Thursday, October 23, 2008

Progress as Promised...













So, I've been apartment therapizing. Not as much as I would like to be, but I'm getting there! Does anyone else have big huge storage problems? I have to keep reminding myself "edit. edit. edit." Here are some updated photos of my place. Please note the piles of clutter. Some I have actually cut out of the photo. Hee hee... Enjoy!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma MIiiiiiy Verona...


Last night was not very productive. I mixed together some homemade cleaning products, went to the grocery, made dinner and watched the debate. That's it. I find that it is easier to work on my cure projects when N is working on his homework for school. Tonight will definitely be more productive. I'm going to make some Starbuck's Verona the second I get home from work. It tends to give me a little more, shall we say, enthusiasm. Once I'm all caffenated and such, I'm going to finish the kitchen, dammit.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

So... Yeah...







I posted my before shots on Flickr on Monday. It's pretty embarrassing. Although, they are really, REALLY old, I still find that I am a little ashamed that It looked that way.

Onward and Upward.

I have really been working hard in the evenings. I finished painting the living room last night. I do have some touch ups, but all in all, I freaking love it. My favorite part is when you hang artwork up. It always seems to look totally different when it is on a colored backdrop. N says I clean like I have ADD. I start one thing, do something else, go back, get sidetracked, finish a week later... *sigh*. I swore this cure would be different. I'm trying really hard to stick to the cure plan. I'm wired a little differently I suppose.

Anyways, this is officially week one of the cure. I have already completed all of the tasks except buying fresh flowers (well, do the mums we bought the other day count? Technically, they are fresh flowers, but they are outside on the deck...) and I haven't sat 10 minutes in a part of my home I never sit in. In an apartment as small as ours, it's hard not to utilize every corner. But, I know where I would. Half the battle.

So, I really should be finishing up the kitchen before I move on to the other rooms. I am going to paint the backsplash tonight. I am thinking possibly red. Chili pepper red. OR I have some beautiful deep turquoise paint. Could do that, too. I'm leaning more towards red. Stimulates the appetite. Or, so I hear.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Lover-ly.



I had such a productive weekend! I was so excited that I jumped ahead to week two- the kitchen. The thing is, my boyfriend's birthday is at the end of this month and I plan on having the kitchen and living room (for the most part) completed by then. I want to have a party for him and I don't want him stressed the apartment is in disarray. SO, Happy Early Birthday, Sugar! I'm busting my ass for you. XO.

I woke up early as sin on Saturday morning and started clearing out my kitchen cabinets. I removed old food and cleaned and organized. I re-washed all of my utensils and holders and such. I just wanted to keep the doors open and look at the insides all day long.

Sunday, N, good sport that he is, jumped on board. He cleared off the deck and pulled up all the tomato plants, clipped the basil and tied the bunches for hanging, swept, and rearranged. He wants to buy some mums, too. I love that man.

We also rearranged the kitchen last night. We moved the dining table, the fridge, the dishwasher (portable), and my kitchen cart. We went to Walmart and bought a new organizer for the silverware, and... a $39.00 trashcan. N said it was the hottest trash can he had ever seen. I concur.

Any way, I really accomplished alot, and to hear him singing "Our house...is a very, very, very fine house.." It just gets me. You know???

Friday, October 10, 2008

Overcoming Obstacles and Oh my God, They Killed Kenny





So, I need to start somewhere, right? The first order on my agenda? Make a complete list of repairs and solutions.

I will not bore you with that.


Tonight probably isn't the best time to begin curing. I will tell you why. At about, oh, 4:30, every single one of our friends starts to call. It's Friday. What's going on this weekend, what are we doing... and, although we are very, VERY fortunate to have a wonderful group of friends, it makes it difficult to get alot of housework done. Most of our friends/family live a short distance from our home. We have a fair amount of regular drop-ins. Just about the time I pull out the contents of my kitchen cabinets, three people come by.


I SWEAR I AM NOT PUTTING THIS OFF.


This very often leaves:

A. Sunday mornings for clearing clutter and cleaning up from Saturday night

and

B. When I get home from work during the week...IF we don't have a previous engagement. Or, a spontaneous invitation.


Most of the time they hang out and watch South Park and play video games or drink. Heavily.

Thank goodness we recycle, that's all I'm gonna say.


I am going to try to work on one cabinet or drawer at a time. Now, normally, I wait until it is out of control and clean everything in sight. I'm experimenting. I read a great quote online a while ago. I printed it out, but didn't site it. Oops. But, I think it applies to my situation.


"Do one thing. Changing one thing changes everything."


Beautiful.


Now, I must go. I have to take something out to the trash as per my therapist.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

To 69 and Beyond...


Hello Again! Following the apartment therapy cure is definitely a life changing experience. I've started my second cure (actually this is week zero) so that I will be completed by Thanksgiving. I hope.

N, my boyfriend, is really tired of living with all my clutter. I'm tired of apologizing for loose ends that need to be tied up to visitors that come to my home. He has proclaimed he is a cool person. I, conversely, am a warm person. I love to have "things" in my home. I am really hell bent on getting input from him, because I think it's VERY important to make where we live our home, not just mine. So, I tried to have him take the test. I really wanted to see where he thinks our home ranks. All I could extract from him is that Samuel L. Jackson is his favorite actor, and that our home is unhealthy. Ouch. Then, I told him the homework assignment. To read up to page 69. Heehee. He took it as a sign and said we should start "therapizing" as soon as possible. He cracks me up.

Anyway, I've been trying to find inspiration. I had lunch with a friend of mine the other day at a really cool mexican restaurant called "Agave" in Lewes. I think I found my inspiration. The walls are a beautiful creamy yellow. The dark wood is more rustic than refined. It has two great u-shaped window seats with buttercream and taupe and rust crewel throw pillows tossed into the corners. I fell in love. The food was yummy, too. I would love to paint my living room that creamy yellow color, but it is WAAAY too big, I think. Since I am the only one who will paint, I think it is an undertaking that I cannot do right now. Plus, I have $400.00 for my budget. For 4 rooms. This is going to take some serious effort on my part...

And, since I can't find any photos on the web of the above mentioned restaurant, here is a photo of the food there. Lame, I know. Photo from Flickr- Jake Slagle. I have to bring my camera next time.

Monday, October 06, 2008

Lookin' for Love In All the Wrong Places...








I am a very visual person. I need to see stimulating photographs. No, not those kind... *these* kind. I have files. Many, many files full of photos. Magazine tear pages. Magazines that have never been torn from. I need constant inspiration. But, here's the thing. It takes a hell of a lot to inspire me. I keep looking for perfect inspiration. I am also very moody. I go through phases like no other. Some people say tastes change every 5-10 years. No, mine change weekly.
The Whole Point:
I have been trying to gather photos for my style tray, and I am having difficulty pinpointing exactly what I want. I would best describe my taste as eclectic, but then of course EVERYONE says their taste is eclectic when they can't decide just what it is they like. I'm more of an Oriental, Moroccan, Beachy, Bohemian, Urban Loft eclectic. Whatever that is. Oh yeah, and I collect ironstone...
Images via desire to inspire, domino, martha stewart.

Blogging For the Cure



Welcome to my Apartment Therapy Cure Blog! I hope this will inspire you to join me on my journey through clutter and crap to find a healthy home. Each day, I will be posting about my experience following the Apartment Therapy Eight-Step Home Cure. I welcome comments and constructive criticism. To get on board, please find yourself a copy of the Apartment Therapy Eight-Step Home Cure Book, and be sure to check in daily to http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/. And, please don't forget: "People will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold- but so does a hard-boiled egg." -Anon
Image via: Cote de Texas, I believe...?