Organizing

I sat on the couch last night trying to figure out what I wanted to do this week--or rather how to arrange my week to fit as much in as possible--and realized I didn't have anything prioritized at all.  It is all important but none of it was urgent, so this morning when I got up I decided to spend the day as a home maker! We had left quite a mess in the living room yesterday, so I cleaned things in there first.  I washed the living room windows, rearranged stuff and came up with a fairly pleasing start to softening the feel of the room.

Next I went to the guest closet, an area that had become the catch-all for anything I didn't know what to do with. The luggage and a pile of bags, extra blankets, the air mattress, all the pictures I haven't hung, misc. decorating items that I need from time to time but are not currently in use, and more stuff that just didn't have a good home yet had landed there.

First I emptied it all out onto the bed and floor next to the door. I made a pile of things to give away, and another of things that needed a new home.  Since the only things in the coat closet could be stored elsewhere to better benefit, I emptied it and moved all the luggage and bags in to it.

There were quite a few empty pants hangers in the guest closet, so I brought them all to the coat closet and used them to hang the bags on the coat bar. I put the suitcases on the floor, and the air bed on the top shelf. It filled up the unused closet and made lots of room available elsewhere!

Next I went to the linen closet where I tidied things and made room for a few things from the guest room, namely more sheets.

 I am always surprised at how fast this closet gets messy, but it is nice and neat now! Unfortunately, I didn't make enough room for the extra blankets there.

I was just getting ready to vacuum out the bottom of the closets when I heard Ornery drive up. It was too early for lunch, so I was surprised.  Apparently they are having some ventilation problems in the paint department at work and he came home for a while to wait while the air cleared.  He took down the blinds on the two living room windows that needed paint, put some of the red glass from the living room up on top of the kitchen cabinets, and changed the A/C filters. I asked him if he wanted to bring in the camping gear from the garage to make more space in his man cave-- the whole purpose for clearing out the guest closet.  He shuffled a few things to get the two large totes out and kindly set them in the closet for me. We had an early lunch and then he went back to work--carrying his respirator!

I took a couple of the quilts Ornery's grandma made for us and put them in the living room to add some softening touches, and moved the little clock table from the library to the end of the couch in front of the new lamp.

 My sister made the little quilted pillow from some of my old jeans when I was in high school. I have had it a long time, but I haven't really had a decorating scheme to use it until now. I hope to make a couple other pillows to put on here, but for now, it is at least something.

I also found a poster of pansies in the closet that goes beautifully above the mantle. I put it in a cheap frame I had on hand for now, but will need to get a bigger frame at some point. Then I hung the set of three Beaubien water color paintings we bought in Manitou Springs a few years ago next to the wall units.  The colors don't really "match" but I like them too well to relegate them to the stash of things awaiting the next decorating rendition.

My next task was to bag up all the stuff from the closet that I don't think I want to keep any more. It is always a quandary, but I am pretty sure I won't be needing these things, and I would rather someone else get some use from them. Then, despite the awful state of the kitchen that didn't get any attention yesterday, I painted the windows in the living room so that all the green is now complete.  I eventually got the dishes under control and am headed for the shower right now.

No telling what the evening holds, but I have had lots of energy all day and even if I don't accomplish anything else, I will have counted the day as quite productive!