My husband has a fetish... {and so do I}

...collecting hotel toiletries. After his 5 weeks in Zurich and then London, I was horrified to find all this:

I am an organizer and things like this send me into "problem solving" mode. I quickly doused that organizational pitfall with a big white basket. Now we have plenty of toiletries for our guests and in case of an emergency. And luckily, enough bathroom storage space for it. 

However, there is a constant organizational PROBLEM in my house: 

Junk mail, coupons, invitations, thank yous, nursery coloring pages, etc. This picture doesn't do it justice and it got way worse than this only days after this picture was taken. I have such a hard time keeping my office clean and orderly! Any tips? In Switzerland we never got junk mail and hardly ever got mail to begin with. Now I can't keep up with the daily influx!

I think I do better in other peoples' houses...like my parents for example. Whenever I'm there, I am organizing (whether they like it or not). The kitchen drawers, no before pic, but imagine chaos.

My dad and I spent all day Saturday cleaning out the GARAGE. My parents still had about 30 unpacked boxes from their move. We found some priceless things whose whereabouts were for years unknown - SO rewarding!

BEFORE{Left/middle}

We had actually done a LOT of work before this, there used to be about 30 boxes where my dad is. We went through all those and sorted through them. We ended up with a HUGE donation to ARC. 

AFTER

The chair, toolbox, extension cords and others will be moved by the time I come again, right guys? ;) My dad's plan is to build out shelves along those walls for all the food storage, camping gear, tools, etc. to go in. 

BEFORE {Right side}

There are still LOTS of building materials on this side of the garage (behind the car) that my dad needs as he continues to build things out. I have a feeling some of them may never leave. I guess that's the nature of the business.

AFTER

There are still some more things to do - stuff to hang on the walls but we got so much done in one day with two little kids running around! My mom also sent me SEVERAL boxes of my old stuff to my new house. Thanks mom...now to figure out a place for that STUFF. The sad thing is, this is what I WANTED to do with our Saturday. I know, I'm weird, but it gives me SUCH a big sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.