New Year's Resolutions

I try not to make New Year resolutions. Besides the fact that it would probably just be about "exercising more" and "eating healthier", I just think they are silly. Why can't I start over on February 10th or October 28?? Another thing I have found interesting this new year is that everyone must change out their kitchen towels and their doormats on January 1st. How do I know that?? Because I am one of those people evidently! The household accessories have been well picked over and all that is left are ugly ones!! (Guess I'll try again on February 10!)

One thing I am "resolving" to do this year is to simplify and be more organized. There was not a closet, cabinet or drawer that I would open and something not fall out of a few months ago. I really have only begun to experience this problem. The surefire way to avoid this is to move often!! I didn't need to do a yearly cleaning -- we would just move! And nothing makes you get rid of stuff faster than trying to find a new place for it! We, gratefully, have been settled for almost seven years -- and so has all our stuff! However, it still amazes me that every Monday morning, our big, green Waste Management-issued trashcan is so full that the lid won't close. And, truth be told, some Sunday nights when it is dark outside, we may be the ones who put a few extra bags in our neighbors trashcans!! We are either the cleanest people around or the trashiest.

The first thing I began to organize were my jewelry drawers. I have so much stuff and never wear it because I don't feel like looking and digging for it. Let me just say that the jewelry trays are a wonderful thing and everyday I am adorned with a new bauble I had living in the back of my dark drawer! I have since worked my way around and am almost finished and I feel like I can breathe deeper in my organized home.

Just to prove my point that a New Year's resolution doesn't have to start on January 1, my husband actually took off on my simplify/organize resolution late last year. Our garage has been a true storage of junk. I guess it could have been worse because we could both still get our cars in every night; but, it was embarrassing to have the garage doors open or for someone to come into our house through our garage. Chris sketched it out (you know, like he does before carving a pumpkin :o)) and off we went to Home Depot and Sears! After many weekends of hard, dirty work, Chris is almost done. The floor is all that remains, but the outcome is amazing.

Before (I should have taken pictures earlier -- these don't do it justice!):



The Process:



(Drum roll please...and you might want to put on some sunglasses -- it's so bright and clean!):

The sports wall:

Bare walls!:

The tool wall:

Now the only resolution we need to fulfill is KEEPING the garage this neat!