Apparently, I have a difficult time throwing out empty hairspray containers and/or using the last bits before I start on something new.

Also, I experiment a lot. I’ve got somewhat curly hair that doesn’t really hold the curl well, so I’m always on the lookout for new products. No one product works alone, so I mix and match. Of course, the length of my hair / how long since my last cut also affects how they work.

All of this hair stuff (plus toilet paper storage and cleaning products) caused a bit of a disaster. This was the cabinet in our half bath, the one I use as my powder room to get ready in the morning:

See that large box behind the toilet cleaner? I’m pretty sure that’s been there since at least 2002, judging by the receipts I found in there. Though, I suspect it could have been longer. I used the box to hold all of the items stored in this bathroom when I painted, and I know I didn’t let the salmon pink cabinet stay that way for too long. We’ve been here since July 2001.

I nearly filled a large kitchen trashcan with recyclables, as I dumped out the last few spritzes from over a dozen bottles! (Actually, some were already empty. Either I’m that lazy, or the last bits dried up. They have been nearly empty for several years!)

Anyway … after clearing everything, I put most of my still-usable hair products into bins I bought, however, I kind of underestimated how much stuff was in there. They’re overflowing!

If I get a couple more, I’ll be able to neaten that up and get rid of that black box still holding some odds and ends.

I’ve kept the products I’m currently using daily in the front … and when I run out I’m going to try to work through all those others. It might take years!

And I will throw away those that suck or don’t work! I couldn’t remember if I abandoned a product because I hated it … or just found something new.

I am thankful that I won’t be wasting time in the morning looking for my gel and picking up the bottles I’ve knocked over anymore!

I had to sort it out.

Before:

After:

Oops … I left a couple of empty file folders on top of the other box … I just put those away!

And yes, I still need to find a more permanent storage location for my high school and college awards / diplomas / mementos that are in the other box, but at least I know what’s in there. That one’s not bugging me as much!

I am thankful that this daily cleaning thing is almost over! Though, now that the ball is rolling, I think I’m going to have to finish any projects I don’t get to. But it won’t be every day. I just don’t have time for that, especially with Holiday Concert Season upon us!

Quite the disorganized mess!

I took everything out, threw out a lot of stale / expired things, and tried to group like items. We do still have too many bags of chips!

I was able to clean out the bottom space and can now store bottled drinks that would otherwise have sat on the kitchen table until we were ready to refrigerate them.

Now I have a clean pantry, and a clean table!

Despite the mess it makes (I’m sure this organization will not last!), I am thankful that our pantry is well stocked!

When we last checked in on the junk drawer, it looked like this:

Not bad, and much better than the original, but there was still work to be done. I picked up some modular bins and was able to further compartmentalize the junk drawer.

After that was done, I still had a few containers left. I brought them into the half bathroom that I use as my powder room.

I have a mess of makeup in both drawers. The “after” photos to the right aren’t drastically different, but I’ve got a bit more order. All of my daily-use items are together in the left drawer, and all lipsticks/glosses are in the right. Note to self: stop buying lip gloss!

The drawer on the right:

The drawer on the left:

Not a major change today, but every little bit helps!

While I’m definitely not done cleaning yet, my house is currently the cleanest it’s been in a long time. Possibly, the cleanest it’s ever been; a lot of the clutter I’ve been dealing with has been around since we moved in.

And for my newfound cleanliness and organization, I am very thankful!