Disaster Area Series | Bookcases

I am back from a short hiatus with another installment of my Disaster Area Series. Let me just say that I am proud that I am carrying through with this. I am very much a sign-up for it, get overwhelmed and just quit kinda girl. Okay that is a little harsh and not necessarily true - but sometimes I feel like that!

Shall I remind you of the horror that was the state of the bookcases in this house?

It is truly terrifying. (Okay not really.)

Bookcase in the kitchen. This is in the main line of sight from the front door.
I like to call this the command center for our house. An unorganized command center.
It is where we keep all of our bills  and important mail.

Not as visible but sits at the top of our steps.

Unfortunately both of these areas are high traffic and a good place to "stash" things. They serve as a collection area for just about everything. Baby bottles, baby toys, baby clothes...I don't want to blame it on the baby, BUT...it's a lot of his stuff ;)

So I decided they need tackled. I cleaned out both bookshelves, threw a TON of stuff away. Oh on the bookcase at the top of the steps? It is a breeding ground for Mike's work papers and manuals. He brings so much paperwork home from work that it really accumulates. We are working on a filing system for that information too. Maybe someday when he has been on the job for 10 years, we will have something figured out. :)

Ready for the big reveal??

MUCH BETTER.

We have very few family pictures up. Aside from a ton of pictures of Gray. However, our nephews are especially near and dear to us so not only do they get frames and a prominent place to sit in our house. We love those boys. Every time I walk by, I think about them and their parents. Also...I moved the Bona mop (I actually put it away for once) and of course the dog's bowls because SOMEONE loves to play in Daisy's water and attempt to eat her food. Not going to name names.

I have a bunch of cookbooks, but I narrowed them down the ones I use most often. I have the other ones handy - hidden away in a cupboard so I can grab them if the need arises. 

This doesn't make me feel stressed walking by it anymore.

The majority of books on this case are Mike's. A LOT of theology books and landscape architecture books. Although, I DID find a book from my college years called "Jobs for English Majors." Ha. I am soaking up the irony of that right now. Coincidentally, Marketing Coordinator for a Large Civil Engineering Firm is NOT listed.

I piled Mike's work manuals at the bottom so he can grab them at a second's notice. Okay I am lying. Mike DEFINITELY cleaned up this bookcase for me - without me even having to ask. He's the best. 

My very favorite picture of my Grandpa and me is in that frame. I love it. I also had the M and the E from our old house, and when Grayson came along, my mom gave me the G. I painted the G blue and I just think it is a nice touch.

I have three more areas I need to cover and then I will wrap up this series.

The cupboard in our half-bath. One of the closets in our kitchen. And the closet in the master bathroom. 

I won't show you pictures because they WILL give you nightmares.

(Shout-out to Aunt Jo. I know you are proud of me for decluttering my home. :) And also... Hi Vicki <3)