Thursday, February 9, 2012

More of Less - The Entry Closet

The entry closet should have been an easy (and quick) project for my next William Morris post.   Turns out it took me a little longer than I anticipated and I ended up spending the last few weeks in a sort of photo and memorabilia haze. 


Here is the culprit.  Looks innocent enough, right? 


Even with the doors open it isn't too bad, but kind of frustrating  because last January I posted about that top drawer.  It was kind of the beginning of my quest to a more organized home.  Here is the proof that I am still struggling with it a year later.


No use lamenting though, so back to the task at hand.  I followed usual purging protocol and started pulling everything out,  Yes, those are three lint rollers.  One for each of us? I also dug out three umbrellas, quite an assortment of mints, gum, tissues, charging cables etc.   The decision of what to do with this stuff came pretty easy.   Trash, relocate, keep here and I was done in under 30 minutes.



The real work started on the other side and it was all hidden in those photo boxes and art files you see on the shelves.  Instead of just pulling them out and putting them back when I was done (like I have been doing), I opened them to purge the contents. Pictures and keepsakes covering a span of over twenty-five years all "organized" into boxes.


 I sorted and then I sorted some more.  With each pass I became more ruthless.  No pictures were safe, not even wedding pictures.


I didn't like them, didn't care to keep them;  they ended up in the recycling container.  Thank goodness for the digital age is all I have to say.


 At first glance, the difference isn't huge.



But look at the empty hangers!  Now guests can actually hang up their coats instead throwing them on the stairs.  I also know that things are looking better in those boxes and drawers.


I had this container in another part of the house and think it will be good for the umbrellas.  It is also housing the lint rollers for now.  I will definitely weed down to one and may end up getting rid of that too.  During my purge I found a clothes brush that I brought from my grandmother's house (you can see it in the top right of this picture).  If it works well, the rollers are history.

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
- William Morris


16 comments:

  1. What? Coat closets are supposed to have room for guests to hang their coats? They're not to be draped over the radiator knob? ;-)

    My book club is coming over on Monday night and this is on my to-figure-out-by-Monday list, lol.

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  2. Well done! I'm impressed. You didn't mention the ball caps--but well done weeding those out! I once found 17 of them lurking on a basement shelf. I didn't even ask. I just tossed.

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  3. I have such a hard time with photos. Seeing other people recycle them is like getting permission to do it yourself, so thanks! The closet looks like a magazine now, great job!

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  4. Do you ever read people's Wm Morris posts and have an overwhelming sense that this project should be one you tackle?! Or is it just me?

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  5. Ah, photos. Amen to the digital age! I have two drawers of photos and a huge Rubbermaid bin that I need to go through, but I've been putting it off. With the help of the WMP and seeing the success of others, I think 2012 will be the year of going through the photos and selecting only the best to keep. Finding a good way to store them is another hard one for me, but I love your boxes! Hmmm... :-) Well done!

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  6. Very brave to tackle the photos! I think an entire shelf in the basement is dedicated to bins and bags of random photos. I wonder how much of the stuff on the floor could fit on a shelf if I purged the photos?

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  7. Spring cleaning is good for the soul! And kudos to you for culling your photos, too. I am not brave enough to throw away any photographic evidence - good or bad! And I loooooove your gorgeous fireplace.

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  8. You are doing so good at keeping at it. You are a real inspiration for me. My sister is coming in a minute to help me finally get the Christmas stuff packed away here at the City House. Thanks for posting this on the day I really needed a boost! xo

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  9. Lint be gone (among other things)! That closet looked so benign from the outside, but what a lot of work you put into cleaning it out. It looks so good, love the boxes and organizing tools that you've used. So wish I had a closet to organize! As others have chimed, excellent work on culling the photos, this is definitely something that I should add to my list.

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  10. @ Juliette - Yup, closets have amazing abilities. I had a friend over yesterday and I totally forgot that I had room to hang her coat in the closet. On the stairs it went.

    @ Alana - Thanks for stopping by. Some of the caps just moved to my husband's closet. I would never touch those.

    @ Alice - Thanks! Going through all of those photos was so emotional. It was like a mini version of This Is Your Life.

    @ May - I get that same feeling! So much inspiration in all of these WM posts. It is so awesome that Jules is doing this!

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  11. @ Carrie - Thanks. Another thing I need to do is go through my digital photos. There are literally thousands. Luckily that click to delete is pretty quick.

    @ Ms. Amy - Thanks!

    @ Sherri - Blogging about it is hugely motivating and it is just what I need to keep me going.

    @ SOS Mommy - Thanks for stopping by.

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  12. ich muss es zugeben: jedes mal, wenn ich hier vorbei gekommen bin, bin ich leicht depressiv. in meine schränke darf man echt NICHT rein schauen. ich stopf immer alles ohne großen sinn und verstand irgenwoe rein. mann mann mann... sollt mri mal ein beispiel an dir nehmen ;)

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  13. Your home looks so clean and open! Jealous. I can't believe you had the courage to tackle the contents of "organized" boxes. I bow down before you.

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  14. I'm so in love with your entry closet.....fabulous!
    so so organized.....someday your coming to help me?

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  15. @ Dani - Ich ziehe mein Ding gerade durch, mal sehen was draus wird. Deine designs sehen toll aus.

    @ Jules - You bow down before me? Are you kidding? You are keeping me going.

    @ Heidi - Thanks!

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Always happy to hear from you!