Organize with Me: My Home Organization Goals for the 1st Quarter of 2019

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(Update January 2020: I’ve edited the post to reflect the work done during 2019 and have added links to my projects where applicable)

This year, I am starting a series called Organize with Me. It’s my hope that as I reorganize some spaces in my home, you will get tips and inspiration for yours. And there’ll be lots of easy DIY projects linked along the way. For the first quarter of 2019, my home organization goals are to tackle the 3 spaces I use daily, particularly now that I’m running this blog.

So, confession: I kind of went back and forth in my mind about whether to share the fuh realz real behind-the-scene spaces that are in DESPERATE need of organization. But, I really do want you to see that although there are some spaces that are usually in top shape, others continue to be a challenge because I didn’t create proper systems to keep them organized.  

We ALL have those spaces, don’t we? The ones that never seem to stay organized. Let me know in the comments if you also have a Monica closet! lol

Because some of the messes you’ll see sit behind white closet doors, once they’re closed, I allow myself to momentarily forget about them….until I have to open the doors to them. every. single. day. And the old procrastinator in me would just focus on the pretty spaces and ignore the overwhelming, cluttered ones. Until today.

Anyways, get ready for some yikes-able photos. Hopefully, they don’t scare you away and you’ll come back to see the afters! :p

My Home Organization Goals for the 1st Quarter of 2019

The three spaces that need to be organized like last year are my:

• Desk area/home office nook
• Closet, the rest of it (yes, there are lots of hot mess spots there…you’ll see in a sec)
• Closet or Storage area for my DIY materials and decor supplies

 

Organize my desk/office nook

 

Since I’ve started this blog, the need to be organized has become even more of a priority. I haven’t always been the planning type but the blog is pretty much forcing me to get myself uber-organized this year. At the moment, I’m borrowing some space in my little sister’s bedroom while she’s living away from home (hey girl!).

I set up the desk space before I started the blog and used it to work on my book and to journal. However, now that my baby (Life’s AHmazing :)) needs so much attention, I need to create some better systems. At the moment, I’m constantly moving things back and forth between my bedroom aka Life’s AHmazing headquarters and the desk area/office nook in the other bedroom. Time-waster much?

This is the current situation (face palm):

What I want to change/create:

• • Create a filing system – partially complete
  • Get a desk planner
  • Get a proper desk chair
  • Organize desk accessories: DIY Lazy Susan || DIY Copper Desk Organizers
  • DIY Wall Grid (post on this soon!)
  • Reorganize drawers
  • Storage for printer
  • Lighten desk: I LOVE how this turned out > Desk Makeover with Marble Contact paper
  • Paint credenza 

(The last 2 are more on the decor side but I like light airy spaces and the dark desk and credenza sometimes feel like they’re sucking me in so I want to lighten them in some way)

Organize my closet

Ohhhh child…. This one’s also scary…

So, as you’ve seen from this post, I already have some closet organization systems that have worked really well for me over the years. However, there are some other spots that have been overtaken by someone else’s junk (let’s pretend, okay). A few people have asked me if my room is super organized all the time and I’ve assured them it isn’t. Well, here’s the evidence in all its disorganized glory!

Over the last few months, I’ve unpacked quite a few items to be used for decor and as props, which have ended up in these spaces because I didn’t have a designated spot. So getting that sorted should help to restore the closet spaces to be used as originally intended – for clothes, shoes and accessories. 

This is the current situation…yikes!!!:

 

To do list:

• Purge clothing and accessories (again)
• Change hanging rod
• Get uniformed skirt hangers
• Refresh cabinets
• Move home decor items and props to designated space
• Add storage boxes or tiered storage to maximize storage below clothes
• Add contact paper to the shelves for easier cleaning

 

Organize a closet for equipment, props and home decor accessories:

So before I started the blog, the top shelf was used for books and current paperwork; the next 2 were for handbags and purses; the 4th and 5th had become spots for things I couldn’t find a home for but didn’t want to throw away – i.e. “junk shelves.”

Now they are all kind of miscellaneous shelves as things are just chucked into a space after I’ve finished shooting a project for the blog. There’s so much to set up and pack away so at the end of the day and I have little desire to put things away properly. Sigh…but that has to change! I need to create an organized system for storing equipment, props and decor accessories used for the blog asap.

This is the current situation:

What I want to change/create:

• Organize my props/items according to categories – decorative items and props, items for future DIY projects, tools and supplies, equipment, miscellaneous
• Use shoeboxes to store small items
• Move the books and paperwork to the office nook
• Repaint shelves and cabinet door

I had a seagrass basket on the bottom shelf for years and the pulling in and out of the closet left it brown… sigh.

The entire wall-to-wall cabinet needs a good repaint as it hasn’t been retouched since I used to fangirl Jared Leto on My So-called Life. Anybody remember that show?

 

Whew… so there you have my 3 home organization goals for this first quarter…and my very messy BEFORES. I’ve now come out the closet about my closets! 😀

Although I had planned to tackle these spaces last December, it clearly didn’t happen so I’m giving myself enough time to slowly work on the spaces and hopefully have them organized for good by March! Although I’m internally freaking out about having these pics on the internet, I’m also using them to hold me accountable because now there’s more motivation to show the after! 

So, do you have any Monica closets in your home? Let me know in the comments so I know I’m not alone! Lol

 

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