Imagine the Impossibilities Challenge ~ Take 1

Yesterday we attempted to discuss the challenge that lay before us.  You know, that challenge that we talked about HERE? 

Basically we want all of our storage spaces to look something like this:

Via Pinterest and http://roost-home.blogspot.com

Here is a before picture of the closet under the stairs (Our DIY storage area):

And here is a look at our laundry room and makeshift pantry in all of it's "laundry day" glory:

YEP, THIS IS REAL LIFE PEOPLE.  We wouldn't want to clean it up to give you the wrong impression.  That cabinet shoved into the laundry room is our pantry space.  It makes no sense.  The doors are always left open and even if you wanted to close them there might be something on the floor stopping you...like piles of laundry waiting to be washed!  The mops and brooms are shoved into the corner behind that little chest freezer...and who knows what else.  Yikes...do we even want to know!?

Let me just say that Scott and I have very different styles of getting things done. 

How can I put this???

I am a Planner.  I want to sit down with a paper and pen and "map out" what needs to be done and in what order.  Pinpointing the main goals and possible difficulties before getting started.  Knowing where to start, what steps to take and in which order.  Sometimes this may slow down my progress but it also keeps me sane.  (I know, that's a matter of opinion!).  I just strongly dislike house wide chaos...

Scott is a Doer.  (Have you ever heard the term, "Bulldozer"?)   He wants to know what the end-goal is and then he jumps right in to start tackling whatever aspect is in sight.  He doesn't let any grass grow under his feet!  He doesn't like mapping out the steps or explaining why he is doing what he is doing.  If I say, "Honey, what do you think about tearing down this wall to open up the kitchen?", he has his sledge hammer out in the blink of an eye.

Some people say we balance each other out...or...
Opposites attract...or...
We complete each other...

Call it whatever you want.  When it's time to work on a big project together it goes something like this...

Scott "So, what do you want done?"
Me "I want to purge and organize the pantry, closet and garage storage space."
Scott "Okay, what are you doing with this and this and this..." grabbing miscellaneous items.
Me "Wait a minute, I need to look at that..."
Scott doesn't hear because he's too busy moving large armfuls of stuff to different areas of the house to clear a way for his new shelving project.
Me "Hey, we need to look at this project and figure out what shelving and storage containers we already have to utilize and what items we KNOW we need to have a permanent space for."  And yes, I speak in run on sentences too...
Scott "Where do you want this and this and this..." holding out miscellaneous things.
Me "Hey, can we plan to do this in several stages so we don't have everything strewn throughout the house for days on end ,when we aren't able to work on it?"
Scott "Hhhmmmphfff" still moving things to miscellaneous piles throughout house.
Me "Hey, we need to define our storage needs so that we get it right the first time and don't have to do it all over again in six months or a year."
Scott "Uh Huh" Hands me a clipboard and pencil.  "What are we keeping?"
Me "Do we want to move the pantry items to the stairwell closet so they are closer to the kitchen and the DIY stuff to the garage or laundry room?"
Scott "Sure."
Scott standing in the laundry room "We obviously need storage for paper and plastic bags."  As he pulls countless bags out of the little pocket of space that had been formed between the cabinet and the freezer.
Me "Can we just start with the first space and clear it out and get it ready for what we KNOW we want there..."
Scott "We need a spot for food, and chemicals, and extra kitchen gadgets, and cleaners, and bags, and we need a laundry sorting doodad...and..."
Me "I can't do this with you tonight..."

I like a plan.  He likes action.

Moral of this story:  Do not tell Scott there is a project until you have completely mapped out the plan of action.

These basic differences can sometimes cause me stress when we are working on a project TOGETHER.

That may have something to do with why we seem to settle into our own separate projects most of the time, or work on the same project in "shifts" (i.e. ~ he does the sanding...I do the painting).

We have a lot of stuff to go through, purge, donate, sell, junk, and organize. We don't really have a space to lay it all out and organize it all at once. How are we going to accomplish this project without driving each other CRAZY?

Did I mention I work from home. With numerous young children running around our house? I have a need for uncluttered spaces! I cannot have piles and piles of stuff strewn throughout our house during the week. I just can't.
Needless to say, last night was a chocolate and wine night for me.  ;) 

Aaaaaaand I played around on Pinterest looking for the perfect pantry and laundry room spaces to give us ideas!!!

Pantry Ideas:

via Pinterest and http://cleanandscentsible.blogspot.com

Via Pinterest and http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com

Via Pinterest (uploaded by user)

Via Pinterest (uploaded by user)

Via Pinterest and http://www.realsimple.com

Via Pinterest and http://sissyprint.blogspot.com/search/label/organization

Via Pinterest and http://www.etsy.com/listing/61189102/pantry-kitchen-stickers-labels-print

 LAUNDRY ROOM IDEAS:

Via Pinterest and http://mydesigndump.blogspot.com/2010/03/laundry-rooms.html

Via Pinterest and http://alkemie.blogspot.com/2009/03/spring-cleaning-inspirational-laundry.html

Via Pinterest (uploaded by user)

Via Pinterest and http://remodelingtherapy.com/lovely-laundry-rooms/

Via Pinterest and http://shopruche.blogspot.com/2011/08/if-ruche-were-laundry-room.html

Via Pinterest and http://ana-white.com/2010/11/laundry-basket-dresser

***UPDATE***

*I was able to move the pantry items to the new storage shelving under the stairs, leaving that huge cabinet in the laundry room empty and ready to be moved out of there.

*Scott was able to empty the contents of the small chest freezer into the freezer in the garage,  get it out of the laundry room and ready to put on Craigslist.

*I've also identified several items that we can definitely PURGE. 

THINGS ARE GETTING DONE!!!

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Imagine the Impossibilities Challenge

When I sat down at my computer this morning I had a nice message from Karah @ The Space Between Blog.  She was inviting me to take part in the "Imagine the Impossibilities Challenge" that several Bloggers have started.  I was reluctant when I read the note asking me to take part in this challenge.   My mind immediately went to all of the things that I would like to do ~ but just cannot afford. 

But that's not what this is about, right? 

It's about challenging ourselves to give it a go, even if we are afraid; and hopefully accomplishing something that we always thought was unattainable.  Maybe it requires a skill we do not possess.  Maybe it requires time we do not feel we have.  Maybe it requires thinking outside of the box and being more creative with how we make it happen;  as in, not taking the usual route (or the route where you just go down and buy a solution at the hardware store).

So, when I thought about it this way ~ it became something appealing. 

You know...a CHALLENGE!

All I need to do is convince my Partner In Crime that this is necessary.  See, we may not have the money or the time ~ but what we do have is the inspiration, the passion and the sheer stubbornness to make the impossible happen. 

With that said we are committing to give our utmost to:

The Great Purge and Organization of 2012...Clarke Edition

This will include:

1. The garage storage space.
2. The dual laundry room and "pantry" (pantry is used lightly here ~ as it's just a big, inexpensive Home Depot cabinet pushed into the room to store our food and extra kitchen items.)
3. The closet under the stairs.  We have already started with some added shelving in this area.

I was avoiding putting this out there, as a goal or resolution, because it just seems so unbelievably daunting when I stand and look at all the collected "mess" and what we have to do.  We need to purge years of possessions.  Some will be hard to let go.  Gulp.  And we need to devise a new and more organized way of storing what we cannot purge...giving everything it's own designated place so that it is easy to maintain and also attractive. 

Before pictures to follow.  You totally will understand why this feels impossible when you see them!

Wish Us Luck!

And don't forget to check out the ladies who are hosting this challenge:

• Kari – Thistlewood Farm. Cooking is not her thing, but homemade bread is her challenge.
• Kelly – Eclectically Vintage. For all of you with basements that become black holes filled who knows what, she is going to be purging and organizing 16 years stuff. 

• Linda – It All Started With Paint. Painting a vaulted ceiling.

• Stacey – A Sort of Fairy Tale. For someone who has hovered at the pillow case stage of sewing she will be attempting to sew a purse. 

• Andrea – The Cottage Market. She is going to be organizing her craft room. 

• Khara from The Space Between - Hang a gallery wall while putting only one hole in the wall (she's a renter and can't mutilate her walls)

Thanks for stopping by, and please think about taking part in this challenge with me and all of the others involved!  It will be fun if we do it together!!!

Sherry

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