Still plugging away... - days 8,9,10

I know your sitting on the edge of your seat wondering if I've failed the challenge & quit because I haven't been posting. WRONG! We're still at it. You wouldn't be able to tell if you walked in my door anytime this week or maybe the entire month or at least during the 21 day challenge.

I feel like we're doing major renovations and all we're doing is organizing. Why does cleaning make such a mess? I've never figured that one out or maybe it's just me. We've got organizing containers, give away piles, and stuff that got moved and still needs a new home piles. Just remember I gave you fair warning if you decide to stop by.

Seriously, I'm glad that we're doing this. It was VERY much needed at my house. I go along feeling like I'm caught up with a lot of stuff and then I get behind on a few things and it snowballs to utter chaos and then there is just too much to do.

DAY 8 - Coat Closet

Mine wasn't too bad until the first snow and then all of the sudden it was madness. The kids pulled the tub that I had in the top of the closet out to find gloves, hats, etc. The tub didn't get put back and stuff has been falling off the shelf ever since. I was too busy in December to care much.

Before:

Best Find -
We've been looking for this step ladder for at least 6 months. I ask if anyone knows where it is all of the time. Especially over the last week as I've been completing these tasks. It was just tucked neatly away on the side of the closet - in plain sight.

Solution:

Looking for a mate. It is unbelievable that we have this many single gloves and most of them are for the right hand.

This bag was hanging on a hangar in between coats. All brand new painting supplies for who knows what project (that didn't get done). It looks like I was planning on a faux finish for something.

After shots:

Day 9 - Toys or Craft cupboard

Been there done that with the toys and decided many kids ago that by being super organized I was actually creating more work for myself. It took twice as long to clean up because of all the sorting involved. My kids are older now so maybe I'll give it another try but not this month. I chose the craft cabinet.

I didn't get a before shot but it was already pretty organized. Only problem was I had most things in big tubs so whenever anyone got anything out it would create a mess.

I have been loving the shoe boxes from Costco so I filled the cabinet with them. The ones they have now are actually bigger than the standard width. They worked great.

Day 10 - Laundry Room

I was glad this was on the list because just yesterday before I knew that this would be my challenge for the day I was thinking that I needed to move a cabinet into the laundry room from my office.

We don't have much of a laundry room. It is more like an extension on the guest bathroom. With 9 people in the house I do a lot of laundry! Just before Christmas we purchased a new washer/dryer set. I've been wanting these forever so that I could have extra large capacity and be able to stack them so that eventually I could put two sets side by side.

Purchasing another set is not an option right now and after using this one set I don't think it's necessary anymore. This larger capacity has made laundry time go much more quickly. I LOVE it.

Anyway, here's before:

After:

I bought this a couple of years ago and couldn't get it to the top of my hubby's to do list but today he was home and voila!

Hey! Don't touch! Those are Mom's Laundry Treasure! If you don't empty your pockets too bad.

Tomorrow FREEZER!