Update -- Things WERE done last year...

I wanted to show you my beautiful new contact-paper-covered shelves in the bathroom. But contact paper is a bitch. It’s a bitch to cut and a bitch and a half to apply. So I’m not done applying it. I’m planning on tackling it tonight. 

In the meantime, I thought I’d share this neato link to design*sponge where my home-blogging hero, Danielof Manhattan-Nest is sharing cleaning tips. Cheap, mostly green cleaning tips. The man is a legend.

Building Your Cleaning Arsenal

Also, I realized that sometime last year, I made a list of everything that was wonky in our apartment, kind of like the list I made this year for Apartment Therapy’s January Cure. So I thought I’d share it with you and tell you what has (and hasn’t) been done to make my little world a better place in the past year. Or you can just go read Daniel’s post. That’s ok too.

This list probably tells you more about me than I want you to know, honestly. My husband teases me about my "lists". And "spreadsheets". And "flowcharts". Basically, if there's a way to organize information, I'm all over it.

Major Issue 1.1:

The house is too cluttered and thus cannot be dusted/vacuumed easily nor as often as it should be.

Root Causes of Issue 1.1:

1.       We leave dirty clothes around the house. Sometimes, we leave clean clothes around the house. –This still happens. Less with clean clothes now.

2.       We do not go through paper often enough. –This is probably my biggest tidying failing right here. I have GOT to go thru mail.

3.       We do not pick up paper as soon as it falls on the ground. – We DID stop that! (Because, as I said, “Damnit husband, we’re supposed to be grown-ups.” He responded that it was mostly me leaving this shit around, but regardless, there’s less now).

4.       The couch is sloppy. –FIXED! My parents lovingly donated their cast-off couches when they got new ones. Score!

5.       My desk and desk chair have become a repository of “stuff”. – Ongoing battle

Major Issue 1.2:

Not everything has a place that is it supposed to be, creating the look of excess clutter.

Root Causes of Issue 1.2:

1.       I leave too many makeup products on the counter. –Sort of fixed? I got 2 makeup bags and loaded all my most-used products into them so that I can easily transfer the whole mess tidily into a drawer.

2.       We have too many knick knacks stored on shelves with a stated purpose. –Probably still true. Getting better.

3.       We have too few devoted knick-knack shelves –I recant this. I am renouncing “knick-knack shelves”.

4.       I leave my shoes around. –Still true.

5.       There isn’t a set place for my purse/work bag/gym bag to go. –Ahem, still true. I have GOT to set up a landing strip.

6.       The floor pillows currently look like clutter. – FIXED! They are stored away for the rare occasion that we need floor pillows.

Major Issue 1.3:

The storage space that we do have is not being used to its fullest potential, thereby creating a more chaotic look than necessary.

Root Cause of Issue 1.3:    

1.       The amp/rockband equipment clutter up the living room. –This was fixed, then I bought a new set for the hubs for Christmas. But I do have a plan.

2.       The storage area in the office closet has not been reorganized since we moved in. –This is still true. Out of sight, out of mind, I should probably toss most of it, honestly. But I’m a craft hoarder.

3.       We have things in the kitchen cabinets that do not belong there. –Fixed!

4.       The linen closet has become a complete shambles. –Fixed! (Or it was. I TELL the hubs what the system is, and he nods, and then the system disappears. Maybe I need to label the shelves…)

5.       The storage area under the left bathroom sink is untidy. –FIXED! Pinterest to the rescue on that one. Tossed a tension rod in a cabinet and hung all the cleaning supply bottles on it. Magic!

6.       My makeup drawer is a mess. –Better, due to the aforementioned cosmetic bags. Still, not great.

So.... I've handled 7 of 17 things. In a year and a half. Le sigh. Well, thankfully, this blog is more expositional than inspirational (Or it's intended to be. Bless you if you're even less organized, you have a special place in my heart. Next to the cookies). Anyway. I never claimed to be perfect. But if I could just get things to look "perfect", just for a minute, that'd be fine.