Clean-Up Progress - Week 5

Each week when Monday rolls around, I think, "I don't have much to report on the clean-up progress." Then I check my list and start marking things off, left and right. I guess I'm getting more done than I thought and even though it's slow-going, at least I'm getting something done. Right?

I don't have any photos (I know, boring) and I didn't even get this week's Project 52 photo taken. Guess I'll just have to take two great photos this week to make up for it. I think I took a picture of my supper one night, but that's pretty boring. Oh, well. Maybe I'll be inspired this week somehow.

And although you wouldn't be able to see much progress in my house visually this week, here's what I did.

Dining Room/Kitchen:

• Turn dining room/kitchen closet into a pantry. This will require MK's help. I'm not sure if we will end up just buying one of those Rubbermaid shelves or installing real shelving ourselves. Whatever we do, this HAS to happen because my kitchen cabinets are being over-run by sippy cups. *SOMEWHAT COMPLETE. Mom gave me a butcher block-type cabinet that I can use for pantry storage. I still want to clean out the closet and make it more efficient, but this has helped in the meantime and helped clear off some countertop space by making more room in the kitchen cabinets. I was able to put the coffee and creamer in the cabinet above the coffeemaker, instead of directly on the countertop. I moved the large cereal bags from on top of the fridge to the cabinet with the coffee. I put the junk food (chips, Little Debbie's, etc.) along with the Cokes and bottled water, and the bag of potatoes and sweet potatoes in the butcher block. I also put the cat's food in the bottom, but I may move it back to its original location in the bottom of the cabinet by the stove. We put the butcher block in the spot where we had kept the kitchen trash can and the cat's food. It's directly across from our kitchen bar and so there is a round over-hang on the bar with empty space below it (I had previously kept the potatoes and Cokes and water under there out in the open). I moved to cat food to that spot and I had to move the trash can further away, over by the closet door. It's taking some getting used to, having the trash in a different spot. I'd like to put it in the closet eventually, so it's out of sight (and smell) but again, the closet needs to be cleaned out. The butcher block also provides some much-needed countertop space, so I put the mail and the new mail organizer on top. I don't want it to become the new catch-all, but better there than on the kitchen countertop. I would like to make this basket so that MK can just empty his pockets there instead of on the dining table or the countertop. Maybe it would look a LITTLE bit better in a basket. I still need to do a little reorganization in the cabinets to find a better system but I'll get there eventually.
• Move two old closet doors out to the curb that are propped up against the china cabinet and just sitting there taking up space. COMPLETE

Master Bedroom:

• Put up the hanging sweater organizer in the closet. COMPLETE. I put a couple of pairs of MK's shoes in the bottom because there were several compartments for shoes. I've only got one sweater in there so far, but at least it's in the closet.
• Get better shoe organization. I usually just toss my most worn behind the door. That's not good. I need to throw out ones that don't fit anymore (my foot grew when I was pregnant and didn't go back down to the original size). PARTIALLY COMPLETE. I threw out the worn out and ill-fitting shoes and cleared up some space so that the floor isn't completely covered with unorganized shoes. Still need something for MK's shoes though so I'm not completely marking this off the list.
• Move the bag of maternity clothes and another bag of too-small sweaters to the storage shed. COMPLETE. I also put some Christmas ornaments that were sitting in the corner of my dining room out there.

Body:

• I've been drinking more water.
• I've been snacking healthier.
• I'm drinking fewer sodas.
• I've lost around 5 pounds. :)