Neeeeext!

Here is my next project.

I don't know why anyone in their right mind would have a closet built this small. It has always been a challenge to get everything in there. I want to go through toys and games and declutter those that are ready to move on. I'll be sure to post the "afters" when I get around to it.

Celebrating an Accomplishment

DS12's room is the hardest to keep up. It looks good...then whamo - it's a mess. I'm not really sure what happens between those stages. But since our zone this week was the bedroom and mine is in pretty decent shape, I decided to give him a hand and get that room in shape.

We started at the doorway and moved clockwise. Working in just 20 minute increments, we dusted, decluttered, scrubbed, shampooed the carpets...and even cleaned one set of blinds and the window! Bedding was laundered and bed remade. Cleaned under the bed too! I can honestly say there are no monsters in there...not even dust bunnies now!

Here are the "after" pictures.

I'm sooo excited!

After months of not having a dishwasher, I am so excited to hear the hummm of my GE as I blog!

At first I didn't really mind hand washing dishes. I have an amazing view out of my kitchen window. I can enjoy the scenery as I scrub dishes. But after a few months, even the awesome view loses it's appeal.

I figured that hand washing dishes for my family of five takes around an hour a day. Of course, that includes drying and putting away. So my dishwasher won't actually save an hour, because I will still have to load and unload. But it will save at least 30 minutes as day. That's 3 1/2 hours a week. Enough time for something really fun. Maybe instead of enjoying the scenery out my kitchen window, I can use that time to be IN the scenery!

This is the other side of the entry closet. I can't decide if it's organized or not! At first glance I think "wow, what a wreck!" Then on second thought, I'm like "hmm...everything has a place and is neatly arranged." What do you think? What was your first impression of this space?

I'm working on decluttering. It's a process for me. I thought it would be helpful to chart my progress and be able to look back at what I have accomplished with my "hidden clutter." I'm starting in the entry closet.