A Bookshelf Makeover.

aka how I spent* my first Tuesday without Charlie.

When I finished my closet "lightening" last month, I mentioned maybe wanting to tackle the bookshelf in my office. Today - that happened! It's not nearly as fun as a smiling toddler (and I'm just about as pooped out as one of those Tuesdays) but it feels good. and if any of y'all have similar projects waiting in the wings, maybe this will help.

I remembered to take the "before" photo this time. It looks a little different than the one I shared six weeks ago because this bookcase and the space in front of it seems to be my dumping ground. These shelves store books, knitting stuff (needles, yarn, patterns), photos and a few other bits of memorabilia**. 

My main purpose with today's project was the books and the yarn and I decided to tackle the books first. I did not follow Marie Kondo's process and empty everything out. Instead, I went shelf by shelf and aggressively culled my collection. Along the way, I rearranged. Here's what I was a left with after that first step.

And here's what I'm donating

and returning to the gracious ladies who've loaned me books I don't have any near-term plans to read.

I even brought back books that had been living in other places in my house. I do still have a small collection of books on my desk (but that's a post for another day)***.

Next, I tackled the yarn. I've done this (a few times) before, so I wasn't expecting to find much, but I did want to take stock. I pulled ALL the yarn off the shelves (sorry, no photo!), sorted through it and then purposefully put it all back. In the process, I found two skeins of green wool that I know I was saving for a hat ... that hopefully someone else will knit. The rest just got organized.

How about two empty shelves??!! 

I also revisited my Ravelry queue. I added and deleted (and didn't really make much attempt to organize) and ended up with 22 projects. I have yarn for 21 of those and I do intend to knit them! That 22nd project is the Calliopsis cowl that Kat mentioned two weeks back and I do intend to knit that too...with Shibui Reed that I just might be purchasing tomorrow. (Like I said, no order to the queue!)

I suppose it's a post for another day, too, how I might actually work my way through 22 projects. stay tuned.

.....

And after the bookshelf, a walk with Renie and a trip to the mailbox, there's this

My newest word, thank you to dear Honoré****, and the timing could not have been better. I like making little shrines with the words and this one fits right in with I Carry Your Heart and the photo books/albums I have of the boys (on an end table in our keeping room).

Getting a project done felt like a good way to spend today. But I hope future Tuesdays are a lot more interesting ... for all of us! I also hope they include some knitting (which today has ... so far anyway, not!)

*in addition to running a few errands, voting and enjoying an afternoon walk with a girlfriend 😉

**I decided up front that the bottom shelf was going to be off-limits. That's where I have all my knitting patterns, magazines, books, etc. and our high school and college yearbooks. We have room. The shelves are neat enough. Not going there!

***I also have books in my living room and a few other "decorative" places in the house. Again, we have room and I like having the books be a real part of the decor.

****Honoré has been gifting me wooden words for years - you can see a few of them in the bookshelf - mere, focus, shine.