Day 1.3 Room Function Analysis.

Being clear and honest with yourself about how you use your home will result in it having a strong sense of focus and purpose. (p.36)

I came across an old binder last night labelled "Room Function Analysis." I gathered from the comments I'd made, that I'd created it about five years ago. It was tabbed, the labels listing off each room in the house. It was interesting to note that most of the things I felt I needed I have managed to implement, like the bookcases on either side of the faux living room fireplace (purchased to fit exactly and look like built-ins), the china cabinet in the dining room (my china and schtuff used to be in boxes in the basement). It seems that thinking things through and making a plan works, even when you put it on a shelf and forget about it.

It all came from Julie Morgenstern's book: Organizing From The Inside Out. It's a marvelous book. Not only is it a terrific resource for organizing your home, but for de-cluttering as well. As Maxwell notes,

Not being clear about the purpose for each area of your home will result in clutter and disappointment. (p. 36)

Of course, activities and needs change. And too many activities can be crammed into one room. That's what has happened to my dining room.

It's the home office with the computer, filing cabinet, pens, paper, stamps, chequebook, etc....It's my scrap room, with paper, scraps, embellishments, albums, scrapping tools, and everything else I think I need. It's my sewing room, with scissors, thread, bobbins, everything except the fabric. It's my workspace, too, so there's reference books and homeschooling planners and books. And, if that's not enough, it's also the place where we store our curriculuum. I do projects here. As I type, there's a dissassembled drop-leaf table being sanded and stained on the table right behind me. To top it off, my husband and I also use the room to watch DVD's. Essentially? This room is where I live.

It's so crowded, we don't have those special meals in the dining room anymore. I schlep the fancy tableware from the dining room to the kitchen at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. For the last few years, I haven't even bothered.

Part of the problem, is, of course, the unfinished, ill-lit basement. I don't mind the unfinished part. It's the fact that there's no light. And, as the whole house is on--are you ready for it?--four breakers--we need to re-wire the house.

On a more positive note: the freezer leaves tonight. Once that's gone, I can take a stab at organizing and setting up a little sewing area down there. I'll figure something out for the light. I just hope I haven't decluttered all the power bars.

(image from: http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/whtour/photoessay/images/400-state-dining-room.jpg)