Organising. One drawer/one cupboard at a time.

For a year or so I have been organising and de cluttering to a much higher level than before. Over the last years I have de cluttered but it is a process!

How often do you have a job in mind that needs doing and you put it off. Then one day you do it and think "really? that took 15 minutes why didn't I just do it in the first place?!" 
Well, my task yesterday took longer than 15 minutes but it was kind of the same. Last night I admired and reaped the benefits of my work and it was so nice!

Seriously, if we tackle one drawer or cupboard, even one a week, we are soon organised. It is amazing how each little session adds up. 

My bedside table was a serious mess. The last frontier really. I use it as a bed side table, home office, coffee station and so on. The drawers were full. I would post a before photo except for the fact that it was too shameful so I just didn't take one.

I have learned a few little tips, many from A Bowl full of Lemons. One is to be realistic about what you use an area for and make it work for you. So I accept next to me I need my diary, pens, highlighters, a calculator. I accept my coffee leaves marks on the top and it really annoys me so I have placed a little plastic tray to sit it on and avoid this little issue. I accept it is only just big enough so I've placed a sturdy tray on top and enlarged the area. (Loving this)

To do it I realised tidying up was not going to do much. I faced the music and emptied the entire contents onto the floor. Re lined the drawers, scrubbed the whole thing down and examined each item before it went back. And most things didn't, they went to the bin, op shop or somewhere they belong.

Simplified right down I used glass bowls for the things I reach for in the night. My torch where I can find it in the dark. Eye cream where I can reach it without laying in bed wishing  it was in arms reach. Pens and highlighters next to my diary.

It's not good to be surrounded by mess and clutter especially when it should be restful, relaxing and calm. The whole operation cost me nothing. An hours time and a re arrange. And last night I was so pleased! I don't know why I leave things that annoy me but I had left this when I could have fixed it in a day.

Some drawers are small jobs and you can sort them while on the phone or in a gap of a few minutes. Other jobs seem mammoth and we know there's a big mess to face before we get to the other side! 

Last night as I settle into bed and this was my view I felt a wave of happiness and peeked in the drawers just to admire them!

While in theory I would like clear spaces like in a home wares store it isn't practical. I live here and need it to work for me. So I have gone with the things I need and try to make that look nice. I have always loved to have flowers by the bed and there is space for a vase when I have fresh flowers to bring in.

Next mission is the junk drawer. That's a beauty. It is like a magnet that drawer. 

I am heading off in search of some fruit and vegetable specials. I want to make soup and a stew. Then I am on a challenge to use up some odds and ends in the freezer and have a half price grocery week. If I concentrate on using bits and pieces, what I have, now and then I can do a half price week. Andy's van broke down and we don't know the cost yet. So this is one thing I can do. It's amazing what you can come up with. My freezer has half jars of spaghetti sauce, turkish breads, chopped onions, bits of cheese, mince and "stuff". It's like a challenge to put them together in meals that are yum. Combined with pantry things it is amazing what you can do. And we need to do this or it all accumulates and is never used. So that is my challenge next week.

Have a lovely day.xxx