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Clearing out the clutter.

Every time I’ve ever started a new job, I’ve always asked for a week off between the end of the old one and the start of the new one — does anyone else do this?

I always felt like I needed a week to get my life completely in order before starting a new endeavor. It’s like cleaning the house before you go on vacation — I need my mind to be free of the stuff like laundry, crap, clutter, dishes, crap and more crap.

Knowing I was going to focus more on this blog, a couple weeks ago I started feeling like I needed to get the house under control. Yeah, the basement is organized (pretty much), my closets are beautiful and I know where to find things in my pantry

BUT. Until last week, our garage looked like this:

 Clearing out the clutter.Stop gagging, it’s better now. I swear. Please don’t enlarge the picture. Please. I couldn’t take it anymore and during daycare and nap time a couple days that week, I hit it hard core. And it felt soooooo good people. It looks amazing now! I have one more project to finish in there and then I’ll show you. I know you can barely stand it, you are so excited. I know.

My car has been my “office” for the past two years, and pair that with a two-year-old and let’s just say I would never, ever, EVER subject you to the before pictures of that. It was reheheheeeeally bad. I spent one hour with trash bags — one for trash, one for stuff to go back into the house. Now it smells yummy in there — nice and clean. Not like before. Three little words — “forgotten sippy cup.”

I may know how to organize, but the paper clutter just sticks in my craw. (When’s the last time you heard that phrase? Wordsmith, I am.) Seriously. I cannot handle it. I’ve tried just about everything, but the only thing that works is this big fat basket:

Untitled 5 Clearing out the clutter.I just throw every random piece of paper I don’t want to deal with into the basket. You’ll notice the pile started on the side as well, and on top. Ummmm…it’s not working so great. About every week, month, three months, I sit down and go through it. I finally did it last night and felt like a new woman.

Then I found this bag of crap from the car clean up:Untitled 1 Clearing out the clutter.

Shakes fists in the air!!!! Curses!!

And now the garage is clean, the car is clean — but this is the laundry room:

 Clearing out the clutter.Have I mentioned how very, very much I hate laundry? Like, a lot. A lot a lot.
And in the middle of the paper and laundry and crap, I realize that buying four new pieces of drinkware has completely thrown my kitchen cabinets into a frenzy. I was trying to figure out how to fit all of these:
 Clearing out the clutter. Into this: Clearing out the clutter.Ummmm yeah. Should I mention we only really use two wine glasses ever and for parties we use plastic cups? So why the need for fifty trillion glasses? I guess I keep having dreams of having a super posh party where everyone drinks out of real glasses and never breaks a single. one. Never gonna happen.
This weekend, I plan on getting rid of as much clutter as possible. It feels soooooo good folks! I challenge you to do the same — even if it feels too big to tackle, you’ll be surprised what just an hour can do. Try little bits at a time. Make room for large piles — trash, put away and deal with later. You don’t have to find a spot for every little thing right away.
You will feel like a new woman (and a couple men) afterwards, I promise.
I am so excited about your requests for consults and advertising!! I’m beyond thrilled and can’t wait to get moving — bare with me as I get through this weekend, and next week I’m all yours. icon wink Clearing out the clutter.
P.S. I am so glad you loved the sewing table as much as I do!! Guess how old the Singer is? You’ll never believe it — 103 years old! Isn’t that the coolest??

The kitchen trees

 The kitchen trees

Ain’t he caaaute?! For years I’ve wanted a fun little Christmas tree for the kitchen, and a couple years ago I found an itty bitty tree that I fell in LOVE with. I got it for about $12, which is more than I would normally pay, but it is so real looking, I couldn’t resist:

 The kitchen trees

I found itty bitty ornaments for the itty bitty tree, and this year I painted the plain pot red to make it a bit more festive. Cute, eh?

Well, last year I found the deal of the century (echo, echo) at Michael’s after Christmas. I could swear I blogged about it, but I can’t find it. I believe the tree was regularly about $80 (I think!) and because it was the last one and it was on display, I talked to the manager and got it for $15 (I think!). I can’t remember specifics but it was a STEAL. (Don’t be afraid to ask about items on the “floor” – you can usually talk them down on those.)

I skipped out of the store with glee, and I could cause the manager even carried it out and put it in my car for me. icon wink The kitchen trees This started a whole new Christmas look for our kitchen. I was obsessed with these little glass birdy ornaments last year at Target:

 The kitchen trees

And the morning after Christmas (I don’t do black Friday – I do the day after sales) I knocked some women out of the way grabbed some more of these cuties for $1.50 two. From there I went with a whole red and white scheme:

  The kitchen trees  The kitchen trees

I bought ALL of these ornaments for at least half off after Christmas – I added them all up and I think they came to about $15 for all of ‘em. Even the ribbon was half price. (Score!)

 The kitchen trees Instead of hanging the birds as they came (two hung together), I cut the ribbon and hung them separately to fill out the tree more.

I adore this tree – it’s all sparkly and fancy. And it sheds glitter like you would not believe. It’s made up of two different types of greenery as well, which I lurve:

  The kitchen trees  The kitchen trees

Can you believe I’ve never made a bow? Not ever? I have wanted one of those bow maker thingamabobs foreva and finally bought one last week (only $6 with a coupon at Hob Lob!). I made a little bow with what ribbon I had left for the topper. The skirt came from the Dollar Store:

 The kitchen trees  The kitchen trees

(The base came with the tree, which makes it even more of a steal.)

It fits just perfect in this spot. I adore my red and white sparkly tree!

  The kitchen trees

The whole kitchen is decked out in red and white this year – I’ll show you soon!

I can’t wait to show you what I worked on today!! Ohhhh I love it so much I could just die! Drama, I know, but it really is loverly (at least I think so). I’ll show you tomorrow. I’ll give you a hint and tell you I’ve discovered just about the only thing our Dyson doesn’t suck right up is fresh, white pine needles. icon wink The kitchen trees