Did you notice how I called it “The Gameroom” without any slashes, parentheses, or other explanation?
I’m doing my best to start thinking of this as a single purpose room that can adjust to other purposes when needed.
This is the second week of work on this room-overhaul, and I’m ready to see some real progress. Last week’s frustrating furniture-moving-episode is now just a memory, and I’m beginning to adjust to the new arrangement. I might even like it.
Might.
The new arrangement makes this room look more like a gameroom. (Which is, after all, the point.)
My big task for this week is to get rid of the desk. The desk which (once I decided it had to go) has been getting on my last nerve. The desk which I will gladly place on the curb with a big, handwritten sign saying FREE.
But before I can get rid of it . . . I have to unearth it.
So today, I cleared the desk. Not cleaned . . . just cleared. There is a rebellious little part of me that thinks the recipient of the free desk should have to dust it him/herself. It’s likely the same part of me that causes a lot of my slob-problems . . .
This is my VERY least favorite type of decluttering project. Paper. Lots of it, and all random.
I grabbed a trashcan and began going through the clutter item by item.
I found plenty of trash. Expired voter registration cards, school papers from when my second grader was in kindergarten . . . and lots more.
Mmm-hmmmm, totally useless stuff.
A can full of out-of-the-box staples, random Little People, faded nerf-darts, and such?
I tossed it all.
There were several moments of Decluttering Paralysis. Knowing that I wasn’t just straightening or cleaning, or even organizing this desk . . . but completely clearing it so I can purge it from my home, was big.
And overwhelming.
Since I couldn’t go ahead and set up the new computer table (the heavy TV will require Hubby’s help to move), and I didn’t want piles all over this room for the next two days . . . I did my best to consolidate and contain.
I was particularly proud that I turned this basket into a storage spot for CDs.
I think it looks slightly better than the way I had been storing them in the desk’s cubby:
It turned out that a LOT of the paper clutter was made up of good intentions. Most of it was recycled paper that people have given me to use for printing on the other side. I gathered it up (along with other office supplies) and placed it in this storage tub.
Yes, I’m slightly stressed about how I’m going to deal with these things on the new computer table.
After about an hour and a half, it looked like this:
Once we move the computer, we can drag the desk out to the curb!
I just have to distribute those last remaining knick-knacks to places of honor throughout the house. Things like my tiaras (purchased, not won), and . . . .
(That’s Hubby and Me in our dating years!)
______________________________
I’ll be linking this up to Orgjunkie’s 29 Day Organizing Challenge.
I’m also linking this up to The Nester’s “It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Beautiful” link-up. This project is far from (and will never be) perfect . . . but progress is beautiful.
Nena says
LOVE the star wars card 🙂 groovy! lol
Michaela says
Love the Star Wars card! I’m happy your getting purge happy – goodbye desk! Last night I set out some goodies (aka junk) like your desk on my curb and before I could even make a free sign I had some hillbillies with a truck pull up and take it all. I am still chuckling over it today – they took the dust and saved me money in trash removal. Gotta love that curbside pickup!
MamaHen says
Love the Star Wars picture and you are doing a great job!
Kater says
I feel your pain, and envy your resolve! I continually try organize my clutter, when I really need to just pitch it or give it away. I have to remind myself if I’m embarrassed to donate something, I really ought to trash it.
Rebecca S. says
I love what Kater said in 2012, “I have to remind myself if I’m embarrassed to donate something, I really ought to trash it.” I think adopting that philosophy might do my house some good!
Alana says
Hey, your hubby makes a great Hans Solo!
Nony, about the computer stuff on the desk: try boxes–or use drawers. Do you a drawer unit of some kind that will fit under the table?
I have one box just for paper to print on one side–hubby brings it home from work–it gets too messy otherwise. (I covered the box in white mac tac so it doesn’t look like a box. It’s in a unit with deep shelves with the printer on top)
You are doing great! Imagine that–you just tossed it! Well done. My mom, the squirrel, has these sorts of containers all over her house–well she used to have a lot of them–and they are so overhelming. They can completely derail the entire decluttering project.
Shanna says
Yes, once I’ve decided I want it gone Yesterday. I love putting stuff on the curb but no such luck here! No drive by traffic and when we took a leather recliner out to the main road nearby residents came out and told my husband no, no, no! he was not leaving anything out. It would have been gone in 2 minutes! It is really frustrating to get rid of stuff in my area because they are so picky about it. It makes for a lot of illegal dumping on the side of the road. Very unnatractive.
It will be great without your horizontal and vertical clutter catcher!
Carolina says
Craigslist and/or Freecycle can be your best friends if you live in an area where you are not allowed to leave things by the side of the road, or there are no ‘takers’ available. If something’s worth a bit of money, but you’re simply tired of it, try Craigslist first, if it’s in good condition, but probably worth less than $50, join your local Freecycle group (through Yahoo Groups) and then offer it. Or, you might even find someone looking for that exact item. OR donate items to places such as The Salvation Army. There are lots of options for getting rid of stuff you no longer want, and people will pick it up from you using these organizations. Win/win.
Mary Stephens says
In some places Salvation Army will even come and pick up items you want to get rid of – but make it worth their while. They might not want to make the trip for one item, but if you have a couple boxes of clothing or other household items, that might help.
Also, we got rid of a couch we no longer wanted when we moved by donating it to our neighbors’ college age son. He was tickled to get such a nice couch for the apartment or dorm room he shared with his friends! So, check with your friends who have college kids or young adults living on their own. They just might come take it off your hands with no effort required on your end! 🙂
Carolina says
BTW…I just found your site. I am hoping for some REAL inspiration here. I joined a different group a couple of years ago, and now, while I STILL have the cleanest sink in the city, haven’t moved much beyond that point. (My ‘excuse’…I have Fibromyalgia and find it hard to keep things up over the long run, as there are days…sometimes WEEKS, where I can barely get out of bed. No, not even to get onlilne. (I desperately need a laptop or tablet so I can get online while still lying down!) At any rate, I’m hoping to find some usable and ‘practical’ hints here. Since I AM able to spend 10 minutes a day, about 6 out of 7 days each week, to keep my sink clean, I’m hoping for some other things that can be kept up in small chunks of time once the initial clearing out has been done. Anyway, today’s a ‘good’ day so I will be reading a bit more of your blog before heading out to the grocery store. Thanks. (Sadly, I know that grocery shopping will ‘wipe me out’ for at LEAST the next 2 days, so I want to read your blog for at LEAST an hour straight right now. Then, I will take a load of laundry to the laundry room before I leave, change it over to the dryer as soon as I’ve put away my groceries, then can fold and hang while watching some early TV programming. AFTER which, I will fall asleep, willing or not, and then be able to leave my bed only to pee or grab something easy to fix and eat for at LEAST the next 2 days. It sucks, big time! (It DOES make it easier to keep my sink clean…LOL!??) Oh, and I DID manage to clean the fridge the other day, so it’s ready and waiting for my groceries!
Slob with OCD says
Hey Carolina,
I have fibro, too. It sounds like mine is more under control than yours, but I have been where you are. I also found Nony’s blog and started from the begining it was really, really helpful to me.
One thing I am coming to understand is that if you don’t have a normal persons energy than you need to be even more ruthless. We need our spaces to lift us up not drag us down. If there’s a cabinet that your grit your teeth when you have to put things away, then there are too many things in it.
It helped me enormously to concentrate on getting one room to the point where it was easy to maintain,so that there is always some place restful for me to be.
I’m always better at organizing than cleaning, but I am trying to get there.
I hope you are feeling better.
Nony says
What wise words. Be even more ruthless about clutter when you don’t have a normal person’s energy. Very insightful.
Michele says
I am sooo proud of you! You are really making progress in your new “gameroom”. You should really feel great about getting rid of all that “stuff” and remember once you get your new set-up going..and start giving things a home….go thru it again. That 1st initial sorting/dealing with step usually is the hardest for me. I think once you go through more areas in that room, and now that you have given it a purpose driven name…your furniture placement will come together too. Is the family getting excited about the plan you have for their new “gameroom”? Having this type of “family shared space” may even help keep some of your other areas in your home cleaner (how exciting). Way to go and keep up the great job!
Amanda @ Serenity Now says
I can relate to the paper clutter! I have more than one pile upstairs. :s Loved the Star Wars pic…that made me smile. 🙂 Visiting from Nesting Place! 🙂
Linda @ it all started with paint says
I just love the idea that if someone gets it for free, that they will have to work for it by dusting and cleaning it themselves! Ha!
🙂
Linda
Christina says
I found your linkup on Nesting Place one of the most refreshing because of it’s raw honesty. I love the title of your blog and the photo. I was drawn to your linkup because of it…a lot of the other photos looked a little too perfect for me. I am a recovering slob too and I think that recovering part will be a lifelong thing. Keep up the good work and keep up the honesty. Now I’ve got to go take a pic of my imperfection (which I have plenty of) and link up too.
rebecca @ olderandwisor, who can't keep things clean to save her life says
Linked over from Nesting Place because of your awesome photo, and here I discover that I’m not alone in my HATRED of random crap. My hatred doesn’t seem to stop me from accumulating it though…..funny how that works. I’m a piler. A save-it-for-later-because-it-needs-to-be-shredded/filed/called about tomorrow I’ll definitely get to it kind of girl.
All weekend I was sorting through papers in a desk drawer that haven’t been touched SINCE WE MOVED IN. Almost four years ago.
I tossed them all.
And it felt good.
Good luck.
claire rose says
Don’t you love not being perfect? I do!! I’m your newest imperfect follower-stop by for a visit!!
Kasey M. says
I’m hopping over from Nester’s linky party. I have to admit my HB did just identify me as the “messiest neat freak he knows” so I can relate to your piles of paper and well intentioned keepsakes!
Julia says
That picture is awesome. 🙂