Challenge- Progress Week One

Today is our first progress check for the Organizing Challenge, over at Organizing Junkie

Her PROCESS to purge, clean and organizing, is keeping me on track with my corner room.

The PROCESS is simple:

P: Plan: plan the space, plan your steps, what works, what doesn't, etc.
R: Remove: Just like on all the shows: empty the space, and start with a fresh clean slate
O: Organize: Piles: sell, keep, toss, donate, relocate to another space, etc.
C: Containerize: Find and implement, storage solutions that work for you, time, space, budget, etc.
E: Evaluate: Is the plan working? Are you on track? Do you need to modify anything?
S: Solve/Simplify: Any other issues, that you need to address?
S: Smile: You did it!

In the first week of the challenge, I have begun the PROCESS and completed, P and R.

My Plan:

What was working in my corner room:  treadmill, the closet to house the crafts, launch pad, printer
Not working:  Organization of the closet, printer stand, corner bookcase, boardgames up high, boxes, table
Budget:  Zero. As a family of five on an enlisted military salary, there is no extra money in the budget to spend on the room. Never fear! I am the queen of using what I have, making it over, re-purposing, and upcycling to "Make it Work".
Timeline: The Challenge is the entire month of February with check in dates thru out. I will work little by little each day, and on the weekends, the Mr. and kidlets will help out, as needed

New Systems:  Ribbons on a rod in the closet. Better use of bookcase, shelves, better printer stand- perhaps with the printer paper in the stand- 'New' desk- still modular, and easily removed and stored when room is used for guests

Here are a few pictures to show you my progress thus far:

While I was emptying out the craft closet, I discovered that there was a lot, A LOT, of stuff in there that was not actually crafts.  I was under the impression before emptying out, that removal of the stuff was silly, as all of it got used, regularly.  I noticed that only three totes on the top shelf ever got used, and that 4 totes on the top shelf were not even crafts!  I had no idea.  Also, discovered that the lowest shelf, was not the most used shelf- that in fact the middle shelf was where most of the everyday supplies were kept.  Out of reach from the daughters.  But there fore nothing was getting put away properly- because it was too much work.  So the space in front of the boxes on the lowest shelf is where stuff would collect, from not being put away- because it was easy.  AH HA!  I also noticed that since the filing cabinet never actually made it into the closet from the garage, there was a lot of junk, piled up, on the floor of the closet.  So now I need to decide if the filing cabinet should live there- or if I should ask the Mr. to put a few more shelves. 


This bookcase, has been in the corner for at least 6 months.  I don't remember a single time in those 6 months, ever using anything in it.  Heck- I don't remember even looking at the bookcase- other then to get a board game down from the top.  Not Working! 


The desk.  I heart this desk.  It changes height, it can even change angles.  But it isn't working in the space.  Not the way it is being used, at least.  


The board games above the kids launch pad- is fine- if you don't mind feeling like they are going to fall down on your head, as you use the launch pad.  The printers up there, was only okay also.  All the cords are there too!  (bonus point)  But that means, you have to get them down, plug them in, etc, to use them.  I would much rather have a space for them to always be out and usable, like the large printer.

My thoughts on the PROCESS so far- thank goodness for actually doing P and R!  I know that I have planned before, but I don't think that I have ever removed.  A clean slate is really necessary.  I had no idea more then half the craft closet was not crafts.  I also had no idea that the bookcase was never used.  I now know that I should remove each and every time I redo a space.  Thank you Laura - thank you.

Finally, to end this weeks link up progress post, a few pictures of the stuff- removed from the room.