paring down

Holy moly,we brought way too much stuff!

The last month and a half has been an insane whirlwind...no, more like a freaking tornado. We made the decision and finalized plans to move on December 8th. We found an amazing renter for our house on December 11th. We celebrated Christmas with a train trip to Chicago to see family on December 18th. We arrived home on December 28th and immediately packed up the entire house, in between work, a sinus infection and ruptured eardrums, and moved into Seattle five days later. We made it through, but it was, as I said, insane.

This move has been the ultimate lesson in downsizing, organizing and being prepared. None of which I was able to do successfully, due to the time table we had to work with. At the last minute, I held a "design grab" and had my girlfriends over to go through the bunches and bunches of stuff that was clinging to the shelves in the basement. They took lots of the good items, which was very helpful, but there was still SO much. On the day of the move friends and relatives were taking multiple trips to St. Vincent de Paul to donate items. Crazy!

I had packed as much as I could in the few days before we left. I labeled the boxes as thoroughly as possible. I carefully considered what I could live without. I gave things away, threw things away and boxed items for storage (my generous boss' basement). I laid out furniture using a floor plan tool on my iphone, so I could really decide what would fit in the new space. But we still brought too much.

Did I mention that we were moving from a three bedroom house with a full basement (and I mean FULL), to a ONE bedroom apartment with ONE closet? Even if I had had ample time to take on this downsizing, I think I still would have overestimated what the new place could hold. Its just such a huge undertaking, and one we have not done in about 5 years. In the past, most of our moves had been to larger places, so we just filled them up.

So this move was difficult. We are still sifting through things and will most likely take more items to storage. Its a great feeling though, this clearing of the decks and relearning how to live without so much stuff. Although this move is somewhat temporary, these lessons will be permanent. I think that this change is very, very good.

My preliminary floor plan for the living room... too much furniture and some of it was too big.

The dining room plan should pretty much work out. We still need to find bookcases to flank the buffet/dresser. This weekend's mission!

cupboard clean-up

Another quick change for the TV room came in addressing the small built-in wall cupboard.


The doors were impractical because I had to move the futon out of the way when I needed access to the cupboard's contents. This extra step caused clutter and disorganization to multiply in the small closet quickly.


It was hard to find anything quickly in this mess!


I decided to purchase a second matchstick bamboo blind and use it in place of two doors to hide the wall cupboard. When I removed the doors, I used the opportunity to restore some semblance of order. Now I simply raise the blind, and I can easily pull out what I need.




It is so much easier to get stuff in and out of the closet now!

to decorate an office

I recently acquired a fantastic new job, which I am really thrilled with. My coworkers are great and have warmly welcomed me aboard. I have my own office and it has a city/ shipyard view. The windows are nice and big, so I get a lot of natural light. Being a sort of corporate looking office though, it lacks character. Since I will be spending forty hours a week here, I want it to be a reflection of me. My challenge is to try and warm it up, and make it into a space that feels organized, welcoming, and if possible, soothing.

This is what I have to work with:
The walls are painted a nice, rich khaki. The desk chair and two visitor's chairs are a medium shade of evergreen. The desk and bookcase are a warm, mid-toned cherry color. My large lateral file cabinet is putty, and the trim for the doors and windows is the standard black metal, typical of contemporary office buildings.

I am considering two different color palettes.
The first includes the forest green, with reds and golds. I have a floral painting that includes all of those colors to hang on the wall. I also have a red wall clock and a black and white table lamp that would work with it. For picture frames, I would probably try to stick with all white or black.

The other palette also uses the forest green, but incorporates light blues and accents of brown. In this scenario I would hang a world map, use a white and brown lamp and white picture frames. I might hang a bulletin board covered in a fabric that has all of the colors.

In both cases, I want to use mismatched china or small flower pots to hold my pens, paper clips, post-it notes and business cards on my desk. I envision baskets on some of the shelves to store and sort envelopes and paper. Maybe some fabric covered magazine holders would be a good to keep catalogs and phone books from looking like clutter.

I don't have any photos to show you now, but I wanted to hear your opinions and ideas. Do any of you have a workspace that you have converted from sterile to homey but functional? This is my first "real" office, and the decorator in me is really excited. It needs to remain professional looking too though. Any of your thoughts would be appreciated!

mag mania!

I have a prediction: All of these lovely magazine subscriptions will ultimately be the demise of my sweet little organized world. They were out of control again, just like my closet. I don't know how it happened. I was doing so well to tear the photos I liked out of them, but somehow, they just multiplied. I couldn't keep up. The imposing stacks had begun to cover every surface. So, here was my strategy to sort my way out of the clutter.


I took every copy that had been lying around and sorted them according to publication, on the living room carpet. (Except for Chris's mags, which only created one little stack on their own.) I then sorted them further: some I knew I could just recycle without looking through again, and others needed a second glance so I could retain some of the information and photographs for my design files.

Over the next few days, while I was relaxing at night or waiting for the coals to heat up on the grill, or for the chicken to bake in the oven, I quickly flipped through the issues and kept only the best ideas and looks, and recycled the rest.

Back in the living room, the more current and "keeper" copies fit nicely into my magazine rack.


The back issues of Cottage Living and domino, my faves, each got their own fabric box on the end table. I found these boxes at TJ Maxx for only $13 each, and they just happen to be covered in the same fabric I made curtains out of for the dining room and, more recently used to cover the lamp shades. Now that's good decorating karma!



And, since Chris's magazine addiction is much less severe than mine, he gets his own smaller basket, for current issues, on the coffee table.

It seems that I am destined to learn this lesson of magazines-turned-clutter over and over again, despite my best intentions to keep on top of it. I have vowed that when most of these subscriptions have run their course, I will not renew. I think that is the key right there. This wisdom I will pass on to you: if you are not a fiendish decorator like I am, stick to subscribing to only a couple of your favorite publications, and purchase others from the newsstand only when they grab your attention or need inspiration. Hopefully, it will help you to live a life less cluttered!

a flea market wish list

There is so much about the flea market and antique store cruising experience that is serendipitous. Treasures are found that you never imagined would make their way home with you. Vignettes and displays inspire you to recreate and redesign the things you already own. Impulse buys prevail. However, it never hurts to have a list of things on your mind when you are out hunting. That is why I have created my "Antique Store Wish List", and have written it in a tiny notebook that I keep in my purse.

Want to know what is on it? I knew you did. Here goes:
~ A globe with a grand patina
~ An old grade school-esque map of someplace else (Ex: the Caribbean, Italy, Greece)
~ A pair of plug-in wall sconces (period/style not important, just not Victorian)
~ An eye catching vintage tablecloth to turn into a slip cover for my ottoman
~ Old, weathered chalkboard
~ Classic looking alcohol decanters
~ Circa 1920's oil-rubbed bronze door knobs, like 4 or 5 of them
~ A door knocker with lots of character and preferably very old looking
~ 4 matching claw feet for a cast iron tub that sits covered in brambles at my husband's grandpa's pasture
~ A wicker armchair

That is about it. It always seems to be growing though. That little notebook, which I call my "design journal", also contains lots of other decorating details from my house.


I have written measurements for different things, like windows, pieces of furniture, wall spaces that could use artwork. I also jot down design ideas in it, or specifics on a piece I find while out shopping (this is why I keep a small tape measure with me at all times).


I taped-in paint chips for each room in my house.


I have also included some fabric swatches for several of the rooms.


I even taped one of my business cards inside the front cover in case I lose it!


This little book has been a really valuable tool for me in my decorating adventures. It is very easy to create, and I highly recommend that you do it. Just find a small notebook that fits in your purse, and get started!

This design journal may come in handy this Saturday, as I head to downtown Bremerton for the second round of Simply Renewed's 4th Street Market. Starts at 9am, goes till 4pm. I was out of town last month, so I am excited to see what's featured. Hope to see you there!

closet serenity

It all happened so fast and it was out of control. Despite constant efforts to contain our clothes and shoes, our bedroom closet had become a living, breeding, mound of clutter. I know, I know, how can a self-proclaimed, savvy organizer live in such disarray? Trust me, I am so ashamed.




At 30 inches deep and 57 inches wide, I am not exaggerating when I say that this closet is tiny. And, as the only real closet in the house, it has to work for both of us. Ever since we moved in, I have been attempting to force it to be efficient. I bought a shoe organizer right away. I put in a drawer unit that contained medicine, extra toiletries, slippers, and swimwear. I hung a sweater organizer from the top rod to corral our favorite sweatshirts and sweaters. The clothes and shoes seemed to multiply, even though no new articles were being introduced. At some point, I lost my motivation to keep on top of it every day and embraced the chaos that hid behind the curtain.

Yesterday, I was surveying our bedroom. Little piles of clothes had started to crop up outside the closet! I decided that something had to be done. I resolved to regain floor space in the bedroom and start from scratch in the closet.

Once I dragged everything out of it, including the dust bunny colony, I looked over the empty space. Boy was it ugly. It had never been painted. So, I coated it twice with a high gloss creamy white. Lucky for me, it was a hot day and it dried quick. I set to work putting things back in, but scrutinized it all along the way.

Over half of my husband's hanging clothes are never worn. I carved out a spot for them in the basement next to the winter coats. This eliminated the need for the bottom hanging rod. Oh, joy! I put my dresser in next to the sturdy plastic drawer unit. The shoe organizer, when tipped on its end, still fit inside, just underneath the hanging sweater organizer.



Up top, I hung our clothes in a color coordinated fashion, which not only looks good, but helps me really see what I've got to choose from. (Now I just need a collapsible step stool so I can reach them!)


On top of my dresser, there is a little mirror and a wooden dish for my everyday earrings, next to my larger jewelry box.


I installed a small rack with three hooks for belts and my robe. The single hook that had been there previously, was always falling out of its hole, and I had more belts that it could hold. I also mounted two "moon lights", as previously the closet was not lit, which I think added to the creation of the disturbing abyss of clutter.



It is amazing how spacious the bedroom now feels with one dresser in the closet. With all of our things now organized in a sensible way, the whole room feels more restful. I think I slept better last night, and getting dressed this morning was fun! I even went a few steps further and added a couple of things to the bedroom, which I will show you tomorrow. For now, I do believe that this is more than enough!

itso at target

Target has a new line of trendy looking, but highly durable and convenient storage solutions. The name is itso. It looks great and is super customizable.
Here are a few ideas for usage:

In a large, long room, you could create a system to divide and define different zones.

Super for keeping kids toys organized and in their place in a living room or their bedroom.

Great for college dorm rooms.

Practical in your closet under your hanging clothes, where there is usually some wasted space.

Some combinations could also be put to good use in your home office if you are lacking desk drawers or a traditional bookshelf.

The prices range from about $10 - $50 for each component. They should be available for purchase at your local Target store. Have fun customizing them for your own purposes at home!

get it together

This book got me motivated to tackle the large project of organizing my basement. Eliminate Chaos is written by professional organizer Laura Leist. Leist breaks down the overwhelming task of sorting and discarding the junk from our lives into 10 doable steps.
Here is how she suggests you approach each organizing task, large or small, in your home:
1. Dedicate the time...make a date with yourself or your helper and stick to it.
2. Gather supplies:garage cans or bags, boxes, a shredder, and a marking pen.
3. Establish an area in which you can place items as you sort.
4. Sort: items to keep, sell, donate, or trash.(Get the "toss" items out ASAP!)
5. Purge items that are no longer valuable or useful to you.
6. Group like items as you sort and purge.
7. Examine the empty space and make a plan before returning items into it.
8. Shop for the organizational components you will need for your new plan.
9. Install your new purchases, put the items you've kept in their new homes.
10.Maintain your new orderly space. Consistently evaluate to see that the new systems are working for you. If not, adjust them so that they will.

I used this process with my basement, and got through the sorting step, but unfortunately never actually got the items to be donated or given away out of the house. Now they take up valuable storage space down there, and since clutter begets more clutter, my great organizing job is quickly coming undone. I will pretty much have to start over! I really should have followed the 10 steps a little more closely!

Eliminate Chaos has locations around the Puget Sound, and Laura frequently appears at our Renton, WA IKEA to speak on common organizing topics. On July 19th, from 9:00-10:00am, listen to her tips on getting the kids organized for back to school. Most likely there will be information at this event that can also be applied to other areas of your life. If you are a busy mom though, get yourself in gear for the school year early, and be rewarded with a smooth transition that will impact you all year long.

share your organizing ideas

This is a call for your BEST organizing ideas... Anyone have anything to share?


Aimee in Chicago sparked the idea to ask for your input. She sent me this image of her "necklace organizer" which is actually a men's tie rack. She hung this on the inside of her closet door to keep all of her beautiful necklaces (some of which she so cleverly made by hand) in line.

I found a similar wall mounted rack, as well as some alternative jewelry storage ideas at The Container Store.

This handsome tie rack would serve the same purpose.


Don't want to make holes in your closet wall or door? Try this hanging organizer instead.



If you have a small drawer in your nightstand or bathroom to dedicate to jewelery storage, these green EVA modular trays look great and keep tiny items contained.


How do you keep your spices organized? Have a great way to keep track of your crafting supplies? Or, do you actually need some help to get all the little things in your life under control? Either way, if you have questions,images or suggestions to share, email them to me at bchicdesign@gmail.com!

small space living

Sharilyn Wright's studio on apartment therapy.

Apartment living can be a drag in more ways than one. If you can't paint, you are stuck with white walls. Sometimes, the kitchen is smaller than the bathroom. If you are lucky, you have an extra bedroom to create a home office, if not, those ugly file cabinets may have to become part of your decor. And the most common problem in rentals,(heck, even in the house I own), is convenient and plentiful storage.

But hey, no need to fret. Turn that frown upside down and click on your creativity. Challenge yourself to think outside the box you live in and come up with inventive solutions to your rental woes. To help spur that inner designer, here are a few images I found in a great collection of apartment decorating tricks from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine.

For the issue of tiny kitchens with little storage, maximize your walls. Hang racks for pots and utensil cups. Maybe you even want to try the Julia Child-esque treatment of a white peg board with painted silhouettes and hooks for each pan.


If an extra bedroom is not in your rental budget, devote a corner or wall in your living space to home office needs. Using a slender card table, sew a fabric skirt to hide file cabinets and computer cords and top the table with a piece of coordinating fabric under custom cut glass. Go vertical with shelves, and hide office necessities in decorative boxes or baskets.


Create different zones in rooms where there are none, by floating your furniture instead of pushing it up against the walls. Place a console table behind the sofa to double as a bill paying center or stick to storage ottomans underneath and some pretty vases on top.


Convert a bookshelf into convenient entry storage by labeling bins or baskets and filling them with scarves, gloves, shoes, office supplies, coats, heck even canned goods, if you don't have ample storage in the kitchen.


Just because you can't paint the walls, does not mean you can't decorate with color! Bring in color on your furniture, throw pillows, curtains and art work. Cover plywood panels with batting and fabric to lean against the walls for visual interest.


To see more inspiring uses of small spaces, visit bhg.com.

To see ideas used by real people in their own apartments, check out apartment therapy.com.

the dresser update

It seems I can not escape painting...ever. As I sit here, I am hatching plans to paint three pieces of bedroom furniture. I am telling you guys, I just can not help myself.
Okay, so while you all are helping me decide what color to paint the end tables in the living room this week (please, please vote in the poll to the right of this posting), I'll show you the result of painting my dresser in the dining room a couple of weeks ago.


It was not aging gracefully, and with its chipping veneer and oak-ey Victorian charm, it looked less than fashionable against my apricot dining room walls. So, over Memorial Day weekend, Candace and I covered it in warm white paint.(We also dipped Candace's dresser-turned TV stand, in a chocolaty brown candy coating. I'll show you those pics another time.)



Now the dresser, which functions as my buffet, looks fresher, and makes the whole room feel a little crisper. In an attempt to modernize, I changed out the accessories on top to up the contrast factor. The new black and white elements are echoed elsewhere in the room and house. All in all, I am pleased with the transformation.


I also took this as an opportunity to reorganize the contents in a more functional manner. I removed serving pieces that I rarely use, moved my china and Christmas dishes to the bottom drawer, and filled the top two drawers with place mats and tablecloths that were previously crowding the limited storage in the kitchen. Do you want to peek inside?