApartmentTherapy.com Cure to the layout. Using the Outbox and Landing Strip, specifically. The Outbox is near the front door, and will be emptied every weekend.
The Bedroom
My bedroom shrank by about 20 sq. ft., plus the closet is half the size it was. I'm enjoying it even more than I had expected! Not everything I want in there fits yet, but I'm still working on it . Once we get settled I can do some of my one-off crafts (photo albums for the pics I do have, knit up the kits I bought, etc.) and that will reduce the clutter.
The Library
I read voraciously. My book supply reflects that. I currently have 4 bookshelves full, plus two large plastic bins full. The goal is to have 3 bookshelves, maybe less, plus whatever is on my eReader. My cookbooks will be reduced as well: I found a cookbook program and will enter in the recipes I want to keep. Having to type all of them in is a wonderful disincentive - I'm much less likely to enter in the borderline ones!
Decor
Part of my challenge, when I can reach the boxes in question, is decor. I have enough for two apartments. Anything we don't use when setting up this place needs to go, unless I fight with myself about it leaving. Then it can stay temporarily. Some - Ok, ALL of those items need to be revisited every few months. Sometimes it takes a while to get used to the idea of letting something go, especially when I've had it a long time.
Holiday decorations might also be a challenge. I say might, because last year's Yuletide decor was minimal: one twig wreath and one "let it snow!" sign. The tree was a 2-foot tall tree with a single strand of silver beads, and a silver snowflake 'star.' It was lovely. I am going to go through the big box of decorations I have, and make piles: 'keepsakes,' 'oh pretty,' and 'why do I have this?'
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
life, rebooted
We've just moved into a new apartment. I'm doing a huge declutter - the goal is to get rid of half of what I own, possibly more.
I like things very uncluttered, yet I have clutter everywhere I look and find myself unable to just go through and say "no, not using this, bye!" While I do not live alone, the clutter is indeed mine and not theirs. So, I've started this journey and this blog. Care to join me?
I like things very uncluttered, yet I have clutter everywhere I look and find myself unable to just go through and say "no, not using this, bye!" While I do not live alone, the clutter is indeed mine and not theirs. So, I've started this journey and this blog. Care to join me?
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