De-Clutter for the New Year

Behind this beautiful 1940's door in my basement is a sizeable cellar. Dry, cool, perfect to store all sorts of somerville kitchen goodies.

However, for many years now, it has been used as a dumping ground for everything.

In addition to the regular stuff one stores (luggage, Christmas decorations, etc.), it had every empty box of every appliance bought for the house, boxes of books ready for their new shelving home, old doors, baskets, etc.

Scattered within all of this mess are the root vegetables (see the jardin spaghetti squashes everywhere?), jam jars, cookies, onions, music tapes, cereal boxes, and on and on.

Well, my first of 12 new year's resolutions is "Keep House In Order".

And thus project cellar began...

I love de-cluttering. To blasting Lebanese music (but no belly dancing), hours of planning and sorting passed by like a relaxing dream.

Everything came out to the basement and got sorted out. Book boxes moved to the library, empty boxes became fireplace kindles, all other items were organized by subject - holiday stuff, food-related items, kitchenware, appliance boxes, empty boxes and baskets, etc. The filthy carpet ripped out. The walls cleared of spider webs, the floor swept and the real fun begun.

First, the floor was covered with cork tiles for a fresh, clean look and feel. All items organized - luggage and boxes in one pile. Shelving occupied, from floor to ceiling, (a) paint and house material, (b) holiday stuff and boxes, (c) somerville kitchen shelf with all the root vegetables, jams, chutneys, pickles, empty jars and kitchen containers and, (d) kitchen appliances and kitchenware that is rarely used (e.g., food processors, juicers, coffee makers).

What a nice space this turned out to be. I am tempted to put a mattress in there and lounge with cats in the coolness all summer.