Controlled Chaos Closet

This is the after.

I know that looks like a flippin' mess, but i assure you, it's controlled chaos. Can you tell the bare bones of this closet are pretty much good for nothing? What can you do with something so tiny and oddly laid out?

Clothes can't be hung in here, unless they're smooshed to the right or hung sideways due to the lack of depth on the left hand side.  For storage, you'd just be able to pile boxes on top of each other.  Putting shelving in this was the only way to go, and it turned this closet into a much more usable space.

S installed this adjustable shelving unit from the HD, and now all of my decorating nonsense, candles, holiday wrapping materials, table linens, and presents for future occasions all live in harmony.  And behind closed doors, where i like them.  It helps me forget that i verge on hoarding.

Aside from taking everything out and organizing, the only real tip i have is to get rid of boxes.  They take up unnecessary space, and you don't need the reminder of what you paid for it.  (Holla at the clearance prices!)

I put glassware and apothecary jars on the first shelf, and anything white on the second.  Trying for some semblance of order, here.

This is the left side, that you have to stick your head into the closet to see.  Top shelf is paper goods and napkin rings (that makes sense.)  Second shelf is linens, third shelf is beading stuff and presents.  Can't wait for my "crafting area" to be set up in the basement, which is where i hope to relocate some things.  "Crafting area" always evokes hysterical laughter from the boyfriend...he knows i'm no Martha.  Martha's puppies are probably more crafty than I.

Candles on the bottom, outdoor flags clipped onto pants hanger.  Again, makes total sense to me.

Aaaaagggh!  DON'T look up there, that's a bona fide mess.  I literally throw things onto that spot because i can't reach.

Who else has a controlled chaos closet?  Or maybe you're lucky enough to have an attic?  You're in trouble if it looks like this! 

Craftomaniac, Motivate Me Mon @ Keeping it Simple, It's So Very Cheri,  Making the World Cuter @ Making the World Cuter, DIY Project Parade @ DIY Showoff, Met Monday, overflowing w/ creativity @ it's overflowing, nifty thrifty tuesdays @ coastal charm Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, home stories a-z, be inspired @ elizabeth and co, lil luna, organizing party @ organize your stuff now, sugar bee crafts. Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design, sugar and spice @ 733, wow us weds @ savvy southern style, wicked awesome weds @ handy man, crafty woman, diy by design, whatever goes weds @ someday crafts, Transformation Thurs @ The Shabby Creek Cottage, 100 and Under @ Beyond the Picket Fence, Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple, hooking up @ house of hepworths, open house @ no minimalist here, share awesomeness @ 36th ave, Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, feature yourself fri @ Fingerprints on the fridge, Weekend Bloogy Reading @ Serenity now, Catch as Catch Can @ My Repurposed Life, Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage, Addicts Anonymous @ A2D, frugalicious friday @ finding fabulous, refresh your nest @ making lemonade, show and tell fri @ my romantic home, free for all @ 5days5ways, home sweet home @ charm of home, remodelaholic.

winter in white

I'm being seasonally lazy this year! Just like for fall, when i didn't change the decorations for halloween, i'm now in winter decor mode, and have yet to add in any xmas or chanukah. And i'm not sure that i even will.  Aside from the tree, this set up could take me straight through the whole season.

Hehe, if you look in the mirror you see a sans decorated tree in the above photo, and then with ornaments in the photo below.  I added some extra snowflake ornaments to even further winterfy this table/quasi mantel.  Those white "snowballs" are part of my summer woven ball filler, but i thought they could work for winter grouped in this way. 

This is the maiden voyage for this tree, and she ain't so bad.  Much narrower than our other tree, yet much better for the space.  And she went up in literally one, two, three....as opposed to our usual assembly line of "find correct branch color.  separate into piles.  fluff each branch.  add to tree.  repeat.  repeat.  repeat" over an hour or so.  Not to mention then string the lights.

I was suckered into spending 10 bucks on this sparkly winter beauty.  And by suckered, i mean i saw it, and i needed it. Darn you, big lots and your aisles of seasonal goodness!

Continuing with the white, we adorn the outside.  And by we, i mean the boyfriend.  No way I'm going onto the roof for those dormers!

Frosty aglow and gentlemanly.

His big lot friends (who miraculously have lasted through 4 years and were 8 bucks for the pair).  That left guy looks like he's up to no good with that smirk.

Because we're on the corner (hence the name of this blog) S thinks it means the lights need to span the entire perimeter...

And circle the entire house.  He threatens to add lights to the bump out (which you can kind of see above the sunroom) and to around the detached garage.  I fear it would be bordering on Griswald-esque if that takes place.

I promise there's nothing green being projected on the house-that's got to be coming from the street light.  In case you were wondering if that green glow was purposeful.  Surely not on my neutrally decorated half Jewish house.  Surely not.

  Don't you love seeing other people's lights up?  It's the internet equivalent of driving around aimlessly-think of the gas we're saving! 

Christmas scapes @ It's Overflowing, Vignettes @ French Country Cottage, Mantel Party @ Southern Hospitality, Tablescapes @ The Lettered Cottage, Mantel Party @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia,  2011 Holiday Mantels @ From My Porch to Yours, Xmas Mantles @ Home Stories A-Z, Xmas doors and porches @ At The Picket Fence, Sunday Showcase Party @ Under the Table & Dreaming, Motivate Me Mon @ Keeping it Simple, Amaze me Monday @ Dittle Dattle, Making the World Cuter @ Making the World Cuter, Making Monday Marvelous @ CRAFT, DIY Project Parade @ DIY Showoff, Met Monday, Xmas Outdoors @ Sassy Sites, Tabletop tues @ A Stroll Thru Life,  Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design, How Pinteresting @ The Vintage Apple, Transformation Thurs @ The Shabby Creek Cottage, 100 and Under @ Beyond the Picket Fence, Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple, Share Awesomeness Thur @ The 36th Avenue, Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, SAS @ Just a Girl, Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage, Addicts Anonymous @ A2D, feature yourself fri @ Fingerprints on the fridge, Weekend Bloogy Reading @ Serenity now, Catch as Catch Can @ My Repurposed Life, Open House @ The Answer is Chocolate,

Showing some curves

My sweet little home has gone through some changes since that first day she became ours.  The first time we saw her she was a real blank slate, no bushes or edging.  We were free to do whatever we wanted.  When we went back to look a second time, the owner planted and edged and we felt bad ripping out what we were essentially now going to be paying for.  So we made do, just mulching and adding a few annuals that first year.   Of course, we powerwashed the stairs, got a new light fixture, and new mailbox.

By the next summer, we had changed the screen door and the shutters, made an address plaque, and were trying to bulk up the garden.  But still, straight and boxy.  I want to be rid of the straight and boxy.  At this point, she looks like the picture on the right.  Garden has perennials.  Check.  Flower bed, though planted with no rhyme or reason due to my immense lack of skills, is curvy and much larger.  Check.  But you can't even TELL from the street!!! 

You might be wondering why we "went backwards" with that plastic black edging, but in my opinion we had to go backwards to go forwards.  We were able to sell the red scalloped bricks (not my style at all!) via Craigslist.  Right in front of the red bush, and pretty much where the welcome sign is, is how big the bed was before we curved it out.  We used a hose and spray paint to map out exactly what i wanted because S wasn't getting it based on my arm movements alone.  It looked like a cross between trying to take flight and an elaborate prayer ritual.  And then we tilled.  Tillered?  Used the tiller we rented from Home Depot to add compost to the yucky clay dirt we have.

We would have liked to do a retaining wall, but the perennials I ordered came in earlier than expected since we were still having frost, and i had to get them in the ground.  To dig them up now, along with the bulbs we planted, would annoy me to no end. 

So no retaining wall now.  I like that whole raised up knife edge look which would still require taking raising up the plants, or I like these from Home Depot. 

I think we could easily work those to fit our curves.  Don't you?  I would love to know, dear readers, what kind of flower beds or gardens you have.  I warn you, though, I get jealous easily!

Linking up to Remodelaholic, the Inspired Room, fingerprints on the Fridge, tidymoms,  Trash to Treasure, Frugal Friday, favorite things friday, Met Monday, DIY showoff, Mustard Seed Creations, feature yourself friday, motivate me monday, room to inspire, women who do it all, show and share day, my backyard eden, blue cricket design, somewhat simple, show and tell friday.

there's a first time for everything

i can do this, right? after months of blog stalking and image collecting i shall start my own blog. none of the blogs i have come across mention "cape cod" style homes. actually, i am not talking cape cod style. i am talking cape cod shape--an absolute difference. i have tried googling, and all that comes up are decor in a cape cod style, or cape cod real estate for actual cape cod. in the blog world i see "brick ranch" and "cottage" and "bungalow" but where are design ideas to help figure out my little rooms in their closed off floor plan, or my statement dormer windows, or my lack of space to create adorable vignettes in threes?? let's paint this picture, shall we...walking in the front door you are met with stairs (darn you, feng shui meaning of money leaving straight out the house!) that you ascend to the second floor, and bam, you either walk straight into the bathroom, left to the master, or right to the guest room. i have no hallways, people! back to the first floor....when we bought the house 3 years ago, you would open the front door and only be able to go to the left, into the living room. By opening up what was a bedroom, and creating a dining room, we are able to have a lovely circular flow in this space.