Entry Way

When you first walk into my house.... there is a little box of a room. Well, maybe that's not the best descriptor... but it's a little room.... with just big entry ways into the hall and the main room. It's not really a room... but, well... you know!

This quasi room houses my curio cabinet (full of china and figurines... how domestic of me) and my piano.

And a mirror...

But yeah... even with nothing there... it's soooo cluttered.

I am really beginning to believe that all flat surfaces in my house are magnetic and collect items just for grins and giggles. Seriously. I mean... how else do I explain this...

I walk in the door... and drop everything on the piano. And I hate it.

Here are a few things I am doing to change this!

1) I installed hooks on the wall in our kitchen hallway. Technically this is very out of the way... but once we are parking in our garage, it'll be perfect! I hung some high and some low so that they boys can hang their backpacks eventually as well.

2) I take all the mail to the trashcan for sorting when I walk in the door. No more piles at the piano.

3) I clear away anything that does get put on the piano after I put my boys to bed. I walk right by it, so I make myself clean up then.

4) I charge myself $1 for every item that I leave there overnight. I know... honor system... but I am trying to be good and if I don't do it, nobody will!

5) OH! I also push in the piano bench. If I have to pull it out to put something on it, then I'll think twice! I also leave the keys exposed... not closed! One less surface to collect clutter!

Nothing for the trash or sell counts here... but I am getting clutter conquered by putting things away!!

What Entry Way hints do you have?

Brick Walls

No... I don't have any gorgeous brick walls in my house... I am talking about brick walls...as in the kinds that I keep running into with my little endeavor.

Take my desk...

Boy did that place need some help. I grabbed my normal tools: a trash bag and a big box. And then I got started.

But I think I need some help.

You see... after 2 hours of working on this desk... everything went from my desk to the trash or the box.... or my dining room table because I felt like I still needed it. And then back onto the desk for a 2nd sort... and then back to the counter... and then back to the desk.

So yeah... in 2 hours... I was here...

Still not done. I don't have any filing cabinets which I think would help with the paper items... but I am trying to figure out if I really need those things... both the cabinets and the papers. It's also getting harder to part with things... at least here... because I feel like I need this stuff... :sigh:

For the Trash:
139-148. Another bag of trash... :sigh: Where does this stuff come from?!?

For the Sale Pile:
382. Wire file thingie
383-385. Three pink table cloths
386-387. Two bags of party favor bags.
388. Tower of post-it notes
389. Calculator
390. Decorative notebook (unused)
391. Cute little tin
392. Pack of kitchen cleaning rags... they weren't that great to me... so they are gone.
393-394. Two picture frames (plastic... not my style.)

To take to the new office (YEP... I am a working Mom now!) I happened to uncover a few gems that are made for cubicle living... so those are leaving the house... and headed to a new home. I am counting them... as they were clutter in my home... but will be useful outside of it! :o)

To "A Better Place":
1. Wire file thingie (yep... I had 2 of these on the desk before.)
2. Cubicle hanging basket thing... has those sharp tacks on the back for hanging on a cubicle wall.
3. Pack of cubicle paper hanger things. (Why don't these wonderful little clips not have a cool name??)


So... here is where I need your help... what do you use to conquer your papers and desk area??

Landing Zone

Every home needs a place that you can walk in, drop off your keys and phone and then settle in. For us, that is right inside the kitchen...

... I don't have a true before picture... but trust me... this was 3/4 of the way done... 

 Yes... that whole box of stuff down on the floor and inside that trash bag was ON the counter. I guess it became a landing zone for much more than just what was in our pockets. Oops!

I tackled this spot using the Secret Weapon I told you about... and here is where I ended up!

Much easier for us to access our chargers. Our keys go right in the front of that charging station (there is a little bowl area) and change goes into the "ToSeeMickey" Jar. :o)

And booooy did we add to the YAWYK count!

To Sell:
183. Canon camera. Flash doesn't work, but other than that, it's perfect!
184. Ipod nano
185. Angel figurine
186-195. Box full of Italian Charm Bracelet charms! (There are over 50 charms in here... but I am only counting it as 10 items)
196. Dell Axim handheld (don't need it anymore since I have my new Droid)
197. Old Cell phone
198. Ceramic airplane
199-201. Assorted balls
202-205. Assorted phone chargers.
206. Bag full of coin wrappers
207-209. Mason jars
210-211. Bluetooth headsets

To Trash:
33-42: One Full Bag of Trash!

Don't forget to shred all those bills/medical statements/too revealing documents!

Secret Weapon: Box

This weekend has been really busy... and I have a confession... my garage sale didn't happen.

I am pretty bummed about it, but things just got super busy super fast. Not that this is a good excuse. It's actually a good window into what normally happens to me. I plan something out and then end up without any time or energy to carry through. However, this time my time is limited and the clock is still ticking away down to Thrift Time.

I tackled a few areas this week (my car and more laundry room) but I'll add those numbers later.

I did want to give you a suggestion on how to conquer some trouble areas in a very effective way... and in no time at all!

1) Find a trouble zone (mine is the little bar counter in our kitchen)
2) Grab a good sized box (hello, Kirkland Wipes box) and a trash bag
3) Take EVERYTHING out of the area and place it into either the box or the trash bag. That's right... every items fate is decided immediately. Is it broken, ruined, worthless? Trash it. Is it necessary, needed, wanted (even possibly)? Box. See... easy peasy!
4. Grab your favorite cleaner and wipe down the area. Dust, wipe, scrub... whatever is necessary.
5. Now... Separate the stuff in the box into items you use and items you might use sometime. The items you use, clean them up and put them in their new home, on purpose. Make the space the way you want it to stay.
6. Take the remaining items and either tape up the box or put them into another container. Close it up and put it out of sight. After a few months of not needing those items, donate them or trash them... but DON'T pull it out and resort! You've already proven you don't really need anything in there!

Any tips you'd like to share? I'd love to hear them!