Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Sorting and Organizing


I am usually a reasonably organized person. However, somewhere in the last few weeks between house renovations, sick babies and day to day life, our place has lost its sense of order and tidiness.

Whilst hunting around in a flurry looking for the details of the after-hours GP when Grace was unwell, I realised how important it is that I gradually work to restore the orderliness at our place so I can put my hand on things easily rather than having to sift through boxes of paperwork. This week, my task is to begin sorting through the many boxes of belongings currently sitting in our living room. They are boxes of books and magazines from our study which need to be put back, baby clothes Grace has outgrown which need to be stored away and items still be sorted through of my Dad’s. I’ve decided not to simply hide these boxes away again in our spare room where they can be too easily forgotten about, but rather to keep them in full view where they will motivate me to actually do something about them.

So my task for today after playgroup is to begin sorting… for now, I’ll leave you with these neat and tidy homely images I’ve come across…








Image sources: #1 #2 #3 #4

31 comments:

  1. Oh, I feel your pain!! My house used to be a haven of clean and calm. Now it's a chaotic mess. I don't know how, but I think every single room looks like a hurricane has swept through. I just keep thinking to myself "one room at a time" :)

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  2. I know exactly what you mean. It's so easy for mess to start to accumulate isn't it. I've got so many clothes that Will has grown out of that I need to sort. Just when I get them all sorted, it becomes a new season or he has a growth spurt. It's never ending isn't it. But with all the home improvements you guys have been doing it's no suprise that you've been occupied with other things other than sorting and tidying.
    I hope you have a great day and get through lots. I hope Gracie is all well. Will's finger is on the mend I need to change his bandage today though - ek!
    Hugs,
    Jxx

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  3. Oooh! Neat and tidy storage solutions make me happy. Good luck with the sorting :)

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  4. Good for you Amanda. I hope the sorting goes well. Sometimes I get in such a state with so much needing to be organised that I get sort of paralysed and don't know where to begin. I guess setting smaller achievable goals is always a good idea.
    Angex

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  5. Good luck hun.

    You sound very organised already! Don't stress if you have an off week here and there.

    I still have boxes I haven't unpacked from when we moved home from Singapore, and that was 12 months ago! Oops!

    xx

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  6. There is nothing better than getting everything organised into a free-flowing household. I really relish it. It's a lot of work to keep everything in it's place, but I get so frustrated when I fall behind and there are unsorted drawers to wade through to find something. Have fun!

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  7. Hi Amanda
    Good luck with the tidy up - a good idea to keep the boxes in view for motivation - I still have 1 big box of "miscellaneous" stuff in a box from our move to Perth - I have hidden it behind a door but have the guilts about it each time I pass by!! Must do something soon!!!

    Enjoy your week
    Christine

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  8. Lovely, organised images. I am kidding myself if I ever think I will be organised. I'm just not! I AM looking forward to trying to organise my art materials but am thinking of taking time off work to do it - it will be crazy!
    Have fun Amanda!

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  9. I think there will always be something that needs sorting. I think it is one of those jobs that go on forever!! I am not too bad, it is the boys in this house that throw out the system :)

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  10. I love being organized too Amanda, but it sure doesn't take much for chaos to take hold sometimes!!! Love that third pic, I wish I had a little study nook like that! Have a great day! Christine xx

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  11. the old sorting and organising chestnut, hmmm??? you aren't nesty are you?!!?!! hehe

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  12. Hi Amanda,
    I see your face often when I make a comment on other people's blogs and was delighted to find your blog, quite by accident! There is nothing more satisfying than an organised home....and nothing harder to achieve, especially with young ones under foot! I have a 1 and 3 year old! Today the remote control was in master 3's room and this morning, to my delight I found my toothbrush on the pavers outside (thanks master 1). The pictures are certainly inspirational! Hope you enjoyed playgroup!
    X Briohny.

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  13. i'm hearing ya........i did the kikki-k course last year for getting yourself org....it was really good all the stuff we already know, but got me working out a system, it is rewarding when you have a tidy desk, its the keeping it tidy thats hard hehehe lisa xox

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  14. Isn't it satisfying to get everything all organised and sorted? After painting my kitchen, things were a complete mess and I was going crazy trying to find things - I couldn't wait to get it all back in order. Love the pics - if only we could snap our fingers and have it all looking so lovely! K xx

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  15. Hi Amanda, yes I agree... Our mess seems to move from one room to the other as we renovate. I need to do the same and just get in and sort it!!!! I think a trip to IKEA may be in order.... ;-)

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  16. Good luck Amanda. It feels soooo good when it's done doesn't it.

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  17. I love those organized spaces, clean, neat and oh so pretty. I hope you got all your organizing done today, it always feels good to have things easy to reach when you need them. xo

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  18. I looove being organised and when it gets away from me I get so frustrated and then get so busy I don't fix it and then I finally do something about it and feel better again.
    I have actually started an organisation list..its a list for each room, I have started with the pantry...

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  19. I hope you had a successful day Amanda! My paperwork is all in a mess as well! I try to stay on top of it but it has been months since I last tackled my filing. xx

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  20. Oh I wish!!!My Mum and Dad are both huge hoarders so ... I am constantly trying to go through the unused and sort and tidy. Would love to have rooms like the images you have shown here. It always feels good when you get some organisation to a room. Have a lovely week.
    Rebecca x

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  21. I know the feeling - and I really need to sort out the boxes and bags that are taking over my house as well. It just seems like such a big task! Good luck. :D

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  22. Oh my goodness, those images make me want to jump aboard and get our office in gear (sadly it has been put off more and more frequently.)

    Oh and to answer your question about butter for the pie recipe a stick is approximately a 1/2 cup or 4 ounces. I hope that helps! Funny how we are finding funny differences between continents when it comes to baking :)

    Great post!

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  23. Hope it goes well! These images are so great!

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  24. Hi Amanda,
    I used to be really organized but with two kids and a hectic job I often feel like I'm wading through treacle! I do try to get myself organized but if I leave things just a couple of days the chaos starts building up again. Love the picture with the cubbies and the red letter R but love love love the tiny study space with all the shelves etc - what a fab space!
    Good luck with the sorting!
    ~Sam

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  25. Gorgeous Images!
    I hate having piles of mess all around the house and well, that is how it is right now. I really need to sort through everything as well!
    XO

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  26. Ugh! Does the organization ever come?! Thank you for stopping by my blog and sharing you are too dealing with this. Such a cute home and I am a new follower!

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  27. I agree with you. When my place is untidy, I can't get anything done...

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  28. ooh, i know what you mean! it's craziness sometimes when we can't find things..I get a bit panicky.
    goodluck with it all. hope little ones are well & you get some normality back.
    love the neat & tidy pics you've found, that shelf is amazing.

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  29. Oh my goodness Amanda, this is my world too right now (sans baby and renovations which leaves me wondering what my excuse is!!) as you can probably tell by my recent posts. Life just runs away with you and before you know it you can't find where your keys are - already locked myself out this week!!

    Good luck with it all and I hope Grace feels better soon! Loving the pics too, if only! ;-)
    xx

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  30. Beautiful images and loving the piano shots...enjoy your weekend and that pizza sounds perfect. You got me thinking about good old takeaway now!

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  31. I definitely need to do some organizing! Great images!

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