March 24, 2008

Taming the Beast

All's quiet on the homefront. R & CJ are both asleep, and I'm enjoying some uninterrupted blogging time. The stillness is welcome after a productive weekend.

Friday, I took CJ to school and then faced the terror we like to call our attic. I don't think I've mentioned that our attic is nearly 1,300 square feet...much of which has been overtaken by boxes and bins and the junk you see here. I could defend explain myself by letting you know that we had 6 weeks to move from our first home. CJ was 3 1/2, and we didn't realize we wouldn't have more children. We moved to a cramped apartment, and threw virtually everything into storage. The next 18 months were consumed with building our current home (R built it himself) and my health problems that resulted in a hysterectomy. We moved a few months afterwards, and I wasn't physically or emotionally able to deal with the baby clothes, etc. that we'd moved with us. Sadly, that was nearly 5 years ago...and I just never made the attic a priority. Honestly, I couldn't get the main part of the house in control, and the thought of dealing with the attic petrified me. And so we have this mess. Warning: these photos are not for the faint of heart!


(Notice the Christmas wreath...it will appear again)

(Note the sleigh bed...it will also appear again)

This is only part of the monster to be tamed.

I worked alone for several hours before picking CJ up from school. She actually wanted to help me when we got back, and the work went much faster. Here's where we left it Friday afternoon.

(The wreath didn't move, but everything else is GONE to make room for our Christmas section)

(Notice all the empty floor space!)

(See the sleigh bed...another object that didn't move)


I gathered the items to take to consignment in the fall (winter clothes & holiday decor):

(A close shot of the area in front of the hot water heater - "Before Pic #1")


I'm well over halfway with the initial sort. I was ruthless. Here's what R hauled to the dump Saturday morning.




Yep...it took more than one trip!

I don't have a picture of what I'll be taking to consignment in the next week or so, but it's a LARGE pile. I promise to give you details soon.

I hope the weather will cooperate and I can get back up there next weekend, while I have momentum. It will be wonderful to get the junk out, but I must confess I dread sorting and organizing through the paperwork, etc. that we'll be keeping. THAT will be much more difficult and time consuming.

One step at a time...

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is a big job, but I bet you feel wonderful after getting rid of so much! Great work!

Lisa Spence said...

Wow! I am so impressed--both with the size of your attic space and your hard work! You're my cleaning / simplifying hero!

Janelle said...

I so want to meet you. You inspire me!

Laura said...

Melissa you are doing fantastic. Slow and steady wins the race! As for the paper I'm suspecting a lot of you will be able to throw out. Do you have a filing cabinet for what remains?

nannykim said...

I bet you it makes you feel good!! I always feel so much better when I get something uncluttered--sometimes you don't think it is bothering you , but when it gets cleaned up you realize it has been bothering you and now you feel more content!

His Girl said...

Well, it looks like my comment got eaten in cyberspace!

which is fine cause i came back and heard that Love Song which is my current favorite song in the world!

so anyway, what I said was something like this post is making me have flashbacks of the Garage of Death!!!

totally want to encourage you to keep at it!!!

do not grow weary in doing good, for in due season you will reap the harvest if you do not give up!

Chris @ Come to the Table said...

It looks great Melissa! You are such an encouragement to me!

Kimberly said...

Great job! It is a process. It may take longer than we'd like, but then, we didn't accumulate it all in a day so it won't all go away in one. (Much as I'd like it to...)
I've enjoyed my visits here and with you via email. Have a great week!

Mary@notbefore7 said...

Wow Melissa! You have really been working hard. I am so impressed and your perserverence in this task. God is going to bless your committment to this! I can't wait to see what He has in store for this "new home" of yours!