Starting the organization

I want to get the house organized.  Honestly, I would love to live somewhere 1/2 the size with 1/3 of the stuff we currently have.  Stuff is not what I need.  What do I use when left to my own devices? Electronics, books, knitting, sewing - the rest really needs to go.  And books, well, mostly I read library books.  There are really a few series that I'd like to keep around, and some non-fiction reference, but the rest should go to the used book store.  Old magazines need to go.  Same with homeschooling stuff we haven't used, clothes I haven't worn, etc. 

So, I'm starting along this path, slowly.  Last week I started by cleaning out the huge mess the girls had made of my sewing room as well as tidying up the living room and kitchen.  I straightend up their crazy craft area too.  I bought a used office mailbox sorter like this.  This is where the girls need to put ALL of their paper and completed crafts.  If I find it out of there, I get to throw it away.  If they care so much about the pictures they make, they need to put them away, it's that simple.  I'm tired of papers on the floor and table every day!

Today, I tackled the girl's computer area.  I took every. last. thing. off of that L-shaped desk and sorted, tossed and stored.  Sewing/knitting/needlework is in Stella's stool.  Soccer-wear is in Sandis' stool.  One small basket of their "necessary" stuff and their banks is all that is left, besides the computers, of course.  I've decided that the next step is to to take all our games and put them in underbed storage bins (which we already have) and store them, surprisingly, under our bed.  That will free up 1/2 a linen closet.  Another upcoming step is to clear out the coat closet.  We have bags and bags of shoes and hats and fleeces and more.  We do NOT need that much stuff! One winter coat, one spring coat, two fleeces, that seems reasonable.  Baskets and bags of them are not.  We need to remove this extra junk to free up some space, physical space and my mental space as well :)