Clean Freak, here I come!

It all began with one simple episode of Clean Freaks.  While hanging out with Steph one night, she (who is on an organize-it rampage herself) insisted we watch this particular episode she had recorded, so we did.  Sabrina Soto, the host of the show, showcased not only the biggest clean freaks around but the biggest organized clean freaks around.

Soon I found myself flopped over on Steph's couch, utterly defeated.  I actually consider myself a pretty clean and organized person, but after watching these amazingly and freakishly together women, I looked like a slob!

It didn't matter, though.  Steph had unknowingly unleashed the organizing monster inside of me, and the next day, I began the home overhaul.  Two weeks and hours of work later, I felt many things finally had a home in my home.

There are some pretty amazing organizing websites out there which Steph shared with me (iheartorganizing is a great place to start), so you can find much better info than what I'm going to give along with some incredible photos.  Seriously, these women make organizing into an art! This is more of a brag board than anything :)

So, I did a bit in every room, starting with the kitchen and firstly the herbs/spice/tea/coffee cabinets.  I don't have a before picture, but basically it was a big line of stuff.  A couple of spice organizers (just the simple step ones) has made life much easier.  All of the cake decorating items--candles, dye, sprinkles, etc.--went in a wooden crate that I couldn't find a use for.  The coffee section was simplified and made more useable by bringing in different sugars I use often--white, brown, and raw.  And overall things just make more sense, now.  I even typed up a spice list with common uses, as well as printed off these cute measuring conversions and candy thermometer, which I found at Tipnut--a site you definitely need to check out!  I'm still working on making cuter labels, as mine are just a white typed label, and this site has tons of awesome ones.

Another major help was finally getting a junk drawer organizer.  In our kitchen, the junk drawer held a bunch of appliance manuals, a never-once-used phone book, and--you guessed it--junk, among the one or two things I really needed, like scissors and a post-it pad.  After purchasing Target's organizer (two, actually--one went in the bathroom), I now have a useable drawer!  Yay!

This was just the beginning, but it began the craze.  And actually, I'm finishing this post up after starting it a couple of weeks ago, and things still look organized!  That is the true test!

What I learned in a very organized nutshell:

• It's worth buying a few things to help with the organizing.  The plastic shoe boxes at Target are almost always on sale 5 for $5 and can be used just about anywhere.  They're in my pantry, laundry room, closet, and craftroom. 
• The spice rack organizer and junk drawer organizers were worth the $8.  Some things you can make, and others are worth the purchase.  You can get more for your buck, though, if you try.  The spice shelf, for example, is sold as one expandable shelf, but I split it up and made it work as two separate shelves.  The junk drawer, as well, comes in two pieces, so I split one of them up and used half in a desk and half in the bathroom.
• Labels are a must.  Mine aren't cute, but they work.  Step 2 would be to go back and make them pleasing to the eye :)
• Simply lining everything up doesn't work!!!  This has always been my problem.  I throw things away and make things neat but don't give permanent homes.  Naturally, in a couple of days, things fall over, something new comes along, and it's back to square one.  Things need homes.
• Organization and cleanliness go hand-in-hand because it's easy to be clean if things have a home.  My closet, for example, has never looked better simply because I don't get overwhelmed with finding a spot for things anymore.  I know my tights go here, my belts go here, and my random hat I never wear...that goes up in this basket labeled "Silly and Miscellaneous," which brings me to my last point:
• Have places for the odds and ends.  I finally made my husband have a R.I.P. box where he can put all the old memorabilia items he can't bare to get rid of.  I don't have to look at them anymore, and he's happy I have not once again thrown away his nostalgia.

And that's it!  Well, that's some of it, anyway.  More to come in the future.  For now, happy organizing!