28-Day Organizing Challenge Week 2 Update

Wow, I cannot believe that I am 2 weeks into this challenge already, and there are just not enough words to describe how great I feel about all the change that's come about in my craft room!!! If you go and look at my first post, you can see that this room was a train wreck....seriously. Now, 2 weeks later, there's been such significant progress that I just can't wait any longer to share it with you! I've managed to throw out at least 3 full and heavy bags of garbage as well as empty and sort out 15 boxes worth of stuff!!!

This is the view now from the hallway. Notice that you can actually see the floor!!! :o) There's just a small pile of stuff that still needs to be sorted through right there in front, but that's it. I still have plans to hang a curtain for the window...just haven't gotten it done yet.

This is my jewelry desk that looked like a tornado had touched down on it 2 weeks ago. Now, I've gotten everything back in order, put loose beads where they belong, and actually have room on the table to start my next project. There is a box over to the side of the table that I still need to decide what to do with, but other than that, I'm very pleased. :o)



Continuing to move clockwise, we're now at my sewing desk. Remember the quilt that I told you I've been working on since hubby and I got married almost 8 years ago? Well, the top is completely finished, and now I have to work on piecing it together with the other necessary layers. I cannot even begin to say how thrilled I am that I have finally made it to this part in putting it together, and I can't wait until it's finished so I can put it on the bed!!


I've also gotten everything rearranged over in this corner. Remember all the books that were stacked closer to the corner and out in the floor that are part of my book-swapping addiction? Well, so far, I've managed to get rid of around 50 books that were donated to Goodwill, and I've gotten rid of another 15 or so through swaps. Yay!! Also, in this corner, I moved that drawer organizer from the opposite wall so that all of my cross-stitch stuff can be together. It's a little crowded, but I can easily open all the drawers from that organizer as well as that other small chest that's in the corner.



Yep, this is where the majority of the work still lies. The left bookshelf is just one of the three bookshelves that I have, and I use this one mostly for stuff that's rotating in and out. My goal for this next week is to pull out the books from the second and third shelves and fit them in with the other books that I have in alphebetical order by the author's last name (yes, that's probably the biggest OCD thing I have about my books). As for the other bookshelf, there's not a whole lot I can do with it because it's mostly filled with craft booklets, instruction guides, etc. for all the hobbies that I have....um, there are several. :o) Oh, and I need to clean the tops of the bookshelves, too...it's become a dumping ground for anything and everything. :o(

And finally, there's the closet. Big difference there, too. The three cardboard boxes on the left on the floor are where the PBS and BookMooch swapping books will be kept from now on, and so help me, I will not accumulate that many books for swapping ever again! I don't care how much my aunt begs me to take them from her!!! :o) Seriously, my goal for the future is to keep them to a very bare minimum, and keep better track of how long I've had them. If I haven't swapped several books after a certain period of time, they will be leaving my house in some other form or fashion!

I also now have space to hang some clothes in here....hooray!! I've always wanted to use this closet to rotate my summer and winter clothes, and now I can! I've also got more space to store the jewelry that I've made for shows and such....it's not going to be scattered throughout my room any more!

So, I'm literally bouncing off the walls!! Even though there's still work to be done, I am so happy that I've already made lots of progress. :o) Also, just knowing what goals I have for the future makes me feel so good, too. Here's a few:

1. Keep the swapping books to a maximum of 75. After I've had a book for 3 months, I will donate it.
2. Read more books than what I acquire. This one is really gonna be difficult since I participate in several blog tours, and it's difficult to read the other books on my shelves.....but I have faith that I can do it!
3. When I start a craft project, see it through to the end. This one won't be too bad to accomplish with jewelry since most of those projects are quick, but the sewing and cross-stitch hobbies will be a little more difficult.
4. My room will not become a dumping ground for anything and everything in my house! If I bring something in this room from now on, it will have a specific place and it will go there immediately. If it doesn't have a place to go, then it's leaving my house!

Be watching next week to see what else I've managed to accomplish in here! :o)