This week I have been trying to tame the chaos that has become my house. Some people clean top to bottom, or left to right, my cleaning method is different and complicated. It goes against my better judgement and really seems counterproductive. I can't explain it but it works for me... In order for one room to get better, every other room has to get worse. For instance, if I were to tidy the living room, all the rooms that border it would be destroyed. See, I told you it was weird.
Most times the house appears to be immaculate but the closets and other personal spaces hide a holy mess. I can hold this facade up for a while, keeping up with the essentials, like dishes and laundry, but letting other things go. Recently I have been noticing annoying piles of papers accumulating on my desk, clutter camping out on my nightstand, the clean laundry remaining in baskets, and closets overflowing with, well, everything else. This week the curtain has fallen and the act is over. I could take it no more and no matter what I had to sacrifice, I knew it would be worth it.
Say hello to my desk, after. (I'll spare you all the before pics!) Take a look at the uncluttered workspace, there's not even dust yet. Pay stubs and paid bills are filed and pencils are sharpened. Even the cubbies have been sorted out. All those pretty books. It still feels good to look at it.
My nightstand, unspoiled. Books underneath have been switched out for new reading choices. Besides a small jar of hand salve and a yellow ceramic catch-all, every other unnecessary item is banished forever.
The playroom. Books restored to their shelves, organized by binding type and in height order. I'm not crazy or anything.
This is one of five kids beds. Sheets, comforters, pillows, puppy dogs, mattress covers all clean and fresh. Fall and winter wardrobe packed away and spring and summer clothing hung in its place. I even helped them each weed through their junk drawers.
Linen closet. Yes, I know that the shelves are plywood but it is the folded beach towels and extra blankets I want you to notice.
This particular closet made my list because previously it housed copious amounts of fabric and clothing I saved to repurpose so I organized the fabrics, too. Rolled and tied each of them. Now when I rifle through my stash all the pieces will stay nice and neat and I can always find what I am looking for.
And the biggest news, the most spectacular transformation, has to be my closet. I spent Friday evening organizing my closet (yeah, I'm lots of fun) but it was awful. The piles of clean clothes were up to my thigh. Stuff to donate and half finished projects covered the floor and dressers. Now, purses and belts are hung. Pants folded and neatly stacked. All my shirts are once again sorted by color and sleeve length. I think we have already established I'm a bit compulsive.
Something amazing happened when I was pulling all the junk out of my closet. I found this...
Not the shoes, but the floor! Yes, it was that bad.
So...
Now that all of those things are done...
And all the floors are washed...
And all the surfaces dusted...
This is what had to be neglected...
Sacrificed....
Pushed aside... for all these other wonderful and necessary transformations...
The kitchen.
The dishes to be exact. Every. Single. Last. One. Notice the shelf on the wall which normally stores all my mixing bowls and measuring cups is completely bare. There are more items you can't see on the floor and even a sink full in my mudroom!
But like I said before, I still think it was worth it.
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Between writing this post and publishing it (in complete humiliation), I have conquered 3 hours of dirty dishes. The kitchen counters and floor are now clear of pots and pans but I still have to tackle the ones in the mudroom sink. Plus catch up on laundry. Guess I know what my Thursday looks like?
How about yours?
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