Memoirs of a Moorings

OPAM: February 09~My Closet (Before and After)

“I like my money right where I can see it... hanging in my closet.” ~ Sarah Jessica Parker

I'm behind on my One Project a Month (OPAM) tasks. The front entrance got halfway done.....so I'm going to get cracking on that soon. Nothing like a cheery front door to welcome you home!

And I've got a ton of clutter bug areas that are taunting me. That junky linen closet. The coat closet that is full of craft supplies, the tupperware/container drawer that I hate opening, the mountain of toys taking over the den and the boy's room, my desk.......of course I could go on. But I'm determined to chip away at it little by little. Pulling that stove away from the wall in Decmember got me motivated not only spiritually to clean some stuff up, but physically as well.

But I just realized that I finished a project but forgot to post. My closet has been a mess for months.....ever since I went back to work six months ago. I would search for items I knew I had, but could never find them. So I'd end up wearing the same rotation of clothes to work.
Talk about boring. I now feel like a new woman! I've got all kinds of clothes to pick from. I feel like I'm in somebody else's closet. And the trip part is, I needed a pair of jeans and spent $50 on a pair of okay jeans. After I cleaned the closet out a few days later, I found a pair of perfect-fitting jeans that I don't even remember being in there. Shameful.

So here's to being neat and clean!

OPAM: July 08 - The Front Entrance (BEFORE)

There is a cheery welcome sign on our front door, but there is nothing cheery about the walkway up to the front door. When we moved in two years ago, there was an awful jungle like ivy climbing up the wall and taking over this planter space. We removed it and that's where things stopped. I'd like for guests as well as us to feel so happy when we walk up to the door. TThis dirt pit is not doing the job. This is my mission for July! I'm not at all the green thumb type, so we'll have to find a happy medium.

(I just noticed how one door says Welcome and the other No Soliciting. i.e You are welcome as long as you are not soliciting :-) )

OPAM: June 08 - The Boys' Closet (AFTER)

The boys' closet is done....almost. Now that it's organized and half of the clothes are hung-the rest are still in the laundry basket and the dryer, (How can two little boys have so many clothes?) I realize that the inside of the closet should be painted the same as the walls and the bars need to be re-painted white. I see that their room is just going to be a forever on-going project. And that's okay....as long as there is progress.

The before shot is here. What a mess. And how appropriate that Rhyan and I are reading Just A Mess at bedtime.

It's such a joy to go in there now. There's a bin for outgrown clothes on the shelf. A bin for baby blankets which I am always looking for. A little space for diapers. And I love that little shoes are all lined up and each boy has his own section. Sweet. And I found this little cheap dresser at IKEA and stained it dark to match the beds. (That was a project in itself.) Now if only Mommy can keep it clean!

OPAM ~ June 08 Boys Closet-Before Pic

      “I like my money right where I can see it... hanging in my closet.” ~Sarah Jessica Parker's character Carrie Bradshaw

I am continuing in the boys room since I'm on a roll in there. This closet is a MESS. The hanging thingy on the left was originally bought to separate Rhyan's outfits for the week. It has now turned into a makeshift drawer and the bins at the top were for outgrown clothes, but has just become another dumping ground. My goal is for everything to have a place and for it to be visually pleasing since there are no doors on it. Maybe add doors? Maybe not? We'll see once it's done.

Here's to a happy closet.

See the inspiration behind OPAM and her next project here.

Whew...

I bit off more than I could chew for OPAM. Check the before pictures here. I had big dreams...but they'll be continued in another project.

T.ara W.hitney..I don't know you, but I love you for the inspiration!

Here's what I got done:

:: hung those shelves sitting behind the door (thanks to my sis) & decluttered the shelves next to the bed
:: hung the curtain rod and put up the curtains,
:: tamed the toy monster & created a book nook which Rhyan loves
:: cleaned up the blue horizontal stripe painted along the wall

Still have to:

:: paint Rhyan's name blue and find letters for the baby's name

:: replace those crooked pics hanging above the bookshelf

:: recover the pillows in the book nook

:: get rid of the horrible mini blinds and.......

The closet is a project all by itself........but I least I got started.

Bring It On

"Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the goals set. Put your head down, do the best job possible, let the flak pass, and work towards those goals." ~Donald Rumsfeld

So after stalking photographer extraordinaire T.ara W.hitney's blog for months on end, (I was so close to contacting her for my belly shots) I  de-lurked my self to join her OPAM  (One Project A  Month) challenge. And with so much clutter in this household, I've decided to start big and take on the boy's room. Since the room got set up when I was pregnant, things were pretty much thrown together and have stayed that way since the arrival of our little one.
I took a full shot of the room, but it was such a mess I could dare show it all :-( Perhaps when I have some "after" pics.  *

I have until the end of the month to:

:: hang those shelves sitting behind their door
:: get rid of those horrible mini blinds and finish hanging the curtain rod and put up the curtains,
:: tame the toy monster
:: finish organizing the closet
:: clean up the blue horizontal stripe painted along the wall.

My head is spinning just thinking about it all. But I have put myself out there so I must finish. I think I can.....I think I can....

*updated to add: with so much progress. I felt brave enough to post the other before shot.