Diary of a Move, Continued...

(friday afternoon, her son was there to help)

(saturday morning)

(friday afternoon)

(saturday morning)

My goal move day (which was friday) was to unpack as much as I could to see what storage issues there were. For instance: I didn't see inside the 2nd clothes closet when I did the walk-through (it didn't have a knob) so I didn't know both closets have a hanging bar with 2 upper shelves. We decided on a dresser near her bed for folded items and undergarments (which have been in the TV console this whole time). Also instead of the original plan of a console table for the entry, we're doing a dresser to hold her scarves, gloves, hats and umbrellas since we don't want to crowd the coat closet with a hanging organizer.

Today we remeasured everything, went over some new ideas and made a few final furniture selections. Tomorrow I'm buying the entry dresser, bedroom dresser, nightstands, and dining table, and will assemble them, put what is going in them, and hopefully hang some art and mirrors...

Diary of a Move, Part I

(current apt)

(new apt, view from entry)

(opposite view to entry)

(view from bedroom alcove)

(bedroom alcove)

This client informed me last week she's moving. While she loved her old building and didn't mind living in such a small space, this new apt allows her room for a dining table and more importantly, for her grandchildren to spend the night. And a good friend of hers lives in the building.

The move is this friday. What we've done:

- hired movers who will also do most of the packing + unpacking

- filed a change of address with the post office

- contacted her bank, cc's, insurance, and other companies directly to change address

- decided what's going to stay installed in old apt with blessing from landlord; entry shelf, entire window treatment (we cannot use in new apt and for what it cost, not worth taking down)

- did pre-move edit of entire apt

- packed the chandelier and sconce (shown in above pic) to save time move day

- put back original lighting fixtures

- packed up some smaller items to save time + money move day

Utility Closet: After

(right)

(straight in)

(floor left)

(left)

(left corner)

What we did:

- edited + sorted like things together

- removed items that didn't belong in this closet

- reused existing boxes to group things on shelves

- moved utility hooks from right wall to back left corner

- moved all cleaning supplies to tall left front cabinet

- cleared bottom cabinet to get vacuum off floor

- moved light up + over

- hung 2 posters previously collecting dust in a back room

Go here for more details.

Utility Closet: Before

(straight in)

(left corner)

(floor left)

(floor straight in)

Another closet from the apt with the elfa closet and chinese cabinet.

This client thought we needed to completely re-do this closet with a new shelving system. It was hard to get in with the brooms hanging right as you walked in and stuff all over the floor, plus she could never find anything on the shelves. The shelving system isn't the problem, it's actually great, it's how she's using it....

The 'after' shots to follow. Go here for more details.

Elfa Closet

(before)

(after)

You've seen her and her husband's medicine cabinets and their new bar, now here's one of her clothes closets.

What we did:

- major edit

- removed items that didn't belong in this closet

- moved all drawers (tighter together) + shelves to fit shoe drawers, and extra top shelf

- categorized clothes on shelves; turtlenecks, crew necks, heavy sweaters...

- categorized clothes in drawers; camis, layering t-shirts, small bags, workout...

- reused small baskets for belts

- top shelf is now for guest bedding + aero bed

A Few More Kitchen Cabinets

(before)

(after)

The way I plan a space and figure out how and where to put things, is based around the simple concept that you shouldn't have to reach too much to get the things you use most often. So drawers for lower kitchen cabinets are a no-brainer. The double ones used above come in different widths and depths to accommodate most sized cabinets (measure before ordering, and measure from the hinge(s) as they take away from the cabinet opening width).

In the pantry, the open shelves on the left are shallow but the open shelves on the right are quite deep. The white mesh drawers keep things from getting lost in the back.

Ignore the light and cord in the last two pics. It's temporarily there since the overhead light went out.

Blog Shout Out

Thanks to Laura from the new blog Built With Dreams for this lovely piece they did showcasing my apartment. A reminder that I really need to do those final things to finish the place...

:O)

Awkward Kitchen Cabinets Part II

(before)

(after)

These pics are from the same kitchen as in Part I, this is a lower corner cabinet that's wide and deep with a narrow door. I was hoping to install a blind corner system but the door opening was too narrow. So we again, went the quick, easy, and inexpensive way by using an Elfa drawer unit. This unit fits in there perfectly, without an inch to spare. I literally had to assemble the unit IN the cabinet (thank goodness I'm pretty tiny and can actually fit in there!)

It's a wide 4-runner frame with a top (sold separately), and a 1-runner drawer resting on top to make the most use of the space. The tall skinny elfa drawer in front holds smaller cutting boards, the take-out menu binder, etc, keeping them in reach. This also means when you want to get to the back drawers (which isn't too often), you only have to take this one piece out instead of everything individually.

Awkward Kitchen Cabinets Part I

(before)

(after)

(three bins fit in nicely, with a large one in the back)

I understand why this client was an inch away from completely ripping out her kitchen and starting from scratch. This upper cabinet is ridiculous. With a proper cabinet to the left and right, this one is tucked in the corner with a tall skinny door. Why the contractor didn't either put in a standard corner cabinet (angled out), or a corner door with a center hinge I don't know. This is not a cheap kitchen (like mine!), it's a beautiful kitchen in a stunning apartment. Anyway...

The quick, easy, and inexpensive solution is translucent bins that makes getting things in and out easier as well as making sure nothing gets lost in the back. Spices were organized how the client cooks with them, the most often used items in the front. The bins don't look very large but they do hold a lot and I didn't want something that would be too heavy for her to get in and out everyday.