Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Heap of Change Challenge

Hello and welcome to a big ol' heap--heap of change that is!  'Tis the season or the month so they say to start afresh, make changes, move life in a more positive direction.  

I, along with 4 fabulous blogging friends are "baring it all" to hopefully inspire you to do the same. 

Yep, there is nothing to hide, no embarrassment here.  You will not hear the "tsk, tsk" of a disapproving in-law.  We are here to coach and encourage and inspire.
You see, we are all junkers.  And by nature, that means we are savers and collectors, dare I said hoarders at times.  And with all of those names come messes--spaces that are overflowing and cluttered, spaces that we often just shut the door on.

But, no more!  We are challenging ourselves and you to pick a space and declutter, clean, organize.  We are giving you hints and tips to help you.  I am sharing my dump room, ahem spare bedroom.
Now, let me share a little of my philosophy on spare bedrooms.  Unless you have company on a weekly basis, I do not believe in letting square footage in your house sit unused for 360 days of year, only so that it looks perfect for the possible 5 days of company you might have.  My spare room is also my craft room and as such, it has stuff.
Stuff in the closet,
and stuff in an old TV armoire.
Stuff on the bed,
oh, and that "craft work desk" I made in the closet to work on is unworkable because it has stuff on and under it.
I started small because I have been in bed with the flu.  I focused on the bed 
and pile o' suitcases. 

Heap of Change Clutter Control Hints:
1.  Try to touch an object as little as possible, only once if possible.  What that means is don't move something to another place, only to have to move it again.  Pick it up and make a decision--keep, where does it go?, throw-out, donate.

2.  While cleaning, never go anywhere empty handed.  If you are moving something to the basement, pick-up something from the basement that needs to come upstairs.

3.  You have to set limits, and that can be hard.  If you love to collect old books (ding, ding, ding--me!) you can only have one container full of them.  When it is full, that is it, no more come in without some going out.  Period.  No exceptions.

4.  There are things you like, love, know you will have a use for in the future.  Out of the hundreds of things I have donated and thrown out over the years, I can count on one hand the items that I wished I would have saved.  Out of sight, out of mind.

5.  Sometimes it has to get messier before it gets cleaner, that is okay.  Keep working, keep pecking away.  

6.  DO NOT just move piles around that will become a problem again in a month.  Stuff has to have a place--find one or get rid of it!

So what did I do.  I broke down the cardboard boxes from Christmas and put them in the recycling bin.  I saved 3 very nice gift bags that looked like that had not been used and recycled the rest.  I cleaned the pricetag off of the toy gun I bought MONTHS ago and priced it for my booth and put it in my car to take there.  I put the rest of the Christmas decor away in the Christmas boxes.

The suitcases that held "Pinterest of Days Gone By" i.e., hundreds and hundreds of magazine clippings I have been saving for years were emptied. I didn't look at them, I didn't lament them--I threw them in the recycling bin (note to self--hubby needs to take recycling in) and bid them farewell.
Then to clear up floor space I screwed the suitcases onto the wall.  
I put some of the pillow forms from the old TV cabinet in them--it is the next item to tackle in there.

Now it is time to check out the other coaches heaps of change for inspiration and then come back to join the challenge!

Donna at Funky Junk Interiors                 Marianne at Songbird
 
  Angie at Knick of Time                           Breida at Breida With a B   
  

Heap of Change Challenge    
Inspired and ready to make a change of your own?  Great!  Here is what you need to do:
1. Pick a space, large or small that needs help.  Take a before picture.  Link it up.  If you are not a blogger, you can share your picture on my facebook page-look for the post and share a picture in the comments. 
2.  Get to work using the hints and tips above and on the other coach's blogs.  
3.  Take after pictures and be ready to share them here the next 2 Thursdays (or on Facebook!)

I can't wait to see your transformations.  Come on, I know you want to join the challenge.  Pick a space and go!

19 comments:

  1. Wow... even the flu couldn't stop something junk genius with you! LOVE the suitcases on the wall! So very cool!

    Your room is looking so cool! Get better soon! And then... well... get back to work? hahha

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    1. Thanks Donna, I am still getting accustomed tot he suitcases, but I love their storage potential!

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  2. I love them!! What a different!
    Keep wel! Besos

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  3. Genius idea to turn those suitcases in wall decor and storage space at the same time. Aren't pillow forms the hardest to properly store?! So much room they take up. Excellent solution.

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    1. Thanks Marianne--they do take up a lot of space, but are a necessary thing, I am always making pillows.

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  4. You know I have some suitcases on display, and I'm gonna open them up and put something in them. I have lots of heaps to pick from.

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    1. Are they seriously empty Bliss? Silly girl, they hide all kinds of crap, ahem, treasures!

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  5. I'm enjoying this. I got a couple tips just strolling through your cleaning and organizing frenzies!! Im working on a spare room closet to make things accessible for me plus leave loads of room for any guest Thant should stay. I can't believe that seven years ago I had not one thing of my own in these spaces of spare closets as my girls were at home--one until almost four years ago! More space? I just spread out more I guess?! Thanks for keeping me going.

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    1. I am glad you found a hint or two that helps. The motivation factor of showing you all helps me to keep doing it!

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  6. I am just discovering this challenge and I'm so inspired! I have a spare room that looks much like yours and it's my goal to get it organized so I can use it to create in. Now to get to work!
    hugs,
    Linda

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  7. I hope you are feeling better! I love the suitcases on the wall! Especially for a guest room :) Perfect.

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    1. Thanks, I am, but now my daughter is down with it. I thought the suitcases were fun for a guest room and I was happy to free up the floor space.

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  8. Kudos to you! Your bed and wall of suitcases look awesome!

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  9. Thank you for reminding me of the "rules". The only reason I will be touching my cast-offs again is to (maybe) put prices on them for the yard sale!

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  10. So funny that you are doing this too. I've been working on my whole house since late December. Calling it my 2015 purge. It does feel so good to let go.

    Love these posts, very encouraging.

    Margo

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I really appreciate your kind words!