Simplifying my LIFE!

It has been one of my biggest goals the past year and a half to simplify my life. Get rid of stuff and live more simply! Part of the process has been for me to go through EVERY corner, closet, shelf, cabinet, etc. in my condo and organize and purge! I have conquered most areas in my condo except my bedroom. I've lived at my condo for four and a half years and I haven't even finished decorating my bedroom! I've had a corner of the room stacked with pictures and knick knacks I've wanted to decorate with for years!

And I came to a startling realization the other day as I was looking at my bedroom...My bedroom looked exactly as it did in 2004. The same pictures from college, the same awards, graduation caps, same EVERYTHING! So, it was my goal over break to put stuff away, take stuff down, and simplify my bedroom. It also helped that I took down my ugly vertical blinds and replaced them with pretty new curtains. Here are some before and after shots...

BEFORE:

Photo and souvenirs from my trip to Japan...which was in 2003!

Photos from college and childhood...

 Childhood rocking chair and childhood stuffed animals. Put them safely in a container to give to my future children. No need to decorate with them now as a 28 year old!

 Cutesy stuff from college days...

 Photos from early college...

 More college memories...Nothing wrong with college. I had a great time, I just feel that my life has moved on and until I start living like that, I'll always be stuck here...in 2004.

 This (believe it or not) started out as a small corner of paintings and pictures I wanted to hang up in my room...As you can see, that has not happened!

 Needed to do some organizing in the desk area...

 And this stack of sweatshirts is just ugly

 Look at this crap!

 And my cute coffee table...buried under STUFF! And my ugly blinds...

 Yep, those are my graduation caps from college and my Masters...and my HIGH SCHOOL homecoming sash...and my Miss Congeniality sash from college and plaque. It's really like I saw my room for the first time in YEARS! Where have I been!

 National Honor Society sash...11 years later. Sad.

AFTER:

You can see my coffee table!!

 I replaced my childhood/stuffed animal shrine with my easel and simplified decor.

 Gone everything pre-2010!

 A nicer simpler look...

 Here's a recent collage of my family...

 My side table

 My new curtains with some of the new wall hangings.

Here's my new clock I hung up...pretty sure I bought it almost 2 years ago!

 Here's my messy corner...messy no more!!

All in all, I'm very pleased!! It makes me want to actually spend time in my room; not feel smothered in STUFF! I feel like I can actually breathe now!