In January I took an entire month off to organize every drawer, cupboard and cabinet in my house. No motivational videos, books or inspirational quotes were used in this process.
![Farmhouse style kitchen in the middle of an organizational makeover.](https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/January-Organizing-7.png)
If you're familiar with Thug Kitchen on the other hand, it was a huge inspiration mainly in terms of vocabulary although I did sustain myself with their chickpea, broccoli burritos for a full week.
I was ruthless. I was ruthless with everything. This wasn't a tidy up organizational month it was a change your life organizational month.
Table of Contents
Why I Did It
I just had too much stuff for the size of house I live in. Plain and simple. This in turn made my life chaotic.
Getting out things like Easter (bleh) or Halloween (yay) decorations in the basement was such a pain that I just didn't put them out.
My dresser drawers were overflowing (most yes, in the Marie Kondo style) with stuff I didn't use or didn't need. The more stuffed every cupboard, drawer and cabinet got, the less calm I felt.
This didn't happen overnight, and I have tried to tackle it before.
By December, with the upheaval of Christmas, I decided I absolutely couldn't live like this anymore. Even if the house was tidied up and looking great I knew. I KNEW the chaos that lived within.
This post is a first look, overview, of what I did. More specific posts on how I organized each room will be coming up in the future.
What happened on January 1st was the kitchen became a mess. And then the dining room, the living room, the front hall, my bedroom, office and the basement became a mess.
If you ever do anything like this my number #1 tip is this:
Always keep ONE room that's not a disaster so you have a safe space to go with your anxiety.
Karen Bertelsen
Do you want to know how many vases I had?
![Dining room table filled with extra vases during home organization.](https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/January-Organizing-11.png)
The Vases
I'd like to address the number of vases. Obviously.
The vases were stored mainly in one cupboard in the dining room but also everywhere else I could find a place for them around the house.
I used every single one of them and often had triples or quadruples so if I gave someone flowers in it, they could just keep the vase. That was my rationale anyway.
I am strictly BYOV now. The space I gained by getting rid of 80% of the vases will make me happier than the extra vases ever did.
WHAT I DID WITH THEM
I let family members pick which ones they wanted, then I gave a vase or two to everyone who came to my door (firewood delivery guy, chimney sweep, door-to-door canvassers, neighbours.)
These are now my vases.
![2 shelves inside an Ikea unit filled with flower vases.](https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Vases.png)
The Drawers
The drawers were fun to do. Every night I removed a drawer from somewhere and brought it into the living room. Then I sat by the fire and watched television while editing.
This particular group of things was from the desk in my bedroom.
- A state of the art Casio pocket computer
- Reading light that weighs apx. 3 lbs.
- Super-secret mini recording device
- Rotted teeth
- An address book
- 3 hole punch reinforcements
- A long distance calling travel card for the well appointed traveller
All the drawers in the house have now been organized with some drawers even being, EMPTY. Completely empty.
Why?
Because I know there will come a time when I need space to put something. I have entire shelves and drawers that are empty for future use.
All the drawers in the house have now been organized with some drawers even being, EMPTY. Completely empty.
Why?
Because I know there will come a time when I need space to put something. I have entire shelves and drawers that are empty for future use.
The Basement
The before.
![Messy basement.](https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/January-Organizing-16.png)
Except in the basement. Every inch of the basement is being utilized and every shelf being used. There is one sparse cupboard under my work bench just waiting for the arrival of some tool. Maybe a router now that I have room.
I removed 9 bags of garbage and stuff from the basement which is where I store the majority of what I own.
- Home accessories
- Extra plates, cutlery
- Seed starting and gardening supplies
- Maple Syrup making equipment
- Extra dinner chairs
- Workshop/workshop stuff and tools
- Crafting supplies for leatherworking, painting, etc.
- Christmas (there's a shitload), Halloween and all other holiday items
A lot of what I got rid of was genuine garbage, and anything that wasn't will get sold either online or at a garage sale.
I do not need all the chafing dishes, the stupid Instant Pot, or anything else that was in my basement that didn't have to do with stuff I love.
Like seed starting.
![Seed starting station in basement.](https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Basement-Organized-3.png)
Now I go downstairs (I'm just starting seeds now) and as you can imagine, this is a much nicer area to come down to.
My priority for clearing out the basement was this. I wanted a space where nothing was stored on the floor, where I could enjoy the things I love to do like seed starting and building or fixing things in the workshop.
I've definitely stored things on the floor. 😆 I'd love to fix that but for now, I have what I have and it's much better than before.
A few more before and after photos of the basement.
![](https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/January-Organizing-13.png)
![](https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Basement-Organized.png)
It might look the same to you but it's not. This corner is organized, categorized and edited making it incredibly easy to find what I need.
QUICK TIP
If you're buying storage totes or containers you have to choose between clear (which look more messy because you can see what's inside) or opaque (which look more uniform and neater).
I opted for clear containers because even though it's messier looking, they make grabbing exactly what I need easier.
![Messy basement before organizing.](https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/January-Organizing-14.png)
![Basement after organizing.](https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Basement-Organized-2.png)
That's right. This is a real basement makeover. Not a pretend basement makeover. This is attainable and sustainable.
![Messy basement.](https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/January-Organizing-17-edited.png)
![](https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Basement-Organized-7.png)
Next January I will tackle a new top for my workbench and painting the wonky cupboards.
![Mid basement organizing of hanging wires, paint and shelves.](https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/January-Organizing-18.png)
Part of doing the basement was organizing the wires that were hanging everywhere down from the rafters.
I've been working on the basement since the middle of January. Last night with a vacuuming of the stairs and a slight rearranging of my seed starting setup, I completed it.
![Basement shelves filled with stuff.](https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Basement-Organized-9-edited.png)
I built these basement shelves with plywood and 2x4s years ago in my first major attempt to improve the functionality of my basement. This time around I changed the shelf heights a bit to make room for a mini upright freezer I bought in November.
Again this is a real life, real person, basement makeover. Things don't look perfect. I do not have matching pink cubbies. But the things down there that I love are now easy to get to.
As I said up top of this post some bazillion words ago, I didn't seek encouragement or motivation from any death cleaning books or Tik Tok videos. I just kept coming back to the reason behind why I was doing this, which was to stop the crying whenever I needed to get something or put something away in any of my rooms.
If keeping it, whatever it was, was likely to cause a meltdown in the future for whatever reason, I happily got rid of it.
Marie Kondo asks, does it spark joy.
I asked, does it spark snot.
More to come.
Is that a rogue vase I spotted in the basement?
KIDDING.
Wow. Just wow. You go Girl!
Oh, it might be, lol. I found one in the fridge yesterday when I realized it's what I keep my celery in. ~ karen!
I am impressed!
My cupboards used to be cluttered with too many vases. They were there just in case I had to give flowers. Finally realized that I can go to a charity store and buy exactly what I need. I donated 90%, should have been 95%. A win/win.
Oh Karen,
My basement looks like all of your before pictures (so does my garage)! I’m so happy for the organized spaces you created. Now I have to work on mine!
As a technical writer by trade, I love the fact that you refer to this several times as editing. My life needs regular editing, as do my catchall shelves. And your blog doesn't spark snot, but it does at times spark spewing on the keyboard.
Then my work here is done. ~ karen!
Lol at the vases! Your before was horrific-My weakness is dinner plates in patterns or seasonal themes I like-I have a whole cabinet full in my basement. And candle holders-so many. Vinatge brass, chuncky wood, sculptural glass ....
I got rid of a LOT of dishes. ~ karen!
Great improvements. Looks like more organization and that will help with anxiety. I love it. Good job, Karen.
WELL done, my heroine :)
First off, wtf with all those vases... lordy, I almost fainted seeing that table covered.
Second, I love and appreciate your sage advice to keep one room from being a disaster so you have a safe space to go. I needed to be reminded of that so much.
Your basement looks amazing. Great work 🙌🏼
It looks amazing for an 180 year old rubble basement. But THANK YOU! And ya, a safe space is truly the most important thing when you get into the thick of it. Can you imagine the space those vases took up?! ~ karen!
I think you have done an excellent job. Something like this takes determination and time. I recently moved from a home to one half the size. I got rid of about 50% of what I owned. I feel so much free-er now. If you stick to just one drawer or one cupboard/shelf a day, you eventually get there. My "sorting" was:
1st--Family, then
Sell, then
Donate
Recycle
finally--Trash
Congratulation and Gold Stars for you! Now, enjoy.
Thanks Vikki. It will be an ongoing project, but even doing what I've done makes putting things away take an appropriate amount of time, not an hour with another hour of crying. ~ karen!
This is literally the only Internet Basement (TM) I have seen that looks like my basement, complete with seed starting station, ancient built-in workbench and wires hanging from the ceiling. We also have our laundry down there. I AM VALIDATED.
I know. It's an actual terrifying billion year old basement. But I'll tell you, doing what I did has made it a trazillion times more enjoyable. I actually invent excuses to downstairs now. ~ karen!
I love you blog! Great job! My house needs this too.
We're thinking about a kitchen remodel (diy so I hope we don't mess up!) I noticed you have a wooden counter by your sink. I would live that too.
How hard is it to maintain a wood counter by the sink? Any tips?
Thanks for all the inspiration!
Hi Jane! I love my butcher block countertops. I don't think I'd have anything else now, but you do need to maintain them. They get oiled at least a few times a year so they don't dry out and shrink. And I make sure to wipe away any water around the sink immediately. You can see my guide to maintaining butcher block here. ~ karen!
I also have a multitude of vases and use them to bring flowers to friends but found they are perfect for candles.
By all the gods and little kitties, you are Woman, I hear you roar!
I do hope you kept the rotted teeth though: they’re perfect for the door bell/knocker/knob on Halloween.
Nope. GONE. I can't tell you how many times someone came over, saw something I was getting rid of and said "I hope you're not getting rid of THAT"~ karen!
Thank you so much! I'm looking forward to them...
I admire your stamina and resolve. It's amazing how much 'stuff' we accumulate and store never to be found again.
Oh my goodness, that is such a big job but so so very satisfying when completed. Literally right now I am cleaning out a stationary cupboard we lovingly call Clokes ( if you know, you know). My desk is overflowing with paper, cards, pencil leads, old DVDs, printer ink. But I know the great feeling coming soon. Well done Karen for getting the entire house and yourself breathing again.
WELL DONE!
I am green with envy, as I am currently occupied by forming a permanent indentation in my couch cushion while recovering from foot surgery.
Please, please…the half-buckets on your seed starting shelves must be a water supply? Have I missed a post on how you use those?
Thanks for your fabulous, fun(ny) content; I learn so much!
Hi Laura! Those buckets are an experiment I haven't conducted yet but if it works, yes they'll be used for watering. I'll be doing more in depth posts on all the things of interest, like my seed starting station, or how I organized my kitchen in the future. ) ~ karen!
My cousin called yesterday to ask if she could come over to peruse my fabric hoard for four different pieces of fabric she needed to complete two projects. I, of course, said “come and get it”. The process of choosing her four different pieces of fabric was made easier by two facts. 1)She brought with her the two fabrics that she needed the other four fabrics to coordinate with and 2) all of my fabrics are on open shelves or in clear bins. Makes scanning for what you need so, so, so much easier. Function over form. Pretty opaque containers such as baskets and boxes and whatnot might be more aesthetically pleasing, not to mention more internet worthy, but not at all practical for a working area in my home. Especially if you’re a person with many and varied hobbies. I’ve been replacing any opaque containers as I come across them with clear containers throughout my house in whatever area I’m currently attempting to declutter. Like you, I’ve lamented that my house is too small. Well, it’s the house I’ve got and unless I win the lottery (which would require buying a ticket which I never remember to do) or I receive a huge inheritance from a super rich relative that I didn’t know I had (unlikely in the extreme) I’m just going to have to make do with the space I have (hence the decluttering thing). It’s hard to let go of things you’ve lovingly collected and carefully (or not so carefully) stored with all the good intentions in the world of doing, making, fixing, restoring, reconfiguring or gifting said things. But, at this point in time, not wanting to cry or throw a hissy fit or just slap give up on the thing you want to find or do trumps keeping ALL of the things hands down. So, here’s to putting on our big girl panties and getting it done! (Even if the doing involves throwing around the kind of language my grandmama would have washed my mouth out with soap for using, lol!)
Agreed! (obviously, lol) ~ karen!
Most of us are in the same boat!
You did a wonderful job Karen, and you will always be an inspiration to us.
First of all, congrats! Huge accomplishment and I am sure it felt fabulous. You neglected to mention him, but I’m positive Phillip was a huge help in this endeavor.
Just in the form of website feedback though, I wanted to tell you that your pages have so many ads now that it takes forever for the actual photos from the post to load. And sometimes they never load. E.G., tragically I never got to see photo of Snacks’ beloved or a number of other photos. I let the site churn for hours and all I have are ads for shoes and under cabinet lights that I will never buy. I totally get it that you need ads to keep you funded for buying more vases, but perhaps there is a tweak that would make your content the priority loading-wise as opposed to the ads?
With admiration, dgk
Hi Deborah! Yes, the ads are necessary. But l have put in a request with my ad company to dial back on the ads within a post (I happened to do that on Friday). ~ karen!