My apologies for not being much of a motivator for the Project 12 Rooms in 12 Months, but BIG THANKS to all of YOU for motivating ME to complete my first project in the first month. Accountability, people. I made you a promise, and I kept it. And here is my reward:
You know what I love? I love when one of my kids tells me they need a blue erasable pen for school and I can say, "mudroom, bottom right drawer" without hesitation. That's power, my peeps. Check out the big "OM" on my unitard - "Organized Mommy."
If you're wondering what's in those boxes up top, the answer would be, from left to right, top to bottom:
PicturesPictures
Fancy present toppers
"Extra parts" for "stuff"
Gifts
Gifts
Gifts
Gifts
Bows & tissue paper
Gift bags
Gifts
The biggest accomplishment in the laundry room was getting all of the clothes upstairs in the proper closet. Claustrophobia cured! My itty-bitty laundry room now feels cozy instead of cramped. Note that I still keep the kids' team uniforms hanging here on the right. Again...
Them: Mom! Where are my baseball pants/shirt/vest/belt/socks?
Me: Laundry room. Hanging up on the right.
Organized Mom saves the day AGAIN!
You know what else feels roomier? This petite little mudroom closet. The over-the-door shoe rack is still filled with all kinds of things - from hole punchers to screwdrivers to fancy empty boxes to packing tape. I find no reason to disturb the organized chaos happening here. But check out the closet innards.....
And now, the piece de resistance....
Surprise! I had my powder room turned into a little jewel box! Isn't it adorable?!? I have a love/hate relationship with wallpaper. I hate "their" wallpaper, but I LOVE MY WALLPAPER! Actually, this is only the third time I have had wallpaper slapped up in my house, and one was a neutral textured paper, but I was looking for a bold, modern floral and this is it!
**DISCLAIMER: Project 12-in-12 is not about spending money on redecorating; however, if it is on the to-do list, "git'er done." **
Voila! So there you have it! My first of twelve rooms (which was actually three rooms rolled into one), is complete! And for my next trick - the living room:
I get a lot of compliments on this room, and at first glance I can understand why. It's trendy, but tasteful...well-balanced...warm and inviting. But, as the owner of this living room, trust me when I say it kills me (that's right, my LIVING room KILLS me).
Look at those 25 cubbies. Shelving units are our best friends and our worst enemies. Three words: Purge. Purge. Purge. And even though this room has been put together over time...pieces purchased for other rooms in other homes, brought together here, it still feels a little "Rooms to Go" to me. I need to edit and add in order to produce a more eclectic vibe, which is more my style.
This corner has always posed a problem...since moving in. It's a great hiding spot behind the foyer closet.
I have a bad habit of this, too. Propping "soon to be hung" items up against the wall. These were "soon to be hung" when we moved in 2 years ago.
And this closet needs the same TLC I showed in the mudroom...
One more thing. Take a look at what used to be a fabulous second-hand find for the "I love me some vintage furniture" shopper girl.
It's a liquor cabinet. Check out how it becomes a server bar. This little number has seen many a wild party in it's heyday.
Why is it lopsided, you ask? That happened Saturday night. No joke. Just two days ago.
Big Daddy was out of town this weekend. ZuZu had a friend stay over Saturday night, and the boys asked a couple of neighborhood friends to spend the night, too. As they were all having a dance party via Comcast On Demand videos in our family room, my neighbor (the boys' mom) was graciously inviting us all down for Belgian waffles and bacon the next morning. Lovely. We continue our chat, which suddenly veers a little off topic.
She: Do you guys have a hamster?
Me: Yeah. (she doesn't read my blog, but I thought she knew this)
She: Is he black?
Me: Yeah! WhyyYY?!? (escalating with realization) IS HE OUT?!?
She: Yeah, he just ran under the couch.
Me: ZUZU!!!!!
At this point, I do a vertical leap somewhere between 6 inches and 6 feet, and my bum comes crashing down on top of this liquor cabinet, which proceeds to make a crunching sound as the wheeled leg is forced through 60-year old rotting wood and slams onto the foyer floor (me, sliding off, running into the kitchen and jumping onto sturdier, more stable Quartz countertopped kitchen island).
The kids have made a barrier across the room, and my friend urges ZuZu to go get the hamster. She's frozen with fear. I JUST NOW find out that Scooter bit my son on the first day we had the stupid hamster, and ZuZu has been afraid to hold him ever since (TOLDYA SO! TOLDYA SO! TOLDYA TOLDYA TOLDYA TOLDYA TOLDYA SO!)
My neighbor's son finally captured the rodent without further incident, and he was placed back in his cage with the non-secured hole NOW taped closed. You all told me it was just a matter of time. Luckily, he was lost & found all at once. In fact, he was kind of found first. He was found, before we knew he was lost. Freakin' hamster.
Freakin' ZuZu.
p.s. Mudroom Before & Afters will be in an album on my Aleighopolis facebook page.
First off...mudroom, laundry, and powder room - fabulous! As for the "bug" (as my husband lovingly calls my daughter's hamster), he's so cute. How can anyone be afraid of these creatures? I don't get it. Still, I'm sorry you busted your vintage liquor cabinet. But after your re-do of the above rooms, fixing that furniture should be a no-brainer for you ;-)
ReplyDeleteHoly mother of wow. You exhaust me. I LOVE your first photos and am foaming-at-the-mouth jealous, in the nicest of ways. And I'm sort of inspired. See, I used to be obsessed with organizing and such, and I've fallen as far off that wagon as humanly possible. I need to get back on. Immediately.
ReplyDeleteWendy, you know what comes easier to me than fixing furniture. Yep. BUYING furniture! I've been imagining something more utilitarian in that space for quite some time. Sad to see her go, though. If liquor cabinets could talk.....
ReplyDeleteKate, you are still organizing - but now it's thoughts, words, plots, storylines, etc. But, if you ARE inspired and so inclined, join me in May for ONE ROOM. I'll check in on you. You know I will. I've already started stalking you.
You are scaring me with all this organization! I fear that once you're totally done with all 12 rooms, you will move onto world domination. Although, gosh, if you were in charge, I would totally let you pick out wallpaper for me. I usually am a wallpaper hater because I had to scrape so much of it all the walls in my own home (old 50s era stuff -- yuck!) But I do like what you picked for your loo.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the congrats, btw! I am still a little bit in shock. But in a good way.
When you're organizing that living room, remember used book sellers. I took in 9 paperbacks to Schuler Books downtown yesterday and walked out with store credit for much more than I ever could have made in a garage sale (which is impossible anyway since I don't have a garage).
ReplyDeleteI'll post a bedroom makeover picture once, you know, I get a mattress. Meanwhile, I'm still rocking the air-mattress on the floor.
Great work - can't wait to see the next clutter clearing creation!