Organizational Challenge

Okay, so I virtually signed up (that means I thought to myself, "Self, what you just found is a REALLY good idea. This  is totally something that could light a fire under your butt to get you to concentrate on X, Y or Z space and finally get it organized."). Not one to care if I'm late for a party*(see digression below), it didn't bother me that the challenge was over on the day I found out about it. I wasn't interested in a prize anyways. I wanted an organized space!

*Pre-children, I hated being late for anything. Now that I have three late makers children, I aim for arriving within 30 minutes of the set appointment/start time. And I'm a liar to because, to be totally honest , it's usually the mother in this house who insists on silly things like a shower/breakfast/a pee before leaving the house directly resulting in us being late (unless Eldest is having a bad morning. He. Is. SLOW. It appears to be a genetic issue passed on from my mother's side of the family...Or so I've been told). However, what's the use of having children if you can't pin a little excuse on one of them now and again? My personal favourite is, "Oh, I'm so sorry I'm late. I had to change the baby's diaper just as we were leaving the house." Everyone gets that. Though some of the receptionists at the offices we frequent might be becoming concerned about said baby and his volatile waste system, it's amazing how many of them just smile and nod knowingly, glad they are over that particular child rearing stage themselves. Meanwhile, Littlest is beaming away happily ignorant in the knowledge that his arse has been used again as the reason why our tribe is late. End of tangent.* 

Now, where was I going with this? Oh yes. I found The Organizing Junkie's March 2013 31 Day Organizational Challenge and thought "I think I can do this" and "Never mind that it's the 31st of March when I found the challenge. I can do it on my own". 

So here I am, baring one of my deepest, darkest household secrets to the blogosphere and beyond and would like to stress Laura's very important rule about this challenge which is "it is NOT about judging each other. It’s about encouragement and support. Nastiness is not tolerated here." LOVE, Laura and take that inner voice of nasty.

On another tangent about women and their struggle with their inner voices (I'm not alone. Yeah!) this video is very much worth a look. You have likely already seen it as it went viral but, if you live in a bubble like me and haven't, have a watch. This is one very, very powerful video.

Alright, back on topic again. As per Laura's rules, here goes (Warning: graphic mess alert. Fingers crossed that I don't get a call from Hoarders offering me a spot. Don't real hoarders have their stuff neatly stacked???):

Introduce Yourself:

Hi, my name is Patty and I'm a chocoholic, wife, mother to three boys, sister, daughter and, apparently, huge collector of nebulously useful objects.

Where I'm Starting:

For my personal challenge, I am going to gut and organize my craft room/studio. At least that's what the space was meant to be when we designed the remainder of our basement and had it professionally finished. Sadly, it has become the area where I open the door, throw in something else and slide the door shut quickly enough so as not to cause an avalanche. My greatest impetus for organizing this space is that the creative energy that I had before 2007 and the birth of Eldest appears to be returning and I think it would do great things for my mental health to have a space entirely of my own that I can go to for ten minutes to work on a project, then walk away and back to the reality of Super Mom-dom. 

Time Line:

Finish at the end of April - er - mid- May 2013.

And, hardest of all, BEFORE pictures:

Before trying to enter the room, you first have to go over other 'treasures'. 

Worse than you expected, right? 

Um, yes, I did perform gymnastics every time I needed a sharp needle or sewing scissors.
Mommy's need their exercise routines too.

All that gorgeous cabinetry and counter space...so close and yet so far away.

No, it's only at thigh height not waist. Scout's honour.

A small sampling of my yarn stash. I wonder where the rest of it is hiding?

Why, yes. I did sew two sets of costumes and other small projects with the room this way.
I'm a mother. I can pull a pearl out of a distracting work space easily. Twitch? What twitch?

Hard to believe we paid to have that counter top put in. There's one there. I swear it.

Wow. Just, wow.

The original challenge set a progress blog post a week after starting the challenge so, stay tuned for next Tuesday's status update.

And just in case you are in fear of me ever finishing this project (I know you're reading out there somewhere, Mudder!), here is a shot of one of my handy assistants. For those of you not so much into cute toddlers LOOK at that FLOOR! That's some pretty nice hardwood under those toes, Littlest.

Littlest examining the cleaning job I did on the sliding doors. I have so not moved
into this room properly that the new door stickers were still on the two sliding French doors
and the outside window. I hope I pass Littlest's inspection. He looks pretty serious about his job.