Clutter-Free Computer Space

The Holiday Giveaway went great! I wish I had done a bit more in my own house but my brother and his wife donated a ton of stuff and I am continuing to take a load about weekly.

So, currently I am working on having a clutter-free computer area. It is definitely our clutter zone. I am following a MONTH-BY-MONTH STORAGE PLAN I found in a Better Homes and Gardens Magazine from Summer 2010.

I can't believe I am showing you this but this is my computer desk currently (and more often than not). Because of the strange layout of our house our computer is on our kitchen and our dinner table is in our dining room. It is one of the spaces you ALWAYS see if you come to my house and I have to do something about it...clearly.

I made a trip to Office Max and got a cute little filing system (inspired by the magazine) for papers and office supplies. It is so cute and I love to look at it. I just hope it will force us to keep on top of it. The wall is such a useful space that I often overlook, plus it looks so nice. I just can't wait to dive into the desk and get it cleared off and gorgeous.

AFTER photos to come...

Holiday Giveaway

I've decided (just right now...this very minute) to start a yearly tradition of a
Holiday Giveaway.

For the next few weeks we will be filling bags with unwanted/un-needed clothing and toys to take to the Road Home.

I have been leaving bags and boxes around the house to fill with items as I come across them. Annika has already tried giving away all of her brother's toys but is finally starting to understand what we're doing. When we finally take everything to the homeless shelter I hope she will understand what an impact she is making.

I plan on getting my side of the family involved and offering to drop everything off for them. I am just typing as I am thinking so I haven't worked out all of the details yet but I am getting really excited and just want to pack up my whole house for those struggling families.

So far I am packing items that I never imagined I would give away but just thinking about the basics these families need has made it an easy choice.
'Tis the season...right?!

Okay, so the not spending money part is not so hard. I thought it would be much harder (of course, some days are harder than others).

I do a craft-ie night once a week with some of my favorite girlies and not spending money has helped my actually go through the things I already have. I have also enlisted the help of my cute hubby on getting blocks of wood for painting and such. Now I just need to become an amazing crafter so I can give my creations away as gifts.

Halloween has been tricky though. I have considered making costumes but since I am a very, very inexperienced seamstress it would cost at least $20 for a pattern plus the materials...plus the hours and days and weeks to make it. So, I will probably be buying them this year. I have been looking on eBay and thrift stores so wish me luck!!

This is a slow process but I have already noticed how my train of thinking has changed when it comes to consumerism and I'M LOVIN' IT!!

Waaaaa

This is sooo hard. I feel like more and more things are creeping into my house and there is nowhere to put anything. I am still getting rid of things here and there but I feel like I need to spend a weekend (interruption free) with loud music, boxes, garbage bags, and empty cars that I can fill with donate-able items.

I also feel like I need to buy ( I know...a big minimalist NO-NO) a ton of organizing materials for the items I do have. I don't just become organized. I have to have a plan. But I can't organize until I know what I have to work with so I need to get rid of everything I can NOW!!

I am feeling even more overwhelmed now. I want this to be done and just move on with a clutter-free life. I want this to happen overnight. I want to be there already.

Baby steps...baby steps...

Day 2

I so wish these were consecutive days, but unfortunately no. I went through my things in my room and Front Room/Entry way yesterday. Can I just tell you that I have a sick addiction to collecting those reusable bags they sale you at every grocery store around. Most of them are cute but there are some that are just not and for some reason I had them all hung separately on my coat hooks in the Entry way. It doesn't make any sense, I know.

Anyway, the entry way was not bad. We have a table cleared of EVERYTHING, a small table for our keys, a wedding picture and our Scentsy, and the piano with a few too many pictures displayed but I'm working on narrowing it down. The hardest thing in this room is all of the sheet music. I honestly don't practice piano very often and probably use 10% of the books but it's hard to part with them. As you can see the basket is bursting at the seams...literally, so it must be done! The basket is only 1/2 full (or 1/2 empty is probably a more minimalist view). Needless to say it looks much better now.
Well, I narrowed the wall decor down to 3 pictures, a huge star and some candles. I think I'll keep them all. Plus...the coat hook looks mucho better-o now that the reusable bag collection is in the secret compartment of my trunk!
My wardrobe now includes
-6 pair of pants
-8 shirts
-2 skirts
-2 dresses
-11 pairs of shoes (help me!)
-14 pairs of socks (incl. summer and winter)
-4 pajamas/lounge/exercise outfits

It honestly feels great to know all the clothes in my closet fit well and are in good repair. It's like a breathe of fresh air when I chose my outfit today. Amazing.

I have only done a few areas of my home/life and I already feel 1,000 times better.

Day 1

Alright, so I have 2 adorable children, 1 cuddly teddy bear of a husband and work full time as a preschool teacher (which means work is often brought home with me). Time is limited as it is but on top of that I always feel like I need to go to every event I am invited to. For example, my daughter has 15 other kids in her preschool class and we haven't missed 1 birthday party...ever! I know it's crazy.

Today is that day this all changes. I don't really have a plan other than something I read on several minimalist websites (my current favorite is http://zenhabits.net/a-guide-to-creating-a-minimalist-home/)
Rule #1 ~ Limit to 15 outfits per family member.

I started with my daughters room. She has so many clothing sources; cousins, aunts, grandmas, etc. I feel ungrateful turning things down so I keep e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g resulting in...
That's right, these are just dresses and skirts. (after I got caught up in laundry I counted 37 skirts in a size 3T. 26 of which she had never worn) I spent one evening after work paring down her wardrobe and toy collection to;
-3 skirts
-3 dresses
-5 outfits
-10 pairs of socks and underwear
-5 pairs of shoes (that was a hard one. they're all so cute)
-3 swimsuits
-2 sweatshirts
-5 pairs of pajamas
-2 dolls, 2 doll outfits and 1 doll blanket
-1 small drawer of art supplies
-1 small box of small toys
-1 big basket of books (I took a few to the preschool which could be considered cheating, but we actually read all of them)
-1 tea set
-1 winter coat (she had 5)
-3 blankets

Elapsed time: 1 hour-including bagging up unwanted items and putting in the trunk of my car to go to good will.
Time it takes to clean up now...even when every single toy is out: 5 minutes

The same evening I went through my little boys room;
-10 outfits
-2 swimsuits
-1 hat
-1 basket of toys
-20 books
-5 pairs of pajamas
-2 pairs of shoes (going with only foot forming shoes made it easy to narrow it down)
-3 blankets

Elapsed time: 15 minutes
Time it takes to clean up now: 5 minutes

I know it's not exactly 15 outfits per person but I'm working on it. My closet will be much closer and I can't wait to start the next phase.

I'M SO OVER IT!!!!!

I have always thought of myself as someone who can get anything I want when I want it. For the most part that was true. I had a certain sense of pride in it and also a fear that if other people saw that I wasn't getting everything there is to get in the world that it was because I couldn't afford it or that my house was too small to fit it. So, I bought what I needed, what I wanted and what I thought I wanted.

Well, I don't want to be that person anymore because I have TOO MUCH! Too much to clean, too much to wash, too much to put away, too much in my way. It's in the way of my time and life in general. In the words of a valley girl, "I'm so over it!" I want a new lifestyle starting NOW! I want to have time for and enjoy watering my garden and sit outside at night and watch my kids play with a few favorite toys. This all seems so far away but I am determined...
So, here it goes.