Friday, January 14, 2011

Organization Inspiration!

I have been so inspired this past week, in a very good way!   Not by just one, but two of our fellow bloggers!  Both Melanie at Southern Comfort in a Northern Life and Melissa at Melissa's Heart and Home, were my inspirations this week.  What have both these two ladies done that inspired me you ask?  Well, they showed off their organized spaces.  I sooo needed to see that!  There is nothing more convincing then your conscience screaming, "You really oughta do that!". 

So today, I tackled a few spaces of my own.  This is terribly embarrassing but worth it to show you what a difference a gentle nudge can do for you.

This is one of my very small narrow drawers in the kitchen that are in the area between the kitchen and the dining room.  I keep my small candles in this drawer.

 
Miscellaneous linens in this drawer.

And, extra napkins in this drawer.  What a mess they were!

Now... here's the small candle drawer.


And another one I forgot to show you the before of.

Here's the miscellaneous linens drawer.  I only have things like bread basket linens, small runners, linen wine totes.  It looks so much better! I was even able to add all my Christmas dish towels that were cluttering up the everyday dish towel drawers.  That was a big Whew!

And here's my table napkin drawer.  I love what I did here.  I layered them so now I can see them better.  In this drawer I have multiples of napkins.  The ones you can see are sitting on top of a bottom row of more of the same.  This way I can see all the variety rather then having them stacked on top of each other and having to take out a whole stack to see what's underneath.

 
That led me to redo this little napkin holder I also have in the dining room.  It holds just a few of the same napkins that I use more often.  It was getting rather messy too so...

It got it straightened out as well.

Then that led over to one of my pantry's that was really a mess!  I didn't take a lot of before photos, but did take one of the candle area.

Here we have the candle shelf spilling over onto another shelf. 

Here's my after.  I got rid of a few candles I just don't like anymore and had room for the ceramic toppers too.

Above that was my napkin shelf and it is much more organized now too.  I have all my decorator napkins in the back and now have room for the everyday napkins on this shelf too.  I used to have them in the bottom of this cabinet.

Above that are my baggies and other paper products shelf.  Can you believe I had 3 rolls of aluminum foil?

And below is where my outdoor tablecloths and paper towel rolls, (which I need to restock) are stored. 

Then on the opposite side my broom and dusters.  This really is so much better.  I had stuff piled in here too and the broom kept falling out when the door opened.  LOL!  No more!

Now I bet your thinking, Wow!  That was a lot.  I'm not done yet.
I have one more area I tackled to show you.

The bookshelf cabinet.  This is above my bar in the kitchen.  When we lived in the old house I had built in bookshelves and thought I was doing good condensing my books down this much.  But over time they started stacking up again.  It was time to purge.

This is so much more manageable!

Here's my little giveaway collection.

Well, minus the salt and pepper basket in the middle.  Whew!  This really feels good! 

Oh, and Yes Melanie, I still have my food pantry to tackle.  Maybe next week!

Please be sure and visit the following linky parties;

I hope all of you are looking forward to a wonderful weekend.  I certainly am!  If all goes well, God willing, we are headed upstate to an oyster roast with family on Saturday.  I am soo looking forward to getting out of the house after all this snow.  I know most of you are too!

Thanks for stopping by!
Mary

22 comments:

  1. Oh I am so inspired to do just what you did and just tackle those drawers and cupboards! I love to organize but I have to get into the 'mode' and have time to stay in it or it can be frustrating. In order to really do it right, you really need to just keep on going some days don't you agree? I enjoyed your post and am your newest follower. I hope you'll stop by and visit my blog and maybe follow me back sometime too :)

    Michelle
    www.newengland-style.com

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  2. Well now you have inspired me Mary! I need to get some more cleaning and organizing done. I've gotten behind in my schedule because, well, because! Thanks for the gentle nudge!

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  3. What is it about the new year that makes us want to organize? I love it! Your drawers/cabinets look awesome. Great job :)

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  4. Mary you are so kind to mention me and my post. Thank you! I'm so happy to have helped to inspire you. You did a fabulous job! It all looks wonderful and clean. LOVE the napkins all lined up so pretty.

    Happy weekend! ~Melissa :)

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  5. Wow!!! You have been a busy girl! Everything looks so neat and organized! I was all proud of myself for cleaning out one drawer, now you have inspired me to hit the others! Great job and ... don't the Home Interiors Baked Apple Pie candles smell the absolute best!!!

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  6. FANTASTIC!!! You have inspired me. I was neglecting some of those very same spaces in my house.

    By the way, I love that napkin stacky thing of your.

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  7. Way to go, Mary! You really did a lot and it looks so pretty and organized....Christine

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  8. You did an awesome job organizing everything. I love that napkin holder its so pretty! I have been de-cluttering and organizing too. It definitely takes up time but you feel so much better afterwards. I am now your newest follower. Come check me out if you get a chance..

    http://noplacelikehomecraftsdecorbyallyson.blogspot.com/

    ~Allyson~

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  9. I almost didn't find you! I wondered why I hadn't seen too many posts from you on Sailing Simply. Okay, I am now following you, AGAIN!!!

    Good organization makes a person feel in order and calm. When I did the kitchen makeover, I completely cleaned and organized all of the kitchen. Feels good. Now if I can just get the rest of the Christmas stuff put away! Been busy since my mom broke her hip and then I got sick!! Whew...

    Anyway...glad to find you again!

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  10. Girl, you are an organizing machine:) So glad that I could inspire you to tackle a few projects. Maybe I should post some more items that are organized to give people ideas as to what to do. I love it! Great job! Happy Sunday.

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  11. Ahhhh...you girls are really showing me up with this organization stuff. I am one big hot mess around here with disorganization, I best get on it soon!

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  12. WOW Mary! That looks amazing and you are totally giving me the "nudge" now to get crackin on some drawers and cupboards in my house. I feel like everything just got shoved in after Christmas and I need to go back and redo it all. I love how you layered the napkins in one of the drawers and might just be borrowing that idea! Also, I have to tell you how much I loved seeing the drawer handles close up...they are gorgeous! Thank you so much for linking it up to the party this week!
    Vanessa

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  13. Okay Mary, so what time will you be over to organize my shelves and drawers? I will make sure to have lunch ready! :) Great job!

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  14. Visiting from BNOTP MM! Woo-hoo for organization! I've been doing some as well... but you've gotten a lot more accomplished than me ;) Cheers!

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  15. WOW! You've been busy! And this is a great time to do 'spring' cleaning! I've been thinking of trying to get my fabric lined up on the side like your napkins! I think it might work better! ♥

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  16. Awesome job! I just tackled our closet that had candles in it, lol! Feels great to organize.

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  17. You've been busy! Love seeing your organizing skills going on! Now you're making me think of some of my drawers that need this! :)
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  18. Mary, I wish I had all my stuff neat and organized. I need to quit painting and get stuff cleaned up like yours. That idea of putting the napkins standing up like that is a good idea. Thanks again for joining the party.

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  19. Oh my girl!!! you really do like candles!!!!

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  20. I sooo need some in my life!!:)

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  21. You did some great organizing and found interesting ways to display some of your pretties. I really like organized spaces.
    CAS

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  22. You certainly deserve an outing after all that organizing. It all looks really great. This is my first time to your blog & now I'm a new follower. Looking forward to scoping it all out more closely. Have a great time.
    CAS

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