Commandment #11

Thou shalt not covet furniture that in no way, shape, or form fits into thy budget.

back into it

I've been reading lots of Apartment Therapy in the last few months, and one idea I really liked is a list of things you've done. The list of things I have yet to do is totally overwhelming, especially with my time so limited by work, so I'll start with what I did today, my first unscheduled day in what feels like months:

• slept for 13 hours
• completely stripped bed & washed sheets & duvet cover
• wiped down dresser and drawers
• put away everything that was on the floor of my bedroom
• moved several items up to storage
• swept porch and threw out/moved lingering items
• sorted through my entire giant clothes outbox. Marked 3/4 of it for goodwill, the other 1/4 is heading for the wash because it smells like box
  
• frogged several knitting projects that have been sitting around for months
• set up stereo in the living room
• took apart and thoroughly cleaned rotating fan, a task I've been putting off for two years

My room looked like this at the beginning of the day:

I ruthlessly decided to get rid of this huge pile of clothes:

I am about to finish three more loads of laundry, go get groceries, prime some lightswitch covers and my microwave cart, and paint the last remaining wall of my living room.

I'm finding this process very satisfying, but I cannot wait to have an apartment I'm proud of.

But it's purple!!

This chair is currently on Craigslist in my area, and it's affordable. I love the lush but classic styling, and it might contrast nicely with the modern couch and easy chair that I have picked out. However, the carpeting is pink in my living room, which I'm trying to minimize by picking furniture in neutral palatte. I think this purple might push it over the edge into a pink and purple girly palace. Argh. Wish I could see it in the space and then decide!

The Three Keys to Decluttering

Remembering these three ideas is literally the only way I can keep my apartment in reasonable condition.

Every object must have a home. Once this is true, it's just a matter of returning each thing to its proper place, a process that should take minimal thinking.

Every object must have a purpose. If you find something that's been sitting around for a while with no real intent, ask yourself why it's still there. If it has a purpose, find it a home. If it doesn't, get rid of it. Be ruthless, and remember that you won't miss it in a week.

Just do one object at a time. If you try to tackle a whole room (or even a whole bookcase or box) you will feel a powerful urge to do something else. Instead, start at one end of the room and work your way around. Pick up one or two objects at a time, and find their home. Repeat for each object without skipping any. Music helps you get in a rhythm.