Organizing

On Sunday, my aunt came over for an hour or so to help me organize. I got new bedding and I decided want a "grown up" bedroom. However, I have a lot of clutter in my bedroom, the bedroom the little one slept in, everywhere...and it's all overwhelming and I just don't know what to do with anything/everything. It's amazing how much got done and how much better it looks in just one hour of her being here. I do have "a lot" of time off, but I'm so scattered on my days off that I can't focus on one task to it's end (you would love to be a fly on the wall watching me pack for a trip...I actually should put on step counter for that because I'm all over the place!) She is so helpful (same aunt who helped me rake my leaves) and encouraged me to make little lists for my day off with small tasks to cross off instead of broad ones like "clean room". I worked yesterday and today, so didn't get to do any more work on it (I was sick after work yesterday too...my new PCOS treatment was not very nice this first cycle...hopefully I won't have headache/nausea/vomiting the next one!). However, I'm off the next two days (the teen is coming over tomorrow afternoon/likely overnight too!), so hopefully I can make some more progress.

This is my bedroom...most of that stuff was on the floor (or on the book shelf that was in the "empty" space. I did put the "bulk" of it in a box that I'll have to sort through on one of my days off, but it does look better!

This is my closet. It used to have all of my scrub pants hung on the left side. The top had a bunch of boxes that I tossed as well as some candle stuff I had purchased for gifts that was not at all organized. So, it was basically wasted space. I have a piece of furniture that has my shirts hung up and my sweats/stuff like that in the drawers. That is the piece that I think makes my room too small, so I need to find homes for those clothes. I think maybe I have room now!

This is the closet in the room that was to be my office/scrapbooking room, but never made it...half of the room was that kind of stuff and the little one slept in the other side. The closet was full of boxes/bins/junk that was not at all organized. I do have to go through the large bins that were in there, but now all of my "gifts" and wrapping things are in one place. There is a shelf above there that has some other things that are more organized, but could still use a little more.

This is one of my hall closets. The bottom part was filled with "junk" as was the top part.  I threw away at least half a dozen VS bags...why did I keep those?! I had all my scrub tops in there because they definitely wouldn't fit in my closet (my parents like to buy me scrubs...I should show them this...ha!) So, now my uniform shirts AND my uniform pants are in the same place...what a concept!

Here is my "mantle". It looked much better last year with our three stockings rather than four stockings that are all mine, but it is what it is (maybe I should have taken down the palm tree picture, but I sort of had to force myself to decorate just for myself).

There is my new TV. I should have taken a picture of my previous TV for comparison, but it was a lot smaller than this! I just put the lights up there before I took the picture and they have already started to fall off...I'm not sure I really like them all that much anyway, but I wanted to try and use them.

I did put up a tree this year in case the girls came over and I actually have been enjoying having it there too (even though I often forget to turn on the lights). 

I maybe should have taken a picture of the other side of the living room, but I have tons of pictures on the walls so would have had to blur out every picture of the girls...maybe I'll do the rest of my "house tour" some day and include that. I may have already posted pictures of my new couches (this post actually has pictures of how it was decorated last Christmas and includes my old TV). I want to paint my bedroom soon and get the other bedrooms ready for any future placements (especially the little one's room...that room would not have worked as a bedroom for very many children considering the amount of "untouchables" in there!) The teen's room also worked very well for her, but may not be suitable for another placement.

So, I have some "projects" to do before the next time I see/talk to my aunt, but I'm very excited about my house coming together and looking presentable (maybe!) I may even host a party some day! 

Well, I'd better go to bed since the teen is coming over after lunch and I do have some things that need to be done before she comes. I also need to talk to her mom since all of our plans have been made between the two of us and I really need to make sure her mom is on board with everything!

Good night.