What I Learned in 40+ Days...

So this is my 40 Days, 40 Bags of UnLoveliness Leaving my House Update.

This challenge was really good for me.  It got me focused and actively doing something about the messy, disorderly, unlovely, no-good-dirty parts of my home.  BUT I didn't meet the challenge.  Along about half-way through tax season hit and I hadn't accounted :) that into the mix.  Suddenly, as a bookkeeper, all my free time needed to be devoted to tax stuff.  HOWEVER, an extra busy life needn't have kept me from organizing one small space a day.  

So, I learned Two Things that I would've done differently.

Thing #1: Break Down Bigger Tasks Into Small 20 Minute or so Tasks. 

I did this with somethings - like when I listed a particular drawer "Cup Drawer" in the kitchen instead of just listing "Kitchen Cabinets".  And those were the fun days.  But I got into trouble when I listed things like "Twin's Closet" and "Pantry", and I got completely bogged down when faced with those tasks.  So break it down, keep it simple, minimal.

Thing #2:  Consider a 20 Day Challenge Instead of 40 Days.  

Forty days is just a stinkin' long time, and it's hard to keep up the momentum and enthusiasm that long.  Obviously, this would mean you'd get 20 fewer spaces cleaned out.  But I'd much rather celebrate having completed a 20 day challenge in 20 days and then start up a fresh spankin' new 20 Day Challenge, rather than hang my head in shame on day 60 of my 40 Day Challenge. ;)

So I will persevere and get these final things done.  But probably they'll be on a new list.
Probably a 20 Bags in 20 Days list.

Until then, let's focus on the positive!  In this process, I learned that what motivated me to maintain a space was not just the fact that it was organized but the fact that it was pretty. I got especially inspired to make the closets in my home lovely, beautiful spaces that I enjoyed maintaining.

So I'm excited to share my closet makeovers and the things I learned with you in -

Coming soon!