You Are What You Keep

My Project: No Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (Tabitha) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:44:00 +0000

Hold the phone... did you really say No Shopping?? As in, no bags full of brand new beautiful things??

And did you just say that right before CHRISTMAS??

Yeah. About that.

So, the last project (2010 things in 2010) was a success, although I wasn't always super thorough about documenting it. But for the next 365 days, I will be taking on a new Project.

To avoid the inner consumerist/shopaholic and not buy anything for a year.

Of course, I need to have rules. I can't just swear off all shopping... and it's not because I wouldn't love to. But as of right now, I don't have a self-sufficient household that produces all the food we could ever need... and I don't have children that have stopped growing out of their clothing. And I won't even discuss not having basic toiletries.

So... here are my rules. If you care to join in, feel free to adapt the rules as much as you need to for your situation. :o)

Things I can still shop for!
1. Food, although I do try to opt for whole food options and avoid processed things.
2. Toiletries, such as shampoo/conditioner, diapers, etc, but only when the previous ones are gone completely.
3. Clothes my boys have outgrown.
4. Anything that has been used completely that needs replacing or is completely out of it's useful life... like batteries, light bulbs, underwear... you know... that stuff.
5. Experiences... being things I can't hold... trips with my love, coffee with a girlfriend.

Things that are off the table!
1. Clothing for me. I really need to shop my closet. If I am gifted clothing or receive gift card specifically for clothing, I can spend that, but no new money can leave my account for clothing.
2. Crafting supplies. No matter how much those new fabrics or yarns call out to me!
3. "Organizational Supplies"... I can't tell you how many things I bought to "organize" my life that ended up being the clutter I got rid of at the last garage sale... the road to hell, you know.

Oh... and I am leaving myself an out. I know... Christmas is right around the corner, not to mention my little man's 4th birthday. So, if I decide to throw him a party, that would count as an experience. And although I am going to try to get my Christmas gifts taken care of through handmade/homemade/creative ventures... if I just can't get it done... I can shop, but I'll set a clear budget and not go overboard. ;o)

I am doing this for a couple reasons... first of all, having been unemployed for 5 of the last 7 months, I can't tell you how much I have come to realize the value of a dollar. I am also living at home with my parents and I am hoping to use this next year as a rebuilding period for me and my family. I'd really love to have my debt paid off this year completely and to be able to start off next year with a leg up.

I'm also tired of being part of the world of people that just use things up until we find them boring and no long fulfilling. I want to be able to tell my kids that we use things completely, every time. That a trip to the store doesn't mean that we purchase another bottle of bubble bath because the one at home has Cars on it and we are totally into Transformers now. I want to not have stock piles of things around "just in case" that end up just cluttering my life up. Again.

And lastly, I'm doing it to challenge myself. To find a new perspective of my creativity. To force myself to use things I have in ways I hadn't yet thought of. I want to use up my fabric stash, to wear things I forgot about, and to spend more time talking with friends, loving life, and forgetting about "stuff".

Join in!! :)

For a Year...

noreply@blogger.com (Tabitha) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 00:40:00 +0000

A comment that was left on my last post says "If you can live without it for a year, you probably don't need it. What a great philosophy!

And as I sit her in the spare bedroom of my parent's home... listening to my boys wrestle it out in the room next door... and my only other company being floor to ceiling boxes in 2 rooms... I think, where did all this come from?!?!

There was a lot of books and "memories" uncovered in the move. Items I bought years ago, some even before I was married, some that I don't even remember. And instead of them going into the garbage, they were boxed up and brought over here.

I was proud of myself in this move... mostly because my storage unit is a 10x10... but it houses major furniture and holiday items. My piano, dining table, sets of shelves and Christmas decorations. But everything else is staring me down. Ugh!!

So, this next week we are taking that comment from the previous post to heart. Anything that I don't need right now goes. I would rather spend $40 later on new pyrex than to spend the energy trying to figure out where to put them now, pack them later, have to move them again, and so on and so forth. It's just not worth it!

If you had to move from your home, be it 2000 or 4000 or whatever square feet, into someone else's home where you occupied 300 sq ft between you and your children... what priorities would you make? What would stay and what would go? Any creative storage ideas?

See you next time!

When you let it all go.

noreply@blogger.com (Tabitha) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 00:03:00 +0000

Obviously life is busy now... more than it's been... and not surprisingly, YAWYK is taking on a new meaning in my life.

After the past year of marital struggles and divorce, great jobs and jobs lost, and finally losing my home in this epic battle... this 28-year-old single mother of 2 is doing this unthinkable...

I'm moving in with my parents.

I am both torn and elated at this prospect. On one hand, I am saving a ton of money, my boys get to grow up close to their grandparents (whom they absolutely adore!) and I get to start off with a clean slate in a few years. Other the other, I am having to move my 2100sqft home into 2 bedrooms (one without a closet) and a shared bathroom. Most of what I own is going to be pared down even further than it already has been, another garage sale will take place in the next 30 days, and I will move on with life.

Its so hard to assess what you truly need versus what you just would like when you are suddenly in a place where you just can't take it all. This isn't like those trivial questions where someone asks you what you would grab if your home were burning down and you could only take what you could carry. This is the part where you have 30 days to weed through everything left in your adult home and take what you and your children need in order to live for a year or more in roughly 300 sq ft.

I know I can get a storage unit, which I might still do... but I already have shelves in my garage that house things like Christmas ornaments, decorations, and... crap... what else is out there?? And that will likely head to storage... but do I really want to put my La-Z-Boy sectional into storage to find a mouse family (or 5) have taken residence?? I know I could store my piano that I love so much, but do I really think that the 120 degree heat isn't going to damage that gorgeous finish?

So... hopefully for the next 30 days, I'll be able to document what I decide to keep... what I decide to let go of... and let you know some creative ways that me and the boys manage to keep our world organized and functional without losing everything we have!

If you have any great suggestions, let me know!

Thanks for hanging around! :)

Body Clutter

noreply@blogger.com (Tabitha) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:56:00 +0000

So, normally I leave my personal issues off this blog... but I read this article this morning and I thought that it was too great not to share!

This week, I stepped on the scale in the bathroom... I did it at night, which I normally avoid as mornings are more forgiving, and I stripped down to minimize the damage from my heavy denim I wear most days... and oh. my. gosh... I am now at my heaviest I've been while not pregnant. I need to seriously get rid of some body clutter as FlyLady calls it.

Anyway, I was reading this article today that I found on Justin Klosky's O.C.D. Experience facebook page that talks about how having an organized kitchen can help us to shed that extra weight! I dont' know about you, but this is totally up my alley as something I can do today and hopefully reap the benefits!

Your Challenge... pick one or two of the suggestions and let me know how it's changed the way you are organized in the kitchen as well as how you are eating!

Thanks for being here! :)

And somehow... I am here.

noreply@blogger.com (Tabitha) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:54:00 +0000

Wow... I am so sorry... I happen to just fall off the face of the planet reguarly.

Like I mentioned before, I had a bit of a family crisis that required much more of my attention than I had... which left me with absolutely nothing for the blog world. Forgive me! But much of that has settled down... life is making much more sense... and I am back on my way to getting rid of 2011 in 2011!

This past weekend, I FINALLY had that garage sale that I have been promising to have... and lets just say that I got rid of TONS of items... official count will be later... but I am now almost completely purged indoors and I can park my car in my garage with room to spare! At the end of the garage sale (which was 2 hours early than I had planned... it was HOT!), my dad and my boyfriend packed up the truck and trailer and took one load to the dump and another to Goodwill. I was not about to pack it all back into my house.

I will say it finally felt good to get rid of those boxes that have been looming over my head. There were some boxes in the garage that had been packed when I lived on my own (2005?) and had been stored since... and the entire box in most cases was simply trashed, thanks to the vermin that had found my journals and old photographs to make wonderful nests... lesson learned!

There were other boxes in there that were too painful to go through right now. But instead of just pushing them to a high up shelf, I had my sister do the dirty work... get in, decide what could be salvaged, and get rid of things that were obviously not necessry. We emptied frames (some for keeps and some for the sale), we reorganized totes, and we put everything back. And at the end of the day... I smiled. I had gotten rid of 90% of my frustrations in a single day... and was a few hundred richer!

If you are still here... thank you for sticking around! And if you are new, welcome! I can't wait to visit your blogs to see your progress!

-Tabitha

It's Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:22:00 +0000

I have been reading more and more of Justin Klosky of O.C.D Experience's work, and I found this article to be a great launch point for anyone who isn't sure what should be the first to go!

I love his thought of purging everything that you haven't used in 2 years... this is where I am going to be starting my 2011 in 2011 challenge! And I have plans for a May 21st garage sale... gotta get things going, right? That will be about a week after my divorce is to be final... so I will be sure to put out a sign saying that Ex Husbands pay double, right?? :o)

Have you made the decision to follow along with the 2011 in 2011 challenge? Let me know that you are along for the ride... I'm going to be updating the blog look and getting a new button this week!

You are awesome and I am glad you are here!

Make-up!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:45:00 +0000

Hi Everyone!

First off, I want to thank you if you are still hanging around! I am reorganizing my life a bit with some big changes at home... but I am also doing exactly what I think I'll do every year... conquering a new YAWYK Challenge!

2011 in 2011...

Yep... I am going to try again... this time to rid even more crap from my house!

My divorce is causing me to have to go through things I never thought I'd have to look at... only because I don't want to have a box of "memories" to bombard me when I least expect it. So... watch for new organization projects and improvements!

But today... I just want you to conquer one thing... you make up drawer! Check out this great article that was shown to me by Justin Klosky of O.C.D. Experience for some great tips!!

See you soon!

Finances!!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:17:00 +0000

Ok... so I know it's been far too long for a post.. and I gotta just post otherwise I won't remember how to do it, not that I am really sure I do now... but let's just get started, ok?

Finances. Budgets. Cash. Money.

I'll be honest. Sometimes I do great in this area. I managed to pay down almost $40,000 in debt in the past year, which required me to get pretty careful with our family cash. But now, I am down to one income and 3 mouths to feed (if you don't count the pets!).

I am a firm believer that if we don't keep this area of our lives in check, it only wrecks havoc in other areas of our lives. Keeping a balanced budget and living below our means is a great way to start finding balance in our homes and to live a more simple life!

I'd love to know what you use to keep track of your family budget planning. I used to be a Quicken fan... then moved to a homegrown spreadsheet. Now, I am trying to use You Need A Budget... but I am not 100% sold...

Please share!

Back... you??

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 20:12:00 +0000

Hi Everyone-

I am back! I am so sorry for the hiatus... The end of the year rushed up on me... and with it brought a plethora of family issues. I won't fill this blog up with them (see my personal blog for that story) but I will say that it kept me from reaching my goals with the 2010 in 2010. Although my home has been cleared of a lot of bunch of clutter and surplus, my garage is overflowing with toys, clothes and furniture.

I need to get rid of the rest of this stuff... but I am also now in a predicament: I am not able to sell, trash, or otherwise dispose of any items in my home. And in the middle of this, I will be moving to a new home.

I will be using the blog to continue to provide creative ideas to clearing the clutter, organizing the chaos, and creating a simpler way of life.

If you are still around... thank you for your understanding! I really appreciate you!

2 Months to Go!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 21:09:00 +0000

I wish I could go back in time to almost 6 weeks ago knowing what I know now... I might have been able to tell you to grab a roll of trash bags and tackle your worst project because I won't be around for a while.

But hindsight is always 20/20, huh?

Last things first, here is our winner from the CSN Giveaway!

.... which is....

Congratulations!!

I am really trying to catch up with my challenge as there are only 2 months left. I still have around 1200 items that need to find there way out of my home. And although bags of clothes and toys have made it out of cramped dressers and closets, we still have a long way to go!

My new job is making it much harder for me to be online as much as I used to be... but I am determined to conquer this 2010 in 2010.

Thank you for sticking around as my situation gets a little sticky... but I can't wait to meet you at the end with a less cluttered life!!

Fun Storage... and a Giveaway!!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 04:44:00 +0000

As a parent of small kids, I am constantly trying to figure out ways to allow my kiddos to LIVE in our house without our house being overwhelmed with toys all the time.

One thing I think that really helps keep the living room feeling like an adult space after bedtime is having a storage ottoman as a coffee table... something like this...

I love checking out unique coffee tables to see what great ideas are out there that can help me hide away the everyday ~~clutter~~ proof of children and let me ~~hide it away~~ feel ready for company ANY day!

Check out these awesome storage solutions!! I am sure that everyone could find great uses for tables just like these!

Ahhh.... those are so much fun!

And you know all those great storage or organization items I talked about here or here or even here? Well, how would you like $35 to spend at CSN Stores (via promotional code)... just because I like you??

Because I do! And I am soooo grateful to you for being here, keeping me company. :o)

Soooo... how about this... you leave me some love... I'll do my best to get a random number generator to pick your name on 9/30!

The Rules:

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment telling me what you would spend the $35 on to help with your YAWYK challenge!

Extra Entries

(please leave me a separate comment for each entry)

*Become a follower on my blog and/or comment if you already are (1 entry)

*"Like" CSN stores on Facebook (1 entry)

*Follow CSN on twitter (1 entry)

* Blog about your entry and link back to me. (2 entries)

That's all... and watch for the big bedroom reveal this weekend! Wooot!!

Clothes-ing In!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:41:00 +0000

I feel like I have been working for forever on the projects around here, yet not completing anything. It's so frustrating to not be able to come here to update you all on my YAWYK challenge... but it's even worse when I have a few minutes and nothing to share!

A couple weeks ago, my husband quit his job. Don't worry! It's a good thing! He is now working from home, which creates it's own set of challenges... but there is a HUGE benefit: He is home and able to enjoy the boys the same way that I have been blessed to. He is helping to make sure the boys are up, ready and to daycare each morning, and that they get home safely in the afternoon.

In my efforts to make things easier around here, I purchased a couple of these:

Ok... well, maybe not those EXACTLY... mine are black and gray... but they are pretty much those. They were on clearance at Target. I got one for each boy.

Then I cleared out my hall closet.

When cleaning out your hall closets... remember these tips!

1. The more accessible the closet (or other storage) the more accessible the items inside! Your inside hall closets aren't for holiday items or long term storage items (wedding dresses, "memory boxes", etc).

2. Hall closets are like bottomless pits. If you want to store items there, store them so that it's easy to see what is actually there. Clear totes, hanging storage, and bins are great for this when properly used.

3. Think creatively. Just hanging stuff in a closet will only utilize the hanging space... and if you are like me, the little toddler jackets seem like such a waste of space, leaving sooo much room underneath! Put a set of drawers in places that are underutilized by little clothes!

4. Think vertically. Add shelves if you need them!

Alright... so like I was saying... I cleared out a front hall closet.

To sell:
401-410: a variety of stocking holders... Yeah... seasonal... and not used.
411: tube of 100 green ornaments.
412-425: assorted cables, knicknacks, and other hallway clutter that tried to find a home here.

To a better place:
269-300: hangers. Assortment of cheap wood (Dollar bins anyone??), wire and retail plastic. Likely would be appreciated by GoodWill more than by me.

To trash:
209-218: Another bag o' crap.

Then I hung those two organizers in the hall closet. We decided that was a good place because a) We live in AZ, where jackets are rarely needed or hung in a hall closet, b) I do laundry late at night and almost never get it into the boys rooms because they are sleeping, and c) we get the kids ready in the living room in the morning.

I gave each boy 1 set of hanging cubbies, and put their outfits in them.. one per day... Monday through Friday. I then put two collapsible bins in the bottom cubbies (there were 6 in each hanger) and put socks and underroos in there!

It has worked out perfectly! I can organize the kids outfits over the weekend, and then he can get them ready while I am ~~running around like crazy~~ putting on my make-up for work.

I am all for anything that makes life a little bit easier right now!

Sorry there aren't any outfits... it's Sunday and laundry day... ;o)

What do you do to keep the kids organized in the morning?

Long Time...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:27:00 +0000

Wow... I am so sorry that I have seen MIA to all of you! I am working full time now and am trying to find a way for life and blogging to co-exist. But I promise... I am still here! I am working on a few guest posts this month and the details on the next giveaway!

What I'd love to do is post a list of my PIP areas... which is Purge in Process... but if you have a more cleaver name... I am open ears! Also... let us know what areas you are working on... and let's put little stars by the ones that must be done by Sept 30th, 2010! Only 4 months until our final goal of December 31, 2010! :gasp:

OK... my PIPs!

-Pantry. I am a coupon-er... so this area is a little bit crazy.***
-Pure Romance stuff... yeah... I do those parties and my inventory is in boxes at my once clean desk... :o( ***
-Master bathroom. Halfway done... ***
-Master bedroom. I have a funny feeling that this room is my nemesis... my arch rival. If it ever gets done, I'll probably just consider my challenge finished. ;o)
-Linen Closet***
-Garage

Also, let me know about some of your problem areas! I'll see what I can do to help you out!!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 15:03:00 +0000

I know... I promised a winner 2 days ago. But blogger was having issues, so I couldn't post. I did, however, use Random.org for this weeks winner!!

Soooo... if this is you:

Then you have until Wednesday the 25th to contact me with your mailing info! :o)

**********************

In other news... I have been super busy, but I am still working hard towards my goals. We do have a few guest posters lined up for September... and I would love to hear from you if this challenge has been going great for you! Maybe you've finally conquered an unsurmountable project... finally got the last item out of your home from a bad relationship... or maybe can just see the floor in your kids room for the first time in forever! Let's hear about it!

Shoes!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:39:00 +0000

Earlier when I talked about entry ways... there was a comment from you asking about shoes! I know I know... you take them off when you get home... piling them in the corner of your entry. Or maybe you have a bin or a basket. Or maybe you line them up beautifully under a bench.

But for most of us... it's usually a bit overwhelming, no?

My family has the basket. It's not by the front door... but in the living room. We have a built in entertainment center, and I bought some baskets (that I should have thought about more) that we put under the TV. Then we had kids. And those baskets got moved to the side of the built in (in another cubby) to make way for toys...

It works for us... especially with 2 small ones always looking for their shoes. And it makes for a quick tidy.

But it's not at all what I want. I hope to one day during this challenge conquer my family's shoe issues...

Here are a few tips for keeping your shoe clutter contained!

1. Do a weekly sort through. Put away all the shoes that are at your families drop off site. This way, the shoes that got dropped off at the front door 3 seasons ago get put away and don't hang out forever looking clumsy and misplaced. Don't worry about them so much during the week. :o)

2. Weed through your existing shoes. Remember that part of the YAWYK challenge is to live with the best you have! Are there shoes piled up that need to be replaced? What about the kids outgrown pairs? And do you really need 3 pairs of black flip flops??

3. Make a decision as to how many pairs can be at the front door/mud room/etc. If you say it can only be 2 baskets worth, then don't let any more pairs sit on the side of the bins! If you say 1 pair per family member, hold to your rules!

4. Remember, any storage you use in plain site needs to be functional and "on purpose"! I always think it's better to have things in a container that has a purpose rather than just schlepped in a pile. So, pass on the "along-the-wall-in-a-line" approach if you are able to use cute totes or a shoe shelf!

Here are some ideas I have come across that I love! I hope that you can find something that works for your family to keep things corralled!

Photos were from Ikea, ApartmentTherapy, Brookstone and Home Decorators!

I seriously love how the Apartment Therapy one (shelves in the hallway) appear to be magazine shelves not unlike these... made into a shoe rack! What a great way to be resourceful!

Do you have any great ideas for shoes in the entry?

Laundry Day... and a cool tool!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 17:30:00 +0000

My hubs and I decided to get crazy and tackle the entire house in 2 days. I will admit that there is only 1/2 the decluttering going on... but at least the house is looking much cleaner.

And I don't mind that one bit!

Part of that huge push to clean meant washing and drying and folding and putting away about a billion loads of laundry. Usually, that process falls apart after the first step... and clothes often develop a musty smell before I remember that I forgot about them in the first place... then a second wash (with a touch of vinegar to get rid of the odor) and then get to the dryer.

Where they sit. And we pull items out as we need them. Or turn it back on to "de-wrinkle".

What? You don't do that?? Liar.

Like I mentioned before, part of our problem with putting clothes away is that we just don't have anywhere to put them. Drawers being packed and all. And the boys' dresser is no exception to this. The boys share a dresser, with 4 drawers... but for some unknown reason I separated the drawers as follows: (1) Corbin's clothes, (2) Ryan's clothes, (3) Clothes that Ryan outgrew but Corbin's too small for, (4) Blankets.

Yeah... there is no room for my kids clothes in their dresser because I put linens there. Instead of in the linen closet. I am sure there is a good reason somewhere...

We got practical, weeded through those clothes. Hung up a TON of clothes... and got together our huge load for GoodWill. I think they are going to love us.

I did pull out about 12 items that I just can't part with just yet (special outfits and stuff) and put together a few boxes for ThredUp... but the rest is on it's way to GoodWill in an hour or so!

To a Better Place:
4-241. Infant/Toddler clothes! Items that were outgrown, faded, or otherwise not my "best", but still totally usable by the average consumer!

And I added to that another 27 items that were in my laundry...

To a Better Place:
242-268. Women's clothing... and a few men's items that my hubs tossed in.

This is the pile.. waiting to get loaded up to get out of here!

Now, here's the best part... those 5 bags represent about a $424 TAX SAVINGS on my 2010 tax bill!!! I used a program called ItsDeductible (available free!) to track my donation and it tells me what I can expect to be saving on my tax bill.

Who would have thought that decluttering your house leads to MORE MONEY in your Pocket!! Now, that's a benefit I can totally be on board with!

Go check it out... start logging your donations and see how much money you can find in your declutter!

OH! And don't forget to head over to the Giveaway this month! ;o)

Entry Way

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 13:00:00 +0000

When you first walk into my house.... there is a little box of a room. Well, maybe that's not the best descriptor... but it's a little room.... with just big entry ways into the hall and the main room. It's not really a room... but, well... you know!

This quasi room houses my curio cabinet (full of china and figurines... how domestic of me) and my piano.

And a mirror...

But yeah... even with nothing there... it's soooo cluttered.

I am really beginning to believe that all flat surfaces in my house are magnetic and collect items just for grins and giggles. Seriously. I mean... how else do I explain this...

I walk in the door... and drop everything on the piano. And I hate it.

Here are a few things I am doing to change this!

1) I installed hooks on the wall in our kitchen hallway. Technically this is very out of the way... but once we are parking in our garage, it'll be perfect! I hung some high and some low so that they boys can hang their backpacks eventually as well.

2) I take all the mail to the trashcan for sorting when I walk in the door. No more piles at the piano.

3) I clear away anything that does get put on the piano after I put my boys to bed. I walk right by it, so I make myself clean up then.

4) I charge myself $1 for every item that I leave there overnight. I know... honor system... but I am trying to be good and if I don't do it, nobody will!

5) OH! I also push in the piano bench. If I have to pull it out to put something on it, then I'll think twice! I also leave the keys exposed... not closed! One less surface to collect clutter!

Nothing for the trash or sell counts here... but I am getting clutter conquered by putting things away!!

What Entry Way hints do you have?

Giveaway: Organize Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:00:00 +0000

Wow! We are now at 100 Followers! I am so excited about how many people are also making commitments to changing the way that they live, one item at a time!

This month's giveaway is a new personal favorite of mine... I found it kind of on accident... but my type A personality is loving the checklist approach of...

This book is great because it breaks out your entire life into manageable pieces for you to conquer individually. It has great tips for you to make your own... and I am LOVING the notes spot for each zone... it lets me write myself notes about things I want to do in that area... but I don't have to do right away. This keeps my ADD in check. ;o)

Anyway... I am loving this book... and I'd love to share it with you... Here is our easy peasy give away.

To enter, post a comment telling me why you'd love this book. Winner will be chose at Random on August 19th!

That's it!

But I'd still love for you to tell your friends... Sharing is caring people!

Cars

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:11:00 +0000

I got a message on Facebook wondering about cars... how to keep them organized, beautiful and clutter-free. I loved the thought.... and I figured our cars can be an extension of our homes for how long we are actually in them.

Maybe your car looks a little like mine... and if it doesn't, lie... it makes me feel better.

Yeah... I can't see the floor... anywhere...

But I used this as an excuse to get in there, contribute to the 2010 in 2010 and also figure out a few solutions that will hopefully help keep the clutter at bay... and hopefully it will help you too!!

When I cleaned out my car I used a trashbag (for trash) and a reusable tote (for anything that needs to go back into the house). I didn't have a "sale" pile here since most everything we use in the car is either currently needed or trash worthy.... not much middle ground.

I ended up with a full bag of trash, including scraping out candle wax from 2 birthday candles that melted in my cupholder... the birthday boy yelled "I gotta potty" on arrival... so they got left in the car and forgotten in the Arizona heat. Ugh... that was a mess... but it felt good to get it cleaned out.

To Trash:
199-208. One full bag.

Now... here are some ideas for keeping things tidy in the car!

I use little bins like this right in between the boys carseats. I drop all their cars/toys/sunglasses in there so they can easily reach them! Available at Target for $6.

I also am thinking I should use a similar one in the front seat that can be collapsed when not in use (and put in that little space between the seat and the console) and then pulled back out to put the mail in or other papers instead of just piled on my seats.

Because if you drive like I do, you will hit your brakes eventually... causing all those papers to end up on the bottomless pit of a floorboard.

You did see the before pics, right??

Also, always try to take everything out of your car each day. I learned the hard way that even items without lots of value can look real enticing through a car window and windows can be shattered to get them. If my car had been clean and empty... probably wouldn't have happened!

So, the afters!!

I know that Justin Klosky has some great ideas on his site for car care... and I'd love to hear yours! What works for you??

When things that should suck don't!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:03:00 +0000

When I am working through an area... I tend to follow a little pattern.

1) Everything gets knocked off flat surfaces
2) Cleaner sprayed everywhere and wiped down
3) Obvious trash is thrown out, sell stuff goes into a box for the garage, and other stuff gets put away.
4) Vacuum up all the little pieces that are on the floor now because of #1.

That is until my vacuum decides to bite the dust.

And as I sat there on the floor undoing the 19th screw to figure out why the motor was making that awful noise... I realized that this is silly. Why would I want my dusty gross vacuum to barely work... especially when it is what keeps all that Arizona dust controlled. It sucks up all the dog hair from those 2 Labradors. It keeps my kiddos ground up cereal from attracting ants. I depend on that thing!

And so on days that things that should suck just don't... they end up in the sale pile!

To Sell:
401. Vacuum... (and I know I just said it was broken... but it really just makes a noise like it's gonna launch itself to outerspace... it still Hoovers.) :oP

I am underway with 2 more posts... with before and after pictures... of the entryway of my home and my master bathroom! And we are only 3 followers away from 100!! I can't wait!!

Stay tuned for progress pics.... and check out our Flickr group to see what others are doing... and don't forget to add your own pics!!

2 Down... 5 to go!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:41:00 +0000

Wow... time flies when you are having fun... and we all know that getting rid of these dust bunnies and bags of STUFF is fun!

Please tell me I am not the only one who is getting more of a bounce in their step when they open a newly organized cabinet and feel accomplished!

I have been on my little quest for organization for 8 weeks... 2 months... just about 60 days. And we have a little more than 5 months left to go! And I am just over 1/4 of the way to my goal... I am pretty sure I can do it if I put my tail in high gear!!

Socks are finally finished! I am not kidding you that I folded over 50 pairs! I trashed over 50 assorted socks (holes, super stretched, stained, and no more mates). And I felt so good to finally get that over with!

This week I am going to tackle the master bathroom... Oh.My.Gosh is that a wreck... I am pretty embarrassed about that one and I have been transparent with almost all the messes around here... but I am determined to get to my goal of 2010 in 2010... and my bathroom might be the key... hehe...

I am really hoping we can get to 100 followers before August 1st when I do our next giveaway... so please don't forget to tell your friends about your personal goals to declutter and simplify! You *need* their support to be successful... trust me!

And seriously... thanks again for being a part of my journey... I couldn't do it without you! You make me keep going even when I think it's not worth it! :o)

For the trash:
149-198. Socks

For the sale pile:
395-400. Clothes my son outgrew.

Brick Walls

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 19:45:00 +0000

No... I don't have any gorgeous brick walls in my house... I am talking about brick walls...as in the kinds that I keep running into with my little endeavor.

Take my desk...

Boy did that place need some help. I grabbed my normal tools: a trash bag and a big box. And then I got started.

But I think I need some help.

You see... after 2 hours of working on this desk... everything went from my desk to the trash or the box.... or my dining room table because I felt like I still needed it. And then back onto the desk for a 2nd sort... and then back to the counter... and then back to the desk.

So yeah... in 2 hours... I was here...

Still not done. I don't have any filing cabinets which I think would help with the paper items... but I am trying to figure out if I really need those things... both the cabinets and the papers. It's also getting harder to part with things... at least here... because I feel like I need this stuff... :sigh:

For the Trash:
139-148. Another bag of trash... :sigh: Where does this stuff come from?!?

For the Sale Pile:
382. Wire file thingie
383-385. Three pink table cloths
386-387. Two bags of party favor bags.
388. Tower of post-it notes
389. Calculator
390. Decorative notebook (unused)
391. Cute little tin
392. Pack of kitchen cleaning rags... they weren't that great to me... so they are gone.
393-394. Two picture frames (plastic... not my style.)

To take to the new office (YEP... I am a working Mom now!) I happened to uncover a few gems that are made for cubicle living... so those are leaving the house... and headed to a new home. I am counting them... as they were clutter in my home... but will be useful outside of it! :o)

To "A Better Place":
1. Wire file thingie (yep... I had 2 of these on the desk before.)
2. Cubicle hanging basket thing... has those sharp tacks on the back for hanging on a cubicle wall.
3. Pack of cubicle paper hanger things. (Why don't these wonderful little clips not have a cool name??)

So... here is where I need your help... what do you use to conquer your papers and desk area??

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:38:00 +0000

I am so sorry I have been MIA... I promise, I am still around... just have been super busy! I have lots of updates to post... and will do that as soon as I can!

But I know you all want to know who the lucky winner is of our O.C.D. Experience Giveaway is!

and.... that lucky winner is!

Sooo Cupcake Monkey!! Contact me so I can get you in touch with Justin Klosky of O.C.D Experience and get your free consultation!!

And everyone else... I plan on doing 1 giveaway each month... so get ready for August!! And that means only 5 more months to tackle our YAWYK areas!

Living with the Best

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:37:00 +0000

I know that a lot of my posts have been about getting rid of the things that are cluttering up your life. It's very likely that if you are taking this challenge that you are emptying out junk drawers that have been left alone for too long... or weeding out expired items from your pantry... and getting rid of clothes that the kids outgrew.

But there is another part of this challenge that I don't want to be overlooked... it's the Living with the Best You Have!

For most of us... just the nature of getting rid of the excess... the broken, outgrown, tattered and worn... we will have the Best left over.

But some of us need to remember to replace.

Yep... you might have to bring something new in to replace something you got rid of. But don't worry! I won't make you add a number to your tally.

Sometimes, we go through our belongings and realize that something just isn't cutting it (let's just say some old, torn stained potholders... or maybe a cracked waterhose). Neither of those exhibits the BEST in your life, right? So we purge... they end up out of your home... and you move on to the next area... right??

Wrong. Here is where those items need to end up on a replacement list. You will need to get a new hose... maybe in your favorite color to make watering chores more fun! And you can get your super crafty girlfriend to whip you up a set of potholders that matches your personality... and make you smile when you pull ~~that casserole~~ those cookies out of the oven. :o)

I am a firm believer that although the plain out there is just as functional... the items that are personalized to you get more wear... that's why you wear your favorite shirt a million times while the other half dozen stay right where you left them... there is just something about it.

Now, I don't want you to clutter back up your home... 2011's challenge isn't going to be to find 2011 items to keep! But please make sure you are still living with the best you have... and not in a state of *need*.

Ok... basically what I am saying is Replace with a Purpose.. and give that item a place to live as soon as it comes home. If you can't find a place for it... it likely a) means it didn't need replacing (good thing you kept the receipt!) or b) that you aren't done decluttering!

Have a great weekend! More before/afters coming on Monday!

Your Stories: Jenifer!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:45:00 +0000

I love reading your stories on your blogs about your declutter journeys. It makes me so happy to know that so many of us are in this together!

I "met" Jenifer last week when she told me about Josie, a sweet little lady from the Philippines that changed the way that Jenifer viewed her life... her "stuff".

It's such a beautiful story... I can't do the retelling justice... so sneak on over and give her some love! I hope this story tugs at your heart and makes you think the way that it did for me.