The past three seasons of Lent I have done a 30 day declutter challenge and loved it. The idea is to tackle a small area of our lives each day of lent and go through our items with a spirit of almsgiving. The items we don’t use/love could be given to someone else who could really use/enjoy them. Having this in the back of my mind helps me to see my clutter clearer and motivates me to give more away.
I was recently reading (on Sunday) from I Heard God Laugh, by Matthew Kelly and he says, “We need so little. We need so much less than we think we do. And every unnecessary thing we burden ourselves with creates an obstacle between us and God.” I can relate to this and I always feel lighter, freer, more peaceful when the areas I live in are neat and basic. Maybe you feel this way too! Or maybe you want to feel this way. So if you are looking for a new challenge this Lent, follow along and make more room for peace.
Organizing brother’s room to make space for little brother on the way.
All this has to go into brother’s room!
This was a special project I did for one of my good friends who was expecting her second baby just a few months after we got together. The challenge was to take all the items in the photos above and make space for them in her oldest son’s bedroom, that way, the ‘play room’ could be nested into her new nursery.
Floorplan
We started by looking at the layout of the ‘destination room’ so we could make space for larger toys. We nudged the bed closer to the wall which created more floor space for the large train table. We were able to tuck an art easel, tool bench and car track in the little nooks by the dresser and night stand.
Floor Plan BEFOREFloor Plan AFTER
Closet
Next we tackled the closet by purging clothes and toys. I like to uselarge canvas bins for storing items high on the top shelf because they are easy to pull down and put back up without playing the stack and balance game. In this closet, the large bins hold stuffed animals and extra blankets. For the remaining shelves, we usedstylish striped bins to sort and store toys by categories so they would be easy to pull out for play time and simple enough to clean up. We used the remaining shelf space to stage larger toys and books. The biggest items earned a spot on the floor tucked neatly under the shelves.
Closet BEFORECloset AFTER
For art supplies, we used stackable clear binsand kraft labelsso items can be easily seen. These are stored on a higher shelf so ink or paint cannot be used without mom and dad’s permission.
Clothes
For hanging clothes, we divided items based on weather; short sleeved shirts, long sleeved shirts, and jackets. We purchased a hanging shoe organizer for one of the low hanging rods and staged cowboy boots on the open shelf. On one side of the closet, we repurposed a shelving unit and hanging bins from the playroom to store more toys and puzzles underneath.
Right side BEFORE
Right side AFTER
Left Side BEFORE
Left Side AFTER
By the end of this project, we had transitioned everything that needed to move from the nursery but it didn’t feel overstuffed or crowded. There was plenty of play space in the main room and everything else was neat and functional in the closet. This little boys room was ready to welcome a new baby brother!
One of my clients recently built a beautiful farmhouse and what’s a farmhouse without a barn? This barn wasn’t like the ones I was used to that looked run down with animals and farm equipment inside. This one was beautifully white with black trim that matched the main house and it stored a collection of gorgeous antiques, woodworking tools and outdoor toys for grandkids. They called me in to organize and clean up the space so it could be used to it’s potential and not just become a second attic.
This was a large barn so we broke it up into themed areas: stackable storage totes in the loft, antique furniture tucked in between support beams, a large shelving unit for kids toys, and a nice workshop area for tools.
The loft
LOFT BEFORE
LOFT AFTER
These weather proof totes from The Container Store help keep the items inside free from dust and bugs. These bins are also stackable, so we organized this space with three rows of totes across. I personally love clear boxes so you can see the contents and we labeled each tote for extra function.
The workshop
WORKSHOP BEFORE
WORKSHOP AFTER
This area was so fun and a bit challenging due to installing the workshop unit around a breaker box (thanks Joe!), but the transformation was so worth it! My favorite part- the work table can be pulled out to the open floor to create a workable island.
The toy area
TOY AREA BEFORETOY AREA AFTER
Toy storage is a constant challenge in my own home with three kids and an ever shrinking floor plan. But since my client’s grandkids live out of town, these items aren’t used on a daily basis. We purchased this sturdy shelving unit and the large buckets to tidy up and store high. They can be pulled down and out for a visit and then put away again.
The transformation of organizing this barn was fun to watch. We utilized the vertical space in all areas with stacking, shelving, and wall cabinets that freed up floor space. Now there’s room for more playing, more building, and maybe a few more antique finds:)
Yes! I believe in junk drawers! We have one in our kitchen and it’s a catch all for random things that don’t live somewhere else in the house.
I remember rummaging through the junk drawer we had in the kitchen as a kid. It was kind of like a treasure box, you never knew what you would find, and if something was lost it was the first place you would look.
BEFORE
This client was proud of their catch all drawer. It was kind of like a “wait till you see this,” kind of thing. Since it’s such a large drawer there was quite a bit of stuff; tools, hardware, phone accessories, art supplies, etc. I was impressed! But most things simply belonged somewhere else in their home which was an easy way to purge the drawer. To complete the project, I purchased three drawer organizers and sorted things into categories. Dividing up a large drawer with compartments makes a big impact on looks and function.
AFTER
This project inspired me to tackle my own junk. Do you have a junk drawer? What is the most random thing you find in there? Mine is a used tissue! ew!
