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Organization is the key to getting your life together.

Whether we are talking about finances, budgets, the pantry or your life, there’s no doubt in my mind that organization is the Key. In order to successfully accomplish any major organization or decluttering exercise you need a few important tools.

In my life I also need a certain amount of “pretty” and my joy is to combine the two! Get in on the act with me today and watch the transformation from Chaos to Serenity.

 

Stay tuned to the end for the before and after shots!

Where to start with a major reorganization.

#1  Declutter

You heard of Marie Kondo and the KonMari way to declutter?  I’m infatuated with this right now.

What she says about tidying up is “…it isn’t about judgment, decor, or the spectacle of mess. It’s about cultivating empathy for the things that surround us.”  I find it hard to be empathetic about something that makes me frown and, after practicing my “exercises” (holding each item for a few minutes to feel the love or the joy), I found many of my things made me frown.  They weren’t functional.  The weren’t pretty. They Had To Go!

My two main focus points were my closet and my work space.

In Episode 8 there is a quote “We find ourselves in a Closet Battle” and that’s exactly where I was.  At the start of the year I turned all of my hangers the wrong way around and then, as I wore each item I faced the hangers the opposite way.  The idea is to see which items you actually wear in one year.  Today though, I don’t want to wait a full year to make some space in here!  The closet gets a makeover…now!

Everything needs a home.

Well that’s easier said than done in our small house.  My daughter is a wanna be costume designer.  Do you have any idea how much “stuff” that requires?  Not to mention the space!  Since we relegated her to the smallest bedroom she was allowed to put her artist desk and sewing machine in the dining room but, since she leaves for school soon, I want that stuff GONE!  I want my space back!

Creating designated spaces has always been a challenge here.  We relocated the laundry into a closet to free up extra space for storage.  We closed off a cold hallway between the bedroom and the back door and created walk in closet space.  This meant we lost the coat closet but I circumvented that by making everyone keep their own coats in their own bedroom closets.

#2 Lists!

I love a good list…or better still, a tick box page in a bullet journal.  There’s a sense of accomplishment is seeing a beautifully designed page of my journal filled with elegant tick marks.

For great bullet journal supplies check out AliExpress, Etsy and Amazon  There’s everything from cheap and cheerful to lush and expensive. I, of course, have Champagne tastes and a beer budget!

 

When thinking Lists think also, schedules, deadlines, planners, journals.  Now you’re talking.  I’m in my happy place.

I’m planning my work space as well today.  I’m sick to death of working at my kitchen counter, which is a bad height for me to be typing at.

In order to fill my soul with joy I decided to theme my space with this seasons pale grey, blush and rose gold colors.  In order for me to do this on a meager budget I had to pay a visit to my local Thrift stores (one aptly named The Treasure Shack), the dollar store and my local online sales forums.

I found this beauty online… click the image for more information 🙂  Tell me this doesn’t make you smile?

 

To bring together my desk and shelving I tried to stay with the same themes :-

 

If you want to Shop this particular look here are some of  the links:

 

 

The one sure thing that will kill you mojo – procrastination!

If you don’t want to tackle a huge project by yourself then enlist some help and delegate.  Putting off the job will add stress and strain to your already chaotic routines.  By building better, more functional spaces and allowing yourself better routines you reduce stress and aid time management.

Give yourself permission to have nice things but opt for quality over quantity.  Minimizing the clutter should bring an immediate sense of peace.

Get into the habit of clearing away all your stuff at the end of each day.  Put things away periodically so the clutter doesn’t mount up.

 

Don’t forget to take a look at the throws and pillows at Indigo Chapters.  There’s free shipping and up to 60% off with >>>This LINK.

#3 Breaking the patterns.

The problem is that most of us don’t take the time to get organized from the ground up because we’re too busy tackling what’s happening in the here-and-now. You have to break this pattern and eliminate the cycle once and for all.

So, how is it done?

Well, organizing your life starts with a complete make-over from top to bottom. If this is a life-overhaul, not only do your daily routines change, but so do the habitual responses to external stimuli. What do I mean? Well, when you’re not organized, and something arises that needs your attention, you’ll learn to address it differently. You’ll tackle the important things first, then move onto the things that might be urgent but aren’t so important to deal with immediately.

With an organized home, everything becomes easier to locate so the frantic running around is diminished and the focus can now be on the immediate issue.

A good friend of mine once said “Anna, you can’t keep stumbling from crisis to crisis.  You’ve got to have a plan!”

At the time I thought he was a complete moron but over time I have come to understand better what he meant by this and now I’m prepared for (almost) anything.

 

The makeover and budget spend.

And now…for your viewing pleasure… Before And After.  Total budget, including desk and chair, $182.88.

Plush cushion came from the Salvation Army shop at $2.49.

Desk – one can of Spray paint from Home Depot $8.47.  Old Singer trestle – free from back yard. Large square of Laminate and bonded edging$$18.97.

Collection of Pink Desk organizers – Winners $27.97

Pink Lamp – Winners $16.99 (on clearance)

Rose Gold Baskets and Trays plus pink “pleather” bound journal- Dollarama $22.00

Office chair – Craigslist $20

Coco Chanel Artwork – Winners $50 (reduced to half price)

Pink vase and flowers – winners and Dollarama $15.98

 

XO

Anna