What is it about the start of a new year that makes me want
to get rid of junk? This happens every year. I put away the Christmas
decorations, and although I LOVE the holiday season and all the decorations
that come with it, I’m just ready for a blank slate.
This year I decided to take things one step further and do
some serious decluttering and simplifying around the house. I found this
awesome calendar through Home Storage Solutions 101. It’s an entire year of small, manageable
tasks designed to get your house organized and free of all the junk that gets
in the way.
I can’t believe what a difference this calendar has already
made, just 62 days in. In the past, I’ve started projects around the house with
the intention of streamlining, organizing, etc., but often I get overwhelmed by
the magnitude of what needs to be done. This calendar breaks things into little
bites that really add up over time.
The first two months focused almost exclusively on the
kitchen, which makes sense. The kitchen is (in most houses) used and abused
more than any other room. I now have a spotless, organized refrigerator filled
with food that has not expired! My kitchen towels are organized so I can easily
tell when I’m low on washcloths and should do some laundry. (Getting rid of
about 20 unnecessary towels probably helped.) The space under our sink has been
emptied, cleaned, and fixed up so that everything is organized and easily
accessible; I no longer have to move the trash can and dishwasher pods just to
get to my watering can for the indoor plants. And that’s all just the tip of
the iceberg.
I don’t have any before photos and I know these are crummy iPhone photos, but trust me when I tell you
that these are all VAST improvements.
This countertop previously held a bunch of other stuff that we barely used. Also, we're adding a backsplash soon. I can't wait to make this kitchen look a little more like my style!
I got rid of probably 10 expired items (ew) and cleaned up some Coke Zero that had apparently exploded. I know where everything is now :) Until the kiddo moves it, that is.
And here's the kitchen towel drawer. Before everything was thrown in here in a big heap. Now it's organized. The back row are kitchen towels - seasonal on the left, then two piles of every day use. In the middle are bibs and a container of washcloths and scrub sponges. Toward the front are koozies and Lunchskins under that little hand, and the other side has oven mitts and trivets.
So the unexpected benefit: this project has – at least for
now – cured me of my desire to bring more stuff into the house. Let it be known
that I have not set foot in Target since December 23. And living where I live
(close to Target, not close to a lot of other shopping options), this is an
accomplishment. I know that going into Target for two things means leaving with
20, and I just don’t feel like dealing with the stuff.
No one NEEDS a yarn-wrapped hippo, but thanks to Target,
we have one.
On top of this, I’m saving money by not randomly killing
time wandering around target and dropping $100 on a cart full of stuff that isn’t
necessary. It’s a great feeling.
I hope I can keep this going. It’s probably not realistic to
never set foot in Target again, but I’m hoping with this momentum, I can avoid
it for awhile longer!
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