project: simplify, master closet.

::click images to see larger::

my most favorite blog, simple mom, launched a spring cleaning event this week called project: simplify. each monday, a new hot spot is revealed. each friday, participants reveal their results.

this week's spot: the master closet, aka the most neglected place in my home.

i regularly (if you can believe it) tidy up this area, making my piles more organized and cleaning up trash and loose hangers. but this experience was different. i put in some serious work this week.

while i cleaned and organized the master closet this week i:

• went through non-maternity clothing and only kept what i'm really looking forward to wearing again after this baby is born
• stored non-maternity clothing in tubs
• went through maternity clothing and organized based on a.) things that are now too small or out of season, b.) borrowed things that needed to be returned to their owners, c.) things i didn't like all that well that i can sell at the upcoming jbf sale, and d.) things that were old and worn out and needed to be thrown away
• recruited husband to purge his clothing a bit
• dusted and wiped down all shelves in the closet
• purged a few pairs of shoes and returned kept shoes to newly-cleaned shelves in color order (!)
• organized shoes so the ones i'm likely to wear while pregnant are in reach and high heels are on higher shelves
• bought a hanging storage shelf to store purses in view
• clipped scarfs to a skirt hanger so i can better see what i have
• hung belts on hooks so i can better see what i have
• moved all non-wardrobe related items (decor, momentos, baby things, craft supplies, etc.) to a more appropriate location.
• vacuumed carpet
• added colorful 3m hooks to the back of one shoe shelf for easily accessible jewelry storage
• washed, folded, put away LOTS of laundry

what i still need to get done:

• purge and organize remaining jewelry
• purge, organize, clean dresser (it's fairly small)
• get rid of rainbow colored hangers (from college) and replace with all white hangers
• match and fold socks
• the rest of the laundry
• find an affordable rug to go on the bottom of the closet to hide that terrible blue carpet

whew! it was exhausting (and i'm still not done), but i can definitely see why we started here. if this would have been week 5, i'm sure i would have run out of steam to do all of that. but since it was first, it makes it seem like the rest of the projects will be much easier, and i feel oh-so accomplished and peaceful.

i can't wait to see spot 2 revealed on monday. i will be out of town most of next week for various spring break trips, but i plan on catching up when i return. i'm motivated now. i truly believe there is a latent organized person lurking somewhere inside me who has been trying to escape for a couple years now. hopefully sooner rather than later, she'll be out and active full time.