Tuesday 13 November 2012

Getting Organised

 
 
 
One of the major issues in my life is that I am so unorganised. I just cannot seem to get on top of everything. I feel like Im constantly treading water & trying to keep my head above the crashing waves (Im also feeling slightly overdramatic today!!) In the last few years, I've really come to realise how being so disorganised really adds to stress levels & how stress can really make you ill.  The ongoing issue seems to be how to not only get organised, but how to stay organised, especially with a Husband & three children who chose not to be organised but also expect me to not only know everything going on in their lives but also where everything single little thing in the house is. They also chose to keep every single piece of paper, cardboard box etc etc.
 
 
As you can imagine, the house is a mess, & the stress levels are high, sky high.
 
 
So getting this house & our lives more organised is high on the list of priorities. I set up a Organising Board on Pinterest to help me keep track of the ideas Ive found whilst browsing the net (see! Im getting organised!! LOL!)
 
 
One of my major bugbears is the counter & cupboard by the front door, it seemed to be the dumping ground for everyone & everything in our house.
 
 
Want to see? I'm warning you, its not pretty.
 
 


Yep, not pretty. & very embarassing since this is the first thing people see when they come into our house.

The cupboard above was not much better.

In fact you pretty much took your life into your hands opening it!!

Take a deep breath.



I know.
 
Now dont get me wrong, Ive attempted on quite a few occasions to get this under control. But I was fighting a losing battle, as within a day, things would start piling up. Paperwork, toys, keys, purses/wallets, screws/cable ties/nails/whatever the Husband emptied out of his pocket when he got home.
 
So in order to get this area more under control, I had to change what it was used for, & be brutal when it came to decluttering. Under all this clutter there was a wooden organiser, apparently this is supposed to be used for organising paperwork etc? We tended to use it for shoving whatever paper needed to be dealt with, receipts, take away leaflets etc into it. I decided to remove this from the counter, it wasnt being used properly, therefore there was no need for it.In fact I ended up clearing everything from the counter. All that the counter really needed to be used for, was somewhere to put keys when we came in. I knew that an empty counter would bug me (I have a need to be surrounded by prettiness), so I got rid of the ugly metal bucket that previously held the keys & swopped it for a little wooden tray that was sitting on another shelf being unused. I added to it with a cross stitched picture I made 2 years ago, a oil burner, some HOME blocks & a speaker for the Ipod.
 


Much better, so much better. Still room for improvement though. I think a plant would be perfect here, but it doesnt get much sunlight, so I need to research that idea a bit more. I'd also like to swop out the oil burner for a candle in a jar. Preferably a Yankee Candle, but we'll see how funds are.
 
 
Want to see the cupboard? Ive got admit that I managed to be brutal with it & threw out an entire rubbish bag full of crap.
 
 



So much better :-) & now you dont take your life into your hands when opening said cupboard.
 
 

 
 
Is it weird how happy this is making me? 
 
 
 
Well its a start, a pretty good start I think! Unfortunately its highlighted the rest of the house as being a complete shambles. Next on the list is either the cupboard where all my baking stuff etc is kept, or the bureau which is currently stuffed full of unecessary paper work. I'm hoping to turn this into a Family Command Centre.
 
 
xxx


Friday 9 November 2012

Where did October go?

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ok, what happened to October? I seem to have blinked & missed it! Doesnt time fly when you are really busy & so much is going on?! LOL!
 
I have to admit Ive lost my blogging mojo (& my creativity mojo seems to be awol too). I kept thinking Ive got nothing interesting to blog about, until I sat down one day & made a list of changes I want to make to the blog. I thought I'd take a look around & see if I have anything lying about that I havent blogged yet. Turns out I have nearly 20 'projects' that I havent blogged! I cannot begin to think why I havent!! So,over the next few weeks I shall be attempting to photograph & blog these projects, so that at some point soon there might be something interesting to read about here, woo hoo!!
 
Well, I'd better get on then. Its cleaning/housework day, in preparation for having a relaxing weekend with the family.
 
What have you got planned for the weekend?
 
xxx