My house has been driving me crazy.  For months.  Possibly years.  We have minimal closet space.  Actually, for New England it’s pretty decent.  For anywhere else in the world, it’s abysmal.  We have too much stuff.  It’s a terrible combination.  And so, to celebrate our only our third weekend home together in the past ten weeks, I created this to do list.

It took two and a half days, but we did it.  I sorted through every single closet, drawer, and cabinet in the house.  Well, except for the guest room/Justin’s office and the basement.  But what do you expect?  Total perfection?

Here are a few things I learned on my journey to organization:

1.  It is best to keep all of a particular item in one place.  For example, batteries, Scotch tape, tubes of toothpaste, and hair brushes.  We have approximately 65 never-used batteries (AA, AAA, C, and D – we have them all), 7 rolls of tape, 6 tubes of toothpaste (3 unopened), and 5 hairbrushes.  By having them all in one place, you will not continue to purchase, purchase, purchase.  And you’ll actually be able to find them at midnight when you just have to change the channel.

2.  Tupperware takes up a lot less room when you actually use it and it isn’t just stacked haphazardly in your pantry.

3.  Junk mail should be shredded as it enters the house.  There is no good reason to have boxes of “to shred” papers three years old.  But, we do.  And probably always will.

4.  This cannot be done (or cannot be done well/without major panic attack) without a competent partner in crime.  Fortunately, I happen to have one of these.  He (very willingly) completed all of the out-of-the-house errands; took care of Robbie (how many times can you watch the Toy Story trilogy?); sorted through all of our DVDs, video games, and CDs; washed, folded, and put away all the laundry; and even brought me coffee each morning.

5.  Have one junk drawer in the house.  There is no way you are actually going to have a place for everything.  It’s just not possible, so don’t try.  But make sure that only the most important junk goes there.

6.  PUT YOUR THINGS AWAY!  You don’t want to have gone through all this clean out for nothing.  You don’t want all your work to be undone in two weeks.  So, remember how hard you worked and put that glass in the dishwasher, those socks in the hamper, and those groceries in the pantry.

Are you ready?  Totally inspired to get your house organized?  Don’t worry, I’m not taking it personally.  There’s always next weekend.