The Organizational Snowball

Sometimes the most empowering achievements in life are the simplest, aren't they?

As you guys know, we've been doing plenty of organizing, purging and simplification around our humble abode lately. Some are big (why hello, there, basement), others are what I call "steps" (I'm attacking my side of the office a little at a time), and still others are a quick one-and-done attack.

Today, I'm sharing one that's made a big impact, although you wouldn't know it by walking around my house. I feel like playing the "colder, hotter" game with you all. No, seriously, keep looking. Not in the living room. Nope, cold, stay out of the kitchen. Dining room? Warmer. Getting warmer.

HOT! Bingo. That's our dining room sideboard. Or server. Or console. (Not really, too big for that.) Thingamajigger that holds china and other random sundries.

We fell in love with its '20s/'30s vibe when we were in Vermont on our honeymoon. We filled it with gorgeous china (the stuff we use once a year...maybe), decor stuff, and...crap. Crap, crap and, just for fun, a touch more crap.

It had reached the point where the top two drawers were so full that I'd pull them open a couple of inches, toss an item back in, then close it as quickly as possible (pushing pretty hard to jam it shut). Just. So. Cluttered. But, those were the only drawers that I used with any regularity. (Remember: extemporaneous china in the bottom drawers/cabinets.)

We'll just put you through one of the drawers' craziness.

I had a dream of purging and making one side into decor-type stuff and the other one into a kidcentric spot. Turns out, it wasn't too hard. And I need bigger dreams.

Just had to recycle a couple dozen super old magazines. That seems to be the theme with my house purging; magazines multiply.

I mean, really. Just check out that kid side. It has made our summertime projects and "lessons" (a couple of workbooks) so pleasant. Well, the workbooks are pretty fun, anyway, but being organized has made it such a simple, more enjoyable thing.

Aaaaand the other side. My grandmother's dictionary, some thank you notes, random decor stuff...and a cat toy that we've gotta keep in hiding. Ultra special, that dangly toy.

Aside from stuff that got tossed, here are things that either a) went in the basement (rafia, red and white ball garland that I LOVE using at Christmastime, homemade pennant garland, some random hardware, hardly-used trays) or b) off to Goodwill (frames!).

I utilized my good ol' tips of 1) usage: figuring out what still has a purpose (sorry, old magazines), 2) placement: what actually needs to be there, in the dining room area and 3) getting creative: using organizational tools in different ways (a silverware organizer turned into our art supply caddy). Super helpful, super simple.

Somehow, heading to the basement after seeing such an organized little space was the kickstart I needed to dig in down there. And, the rest is history. Er. Mostly done. (We're having the walls painted this weekend, then can move the stuff back to have an ultimately super organized space after that. Squeal!)

So, there you have it. The snowball that started the avalanche of purging. Here's what's up for the next few weeks:

- Finishing the basement stuff
- Office stuff (and possibly even moving ALL my stuff outta there...we'll see)
- Hadman's closet
- My clothes 

Anyone else using summer as an excuse to organize crap? Or are you just, y'know, having fun like most people? ;-) Do tell!