Take Photo: "Wait-No-More" Organizing Challenge Reader Recap!

Monday, November 16, 2015

"Wait-No-More" Organizing Challenge Reader Recap!

I can't believe how much fun I had taking over four different areas of our home and life during the last month. I have to admit, it was nice to take a small kitchen break and shift my focus back to organizing and home management. Taking the time to work on the areas that had fallen by the wayside was refreshing and invigorating, and the results of my efforts are being celebrated on a daily basis. And when I say "being celebrated", I mean not only smiling each time I get into the car or walk into my closet space, but I also mean by eating oodles of homemade strawberry ice cream. I keep telling myself that I earned it.

As a quick refresher, I spent four weeks challenging myself to take back the following areas:

I can't get enough of this stuff! Errr, maybe I should say I can't get rid of enough stuff?! Anyway, it has been so much fun to take on organizing projects around our home. And even more fun to see what you all took on over the course of the challenge as well. There were so many great link-ups sharing your organizing frustrations and solutions and inspiring before and after photos; I have never felt so warm and proud. And thank you to everyone who may not have linked up or shared photos, but still chimed in with excited comments and quick challenge progress reports. Many of you took on projects that have been lingering for far too long, and that means a lot of you are now feeling a bit lighter and brighter because of it. It's time to celebrate those successes!

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I know at times I take organizing to the extreme. Labels, paint, decorative papers... It is adding those special touches that keeps me excited to tackle spaces around our home, and hopefully inspires others to do the same. But that doesn't mean all organizing projects have to be overly thought out and decorative in order to be effective or make a big impact. Most often times, the simple act of cleaning out a drawer and updating the dividers can make an immediate difference in your day. Take Errolyn's fantastically organized utensil drawer for example (click over to her blog to check out the before).

The oh-so-darling Carolyn also reorganized one of her drawers with some stackable dividers she already had at home.

Some of you tackled drawers, others tackled big building projects. And when I say big, I mean huge! Although this new bookcase is still waiting for paint, I think it is absolutely incredible what was created in just a single weekend!

Some more building took place over at Heather's home. How fantastic is this DIY craft caddy? What I love most is the versatility of the piece. And the fact it was made completely from scratch.

Heather's crazy cool skills didn't stop there. She also shared a tutorial for a super snazzy DIY tie rack!

Sometimes you give a storage project a try, and you realize it just isn't cutting it. So I say, "If at first you don't succeed, try and try again!" (Definitely one of my many blog mottos.) Tina must have been listening, because she modified her previous shoe storage solution to be even more useful for her charming entryway.

If you are ready for a margarita (yum!), then you will appreciate Sharon's new patio bar cart! I am not sure what I am lusting after more... The margarita, or the fabulous DIY outdoor storage solution she created.

Social media can be really awesome sometimes. Especially when you are organizing and can instantly share your excitement with the world on Instagram! Hooray for adding dish shelving to make plate and mug stacking easier!

I spy Fridge Coasters! And awesome clear fridge bins! And cheese sticks! #bestillmyheart

Rosy also shared her tips for organizing the fridge and you guessed it! Cheers to more clear fridge bins!

I have been wanting to file my frozen foods for quite some time now. Thank you to Sandie for the great tutorial and the push that I needed to make this awesome process happen!

The refrigerator and under the sink are two of the hottest spots in the kitchen. Another free and fabulous organizing project is officially in the books!

How about another great pantry before and after story? And awesome labels? Errolyn has both for you over on her blog.

Let's shift focus for a minute and talk about toys. As you may already know, toys have the ability to spread like wild fire! Because little hands play a part in that happening, Jessica offered her helpful tips for getting your kiddos involved with the toy organization and pick-up process.

The before photos of Erin's basement brought back so many memories of our own space prior to finishing it off years ago. But she tackled that space with ambition and smarts and created one heck of an organized toy area for her kids to "shop" from at playtime!

When I first started blogging, I couldn't get enough labels, gift wrap and craft supplies. Thinking about it, not much has changed. Maybe that is why Kara's new craft closet gave me giant heart-shaped eyes.

I think it is typically fair to say that if you love where you work, you will put love into the work you do. Cluttered desks and offices can leave you feeling cloudy and flustered. Anima has created one of the happiest work spaces I have seen in a very long time. I really love the painted cork pinboards above her desk. The rest of the space is also filled with darling and creative crafts and DIY's.

Erin & Dan also tackled a beautiful office space. Totally diggin' the walls and dresser and desk and chair and... OK, OK... I love it all!

If a clean desk can do wonders for your daily work, imagine what colorful paper storage can do for your daily filing?

What do you do while sitting at your desk? Why work and pay bills of course! Maggie kindly shared all of her tips for keeping her finances organized. She also kindly shared a free printable!

Calling all washi tape fanatics, this next one is for you! Haley proves to us that thread racks can take on ~~roles~~ rolls beyond organizing thread!

Along with craft spaces and offices, there were also a few entryways and drop zones that were revitalized. I love the results of Emily's de-cluttering marathon. Or declutterathon as she puts it!

After Samantha took care of storage for her family's shoes and keys, she went straight for the paper piles that always landed on her kitchen counter.

When it came to wardrobes and clothing, I saw a lot of posts dedicated to both the very popular KonMari and Capsule Wardrobe methods.

I also found a closet so organized that it made my heart race a marathon.

And basket labels that did the same!

And last but not least, a project that sparked me to organize right before I hop on a plane to Atlanta for the Haven Blog Conference this week... Ashley's organized purse. Thank you Ashley for the inspiration. I dumped out my bag, sorted it down, compartmentalized things into pouches, and it now looks just as organized as yours.

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This four week challenge definitely deserves a standing ovation. And so do all of you. Whether you took on a drawer, a closet or an entire room, you took the initiative to get something done. Now go get yourself some ice cream (or a margarita) and celebrate!

You can find all of the challenge details in this post here, and also download some FREE project planning printables to help you get started. You can also check out all of the posts in the "Wait-No-More" series here.

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