Organization Goals

I don't usually make New Year's Resolutions however this year I have told myself that I want to get more organized.  This involves some simple things that I have been putting off that just need to get done.  In an attempt to hold myself accountable, I thought I'd document a few of the things here on my blog.  We moved into our house over a year ago and there are still a lot of things that are still sitting exactly where they were left when we moved in because I was too sleep deprived from the baby, trying to work and overwhelmed from a cross-country move with two babies and a husband who was gone all the time.  Not complaining, just sayin'.  I'm (somewhat) back to sleeping and I feel a lot more settled now so the time has come to do something about some things around my house.

1. Organize my closet.  I need to get uniform hangers, get rid of stuff I don't wear anymore and go through all of my shoes.  That thing is a wreck.

via Brighton the Day

2. Get rid of the clutter off of my kitchen counters.  We have a big junk bowl that houses anything from candy and snacks to random business cards and coupons to screws that go to I-don't-know-what, etc., etc.   I spent more time in the kitchen than probably any other room and I want it to have a little style.  One first step is to get the junk off of there and then a little styling/decorating can ensue.

via Modern Home

3. Finish organizing/decorating the dining room.  When we switched the playroom and the dining room, the dining room was kind of left behind and it needs some TLC.   The wonderful built-ins need to be styled and I think the space needs a little color!

via This Old House

4.  Organize our bathroom.  The space underneath the sink is a hot mess and needs to be dealt with.  Pronto.  I'm also sure I keep buying toiletry items we don't need because everything is just shoved in a ginormous basket under there.

via Simply Organized

5. Organize the attic.  I'm on my way with this one.  I took advantage of the January sales at Target, Home Depot, etc. and bought a ton of those clear, stackable plastic bins.  Now I can see what I have stored up there and not have to rummage through cardboard box after cardboard box.  Also, our hot water heater broke a few weeks ago and water leaked out.  Thankfully I was able to keep it under control and get the water switched off before any major damage was done but it did make me realize that those cardboard boxes offer things like old photo albums and keepsakes no protection in a situation like that.  Now that we have just purchased a brand new water heater (ouch!), we shouldn't run into that problem again but you never know...

So, those are a few of my small organization goals.  I will challenge myself to complete this list by the end of March.  We have dear friends coming from Scotland then so hopefully we (and by we I mean I) can get all of these little things done that I think will go a long way towards helping me feel a little less crazy! 

Big Changes to this Little Blog

I've been blogging here since 2009 (with about a year-long hiatus after baby #1 was born while I juggling that and a full time job).  I love having this blog as a creative outlet.  I love it even more when people contact me because they enjoy reading something I've written about or an image I've shared.  And mostly, if I could, I would eat, sleep and breathe interior design.  Okay, well, I love food too much so maybe just sleep and breathe interior design but still cook yummy food.  And drink delicious cocktails, duh.

And while I can get around on a computer fairly well from a business standpoint, I am by no means great at graphic design or web design.  Hence why my blog still looks like it is from the late 90's (okay, maybe early 2000's??).  So, I've enlisted some help and hope to be able to reveal the new look (along with some other exciting updates) in the coming weeks.  My goal is that my blog be a better reflection of my actual style.  If you've been reading my blog for a while, you can probably get a gist of what that style is but I thought it would be fun to put together a few images that really speak to me from a design standpoint.

A long time ago when my Pinterest obsession began, I started a board called My Style.  It doesn't get as much play these days however, I went back through it and there wasn't much on there that I didn't still agree with.  If you look at it, you'll see a lot of animal print (namely leopard), a lot of classic black and white, and a lot of mixing patterns and styles (ie traditional and contemporary).

via Dimples and Tangles

This space has ME written all over it.  I love how bold and fearless Jennifer's designs are yet at the same time they have very classic elements.  Note the more traditional coffee table and silver urn that the orchid is in paired with bright, colorful patterns...and of course a little leopard for good measure.   

Amber Interiors via Chic Geek

I'm a sucker for anything Morocco, anything with textured wood grains or bamboo, and of course a good, colorful print like these suzanis and ikats here.  I love how the space feel so well-traveled (something I like to think I used to be!).  While we are on the subject of style, Amber is pretty much a God in the design world.  While  her style tends to be a little more minimalist and muted than mine, I love, love, love every space she does!  She definitely has the mixing old/new part down to an art.

pinned via Amber Interiors

This mix is everything!!  And I adore day beds in general.  I can't wait to get one (I'm thinking maybe my daughter's room down the road) and fill it with soft, elegant pillows (in an awesome mix, obvi).  

 via La Bonne Vie

This might quite possibly be the sexist chair I've ever seen in all my life.  End of discussion.

via Flickr (original source unknown)

Vintage glassware and a beautiful glass vase.  Awesome, eye catching side table.  Pattern on pattern in a traditional, comfy updated wing back chair.  And books galore.  I could definitely see myself spending time in a space like this!

via A Daily Something

Peonies are for sure my favorite flower.  They are simply stunning and one day I will have a cut flower garden with peonies galore.  And handwritten notes?  I'm a true southern girl who knows the importance and appreciates a good handwritten note.  Neither of these two things will ever go out of style in my book.

via House and Home

I love being organized!  Having children has made that ever so much more difficult but I still strive for organization in my life.  And who says organization has to be stark and boring?!  Look at this beautiful display of fun baubles in pretty little dishes.  I love the mix of colors, textures and rich jewel tones.  Old and new are perfectly married in this little vignette.  I've loved this image for a long, long time.

So, there's a little overview of some important style elements in my book.  Design truly is so personal and that's what I love about it.  Stay tuned for updates to Adorned Abode coming soon!

xo,
Cameron

Tuesday Tip: Turning a little nook into something

There's a little space behind the door in our living room.  It wasn't being used but I knew it had potential.  I don't think these pictures show how cute it really is.  It was sort of a last minute decision.  We bought this hook from the Container Store a few weeks ago.  As much as I love lucite, it is hard to believe this is the first lucite looking piece I own!

Then I remembered this great mirror I found at a thrift store a few years ago.  I was this close to painting it white so that it would stand out against the wall but at the last minute chickened out.  I just love the look and texture of the mirror as it currently is and now I'm glad I didn't change it.  So, I hung the mirror and then my new hook underneath for scarves.  I have the perfect little nook to check my hair or makeup before I leave the house and pick from one of my scarves to accessorize!

It is amazing what defining a purpose for an unused nook can do to the room!

Affordable Closet Organization Idea

I saw this picture in a magazine a while ago and pulled it out for my idea file.  I think it was BHG but I can't remember.  And I'm sorry for the poor photo quality.  Anyway, what I liked about this was the idea of the big glass canisters to hold socks and underwear.  It is an inexpensive idea that looks great and has a lot of practicality too since you can see anything you need to get to. 

Just as a side comment about this picture - while I liked the glass canister idea, it did strike me as a little strange.  I mean, who has an entire wardrobe dedicated to undergarments??

Closet

Built-in, glass front drawers with lucite pulls in this closet.  I want them.  (And all of those clothes).

Tuesday Tip: Organizing Christmas Gifts for Travel



We are travelling machines over the holidays.  I made sure to get gifts in the mail early to anyone we might not see on the rounds.  But for all the rest, I devised a system to make sure all the gifts got delivered to the right stop.

I recycled all of the many handled shopping bags from all of my holiday shopping and then made little tags to tie to the handles of each one so I could easily glance at them in the car to tell what's what.  This will also allow us to load up the car "backwards" if you will so that the last stop on the list goes into the car first. 

All lined up and ready to get loaded in the car!

Now all we have to do is pack the car correctly so that everything doesn't shift and fall over while we're on the road!

Laundry Room Love

Isn't it sad that these laundry rooms are nicer than every room in my house?  I could be extremely happy (not to mention obsessively organized) in any one of these beautiful spaces...

Because one washer and dryer couldn't possibly be enough.  I do love putting the detergent in apothecary jars trend though. Makes a boring task like laundry seem a little more elegant.

image via Active Rain

Sewing/laundry room.  A natural combo.

image via Digs Digs

Maybe you'll forget you are doing laundry if you can watch tv while you are at it.

image via Digs Digs

This room looks as cozy as a den with the curtains, warm wood cabinets and that comfy chair.  Who needs a living with when you have a laundry room like this?

image via Flickr

Big fan of those black and white baskets.  Think of all of the junk they can hide!

image via Brabourne Farm

I don't know if they renovated a basement space to do this one or what but this sucker is HUGE and beautiful.

image via Idea Book

Nothing steps a laundry room up a notch like special light fixtures.  Consider a chandelier for a beautiful space as well.

image via Idea Book

Tuesday Tip: Clean out VHS Tapes

I've been thinking about this for a long time but haven't been able to bring myself to do it.  I was reading Better Homes and Gardens on my last car trip and they had a quote from Clutterdiet.com. 

"If you no longer own a VCR, get rid of those VHS tapes.  Donate or dispose of them (greendisk.com will take 20 pounds of your technotrash for $7 plus shipping).  Replace favorite titles on DVD."

Ugh.  I have boxes and boxes of my favorite movies on VHS tapes taking up valuable landscape in my basement and no VCR to play them on.  I shudder to think of how much money I spent on those over the years.  But, the time has come.  I need to get 'em outta here. 

I don't think I necessarily agree iwth the part that calls for replacing favorite titles on DVD.  I'll probably just use Netflix if I want to see them - that'll really decrease the clutter.

Am I the only one who is still desperately clinging to their old VHS tapes??

Image via treehugger.com

Channeling these...

...beautifully organized spaces.  My life is chaotic now.  Wish I felt this put together.

Cottage Living

DC Design House

Note to self about the above image...DO wallpaper your laundry room and hang a beautiful light fixture.  Looks like doing laundry here wouldn't be a chore at all!

 Really enviable craft space via Cottage Living

awesome compartmentalized desk via Compulsively Compiled

Martha Stewart

Ikea

One little happy note: Blogger changed their photo upload tool.  Man, oh man is it sooo much easier to upload easier images!

Tuesday Tip: Pretty and Functional Storage Ideas

Two beautiful and functional ideas I plan to incorporate in my house. I'm in search of the perfect mirrored tray for the back of my toilet and pretty (and thrifty) teacups for my jewelery.

via Kelly Green

via Martha Stewart

Fabulous Kitchen Storage

I wouldn't know too much about kitchen storage...I have none.  But I covet some of these kitchen storage units.  Love the above that I saw via The Newlywed Diaries.  Love the combo of the sliding industrial door and the chalk board.   The shelves behind it are so nicely organized that they would be just fine if they were exposed but they took it one step further with this door. 

via Design Sponge

via Absolutely Beautiful Things

Some serious organization in those last two images! 

via Coco + Kelley

You know how much I love a library ladder.  This takes my love for a ladder to a whole new level!  And I adore the height of the doors out to the balcony.  The whole room appears so tall.

Kate Spade Kitchen via Little Green Notebook

via Design Sponge

I love the idea of open shelving but question my ability to keep it neat enough for public display at all times.  Check out the sink in the picture above!

Tuesday Tip: Kitchen Space Savers

If you like to cook and you have a small kitchen, then you've got a big problem.  We love to cook and I think we have one of the tiniest kitchens around...save for maybe that flat I had in Scotland.  The owners of the house should get credit for coming up with savvy space saving ideas for our kitchen.  They could work for any size kitchen, really.  The bigger the space you have, the more elaborate yours could be.

First off, and this is the biggest help, is our pot rack.  It hangs on a wall opposite of our one corner of counter space and our two cabinets.  If we had to put our pots in the cabinets, we'd have no room for dishes, glasses or serving ware.  Problem solved.  No matter where I move, I'd like to have a pot rack...one day hopefully it'll be hanging from the ceiling but we'll save that for another day.

Second, get a magnetic rack to hang your knives.  It isn't save to shove them into drawers with all of your other utensils.  You can easily cut yourself.  This way, they are out of harms way and you feel kind of professional, like a real chef!

Lastly, another magnetic tool bar displays frequently used spices.  The clear lid allows you to see inside and you can easily reach it when you are cooking at the stove.  A larger magnetic board could be mounted on a wall (and would be if we had more space) for additional spices.

Get yourself to IKEA.  They have all of this stuff on the cheap.  Get your kitchen organized!