The cupboard under the stairs

My first foray into organisation saw me spend this morning and early afternoon clearing out the cupboard under the stairs. This cupboard had gotten to the point where even if we could fit an undersized, messy-haired ten year old in there they'd have suffocated through lack of air and space before they had a chance to find out why they had a lightening-shaped scar on their head.

First step was to clear off the small bookshelf upstairs on my desk. It was useful when I was a student because it held whatever library and reference books I needed that semester- however since I'm no longer an Arts student it's become a general dumping ground. I then brought it downstaris and stored it behind the front door until I was ready for it.

The next step was the hardest. I put the Offspring on with the volume up, opened the cupboard door and hauled everything out while loudly proclaming that someone-or-other was pretty fly for a white guy. I had a large garbage bag for rubbish, a smaller cardboard box for the op-shop, dumped everything that actually belonged somewhere else on the stairs and anything to do with Christmas in a large pile on the loungeroom floor. This all took just over an hour.

Step three was to put the bookcase in the cupboard and place the wine rack on top, then put back anything that legitimately should have been in the cupboard- excepting the cards and wrapping paper and wine bags. The amount of room free was enourmous.

Step four: I drove the highpoint and took advantage of the June sales. I bought two very large plastic tubs with lids, three white pvc storage boxes with zipped on lids, two vacuum pack bags, a labelmaker and a torch. This took a while.

The fifth step was a bit of a jigsaw puzzle. I had two large tubs and many MANY Christmas items to go in them. I finally managed to pack them all away and used the label maker to label the tubs "Christmas Decorations" and "Christmas gifts and wrapping" (Yes, I get Christmas presents quite early.) I then took the tubs into the garage and (re)discovered how much of a mess the garage is, and slotted the tubs wherever I could.

Step six was running up and down stairs putting away everything I'd thrown on the stairs in step two. Then I used the small pvc storage box to house blank cards and wine bags, and I popped in a roll of sticky tape, scissors and a pen for good measure, I put this on the shelf in the cupboard (and for good measure I labelled the box "Cards and Wine Bags") I'd collected all non-christmas wrapping paper and bags in a large brown bag, which I also put in the cupboard.

Step seven: I still had plently of room on the shelves, and our kitchen is overcrowded, so I decided to move all the large "entertaiing" plates and bowls and olive holders and what-have-you onto the shelves, also the placemats and coasters. Now the shelves are full.

Step eight had to be aborted. It was going to be the ceremonial placing of a brand new torch on top of the shelves as there is no light in the cupboard, but unfortunately the torch I bought turned out to be defective, so it is currently in a plastic bag hanging on the front door knob with it's receipt. I'll have to find time to go back and exchange it. Grrr.

I'd take a picture of what it looks like now, but without a light there would not be much point. Plus I'm at work, not at home. mc_shamo was very impressed by it though!