Gulp, we're getting serious here.

The shame and humiliation.  You must understand, these are the parts of the home I try to hide or disguise as best as possible.  Ok, the ones in the living room often hang out for all to see, though I often do try to straighten them.  But the bedroom.... oh, groan.  I can't believe I'm letting you see this.

But, let's be frank: I want to be serious about getting things put into order and organization and cleanliness around here.  I am all for the argument that it is possible to share too much.  There are things I will never post about or talk about on my blog.  Period.  And not all of them embarrassing or intimate, or the like.  But there are some things that go on in my life that I just don't feel need to be out there for all to see.  Usually, my clutter, my mess, and my abysmal housekeeping skills would be among them.  Still, confession is good for the soul.  If you really want to change a behavior, you tell someone about it.  And then you change it.  This works with bad habits, with sin, with weight-loss: it's always a good idea to get some accountability.  So, here's my accountability.  I blogged yesterday about wanting to take part in Project Simplify, and this is what's going to get me to do it.  These are my before pictures.  My corner of the bedroom I never seem to get tidied or taken care.  The paper clutter in the living room.  The shelves, where we toss everything we want to keep away from Eliza... and then leave.  The Hot Spot this week is actually paper clutter, and that's a majority of what this mess is, a few other things thrown in.  My main goal is to tackle the paper clutter, but I don't see why not just take care of the rest while I'm at it?  So.  Here it is.  Gut-wrenching, humiliating honesty.  This is how we've been living.  (Please, don't judge me too harshly!)

 My side of the room, where everything ended up that we didn't have an immediate place for (mostly things we want to file or decorations we haven't yet set out).

 The desk area.  Sigh.

 The entry-way bookshelf where everything gets tossed when we get home.  Or when we don't want Eliza to play with it.

 Living room side table.

Living room side table and bookshelf.  Much the same story as the entryway bookshelf.

If you want to see the plan of attack, head to Project Simplify Hot Spot #2.  I hope to post pictures again by Saturday (I'm giving myself an extra day since I got started late!)