The Great Spring Clean - Part 2

Part two of the Great Spring Clean commenced late Monday morning.  After walking the dog, I came back and decided to tackle the shoe basket and coat hooks in the vestibule.  This is what it looked like before I began.  Not a pretty sight.

 

I don't think I had sorted out this basket for at least 10 or 11 months since the builders were working here last summer - judging by the amount of dust, rubble, etc in the bottom.   I took everything out throwing things onto piles for the charity shop, ebay, washing machine, wardrobe, winter clothing bag, waste bin, etc.  It took an hour approximately but it was time well spent.  I managed to make myself part with a couple of pairs of  my boots, some outgrown shoes of my daughters, some well past their best pairs of sandals and slippers of my other half's.  I must admit that most of the rest were put back in even though some of them had seen better days. 

One pair I'm going to try to dye a rich oxblood if I can get some dye this colour.  Another pair I use to go to the allotment in the summer and as they are comfy old Converse Hi Tops I am loathe to part  with them even though they are well past their best.  Some shoes just get better with age.  The odd pair were thrown in the washing machine due to being muddy from winter walks (only waterproof or canvas ones might I add).

The remainder I sorted into 3 rows, the biggest was for my shoes and boots, next was my daughters and the smallest row was my other half who has a far more sensible approach to shoe buying.  One out one in.   The only boots he wears are wellies which are kept in the boot of the car.   I wish I could be more like him in that regard, but sadly I'm not as I am a bit partial to boots and they do take up a lot of room.  Some I wear in the spring or summer too, if they go nicely with a skirt.

After tackling the shoe basket I had a sort through of the coats hanging on the hooks above.  I removed a few heavy ones to go in the winter clothing bag until later in the year.  I kept a few macs and slightly warmer coats out for the spring and just rearranged the rest onto my hooks (3 of them), my daughter's hooks ( 2 on a lower level) and my other half's sole hook.  A similar ratio ensued in terms of coats too -  surprise surprise.  Here's the end result of my toil.  A vast improvement.  I know it won't stay that way for long though.

Next, I went back to sorting through some of the things in the dining room. I also needed some new storage bags for what I would be keeping, so after lunch I headed into town to get a couple.

After managing to find a couple of attractive storage bags (above) for storing things where they are going to be visible, and a couple of less attractive but bigger bags that will be stored in the shed, I persevered with sorting the things still cluttering up the dining room.  I managed to collect quite a pile together for the charity shop, which just goes to show that if you can't throw things away initially, if you go back to them a little later you often feel more able to dispose of them, as was the case here. 

The more attractive storage bags I'm saving to use for winter clothes and shoes.  They are going to be stored on top of a cupboard or wardrobe upstairs, so I'm going to see them on a daily basis.  Although the weather still isn't great I took all the spring/summer clothes out of the suitcase I keep them in to make room to put away some heavier winter items.  I haven't removed all winter items from the drawers, but the heavier ones, the ones I wear the least and the ones I didn't feel like wearing again this year, have been packed away and more items, both winter and summer, have been put in the charity shop pile.

Eventually all the 'stuff' cluttering up the dining room was rehomed or donated and the room was then ready to clean, in readiness for our visitors.  It was a great relief to get it done, freeing up more living space.  Here's what it looked like when it had been cleaned and a bed set up for our guests. (Apologies for the quality of the photo but this was taken in the evening before they arrived).  Hopefully they will be comfortable after their long journey.