Day 1: Tackling the cupboard that wouldn't close!!

I'm only just starting out, and I realize that this is going to be much harder than I thought!!

Well, even though I didn't really know where to start (there are tons of places that deserved the honor), I decided the kitchen was probably the best place.  I spend lots of time in the kitchen, and I'm usually balancing a baby on my hip while there!  So I definitely need a simpler kitchen, where everything is easy enough to access--at least those things I use most.  I would like to get things to where I can even grab most things with one hand (while balancing that baby, of course)!  I decided to begin with a cabinet that was just out of control.  We couldn't even get it to close completely.  Here it is from the outside (gaping open):

This is what it looked like inside (I can barely stand to share this!):

My biggest problem with decluttering is that I just plain don't like giving things up!  I am not a child of the Great Depression, but sometimes I sure act like I am!!  I love to keep things "just in case."  That will hopefully be ending now!  I opened up the cupboard by the back door, and I'm almost embarrassed to share the pictures!  It was jam packed full of things, some of which I do actually use, but many of which I couldn't even tell you what their functions were!  Here is what I found: On three shelves, I found a Cuisinart food processor with all the accessories, one large crockpot, many various casserole dishes, baby bottles and pumping supplies, rice steamer and steamer insert (which I have never used), plates, platters, cookie sheets, strainers, cutting boards, along with random items like a set of jar thongs to use while making jam (which I also have never used), and many more items.  Here are some pictures.  I don't want to take more space writing what was in there.

 
I laid everything out on the floor, and I was amazed at how difficult it was to make myself give things up, even the things that I have never used!   I set a few things aside for our garage sale, pulled the serving dishes and platters out to find a new home, and then restocked the shelves.  Here is what it now looks like on the right hand side of the cabinets:

I will be posting labels with what goes where along with a photo on the door so that anyone who helps with dishes in our home will be able to put things where they belong.  I got that idea from another mom of nine about a year ago, and I'm finally going to try it.  This way, hopefully we will all return things to where they belong in the right position so it stays organized. Yay!!  This was a fun start, and took me just about the whole 30 mintues I had set aside for the decluttering today. I plan to do the left side next.  Also, next up is the challenge to work with Todd and write a family purpose statement.

More on that in my next post.