the prednisone project: bathroom cabinets, paperwork, bedding

Last May, my friend Mel started a 40 bags in 40 days project, simplifying her life (and closets) by sorting, organizing, and trashing. I was amazed at and inspired by her pregnancy nesting instinct and the tenacity with which she tackled all of her closets and cabinets. Little did I know that just a few months later, I'd be 1) pregnant, 2) nesting, and 3) on prednisone. Obviously, #3 has the most impact on my current preoccupation with all things organizing and sorting. So much so that I started "The Prednisone Project:" a list of all the things I'd like to accomplish while in this crazy, energetic, highly organized, freakishly efficient space in time (only 6 weeks left until I'm tapered off).

You saw the closets. Here is the master bathroom, and I actually took a few "before" pictures! And a few "during" pictures. I'm impulsive, what can I say?! 

Under the sink, before and after:

All of the extra beauty products (lotions, creams, soaps, etc.) are in one bin, medicines (none expired! yay!) in another.

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The top drawer, "during" and after:

Stuck those nasty makeup and hair-caked trays in the dishwasher. SO much better! And yes, that is the extent of my makeup and hair products. I'm a simple gal.

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Ben's drawer, "during" and after. With the top two drawers, I was in such a hurry to get the dishwasher loaded that I just dumped everything out of the trays and into the drawers. They were somewhat organized into compartments, but full of dirt, hair, and old junk.

Removed from Ben's drawer: contact lenses (he had lasik two years ago), lots of old allergy meds (expired in 2005-2007). Sooooo much better.

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Bottom drawer, before and after:

I threw away tons of old flossers (unused but just floating around in the drawer with hair and dust bunnies. ew.). Also lots of hairspray/product caps, old nail files, trial-size lotions, etc.

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The cabinet, after:

With the cabinet, I threw out a bunch of old jewelry I don't wear anymore that was constantly tangling up my lotions, etc. on the bottom shelf. I moved all the medicines that were on the shelves to under the sink. I put jewelry I don't wear very often up on the third shelf. Nail polish and dog stuff on the top shelf. (We've had an issue with helping ourselves to nail polish). Oh, and you get a sneak peek of our totally 80s frosted glass and mirrored light fixture. FAN-cy!

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Here is the bucketload of trash I collected from under the sink, three drawers, and the cabinet:

Can you even believe the amount of extra stuff that was just taking up space in our teeny little bathroom?! Goodbye super expired meds, old watches, stretch mark cream circa 2006 (didn't help), random papers, wrapped soaps (never, ever use bar soap), jewelry packaging, face paints (ugh), & party favor lip gloss (double ugh)!

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Last on my list, and not in the bathroom, was the bottom of our linen closet. AKA "the paperwork spot." I throw papers in here randomly throughout the year, sort and organize them quarterly or so, then really organize them come tax time. This year, I'm ready for tax season (having a newborn baby will not lend itself to organization, clear thinking, etc.). Just planning ahead here. All of our medical bills are in the big 3-ring binder. All of our important tax forms (donation receipts, utilities, household expenses, work-related stuff) in the small 3-ring binder. Everything else filed away in the rolling file or categorized by tax year in manila folders. 

No before, just a really blurry (I'm cool with it. Are you?) after photo:

I even vacuumed up all the little hole punches off the carpet. This might make me the happiest, this little piece of organization right here. Paperwork is totally NOT my favorite thing. 

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Oh, yeah, and I washed all the bedding. Pillowcases included. When I climbed into my bed Tuesday night, after that horrible, awful, no good day, man oh man, those clean sheets and puffy pillows felt SO GOOD:

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Upcoming items for "The Prednisone Project:"

- create a list of all the church plant families & kids for our transition

- make personalized photo books for the kids