project simplify round uno done

Ok so remember how I mentioned project simplify in the last post?  Why am I linking my last post, I mean you know how to use the scroll oh well annnyway...  Well closet clean up is complete.  Wow is all I can really say.  Mr. and I finished it up last night.  I'm thinking it was more geared towards clothing, hence "wardrobe" but how can I go through my clothes without taking care of the rest of the closet too?  I didn't get a shot of my the closet before I sorted through my clothes, I was so eager to start that I totally forgot until I was putting the last handful of clothes back in.  

Yes we are a total redneck family complete with bows hanging in our closet.  What you don't see is all the shotguns and rifles hiding behind the door.  The sad thing is I can't even blame the Mr. for it, one of those bows as well as one of the rifles belong to yours truly.  I can still blame him though, I had no interest in anything like this before I met him.

Like I said no before shot of my clothes, it may not appear so but my clothes are already sorted out in the above shot.  However, I did get these...

These are my old clothes from the closet that are getting donated.  I don't have a picture of it but I finally got around to taking my maternity clothes out of the closet too.  Oh yeah that's right King Cobra is 15 months old and I'm just now getting them out.  Slacker I tell you.  With both our piles of clothes and the stuff that we let go of we have two big over flowing laundry baskets to be donated.  Who needs 4 sets of sheets?  I mean ok ok some people actually make use of more than one set, and I did actually keep an extra set in case of an emergency but generally speaking I take the set off the bed, wash them, and put them right back on.  I like the smell and feel of sheets straight out of the dryer.  So needless to say I came to my senses and tossed 2 sets in the ol donate box or rather donate laundry basket, they haven't made their way into a box yet.  I still need to photograph them and make a list for write off purposes.

So what's next?  I know...

Before and after shots of one of the dressers.  This holds my shorts, tank tops, and pj pants.  I got rid of half the drawer.  The drawer above this belongs to the hubs, generally speaking he's neater than I am so it probably didn't need going through, although I didn't look it's not my drawer and he's a big boy.  Oh and please ignore the crap under and on the dresser in the first shot, hey you said to clean out my wardrobe not my bedroom.  No really it came out of the closet and most is stuff that is getting donated.

All in all I was pretty proud of myself.  Not for getting the closet cleaned out but for letting go of a significant amount of clothes.  Given now that I have received the book and am reading through it (only a few chapters in), I'm a bit ashamed that I didn't let go of more...baby steps, it will come in time.  Like I said in my last post its hard for me to let go of clothes (as I'm sure it is for most people) so I'm proud, because I really did get rid of things that I've been holding on to for far too long.  So without further ado here is a few more of the after shots...the closet in all it's cleanliness glory.

I made use of those wicker baskets that had collected in the floor.  And while you can't really see it the huge leaning tower of jeans on the right (beside where the top wicker basket it) is gone.  Oh yes they made their way into a cozy drawer.

My shoes all nice and neat, and yes that is a basket of dog toys.  I figure I'd rather keep it here than in the living room.  It's not the best of spots but it will have to do for now.

CDs on the left DVDs on the right.  All alphabetized and everything.  I debated on getting rid of the CDs, they take up too much room and we don't use them often but...another day I guess.

I have baskets like this along the top of both sides of the closet, holding various goodies.  These are mainly our bedding:  heating blanket, duvet for the down comforter, extra sheets...the extras and off season stuff.  you can also get a better view of the DVDs, see how pretty and straight they are, again alphabetical order people!

And last but not least, my clothes.  So pretty.  I didn't organize by color, I normally break it down into categories (long sleeve tee, short sleeve tee, button downs, etc) then colors, but I didn't do colors this time.  No reason, ok fine there is a reason...I alphabetized the CDs and DVDs, that was enough!  Did you see how many CDs we have?

So far I'm enjoying the project and am glad I stumbled onto it.  Even more I'm enjoying Tsh's book.  I'm only a few chapters in but I would totally recommend it.  I found it at a great time.  We just finished our taxes and got smacked in the face with reality because of this we were already getting serious about our money and reading through the book and her budgeting ideas really got me thinking about ours.  I've come up with a couple really good ideas we're going to start implementing (actually have already started) and without the book I don't think I would have.  So we're on the right track in the Hickey Long home.  And for now I'm waiting until Monday to find out what week two will bring.