What a mess!

So usually while on vacation, I end up watching "Clean House" all morning and reflect on the situation in my apartment. It's been about 2 years since I started really trying to clean up the crap. I've taken about 5 pick-up truckloads of stuff to charity in this time, and have progressed nicely, but I still feel like I'm nowhere near the place I want to be.

The kitchen, though dirty, has been much better. I know where things are now, and things all fit where they belong, uh, except the empty canning jars. There are still things I have that I don't use, like my pressure canner and dehydrator, but at least the things I use most often are accessible and the things I don't use aren't taking up valuable real estate for things I need. I've cleaned out the food cabinets and try to use up weird ingredients that I buy. I would really like to figure out the 7 day meal plan thing, but I guess in due time. I also did a really good cleaning, taking apart the stove, cleaning the oven, deep cleaning and putting Finish on the floor, but I haven't been able to keep up with it. :(

The living room has also improved. Unfortunately, it also is not where it should be. One day, I cleared off the table and set it permanently. It has remained like this, more or less, since I did it. The set table really makes the room look better, but now the sofa has crap all over it.

The bathroom is OK. I cleaned out a lot of stuff and have been using up all bath products and got rid of everything I don't use or was expired. I do need a new carpet, though. The one I have is nasty, but once that is changed, it will really improve the place.

The entertainment room also has improved. I cleaned out some stuff, and hubby was wonderful and cleaned out his stuff, and also organized his closet, put in shelves and made it super neat.

The bedroom. Ugh. The thorn in my side. I drastically downsized my book collection and condensed two bookshelves to one. I probably still have more than I need, but at least they are all able to fit on the shelves. It still needs to be finished. I got rid of two more full garbage bags of clothes when changing over the winter to summer clothes. There is still a big pile of crap that has no home, and I didn't finish painting the walls, so there are also pictures and stuff that have to go on the wall one day. My dresser is constantly covered with crap and so is hubby's. To add to the foolishness, his dresser is in worse repair than it has ever been. The drawers don't open right and I feel really bad that it's like this for him. I hope that this year, I can get it fixed and painted for his anniversary present.

The big problem with the bedroom is the craft room. Ah. The craft room. That is the thorn in my heart. Because I can't get in there, the stuff I take out ends up in the bedroom until I get a big pile to throw back in there. I came up with sort of a plan to figure out what I wanted from the space. I don't know if I can do it, but I do know I want the space for reading, knitting, spinning, fiber prep and sewing. I would love to try to get the bookcase in there, but I'm not sure how if it will work. There's already one small bookcase in there (The Library of the Future) filled with crafty books and magazines. I actually went through that one recently, too, and got everything to fit. Book buying is just about banished for me. My soap-making stuff needs to go somewhere. I also have to downsize my sewing maching collection. All my sewing stuff has to fit in the closet. All fiber has to fit on the metal shelving. I'm tired just thinking about it. Yikes!