What I’m learning about myself in these weekly home organization projects is that I should not be allowed to put or ‘store’ items in more than one place. By having the same stuff in different locations, I end up buying more than one, of whatever it is. Or perhaps, several, because I’ve forgotten.
That’s definitely what’s happened with my kid’s piano music. Both play, and like to have lots of choices for sight reading, but come on! How many music books do we really need?
Part of the problem is, when I’m at an estate sale and there’s piano music, I buy it. It’s so inexpensive to purchase and you never know what you’ll find. Then, I take it home and put it in one of three or four places where we keep piano music. Next thing you know, we’ve got duets for everyone in the neighborhood to play!
- This week’s project. Piano music.
- Small. According to my kids, we sorted this last year. Sure doesn’t feel like it! We did it again. They’re keeping more than necessary but I’m keeping my mouth shut on this.
- Clear and clean. I rounded up and cleared out all of the drawers and cabinets where we keep the music. (One of the cabinets is now in the office because it was so empty! YES!!) The dining room cabinets have large plastic Ikea tubs to hold music and piano bags but now the empty tubs are going down to the sewing area.
- Get set. After sorting through, what’s getting donated is in a bag and ready to be dropped off.
- Pack it out. The donation bag isn’t in the car – yet. Honestly, I’m hoping to add a few more items to the bag. All the music is on the dining room table. Thankfully, it’s a large table.
- Stop buying. Here’s what’s too bad – I had to buy two new piano music books this week. Both kids have their piano syllabus this weekend and you must have a ‘clean copy’ of the music for the adjudicator. That means no marks or scribble notes from the teacher. Oh well. At least now we have Brahms and Mozart to go around!
- Less is more. Less is more, but more importantly, there are fewer places for the music. I also have to remember that the library has sheet music and we can borrow it!
Both kids were willing to donate their piano bags – which I had sewn. Interesting that they were able to ditch those, but not the music?! It’s doubtful I can get rid of those but next week’s project is – bags and purses.
What do you buy at estate sales that you already have enough of? Do you have kids who play instruments?
Go Gingham dining room table related links:
A dining room table tablecloth for Flag Day – or another summer holiday
How to tutorial on the dining room table ping-pong
The rug from our dining room – bought on Super Bowl Sunday
Thanksgiving table-cloth made for our dining room table
As part of our New Year’s resolution, we’re cleaning out a different area of our house every week this year. Find all of the “weekly home organization projects” – or click the image below.
Go Gingham 
If you are looking for a new home for the piano music I would love to pick it up from you! I am a piano teacher living in Tualatin and have about a dozen students who would benefit from the books 🙂 feel free to email me!
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Sher,
I will! Thank you for the offer!!
The books and all are spread out and getting ready to be sorted and put away (a week of sitting on the dining room table is enough already!) so I’ll definitely be in touch.
Your email is in my system 🙂
Thank you! Great offer.
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Fantastic! good luck sorting 🙂
I know how hard it is to let music books go, they are historical for your kids and perhaps even further back. I love reading the notes/handwriting in really old music books written by teachers from years gone by!!
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We will be entering the world of trombones and band in the next year. I don’t think band music tends to accumulate like piano books, but it’s been awhile since I’ve been in band and who knows what has changed? But, like you, I have a few hidey-holes where I store different things (I tend to buy ahead for Christmas, Easter, etc.) and I’ve been burned more than once by putting something “where the kids will never find it” and then forgetting about it. You are right, one centralized place would make more sense.
My daughter would love your flowery bag but my son is probably a bit too cool for the robots. I feel your pain. 😉
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Kris,
Some of the music is from band, too! Middle school is band central!! We also have recorder and violin music from a brief stint of violin playing that my daughter did.
Too funny about the hiding – that was my problem earlier this week, too! I made a bunch of the sewn Easter bags to give out to neighbors and friends at church and hid them. Then, spent a half hour trying to find them! Honestly, I was considering sewing more but finally, there they were.
It’s true – the growing up and not wanting is hard on me when I’ve made the stuff! It’s getting stored for later use. I can keep a small little bag but am not keeping the rocking chair!! LOL!
Thanks, Kris! 🙂
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Oh, those bags are so cute. It’s kind of sad when the kids outgrow them.
I have an obsession with office supplies and when I find them cheap, I buy entirely too many. Even though I’m a student, I still have too many notebooks, file folders, pens, etc.
Wrapping paper! I vowed to buy no more and start using what I have (including maps – thank you for that, Sara) but I still buy paper when I find it at thrift stores and it’s too good to pass up.
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