a bowl full of lemons – CraftyGuider

Getting Organised Week Four – Launch Pad

It’s been a busy week with my volunteering, so although I did my tidy up this week, I haven’t had time to post about it.‘Launch pad’ isn’t a term that I’d heard much about in the UK. It seems to be something which originated on US organising websites describing where you have everything to get you out of the door in the morning so you aren’t searching for the second glove or trying to remember whether the kids needed their PE kit or their music bags on a Tuesday morning.

We don’t have one launch pad area in our house. Our school timetable is on a noticeboard in the kitchen. Book bags are in the hallway and shoes and coats are by the back door. I think I’d like to have a central place where everything goes, and I’ve seen some great ideas at other people’s houses with hooks and files for each child. I haven’t found anything that suits our space yet though.I did a good tidy up and sort out. We’ve acquired new umbrellas and hadn’t ditched the old ones, so they went out first. I even found the parasol from the baby buggy (youngest is almost 7!) so that went out too. Extra coats that aren’t being worn at the moment have gone into wardrobes, and everything got a good clean. Admittedly this photo was taken when the rest of the family was out of the house, but it has remained tidy since.

The living room is next which is mainly my stuff. Why is it that I can keep everyone else’s belongings organised, but when it comes to my own, it exists in piles? I haven’t got much further with the dining room which I missed when I was ill. Onwards and upwards!

Getting Organised Week Three – Sofa

Yes, sofa.

I should be tidying the dining room this week. It’s a huge job as it’s home to the dining room furniture, CDs, photos, Craftyguidelet craft stuff, table linen, catalogues and other bits and pieces. Much of this stuff needs a good sort out and declutter, just like I’ve done with the kitchen and utility room so far. I did a great job there, so the dining room shouldn’t be an issue, should it?

At the beginning of 2015 I wanted to avoid any challenges like the organisation challenge I’m doing now. I wanted to avoid the pressure of following on at someone else’s pace. I know how random my life is and how busy my volunteering is, so my pace isn’t the same as anyone else’s. I don’t want to feel a failure just because I couldn’t crochet as fast as someone who does it for a living and doesn’t have two girls, three Guiding groups, a WI and a house to run in her spare time.

This week, past health problems have come back to get me, together with a stinking cold. I’ve also had issues from my volunteering to deal with which takes up time and energy – both physical and emotional – so the combination has floored me. The dining room has hardly been touched apart from relocating boxes of photos into the living room for sorting. In the past, I’d be beating myself up for ‘failing’. Today, I’m concentrating on what I’ve learnt in the past, realising I’m not superwoman – no matter how much other people want or expect me to be – and I’m taking things as easy as I can.

If you need me, I’m on the impeccably tidy sofa.

Getting Organised Week Two – Utility Room

I’m still following the A Bowl Full of Lemons #2016abfolchallenge to declutter and tidy my home. Week 2 is the pantry, but as I live in a modern UK home, I don’t have one. My utility room is a continuation of my kitchen, so I thought I’d attack that this week.Again, there is too much stuff cluttering up the place. I did manage to free up one cupboard last week by moving things from here to the kitchen though which was a great starting place.I had some cleaning stuff in this cupboard and laundry bits in another which was also rammed full of other paraphernalia.A simple empty out of both cupboards meant that I could put all the cleaning bits together with the iron, and my baking tins could leave the surfaces and be put away behind closed doors with the batteries and screwdrivers.The other main cupboard had first aid, manuals, BBQ tools and the steamer and toaster which don’t get used very regularly.The BBQ tools were relocated out of the way (don’t think I’ll be needing them in the next few months!), and Mr CG hauled out all the household paperwork from the many cubby holes in the house. Out of date stuff was recycled or shredded and only the current paperwork was kept.A good vacuum of the tumble drier, a hot wash with soda crystals for the washing machine and the job was done.The ironing and washing were tackled the day after this photo and everything is now complete. I just need to find a way of keeping my hangers untangled, so if you have any hints and tips…!

Week three is the dining room, which in our house is also the Craftyguidelets’ craft room. I may need therapy after that!

Getting Organised Week One – Kitchen

I started #2016abfolchallenge on Saturday and the first room was the kitchen. I took pictures around my kitchen and they perfectly illustrate my problem; clutter everywhere, nothing put away and too much stuff.The first job was the cake tin drawer. I thought this was a significant job to start with but one that could be completed successfully and therefore motivate me onwards. 10 loaf tins were reduced to 5, tins I’d bought replacements for or which had seen better days were shipped out. The drawer was cleaned, the contents were put on my Sortly app so I know just how many tins of each size I have, and the contents were put back.So pleased that I got everything back in, plus I added some tins from another cupboard so everything is now in one place.

And the cutlery drawer has gone from chaos to organised.The baking cupboard looks lovely now. I can see what I’ve got and it’s all stored nicely.

The surfaces have been cleared and I’ve re-zoned the areas. The tea and coffee are now near the microwave and fridge and the mixers are closer to where I normally prepare food.I am so pleased with how well I’ve done in week one. Week 2 is the pantry which I don’t have, so I might move onto the utility room next. The laundry room is week 13, but it comes after the playroom/toys which may need more than one week in this house!

Are you having a new year declutter?