Almost there

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Risa

I have a dream. I REALLY want to be featured as a house tour on Apartment Therapy. When I found that blog it literally changed my whole outlook on design. I always loved it and had a “knack” for it but this was a new kind of love. They feature real people in REAL homes. Most of which you can tell are lived in and completely decorated by the dweller. Plus, it is all about relatively “small” spaces, which is exactly what we have! There is times when I wonder if our not-even-1300 square foot house will stop feeling like home and start feeling like a sardine can. This site has helped me to realize I don’t want a big house. MORE TO CLEAN!!! Besides I want to be as energy efficient as possible and leave the smallest footprint possible. I have found so much inspiration through other people’s living spaces. I would feel so honored if one stranger found inspiration in something I did.

This past week was my first week being home full time. Every single to-do list I made in my head was pretty much tossed out the window by either the 5:30 wake up calls or my two-year-old. The husband and I took out part of each day throughout the weekend to balance fun and house work. We had two big projects (Floor and the girls bathroom) underway in the last few months and it seems like things just never went back to normal. Now that I will be home I want to really set a routine. SO, this weekend we got the house back together so that the routine can start.

Back to Apartment Therapy… In my mind I want to wait until the house is 100% complete before I submit an application. Truth is? I will never be 100% complete. With the decision to stop working the bigger projects won’t get checked off as quickly. So I think I am just gonna do it! My promise (and gift) to myself is by Mother’s Day I will fill out and submit the application. Wish us luck!

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The To-Dos:

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Risa

There is a giant list of projects swirling around in my head of all the wonderful things I want to do to our house. They range from huge (flooring) to small (switch out curtains). In order to stay on track and keep an inventory of current supplies I have decided to create a list, room-by-room.

Front porch:

* Sweep

* Purchase another parrot pillow and look for seat cushion (purchase the one I love)

* Add some plants, more than likely a cactus

* Take down the Christmas lights

Entry way:

* Flooring… this will be a relatively HUGE project because whatever we chose will also go in both girls rooms, our room, and the laundry room. Logan should maybe research HOW TOs now! I am really leaning towards a wood(or laminate) product. We have even discussed maybe just continuing the concrete down here and the laundry room

* Add an area rug

Harry Potter Closet:

* I really want to try and add a table top surface in there. Maybe one that flips down or folds up.

* Paint… preferably using the remaining teal I have from our bufft.

* I need to add just a few more storage things

Laundry Room:

* We purchased a front loading washer and dryer a few years ago on craigslist and I HATE IT!!!! The washer sucks so I want to eventually replace them with front loading stackables.

* Create a laundry center with the existing upper cabinets and add a folding station.

* New light fixture. Logan won on this one… Enough said!

Master Bedroom:

* Touch up paint

* Add white curtains from upstairs and place grey curtains over the closet (move rod up)

* Paint existing curtain rods white

* Floors

*Get chair reupholestered

* Paint table with the mirror spray paint

* NEW BED!!!!

* Create Risa’s area with oval mirror and old enrty way hooks (spray white first!)

* Truly consider and than conquer a new closet system

*RUG!

* Remove doors and add barn door. This project is something that will add a ton of different steps to our list but one that we are both really excited about.

Master Bathroom:

* Patch paint

* Convince Logan to let me paint cabinet (again using left over buffet paint)

* Remove bathtub and add stand-in shower… with dual shower heads

* Organize the cabinets


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The Harry Potter Closet

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Risa

So today was the day I vowed to tackle the little closet under the stairs. When we moved into this house two years ago I had every intention of this being the storage place for all my craft supplies, specifically scrapbook stuff. Well I have yet to scrap one page in a book and the space turned into a catch all. It got increasingly worse when the girls got separated and Eliott’s closet was cleaned out. I have gone back-and-forth about moving all my candy buffet supplies down there (easier access to load and unload between jobs) but ultimately the jars are way prettier than all my other crap. Drum roll please…

Before:

During:

I decided to take of the door and hang curtains. It is easier to access and it will not only FORCE me to keep this area organized but to hopefully use it as well.

After:

This whole re-do cost me maybe $10! These were things I found in the garage that we had posted to craigslist that had not sold so I re-used them. Target had some awesome new outdoor accessories in their dollar spot that I picked up to use as organizational tools and Michael’s had their photo boxes 3 for $5. Bargain shopping at it’s finest folks :-)

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