Week 3: entryway update

Before























After

New rug from Ikea in place. I know it looks wrinkled....I bought it from the as-is room and it needed a wash. I didn't want to put it in the dryer, so I hung it outside in the sun (finally a sunny day in Pittsburgh)...I think it will smooth out in a day or so, but if not, there's always the iron (if I can find it). I think the rug is a bit casual, but it does lighten up the space for the spring. Scrubbed and waxed floor...washed walls. Swapped oil painting by my father (will hang it in the living room) for a print of woman swimming (mostly blue, green and sepia tones). Hung a couple of little things above coathooks. Added blue/green pillow. The area probably needs a dose of bright color, so I'll look around the house for something to add to the table to hold pocket change, and I might hang a mirror somewhere. I would like a new lamp, but not hurrying on that. I would also like to paint the walls a brighter, lighter color, but not hurrying on that either...maybe next spring cure?

In the next month or so, we will install cubbies to the right of the kitchen door (above) and to the right of the front door (below).

Each unit will consist of 2 open lockers with hooks for coats/backpacks to hang, with boxes above and below for shoes, hats, sporting equipment, bike helmets, etc.

Am so eager to conquer the clutter that accumulates in this area every day. It is so nice to walk into a clean hallway. It immediately makes me feel more serene. The smell of freshly waxed floors helps also!

Week 3 Flowers + Birthday Apple Pie

Week 2 Flowers + Apple Pie

My 9-year-old hates birthday cake. This year he requested apple pie instead. This was a big hit, especially compared to the very recent birthday party we attended where the candles were placed on deviled eggs (I'm not kidding!)

week 3: a good start

Got started on the entry hallway:

1. Vacuumed floors and walls and window blinds

2. Packed most of the winter gear away...here in Pittsburgh, we are accustomed to cold weather lasting well into April, so we need to keep our coats and gloves, but I put most of the heavy woolens, scarves and snow gear into space bags for storage.

3. Met with a carpenter and we took measurements and worked out a rough plan for cubbies and open lockers for kids' coats, backpacks, shoes and other gear...he'll give me the finished drawing next week. I hope to have the project completed within a month. We are loosely basing the design on the Pottery Barn Brady suite, but making modifications to size to customize to the hallway and architecture of our home.

4. Purchased:

• striped runner from the Ikea As-Is room for $8.10 (one that I've had in my style tray since the fall cure)
  
• wall mounted yellow metal file holder (similar to PBteen Locker series) to hang in the kitchen for homework folders, school papers and calendar items
• 2 yellow baskets for the kitchen to hold incoming mail and bill paying supplies
  
• kitchen potholders, dish brush
• magazine and file boxes (in anticipation of Office Week)
  

Tomorrow I will scrub the floors and wash the walls and put down the new runner, and the hallway will be complete until the carpenter installs the storage unit.

Next week, I'm switching Living Room Week with Office Week...I need to clear out space in the new office room in order to move storage units out of Living Room. That will open up space in the Living Room for a new chair (I'm on the prowl for one now) and give us much needed breathing room.

(cheated with the image...it's from the Fall Cure but there aren't dramatic changes yet...I'll take a picture with the new runner and some re-arranged artwork tomorrow)

what i'm up to today

I haven't been blogging much, because my husband and I spent last week & weekend in Atlantic City and NYC. (The first time we've ever been away with no kids for more than one night.) It was heavenly, and though not part of "the" cure it was "a" cure for me.

So when we returned on Sunday, I started in on the plan...picked up tons of stuff and put it away and cleaned the floors.

Today, I will spend 15 minutes in every room, picking up laundry and adding stuff to the outbox, and then I will tackle the kitchen. It is a mess, but the cupboards and fridge are fairly empty (i really must shop tomorrow), so it shouldn't be too bad. And then it will be all clean for Easter weekend (if it even lasts that long). We have no dishwasher, so it is a constant battle to clean up dishes from 6 people.

Two problems in my kitchen that I never solved during the Fall Cure:
1. The recycling/trash corner
2. The paper dumping ground (one of several found in different areas throughout the house.)
My main goal for this week is to identify and purchase products necessary to solve these big issues.

a barrel full of monkeys

Our family portrait by heather mallak

Instead of coughing up hundreds of dollars each year for olan mills portraits of the kids, we decided instead to put that money towards portraits created by local emerging artists. Over the last several years, as we've added new members to the family, we've commissioned 4 paintings. This one was done last year. It is time for a new one. Maybe that's how we'll spend our anticipated tax rebate check. At least it would be helping a young starving artist.

(then again, wouldn't it be hilarious if i dressed everyone in vintage 70s clothes, asked my husband to grow sideburns and re-created one of those hilarious family portraits from my own childhood. i'll have to ask mom for a copy of Easter circa 1974)