So I started on the wall cabinets by taking everything out of them. This involved my husband because these are tall cabinets.
We started with a step stool. When we thought to get a taller ladder out of the garage, I was able to do more by myself.
This (below) is the left side. It was easier to contemplate, so I did it first. It now holds paper, envelopes, cards and notebooks. I gave a lot of school supplies (book covers and notebooks and paper) to a family with four kids for them to use in school.
As you can see, I did not whittle myself down to nothing. If one of us needs to do a project, we still have supplies. All the paper is now out of my sewing closet.
I am not buying any more of these supplies to stock. And I have told all the kids - dig thru my stuff first before you buy anything.
These (below) are containers from Walmart. Exactly the right size to hold computer games (which all three of the kids wanted to save) and children's CD's. It might be that no one ever touches these again, but they all wanted them saved. Four bins held everything perfectly and my husband readjusted the shelf so they fit perfectly. Top shelf in the right cupboard, so they are out of the way.
This (below) is what the right cupboard now holds. Yes, one totally empty shelf. The short shelf with the horizontal binders is all related to building our current house. The bottom shelf holds empty binders, file folders, and pouches.
I suspect this whole pile (below) is garbage. It is all old stuff which might be related to old computers. Oldest is not happy, but will go thru it with me over Face-time. We have agreed to go thru things this way rather than me sending picture after picture. And when he grumbles, I say - be glad I am cleaning out and organizing (so you do not have to face so much when we are dead). As I finish cupboards, I send the kids pictures so they know where things are.
Youngest already went thru this pile (below). Yes, there were several things she wanted. Middle still needs to go thru it.
The stack on the bench is the over sized paper that did not fit in the cupboards. For now, it is staying on the bench.
My part of the computer room is now mostly done (below). I have the pile to sort with middle and the pile to sort with oldest. And under the counter, near the door are several file boxes for my husband to sort/purge/shred. And there are a lot of files in his office upstairs that need sorted/purged/shredded and the keepers moved to this room.
