So, where have I been?

With the Big Baby Day looming in mid-January, I’ve been spending my nights organizing every corner of my condo. I can’t express how tired and elated I feel at the same time. There are things that me and the hubby should have done back when we were married, but never got around to doing.

I’ve always been a lover of organization and using/keeping only those items that I needed. Blame it on living in France temporarily and seeing the beauty of efficient spaces or blame it on this great Oprah special on how the Danish live. Bottom line, I think we can easily get caught up in ‘stuff’. If you are interested in seeing what I changed up and how less cluttered my live feels, keep on reading!

The Closet

I was fortunate enough to buy a space with a big closet, but I NEVER utilized the vertical space. It was crazy. You should have seen the why the hubby and I piled up clothes and accessories all over the place. It would make anyone cringe.

 First, I spent two weeks going through clothes. Our place look like a department store threw up.  I had garments I haven’t worn in years, along with the ever-famous ‘I’m sure I’ll wear this cute top soon.’ I was so drained by lugging clothes to and fro, but, in the end, we had about 7 garbage bags full of clothes for Goodwill. Yes, my wardrobe is quite small now, but I own the items that I know fit my body well and am ready to get some new investment pieces.

Next, we headed over to The Container Store and, free of charge, had a fantastic guy named Bob, organize our closet on a computer. That’s right, you can have someone look at the dimensions of your space and help carve out the tracks and rods you need to maximize space.  Don’t feel like visiting an actual store? No problem, you can use The Container Store’s web site to design your space.

The elfa system is so easy to install, you can do it yourself – the web site even has videos for step-by-step installation. We had our closet installed. Our schedules are so zany that Michael wasn’t sure as to when he’d be able to finish everything in one fell swoop.

The results? We DOUBLED our space and have plenty of storage space for winter clothes and the little bambina’s growing wardrobe. My shoes are neatly stored in clear  boxed and I can see everything when I need to.

The Office Area

We had two desks, including one in the bedroom. Our bedroom is huge, but we need the extra space for the baby’s crib. Within one week, we sold both desks on Craig’s List. From there, we went back to our friends at The Container Store and built a desk into our living room wall. Now, we have an efficient office desk area that doesn’t take up too much room and looks sleek at the same time.

The File Cabinets

Yours truly kept pay stubs from old jobs – going back six years. From old bills, health forms and other miscellaneous goodies, I had stacks and stacks of papers surrounding me. I could only go through a few files at time because my growing belly would get sore when sitting in a certain position.

Now? We have the essential documents stored and plan on placing some items in our bank’s safety deposit box.

Other Miscellaneous Tips

• We have a gorgeous balcony with a door I’ve never covered. Now with the other buildings that surround us, I thought it was time to get curtains. Cost Plus World Market has amazing deals on thick drapes that won’t break the bank. Tip: the site has free shipping on orders $50 or more. I went to three stores yesterday to find the 96" curtains I wanted. I called one store and almost gave up when they said they didn't have them. Persistence pays, ladies!

• Our household is big on recycling, but the random bags we would use to store our plastics and papers were becoming an eye sore (along with resulting in occasional spillage). These affordable Crate & Barrel recycle containers have been one of the best things we purchased for everyday no-brainer use. 

• Being a tech lover means having cords, plugs and other gadgetry lying around everywhere. These storage boxes have come in handy for neatly putting away those items that you’ll need access to, but don’t need the world to see.

How do I feel?

Exhausted, but almost euphoric. In the past few weeks, I went through my life – literally. Clothes that reminded me certain outings with friends, bad dates and joyous life moments. I actually found the letter I received on March 28, 2001 – the day I was let go from my first job out of college. I think it was entitled ‘separation letter’.El Prego: Taken on November 1

Sure, being pregnant and about to have a little bambina propelled me to go through things and make room for a new family member, but I wish I did this sooner. My mind is at ease (OK, I still need to hang drapes, pictures, etc.) and I have a clutter free mind of my ‘life inventory’. If something happened last minute and I needed to up and move – I could. All of my essentials are with me.

Now that winter is before us, I highly recommend using this time to de-clutter something. Perhaps it’s a closet, maybe it’s a drawer. Whatever it is, I promise it’s well worth the effort!