Monday, January 12, 2009

Before and after

Okay, I'll admit it . . . I am organizationally challenged. I don't want to be . . . I'm not sure why it's so hard for me to maintain order. I mean, I'm a fairly intelligent person (or so I've been told). It just seems that clutter finds me wherever I am.

But I am determined to tame the clutter this year . . . one bookshelf at a time! To this end, I attacked this particular area yesterday. Here's what it looked like before I started:

It's a great piece of furniture -- one of the first pieces I bought for myself waaaaay back in my single days (which seem like another lifetime ago). I think I paid $15 or $20 for it at the rescue mission thrift store -- I was a preschool teacher for the mission at the time. I had an efficiency apartment back then, so my living room was also my bedroom. So, other than a twin bed, a glider rocker, and a dresser that I think I kept in the closet, this was the only other piece of furniture I owned. (It held a CD player back then, too!)

Even though it didn't cost much, it's solid wood and in great condition -- except for the word "Dillow's" that is written or burned on the inside in a couple of places. I'm not sure who the Dillows are, but I'm glad they decided to get rid of their bookshelf. I love it and can't imagine getting rid of it. However, I did need to get a better organizational system in place . . . okay, any organizational system would be better than what I had (which was NONE)!

Enter these wonderful fabric bins from Target. Each bin has a particular task -- I know what belongs in each one, and they are all items that are used in our living room on a regular basis. So now I can easily find what I'm looking for, and clean up when I'm finished with something! Yay!
I know, I know, it's not a big thing. It's just one small corner of my world -- but what a wonderfully organized corner it is now! ;)

3 comments:

ctf said...

Way to go Lisa! I rearranged my insane bedroom a couple of weeks ago and it has changed my life. Somehow I feel more sane now.

Edwena said...

Looks great, Lisa.

Anonymous said...

Well Lisa, if you've followed any of MY struggles, you know that little victories MAINTAINED add up to winning the war!

I love your little bins too.

My husband just bought me a large bin rack. I posted a link to it on HSS. We haven't started filling it yet (or at least I haven't - who knows about the kids!) but I am excited.