Week 3 Continues: Room A Week, Bag A Day Challenge

The Room:
This closet! I'm still in disbelief over how much stuff was in one closet.  But now it's all done!  Here's the before...

And here's the after...

I've got it down to 6 suitcases!  The only other items going in this closet right now are wedding tablecloths, a few gifts for future events and a porta-crib for when my grandkids are over.  There's lots of room to spare... 

because I have a plan for this closet that's going to help me with a room I'm doing later in the challenge.  I'm so excited for my newly acquired storage space.  So, what did I do with all the stuff that was in the closet?  

The Bag:

It's all going to the garage sale- or to sell on facebook.  This photo doesn't do the pile justice.  Here we have 9 formal dresses, a huge box of baby clothes, breast pump, toys, gifts, christmas decor,  and tons of miscellaneous items! 

 And don't forget...

Lots of luggage.  There's 4 pieces tucked neatly inside this big suitcase.  So how much did it all weigh?  I was astonished... 90 1/2 pounds!  All in one closet!

How's your house diet going?  Make sure to email me your progress at kkbiggs@hotmail.com

Total Loss: 268 pounds

Week 3: Room A Week, Bag A Day Challenge

The Room:
 I may have bit off more than I could chew today!   I decided to tackle the hall closet,  here's a peek...

This closet is in a narrow hallway so it's difficult to get a good picture, but it doesn't look too bad...right?  This is where we store formal dresses, our luggage, past baptism dresses, wedding dresses and a few gifts for future needs.  I had no idea that when I pulled everything out it would look like this...

 It goes all the way down the hall people!  We own over 12 suitcases! When all of our children lived at home we were a family of 8- I have no idea why we have 12 suitcases.  I found an entire box of Little Biggs' 6 baby clothes I didn't even know I had.  You may not know this about me, but I'm generally not a saver of things like baby clothes.  I keep all my girls first shoes, blessing dress and baptism dress and that's about it.  This box has apparently been hiding in this closet for nearly 6 years!    Well, it's time to purge!  Here's a look at the empty closet...

And thats all I have to say about that- I was overwhelmed and exhausted and needing to get things ready for my vintage market- so THE BAG will have to wait (I promise it's going to be more like THE TRUCKLOAD! when I'm finished)

How's your progress coming?  Anyone else overwhelmed?  Here's a few inspiration shots I received...

 Movies and books getting sorted.  Here's the after...

 And here's her trash, donate sell pile...

She says the dog is still loved and not going anywhere!  Here's another inspiring pic...

 "A full clean out of under the kitchen sink, with new pipes and parquet tile.  This was necessitated by a broken pipe from the disposal, making it appear that someone had lost their lunch under it. "

Thank you for not sending the before pic of that :)

You can email me your progress at kkbiggs@hotmail.com

Total loss:  177 1/2 (still)

Here's the information on our Boutique this weekend right here in Mesa...

End of Week 2: Room A Week, Bag A Day Challenge

For more details about the Room A Week, Bag A Day Challenge click Here

Remember last Thursday when I said our Arizona Room looked so much better?  Well, Here's an update...

 In order to do that deep clean I talked about, all the baskets and toys needed to be taken out of the cabinet, Then the cabinet needed to be moved so I could clean behind it...

Just when I thought I was done with little pieces, UGH!  However, after another 5 hours of cleaning and scrubbing, here she is all purty!

All the basket liners were washed and each toy was cleaned with bleach water.

 All of the art supplies are neatly organized and easy to access

 We've had this little tikes barbie playhouse for almost 25 years! A little bath and it looks just like new.

Play kitchen cleaned from top to bottom!  It feels really great to walk into this room and know its been decluttered, organized and cleaned.  Here's an overall after shot of the adult side...

And the kids side...

So much less clutter!  Speaking of less clutter, here's 

The Bag:

More toys, a couple extra sorting bins and a bag of trash.  My grandkids will be adopting some of the toys and the storage bins, but there are still plenty of items being donated to our garage sale.  This "bag" weighed in at 15 pounds!  I can't believe how much weight we've lost in just two weeks, but were not done yet!  It's a new week and that means a new room.  This week is a little crazy for me since I have a 3 day boutique I'm participating in, so I chose the master bedroom for week 3. Despite how cluttered and crazy my house can get with all of our projects and buying and selling business- I believe in having a retreat to go to at night,  so I generally keep the chaos out of our bedroom.  I would venture to say it's usually the cleanest room in the house.  Here's the before pics... 

A basket of laundry, shoes and a few pillows on the floor from the kids isn't too bad, right?  What is bad is the two closets (I'm sure we'll be able to fill several bags this week) and the dust!  When you have wood floors there's no hiding the dust!  Today I started the journey with the biggest item in the room...

The bed!  I love the feel of fresh clean sheets- I also love a made up bed- another goal I need to work on!  Wish me luck as I conquer the dust bunnies and closets.  

I'd love to see your progress!  You can email pics to kkbiggs@hotmail.com.

Total Loss: 177 1/2 pounds

Week 2 Almost Done: Room A Week, Bag A Day Challenge

The Room:  

It looks much better today!  All the toy baskets are officially sorted!  

 I still need to finish actually cleaning the second half of the room, but I've got a vintage market to set up for today, so I was on a major time crunch.  I did manage to fill a few bags though.
The Bag...

 Lots of great toys for the garage sale, a basket of trash and a bucket of recycle.  22 pounds lighter, we're getting there!  Can't wait to show you the after on Monday.

On a side note, if you love rustic, chipping, antique, vintage, etc. etc.  Come see me this weekend at  Front Porch Pickins!  We're in space L3!

Feel free to email me photos of your progress at kkbiggs@hotmail.com- I'd love to hear from you.  

Total loss:  162 1/2 pounds

Week 2 Continues: Room A Week, Bag A Day Challenge

The Room:

Today the Arizona Room definitely took on the "worse before it gets better stage" I've talked about.  Lots of toy sorting with the kids...

 Here's a look from the other side...

I swear there's a method to our madness, but do you know how many small pieces there are when you have 6 daughters who all have loved barbies, little people and polly pockets?  My goal is to wash all  the basket liners so we sort, empty, take out the liner and then refill the naked basket, just so we don't undo any of our sorting work.  We were also able to get a few things placed in a garage sale bag.

The Bag...

 9 1/2 pounds from just a few toys and a small amount of trash.  Here's an inspiration shot I received from a friend...

"After picture of the top of my washer & dryer, as the before was too embarrassing.  Just know that the cabinet doors couldn't be closed for the bottles of cleaning supplies and mound of outgrown clothing.  Two bags of boys clothing donated."

Feel free to email me photos of your progress at kkbiggs@hotmail.com- I'd love to hear from you.  

Total loss:  140 1/2 pounds

Week 2: Room A Week, Bag A Day Challenge!

The Room

Today I started with our book and game cupboard.  Here's the before...

 It actually wasn't too bad!  But the after is definitely better...

I was also able to vacuum all the furniture, clean 1 of the 3 ceiling fans, wash 1 set of french door windows and 3 out of 6 picture windows, clean half of the baseboards and vacuum and mop about half the room!  Here's the after...

The Bag:

The kids started working on those toy baskets and were able to come up with one bag for the garage sale (a few puzzles, a book, wood train set with tracks and a race car track)  11 pounds worth!

I'd love to hear how your house is losing weight.

Total Loss:  131 pounds

End of Week 1: Room A Week, Bag A Day

It's already been a week and it feels so good to simplify!  

The Room:

As part of my family room deep clean I washed all of my slipcovered furniture.  Here's what it looks like naked...  

I also cleaned and restyled my shelves.  Here's the before...

I find it easiest to just remove everything, wash it all down, and start over...

Here's the afters of my family room after it's been cleaned from top to bottom...

Here's the restyled shelves (still more work to do here)

 This next corner looks a little sad...

I think it needs a big sign or something- and I definitely need to repaint the clock- or just sell it!  My mind is already working on a new 6 week challenge.  Maybe after the first of the year I'll kick off a redecorating series.  After spending a week cleaning the same room, I've noticed so many changes I'd like to make!   One thing at a time, right?  

Well, right now it's time for room 2.  I've chosen the Arizona room, also known as the toy room.  Here's some before pics...  

One end is all toys.  Here's a closer look...

I love to keep everything contained.  Labeled and contained.  The problem with this room is that the labels don't necessarily match the containers anymore.  Here's an example... 

The basket is clearly marked, "magnets" and yet I don't see a single magnet inside.  The kids will be helping me with this room.  We're going to sort through each basket, organize it, and hopefully put this room on a little diet!  Here's the other end of the Arizona room...

 This is the adult side.  It usually stays fairly clean...

 But if you look closely, you'll see that occasionally toys tend to migrate to this end.

It will be another top to bottom clean, organize and purge week!  I can't wait to get started.  

The Bag:

This basket lives on the bottom shelf in our family room- it's where we store our church books.  When I emptied it, this is what I discovered...

We own 10, extra copies, of the book of mormon.  3, extra copies, of Preach My Gospel. A bunch of old programs, coloring books etc.  And two copies of Everyday Missionaries that actually belong to our church.  I will be returning Everyday Missionaries to the church, and donating the rest of the extra books.  Total weight lost...23 1/2 Pounds!   Since it was the weekend I was able to do a second bag;  home decor I don't love anymore.

 15 Pounds worth of home decor.  Some will go to the garage sale and some to my next vintage market.  

How's your progress?  Here's a few inspirational pictures from a friend;

 "This is before.  Things would fall out every time I opened the cabinet door."

"Who knew I have an excessive amount of cups, plates, napkins & utensils, all needing to be corralled."

"Only took a trip to IKEA and now isn't she lovely?"  Yes it is!  Hope you're all feeling inspired and lighter!

Total Loss:  120 pounds