Closets and dressers. We’ve all had to squeeze our things into an assortment of spaces. From the closets we shared with our sisters to the handful of lopsided dressers in college, I’m willing to bet you’ve seen a lot.  Now my question is about the things you see when you open those spaces.  Are they stuffed with too many things?  Are there things in there that really don’t belong, things that are cluttering your home and your life?  Even enormous closets the size of our house can suffer.  Clutter complicates life.  Unfortunately, closets seem to be the place were clutter quickly collects.

So let’s keep things a little simpler this week, shall we?  Instead of running around the house opening windows (week 1) or rounding up those free flying papers (week 2), let’s stick to one place in our homes.

Free yourself and some of that morning chaos or dread by freeing up your closet. A dresser with less clutter creates a sense of pleasure when you open it.  You can see exactly what you’re looking for without all the distractions.  Less clutter in the morning is the perfect way to open your life to the possibility of more pleasure.

It’s a habit I started forming in high school (the first – and only – time I had my own closet).  My sister started appearing with clothes that I knew were mine… I just didn’t remember seeing them in the closet.  I started recognizing that I had a problem with too much.  Here’s a solution.  I try to follow it several times a year.

You ready?  I promise it won’t take more than twenty minutes (unless your clothes storage IS the size of our apartment):

1. Pull out everything that isn’t clothing related.  Sock drawers always become holding places for small items.  Closet shelves start holding random things and hiding sweaters.  If you’re keeping random household things in your clothing space, take them out now.  Put them somewhere else, give them away, or toss them right now.

2. Donate 5 things.  Stand in front of your dresser and promise yourself that you will take out five things that you no longer need.  Open it up and start pulling.  Then repeat at the closet.  You’d be amazed by how many t-shirts from various fundraisers and organizations can build up at the bottom of your drawers.

3. Get rid of extra hangers. Pull out all the extra hangers if they’re building up.  Metal hangers can be donated to dry cleaners.  Donation centers and charities are often short on hangers, so pass on your excess.  Don’t throw it away.

That’s it.  No more.  You’re done.

As for our house?  Here are the closet discoveries heading to our local donation center:

(image by Katie for Making This Home)

With spring just weeks away, I was trying to think of something crafty and festive that I haven’t done in a while.  You remember salt clay?  I’d nearly forgotten its existence.  Fortunately, it’s easy.  It’s cheap.  And it’s something so basic that you probably have everything you already need.  Gotta love a little spring project you can whip together with no sweat.  Here’s mine:

Nests are pretty easy to make.  The dishes are perfect for holding earrings and small items, too.  I’m having a tough time leaving mine as is… upgrades to come later this week!

Homemade salt clay

1/2 c flour
1/4 c plus 2 tbl salt
1/4 c water
2 tbl cooking oil
drop of essential oil (optional – I loved the peppermint smell as these baked)
drop of food coloring (optional)

1. Mix together the flour, salt, and oil in a small bowl.  
2. Combine water, essential oil, and food coloring.  Add slowly to flour mixture, stirring throughout.
3. Shape items and bake at 300 degrees F (150C) for around 45 minutes (longer for thicker items)

Makes two nests.

Split the dough in half.  Make a ball, and poke your thumb into it to start forming a pinch pot.  Keep working your thumb around and around the clay, squeezing outward.  This clay isn’t particularly strong, so use a bowl for better structure.

Trim the excess off the edges of your bowl to make it even.  (The cut-off pieces become the eggs)

Remove the clay from the bowl, place on a piece of foil, and roll little balls in your hands for the eggs with leftovers.  Start baking.  Flip the bowl over halfway through cooking so that everything dries out evenly.  Easy, peasy, huh?

With our major remodel project done, I’m having a tough time sitting still right now. I keep thinking about where our house is now and what we need to do to make it our home.

It’s sort of like the feeling when you just move in to a new place. You might want to hurry and get everything put away so life can resume.  Of course, remodeling has been so much of our life, and there’s really no way to resume that on such an extensive level.  I just haven’t reached a point where I know how to stop yet.

It’s time to sit down and enjoy what we have.  

Our homes are here to work for us.  Their job is to provide us a warm and loving place where we can really feel like ourselves.  Our job isn’t to work on our home and for our home forever.  So we need to quit striving for the perfect place.  We should try to enjoy and be comfortable.

Some of the plans Martin and I have made to enjoy our home this March are:

Please feel free to add to this list or edit it in the comments or at home, both for yourself and ideas for others.  It’s time to embrace March.  Are you ready with open arms?

(Image from Flickr)