I honestly can not believe the 2 month transformation our kitchen has gone through. Little by little I've taken areas that have been overwhelming me. I think we get to a point where we just give up and say 'why bother, I don't even know where to start.' That's why I named my company Square 1 Organizing, when we start at the beginning the possibilities are endless. The hardest part is just starting - or asking for help. That is where Square 1 Organizing comes in. Our job is not to judge, we get it, so show us what you got in whatever state it's in.
The Decluttering process was eye opening. I don't enjoy letting go of things, even when they are past their prime. I hung on to water bottles even though I knew they were broken. I wish I could say I don't know why, but I do - they were cute! When I would pass them in the cupboard they would make me happy because they would remind of when our children were little, they are in their 20's now! Yea, it's time to let go!!!! Coffee cups and water bottles were my worst culprits, oh wait, spices! Ok, candles and towels! Well, I don't miss any of it. I was a little worried that I would regret getting rid of our belongings, but, nope.
The Process is messy. You never know what you're going to wake up to in our home. It could be pancakes and bacon or it could be a torn apart kitchen with everything we own all out in the open. When I'm cleaning or organizing, my husband says, 'didn't you just do that?' Luckily, he has been a trooper and supportive through our kitchen transformation. Taking everything out of the area you want to declutter and clean is messy business. Deciding what to keep, what is trash, and packing up donations all takes time and space so please give yourself grace to get it done.
Change is tough! Something as simple as moving the placement of the towels and potholders was not well received. I asked to give it a week and if they still didn't like it I would put them back where they were, and with that we had a deal. The towels are back in the original spot, but we agreed to hang them up. Keep your family in the loop of you're doing so they are not blindsided. Change doesn't bother some people, others, moving a towel throws off their entire day. Try and include them in the planning, ask them questions, making them feel included and heard will help ease the anxiety of the change.
Was it worth it? Absolutely! When I first started this I would come home and instantly become overwhelmed and, honestly, angry, because the kitchen was in a constant state of chaos. It didn't seem to matter how often I cleaned or if the kitchen was spotless before I left. No matter what, when I got home, it was messy again. Now, that is not an issue! The impact it's had on the general state of our kitchen is miraculous. We had an emergency were we were in the hospital for a few nights. When we got home I expected the house to be in a shambles, but it wasn't. It was fine. Not perfect, but who cares, it was good enough. I wasn't angry or overwhelmed. I didn't want to cry or feel like a mountain was heaped onto my shoulders. Yes, It was totally worth it!
I did spend some money that might have been better used elsewhere. I talked about that in my pantry post. That is the one place where I'm not 100% happy with the products I bought. I am happy with the idea of them - I just need a better product because the ones I have aren't quite what I need.
We have kept up with it too! I am so excited that our kitchen is done being organized!
Now - What room should I do next?
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