Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Stay Tuned...


I've been out of town visiting family and friends but will be back soon with a few posts about getting paperwork organized. Let me know if there are any specifics you'd like touched on or if there are any other topics you'd like discussed...
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6 comments:

sunnysblog@gmail.com said...

Excited about the posts!

Here are areas in my apartment I'm unsure of:

* I get where to file papers to file (I have a portable file tote that has hanging files in it) but it's things like the weekly store flyers, coupons, invitations, appointment reminders, etc. that land on the kitchen counter. Help!

*Okay - so maybe I don't know where to file paperwork as I tend to dump papers into a white IKEA box labeled "papers"..and end up sorting through it once every 6-8 weeks to look for something.

*Non-Paperwork-Related: I don't have that many clothes but there are core items I wear often. Then there are extra items that just hang there or are in a pile on top of an organizer in my closet. Where to store the occasionally-worn items?

*I no longer live in a big city (was living in Chicago and San Francisco), so am blessed with extra space in my 1BR that has vaulted ceilings and a long walk-in closet. Because I had so much space, I was lazy at creating homes for belongings and just tossed things on various shelves in various places. So my apartment appears relatively clutter free but I know that the piles and items without homes are everywhere. How did you create homes for things?

(When I do have homes for things, I easily put items back where they belong...so my day to day essentials are all tucked away by the end of the day. it's the "stuff" that builds and overwhelms me.)

help?!

July 2, 2009 at 11:45 AM
laura said...

labeck: these are great questions! i'm going to give them thought and you can expect some answers in upcoming posts...

July 2, 2009 at 11:50 AM
riye said...

I'm sure you'll probably get more interesting questions than mine but these are the things I'm thinking about now as I stare into my empty studio apartment. I know most people would feel excited about getting a place of their own but after fighting my way through the new mortgage rules and one idiotic lender, all I feel is tired. (cue violin)

1) What is a good way to decide which design elements are going to work for you? With all the design blogs and other media available on design it sometimes feels like there's too much information. I know a few people who tried to "buy into" all the things that were touted online (i.e., mid-century modern is the ONLY way to go, no popcorn ceilings, concrete floors are desirable, paint everything white, etc.) and ended up being unhappy and uncomfortable because the design elements they had chosen were not a good fit and their apartments ended up looking like a mess because the desired design did not match the existing space. I am interested in design and usually have strong opinions (I use your "what don't I want" technique) but when I stare at the empty apartment I just can't decide. And I must be a mutant because although I am an artist, those inspiration boards and scrap books do nothing for me.

2) When do I say "no"? I can't afford to put in a new ceiling, buy all new furniture, and install a new bathroom--but I'm getting well-meant advice from friends and family all telling me to do just that. Whenever I say "no, I'm not going to do that" I get inundated with dire predictions of doom and regrets. The easiest thing to do is to just ignore everyone but I'm sure I'm not the only one who has that little voice in back of my mind going "Are you SURE you don't want to do that?" (argh!!!)

July 2, 2009 at 2:48 PM
sunnysblog@gmail.com said...

Hi MRI... (laura I hope this is okay).

I just read the question about knowing what your style is..and wanted to share this quote from the Apartment Therapy house tour that was emailed out today (the tour link, not the quote):

"How would you define your style?
I’ve never really thought of it as a style; I just buy things that I fall in love with. I can’t stand clutter, so I try to have no more than one of two interesting pieces in each room. I also love mixing lovely old pieces with soft, comfortable new ones."
http://tinyurl.com/kjud8k


I like that idea. buying things that appeal to you and that you love..and the result is it'll all come together.

But I can't wait to hear how Laura decides on design elements as I adore her apartments from photos I've seen.

July 2, 2009 at 3:04 PM
laura said...

mri - wow, good questions! i hope i can help you sort this out.

labeck - thanks for your input! i agree with everything you said.

i appreciate other opinions on how to do something just be sure to back it up cause if i don't agree with it i will say why! in a good way not a defensive way :)

July 6, 2009 at 3:26 PM
Sayedeh said...

It's been a while since I visited your blog, but I just sat and read through all the ones I've missed. Thanks for taking me to my happy place.

Since you helped us fix our apartment, I have furthered the endeavor and gotten rid of more stuff and continuing the organization process. It's taken me a while to fully embrace letting things that I don't need/use go - even though I was generally pretty good about it before. But I am really happy about the direction things are going and I don't miss a thing I've gotten rid of. I even got myself to finally sell stacks of books that I realized I would never read and got a decent chunk of change for it on Amazon marketplace.

Anyway, now we are expecting our first baby in a few months and trying to carefully plan how to fit things into our one bedroom.
If you have any suggestions on how to manage "baby stuff" in a small space that would be great! Fitting a crib is a challenge.

July 7, 2009 at 4:35 PM

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