Activity 4: Get a fresh perspective
Aside from my messy bookshelf, my biggest problem in my apartment would have to be my hallway. It is long and narrow, and being tiled is a good place to leave my bike. But when I'm not using my bike, but still coming and going, the bike gets in the way as the hallway is so narrow! Note: I did this exercise before mopping, as I remove items when mopping the area but having it completely empty is not how I typically use the hallway. Sometimes the bike is in the laundry, but then it gets in the way there too! Blergh!
It'd be great to have a little hallway table, but then I also need to make sure there's enough space for the bike to be held while I open the door. Maybe the solution for a "landing strip" is to move one of my printers from the printer cabinet, so that I have the free space to dump keys and stuff! Although that doesn't solve my bike problem.
Activity 5: Select a Project
Thinking about the hallway really bothered me, but the lack of storage for things like my different bags (I'm very good at forgetting things, so am better off to have a separate bag for each activity - so I have three kit bags, one for each of swimming, running and the gym), and my cycling bits and bobs really does make me want to take the bookshelf first. I'm sure there's plenty of recycleable materials on the shelves that will create instant space once they're gone. While I am trying to avoid spending money, I am tempted by the idea of buying some drawers or doors for the cabinet so that I can hide things like my small foam roller, yoga mat, stretching elastics, etc. My bookshelf is from Ikea, so there are always components available for it!Activity 6: Choosing Artwork
I have two perfect walls for artwork - above the sofa, and along the living room wall... but as I'm in a rental, I don't want to hang anything up! Also, I am trying to keep costs down.
I already own some unframed photos of Melbourne that I love. If I remove one of the printers from my printer cabinet, I could put one of the photos there - there would still be space to dump small items when getting home! Placement of other photos will require some more thought!
Activity 7: Partytime!
Uh, no. Have a party in my apartment to celebrate how neat it is? Ummm... really not keen on this! I have set up my apartment to deal with at most three people (I have two dining chairs and then my study chair... I could stretch it to four if I bring in my outdoor chair from the balcony). Pass. I'm sharing online anyway, so surely that can count!Activity 8: Flowers and the Kitchen
I bought a replacement casserole dish from Aldi a few weeks ago, but have no home for it (I used it, washed it, and left it on the bench!). So cleaning up the kitchen is a fantastic idea! I already use this to manage my freezer contents, so I printed out another couple of copies for the pantry - one sheet for unopened goodies, and the second for what had been opened but not expired (turns out nothing had expired). I am now slowly working my way through the contents of the second sheet! Once I have made space in the pantry, I'll go about sorting my problem drawer - it's where I put a lot of the utensils that I don't use everyday, and it's difficult to find things at times! Given my pantry has spread from one set of cupboards to three (sharing the space with glassware, plasticware and dinnerware), I just need to rein in the pantry!I'm also meant to make myself a meal. Not the most novel of activites for me, but I decided to put together something from pantry ingredients only. I think I'm addicted to the stuff now - while it's a bit too sweet to eat in one hit, but I'm loving that I have a sweet snack available for the next few days!
No new flowers for now - the yellow roses are still brightening up the living room as it hasn't even been a week since they arrived!
Oh looking at your pics are just inspiring to me as well.
ReplyDeleteEvery two weeks i get into an anxiety spin. There's too much to do, there's heaps of stuff.. I can't handle it. Then i start yelling at people in the house.
What about one of those bike hanging storage things? Can you fit that somewhere?
I think that's why I like this January Cure so much. When I've tried to declutter in the past I go all out and then become overwhelmed by it all. But Apartment Therapy have broken it down to steps that can be easily managed if you continuously work on it a few times a week.
DeleteHa! I'd been putting a little post on bike hanging things together... but I also accidentally stumbled upon a solution (it will turn up in a scheduled post down the track).