Traditional Style Open Living

Well, ladies, I made it! There was just the slightest doubt earlier this week :)

If you've been reading the blog you know that the Great Clean out stemmed from a 

New Years resolution to get more organized.

The more I read other blogs, the more it seemed that everyone was feeling this.

The problem is we all start out with the fabulous intentions and then life gets in the way.

I thought if we made a commitment to each other it would help us to stay motivated.

Lucky for me, some really talented bloggers decided to take part in this -

thank you all so much!

I am looking forward to reading about each of your adventures in organizing.

Before Christmas I flipped my office/craft room upstairs into what was the kids playroom.

This space is substantially larger, and has a closet,

which meant bringing al the craft stuff from the storage area out into the open.

The closet filled, and overflowed,

and then the holiday madness arrived...

Okay, I am going to admit something here - I actually removed items before taking the before shot!

You know the classic where you open the closet door and all your wordly junk comes tumbling out?

Yup.

There was a fabric landslide from the top shelf the day I took this.

Something had to be done.

I would have liked to replace all this wire shelving, but the budget had other ideas,

 so a fresh coat of paint cleaned it up nicely.

I bought some really inexpensive cardboard storage boxes at ikea.

The problem was, they were quite ugly!

After buying some fabric, and breaking out the glue gun, 

(and some really foul trucker-like moments when I burned myself - kids, out of the craft room, please :)

we had twelve of these and four larger versions.

The kids need instant gratification storage for their daily craft sessions -

 these buckets from the dollar store are perfect.

So here is the after:

Still unlabeled, not entirely sure how we will cross that bridge.

 I may have to call a truce with the glue gun!

Remember when I found that amazing deal on a dining set on kijiji?

Well, D. went to pick it up, and when he brought it home it became obvious

the set was not dining room worthy.

The cabinet and chairs found a home in the craft room.

I make cards and paper crafts, so this provides heaps of fantastic, dust-free storage.

The shelving on the other side of the room holds my most-used product info and color decks for work.

There's a great spot for my sewing machine and current projects.

The piggybank and flower were gifts from the girls, who fancied themselves stylists today.

The craft books need some purging, there is a few in there that I suspect are older than me!

That's not really old, of course :)

The office is still being finished, but organizing got the decorating process going.

I found fabric for curtains and the other bits that are going in here.

Once it is done, I'll post pics.

I don't honestly know if I would have gotten to this closet right away,

I kept opening the door and closing it again!

 Having this deadline MOTIVATED me to get it done -

so it worked!

Maybe next year we can do this with exercise :)

anyone?!!

 Pop over to the main post to see all the before and afters and link to these fab ladies posts.