Thursday, 25th of March 2010 at 11:16:26 PM As I mentioned last week, I’m pretty tidy when it comes to public spaces in our house. The kitchen is clean, the family room is picked up, and my office usually looks like I might be a wee bit scattered, but still basically clean and organized.
My bedroom, however, is a totally different story. Come, let’s venture where no mere mortal who isn’t either related to me or sleeping with me dares to tread.
Where's Waldo? He suffocated in the towering pile of crap next to my bed, actually.
Little Closet of Horrors, neither little nor musical.
Not pictured: The continuing horror, in the form of The World’s Most Giant Dresser (which was also stuffed with clothes) and also my deepest shame—my bathroom.
This house has his and hers bathrooms in the master. I know; it’s crazy. And before we bought the house I was all “Two bathrooms in the master? Are you kidding me?” Especially because nothing else about this house is that extravagant. It’s just a quirky thing. But I’ll confess I’ve come to love having a bathroom all to myself, and as my bathroom is actually pretty sizable and ALL MINE I have, over the years, taken to storing/leaving/stacking items in there, as well.
So that was my next project: Declutter the master bedroom and my bathroom, or be mocked by my long-suffering husband (who has been quietly wishing I would pick up my mess for years).
The specifics of how it all happened are probably uninteresting unless it amuses you to know that—as unsentimental as I am about just about everything else—I am apparently something of a hoarder when it comes to clothing. I had over 40 pairs of socks in my drawer. Why? I have no idea. I would buy new socks, but never threw away the old ones. (WTF, me?) I didn’t even have the heart to count my panties; I had underwear which was triumphantly purchased after returning to my pre-partum weight when my son was a baby. My son is now 10 years old. I had plenty of clothes I think I kept because they still fit me (even though the style was completely out of date) and a ton of clothes that didn’t even fit (thanks to the weight I lost). I had a lot of shoes I hadn’t worn in years. And I had a really impressive assortment of raggedy pajamas.
Goodwill scored big when I was done—five garbage sacks worth of clothes, and my closet and dresser (and bathroom, which had housed piles of unworn clothing) are now all breathing easier.
I also sorted through the papers and boxes and all the other miscellaneous crap, and cleaned up the floor of my closet as well as the bench and surrounding area. I even put away my suitcase! And then demanded that my husband be impressed!
Nope, there aren’t “after” pictures. Because once it actually felt like a bedroom, I found myself reluctant to post pictures of it on the Internet. Go figure.
Okay. Now here is the moral of my slobbolicious story: What is clean generally stays clean, and what is messy generally stays messy. At least around here. The bedroom languished because it was already a pit. But now that it’s clean, I find myself putting items away in their proper place almost compulsively. Heck, I did laundry today and put everything away as soon as each load came out of the dryer. That never happens. Clearly I sold my soul to the devil in exchange for a tidy bedroom.
What’s more, I don’t even care. I just plain feel better in a room that doesn’t constantly cry out to be cleaned. And being able to go into the closet and actually find what I’m looking for (without stubbing my toe on the crap all over the floor in there) is pretty nice, too.
Oh, I know one day I’ll be in a hurry or sick and I’ll leave something on the bench or in the bathroom “just for right now” and that will be the start of the long, slow slide back into Clutterville. It’s the circle of life. But for right now, I have to say that I’m feeling mighty pleased with myself. (Handy tip: Lose 10 pounds before cleaning out your closet. Makes it much more gratifying. And now that I got rid of my 10-pounds-heavier pants, if I put the weight back on I’ll be naked. And will have to hide in my closet. Good thing it’s all cleaned out, I guess.)
My hefty sack is done with my hubby’s clothes and my giant armoire’s clothes. I still need to tackle my closet, though.
I DID have to get distracted and sort my CDs alphabetically, after all.
I can proudly say that my bedroom has never been that cluttered . . but only because we have a SPARE bedroom for all that stuff, and make sure never to invite anyone over to sleep there.
Imagine your whole house looked like the bedroom and you will have a pretty good picture of my house. Now imagine your daughter’s birthday party is in about 24 hours and you are reading blogs instead of cleaning because it’s just too hopeless.
I do have a question, though. What do you do with clothes that are too worn, stained, etc. to give away? Can the cloth be recycled somewhere or do they need to be pitched?
I used to only donate the “good” stuff to Goodwill, but since have read that Goodwill routinely recycles the stuff that isn’t fit to put in their stores. So now I just send it ALL (minus the stuff I save for rags). Here’s a post about other ways to recycle clothing, too.
One pair of shoes …. that’s how it starts for me. one pair of shoes left at the backdoor and the whole damn house goes downhill! Otherwise, I’m very organized since downsizing our lives six years ago. I have empty drawers and cupboards and if I buy something new,something old has to go ..
Clutterville has alot of residents. Atleast you’re a smart one
I am impressed at tackling your demons/closet/piles. Piles of crap in my house are relegated to two areas: the donate pile (which desperately needs to go out), and my craft closet. It helps that we have HUGEMONGOUS closets so all our crap can hang! Then it doesn’t count as crap! Woo!
I’m pretty sure I could be categorized as a neat-freak. That wasn’t always true, though, hubby just wore off on me after so many years! Yup, you read that right – the HUSBAND was/is far, far, far neater than I!
OMG can’t believe you didn’t post the ‘after ‘ shots! At least of the closet! You can’t do an organizing post without photos!
Where is the post-cleaning picture? We can’t give you credit until you prove that you did it!
It’s funny – so many of us leave the bedroom as the last bastion of the clutter, but it’s probably the single most important room for our mental health to keep tidy. If your own BEDROOM (read: sanctuary) isn’t relaxing to walk into, you’re toast!
I spent an entire weekend when my mom was visiting excavating the closet, hanging pictures, and organizing. It’s so much nicer to walk into now, and I swear I’m sleeping better
I would like to confess in this semi-public space that I also have beach towels in my bedroom. From LAST SUMMER and the two times we have been swimming since. Oh the shame.
Question though for anybody…..where do you put the stuff pre-Goodwill? I am pretty good about Goodwilling stuff on at least a quarterly basis (mostly because I want to buy MORE STUFF there) but I have had this horrible shapeless pile that overflows a basket. And it’s in my bedroom, of course!
Beth, I actually have a pretty good system for the kids that I should start utilizing for myself: Each of them has a plastic bin in the bottom of their closets for outgrown clothes. We do a big clean-out once or twice a year, but in the meantime if they put something on it no longer fits, they chuck it into the bin. When the bins are full, it’s time to make a trip to Goodwill.
And, we are back to being BFF:)I know you were worried!
Have done 2 of the boys bedrooms. Am working on my 10yr old dtrs room, but HAD TO take a break. I was worried I might kill her if I opened up oine more drawer and saw random crap shoved there!!
I am hoping to finish the upstairs with the big kids this week. Then, I have to tackle my closet….cue the scary/dramatic music.
Hooray for you! I actually started going through my closet this afternoon up in my bedroom. It too is the largest closet I have ever had. So it fills up with lots of non-clothing things. It’s usually stuff I haven’t made a decision about so today I tried to make decisions. I didn’t get very far but it’s a start. Thanks for the inspiration.
BTW, I too use Goodwill as a way to recycle clothing but I’m going to check out your link too.
This is mildly intimidating because I need to tackle our closets next week -NEXT WEEK, mind you – because we’re getting a major remodel that includes the closet area. I predict Goodwill is about to make out like a bandit.
I’m usually not a commenter, but as a social service worker I feel I have to chime in with a recommendation: To all of you Goodwillers, you might also look into your local not-for-profit service agencies for free clothing programs. Your donations are GIVEN, not SOLD, to families in need. Just a thought to share…