The Clutter Free Challenge Day 9: Dining Area

This is where it gets real y'all... it's day 9 of the 31 Days to a Clutter Free Life Challenge and it's all about the dining area.

We have a beautiful counter-height table that was our first substantial purchase as a married couple.  We now also own a "real" couch; yay for adulthood!  To be fair though, each took a couple years to save up for.  That's besides the point; back to the beautiful table... or should I say staging surface, because that's what it gets used for most.

In my dream world, my husband and I would sit down every evening to a lovely candle-lit dinner at that table with smooth jazz playing in the background.  In my real world, however, when my husband and I are both home and hungry at the same time, we end up eating at the kitchen counter... no smooth jazz.

The gorgeous table has, consequently, become a staging platform for various projects and or piles of things to sort.  I want my table back!  Today I fight the good fight to free the table!

The goals for today's challenge are to put things back where they belong, clear the surface, and create dedicated storage spaces.  There are a few more goals for those with actual dining rooms.  Our apartment is one big room, a bedroom, and a bathroom... so you will start to see some overlap in the photos.

Here are the before photos:

Oh geez, here we go... Some fabric bags, my sewing lamp/caddy, a giant lantern, a lamp, a bin of things to sort with random papers and a blonde wig (yes, a blonde wig) on top, some toys that belong at my in-laws hiding in the back, and a really ironic chalk-board sign right in front... sometimes you just have to follow the signs... he he... he.

Dingo Before.  She says she won't look at me until the table is clear.

I put my sewing lamp and the bags in my "craft corner," although it looks more like a "something that rhymes with craft" corner... another day for another hot mess.  I am testing out the lantern in the living room.  The other lamp went to the bedroom because I didn't have a light on my side of the bed.  The toys will be going back to the in-laws.  The bin is being sorted, the papers got dealt with, and the wig went in my dress-up box.  Lastly, the sign went back to its rightful place on the wall.

Here are the after photos:

Da da da daaaaa!  Glorious!  I guess I should think about decorating or something, now that there's room.

If anyone is curious, the table is from Hawks Prairie Home Furnishings.  I don't get anything for posting their link, I just think they are amazing... great products, great customer service, the end.

Dingo After. She says I did a good job.

Eventually, I would like to actually have meals at the table, but for now it's just nice to see it clutter free!

Do you have your meals at the table, or are you more of a counter eater?

Cheers,

Caitlin