SDD Clutter Free Day 4: Ways to Measure Progress

Day 4 of the So Damn Domestic Clutter Free Challenge and today the goal is to declutter 27 items and reflect on other ways to measure progress. I won't tell you what Emily of SDD suggested, because I want to leave some surprises for when you sign up.

But I will tell you a measurement that's been on my mind: totes, the 50 quart boxes for storage or moving. I've been thinking, "What size tote would be reasonable for all kitchen tools?" I'm not planning a move, but pretending I am helps me think of essentials.

When I moved last year, it was such a mess. It took me three days to move everything out. I missed my move out date, had to rent an extra truck, and handed out cash to strangers from craigslist to help me carry things. That's disorganization, but part of the reason it was disorganized was because I had an overwhelming amount to do to get ready.

Storage Totes: Amazon

What if all my bathroom items fit in a tote, including towels? One tote for my dresser items, one for closet items, and clothes are done! One for kitchen utensils, storage items, and cooking tools together. One for entertainment. That's a big one there. If my goal is to have one tote of entertainment items, that means getting rid of my books and DVDs, maybe my Wii games. Would I have a separate one for craft supplies or do I want to include crafts as entertainment?

I'm still reflecting on what would be reasonable for me. It is only Day 4, after all. I'll be reading a lot of minimalism blogs in the next few days, researching "How many pairs of socks does one person need?!"

I remember when I helped my friend clean her room. She had an epiphany that, "Oh, we're supposed to own an amount of clothes that fits in our dresser?" Truth is, there is no supposed to. You're allowed to use the floor or backs of chairs for clothes storage if you want to.

It is helpful to have quantity goals, though. "I want to be able to close my drawers easily." "I only want to do one load of laundry a week." "I want to be able to pack all my clothes in a suitcase." What works for you?

Day 4: Declutter 27 Items

1. Dinner plate. Left from past roommate. I have a full set and two other mismatched plates, so this one lost the draw today.

2. Strainer. Also left from roommate. I have another one.3. Another almost-gone lotion.
4. Large pot. I have a saucepan about that size that does the same job, as well as a dutch oven, so I'm set.
5, 6. Medium saucepan with lid. Momo bought this for me at CVS right after I moved when my U-Box hadn't arrived yet. It's fulfilled its purpose with me.
7-10. Mixing/serving bowls. I have this great bamboo nested bowl set that gives me everything I need in the mixing/serving categories. My brother had a set and when we parted as roommates, I bought one for myself because I knew I would miss it.

Bamboo Nesting Bowls: Amazon

11, 12. Take out containers. Because...why? I think I "planned" to use them as Tupperware or drawer dividers.

13, 14. Side plates. Left by the same roommate who left the dinner plate.
15, 16. Cutting boards that came with the knife sets that came with my grandma's steak orders. You know, treasured family heirlooms.

17. Gloves given to me to find a home for with someone I babysit. Time to actually do that!
18. Participation award. So meaningful. (Sarcasm.)
19. Shirt, too small.
20, 21. Old bras.
22. Shapewear can go orbit a black hole. Down with the patriarchy!
23. Stack of paper. Twice as high today! I'm motivated.
24. Magazine.
25. Book: Singing for Dummies. It has some good tips, but I've worked through it now, and can consult the internet for further study.
26. Book: 101 Things to Do Before You're Old and Boring. It's really written for children or preteens. It's too late for me now. ;)
27. Security straps for a truck. Bought to use with rented trucks when I moved. No idea if I'll ever need these again, and they're easy to replace.

Well, you can see my decluttering mind is all over the place. Really, my mind is on every nook and cranny. I may have passed the "random items from around the apartment" stage. I think it's time to focus and get project-oriented. Tomorrow will tell!

I Love Lamp: The Best Light to Read By

“Tomorrow, I’m going to love lamp.”

An ode to lamp. Okay, it's not really an ode, although I am a poet, and "Ode to Lamp" is officially on my to-write list. I really love my lamp.

Once when I was going on about how great this lamp is, my friend Kat interrupted me to say, "Sarah, sweetie, I love you, and I get it. Okay? I'm right there with you, loving this lamp, but I've heard the reasons so many times I have them memorized."

She then set out to prove her point by listing the reasons why I love the lamp. And, sure enough, she did have that sumbitch memorized.

What Makes a Lamp Loveable?

1. It's tall, with a bright light on top. This light fills the room and prevents pesky shadows, as the light is evenly diffused.
2. It has a smaller, adjustable light. This light pivots and can be moved up and down. It's perfect for illuminating a book or a cross stitch.
3. Shelves! What? Yes! Shelves! I keep tissues on the lower shelf, a cat brush on the top shelf, and a drink in the middle.
4. It's easy to clean: Not a lot of nooks and crannies. The lampshades are smooth glass cones, the base is chrome, and the shelves are leather (probably vinyl, whatever, works for me!)
5. Selective lighting! You can have only the room light on, only the reading light on, both, or of course, neither.

So, obviously I'm justified in loving this lamp, but I'll admit I may have brought it up too often. In my defense, the wiring was broken at the time and I thought I'd have to say goodbye forever. This lamp (purchased years ago through Overstock.com) is no longer available. It ended up being cheaper to get it repaired than buy a new lamp. Hooray!

I'm sorry to dangle the best lamp ever in front of you and then tell you it's unavailable. I was going to share similar products with you, but there is no lamp that comes close to this level of practicality. Let me know if you find one!

What I would do if I needed to replace my lamp is get an open-shelf bookcase. Then I'd put a lamp on the top to serve as a room lamp, something that directs the light up and out more than down, like the giraffe lamp. Alright, maybe the giraffe is a little out of my budget. But I love him. More reasonably, I'd go for something like the black lamp.

I would also consider: end table, table lamp, and a separate floor lamp. I love glass so that glass table is gorgeous to me. Hmm, all these choices make it seem like I have very modern taste. The mess of colors and patterns that is my living room tells a different story.





Today's curated art print: "A little night reading" by DigitalandPhoto

Aunt Jan's House: Making a Headboard

"Tomorrow, I'm going to build a headboard."

Reading in the most peaceful setting, ever.

This summer I went to visit my family in Chicago for my Great Uncle Ron's 80th birthday, and had the great honor of staying with him and my Aunt Jan. Jan has done a beautiful job decorating her home, and has an incredible garden.

Aunt Jan and I were having lunch and looking at decorating magazines, when she told me about an unfinished project she had to build a headboard. I said, "Let's do it!"

The reason Aunt Jan hadn't finished the project was that she thought she would need a second set of hands to carry a large piece of beadboard from the home improvement store. Luckily, when we got to the store, we noticed they sold a piece of beadboard that was already the perfect size!

The frame is two old window frames nailed together, and a decorative moulding nailed to the top. (Aunt Jan had already assembled the headboard that far.) When we lined the beadboard up and realized it was the EXACT RIGHT SIZE, there was much rejoicing. We put the frame on the ground and nailed the beadboard into the back of the frame.

All that was left was to screw the finished project into the wall and voila.

Aunt Jan says the only thing that matters about decorating is that the end result makes you smile. I think that makes this project a huge success!

Responsible Renter: Felt Pads

"Tomorrow, I'm going to  apply protective felt pads to my chairs."

 This is one of those things that's easy to overlook until it's too late. When I first set up my table and chairs, the slight drag on the floor made me cringe a little every time I moved a chair to sit down or clean under it. I bought some felt pads and they were easy to stick on--just had to clean the chair feet first.

When my brother/roommate came into the kitchen, I pulled out a chair and said, "Do you hear that?"

He said, "What?"

I said, "Exactly."

So here's a happy reminder. Whether you own or rent, protect your floors!