On your mark, get set, ORGANIZE!!
Updated to add: Participants that completed the challenge can be found by going to either the whole room category or small space category.
Updated to add: Please link directly to your challenge post rather than your home page to make it easier for us to find it. If you have already linked up and didn’t do this, no worries, I’ll fix it for you when I come across it. Here is how you link to an individual post if you’ve never done it before: right click on the time at the bottom of your challenge post, click “copy shortcut” and then paste it into Mr. Linky. Also please know that links that have been entered by non-participants will be deleted.
This is it! Time to get busy…..sorting, purging, de-cluttering, containerizing….all words that will hopefully roll of your tongue by the end of this challenge. That or you’ll be ready to hang me up by my feet to the rafters and throw baskets at my head! Yikes….I’ll try to avoid this fate and do whatever I can along the way to encourage and support you in your endeavor. Although I just thought of something….if you throw baskets at my head do I get to keep them? Okay, right, off track but I just had a vision of me surrounded by hundreds of baskets, even if I am hanging by my feet, and I lost my train of thought for a second. Now where was I….yes on to the challenge!
To start us off I want to share a great quote I read today from Sanity Savers:
No Challenge, No Change.If you don’t give yourself a challenge, there can be no change, and without change, there is no growth.
What is the 30 Day Organizational Challenge?
Your challenge is to organize one room and/or one area in your home over the next 30 days and at the end of the 30 days post “before” and “after” pictures on your blog with a brief description of how you got from point A to point B. I will also provide specific questions for you to answer. You may enter one or both categories if you’d like.
Today (or really anytime within the next 30 days) you will be required to link up (below) to a post sharing which area and/or room you plan on organizing, your plan of attack (this post of mine gives you some suggestions) and, if you choose to, your “before” pictures. You are not obligated to include your “before” pictures at this time if you’d rather not however I do encourage it. Accountability is a huge motivator.
Your goal and ultimately what the judges will be looking for is this:
Overall Transformation – A well organized, uncluttered, clearly defined and efficient space that is easily maintained.
Creative Use of Space – Using creative solutions to allow you to maximize your space and create zones and systems in a new and manageable way.
Baskets/Containers that Work – Using containers that allow you to establish boundaries and limits as well as contain “like with like”.
Overall Experience – The process you used, what you got out of this experience, what you found the most rewarding, most difficult, etc..
When does it start?
The challenge starts today, Tuesday, April 3, 2007.
When does it end?
The challenge will end at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, May 2, 2007.
Who are the judges?
Lara, The Lazy Organizer, has once again kindly agreed to help me out plus Professional Organizer, Marcia Francois has also recently come on board to lend a hand with the judging. Thanks girls!
What are the prizes?
Now to the fun part and hopefully a little extra motivation. First of all, thanks to all my contributors, especially Lifeorganizers.com who this time around will be donating $200.00 in support of this challenge!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! If you are looking for further motivation and ideas for your project you must check out their site…so many terrific and helpful articles!
First Category – a whole room:
1st place = $100.00 US
2nd place =$70.00 US
3rd place = Organization Transformation book donated by author, Liana George plus a spot in Marcia Francois’* Simplify your Life ecourse
Second Category – a small space (ie: closet, drawer, armoire, desk, etc):
1st place = $30.00 US plus BH&G’s Simply Perfect Storage magazine (Early Spring 2007 edition)
2nd place = To Love, Honor, and Vacuum book donated by author, Sheila Wray Gregoire** plus a Household Organizing File donated by Marcia*
3rd place = Household Organizing File donated by Marcia*
*Marcia is a Personal Life Coach and Professional Organizer. She donated the Simplify your Life ecourse and both Household Organizing Files. Her website can be found here and two of her blogs here and here.
**I will be interviewing Sheila next week when she stops by on her blog tour.
I will also be selecting a random winner from all the remaining participants to win the new Taste of Home’s 2007 Slow Cooker Recipes soft cover cookbook!
One final word. Please remember we all have different circumstances of which we may know nothing about. Therefore it is not our place to judge or make assumptions but rather help each other succeed with encouraging words, positive reinforcement and if asked, respectful suggestions.
Thanks everyone and good luck to all of you!
This challenge couldn’t have come at a better time Laura, thanks for keeping us motivated 🙂
Hi Laura,
With all of the craziness of our life right now, I need this to ground me. I am doing my master bedroom, which when it is clean it gives me peace. But I cannot seem to keep it clean because we have NO SYSTEM for organization in it!
I am looking forward to the peace this will bring me!
Also, my CORRECT link is on number 5 – but there is no “delete link” thing on either of them. Can you delete my number 4 – it goes to a meatball recipe!! Lol!!!
laura, I arrived here via tootsie at wordpress. thank you for this challenge, I need motivation. I will tackle my bedroom, which used to be my sanctuary, now is just a place where we sleep. your quote really helped motivate me.
thank you
Well, here we go, huh? I’m excited and apprehensive all at the same time!
Thank you so much, Laura!
i have been reading you for a month………i cannot wait to do this i already have a plan laid out *thank you for the last few posts on this*
🙂 let the organizing begin!
I hope this gets me on the right path! I was in an organizing mood anyway, so here we go!!!
Thanks for the motivation and encouragement to do this. I am doing our homeschool room/office. It is a disaster–thankfully we don’t “do” school in here or else we wouldn’t be able to concentrate. 😉
I thought of you all day yesterday as I went through my children’s rooms… literally top to bottom.
We had gone out and bought some storage containers to organize their rooms. I tackled that yesterday.
I couldn’t wait for 30 days! 🙂 I had gone too long and I was done with it. 4 hours later everything has a place and everything’s in it’s place.
I didn’t even know where to begin. We just put everything into the middle of the room… one HUGE pile and started piece by piece sorting and finding a place for everything.
My son actually threw some things away. Now that in itself is a huge accomplishment! 🙂
Thanks for your encouragement, support and inspiration to get these things accomplished. It feels so much beter!!!!
This couldn’t be better timing. Just right for spring cleaning and organizing. Do we just post our before and afters on the last day? Thanks so much for putting this together. 🙂
Thanks for your kick in my butt!!! I’ve never been so excited to get something clean and organized. I have alot to do! Hopefully my link is OK (this is my first time to do anything like this) but if it’s not, just get in touch with me and I’ll do whatever you tell me to do 😉
Thanks for the motivation to get this done!! 🙂 I am thrilled. I’ve been talking about doing this for the longest time…now it will be done in 30 days! I can’t wait. Thanks so much.
Thanks for doing this. I love a reason for getting organized. Some day I will be organized just for the sake of being organized, but until that day, thanks for the boost!
Goodness! I need this BADLY! I’ll be tackling my downstairs office, of which I will be ashamed to submit my “before picture”, but it must be done. Can’t wait to get going! 🙂
Laura,
I am so excited to join the challenge. I hope you have another one after this. I have my scrapbook room to tackle next!!
I am sigining up for both. I actually posted both categories in the same post. I am Tracy F. number 33.
Thanks!!!
Thanks so much for the extra push I needed to finally do something about my home office. I actually took pictures and posted them on my blog – boy, was that embarrassing. Luckily – my entire house is no where near as bad. I don’t know how much I’ll get done in 30 days, but I’m going to give it a try !!!
I’m doing my bedroom closet. It seriously will be a huge challenge, but I’m excited and ready to get going. I will be posting my before pictures on my blog sometime today.
Help! I fully admit that I am technologically challenged when it comes to blogging. But exactly HOW do I get the lovely little graphic link for this challenge to insert in my blog? Thanks in advance!
I’ve got the spring bug in me, so as I see things, I’m trying to keep things picked up. I made the whole family comb thru the house last night.
I can’t wait to hear the results! You are so inspiring 🙂
This will be great motivation! Thanks for hosting this!
Laura, sorry…can you change 41 to Rachel instead of what is listed…I’m such a novice. Thanks for understanding.
How often do you host these challenges? I would love to participate, but my April is already booked solid. I am organizing my life right now by learning to say no and by learning how not to add anything more :)!!
I’m in and I’m ready!! Just gotta narrow it down between two projects. 🙂 Looking for opinions. 😉
Be blessed!
Perfect timing! The playroom has needs some huge organization.
Oh Laura, thank you so much for givning me the motivation to get my scrap room done. My finals will be just 2 weeks after the challenge ends and I will be able to spend the whole summer in my nice organized room! Woo Hoo!
Thanks for the challenge, Laura! I’m going to conquer my schoolroom/dining room/studio/workout area! I’m excited about getting this done!!
The challenge is on. I’m in.
Wow! This sounds fun but due to my present state I will not be able to participate this year but I will be following up. I’ll be cheering on my friend. GO TAMMY!
Dear Laura, I am taking a break from blogging, but I am keeping up with your inspiring blog! Thanks so much for doing this challenge. I am working on claiming the kitchen and family room. They are usually neatest because that’s where we spend a lot of time, but I’m getting rid of more clutter there to make less work for me. I just wanted to say hi, and I’m enjoying this.
Thank You for hosting this.. it was fun.. I cant wait to go check everyone’s projects out!!!!
Thanks so much for giving me the kick in the pants I have needed 🙂
I am excited and ready for this.
Laura
Thanks for this challenge. I really need to get my sewing room in order. This is just the fire I needed.
Essie
I don’t know which room to choose! I think I’ll do the master bedroom…it NEEDS help. We just remodeled and built our girls a bedroom so it’s a blank slate right now. That one will be fun, but not so challenging. Can’t wait to get started!
Hi Dana,
Please link up again when you have your challenge post up. Thanks so much for wanting to participate.
Laura
Thank you for doing this! I posted again with my challenge post up! I am really excited. Can’t wait to get started!
HI Laura,
I am excited to join in for this challenge! I feel a little sick to stomach after posting the BEFORE pictures on my blog. HOW EMBARRASSING!! Hopefully it will spur me on to finish the job. That way I can post the after pictures.
Thanks for hosting and for the kind encouragement you give us all.
Stacy
One question…..Do we need to track our progress on the same post that we linked to today?
Hi Stacy,
You can if you want to but it isn’t necessary. About half way through the month I’ll put up another Mr. Linky to give people an opportunity to do a progress report. If you do put up a progress report any other time please make sure to leave a comment for me to let me know so I don’t miss it.
Thanks!
Laura
Thanks for hosting! I am so looking forward to this. It is just the motivation I need!
How can I view what others are posting for the challenge? Is this available.
I’d love to see what people are posting! How fun1
Hi anonymous, if you just click on the pink links on this post, it will take you to each participants challenge post. Email me if you have any trouble.
Laura
What fun! I love to organize and after getting things from the attic tonight, I realize that challenge is the right word! I did mess up the link – sorry! I was so excited that I signed up before I read how to link to a post!
Sorry, I joined twice on accident and one of the links doesn’t even bring you to my blog. I really haven’t gotten the hang of blogging yet. I love reading others though. Please delete me I will participate I just can’t link you to my blog. I am at wordpress not blogspot. 5busybodies@wordpress Deanne
Deanne, your link didn’t link up properly so I had to delete it. If possible, please try again.
Thanks,
Laura
I am doing my sewing room which is a disgrace unto itself! I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do next in this process, am new to this blogging world. I have taken the ‘before’ pictures GAG! I will disgrace my family and friends but it will be worth it!
Honestly? I am too scared to actually “commit” to something in writing, because I may just fail… And then … I’d have to show actual pictures of my crazy room! Ack!
O.k. I posted the most horrid pictures of my laundry room…and these after I cleaned it a bit already…LOL. I will take the challenge! My laundry room will be totally organized by the end of this challenge and I will be SO happy! Thank you for the challenge :o)
Booger – I can’t play along this time since I’ll be on vacation over half of the 30 days.
Maybe I’ll have my own personal 30 day challenge next month – I have plenty of areas that need it!
I think this challenge will be just what we needed to get our rears in gear!
Becca
Well this is a perfect challenge as a newbie to blogging and to organizing. I’m tackling 2 rooms, my shed and spare room(cringe). Just want to say thanks Laura, i have been reading your blog for about a month now and you have inspired me… it’s great to see someone hooked on organization.
Good luck to everyone who is taking the challenge.
Hello Laura, this is the perfect way to let out all of my ‘nesting’ that I’m doing. 🙂 I’m sure my husband will appreciate me having an outlet for the unusual amount of energy I seem to have lately.
HI, Thank you it was alot of work!!!! The color we painted our kitchen was burled redwood.. I think by Glidden from lowes..
Liz
I want to be in this challenge- so need it! I am not sure I linked it right. thanks for the push to get organized!
Slow, Late, Untidy – the story of my life. Thanks for offering this challenge. I sure need it…
I’d like to join if I’m not too late?
Is it too late to join? I need this challenge to get the last of my unpacking/organizing done!
Andrea and Brandie, no it isn’t too late…jump on board and happy organizing!
Laura
Laura,
I’m back in the game and have resigned up for the challenge! I can’t wait for you to see what I did with my closet!
~Haley
Finally. It’s now a 20 day organizational challenge, but, hey that’s better than a 2 day, right?
Oh, I’m so excited to begin!!! YAY! I have a lot of work to do!
I’m also doing the 20 day challenge. Just the kick in the pants I needed! Thank you!
Sorry I’m late to the party, but I still so want to do this. Thanks for all the great advice and inspiration, Laura!
Thank you gave me a motivation,even I’m not living in US,I have to clear my room before June!but at first,I have to fix my blog’s template and translate to English,,
oh, thanks for this challange. i need to renovate+organize my room and this challenge is perfect to keep me motivated.
Okay! I’m finally done. Thanks for the motivation to do this.