Organizing and decluttering the homestead

[sumi]

@treerooted so sorry to hear about your friend's babies

I got busy cleaning and organising the house yesterday. Suddenly felt the urge to do it for no apparent reason but feeling restless and unable to sit down. I do keep the house clean and as tidy as I can, but yesterday was a day for tackling the places I tend to overlook or accept to be a bit cluttered. Not too bad going, considering I've only been here going on 4 months, so I didn't have much opportunity to hoard stuff YET

 

[treerooted]

I need some of that motivation today sumi but I'm slow going this morning. Going to be having a toddler sleep over tonight because my friend will have to have surgery, so I'd better tackle this mess

 

[Beekissed]

Very cold out today, so I hope to tackle the shelving unit on the back porch/pantry room that holds tools and other misc. items used around the home. It's the last set of shelves needing cleaned off and organized before I can check that room off my list.

It's already organized into wash tubs and labeled, but the items in those tubs and around them are no longer fitting in the tubs as well, which tells me that a good clean out and reorganization is in order for the tubs to continue being useful. They've become a catch all for everything and that happens every year...and every year I have to go through them and send items to their proper storage place up in the shed or along to Good Will or the Habitat store.

 

[Beekissed]

Never did get to that shelf, but today I managed to clear out many things in the pantry that people just place out there willy nilly that belong other places. Nothing irks me more than having shelves one cannot access because things are stacked or placed in front of them.

It felt good to clear out the clutter and place it where it belongs, rather than in the pantry/mud room. Maybe I can get to that shelf now!

Also got some clutter and mess cleared out up at the shed...my son has been doing various projects in there and then just lets everything drop where he was using it. Grrrrr. I can see the floor now and things are placed back where they belong, enabling access to THOSE shelves now.

So, in the ongoing battle of clutter, I won back two small areas, some shelves and cubbies today.

Oh...and I got a chance to clear up some outside clutter as well here and there, so I thank God for this sunny, warm day in which to do these things. It was so lovely to feel the sun on my face as I chored about.

 

[tortoise]

Nicely done @Beekissed ! I hope to have an update soon. I've had holiday obligations keeping me busy the last couple days. Clutter is piling up! My laundry room is much improved, but basement needs attention.

 

[treerooted]

I'm glad someone's making progress Bee!

I still haven't got the main floor mess under control yet, and today I'm sick. Just trying to rest and keep the toddler out of trouble is my main goal today.

 

[baymule]

Haha, my son in law WAS this OCD guy, everything had to be just so, not a speck of dust, clothes folded just so, the pantry in proper order, stuff kept to a bare minimum, nothing out of place. THEN he met our daughter, the slob from hell. I used to close the door to her room, it wasn't worth the fight.

Fast forward 11 years later......3 girls....age 10, 2 and 1...... Our daughter had to up her game and do a lot towards cleaning up her act. Our SIL had to let go of a lot and lower his impossible to meet standards. Three girls with toys, clothes, mess and more mess. Both parents working, it is a struggle just to get out the door in the mornings. The house looks like an explosion of toys, clothes, dirty and clean, this morning's breakfast smeared on the table and high chair tray, food that hit the floor-the dog ate.

They both just try to make it through the week, breakfast, work, supper, babies, homework, rinse, repeat. On weekends they wash a mountain of clothes, do groceries, cook meals for the upcoming week.

Our once perfect son in law living in his perfect world.....got it turned upside down and inside out. Nothing is perfect, everything is in disarray, things are a mess. And he's never been happier.

Organizing and decluttering-it's nice, but it ain't everything.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Organizing and decluttering-it's nice, but it ain't everything.

Amen, Sistah!

 

[Beekissed]

No, it isn't everything...but it sure is nice.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Depends in your perspective I suppose. I refuse to be a slave to my house or anything else, I truly have more important responsibilities than to obsess over insignificant trivialities.

But, I'm a believer in "whatever trips your trigger!"