Reorganization Nation
I am attempting this post in Ecto… I just could not HANDLE doing photo-heavy posts directly in WordPress anymore. It made me want to throw my computer at the wall.
So we’ll see how posting in Ecto goes…
Moving on.
As you all know, I was in a horrible, terrible, no-good, very bad mood last week. I was picking fights with Eric left, right and centre. I was screaming at no-one and I was just downright grumpy.
Then I did some reorganizing and cleaning – and I felt much, much better!
I’ve been meaning to do some cleaning and re-organizing before Eric moves back down. As you know, I live in a shoebox apartment and I needed to make some room in the closet/drawers for Erics stuff. And my closets were an absolute disaster. They were the kind of closets that you pretty much just throw stuff into and don’t organize at all. Just thinking about them made me annoyed.
So I spent approximately 10ish hours fixing the problem last week.
I took a huge load of things to Value Village and then I hit up Walmart, Jysk and Costco to get some new shelving and closet organizers. I then took on the bedroom closet, the hall closet and my office area. Here’s how it turned out.
Bedroom Closet Before:
Bedroom Closet After:
With two new EMPTY drawers for Erics stuff (yes, I realize that’s a filing cabinet. Why buy a new dresser when you have a perfectly good, empty filing cabinet?! 
)
Kitchen Closet Before:
Kitchen Closet After:
Office Area Before:
Office Area After:
See that book shelf right there? Ya, I built that.
All by myself.
A few other fun things I was able to do, was clear up some room in one of the kitchen cupboards to become my “Running Cupboard”.
Added a collage to the wall of a few Europe pictures.
Oh, and I’m sure you all remember my run-in with a Black Widow a few months ago? Well after that happened my mom was down and she got me all these little “spider catchers” that she stuck in every nook and cranny.
They work.
Take that nasty spiders who try to invade my cute little basement suite! Mwahahaha!
Anyways, since my giant cleaning spree, I feel a lot more peaceful and happy.
Also? 13 (ish) sleeps until Eric gets here!!!
Do you like to clean and organize or hate it??
Whoa – sorry for such a picture heavy post!! It really is much easier inserting pics with Ecto. I wish I’d used this when doing my crazy-huge Europe recap posts!
I end up cleaning when I’m in a very angry/stressed out/upset mood. But only then. When I’m happy, my space can be in all sorts of disarray and I won’t care a bit.
This might be weird but I hate cleaning but I love reorganizing. I usually nag the husband to do the cleaning part then I’ll do the reorganizing part.
I’ve done that before where I do clean when I’m upset or stressed out. It sure does help get a lot off your mind at least for a while.
I’m a pretty neat person, as in I freak out if I have to live in an untidy apartment for more than one week. So I’ve scheduled 2 hours a week (mostly during Friday or Saturday) where I’ll clean up and reorganize everything. Clothes, paperwork etc. Just everything that’s lying around.
And twice a year you’ll see me sitting in a huge pile of clothes, because I’ll be shifting the summer and winter clothes according to the season ahead.
So I’ll know pretty much all around the year where everything is…
YIKES – I am scared that spider is going to crawl off the screen and eat me. Eeeeeeek!
I want spider catchers … but I would also be SO afraid that I would find something in one! That way I would know that there are spiders in my house (I try to rationalize that there aren’t).
Wow, girl you are good! I’m impressed. Cleaning makes me feel better too…
I can relate to this post in SO many ways. First, yes. Loading pictures in wordpress is an absolute pain. I thought it was bad before, but then reloading every picture I ever had from February on confirmed that fact. I’m getting Ecto immediately haha.
Second, I LOVE cleaning and organizing. I always feel soo much better when everything’s organized and tend to get stressed out when it’s not (aka right now). Your apartment looks great! I love the bookshelf you made!
It takes me a while to get started sometimes, but once I do, I can’t stop cleaning/reorganizing. Especially when I’m stressed!
I often hate cleaning- but I’ve definitely had cleaning sprees that last hours and make me feel pretty accomplished after…
Wow awesome awesome job! Cleaning is how I let a lot of frustration out. That is why I hate moving so much….you cant REALLY clean anything with everything laying out.
Looks like you did a great job! I’m a big fan of organizing and getting things in their place, Mister is a total neat freak too so it works for us
I have never used ecto – I didn’t even know what it is! I hate doing photo posts in blogger, so maybe I should try it out
A couple of winters ago, I thought I was going to put my condo on the market, so I spent DAYS cleaning out my closets. It was insane. And I have pictures to show for it. The difference was amazing.
I have to be in a certain mood to take on a project like that, but when I do, I am happy as a clam. It’s so nice to get done and see the fruits of your labor!
And actually – in high school, my parents could always tell when trouble was brewing in my relationship with my hs boyfriend when I started cleaning out my closet… it’s always been my way to sort of ‘deal’ with things I guess!
Yikes!! I’m so scared of spiders! But way to go you – the office area especially looks amazing!
I love cleaning and re-organizing if I’m stressed out. It feels so good to get organized. Your place looks great!
Wow! The place looks amazing. I hate doing things like that. I am getting to the point though where I am almost ready to take on my closet and do some reogranization but it takes a while for me to get to that point.
In college, I used to always clean before I started studying for a big test. It always made me feel better! So weird how that work!
Nice job! I especially like your “Running Cupboard”, with the medals hanging next to it.
I treated myself to getting rid of 30 things for my 30th birthday last night. I must say, it felt really, really good. I love uncluttering.
I just love that count you everything down in sleeps. You’re too cute for words.
I LOVE TO CLEAN! (and yes, I needed to shout that!) Lately I’ve been a little lazy with it but really once I’m started, I don’t stop. Cleaning gets me through rough times too (like post break-up, waiting for doctor’s results, etc etc). It’s my therapy
Since it’s nice out now, I love to do yard work instead. Mowing, trimming, weeding. It’s great!
Yeah Ecto is easier for inserting pictures but before you actually post in Ecto be sure to copy your whole post in case it just randomly decides to not post (then you can just paste it in again)…just cuz mine does that probably like once a week and apparently its a common problem. Right now Ecto has been changing fonts on me, good times.
Anyway, I have mixed feelings about cleaning and organizing. I would say in general I hate it. BUT occasionally I’ll just have a day where I feel the urge and then I feel 100 times better when I do. I’d always prefer an organized living space over a disorganized one.
Okay – Spider picture was TERRIFYING! I got instant heebie-jeebies looking at it! Dead or alive, spiders are gross!
I love cleaning and organizing, but I really have to be in the mood. I’m all about angry cleaning too, which scares Kyle a little bit. He knows to stay out of my way and just lets me do my thing when I’m cleaning out of frustration or anger!
I can’t believe the office area difference! I have a whole lot of organization to do, and it’s difficult with a smaller room. I’m itching to have “my own space” and this is hard in a house with 2 other guys who aren’t exactly…. on top of things.
I’m thinking of downsizing my bed, in order to have a little relaxation/office area on my shoebox of a room. It’s nice in theory, we’ll see how this goes,
Totally a neat/organized thriving person, too! I laughed out loud at the “I’m Monical Gellar” tag, ha! Hey, whatever destresses you….to each their own
The the post-organizing spree results look great! When I’m in the mood I love to organize and clean-out. It does make me feel better – purged.
How goes the marathon training?!
Ugh! I hate posting pics in wordpress too. I thought it was just me.
As for your mass organizing – that’s uber impressive. Couldn’t have been cheap either – those organizers can add up! My house needs a heavy-duty clean/purge session too, but it’s too early to tell if this post inspired me or just made me realize how much of an effort it’s going to be. 
I like to be organized, but lack VERY much in the motivation department. I find that when I get to it, I get it done! I love cleaning closets out, going through old boxes of crap, its a nice little stroll down memory lane!!
PS. I have been in a funk the last week.. Kris has been gone for 2 weeks and isn’t home for another 2. I actually YELLED at a guy driving and wanted to ram my car into another. yikes! I know.
Tonight, I am going to try your way and CLEAN!!!
Happy Day off Ambular!
Great job with the reorganizing! I absolutely love to reorganize, and I’m in the process of redoing my room but it’s taking a while because I need to BUY STUFF. I’ll get there, though. The planning is half the fun!
Photo-heavy posts are so annoying to do in Blogger so I usually use Live Writer for mine, even though it means the spacing gets a little messed-up. So I can totally feel you on the Ecto/Wordpress problem!
It’s amazing how doing a little (or a lot in your case) of organizing can go a long way! Love your little running shelf. I need to do a deep clean one of these days soon.
I find cleaning/sorting to be really soothing, especially now that I’m on my own. There’s something satisfying about putting something in its place and knowing nobody but me is going to mess it up.
Awesome job lady!
Wow, what a difference! I love cleaning/organizing. My husband thinks it’s a sickness but I find it therapeutic
i love shelves, cleaning AND reorganizing! ahhh i’m in heaven looking at before and after pics!
i’m a neat FREAK!!! that spider though, he is scary… but i’m glad your mom hooked u up with some spider traps!
i love organizing. i’m ocd about it! =)
Whenever you post pictures of your apartment I just think it looks so cute and cozy! And I love all the extra room you were somehow able to find in what you already had
Oh my gosh your place looks amazing! I have a couple more days off before I go back to work from this vacation – you might have inspired me.
I don’t go it often enough, but I always feel really great after I reorganize everything.
Wow I LOVE the running “closet” hah so awesome! Love the way you hung your medals on the inside. Definitely a great idea!