Clutter Hot Spot #1

I have previously joined link parties for a few reasons... It's fun to see others' projects, it's fun to share my own, and hopefully it might help interested new readers find the blog.  But I had a very different reason for joining Simple Mom's Project Simplify, starting this week:  Self-discipline and accountability for de-cluttering at least part of our house!  I've wanted to make some significant moves in that direction, but get overwhelmed and don't know where to start.  By the end, at least 4 spots in the house will be improved!  (Temporarily, probably, but that's how things work, and no reason not to try.)


This week, the assignment was to unclutter and organize "kids' stuff."  Princess Eager took on her own clothing-drawer overload, but didn't really want to share... I was proud of her for showing the initiative.                                                                                                                                                    

As I shared on Wednesday, I decided to tackle Prince CuddleBunny's bedroom alcove and storage.  Here are some reminders of the before...                                                                                                                                                               

The prince and I went through everything, starting with his clothing drawers... He tried on clothes while I folded the 'keepers' and put others in the box meant for Goodwill, along with a couple pair of shoes and 2 sleeping bags.  

Many things were removed from his shelves and drawers that belong elsewhere in the house.  

We sorted out quite a bit of garbage along the way...parts and pieces of games and toys, old, wrinkled drawings, and other non-useful items, like about 30 empty gum packages!


There were a lot of 

"Yes, I've been looking for that!"

... and 

"That's my favorite _______... I'd wondered where it went!"

His storage cupboard and clothing drawers now look much better.

I thought it might be a challenge, without having a garage or basement, to manage sports equipment, especially things like soccer balls that don't usually fit well in drawers or shelves...


But, thankfully, just barely fit in his deeper bed drawer.

I didn't do anything clever or pretty.  It's not at all a magazine-ready space, but after tracking down every last stray Lego and penny (they hide and scatter everywhere, don't they?), it's clean now, and that was the goal.  

I would like it to look more intentionally organized and decorated, but for right now Prince CuddleBunny is quite content with his favorite drawings tacked up on the wall, along with paintings by his sisters, and his own methods of organizing ties, hats, and scarves.  

One thing that HAS to go, is his temporary, cardboard "nightstand."  The plan for the last 4 years is for the kids to have built-in, floating nightstands... Basically a drawer with counter attached to the wall, so it doesn't take space on the floor or block access to the bed drawers.  But it's one of the things Hubby truly means to do, but it's just not very high on his too-long list.   The youngest prince's siblings have more room, so have used other solutions, like nearby desk tops or actual, hand-me-down nightstands, so getting a built-in is not as pressing.  This guy needs something else ASAP.


You can see the before and after photos Tsh and others have shared at Kids’ stuff organized: before and after photos on SimpleMom.net.  Many of them have posted clever and pretty ideas you can use.  ;-)