It seems like all I do these days is talk about things I want to improve…and I kind of feel like I’m on some crazy self-improvement mission.

This past week has seen some pretty great successes in various areas of my life, the biggest area being my purging and organizing.

I showed you the new desk from last week (which, I know, bringing more things into the house does not really fit with the whole “purging” thing, but just hear me out). Since I got the pretty new desk, the old desk had to go.

Have I mentioned how much I love Craig’s List? Put that baby up before I went to bed, had three responses by noon, and it was gone before 2PM. Now that is some purging… got rid of 70+ pounds and three square feet of unnecessary in one morning. Rock.

So, the new desk…it’s not completely done, but it’s done enough for the time being. It’s been sanded within an inch of it’s life, and painted with several coats of gray, blue and white. I haven’t found new hardware for the drawers yet, but it works out pretty well, since it means that the girls can’t get in there. I’m pretty thrilled with the whole thing so far.

This project taught me that it is so worth it to sand between coats of paint. The finish is so smooth that its hard to keep myself from touching it all of the time. Seriously, I sit there and feel my desk up. Its bad.

Now, the plan is to eventually replace the middle drawer (which is not there in these pictures) with a keyboard tray and build doors on the front of the desk to conceal the keyboard tray and my massive machine, Shelby.

Yes, I named my computer. And yes, I do like to “go big,” how did you know? No cute little laptops for me!

So, on the organizing front, I actually still have boxes and boxes and boxes full of papers and other random junk on the floor of the dining room that I need to go through. Some is trash, some is paperwork that needs to be filed, some is just completely random crap that I have no idea what to do with. But none of it is coming to my new desk until it has been gone through and dealt with. I am determined to keep a nice, clean desk area, so nothing gets to come to the new desk until it has been needed. Then, when I need it, I make sure there is a logical place for it.

I kind of feel like I’m to the “hard part” now. Oh, well, at least I’ve got a pretty place to do it!

My new desk! So much better

I either need a keyboard tray, or a wireless keyboard and mouse…those cables are bugging me

Some pretty desk things…including my vintage Rolodex that will become a calendar and a cigar box that I use to hold my small USB cables (for cameras and such)

And more pretty desk things…including my planner with custom fabric cover (seen here) and my mason jar pencil holder

A close-up of pretty things. I got this bird at a Mast General Store on vacation last year and the vase was a wedding present from the infamous and indescribable Barney Oatmeal.

The awesome pull-out extra desktop thing. Wonder what this is actually called? I’m sure it has a name.

Here’s where the organizational magic happens…

The top drawer houses my supplies for now. I used some little cup/bowl things to break up the drawer space and organize the supplies. There’s also a special “Mom bowl” for me to stash broken toys or random things I’ve taken from the girls, plus my Tide-to-Go pens.

The second drawer houses my “Active Files” (thanks Morgan & Beth!) The sections are labeled “Bills to Pay,” “Pending,” “To File,” “To Read,” “To Respond,” and the back section is for mailing supplies.

The “To File” section

Behind the other sectioned areas that hold my active files, at the back of the drawer, is a space for my note cards, envelopes and stamps.

Ok, so now, the big “Before and After”…

The desk…

And the office area…

I would definitely call this progress. Still a long way to go…

Tags: Thursday Purgeday

This entry is filed under Furniture, Organization.

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