Hello Felix, Goodbye Oscar!

Generally speaking, I'm a Felix.  I am happiest and most productive when things are neat and organized.  It makes me crazy when I waste time looking for things. My husband is a Felix too. We both have Oscar lapses. Mostly, of the weekly small type. Newspapers, magazines, books, mail, a pile or two of folded clothes, that for whatever reason didn't get put away.

Our children have always been expected to keep their rooms clean and put away their stuff. I never understood the whole concept of hiding a teenagers mess behind a shut door.  Hearing "what can you do?" from friends confuses me.  At the A&A house a room that is not clean equals not going out with friends, not using the car, etc...It works.

I've had two major lapses in the last 2 years.  Now, I could rattle off a whole bunch of circumstances excuses that led to this lapse, such as 3 blizzards, 2 busy teenagers, work and doing a two year stint as a single mom while my husband was out of the country working.  But the fact is, I knew things were getting out of control and I let it.



Traditional Home- October 2010, Photo by John Bessler


The above image is Felix euphoria and Oscar madness. It is impossibly perfect and yet, I find it calming. Our mud room has beautiful custom shelving complete with cubbies, baskets and a bench that I designed. Ours lacks wallpaper, our family doesn't wear matching coats, carry the exact same umbrellas and wear similar shoes. Our baskets are labeled...otherwise there would be daily confusion about who's it is and where it goes!  But, still I can't help finding this space desirable.

Felix

In the past, I've always had this rule for our house and that was every room and closet had to be cleaned out once a year. Typically, I would tackle them in August before the kids went back to school. Donate toys and clothes that they had outgrown, mostly to clear space for back to school shopping and inevitably what Santa would bring in December. Keeping all the other spaces and closets organized was fairly easy. You all know the mantra: if you haven't used it or worn it in a year, it goes. This worked flawlessly for years.

Then in 2001 we moved to a smaller house and a new rule had to go in effect. Now when the once a year clearing took place I pretended that a move was imminent. It worked great and kept the clutter completely under control. Plus, this smaller house was along a river...no basement! I avoid attic storage. It's not temperature controlled and I can never remember what's up there.

Then after 4 years of small house living, we moved back to our home in Northern Virginia. Things were fine initially. Until we finished the BIG basement. The storage space that once was about 1,200 sq. feet became 200 sq. feet. That's when Oscar initially begin moving into our storage room and garage.

Oscar

Here is what being an Oscar will get you...

Garage:



A&A Garage Before

 
Storage room:



A&A Storage Room Before


Why show this awful mess? To inspire hope perhaps navigating through your own Oscar carnage!  And, of course, who doesn't doesn't love a good before and after?  We've been very busy at the A&A house! First up...the garage...almost done...dramatic changes...look for it next week.

Wishing you a  productive first weekend of fall!