10.28.2008

the fruits of my labor


i am a h-core perfectionist.

i am also not a very [confident] individual.

and because of these two angie-traits/flaws...i am very rarely {totally} proud of my accomplishments.

it's simply exhausting to be me sometimes because done is never done & things can {always} be better.

i can only recall a couple of instances in my lifetime where i've been {truly} satisfied by my work/efforts, and thought to myself - hmmm...i am kind of awesome.

the first occasion being: this day.


{aka: the blissful morning i gave birth to absolute perfection.}

***
and the second being: today.


{aka: the afternoon i finally, finally finished cleaning the garage!}

***

myron & i have wanted to tackle our garage for a REALLY long time.
it has been our junk-catch-all for the entire two years we've been residing in gilbert.

organizing & cleaning it has been on our to-do list for his upcoming week off. but i thought while he was away & haulin' copper to pay the bills, i might surprise him & have it all clean when he came home to us!

***

so i began...

and let me just tell ya: for a couple of kids who consider themselves minimalists, us dunns sure have a lotta crap!
{holy smokes!}

i labored diligently for days, organizing things in four piles:

1. stuff we need/want for sure
2. stuff to chuck
3. stuff to give to di
4. stuff to beg myron to get rid of

[i consolidated pile 3 & 4 when i remembered that he wasn't helping.]

***

then i took all of the stuff we wanted to hang onto & hosed & windexed the three inches of dust off.


[my neighbor might have laughed at me when he saw me polishing the air-compressor.]

***

when everything was clean i started organizing & catagorizing.


binning stuff up.


and labeling.


***

we took a massive trip to di in claud's sequoia.

and i paid the town of gilbert the best 30 bones i've ever spent to haul off all my bulk-garbage.

[a big thanks to eric & granny for helping my pregnant-self lift the heavy stuff...]

***

i swept.

and might have wept
{for joy}
when i was all finished.

***

here it is in all it's glory, mid-project:
{yes, i was too prideful to take a true-before-picture.}


and here it is after:


[welcome home babe!]

27 comments:

Unknown said...

You are seriously awesome!! Lil baby Chloe had so much hair and was/is super adorable.

I can't believe how great the garage looks and all your cute colored bins, etc. GOOD JOB INDEED! Your hubs will be sooo happy!

Macey said...

Holy smokes is right...I think you need a back and foot rub now. Way to go.

Erin said...

You go girl! I'm very impressed that you did all of this WHILE being prego.

Lisa said...

Moments like that make you feel like a super-hero.

The Parkers said...

oh so jealous...cleaning the garage has been on my to do list since the baby was born and maternity leave ends this week *sigh* so looks like the garage will have to wait seriously Amazing!

The Wizzle said...

Well, you have been blogging up a storm and I missed it all! I'll just make one catch-up comment, in the spirit of simplifying. ;) Your garage looks fab, we did the same thing to ours a while ago and it was life-changing. I hope you get some awesome renters. And I love all Chloe's new clothes! I'm going to be doing something similar with my very own 2-year-old here soon. If it ever actually gets cold. Hmmm.

Vicki Johnson said...

Congratulations, and happy happy joy joy I am so proud of you.
Vicki

runningfan said...

WTG. You rock.

m = michelle said...

wow.
just wow.

that's amazing!!! I'm super jealous. :)

J-mama said...

Are you nesting? Holy cow, I don't have this much energy when I am not pregnant.

heather said...

AH-mazing work there sista!!

Marie said...

Of course you would have the cutest most organized garage ever. Well done!
I love that you compared birthing Chloe to your garage project by the way. And I can't wait for Dunn offspring #2. I'm sure the 09 model was be just as cute as the 06 model.

Unknown said...

good job. Do you have energy being pregnant? Wow, you go girl. I remembered towards the last month of prego ville, I had the energizer of the whole time. Nesting I beleive they call it. LOL
Wow, how nice to complete projects.

Ok, wanna add some perfection(ist)
over at me casa??

I am not cuz my mom was. oops. LOL
takecare of yourself.

Kaelene said...

Okay, so I've decided on a career goal/title for you -- Organizor Extraordinaire! People could PAY you to help with tasks like this! My project would JUST be my scrapbook room . . . that could be fun, right??? :)
I know that your DH was HAPPY to see that chore finished, so he will have more time to spend with his girls!

Alisse Baldwin said...

You DEF should be proud of yourself! SRB & I have had the same project on our list for the past 2.3 years, and keep telling ourselves we'll wait 'til it cools off... and then it's April again and too hot. Thanks for the motivation!

Sassy said...

WOW! The garage looks so wonderfully organized ...can I hire you to come and hel me organize my OUTER DARKNESS ROOM!!! Mostly it's ALL my own crap, scrapbooking and preschool crafty crap and it has been soooo HOT...how did you do it in the heat and being with child...I'll bett Myron will ♥ it! I remember just how beautiful your cute little daughter was when you brought her home...YOU OUT DID YOURSELF FOR SURE!!! I sure ♥ ya...and I think you are THE BEST there is!!!!

granny said...

Well done, I say, well done. May I follow your example {very} very soon. Like before Thanksgiving-ish.

Dewitt's said...

you are a fabulous person to be preggers and cleaning the garage! It looks amazing, I am very impressed!

(btw I love your hair, looks great)

elizabeth said...

ultra nice. I wish I had a garage.

Lori said...

What a woman. I too have that thought in my head almost every week. On Monday morning as I'm getting in my truck I look to the left and I look to the right and I think, mmmm, this weekend I am going to tackle this and then Saturday morning rolls around and I am too tired from working all week and cleaning just doesn't seem interesting to me at all. What I should do is tell everyone at work that I am only going to work on Tuesdays through Friday and take Mondays to be the cleaning day. I'm sure I wouldn't get a joyful response from my employers on that idea. Your garage looks great. Be careful though . . . too much lifting and work isn't the best for someone toting a little miracle inside.

Laurie said...

wow, impressive!

Kristen said...

I am amazed by what you accomplished! Good for you! It always makes me super happy when I get to throw tons of stuff away.

Beth Curtis said...

Ang, that is amazing and beautiful! You go girl!!

Marisa and Rob said...

WOW!!! That looks great!! You did a great job!!! :)

Brandis said...

well I'm impressed. fabulous job Angie!

Billie said...

You never cease to inspire me with your honest candor! I'm impressed with your garage I'm gonna tackle mine!!!

Coree Adams said...

Wow Ang, way to go!!!