Cool way to display your photos

I subscribe to the awesome service, Groupon, where you can purchase coupons that are usually pretty insane deals (there is a minimum amount of coupons that must be sold; it's group purchasing power on the Web!).

Anyway, today's deal really caught my eye because it's for this cool service called CanvasPop -- you can have any digital photo turned into one or multiple canvas art displays. You upload the photo from anywhere and alter it how you want it (you can also use digital art you've created instead of a photo). The Groupon is for 50% off ($80 for $40)!

I'm considering this for our bedroom revamp (yes, still a work in progress!) and using some great photos from our hiking and backpacking trips. Eye-catching art that's very personal. I love the idea. Check it out!

Thanks for reading,
-amy

Inspiration for your closet

I regularly read other blogs about organizing and sometimes I get so inspired I just have to share. This tip from "The Organizing Junkie" is fantastic. She just did a major purge of her clothing as she switched from winter to summer and now I can't wait to tackle my own closet...again! I purge several times a year based on space issues and seasonal changes, but I like her statement that just because you have space doesn't mean you should fill it. If you haven't worn something in a year, consider parting with it -- donate to Goodwill or sell it at a consignment shop. (For my Portland peeps, a friend of mine owns a consignment shop you should check out sometime, for clothing, household items, furniture, etc. -- Reviva!)

With the money you make selling your clothes you rarely or never wear, you can purchase items you really love and fit you right! :) Any excuse to go shopping...

Happy purging,
-amy

Update on bedroom update

These projects always take longer than you anticipate...don't they? :)

I'm nearly done painting...will finish up this afternoon (ran out of paint and had to get more!). Since I decided to go with two shades of a cool green, the painting has been more laborious than I thought because I have to do a lot of "cutting in" by hand (painting the trim, corners, and other places the roller can't get to). It takes a lot of patience and a steady hand, and I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to projects like this, so it's taking longer that I thought...and I lost some steam there for a bit. But I'm back at it today!

I've already learned, or been reminded of, some valuable lessons with this project and I thought I'd share with y'all:

(1) Prep work is never time wasted. My husband, the contractor, calls this "the 5% most people don't bother to do." But it makes a big difference in quality later, as I've just witnessed first hand. If you take the time to patch and fill any and all small holes, it makes painting go more quickly later because you're not trying to get it to soak into holes in the drywall. And caulking around windows and all the trim helps your paint lines look more clean and crisp (it can even help with cutting in at times, as it gives you a smooth surface).

(2) Write down your paint calculations in terms of square footage so that you purchase the right amount, and don't forget to include the ceiling and your second coat. And yes, using high quality paint means you use less...but you will almost always have to do a second coat. (Sometimes a third, if you're doing a really dark/rich color.)

(3) Wash your paintbrushes often. Even in the middle of a project. Because it really sucks and takes a lot of time and water to get them clean if you wait a few days...!

(4) If you're running low on paint and don't think you have enough to finish the project, STOP in a place that makes sense and will be easy to blend, such as a corner or a the end of a coat. And SAVE some of the paint from the original can. That way when you buy a second can, you can mix them together and ensure you have a close match. (Even though they mix the paint by computer, there can be some slight color variance from can to can.)

I'm hoping by the end of this week that not only will the paint be done and dry, but we'll have all the furniture and lighting in as well, so I can take a great "after" photo to show you. Wish me luck!

-amy

Bedroom revamp on a budget

So we've decided to spruce up our bedroom. Okay, not entirely honest. I decided I wanted to fix it up and then convinced my husband it was a great idea! Not only do we get a nicer space, but it's a great practice project for me and I get to blog about it :)

We already moved our bed into the smallest bedroom a few months ago. As they recommend in Feng Shui, we prefer having a room solely for sleeping and lovemaking; our dressers are in another room (my office actually). This helps keep our bedroom a calm, comfortable, uncluttered space. If you have the space/ability to do this, I strongly encourage it! At the very least try not to have any work-related stuff in your sleeping room - it's not good for you to see everything you "should be" doing as soon as you wake up. Makes it harder to shut off your brain and truly relax.

But back to the bedroom revamp. Above are some before pictures of our small, simple room. Blank canvas you might say! Later this week I will post on my progress: first step is to develop my "concept" - I'm envisioning a calm, comfortable, zen-like space with a cool, monochromatic color scheme (pale blues, greens, and grays) and modern, dark wood furniture. And very thick curtains to help block out sound - we're rather close to railroad tracks that can be disturbing.

Stay tuned for updates later this week...my goal is to finish the room by the end of the month, and to do so for under $600. Wish me luck!
-amy

A few short hours

We all have them. The project that needs to be tackled, but is so large (at least, in your head it is!) that you can't bring yourself to start!.I have several of them right now in fact - a basement utility room overflowing with holiday stuff and recently acquired items from my dearly departed grandma; my office that appears to be exploding with school-related stuff. And in these situations I have to remind myself to START SMALL.

It's amazing how much you can accomplish in just a few short hours. And often by chipping away at a project, you do a better job because you don't wear yourself out.





Here's an example of an office/closet area that got out of control for a friend/client of mine. She was overwhelmed, so I came over one afternoon and we tackled it together, in a matter of 3 hours. We made a goal of just getting everything sorted into "like with like" piles. By the time the trash and donate piles were removed, we were both amazed at how much extra space there was! We used the bins and boxes she already had to get things in better order for the time being. And at her own pace, at later dates, she sorted through boxes we'd labeled, "Photos for sorting later," "Toys for my niece," "Old computer software," etc.

So remember, sometimes a few short hours can make all the difference. Don't be afraid to tackle a project in stages. Better that then not at all!

Happy sorting,
-amy

Great Tip for Stacking Linens, Sweaters, etc.

From Complete Organizing Solutions earlier this week - another tip from a Professional Organizer's home on keeping linens and sweaters stacked neatly (I'm sure you've experienced the leaning tower of towels before, as it comes crashing down as you open the closet! Well this tip will stop that from happening. While it might not hurt to have towels fall on you, it's annoying because it makes a mess and often times other household members don't have the patience to refold everything nicely...)



Happy Organizing!
-amy

Cluttered bedroom = cluttered mind

Most everyone has too much "stuff." It's amazing how quickly stuff accumulates in our modern society -- gadgets, packaging, free trinkets, papers, that random cap that went to something you can't find... -- and they take up precious space in our homes and lives.

You'll be amazed at how much better you feel if you clear up the clutter! And the first place to start is your bedroom. I've read several books on feng shui and clutter, and they say that waking up in a place that's messy is not good for your psyche. And that makes sense to me. If you wake up and the first thing you see is a mess of things to do and unfinished projects, and/or you can't find things to wear, it puts you in a bad head space for the rest of the day. You may feel defeated before you even get out of bed!

So, my challenge for you in October is to have a "Fall Clean-Up" in your bedroom. Start small. Mine is in pretty good shape, but there is a bookshelf in the corner that seems to be a "catch all" for random items and my jewelry is taking over the dresser. Time to whip it into shape!












My guiding rule for assessing "stuff" - - ask yourself these questions:

1. Do I love it?
2. Do I need it?
3. Does it (or can it) make me money?

If it doesn't fit into one of these categories, get rid of it by donating to charity, recycling, or putting in the trash. You'll feel better. Trust me!

Happy Autumn,
-amy

Closet Mini-Make-Over

Earlier this week, WSJ online did a short article on Veronica Webb's organized closet. I was in awe! Not only at the organization, but the sheer amount of clothing and shoes she has. The life of a model! At least she's making me look better :)

And how's this for coincidental timing? Just last week I did a mini-make-over on my own closet (shared with the hubby) and finally removed all of the sweaters so it's not so crowded. The sweaters will make a reappearance come Fall; and the shorts will then go into storage (a large, clear bin that lives in the basement laundry room). My main goal was to group things together better -- by style and how often worn. It's so much easier to find things now, and I only spent 2 hours!

I'm pretty happy with it, but am looking for better solutions for belts and pants. Think I may have to break down and purchase some nice pants hangers rather than trying to make do with what I already have. Any suggestions for good belt systems? I hate having to take them all off to get at the one farthest in...

Another goal was to remove all the wire hangers from the closet, which I've successfully done, but am now stuck with a rather large pile of them. Apparently hangers are not welcome in the trash or recycling in my town (they wreak havoc on the sorting machines), so I've been trying to find other options. Three ideas I've come across so far:
- return them to your dry cleaners for reuse or proper recycling
- take them to a metal recycling center (and they'll pay you!)
- use them in craft projects

Have a closet you're afraid to tackle on your own? Try doing it in parts, rather than overwhelming yourself in the first try. For example, just sort through all of your dress clothes one evening. And keep reminding yourself that not only are you making more room and making things easier to find, but you can sell or donate anything you get rid of to help your bottom line!

Happy organizing,
-amy