Penthouse overhaul (God help me...)

It's time. 

I've been dreading it for months.

The Penthouse needs an overhaul.

{Shudder}

When we moved into this little piece of Heaven I call my dream house, the Penthouse was pristine...

The walls were naked, the floors uncluttered by bags and boxes and trash, the tables clean and unblemished.

Now after MUCH use, the Penthouse looks like this...

 
We've added a third table for Sid, along with a lovely collection of Ouzo bottles and Cricute robots, photos, trash, too much paper and embellies, and of course the occasional dog turd.

 
I mean LOOK at this... it's madness.  Who can feel creative in this kind of slop? 

 
There are totes and containers everywhere... long forgotten half competed layouts, preplanned pages, leftovers from completed pages, and stickers, chipboard, felt, epoxy, transparencies, buttons, brads, photo corners, fibers, ribbon, cardstock, print papers, and flowers...

Did I mention it's absolute madness?  Okay, just checking.

So today I began cleaning, organizing, and most importantly... PURGING.

I've got scrap crap that's been hanging around since I closed Savannah Scrapbooking over THREE years ago (can you believe it's been that long???)  And I've just finally gotten to the point where I can say, 'If I haven't used it since then, I may as well chunk it.'

So I spent all day Friday sorting through my stuff and assembling a humongo bag of scrap supplies to get rid of.  (Anybody have any ideas?  Should I donate it somewhere or try to sell it?)

My plan is to get rid of anything that doesn't inspire me... I mean, why keep it if it doesn't make sense to use it on one of my layouts? 

Another aspect of my Penthouse overhaul is that I've found dozens... probably hundreds of layouts that need to be put into albums.  Ever since I closed the store, I've just created stuff and then put it in a pile.  The result?

 
A two foot tall tower of completed layouts needing homes.

{Yikes}

I  have a feeling I know what I'll be doing in my spare time in the near future.  Luckily, I stocked up  on albums while I still had the store... I should be good to go.

So... I managed to clean out the corner of doom and collect all the stray layouts.  Next up, the table (my side, not Kristine's... she's on her own.)

I'm feeling energized, and can't wait to get 'er done.  Maybe one more day, and I'll be done.

Inhale, exhale...

I'm pretty sure this Penthouse overhaul would qualify for an HGTV show!

Comments

[Gail Torres]

God bless you, Jamie. I feel your pain and I'm in the same boat with you. My scrapbook room is a total disaster. My sister in law has offered to organize it for me when she visits in June. But I'm too embarrassed for her to see it in its present state, so I have to do something with it before she gets here. Wish me luck....

[Kim Ket.]

Mine is a disaster area too! I have supplies way older than 3 years! I need to MAKE the time to do just what you are doing.

[Debbie King]

HA! I don't have a scrap room but I have what I call the computer room where all the junk I have no where else to put ends up. Its a running joke with my friends that I constantly say THIS is the week I am cleaning it - I am ashamed to admit that I had plans to do it next week!! As as the scrap stuff you don't want anymore, do you have a rehab facility anywhere near you? I used to donate lots of stuff to the one near me - they will usually take art supplies, clothes, etc. Thanks for the online chat last night - yard sale season starts here soon so I will be looking for the American Girl stuff you suggested!

[deiha]

Good luck!!!

[Elizabeth]

How about doing $5 grab bags with assorted stuff in it and selling them on kijiji or ebay? :)

[Kristine Lupica]

Ok gals!! I saw the bag of "unworthiness" that Jamie is getting rid of! OMG!! It was so tempting. I wanted to take nearly half of it home with me. But, my disorganized pack-rat syndrome is worse than Jamie's!

J~ you need to do the $5 or $10 goody bag thing. There are a ton of yummy goodies in that bag that are just waiting for a new home(& you are unemployed)!!! Just sayin'!