52 Weeks to an Organized Home & 2012 Declutter Calendar: Week 1 & Day 1

I decided to work on the 52 week challenge and the 2012 Declutter & Organize Calendar

Why both?  Well, I'm going back to work near the end of August (full time with 4 kids) and we need to do some renovations.   I think doing both will help accomplish what we need to get done for the renovations and will make my life easier when I go back to work.

This week (Jan 2, 2012) the 1st week challenge is Kitchen Organization: Countertops and Sinks.

Today for the 2012 Declutter Calendar it is to create a "Donation Station"- right now I have way too much to be donated - so I can't very well create a station.  I intend to create one after the HUGE pile I have to donate is gone.  So far it's 2 garbage bags and 4 boxes of stuff. I think that there will be more though.

I'm not going to post before pictures....no one needs to see that lol.

Small basket where I let the tupperware dry is left on the counter as it is used daily.

Going to make room in the cupboard above for the pitcher, we use it to fill the keurig instead of taking it apart.  The storage tower and green bin is the girls hair accessories.  I think I will find a new home for them when we renovate.

Added a basket for phone books etc and took our the white wire rack we used to have there.

You will need to ignore the glare - our large window does not have any window covering and lets in a lot of natural light.  The kitchen sink and bar counter tend to accumulate a lot of stuff.  I am hoping to get a small basket for mail and it will be a put in (mail etc) and clean out once a week basket.

Here is the 'donation station' at the moment,  a 'real' one will be made later.

Day 2 on the declutter calendar was to declutter the top of your cabinets and dust.  Since I didn't make a donation station for Day 1, I decided to do Day 2.  I don't remember the last time I dusted up there (I think dh did it last time).  The cupboards tops are really high and I don't like heights.  Standing on a regular chair wasn't tall enough for some of them so I had to stand on a bar stool.  I am happy to say it is dust free up there.  The items that are decorative on the top are dusted/washed and a lot of items have been taken down and will be donated or used.


Week 1 also requires the kitchen table to be cleaned off.  I was side tracked helping my dd1 go through her craft supplies as she will be receiving a desk from our neighbours, so I will get to the kitchen table at a later time.