Cruise Cabin Conversion Pt. II
My problem was no longer a lack of motivation but that I just didn’t know where to start. I’ve often found myself determined to get organized and clear my clutter, only to wind up staring at a pile of clothes, piles of paper, or the Tupperware in my cupboards (that seem to multiply like rabbits), and feel overwhelmed. I stare at the mess and ask myself why, if I have a perfectly good mail sorting system, does my mail still wind up sitting on my dining room table? Why do I have tons of Tupperware when I only use about five of the containers? Why do I have TWO desks when all I need is one?? Why don’t I utilize my wall space? Why are my bathrooms and kitchen still not to my liking even though there are affordable fixes out there? Then I get frustrated and park my behind in front of the TV set, stuck. (hello, couch potato) I realized that what I may need is a guide. I vaguely knew what had to go but still had trouble tossing many items in the “Out” pile. Also, being the responsible tree hugger that I strive to be, I wanted to properly dispose of my unwanted items but had no idea where to begin. So I got online. In my search for a useful and efficient guide to de-cluttering, it was Lime.com to the rescue with this handy room-by-room spring cleaning guide which I printed and applied to my life post haste. (I also found a great guide to maintaining the habit at realsimple.com.)
Organizational Guide – Check!
Now that I had clear-cut instructions of effectively organizing my home, my second hurdle was how to reuse or responsibly dispose of unwanted and unnecessary items that belong in neither the trash nor the recycling bin. I had electronics and clothes that had been sitting in bags and boxes awaiting a new home but I just didn’t know where to begin to rid my home of these things. Sure there are organizations like the Salvation Army and Purple Heart, but I’ve never been one to call and arrange a pick-up. Once it’s packed up, I want it out of my sight immediately. If you’re
in the same bind, you could check out this guide to recycling at lime.com that offers a wealth of suggestions for recycling and disposal of various items from linens to electronics of all types. I carried an old television (amongst other things) to the local landfill’s electronics recycling lot. I found a container for clothes and toy donations nearby and hauled my first round of unwanted clothes to the bin (more to go soon). The plastic shopping bags crowding my pantry were dropped off at a local grocery store bag recycling receptacle (Plastic bags are sold by the stores to be reborn as decks, furniture, and rugs). I finally freed my home of the old television set, stereo, and a host of other items blocking my path and there is yet more to go.
New Home for Wayward Items – Check!
Finally, I’m on a roll. My off-season clothes have been neatly moved to another closet. Last weekend, I picked up a second file cabinet I found on Craigslist (the lock on my old one broke long ago, and it has never been quite what I needed), a label-maker, and file folders, and got busy organizing my paper clutter. As I moved everything neatly into its place, I instantly felt a sense of clarity and resurgence in motivation. I am now slowly but steadily moving towards my goal of having an organized, clutter-free home. Currently, I’m tackling the random mess that is my guest room/home office. In the process, it has gone from blah to looking like a tornado hit it (I never realized how much junk I had in my closets); but the outcome will be well worth it. As I get this area of the home squared away, my posts will resume on a regular basis. Maybe I’ll share the before and after pics if I’m not too ashamed.
Organizational Guide – Check!
Now that I had clear-cut instructions of effectively organizing my home, my second hurdle was how to reuse or responsibly dispose of unwanted and unnecessary items that belong in neither the trash nor the recycling bin. I had electronics and clothes that had been sitting in bags and boxes awaiting a new home but I just didn’t know where to begin to rid my home of these things. Sure there are organizations like the Salvation Army and Purple Heart, but I’ve never been one to call and arrange a pick-up. Once it’s packed up, I want it out of my sight immediately. If you’re
in the same bind, you could check out this guide to recycling at lime.com that offers a wealth of suggestions for recycling and disposal of various items from linens to electronics of all types. I carried an old television (amongst other things) to the local landfill’s electronics recycling lot. I found a container for clothes and toy donations nearby and hauled my first round of unwanted clothes to the bin (more to go soon). The plastic shopping bags crowding my pantry were dropped off at a local grocery store bag recycling receptacle (Plastic bags are sold by the stores to be reborn as decks, furniture, and rugs). I finally freed my home of the old television set, stereo, and a host of other items blocking my path and there is yet more to go.New Home for Wayward Items – Check!
Finally, I’m on a roll. My off-season clothes have been neatly moved to another closet. Last weekend, I picked up a second file cabinet I found on Craigslist (the lock on my old one broke long ago, and it has never been quite what I needed), a label-maker, and file folders, and got busy organizing my paper clutter. As I moved everything neatly into its place, I instantly felt a sense of clarity and resurgence in motivation. I am now slowly but steadily moving towards my goal of having an organized, clutter-free home. Currently, I’m tackling the random mess that is my guest room/home office. In the process, it has gone from blah to looking like a tornado hit it (I never realized how much junk I had in my closets); but the outcome will be well worth it. As I get this area of the home squared away, my posts will resume on a regular basis. Maybe I’ll share the before and after pics if I’m not too ashamed.
1 comment:
hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend
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