Corner Room Reveal

As you know I have been participating in the room organizing challenge hosted by Organizing Junkie.  Today is the final reveal of the room. I am 'uber excited about how far I have come, in one room, in one month! I now feel like my little Corner Room, that I started with, will be used so much more and I won't cringe and die a little inside each time I open the french doors. In fact, the kids asked to do their homework in the corner room today. I'm going to call it. Winning!

First Progress Check
Second Progress Check
Third Progress Check

Hold on to your hats! Here we go. I love a good before and after.



I really can't believe that I had that much non-craft stuff in there. Most of the stuff was tossed. There was a lot of stuff that I was holding on to. We are talking decades here people. I purged. Purged, and more purged. I feel good.



The treadmill area isn't super dramatic. This area was working before, and it still is working. I was able however to relocate my hand weights, yoga mat, bolster, and yoga ball, to inside the closet. Because there is so much space now.



Again, the launch pad area was working, just needed to be cleaned up a little.



The floating shelf overhead however, different story. When you stood under it, at the launch pad, it felt like the board games were all going to come toppling down on top of you. Problem solved.



I am so very much in love of this fix. Before the printer sat on top of the container that I keep all my scrapbook paper in. When the printer was actually printing, the whole thing, shook. Like an 8.4 size earthquake. I re-purposed an old two drawer night stand. It was in my daughters room, 100% empty. Took out the drawers, sanded it, painted it (with left over living room paint), and made three new shelves with materials I found in the garage. Now with the printer on top, the paper below is organized into printer paper, cardstock, colored paper, etc.



The far corner used to have the bookshelf thingy, with a door, and more board games on top. It was never used. Most of the stuff inside got tossed, as well. Some of it went into the craft closet, and some of it went to the bookshelves in the living room. Now there is a desk in there, the length of the room. Built by my husband, with upcycled pieces from the garage, and below are a few drawer totes, I pulled from other spaces in the house. The cricut now has a permanent home.



That bookshelf thing with door, also got sanded down, and painted.  I hung in on the wall, above the desk.  It holds all the boardgames- with room to spare- and since it has a door, you can't see all the games, all the time.  Those mirrors, we already owned, and I am so pleased with where they landed.  Good feng shui says, to not have your back to the door, unless you have mirrors in front of you.  To act as a rear view mirror if you will.  They are both beautiful and functional.  They came from Ikea, years ago.

 




Moving right around to the next corner, is where the old desk (which I still love) used to be. It is now in the garage- taken apart- waiting for me to decide what to do with it. Now we have the elbow of the new desk, where my sewing machine has a new permanent home. There is also a corner shelf piece, on the desk. Again, it was in my daughters room, unused. Sand, same paint, and now it is the proud owner of my tulle. On top is an old fish bowl/vase, that is holding the tulle scraps, that often get used by the kids.



Next is the edge of room.  It used to have those totes there, with tulle and material.  Now it is where a chest of drawers stands.  In it, is everything I need to sew- notice it is next to the sewing machine.  Material, needles, thread, etc.  Everything for sewing.  On top is an old vase, that I filled with all the plastic flowers and large feathers I found in the craft stuff.  There is also my music activated dancing flower.  I got that when I was around 8, in Thailand.  I remember picking it out with my Dad from a street vendor.  They were everywhere, and I wanted one so bad.  It has been in a box, for 10 plus years.  now it is out, and with fresh batteries, was dancing away, when I took these pictures!

Just to finish off the photo part of this essay: a nice parting shot of the new, made from what we had, desk. 



Question and Answer:


1. What space did you decide to organize and why?
     I did my corner room.  Others would call it a den.  I did this room, because it was the catch all room.  Literally, right off the living room, and around the corner from the front door, it was a dumping ground, and it got used everyday.  I use the treadmill everyday, and my kids, keep their coats and backpacks there.  It was intended as the craft room as well, but never quiet got there.  The closet did an okay job of holding the craft supplies.  However when they were needed, we found them, and took them to the kitchen, because the desk was just not a useable space.  I also wanted to be able to leave the beautiful french doors open when we have friends over.  This room, is also transformed into the guest room when guests come, two or three times a year.

2.  What steps did you take to ensure you completed the space within the 29 day timeline?
      I used the time line that you provided for the challenge.  I spaced out my steps with each progress check up, using the PROCESS.  Each weekend, I received help from my husband, and daughters.  I also made sure that I worked a minimum of 30 minutes each day.  Sometimes those 30 minutes were productive, and others, well, were not.  I was not cramming at the last minute,  In fact, I was so proud of how I didn't cram on the last day- that I rewarded myself with a Starbucks stop, before I went home today to take the after pictures.  You can see my cup on top of the sewing chest of drawers.  Being done, before the dead line- Is. So. Not. Me.


3.  What was the hardest part of the challenge for you and how did you overcome it?
      I have two 'hardest parts'.  The first was my inability to purchase new 'things' I wanted for the space.  I wanted to get all matching totes, for the craft closet.  I wanted to get a new desk.  It just wasn't in the family budget.  I used what I had.  The totes in the craft closet are the same, as before.  Now they are less stuffed.  Like is with like.  They aren't uniform, but there is much more usable space in them.  My husband, was able to upcycle some pieces we had in the garage for a new desk.  I am very happy with the outcome.  I wish the top was painted, or covered in a thin layer of counter.  Even with out that- the desk is what I had envisioned.
    The second hardest part, was throwing out my theater playbills and posters.  Sure I had five or six.  It didn't matter.  There were tears.  But I kept telling myself, I only need ONE!  One beautiful poster.  One beautiful playbill.  I always have kept extra, " ... in case something bad happened to one, or two, or three...".  Now, I have one poster, one playbill.  And I am going to start framing them- so nothing bad will happen.


4. What did you do with the “stuff” you were able to purge out of your newly organized space?
    Most of my purged stuff went to the recycling or garbage bins.  Some old books, have been donated to the local friends of the library program, some were relocated to the bookshelves in the living room.  The desk, is in limbo, in the garage, waiting for me to make a decision. 


5.  Tell me one of your proudest moments during this challenge?
     I have so many proud moments from this challenge.  Time spend with my oldest teenage daughter.  Both of us happy, laughing, sharing.  Huge.  Creating a space, that I am proud of.  An area, where my youngest daughter is already creating wonderful new masterpieces, with me.  Following thru, and finishing.  I am a Gemini.  I start a lot of projects, before I finish a single one.  This was something I started, focused on, and finished.  No side tracks.  Being creative, and using what I have.  I knew it before, that I am the Queen of Using What I Have.  It feels good to be reelected Queen.

6.  Explain any organizing “tools” you used to help you create additional space and to establish some limits and boundaries?
     I used the PROCESS, a lot!  Removal was big for me.  I found a lot of stuff in the room, that I had no idea was in there.  I also used furniture, from the rest of the house, that wasn't being used well, and repurposed them for this room.  The two-drawer night stand that is now a printer stand and paper sorter.  That means all that paper is out of the craft closet.  The sewing chest of drawers.  No more totes.  Now, if the material won't fit, in the chest, I need to purge, or use.  If I get more stuff, then my space will allow, I need to use or purge.  No more collecting, for 'someday'.  Someday, is now.  Use it or lose it!  I also created a "mortified" box.  It is a box with all my 'past life' stuff.  Tokens from high school, college, etc... That I just can't toss, yet.  But it is all together, in one box.  One day I hope to just take a deep breath, and dump the whole box, with out looking. 

 7.  What is ONE piece of advice you’d give to someone else to encourage them on their organizational journey?
       Stick with it.  Push thru.  Lost your mojo?  Keep working!  Your mojo will come back.  Don't wait for inspiration to strike.  Carry on with the plan, and magically inspiration will strike, when you need it the most; but only if you are working.

Thank you Laura.  You are an inspiration.  I have learned so much about myself.  I have learned the PROCESS.  I wanted to start my next space, the master bathroom, mid-month, but I stuck with one room, and I am so glad I did.  I will however be doing the master bathroom, starting tomorrow- and giving myself all March, to finish.  I already feel like I have won.  I have a beautiful space I created, with my family.  We created memories while we created the space.  And now we get to use the space, together.  Lastly, a big Thank you to the sponsors.