Closet Challenge Update

Tackled the closet today.  Was surprised how little there actually was to do.  Not so much of a challenge!  But what we did need to do was productive.

First Mike had fun dragging out my memory tub from high school.  

  

Every so often, I go through and purge stuff like this.  You get less sentimental as the years go on.  I once had 4 containers!  This one, as you can see, is mostly full of photo albums and yearbooks.  Stuff to save, but not keep out on the shelves.  We did find a never-worn shirt, now destined for the washer, and an antique lace table cloth, now back in the "hosting" tub it belongs in.

A cousin and I, circa 1987

Rosebud Indian Reservation -- helped with a kids' camp in 2001

Mike enjoying my embarrassment as he pawns through my dorky past

 Anyways, several successes came out of the closet challenge:

• Found an unopened copy of Office Mac 08, now up on Craigslist for $50
• Decided to put our 6' artificial Christmas on Craigslist for free
• All of our stackable luggage is properly put away
• Repurposed an empty trunk to hold our smaller games.  Now all the board games fit in their original tub, and these games are more accessible.

Probably the best thing to come of this exercise was deciding to sell my first wedding dress

Yes, I have two wedding dresses.  The simplified story is that Mike and I got engaged in 2002, I bought the first dress in 2003, had a 5-year delay,  figured out in spring 2008 that I would never fit into it again, and got married in dress #2 three weeks later.

Isn't that awesome?!  I still love this dress, the bodice was my favorite part.  But alas, since we've already done the wedding, and almost 3 years ago to boot, there's no point in keeping it.

So I've got it up on Craigslist for $150.  I figure this is pretty reasonable as it's never been worn, still has the tags, is still in style, and was stored in a smoke-free environment.  It's minorly wrinkled, but 7 years in a closet will do that.

Hope someone bites, particularly when they're getting such a good deal!

 








 

That was a good start to weekly challenges but too easy!  Off to go brainstorm some more potentials :)

Weekly Challenge: Closet Organization (Dec 27-31)

The Weekly Challenge is a small task to set for yourself that will help save money, organize your life, or lower your environmental impact.

Have you ever bought an item you thought you needed, only to find it hiding in a corner when you got home?  Organization lets you create an inventory of your possessions, which allows you to purchase items you know you truly need. 

This week's challenge is to tackle a closet.  Chances are, you'll already be rooting around one as you pack away your Christmas decorations.  

This project provides an opportunity to purge unwanted items and create new space for ones that need a place to park their butt.  Nothing like an empty shelf to get stuff off the floor! 

Items you will need:

• The bravery to tackle a closet
• Time set aside for the task (an hour, an evening, spaced out each day...)
• A container for items to donate
• 2 bags -- one for recycling, one for trash
• A dusting rag, potentially a broom or vacuum

1) Start by completely removing all the items.  Seriously, give yourself a fresh space to work with. 

2) As you clear out the space, make sure to give everything a little clean.  This may be as simple as wiping off bottles, folding clothes, or throwing comforters in the dryer for a fluff.  Dust off shelves, vacuum/sweep the floor, wipe off box tops.   

3) Evaluate all the items you have, always asking:

• Do I need this?
• If no, can I donate or recycle it?
• If yes, is this closet a good home for this item?

This is a good approach if you're working with a storage/bath/hall closet.  If you're organizing a clothes closet, you have some additional work cut out for you.  You need to evaluate all of the clothes in there for fit, season (weather, not fashion), and likability.  If you haven't worn it in a year and it's not a motivation outfit, donate it.  Let someone else put it to good use instead of collecting dust.

4) After you've gone through everything, assess whether the closet needs any organizational accessories.  There are tons of inexpensive containers, hampers, boxes, totes, hooks, and racks that you can add without a big price ticket.  In our book, any item that gets you organized is always justified.  

My designated closet is our office walk-in. 

It's our only walk-in and medium sized, but it's our main storage area.

As you can see, it's fairly organized but it holds a lot.  It's easy to forget what we've stashed in there.  The Christmas decorations also need to be returned to this closet so it's a good one to work on.
 

Check back this weekend to see how we did!