Let the Dust Fly!

It is day one of our transformation to a clutter free home. Where oh where to start?

Actually deciding where to start wasn't difficult. I opted for the Master bedroom. If I want the kids to make changes then I have to make one too. It seems only right that I take the first hit. Not going to be a hypocrite, nope not me!

My room isn't too bad- okay it is, no one goes up there, no one else sees it so I let it get trashed, I'd never let my downstairs look like this (ok well maybe just the backroom no one uses). Clutter-wise it is mostly the same thing in there- clothes, way too many clothes. Though I do seem to never have a thing to wear! I think that is just how it goes.

I don't have so many clothes that they won't all fit in my closet or dresser but somehow they don't seem to make it there. Well they do, kinda. Here is the problem- I wear clothes but I don't feel as though they are dirty enough to need washing. But they have been worn so I can't just hang them back up in the closet with the clean ones. I'm not sure why, I mean if they are clean they are clean- if they are dirty then wash them.... I don't know, some crazy logic I came up with long ago decided that the location for these semi-worn clothes is to be strewn about my room; piled on top of the dresser, night stand, any surface. If an ironing board gets left up in our room- good lord, it is covered in no time flat! That is why I don't iron... sure, that is why.

At least I keep my "will wear one more time before I wash them" clothes up. Brad just leaves them on the floor (sans the jeans you see hanging). Then when I toss them in the laundry he is slightly annoyed. I guess I should know the difference- ya know from the clothes on the floor right next to those on the floor that ARE supposed to be washed?!

So the clothes war begins...but in no time at all I realized wow, Brad has a ton of crap in his closet that are not clothes, not even bedroom closet type items- I found near 10 curtain rods- the cheapy white ones, shower door wall slots, and dust, good lord the dust. Brad's side of the closet took nearly an hour. Mine was a short 20 mins.

Here is the before and after closet shots.I think you can tell which one is which!

Do you see that! There is carpet in the bottom of our closets!!!

I mentioned dust earlier right? I have severely neglected Brad's side of the closet- well he has too lets not put the blame all on me- nothing is my fault anyways! I was sneezing and coughing so much while emptying his closet. The brown skirt I was wearing turned dust bunny gray. I seriously had to vacuum some of his clothes- that is how long it has been since he has worn them. But am I allowed to get rid of them? Nope. There is a funny story later about the whole getting rid of stuff argument! Anyways, because I didn't think you guys would really grasp just how dusty Brad's side of the closet was- well I took a picture of the vacuum bin! 

 

All of this dust is seriously JUST from Brad's side of the closet!!!!

Next it was on to the night stands and my dresser. Brad's dresser has a TV on it so he can no longer stack crap on it- and good thing too because before the TV he had it full of dusty stuff. Brad likes dust if you didn't already know that! So here are all of those before and after pictures.

 

Brad's night stand is so empty without a C-PAP machine!!! It makes me so happy!!!

And now my Dresser....this is where I tend to stack the kids clothes that no longer fit, because that makes tons of sense! The door hides it...sure, sure it does!

 

Tada!

I came across one problem as I was cleaning, Brad's stuff. He does not like for people (meaning me) to throw his things away. BUT he also doesn't like to go through it himself. Nope, he rather just becomes oblivious to it. I really am shocked at how men seem to look at a room and not see the same mess everyone else does! 

Anyways, he had this box that has been sitting in MY side of the closet for nearly 8 years. Yes, I just said 8 years. Does he get in this box? No. Does he even know what is in it? I think not. Well he looked at the trash and saw something he thought was of value in it. I told him not to dig through the trash because I just threw his box away. I mean I did go through it real quick but really after 8 years, none of that stuff matters! So what was in the box he asks, papers, magnets, random keys... "What?! Random keys. What were they to?" Um, I don't know and you don't either! Oh but he is sure he does and that these keys are necessary. They may go to his pad lock, that is in his dresser- with the key not in it. Why is the key not in it? Wouldn't that be the ideal storage place for the key of an unused lock?

So I have to go through the trash. (Eyes rolling here) I threw out screws (gasp!) and yes ONE useful key. "Oh I was wondering where that was!" Apparently for 8 years you have been wondering.

Brad was slightly annoyed at me. But frankly I think he owes me thanks- he would have never found that key had I not thrown it away! And even if it had made it out to the curb before he was aware of my trashing of it- he'd be in no different position then he has been FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS!

 

Another problem, one that comes with all big cleaning/organizing projects, relocation of stuff to other rooms. I may have cleaned my room but I have junked up areas of my home- the bathroom, the hallway, my kitchen counter.... I've decided as long as this stuff isn't making me crazy I am just leaving it to be put away properly when I get to those areas of the house. I better not be having company over anytime soon! Here are a few junk relocation pictures. Maybe it is similar to witness relocation? Though sadly an old sleeping bag can't magically turn into a beautiful useful comforter just by testifying my  room was a mess and signing some papers!

Oh! and not everything was relocated to a new home.... I filled a few bags/boxes to be sold or donated. Right now we decided to keep all the get rid of stuff together then we will look it all over and decide what to do at once. And Brad said he will help more in going though his stuff...here is to hoping he does! He did help me finish up the room which is a big thing, sleep apnea Brad would have never got around to it! I'm excited!