My Living Area and Entryway

Not too long ago, I walked into my home and saw this:

There was lots of clutter and unnecessary stuff. While the open concept was one of the most attractive things about this house compared to our previously awkward apartment, it also meant that the mess here would always be visible.

Once the stress of the chaos got to me, I needed to conquer it. Many items, like the high-top table I never used and giant beach umbrella that only saw the beach once, went to the curb. I posted a "free stuff" alert on Craigslist and they were gone by the end of the day! Other items got donated, put away, or set aside in my guest room until I decide what to do with them. (The guest room is the pit of my house, and I'm slowly going through it. I'm sure I'll show you some of the progress down the road.)

When I look around my house today, I love the way it looks. Since the house is a rental, I haven't been able to paint the walls at all. Instead of fighting the builder beige, I kept everything neutral with pops of color in shades of teal, pink, and gold.

Take a look around!

The entryway has everything it needs. A shelf with hooks holds all the outdoor gear and bags. The two bins up top contain motorcycle gloves in one, sunscreen and bug spray in the other. Shoes and boots stay on a two-tiered rack on the floor. I use the chair to put them on and take them off, then put them back on the rack. Afterwards, I can make a drink from this (unfinished) TV-armoire-turned-bar and empty my pockets and grab dog treats on the cart that I use as a drop zone. The cart makes perfect use of the narrow wall between the kitchen and hallway without jutting out into foot traffic. Everything is laid out beautifully and I actually USE each spot. 

Above is what I now see from the front door, and WOW is it a breath of fresh air from before!

This tray is arguably the most beautiful thing in the entire living room! It's from The Container Store and houses my travel books, globe, and smiling Chinese dragon. The milk glass container to the left is a plant holder that I've repurposed to corral remotes and head phones.

Even though the only change I made to the dining area is clearing the clutter and throwing on a fresh tablecloth, I love it enough to throw in a cute picture! I've had the candelabras in a hope chest since high school, and found the tired plate stand at a flea market for $5.

I used a throw blanket and pillow in similar colors to connect the mismatched chairs. The chest of drawers holds a large collection of DVDs. The little ottoman to the side is sometimes a foot stool, others an extra seat, but most days serves as a resting place for my laptop, as seen here.

As you can see, the front door is very close to the far wall, so I decided to float all of my living and dining furniture away from that wall. This allowed me the little bit of space needed to create the entryway and set up the bar. Plus, it flows right into the hallway that leads to the bedrooms.

I'm very happy with it, my boyfriend adores all of it, especially the bar, and my dog, Lady, seems content with her toys on the couch, too. Overall, the transformation took a full day's work to tidy, organize, and decorate. The only costs incurred between the before and after pictures were $20 for the coffee table tray and $15 for the gold and teal umbrella stand.

As always, it was worth the fuss.

Mini-makeovers at Home

Perfect organization!

One of the things that I love most about my home is adding to, organizing, and making over areas of it. It's a rental house, so I can't change anything major and everything is builder basic, but it's still the first house I've ever lived in as an adult and it's my home.

After a recent shopping trip to The Container Store, I decided to put two of my finds to use in purging and reorganizing my cooking and baking supply cupboards.

Not only did I create separate zones for cooking and baking supplies, but I also corralled smaller items into clear bins and two adorable little French Corningware baking dishes from thrift stores that, while aesthetically pleasing, have never been the right size for me to use for cooking. I have to admit, I love having them hold my cooking extracts, chocolate chips, and frosting tips!

My favorite thing, however, is the expandable spice shelf. For the first time ever, I can actually see all of my spices without needing to move any of them out of the way.

Prior to achieving this cute cupboard setup, however, it looked like a total mess.

The finds: Spice shelf and sugar container

Baking zone! 

There wasn't much semblance of order, and it was difficult to see everything that was in there. I also had things I never used, like cans of evaporated milk and an old hourglass measuring cup. I emptied out the whole thing, putting aside anything I knew I'd never use again to either donate or dispose, and wiped down the shelves and cupboard doors. I also looked around my kitchen to see where else I could store my cookbooks, coffee, and bulky extra bags of baking supplies.

I had a narrow cupboard with place mats and plate chargers in it that I emptied into my tablecloth and candle drawer in my bar armoire, and used that for the cookbooks. While I was in a hyper-organization mode, I rearranged my pantry to take advantage of the black storage bins from Target, one for tea and coffee since I already had lots of tea in there, and the other for small baking items, like cupcake tins, dried cranberries, and stevia. On the shelf next to it, I placed my large bags of sugar and flour.

With those items in new homes, I had the space to make a zone for frequently used baking items, all of my containers, and the new spice shelves. The end result: wonderful.

In under two hours, I made over this area into a space I adore. It was definitely worth the fuss.

The Before: Crowded and disorganized

The After: Up-close cupboard interior

A Perfect Cup of Cocoa

A pretty cup full of hot and creamy cocoa warms my heart and body. On chilly days like today, I savor every sip while wrapped in a fuzzy blanket next to my dog, and it's about as cozy as it gets.

I received an electric kettle as a Christmas gift and absolutely love it. I use it at least once a day, and today it was used for cocoa. Here's my perfect cup:

3 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. cocoa powder

3/4 cup hot water (from my awesome kettle)

1/4 cup half and half

At least a dozen mini-marshmallows!

Whether you like it extra-sweet or a little dark, I hope you take the time to create your own perfect cup and enjoy. I especially hope you put it in a cup or mug that makes you smile when you look at it.

I promise: It's worth the fuss.

Some things ARE worth the fuss!

"It's not worth the fuss."

This phrase is often said in regards to things like preparing a gourmet meal from scratch, making over an entire house, or preparing an old-fashioned cocktail. Many people, especially the ones I know who are young like me, don't want to take the time to fuss over any of it.

I believe the opposite. Decanting a bottle of pinot noir enhances the flavors in my favorite wine. Preparing and chilling dough prior to hand-rolling them into little balls, and coating them in cinnamon and sugar, create the most delicious snickerdoodles I've ever tasted and am proud to have made. Sorting through knick-knacks and decorative items for hours presents the opportunity to explore my design style and collect fabulous pieces.

I love glamour, drama, and luxury. I love decorating and arranging my house until I fall in love with it again. I love cooking lasagnas and making my own pesto and vodka sauces. 

I'm here to declare: sometimes, it IS worth the fuss.