Declutter--Jan

My guiding influences on what to keep and how much to spend as I declutter and organize are Happy Are You Poor and the story of a friend of mine about an old, ugly, but still serviceable key rack that her mom refuses to get rid of. Thinking about her story always starts a waterfall of memories about lovely, elegantly simple, frugal people I've known and the ideas they've shown me. The message of Happy Are You Poor--the Gospel message--is what reminds me that we don't need much to live, and we don't need a bunch of shiny new Made in China to organize into. I'm not saying I won't buy some new things as I organize, but I am trying hard not to buy new things just because I want something new.

Office--I put up an old magazine rack bookshelf with some labeled file folders for "Bills/Receipts", "To Do", and "School Plans" as a landing zone, and it has been great. I added some organization to the closet and office supplies mostly using things we already have, like Mason jars. One thing I realized that the office is also a craft room, projects-to-be-kept-out-of-the-way-until-they-can-be-worked-on (e.g.broken magazine racks) room, and exercise room. Too many jobs for such a small space.

My Closet--This walk-in doesn't actually hold any of my clothes. It is arranged for next season's wardrobes, guest linens, giveaway, and baby supplies. The big job was the clutter from Maria's room that we had moved here to be gone through little by little.

Dining room/Entry/Porch--Not much to do in these areas which is why I lumped them with the big jobs. Today I re-potted the bulb box (optimist me gardens in winter) and prepared the rose bush for its new home.