I've had an itch lately to clean out and organize my entire house. Yes I have that itch all the time, but I think I've been watching too much "Clean House" on the Style Network. I want my closets and drawers to look like the ones on the show after the house has been re-done. I'm jealous.
I started doing that this past week. I started with the worst place in my house: the dreaded guest-room closet. GASP! One of the closets in the room is full of all of my pants and skirts and doesn't look too bad. The other closet is a huge problem. It's my "I can't bare to get rid of this" closet. I have stacks of wedding invitations from friends, old gifts and notes from college, sorority paraphernalia, items from my wedding, remnants of the day Nathan was born, and projects from college, just to name a few. These are things that are very hard for me to get rid of. Some of these items represent days and days of very hard work, memories I don't want to forget, and special friends who mean the world to me. The closet was totally full. And not just full. This was my secret closet that if anyone ever dared to look inside, would be totally shocked that I - the OCD, Monica-like, anal retentive, clean/organization freak - could ever have something like this in my house. But I did. Until last week.
I spent two entire days cleaning out this one little closet. I filled 5 trash bags full of stuff that I know is only going to take up space and never serve a good purpose. It was hard. I hate to throw things like that out. But I did. And I feel FREE! I still have a little organizing to do because I need more storage drawers for the things I still use. I have so much more space in that closet now. I have a gift-wrapping shelf, craft shelf, photo album shelf, and office-supply shelf. It's so pretty. It took me almost six months to get up the energy and will to clean out this closet. Now that it's done, I'm inspired to do the rest of the "scary areas" of my house. I am determined that my house will eventually look like a "Clean House."
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LRkFWdOepg
Watch it, and never feel like a freak again.
I have a Monica in me, too!!! :)
Gayle - I was totally thinking of that episode when I wrote this!
Wow! I'm so proud - you've inspired me to tackle my basement. I'll keep you posted on the results.
I want to see before and after pictures. But I'm sure it's beautiful. I have a love/hate relationship with organization. I'm just not good at it but I try.
i was watching oprah last week, or maybe the week before, when she had this hoarding family on. i'm SO obsessed with seeing hoarders and their houses...it's fascinating. plus, everytime i see them, it reminds me how my family is kinda like that, and helps me fight the "keep it just in case" tendencies i feel and get rid of things.
anyway, good for you. some days it feels overwhelming to tackle the junk drawer, much less an entire closet or room. well done!
Ok, come to my house next because I have a ROOM full of that stuff that I can't stand to let go--
Lori,
The mysteries of TV... we measure them and get their sizes before we go shopping, and then our wardrobe girl goes with them on shopping day and helps pick the right size, and then they get a couple sizes. But we've had times when things don't fit right, but not often. If you ever come to CA to visit you should sit in our "reveal" audience!!!
I know what you mean about not being able to let go of stuff. I have thrown so much stuff away this year that tore my heart out! :) But I honestly had no room for it and I was beginning to look like a pack rat extreme!
I did some Fall cleaning this weekend. It was freezing outside and I had my windows open and pulled out cleaning them. HA!
Good for you for cleaning out. I'm like you - I feel so much better when I'm done. I actually dream about organizing things. And I remember a few years ago when I had to sort through all of my "memories" but I think I did a pretty good job of keeping the essentials and throwing out the rest. I haven't misssed that stuff yet anyway!
I love to be organized and clean...but it rarely happens these days! I also watched the Oprah show with the "hoarders" and couldn't believe it!!
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