Gettin' there...

I've been decluttering in spurts. My inspiration tends to come late or not at all, and when it's late, if I don't want to clean, all I wanna do is watch X-Files. 

What have I gotten done lately, you ask? 

I've:

-cleared off all my windowsills of stuff that didn't need to be there
-given my bathroom a once-over
-moved and cleaned off the tv stand (ok, Bruce did this, but it still got done)
-recleaned the junk in my trunk (I did this once before, but I wanted to do it again. I put all 65 journals in chronological order)

So I went through all my files in this drawer before I began this project. It was a huge ordeal and took many hours and it was a pretty emotionally heavy project, seeing so many snippets of ideas I wanted to work on and just laid aside. Instead of filing them, I just chucked them in the top drawer of the cabinet will-nilly and I've been adding to the pile in the same fashion. 

Today I went through the files again, and filed 'em proper. Ok, no alphabetization, but I understand how it's filed and that's what matters. 
 

Thanks. I think it looks pretty dandy too. It's my style and it feels comfortable. 

I had been putting this one off until I found a new bookcase with a back and/or some bookends. I've been looking for both and I can't wait forever. Here's my clusterfuck of a bookshelf. I've given several hundred books away in the last few years. These are the books I have other than my nutrition/health/herb/cookbooks which fill a couple smaller shelves. I have lots of room left for games, figures, etc.

Still doesn't look or operate the way I want, but I'll have to wait until I find the bookcase I'm looking for. 

So what do I have left on my list? There're only 4 days left in the month. 

Here's the list:

-clean the fridge
-clean the freezer
-tackle the kitchen shelf. 

Everything else is done, and that list will be tackled in the next few days. Wicked.

Linen closet madness

I found a lot of things when I was cleaning out this closet: an amaryllis that Dad suggested I keep in a closet until this Christmas, but I thought I decided not to, as that was just asking for trouble (it's growing now, despite being overturned and neglected for a year); my hair dryer, a bunch of personal care stuff that was chucked into a red bag and put aside-- I'd been looking for this stuff, a pillow-case handmade by a dear friend. 

I actually went through my supplement and personal care shelves before I took this photo-- it's what got me inspired to clutter-clear the house. Anyway, this closet looks a hell of a lot better now. I know exactly what's in the closet now. 

What else I did: got rid of that pile of stuff on the floor, relegated the stuff to their rightful places. Swept, vaccumed and cleaned the dirt, including soil from the upturned plant ;) 

Cleanin' out my closet

Finally this closet is finished. During the last couple of months, I was just throwing things in there that I didn't know what to do with. I'm really pumped about this one now for several reasons. I found my headset for talking on skype, a dented cardboard tube containing my university diploma (big respect for that anthropology degree) that I searched everywhere for during the last couple of weeks and if I didn't find I'd have to give up a lucrative teaching position.

 

Also, I now have a decent spot for my mop, broom and vacuum as well as a crazy amount of overhead storage space. I know I'll find some stuff that could be nicely stored up there. Shazaam.

Plastic drawer total annihilation!*

 

  

So this friggin' set of drawers is finished. None of these top drawers have clear themes except for the top one, which seems to be "various strings." What a stupid drawer theme. It could also be called "tangled." Anyway, these drawers can close now, and there are useful things in them. Well, more useful. BTW, the top of this has been cleaned and atop them lie two boxes, one full of tools, one full of tape/glue/staples, etc.

Meanwhile, there's a pile of shit on the floor. I'll deal with it tomorrow. This is totally not allowed, but I'd allotted each drawer a day and I did it in 3 days rather than 6, so screw it. Pile tomorrow.

*mild celebretory applause

Practice makes pissy

I was just sitting down to do reading when I realized it was getting late, I was getting tired, and I hadn't tackled anything on this stupid decluttering to-do list yet. I almost said "screw it-- I don't care, nobody cares-- it doesn't matter." I hereby admit to being in an apathetic, slightly down mood today-- not just the usual lazy. Then I remembered something from the book The Four Hour Body, a line that should've been obvious to me before I read it, "Practice is something that you do even when you don't want to." Honestly, this concept was foreign to me. I've never taken piano lessons or been on a sports team. I've never really gotten super good at anything. I've always either only done something when I wanted to)*, or done it ouf fear of humilation (practised something so I looked competent in front of others). Decluttering my house is something that I'd like to be good at, but I never have been and had sort of resigned myself to always be terrible at, as I've failed every time I've seriously tried to improve, thus assuming that it was a lost cause.

Anyway, I actually got up, full of bile and spite and cleaned out two more drawers of the godforsaken plastic set of drawers pictured above, swearing and hating it under my breath as I did it.  Do I feel better now? Nope, but it sure is done for the day.

1) Drawer full of pretty paper and images from magazines for cards/labels, etc. 
2) Stickers. Years and years of accumulated stickers. Oh, and magnets from which I'll make cooler magnets.

3 down, 3 to go.


*I may be being slightly hard on myself as well as exaggerating slightly here, but not much.

Down with the sickness

I was illin' for a few days and unable to care about decluttering. Everything made me nauseous. 

Today I got back into it and 

a) put all my errant craft supplies on my metal shelf that I proudly cleaned almost everything off early on 
b) cleaned out one drawer in my plastic set of drawers (pics of said monstrosity to come
c) did a bit of post-holiday tidying. 

I even did some crafting and tidied up after myself. Kind of shocking. 

This drawer, like all others, was a nightmare. It now contains what it was supposed to and nothing more: supplies for witchcraft, soap-making and candlemaking. And some pipecleaners. I just thought they looked nice in there ;)

Recommittment to the great decluttering project

No, I didn't forget about this project, nor do I feel badly about all but ignoring it during the latter part of December. I don't think I was necessarily lazy about it, I just wanted to enjoy the holidays without concerning myself with this. I thought I might get extra done, but I was wrong. 

I went over the remaining areas I have to tackle, and I have 19 more areas. I split some difficult ones up into smaller projects because the larger ones are causing me to procrastinate too much. 

I'm about half done this project, and apparently it's noticeable to guests even though our bedroom is the only room that's been completed. This alone gives me energy to propel me further toward completion.

Unfortunately, getting behind on this project is forcing me to put off my next project which is making exercising into a habit. It's a tedious and strange approach, but I think it will work. Can't wait to tell you about it. 

Stay tuned for an update today or tomorrow. I plan to do a once-over of the house today to get rid of the terrorizing the house has taken over the holidays. 

HAPPY 2011! What are you up to this year?