We Gained A Drawer In The Kitchen

Simple, but a nice change.

Found it here.

What I Did Today During Naptime {The Great Switcheroo}

I've been doing lots of switcheroo-ing 'round these parts lately.  The goal being to spend very little money if any at all, but to get my 'freshing up' fix.

I took our master bathroom mirror, painted it white, put hooks on it and hung it in the laundry room.

I took the mirror caddy that was on the laundry room wall previously and positioned it in our front entryway.  I removed a dark console table that was there, too, to open it up.  When friends come over, there's always this awkward moment of Where do I go?  We both don't fit? and a little shuffling around happens.  But now I like both the laundry room space and entryway better.

If you're still tracking with me, imagine if you will, the now laundry room mirror in the master bathroom (below).  It was the mirror that came with the "kit" and matched everything else.  I'm discovering about myself that I'm not a fan of matchy-matchy stuff.

The current mirror in the master bathroom (painted turquoise awhile back) was in the entryway of the house (confused yet?).  Now that it's in the master bathroom, I find the pop of color refreshing.

Reorg: Pantry Shelf

I declare 2012 as the year of organization in my home.  I'm energized to spruce things up and change things around.  I'd like to get rid of stuff and simplify.  First project was a cluttered shelf in our pantry.  I bought a tiered expanding shelf today and reorganized a bit.

before

 

after

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Have you got any organization goals this year?

Nothing Amazing

Well, the hallway closet went from this

 

to this.

I did a little switcheroo with the guest room closet and decided that I like having the coats here as well as all of our games in one location.  Extra blankets folded on the bottom.  Dangerous chemicals are no longer kept at a child's reach.  Next re-org goal is the guest room.  It's a little scary in there, so wish me luck!

Where Is An Organization Fairy When You Need One?

I seriously need to get to business on some organizing in my home.  The temperature drop here is invigorating and has made me feel so motivated to clean out and organize.  For the most part, I'd say my house is pretty organized (though you'd never guess it from these pictures!)  I am one of those odd ball gals that really enjoys being domestic; cooking, cleaning, laundry, yard work, etc.  In my house, there is a place for everything and it's easy to find things.  But sometimes life gets busy and I get lazy which results in piles of stuff that need to find new homes.  I wish I could hire someone to help me because it takes work to figure this stuff out.  All I know is that when my house isn't in order, it doesn't feel peaceful to me.  And these pics ain't peaceful.

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Anyone got some organization tips?

It's The Little Things

What makes your home special?  What are the details that you love, even if they don't matter much to anyone else?  What gives you that cozy feeling when you walk in the door?  Are there sentimental items that are important to you, no matter what the price tag was?  What holds memory or value?  Here are a few snapshots, which I love, from around my home.

A chalkboard sign right outside our front door.  On the other side is written, "No Soliciting" for those times we start getting door-knockers at dinner time.  I change it up seasonally, too.  Last year we welcomed guests for our Christmas party and it read, "Eat, Drink, and Be Merry with the Bonsers."

This little item I picked up for $10 at Pier One a long time ago.  I love displaying holiday cards, birth announcements, and other photos we get in the mail throughout the entire year.  This is on a wall in our hallway.

On Chris's first business trip to Singapore he brought me back this jewelry box, which is by far the sweetest, most thoughtful gift he's ever given me.  I love it.

For whatever reason I just love the linen closet.  (And that little furball.)

With the very little cabinet and counter space that we have, we found this to be the perfect storage solution for my knives.  The blue and red tape (a frequent question) was to differentiate my knives from my fellow culinary school buddies' knives.  When we paid the tuition fee for school, it included our books and equipment, therefore everyones' knives looked the same.

Maximizing storage in the pantry meant utilizing the door.  Thank you, Elfa!

Silly to others but wonderful to me.  When we retiled the master bathroom, I chose to install corner shelves in the shower.  I always hated soap getting wet in it's normal spot on the side. 

This shot was taken as I sat on the floor of my closet.  I believe this was meant for belts, but it seemed perfect for necklaces.  The only downfall is that it is at the perfect height for Vera to play with.  I really don't mind that much though.

My sister-in-law gave us this new-to-us entryway mirror.  It was perfect for this spot.  A place for Chris to throw his keys and wallet when he walks in the door.  We also hung our pool bag here for the whole summer which contained everything we needed to hop in the car and go at a moment's notice (sunscreen, swimmer diapers, hats, pool toys, towels, and Vera's flip flops).  I loved having it at the ready.  This is also the spot I write a daily love note to my hubs.

What you can't see in this photo is what I really like about my small countered kitchen.  There is a little white dish drainer down there on the left side that fits pefectly.  I got it from Ikea a long time ago and never knew how much I would love it.  We don't keep dishes in there very long, but when they are drying, they are only in the sink and not cluttering up the countertop.

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What are your house loves?