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.
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