Phase One

During most of my spring break, I've been feeling overwhelmed, over stressed, and over extended. Not my usual recipe for a week of relaxation.

Yesterday afternoon I decided that enough is enough. It's time to focus on living my life in the balance that is right for me. So today I started Phase One.

Phase One involves giving my apartment a fresh, organized feel. I don't have a whole lot of space to accomplish this, but I can still get things changed up. So far today I've managed to:

Move all of the books off of my small bookshelf in my apartment and onto my large bookshelf in the house. Anyone looking at that bookshelf this morning would have thought it was too full to put more stuff on, but they'd have been wrong.

Empty and move one of the many yarn containing baskets from the floor of my apartment. I still have the basket, it's much too nice to get rid of. I just didn't need it sitting around on my floor taking up space. So I put all of the yarn and to-be-deconstructed sweaters from the basket into the zippered bag that's on top of the large bookcase in the house that already had some yarn and sweaters in it. I then put Craig's empty hangers in the basket, and put the basket where the hangers had been.

Hang my invisible book holder in my apartment. I picked this neat thing up at the Container Store, and I have 7 of my most favorite books on it. It attaches to the wall, and the books lay horizontal on it, and you can't see any part of the bracket. Basically, it makes your favorite books into wall art.

Consolidated my jewelry into two small jewelry boxes. I've had three jewelry boxes for at least 10 years now, but I really didn't have enough jewelry to fill three jewelry boxes. I condensed, threw out the junk (it's everywhere!!!) and now I have much nicer, neater storage.

Measured, leveled, and marked for my new little floating "Trophy Shelf" that I picked up at Home Depot. It's going above my dresser, and will hold my jewelry. Imagine, not having to cross the room to pick out a pair of earrings when I'm getting my clothes together. It's amazing. Unfortunately, this is where I've hit a minor road block in Phase One. I need a drill to set in the drywall bolts, and I don't have a drill. Chris does, so I'll just have to wait till he gets home from work this afternoon to borrow it. I also have two floating corner shelves that I will need the drill for, so I'll get those all measured, leveled and marked so that installation is quick.

I've now finished lunch, and I'm going to run (well, probably walk) over to BB&B to pick up a decorative plate hanger. I've been meaning to get one for about 2 years now, and I really want to hang my nice plate that Mom got me several years ago. I may also stop at one of the local thrift stores to look around.

Taking control feels really good.