I am just plain weird...

I am giddy.  Bouncing off the walls giddy.  Giddy because I finished some organizing that I have wanted to do since before I moved.  I still have some reducing to do, but my stuff is really, really, really organized now!

The basket with the purple folder is my filing basket.  I had 12 inches of stuff that had piled up since January.  So, part of this organizing effort was to file it all!  The basket next to that is funky computer paper for letters.  I also have here my mobile office basket on the lower right.  The lower left are the books from my dissertation that I still think about, noodle over from time to time.

This is the shelving on the other side of the doorway to the living space in the basement.  Here, I have my paper supplies and my two in-boxes.  There is a basket of half-sized notebooks and all my hole punches.  I also have a basket of art supplies for when children visit and want something to do.  Here, too, are all my CD burning supplies.  On the bottom shelf are my gazillion pens, pencils, sharpies, and highlighters.

Here are all my binders of research and my research books from my three college degrees that I still sort of want.  This area is the most challenging to me.  I still want to reduce down the research on the top shelf and the books on the bottom two shelves.  The middle shelves are examples of my communications work, my own writing, reference materials, medical records, my Highlander binder, family history binders, and warranty information for things I have purchased or are were already in the house.

This is my "stuff" shelving, where I have done the most reducing.  Three of the banker's boxes are empty!  I have two boxes of mailing supplies, a box of light bulbs, a box of extension cords/power strips, a box of computer supplies, my old Mac laptop (don't ask), two boxes of binders, and some other things.  I LOVE that this shelving was here. I think it makes for a very, very organized set of stuff, don't you?

I took the opportunity to organize my old china cabinet a bit.  Since the china is in the built-in cabinets, this antique cabinet was empty.  I decided to use it to store my DVD series, my candles, and my stationary supplies.  I brought up three baskets from the basement to organize the cabinet better.  I have to say, though, that I still have many a basket in the basement.  This is a puzzle to me because in my last house, I had nary an empty basket.  The basket math just doesn't add up!



Here is part of the servant's closet. There is another shelf of linen things above the towels you see. [I am too tired to go back and take a proper picture.]  The bottom shelf I call my staging area.  I love the space!  If you look hard to right, you will see my computer backpack hanging up.  I also have my briefcase/bag hanging next to it.  This really is an amazing walk-in closet upstairs.

Here we are in the attic.  This is the area to the right as you come up the stairs.  The green containers are Christmas decorations.  There is a container of Christmas lights.  The luggage is at the end. The luggage I am not sure which pieces I should keep and which I should donate.

This is to the left as you look forward from the top of the stairs.  The printer box is empty, but the rest are not.  You can see the hats and Africa clothing.  The office supplies are the next four boxes and the two baskets.  Next to those are the boxes of young adult paperback books. The other end has the ceiling fan and demi-tasse cups.

I have taken a couple more photos of the attic to give a better perspective.  All those old rugs/carpets are something I wish to address.  I think I would like to toss all but the flower and the oriental one.  However, I also think they are covering up some cracked or broken boards.  Frankly, I am too chicken to peek. I need someone to bolster me up as I do so.  Mostly, I think the bare wood would be better. At the far end of the photo, you can see the two shelves I have no place to hang up.  I miss them.

I love the windows.  LOVE them.  I don't love the left over shag carpet that was put in upstairs. I am not sure what to do with that.  You can see the chimney that sort of divides the room by a third.  The doors are ones that have been removed from the house, like the door at the top of the servant stairs.  Also there is the swinging door between the kitchen and the dining room. It is that door, I think, I will use when I have the wall put up in the parlor to close off the bathroom.  I plan to make it a pocket door to save space in the parlor.  But for the attic, somehow, I believe this space could be really special.

Anyway, here is evidence of just how weird I am.  I LOVE to organize and I LOVE organized stuff.  It calms me, soothes me, stills me.  I don't think about my life or my health or my fears. I do not really think about anything but the task.  And when I am done there is instant gratification that also goes on and on and on!

Giddy.  Yep, I am just plain giddy over getting through the reducing and organizing I have wanted to do in the basement and attic!


I am Yours, Lord.  Save me.