…at least for me it is!

Along with a fresh start (and a renewed sense of energy to get to the gym!) I love to use the cold post-holiday month of January to take a pass through our house and eliminate STUFF we don’t need and make SENSE of what we do and where to keep it. There’s nothing like the reward of zen that comes from not having more stuff that you can keep track of! Less stuff means less time spent to keep it all straight – and it’s easier to appreciate the things you LOVE when they aren’t overshadowed by a bunch of stuff you just don’t really need or use. I think this just about sums it up:

January inevitably sends me into OCD mode, cleaning out and organizing every pocket in our house — closets, junk drawers, shelving – anywhere stuff accumulates, and also getting some rhyme and reason to collections of things – like gift wrap supplies, baking stuff, etc. I know there is more storage space in this house — it’s just a matter of creating it!

The goal is to tackle a space or two each week – some small, some large. Judging from my list this could go on for many weeks…

Purge/organize the following spots around the house: 

• Gift wrap (simplify – too many odds and ends)
• Baking/cake decorating supplies (I only use about 10% of what I own – an abandoned hobby)
• Kitchen cabinets (in general just clear out dishes/tools we don’t need or use, including the TEN-plus water bottles for two people)
• Pantry (decently organized, just needs a once-through for expired stuff and to regroup on what needs to be restocked)
• Junk drawer (this can barely open/close!)
• End table drawers in living room
• Coat closet (out of control)
• Bookcase cabinets (not even sure what it’s there anymore…)
• Cubbies/baskets in front entry bench (same)
• Bathroom cabinets upstairs (a whole mess of bath products, some being used, some not)
• Nightstands in our room
• Jewelry (I’ll always keep a TON of fun costume jewelry, but there are some pieces that have seen better days and need to go…and free up space for new ones!)
• Makeup (pitch stuff I tried and hated, but felt guilty about the money spent, check expirations)
• Nail polish (pitch colors I didn’t love on, anything over a couple years old)
• Our closet (this deserves about ten bullets in the list – pull it all out and seriously evaluate what stays and goes — bribe Page to do the same)
• Linen closet (not using space well in there)
• Laundry room (get shelving built/room finished, organize the basics that need to go in there)
• Guest room closet and under-bed (random storage, not sure what all’s there?)
• My office (clear out books not needed, paperwork for our taxes/ClickSmith documents in order, get a system for organizing camera equipment)
• Page’s office (add some shelving to max space in his closet, clear out paperwork, books, magazines, organize Page Smith Design documents)
• Basement under-stairs closet (random stuff in an odd-shaped space – clean out and figure a better way to use this precious storage square footage
• Utility closet (turn into seasonal decoration storage room! – get rid of xmas decs no longer needed and organize what’s left in there)
• Basement bookcases (I have empty baskets/totes as “decoration” in them – need to figure out what to store there and fill them up!)
• Garage (last as we’ll wait til it warms up past 1 degree F! We started to re-org out there before the cold season – finish this up in the spring)

I’ll try to check in throughout the month with any good “before and after” photo opps! Anyone else bitten by the organization bug this time of year?