Bumps in the road...again

Shocking,  I know.   No progress has been made.  

Organizing Revolution--Master Bedroom

Only after and before photo

Unfortunately, I had forgotten to take photos from the horror that became our bedroom.  It. was. bad.  I think about taking photos all the time but a camera is either dead or not near my lazy butt. 

On a cleaning kick and doing and putting away laundry all day yesterday, I have achieved this.

West

My side--southeast

Eric's side--northeast

Not beautiful but mostly organized.  Eric and I need to go through even more clothing now to make it all fit.  I didn't feel very satisfied with it yesterday after sitting down and relaxing.  I still don't.  I hope it's just because it isn't decorated/painted.

The laundry room/my closet is as done as it will be for a while.  There's not much space for my clothing.  All our special clothing (bunads, scouts, etc.) is once again in the hall closet that doesn't work very well for that kind of stuff. 

Appliances didn't fit as well as originally hoped

north

south

The plumbing isn't the greatest.  I am super-shocked and proud that we did actually get the counter top out.  Now, it's sitting outside.  One step at a time.  It doesn't always like to drain well, so we have to sit and dump pails sometimes.  Not much laundry gets done when this happens.  That's why we have a build-up of clothing again. 

But, hey, it's mostly done now, and I finished our room and most of the closet. 

The Organization beginning of the Sun/Craft/Homework Room

[Originally published 3/4/13]

As I stated two days ago (edit:  it was deleted and re posted today--grr), I joined Org Junkie's 31 Day Organization Challenge.

My main focus is the Littles' Room.  However, I really must also so the Sun/Craft/Homework Room.  I'm sure it won't get decorated, but the organization needs to again happen.  This room has been done several times.  However, I haven't been enforcing homework like a good mama should, so we aren't in this area as much as we should be.

This is an addition to the original house.  Previous owners moved the main staircase to the east side.  They did a good job of it according to my dad.  In a way, I wish they hadn't.  We gained closet space in the hall, but a staircase right in front of the entry would be grand.  Maybe someday, we'll be able to reproduce one--especially since one day will be long enough we won't need those extra closets.  I really would like this room for plants in the winter.  However, we need space for homework, and I'm unwilling to give up my Dining Room (the only room that would work well) for this.  I'm already starting to move sewing machines in there, so the sunroom "lockers" will only be craft storage.  Our laundry room is fairly small/awkward, so I want the coat/backpack drop for this kids up here.  Here is its current state:

seating area at the top of the stairs

left of the seating area

larger left of the seating area and doors to the hall (plus the little little brother) and the craft "lockers"

left side of doors--scheduling/picture area

homework area

view from the hall (plus a doggy-cousin)

This also isn't as bad as it normally gets unfortunately.  Ideally, but later on, this space will be nicely decorated, too.  This will help us want to work here.   The craft lockers aren't too bad.  They're not exactly organized as I'd like, but they aren't in the state of disarray as the rest of the house.  I had actually gotten to those recently.  However, all the stuff that didn't fit, it out on the desks or on the floor of the room yet.  Really, I think that's most of the clutter in this room at this point. 

I'd love to paint and hang curtains.  I'll just have to do with getting their desks and homework totes organized.  I will have to get the chore charts made, so we can keep up with what I will have accomplished at the end of this.  Riiight.

Organizing the Hall

[Originally published 3/4/13]
So, to continue with the challenge:

 

 

I unfortunately have to do the hall first.  Our hall becomes a catch all for some reason even though we have to walk through it to get to our rooms or the upstairs bathroom.  At this moment, some of it is dirty laundry.  Most of it is stuff from any room I was cleaning but had stuff that didn't belong there.  And still some is outgrown clothing to go to the attic bins, but it's too cold to go up there much.  All those together, plus clearing out the middlest girls room since she didn't clean it equals THIS:

view to west

view to east

Again, horrible.  it's gotten to this state more often than I'd like to admit.  I'd like to think that if all the bedrooms were organized, there'd be a place for all the stuff I pulled out of the wrong rooms.  There isn't much to organize in the main part here.  There are two closets off to the south that need help.  However, I can take pictures of them yet.   They also will be done after the bedroom and sunroom.  However, pictures will have to be hung in this room to aid in the organization of the sunroom.  The snowballing of the organization and maintenance of the house may kill me.  If it doesn't, and we actually accomplish something, the house will again be a beauty.  So, until later this week, here I finally go!

A Push in Organizing the House

[Originally published 3/4/13--what started it all]
Another kid, another house, another city, another hobby, another job, another club/activity, more things taking our time.  Time sure keeps moving.  I wish I was able to write decently like He does, but alas, I fail miserably.  We moved to a town for the house.  It is a big house but awkward and does not completely fit us as I'd like.  It's been miserable often.  We were supposed to be able to work on it slowly before moving in, and then move in "right."  Didn't happen.  Best laid plans and all.  So, I've been struggling with organization in this house since before Day One.  We had no heat for months, moved out once, I broke my arm, and the list goes on.  For Lent, I gave up my pride and have now been diagnosed with responsive depression.  No real surprise.  I cannot seem to get out of this.

My biggest problem is the clutter, I believe.  If I could just organize it, then I could handle everything else.  The amount of clutter just seems to sap all the energy I have, so I cannot clear the clutter.  It's a horribly vicious cycle.  One wouldn't know to look at my house or my work area, but I am rather anal in my own way.  If I cannot clean and/or organize something the exact way that I want it the first go round, why bother--well, really, I just can't handle it.  Something done "wrong" is worse than the clutter.  I cannot function that way.  I could, at least, semi-function with clutter--until recently. 

SO, I have joined

I posted my before pictures so the world could see the crap in which I'm making my family live.  I will slowly post my progress.  Actually, I'm doing three rooms, but this post will talk about the Littles' Room.  This room is the most critical with the 13.5-month-old.  However, it cannot be done without the hall first being mostly done.  One runs into that problem more and more I find.  Uff da!

The Littles' Room used to be a living/sitting room with an attached kitchen.  A schoolteacher lived here as a boarder for years I'm told.  It has no doors, and for that reason, was chosen as the two littlest children's room as they need no privacy at the moment.  I can see many other uses for the area with respects to a Master Bedroom, but, for now and it's the Littles' Room.

View to north from door

Little little (big) sister's side

view to west

little little little brother's side

view to the east

old kitchen/closet

old kitchen/closet

This is actually not too bad, sadly.  These were taken 1 March.  I had gathered most of the toys off the floor the last day of February, but they're all still sitting in that black tote.  Well, all but those that have now been taken out.

My goal in life at this moment, other than to raise good children, is to be a '50s-like housewife.  My husband deserves that.  My children deserve some of that (I do believe they should do some things themselves).  I do apologize to my family for allowing it to get this bad.  It makes me sick daily. 

So this challenge came along, and I felt good enough yesterday to jump on it.  I had linked up my Pinterest boards but have decided I should blog about it.  For accountability's sake, and so that He could easily understand what I'm trying to do.  The good man has been picking up most of my slack, but cannot keep up with the clutter as well.  So, with some help, I will get this room finished.  Not only organized, but I will also finish the majority of decorating/remodeling that was to happen.  I will not finish the ceiling, nor get all the paint off the moulding, nor fix the windows, but the majority of the stuff that I am able to do will get finished.

The kitchen will become a closet.  The tree that I want up will be up.  Shelves and pictures will be hung.  Unless something comes up and we cannot afford it, a rug will be purchased.  However, mostly and more importantly, it will be organized.  I will sort, keeping only mostly appropriately aged toys in the area.  I will once again have the children decide which stuffed animals they keep.  It will not be able to be this ridiculous mess that it usually is.  I hope.

I have a hard time letting go, so wish me well.