Project 20:14 Week One 02

Yesterday was our second "snow day" in four days.  Consider that it didn't snow, and barely iced at our home, but still, local schools were closed for those who had to travel on highways and on roads in more rural areas.

As we homeschool, I did not let the kids have a complete day off, but they did have some time to play outside in the very cold temps and wintry elements.  This freed me up to tackle a few small de-clutter/de-own assignments.

First on the list was my hall closet.  It is a small closet that holds our coats which are very rarely worn, my vacuum, and a few odds and ends.  The tragedy of this closet is that I can't find any room to hang anything in it.  When guests come over, their coats land on chairs or the couches.  When we get home, our jackets sit on the backs of our kitchen chairs.  Little thing, but really irritates me.  Seeing things that should have a home but don't because there is too much stuff in the "home" are the points that would lead me to think..."If only I had a bigger home, a better home, a "nicer home.  Enter Project 20:14.  Learn to love what I have and recognize Jesus in my midst.

Time to either make room for the jackets or get rid of the jackets.  Or both.  Using A Slob Comes Clean Decluttering techniques

Hall Closet Before

About 30 mins later, this is what I discovered

Perfectly wonderful hall closet!

I culled through years of stuff.  This is a closet that I have "cleaned out" not so long ago, but I never really de-owned the things in the closet.  This day was different.  Two garbage bags of junk were removed and one 30 gallon bag of coats and tote bags were collected to donate to those who could use a warm coat during a very cold winter.  I placed the remainder of the coats, one rocket to be played with soon, and my vacuum back into the closet.  The top shelf holds a box of gloves and hats as well as the vacuum attachments.

If you come to visit, I will be able to offer to hang your coat.  Please let me!

This seems like a simple no brainer, I know.  But it set a something in motion.  I moved to de-cluttering and de-owning a few other areas as well as sprucing up a few things around the house.

These pulls and knobs have been in the closet for 2 years.  We forgot all about them.  Now I am installing them on my cabinets and they will offer a touch of beauty to some cupboards that I have been not appreciating lately.

Decluttered our art bench

The Hope-less Chest was not spared.  Rosie was a bit nervous that she might be next.

Hope-filled Chest!  Table linens, yoga gear because I do yoga in this room and blankets for the couch cuddling weather

One element that I want to try to keep in my project 20:14 is to spend as little money as possible.  Too often I decide to "organize" and spend money on things to buy to organize the stuff I should really get rid of.  I would prefer to spend money on things for the home rather than things to organize it.  

I have a bookshelf that has been sitting unused, collecting dust in another room.  For quite some time I have wanted to buy a cabinet to house our entertainment components.  But the cabinet I want and the budget were not jiving.  Yesterday, I was struck with the idea that I could re-purpose the bookshelf and clean up an eyesore in my familyroom.  I rather like the results, though I am sure my husband wasn't too excited about walking in from work with a project to do on a week night.  He must love me.