WFKAAGGCO! (for my sisters)

So, while I was not officially invited to the Women Formerly Known As A Gale Girl's Clean-Off, (see Laura and Emily's posts to better understand what the heck I'm talking about... =) I do believe I may have been the one to technically start it, as my first endeavors began at the begining of the month. I didn't realize we were documenting our progress, however, so some things will only have the "after" shots. (It's just like one of my sisters to change the rules as we go....not naming names or anything...but YOU know who you are! HA! Also, does being left out of your games because I'm the youngest have to last for forever?!! Heehee. ;)

Here's what I'M working on...

First, I finally organized and put all of my jewelry away!! Either in a few small jewelry boxes, or in the amazing musical Korean one that Joe got me for my birthday. (Yes, it took me 4 months before I actually did something with it other than just stare in awe. And yes, it's about time for me to be packing everything up instead of taking it out of a moving box and putting it in a jewelry box, but ahhhh well. Nobody's perfect. =) (I don't know why the first picture won't turn the right way...sorry.)

Then, I organized our little closet shelves and counter. (Jewelry boxes on shelves are the ones aforementioned.) I am actually glad I didn't take a before picture of the counter. While I would've been hearing a chorus of "Oooooh"'s and "Ahhhhhh"'s right about now, the shame of what the catch-all looked like before might not have been worth it. ;) It was so bad Joe actually asked if I was gonna do something with it, which is my tell-tale sign that things are way out of control, because rarely does he mention such things. (Note: that's not an actual jar of mayo on the top shelf, just a cleaned out one being used as a storage container. I do NOT have mayo to snack on in my closet. Just sayin.)

Today he also asked about the dust bunnies though, and so I knew it was past time to do something about them as well. They've been on my to-do list for a while now, but somehow other things seem more pressing. Something that is sure to change once Kathy starts crawling, but I'm still in the clear for that as of yet. =)

(I had the courage to post the actual filthy end result of my floor duster after having just re-read "The Disease Called 'Perfection'" found at www.danoah.com/2010/09/disease-called-perfection.html . This is me, being real.)

I organized all of our important documents and paperwork that I need to hand-carry with me during the move. This folder has been out of control and the bane of my existance for just about the entire time we've been here, so I was THRILLED to have finally gotten the self-discipline to just get it done! (Don't know why this pic wouldn't turn the right way either...)

I made a Moving Organizer like I read about on numerous websites giving tips on moving. This was a really fun project and one that seemed like it could be considered stalling to some people by me taking time creating it instead of just doing what needed to be done. However, I am a huge list person and seeing everything I need to do listed out that I can check off, as well as writing it down on monthly calendars to pace myself has been instrumental in my actually accomplishing these tasks! I am a procrastinator no more!! (Or at least, I am a very organized one who can now get back on track fairly quickly by utilizing her cute little binder. ;)

I am in the middle of making a detailed list of all of our high value items - name, model, serial no, date aquired, cost - along with taking pictures of said items, in case of loss or damage during the move. (This, along with organizing all of our important documents was also something I should've completed for NEO - NonCombatant Evacuation and Repatriation Operations - as soon as I arrived in Korea, but hadn't. So, glad that's almost done as well. Better late than never, right?! =)

I organized and put away all of my maternity clothes into one suitcase. I have two suitcases that I organized with clothes I either don't need anymore while we're here (dressy clothes, for instance - great idea, Laura!) or are still too small for me since being pregnant. The others still need to be sorted and either kept or donated (the yellow bag is all I have for donations so far. Haha.). I've mostly gone through my closet and dresser, but now I need to start focusing on what to take home with me, verses what to send to Seattle early in our Unaccompanied Baggage, verses what can wait until the rest of our stuff gets there in our Household Goods....A week's worth of work in and of itself, at least.

I'm going to be honest here. Painfully, embarassingly honest. Real. These are mostly boxes that we never unpacked while we were here. Some I opened and realized we just didn't have room for the contents, or a proper way to display it - lots of pictures to hang on the walls, but we have concrete walls, so that's out. I am hoping to sort through all of these before we move as well. No sense taking things we haven't needed in over two years to collect dust in another storage closet! But I'll be okay with myself if that doesn't get done. They're already in boxes, so worst case scenario I'll just do it once we get to Seattle. No biggie. =)

Dumped out a box of misc. stuff that was half paperwork on the guest bed and need to finish sorting through that.

I sorted all of Kathy's baby clothes by size and also have stuff ready to send off to Laura as well...just waiting to hear whether or not I should be including lots of frilly pink things!!! =)

Last but not least, I went through the bottom shelf of one of our bookshelves and sorted and organized everything there. Found lots of college creative writing papers I'd aced and kept, so they were really fun and refreshing to read. Makes me excited about becoming a writer someday in the near-ish future! =)

Aaaaaand I think that's it. Glad I have the camaraderie of my sisters hard at work organizing their homes while I continue to work on mine! =) Though I do miss having you in the same room with me while sorting things. It's always easier to throw something out when you have others supporting you in that decision. ;)

Pretty sure this is the most recent picture I have of the three of us together - looking forward to taking more over Christmas!!

I love you both. xoxox