Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Nesting

I feel like I am nesting.  I am on an organization and de-clutter frenzy.  Seriously...recently my husband even asked me what had gotten into me!  It all started with a discussion of moving...(locally if you were wondering)...and as soon as we started really thinking about it...I started really thinking about all the things we would have to move.  My focus became the basement.  The place where we have SO much "stuff."  So, I started with the largest task (why start small??)...baby clothes.  I feel like I have baby clothes coming out of my ears. Just thinking about it is making me want to close down the computer and go work on it some more!  I started going through baby clothes first to organize by size and gender (talk about time consuming), sort, sell and donate.  Would you believe this project is still going on 3 weeks later? Just with baby clothes?! It is amazing how much you accumulate over the life span of two toddlers!  (On a side note, the funny part is boys NB-12 months were all perfectly and neatly folded and organized by size and type of clothing in a bin... that was the point that baby #2 arrived...after that point, all remaining clothes for him and every single article of clothing she ever had were just thrown into bins in unfolded clumps, with no rhyme or reason...Tell me I am not the only one who threw organization like that out the window when child number 2 arrived?? I swore that wouldn't happen...oh it did!) 

Anyways...in this de-clutter project,  I have given some clothes away, saved some sentimental items, taken a trip to Once Upon a Child, sold some online and filled three big trash bags of little tiny clothes to donate...and I am still working on going through the rest!  Unbelievable.  However, this experience has led me to a start a new system (if I ever get through this phase).  Here it is...now once my kids grow out of something, I will sell or donate immediately and not let it build up in the basement.  Go ahead, you can say it, "Wow, Erin, you are a genius!"  I know, I know.  (Now, in my defense, we were unsure if we were going to have more children so of course we were saving everything in case Baby #3 was a possibility...but it is looking like we are ending with sweet Baby #2...hence my de-clutter nesting frenzy).

So, I already started this new system on Sunday.  As I was putting Anya's laundry away (laundry, oh laundry...overcoming that will be saved for another post), there were 4 shirts that no longer fit her and in in great condition... I posted online and they sold.  Those shirts went right from her room to the car...completely bypassing the basement! Amazing. I am liking this system already!  Also, then I can take any money from the clothes I sell, and buy new clothes for the kids for the next season.  Am I being frugal?? Who would have thought?!  Seriously, I am starting to think I am brilliant!

So, that is my de-clutter nesting story and one of the ways I am vowing to be more organized effective immediately!  If you feel unorganized or have a build-up of "stuff" you should give it a try!  Organize, sell and donate items as you stop using them!  It's making me feel more de-cluttered already!  I have a few other things I am working on in order to stay on top of house work and little projects while saving time, but that can be saved for another day, another time, another post! I am still working on meal planning on Sundays which you should try out if your weeks are busy like mine!! Super helpful! 

So, how do you de-clutter and organize?  Or do you?? ;)

~Erin Leigh



6 comments:

  1. I chuckled while reading this because the same thing happened to me; Caleb's baby clothes were put away nicely by size, folded in bins. For Esmeralda, they are in bags, bins, anywhere they fit - with no rhyme or reason. I keep telling myself to get over to Once Upon a Child to sell not only her clothes but the chairs, swings, etc. I am going to just put a date on the calendar and do it.

    But my question is - selling online, do you do that through Ebay, Craigslist, or something else? I have considered that as well but not sure where to start.

    P.S. Happy to hear meal planning is working well for you! I started it a couple of months ago and it has been GREAT (except for the few times I forgot to take the meat out to thaw or buy specific ingredients). :-)

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    1. Hi Melissa! Glad I am not alone! Haha!

      So I actually have sold most of the stuff through the Western Mass Children's Exchange group on Facebook. Are you part of that group? You can just post pictures and details and people comment and buy it. It has been super simple! Kind of time consuming but worth it! It has been great de-cluttering!

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  2. I need to clean out my closet, bad. Haha. I have way too many things for my own good.

    Sarah
    aroseinthecity0.blogspot.com

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    1. I need to make my way to my closet too! I'm saving that for a week with a little extra free time because it won't be as easy! ;)

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  3. I'm working on de-cluttering too. NOT doing so well! lol! I'm one of those people who wants to save everything because I "might" use it or need it in the future. Ugh. But working on it!

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    1. I am like that too! It has been a slight inner battle to let go of things but they have just been sitting in the basement taking up space soooo I'm trying to remind myself I won't be missing any of it! ;)

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