Home Office/Living Room ZEN

Well it took me long enough- longer than the specifically allotted month as determined by the book- but I think I have done it. I have zenned my home office/living room. This was probably my biggest organizational challenge thus far and I kept trying to get out of it. "That bag by the table can just stay there, since it's not visible from the rest of the room," I'd think to myself. And then I would have to remember: NO, there are NO EXCEPTIONS TO ZEN. So I zenned the sh*t out of that room. Check this biatch out:

Before, my "home office" area-- aka, my kitchen table that I use as a desk and the bookshelf behind it.

After.

 

I sorted and cleared off the desk. I got rid of a bunch of excess paperwork and books from the bookshelf. I bought those little grey filing boxes from Target for all my filing needs. Actually, I went back and bought a third for the eventuality that all my filing doesn't fit in two boxes and then I'll have to buy a new one and what if Target doesn't carry them anymore and I'll have to buy one that doesn't match? Oh, and you can't see it, but I got rid of a bag of random crap from behind the table in that little nook. I am telling you this because there are NO EXCEPTIONS TO ZEN.

Before, the center of the living room. Cluttered with stuff I had tossed there whilst organizing other rooms.

I don't know why this pic is looking so weird and elongated.

After.

 

First, let me call your attention to the dvd player and TV wires that are strung across the front of the armoire in the before photo-- this was something that had previously bugged me, but not enough to do something about it. And then, in my fit of cleaning like a madwoman, I took about six minutes to reroute the wires through the back of the armoire and now it makes me incredibly happy to look over there and see NO WIRES. So when you come over be sure to point that out, okay? Okay, moving on. The mini dresser, little coffee table (covered with a plaid blanket in the before pic), and my old suitcase all went to the Goodwill. The cedar chest was moved into my bedroom, to the foot of my bed (sidenote: this move satisfied a crazy mental itch of mine-- it felt very un-zen to have my clothes in my closet, bedroom, AND living room). I bought that new coffee table ($39 from the Salvation Army) and moved it into the house with the help of a big, strong gentleman. And I put plants on it! Plants! That's some serious zen ish, jigga!

Before, the couchal region.

 

And after.

So this area mostly involved putting my clothes away. But I also finally hung up my Labyrinth poster, after having lived in this apartment for over a year.

So, what do we think? Am I zen or what?