When clearing way in your home for breathing room, or twins on the way, purging stuff will have to happen. It is liberating to shed the waiting and neglected items lurking in the closets.

When is keeping our junk okay?

There such a thing as purge protection!

Consider your item:

You like it - PURGE – (donate it or sell it)

You think so-and-so will use it – PURGE – (or ask them to store it themselves)

You know you’ll want it someday -PURGE – (really? Did your future self tell you that?)

Your life will be enhanced and you may just keel over dead if you don’t have it? KEEP it! – (Use it right away or store it in your attic)

Here is an example of my current purge protected KEEP it item:

A blurry, dusty photo my rescued farm window. Now, you can see why it needed purge protetion. But, in my eyes, it’ll prevent me from keeling over dead.

Hope this easy list of how to cut clutter helps a ton! So, what are your KEEP its?

I have been sorting, tossing, labeling and basically trying to do a complete overhaul of my family’s belongings.

Today I started to tackle the kids’ toys, with the ever-helpful assistance from a friend with special home-making skills, of course. Yikes!

Yikes! That is the only word I can think of to express how I feel about the enormity of the task and the amount of possessions.

I am feeling the urge for the simple life…or at least the well labeled life! I feel peace coming soon…..

And to think, there was a time I verbally said, “I don’t think Ryan has enough toys!” – Okay so he was only 3 months old when I said that. Still, 4 1/2 years later….Yikes! (this photo only shows what had been in storage in the garage – I still have the room, closets and the playroom!)

Remember this?

I made some serious progress in my bedroom closet this past month. I feel like a big weight has been lifted off of me when I go into my new space.

But, of course, my to-do list for the closet is super long and remains with several check marks unchecked. Some such unchecked items: His and Her robe hooks, mirror hung on the wall, and computer printed but crafty-chic labels on the plastic drawer fronts.

I actually purchased items to complete my dream mini-redo. Items waiting in reserve: yards of diamond shaped, light green flowing fabric, bright white ceiling paint and a basic but NEW light fixture.

Then our news came…baby on the way…change of plans.

Neat Pete and I will most likely be doing a room switch with little ones. Three kids in one big room and us (with a King size bed) in the little room. Switching rooms means switching closets.

So, my ambition to paint the closet ceiling left as quickly as it came. New visions of shelving and extra hanger bars came in its place.

But for now, here are some photos of my closet progress.

Before and After Shots:

Operating with an organized closet has saved us so much time and energy! Thanks Masked Mommy, whoever you are, for the encouragement and opportunity to join in the De-clutter Movement.

Related Posts I’ve Written for Just A Blink:

My Earthquake :: A Poem

Closet 1: The Journey Begins

Grasping for Air…Closet Clutter

Laundry Room Redo (My First Masked Mommy Pow-Wow)

Okay, I re-eeally want to post my bedroom closet but she, yes she, (I decided my bedroom closet is female), is still being tackled. Tune back in for the before and afters of la closet de bedroom.

So on with the entryway…

Before Photos:

Slumpy coats, trashy stairs and oh my the shoes...

Really? Does a motorcycle helmet need to be at a fingertips reach all winter long...in Minnesota?

The many seasons of clutterama.

After Photos:

Keeping it real clause: the white bin was just moved up a few steps...without being sorted.

Handbag storage is my new Must-Have!

The leather "cube" stores snow pants and blankets and serves as a spot to sit down during shoe removal. (The curtains are still in test mode...not meant for show)

Wire basket for mail, bins for seasonal gear, shallow wicker basket for little shoes

I used black lower case letter stickers to label each bin. j, m, r and p, of course!

May joy and peace surround you, contentment latch your door...

So I did a bit more than just my closet. My entryway coat closet just needed some breathing room so it took over a slice of the living room.

I am so glad it did!

Okay, okay! I know…here is the side-by-side top-by-bottom…

Thanks to all of you that showed your support as I geared up for the pow-wow. I am still in the mode…now if only I had a bit more time and energy.

Such is life!

Love,

Jess

Careless

Leavings

Under

Tons of

“Tomorrows”

Ensuring

Regret

I hate clutter. Let me be clear. I have clutter. LOTS of clutter.

I am drawing a line in the sand. Oh, how a beach vacation sounds delightful right about now…cold feet…I digress.

You may remember I have been dreaming about closet cleaning. The Masked Mommy’s Closet PowWow is coming just in time for a pre-spring cleaning boost. Posts will be coming at the end of this week (possibly into the weekend) if all goes well.

Wish me luck or get down on your knees and pray…I’m gonna need it!

I am tackling my bedroom closet, listening to plumb, feeling very much apart of a serious earthquake of old pay stubs, backpacks and out of dates suits. I am spending the month of February getting my closets ramped up for The Masked Mommy’s Closet Pow-Wow, March 1st. {I told you I love a good blog-land party}

Here is a quick poem I drummed up in honor of my closet earthquake.

Earthquake

cry crackle crumble

buzz shift humble

strain brace fumble

shake love mumble

breath tell rumble

hold fall tumble

Maybe I could get federal emergency funding for a tufted dressing chair, 100 pack of wooden hangers and a professional massage (wait, how does a massage help my closet? I’d be rested and relaxed enough to actually put my clothes away at the end of a long tiresome day…yeah, that’s it!).

On second thought, I’ll use my, Dave Ramsey inspired, spending money envelope, no matter how small, to buy some bins, fabric and paint. I can’t wait!

• Note: I’ll spare you the real before photo of our pre-attic closet disaster,  and go straight for the cute photos of how to make room for the play room. I know, it hurts my before-and-after loving gene, not to have documentation of my over burdened and buried craft table, and general dumping ground for stray belongings, but I will move on; mostly because I did this “transformation” on such a whim I forgot to take a photo. Most of you have already skipped to the rest of the blog post by now anyway.

1. Pile. Is it just my house or are your toys fertile and multiply? (kids’ room)

2. Sort. Plastic bins, plastic bins, plastic bins…oh sorry, I was busy rehearsing my organizing mantra. Isn’t my little helper so cute? Give, keep, sell…give, keep, sell…give, keep, sell…oops, there I go again!

3. Claim. This room is one 4 year old lying down by one 1 1/2 year old lying down. Nice square footage. I’ll take it; have my people talk to your people.

4. Gather. Move stuff around, aka fluff your nest, it is so much fun!

5. Conceal. Hi there attic! Wanna play hide-n-seek? Okay, you hide first. Good.

6. Learn. Making room for the play room includes making room for learning. The vintage ABC and 123 quilt was hung in my nursery when I was a wee one. Are the 70′s considered vintage yet? None-the-less, the vintage quilt, aka attic concealer, is a great tool for learning and general cheeriness.

7. Sit. {whimper, sigh!} Why did I let this a.dor.a.ble step bench be cluttered in old taxes and fall decor for waaaay too long? Well, no guilt, just pleasure now. I love the littleness of this space! Place a few books around to promote reading.

8. Add a family photo board in the playroom. It provides friendly faces to look at when Mommy  puts the baby-gate up outside her own room and instructs everyone it is now “Play Time” just so she can blog. er…I mean, because when kids look at the familiar faces, it encourages family connectivity, creativity and community.  Yeah, that’s it!

9. Relax and enjoy your hard work! Play!

I think if I were given free rein over the house I could reinvent most of my life using a shovel, scissors and paint. Too much TV, plastic, sticky floors, loud toys, where’s this?, where’s that?, fast food, more TV, icky colors and dirty socks. Still we have lots of love, time and fun its not all bad.

I want to avoid frustration because I love living freely and not tied up in sad little knots. I will need a project to cure my creative home executive fix. I need simplicity. Too big I’ll get lost. Too little and it won’t help. I need The Simplicity Project (TSP).

My heart is brimming with inspiration but alas my eyelids are drooping from fatigue. My brain is overflowing with joy yet my hands are heavy laden with work. Balance, pace and commitment will all be involved with TSP.

Three steps to creating TSP

1. Big plans that are fluid. I must be flexible, easy-going and in motion.
2. Little spaces that are solid. I may not be able to move my actual house but our foundation in Christ is solid.
3. Happy hopes that are steamy. I will lift my desires upward. Seeking Him who strengthens me.