You know... until I decided to throw myself whole-heartedly into the Process of Editing and Purging and only retain what is REALLY ME... well, I really hadn't been making significant Progress. I hadn't realized how Cathartic it could and would be once I got absolutely Serious about it. Or what a difference it would make in how I felt about my Surroundings and my Ability to do this without feeling Overwhelmed by the prospect of getting it done!
And I Challenged myself to tackle the worst section of the Main House first once I'd made up my Mind to become Dead Serious about it and Accomplish so much more than I had in the Great Edit and Purge Process of 2012. Which had it's measure of Success, but not really at the Level it needed to be since it was a Project in it's Infancy Stage.
It had of coarse helped that I'd necessitated Princess T finally having her own Room and doing that Library Room Conversion and to Clear Out and Organize the Storage Cottage first as 2013 began, because it gave me the necessary Momentum and Confidence that once I was Driven to Succeed at this, it wasn't that difficult at all really.
Now the worst Hoarded part of the Main House was actually one of the Smallest and Obscure Spaces... and perhaps it's size is what made it look so bad and so Overwhelming, I don't know? It was a Sad Neglected Little Space that I typically Avoided because of the deferred maintenance and total lack of Organization of it. It was dusty and ridiculously cluttered with even a few Cobwebs! *Gasp!* But it has a large Sunny Window and Bright Light spills into it every Morning... which simply Illuminated the Neglect to me... my Neglect... and so I tried not to acknowledge and confront it's condition for far too long.
It's actually a portion of our Master Bedroom, which over the Years that the Main House had been subdivided into Small Apartments, had been converted at one time into a tiny Kitchenette since the Room is L-Shaped. Very Old Houses that became subdivided into multiple Residences over the Years are not uncommon in Arizona... bringing them back to a Single Family Residence Status is Challenging since it can be a Quirky Floorplan in the Extreme sense.
And being Quirky myself, well, there are some things that I intentionally left "As Is" rather than totally Changing them at all... and just Re-Purposed and Upcycled, which is my Custom with most Projects. So I just covered up the Old Enamel Sink with an Antique Cupboard Door and decided to Utilize the Kitchenette Countertop, Cupboards and Drawers for Linens we use in our Bedroom... and also to stash baskets of Laundry destined for the Laundromat out of sight. But then I found this Awesome Old Seafoam Green rolling Chest to also Store Clean Linens in, so that ended up around the Corner too! *Winks* As did Canvas and Rattan Baskets full of Vintage Pillows not in Use and waiting for Rotations in Styling.
And fairly soon every odd and end that fit the bill of needing somewhere to be Stashed temporarily seemed to end up in this Space! Probably because it was out of Sight and therefore, mostly out of Mind... well... until you moved the Room-Divider Screen in it's entryway and got the unpleasant Visual of the now Hoarded Mess that is!
And after Inheriting the Grandson to Raise we needed more Furniture to Store some of his Clothing that wouldn't fit in the tiny Closet in the Kid's Bedroom, which initially he was Sharing with his Uncle before The Son was Grown and moved out. Yes, The Son moved out for several Years after Graduation and only moved back to inhabit my Studio Cottage when the Economy went kaput! Old Houses mostly and generally have Small Closets, if they even have Closets at all since Chiffarobes and Armoires were used more often at the turn of the Century since People didn't have such extensive Wardrobe and Accessories as we think we need to have now. *LOL* And so yes, the Cool Old Ten Dollar Chest Of Drawers with Caster Wheels and great Glass Knobs and Wood Flourishes that I 'Scored' for Prince R ended up around the Corner too now! See the Pattern that was developing for this poor Tiny Room!?!
But Today I'm Proud to Announce that the Space is now completely Edited, Purged and Clutter Free... totally Functional and Organized as it was Intended to be with only a fraction of the Linens, Quilts, Bedspreads, Baskets and Pillows it once held. After I'd asked myself the Important Questions... such as, Good Lord, do you really NEED a change of Vintage Linens and Pillows for every Day of the Year?!? How many of these do you absolutely LOVE and are the Style you want to Decorate the Boudoir with now or use often? It's actually Refreshing to only have what is absolutely LOVED and NEEDED... and to have the rest find New Homes where they might be equally Loved and Needed by their New Families. I still have to dust and give some things a thorough Deep Clean and Shine before I consider it 'Done'. And so the Progress Continues... in Earnest... and it FEELS SO GOOD, I cannot even begin to tell you!
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian