Do you remember playing the sliding number game when you were a kid?
I remember playing it on long car trips. It was such a challenge to move the numbers around so you could slide the numbers into proper sequence.
Why am I talking about a sliding number game on my blog that has to do with design?
Well, that is what I feel like I have been playing for the last week in my garage.
Yes! I have been cleaning my garage and all I seem to be able to do is slide one box out to slide another one in its place. Too say I am frustrated would be an understatement.
We have lived in our home for over 32 years so there has not been the great big purge that we all do when we move from one house to another. I have purged some, had a couple of garages sales along the way, but nothing of any great significance. Nothing that ever seemed to really make a big difference in its appearance.
I will confess I have way too many things and way too many boxes. I am purging, but obviously not enough because there is no more room at the inn.
I have purged, categorized, labeled, compartmentalized and now for the hard part….. finding room for all the boxes. The sliding box game begins.
I am not going to show you any horrible BEFORE images, trust me they are horrible. Nor will I be showing any glowingly beautiful AFTER images. I just needed to tell you all, my dear readers! I feel over whelmed!!!
Do you get this way when you are trying to accomplish something, and in the middle of it you realize all your hard work really did not make a big difference?
I have looked at organized garages, and to be frank, they don’t have a lot of stuff like I do, in fact they have very little. I am beginning to think those that have organized garages have attic space or basement space where they hide all their boxes of stuff!! I am a pretty logical gal so trust me, I know I need to get rid of more stuff!!
Am I the only one with a dirty, cluttered garage or are there more of you out there?
If I could have a dream come true garage it would look like this………….
Only in my dreams!!
This is one time I can truly say I am NOT…..
“Enjoying the Process!!”
17 comments:
It is way too hot to even consider working in the garage here...but mine needs organizing in the worst way. We have 3 bays. Two for the cars that are totally empty except for the cars. An opening leads to the third where all the things that I am accumulating for jobs or to be fixed for the store etc. land. It's a real mess. Wish I had put a door on it. This will be a process that I do not enjoy!
Kathysue! Your posts aren't coming to my email anymore :( I hadn't seen one on a few days, so I can over to check on you and saw that you ARE posting but they are not coming to me...thought you'd want to know. Sorry, that would put me in a full panic, but I'm sure you can handle it!!
Stacy
I have never been able to keep a garage the way I want to. An attic is the only answer if you are not willing to get rid of a lot.
Mona is right, Kathsue. You do not need to be out in this heat cleaning out the garage. Be careful.
I wold say have a great day, but that wouldn't fit, lol.
Teresa
xoxo
So, I just re-subscribed and it took it, which I thought it wouldn't since I was already subscribed. Weird. PS -- HATED those sliding boxes because I could never do them. A few years ago I gave my son Bobby one and as trying to show him how to do it (I couldn't) and he took it from me and did it in a minute! :)
I think there's a fungus in my garage, no matter how much I try to "downsize" out there, it keeps on growing. I did organize my husband's tools, labeled the containers even. He wasn't much impressed and he still leaves tools all over, randomly. I've retrained him to pick up his laundry but I'm not going to try with his tools. I just like to find the hammer when I need it.
I wouldn't dare show my garage. It is a mess, but hopefully one day I will have that wonderful organized one you talk about. I just won't hold my breath. Hugs, Marty
I've played the sliding numbers game in my garage so many times over the almost 25 years we've been in our home it's crazy, so I totally get how you are feeling.
You are right though the only way to make real headway is to get rid of stuff. I think that revelation only took me about 18 years or so :)
Remember out of sight out of mind.
Once it's gone you won't remember even ever having it, and the new and improved space will be well worth the effort!
Thing of those shows where the people leave and come back to an uncluttered space and they can't even identify what was eliminated and they live happily ever after.
Hang in there sweet friend... you are half way there!!!
Missing you,
T
xo
Love your dream garage...I too have a dream garage in mind....but this one will do just fine!! I cannot wait to purge, have sooo much to do and get rid of, and its the best feeling to get rid of that junk that we all wonder why in the world we keep! Thanks for the inspiration....
Wow, for a minute, I thought that was your newly organized garage! But no! I know how you feel, it's just a game we play, moving boxes around, fooling ourselves that we are making progress. I have so much accumulated junk that I have given up!
Lovely, but that is a "for show" garage rather than a "for real" garage. We just tackled ours. The first stop was the toxic waste dump for paint and auto cleaners and oils. Then Goodwill for old tools , lamps ( what are lamps doing in there), shelves, exercise equipment no longer used. Whew. Now time to move the rest out and sweep. We even washed the window. I will settle for clean.
Kathysue, Organization is a struggle for me. V is out of state working so I am going to surprise him and organize his office. Put new curtains up. maybe a new plant. Today I have been going through papers , and it looks as though I have done more harm than good! haha!
Have a PRETTY day!
Kristin
Moving helped but before we moved our huge basement storage area was sheer embarassment. It felt SO GOOD to purge. Hang in there.
Sometimes I can convince myself to get rid of something by:
1. Telling myself it's selfish to keep something I don't use when someone else really needs it.
2. Remind myself if I desperately miss something I've gotten rid of, I can replace it.
*** Hi, Sweetie~~~ CONGRATS on tackling what is USUALLY a nasssssty ol' job, & ESPECIALLY in SUMMER! (Argh! It's WAAAAY too hot here in AZ... in the low 100's everyday... and ONE day it hit 115!!!!!!!! EEKS!!!! CALGON TAKE ME AWAAAAAY...)... So, ANY KIND of garage cleaning is a "fall or spring" thing for most folks here...
* Anyway, whenever my BFF & her husband are visiting (or vice versa), we laughingly "compare" who SPENT the most by the end of the day'S SHOPPING.... Annnnd THEN it's, "she who has spent the most, WINS!"... (Isn't that the fun kind of silliness what BFFs are FOR?). ANYHOOOO, we were ALWAYS entertaining & I just "couldn't DO the same table TWICE, for ANYONE!!! (BESIDES, THAT's always the FUN PART!!!)... But, it DOES cause some STORAGE ISSUES, no matter HOW big the house!
We've got the largest storage rental available, PLUS, had wonderful built-ins installed EVERYWHERE in the ENTIRE 3 1/2 car garage to boot! Yessireebob, 28 moves in 38 years, & often times we would host a dinner or cocktail party within just a few weeks of moving in... (I often wondered, after each move & allllll the work it takes, WHY-O-WHY am I NOT a size 2 from all my conscientious efforts to get our home decorated ASAP???? I mean, completely resetting up home is BIG WORK, as all who have done it realize... so that elusive size 2, 4, 6, or 8 not "working?~~~~ "NOT FAIR, NOT FAIR!!!").
Our last move home from 3 years in Europe required 2 1/2 18-Wheelers to deliver all of our "stuff" back to America... I thought they'd NEVER stop bringing in things from those trucks!!!
Now I'm getting sooooo lazy about it all, that I've adopted the attitude of "If I can't take it with me, I'm not GOIN!!!"... SMILES!
Hugs,
Linda in AZ *
bellesmom1234@comcast.net
Of course I had a sliding box!! Along with many other games and puzzles like this. I can't even contemplate the garage. I first have too many other spaces that need organizing!!
HI KS, I am SOOOOO glad I am not the only one!!!! I have SOOOO much STUFF That I do the moving boxes game all the time too!!!!!!!!!! I have TONS of dishes and all things related and not a big space to keep it all together SO, I end up moving things with the seasons and/or holidays and it is WORK!!!!! Up and down the steps or in and out from the garage or attic, yes there is stuff everywhere! I do plan to clean out our garage this summer if and when the temps go down some! Hang in there. Can't wait to see the after pics:):) Maybe it will inspire me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XO, Pinky
First of all, if I started cleaning out my garage today, I would die of the heat and lets just home someone would find me!!! Kathysue...I would not show ANYONE pictures of my garage...it is an absolute mess and I can't clean it out because I am deathly afraid of spiders! It is a small single garage with no windows or anything. Maybe in the fall.....hope you are making progress....
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