Friday, May 8, 2009

Spring Cleaning - Days 3 thru 5 ...I think

Spring Cleaning Party continues at the Underwood home ... Thanks to Simple Mom for making this usually tedious and dreaded task into a big ol' party!!

So I have to confess that two weekends ago I got a cleaning urge and went ahead and did my kitchen. I didn't think to take before pictures - though, honestly, I am not sure I would have been willing to show the before pics! It was bad!!!

So, this week I took two days to do my living room and then I really did nothing in the kitchen as it was already done. So this morning, I cleaned out the two bookcases in my living room (pictures below) and then just took pics of the kitchen.



I am a little embarrassed about these pictures, honestly. I guess I just kept piling stuff on that bookcase and behind the doors of the other shelf. All those pictures are just insane! The bookcase is generally hidden as it is behind our front door which I keep open most of the time. I ended up taking all the photos out of the frames and sorting through them for scrapbooking.

There is a huge pile of books for donation. I have a hard time sometimes getting rid of books. But I made myself get rid of one for every two I kept. Someday I'll be at one kept for one donated ... but today was just not that day!

Okay ... so here are the after pics. Also included are pictures of my kitchen cabinets. My final verdict on all of this decluttering (especially in the kitchen) is this ... our reality may not be the same as anyone else's but I am accepting our reality for what it is! So, Scott's vitamins are out on the counter because that is the only way to make sure he remembers to take them. He had weight loss surgery two months ago and his health is way more important to me than completely clear counters ... so the vitamins stay out.

So, without further adieu, here are the after pictures ... followed by some thoughts I have on kitchen stuff.



Just a few ideas that have made my life easier ...

1. I have all white dishes. We do still have some plastic cups & plates but my DISHES are all white. It just looks cleaner than having mismatched sets or multiple colors in my cabinet.

2. I use the silicone bakeware. It takes up less space and is easier to store. I love it!!

3. I got rid of all my duplicate casserole dishes. Honestly, if I am making more than one it is usually to freeze or give away, so I use the aluminum pans (disposable but I wash & reuse them) for that. Keeps my cabinets way neater.

4. I was going to buy new drawer dividers for my utensil drawer. But when I cleaned out all my plastic storage stuff, I realized I had some pieces without lids that would work. So I repurposed those and it has worked great.

This has been a great experience so far! I am looking forward to next week ... bedrooms & bathrooms!! I know I have MUCH MUCH MUCH work to do in those areas! But I am taking the weekend off - too much going on to do any spring cleaning anyway.

Thanks Tsh ... this has been a great experience! Oh & check out my sister-in-law's blog for her progress - she is a pastor's wife who homeschools her seven children (all ages 10 and under) ... truly if she can do this, I can't imagine anyone who can't!! And I have so enjoyed reading others' blogs and seeing their progress. What a wonderful encouraging week this has been!!!

7 comments:

Unknown said...

oh crude! you linked me! now the pressure is on! nice bookshelves by the way!

Laurie said...

All my dishes are white too, I like the way they look in the cabinets! I was considering the silicone bakeware, it takes up less space?

I was looking at my casserole dishes this morning....they are in the cabinet I am about to purge! I don't know what I will do yet, I rarely use a few of them....its tough!!

Tsh said...

You've done a great job so far! Way to go. You're hilarious about your books... It reminds me of me before we moved overseas. Sometimes they're hard to get rid of; almost like friends or something. But once I got rid of the ones I just don't read, I felt soooo much better.

Nikki said...

Everything looks great!

Teri Lynne Underwood said...

Beth ... consider yourself LINKED! Which is better than punked, I guess. :) Love ya!! OH - I bought the e-book too ... LOVE IT!!!

Laurie, yes the silicone is so much easier and takes up less space! It rolls up .. .I have three round cake pans, a bundt pan and two cupcake pans in the space it takes for one round cake pan.


Tsh & Nikki - Thanks!!

Natalie said...

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but that book shelf mess (if that's what you call it) is NOTHING! You should see my book mess. Twelve years of homeschooling 4 kids = major bookshelf issues. I holding out for 2 more weeks and then will tackle bookcases. Heaven help me!!!

Great job. It's fun to follow your progress. I was tempted to participate, but am trying to end the school year strong (for a change) instead of just petering out little by little. I need no additional distractions...regular life offers more than enough.

"Intentionally Katie" said...

I love the picture montages (did I spell that right?) of your "before" and "after" pics. I'm glad I'm not the only one who is feeling SO great through the Spring Cleaning Party!