Room Breakdown - Part II - Still One Sided

So today is Part II of Doodle's room breakdown.  If you missed it, go here to see the cost and story of some of the pieces in this room redo.

And in case you are REALLY behind, go here to see the right sided only reveal. :)

Ok, so first let's discuss the nightstand area in Doodle's bedroom.

  

Let me reiterate, this bedroom is only 9'1" x 9'9"!  People, that is SMALL.  Really. Really. Small.

A ten year old girl resides in this room. 

So, storage and function have been a big part of this room redo.  I really had to pay attention to what was NOT working before and try to fix that in this room. 

One of the things that did NOT work before was where to put dirty clothes.  I had originally hoped to put a pullout laundry basket into the new closet system.  But I under-estimated how little that closet is, so there was no room.  And since I added furniture pieces to this little room, there wasn't a good place to put a basket anymore where it wouldn't be in the way. 

That's when I had this brilliant idea to build a table and put a laundry basket underneath that could be out of the way, but still easily accessible for her to deposit her dirty clothes into. 

But imagine my luck, when I was in Hobby Lobby one day and saw this table (with a removeable tray on top) on sale for $40!!  When I turned it around backwards, there was a perfect spot for a basket!  Score!!  And I didn't have to build anything!  :)

I ran into trouble finding a basket that would fit under it though!  I had the measurements with me and everywhere I went I looked and measured out baskets.  Everything I found, that would match, was too big or so small it wouldn't hold enough dirty clothes.

Then while I was in Dallas over Christmas, I visited Hobby Lobby's after Christmas sale, and lo and behold there it was!  What I thought was the most PERFECT basket!  And they had 3 sizes to choose from!  I swore the angels were singing! 

Sorry for the really crappy, nightime, overly blown up picture!

I am ashamed to admit this part.....I paid full price! :( 

I NEVER pay full price if I can help it!!!

Especially at a place like HL who frequently runs coupons.  But I had already looked at HL before and they didn't have this basket at mine and I didn't have a coupon....and.....and....I HAD to have this perfectly sized and perfectly coordinated laundry basket!!!

You feel my pain right?? 

I mean, when that perfect piece is there...in front of you....smiling....with the perfect measurements.......well......you know.....you MUST have it right then and there!!!  Even if it means $50 and driving it in your little car from Dallas, TX to Indianapolis, IN over 900 miles!  Right?

Yes, I am totally and utterly ashamed to admit I spent $50 on a stinkin' laundry basket.  ~~Hanging my head in shame~~

*************

Now, that I've admitted to my brief moment of shopping insanity, I will tell you about the mirror.

I purchased this full length mirror at Walmart for $20.  Doodle has been complaining since we moved into this house that we have no full length mirrors.  Even I will admit, it's frustrating.

I thought the brushed nickel finish on this one was much classier than your typical $5 plastic jobby.   

I purchased it with the intent of hanging it on the back of her bedroom door...but two things happened.  One, I decided to put a bunch of hooks on her door for organizing jewelry, purses and belts, etc.  And two, when I reveal the rest of her room, you'll see the dresser is right up as close as it can get to the door...so she wouldn't be able to see herself that well anyway.

I wasn't sure where it would go now and figured I'd have to return it.  I put it behind the nightstand to get it out of the way while I did other stuff....and BAM, when I turned the light on, it reflected out into the bedroom and I knew it had to stay there!  AND...hanging at that height, you can see your full reflection!! :)

*************

Do you see that brown curtain on the right?

WAIT!!  Don't look THAT close!  You'll see all the wrinkles that should have been ironed out, but I didn't! ;)

That is the closet.  If you remember from the closet organization system post, I wasn't sure if I was going to put up new doors or put up a curtain. 

For now, I went with the curtains (because I already had those on hand).  And I'm really loving it!! 

I think it kind of adds some softness and some more of that foo-foo-shee-sheeness to the room. :)

I already owned the curtains from my last master bedroom look.  So, they were free.I purchased an ORB shower curtain tension rod at Target for $11, and that's what is holding the curtains up.

*************

Last but not least, is this little metal bucket:

This little thing actually inspired the blue accent color!

I purchased this at Michael's, on clearance, for $2!! 

It has a small dent.  See it?  Yeah, me neither! LOL  It's turned to the back...woop-dee-doo! :)

This holds Doodle's Bible, her drink coasters, her remote controls for her TV, DVD player and stereo.  It often holds her Nintendo DS.  And it holds whatever book we are reading at bedtime.

(Yes, even at 10 years old, we still read a bedtime story almost every night!  The books are just longer and we read a couple chapters a night.  It's our one on one time no matter how little time we've had together that day.)

So, let's see...today's breakdown in price:

Mirror - $20
Curtains - Free
Curtain Rod - $11
Nightstand - $40
Laundry Basket - $50 :(
Metal Bucket - $2

For a total of $123! 

Adding that to yesterday's total is $153.

My budget for this room makeover was $500.  I'll let you know how I do at the end.

************* 

I haven't addressed the little wooden box the lamp is sitting on because it is a yard sale redo.  I plan to dedicate at least one post to crafts and redo's...probably more than that.  The other side of the room has quite a few redo's. :) 

Stop by on Friday, I have a HUGE SECRET I'm revealing.  It's almost gossip worthy.  It's more a personal thing, not really blog related, although it could impact my blog in the long run.  :)

Living with Less

One of the things you learn pretty quick when you live in a small home is, besides being organized, you need to pare down your stuff.

Organization is great.  But no amount of organization will make too much stuff fit comfortably into too little space!

It’s just that simple.

That’s like me trying to squeeze my size 16 rear end into size 8 jeans!  Even if by some miracle of cosmic dimensions I actually do…the seams are going to burst out, I won’t be able to button them, they will be too short, cut off my circulation…you get the idea. :P

Stuffing too much stuff into a tiny house…you get the same result.  You can’t breath! There’s no room to move! The seams are going to burst!

It’s essential that you pare down your belongings to fit within the constraints of your home.

How do you decide what goes and what stays?  Well, that’s easier for some us rather than others.

Me, I don’t like to hold on to anything I’m not using or I feel has out-served its usefulness.  Sometimes this is to my own detriment.  I have a tendency to get rid of stuff on a whim when I’m feeling overwhelmed and then regret it later. (I also buy things on the same whims…not good!)

This probably isn’t the best approach.  Ok, no probably to it…don’t do it my way!!  Wait to sort through your belongings when things are relatively normal or calm.  You don’t want to make these decisions based solely on emotion or you will probably end up with some regrets when it's all done.

The other thing I do a lot which forces me to go through my stuff and purge is…I move a lot.  On average, every 2 years! I also do not recommend this approach!  It’s costly and exhausting!

So, what do I recommend you ask?

Well, I’m glad you asked! :)

Start in one small area.  Don't try to do your whole house in a day!  This process could take months! 

Some books say set a timer for 15 minutes when the timer goes off your done this time around.  I think you can go longer than that...but the point is the longer you spend at one time going through stuff, the less impartial you become and tend to keep more.  So, start with one drawer, go through it and stop.  Don't overwhelm yourself!! 

In Erin's school of purging, you would create three piles...Keep, Donate, and Unsure.

Obviously the keep pile will be pretty easy.  It the Donate pile that's tricky.

One of the first things to look at when you are considering whether to keep something or purge it, is, ask yourself when is the last time you used the item?

A good rule of thumb is, if it’s been over a year since you used it or wore it, chances are good…you don’t need it...so donate it!

If you still aren’t sure, one of the things that is recommended is, box up the item you are unsure of. Put a “Discard Date” on the outside of the box, six months from the date you sealed the box. Now store the box in the basement or garage or shed or wherever. If you haven’t needed the items in the box by that date, donate the UNOPENED box! Or better yet…have a friend store it and discard the box for you if you haven’t asked for something by that date! That way you aren’t tempted to open it and keep the stuff that’s in there (that you probably forgot was in there in the first place)!

Resist the urge to open the box because you ‘forgot what was in there’! That’s the whole point. If you forgot and haven’t needed it…you still don’t need it! Just take it unopened and donate it…you won’t miss it!

Sentimental items…well, I could (and probably will someday) dedicate a whole post to the topic. But essentially, WHY do you hold onto items you deem sentimental?

I’ll tell you why…it’s the MEMORY that is attached to the item.  It isn’t usually the item itself; it’s the memory of the person or event that you cherish.

So, take a couple really good pictures and get rid of the item.  Looking at the picture will bring back that same memory...and storing a picture takes up a lot less room than storing the stuff.

Now, please don’t misunderstand me. Sure, there are some things we won’t want to get rid of…and that’s fine!  This is a just a way to help you let go of excess stuff…not stuff you love.

If you are serious about paring down your belongings and are unsure what to get rid of or where to start, I recommend any of Don Aslett’s books!  “Clutter’s Last Stand” was probably my personal favorite.  And I’m sure you can borrow it from your local library for free.

I’ve also read “Clutter Free Finally & Forever” and “For Packrats Only” which are pretty similar in nature to “Clutter’s Last Stand.”

They are very easy and quick reads…and funny!  He makes you look at some of the things you hold onto for fear of ‘needing’ it someday or guilt of throwing it away.  He addresses gifts, clothes, and everything in between.  It’s been years since I’ve read them, but I STILL refer back to what I learned in those books when I’m cleaning out my house.

Now…get emotionally stable and start sorting!

I crack myself up! :)

Until next time…

Furniture for a Small Space

I came across something the other day I thought was ingenious!! 

So, of course I just had to share.

This table from CB2:

Which EXPANDS to this table!!!

Seriously, this is a small home owner/renters dream!  It goes from seating 4 to 6, like that!  

And honestly, it's not that expensive - $449 for the table.

I thought these chairs from Target would be a nice, inexpensive alternative to go with this table.

They are fairly inexpensive ($69.99 for two), comfortable (I own a set in white, one for my office and one for Doodle's desk in her bedroom), come in four colors (espresso, white, green, and this great blue)...and they stack!  Stacking is nice option for storage in a small space.

Until next time...

The Small Home Advantage

Ok, so I think by now you know I live in a small home.  I mean it's the main reason I started this blog in the first place.  I think you probably realize by  now that I prefer a small home. 

I started this blog because I recognize there are challenges to living in a small home and I wanted to share those challenges and solutions with others that might be experiencing the same thing. 

But I also really wanted to celebrate living in a small home with others as well!

Image Courtesy of Small House Style

Sure, we don't have a single walk in closet in the house.  And ok, we only have one bathroom which can definitely be a challenge.  And yes, there is nowhere to 'get away' to. 

BUT, there are ALOT of advantages to living in a small home.

For me the biggest advantage is TIME!!

I don't have alot of time as it is.  I'm a single mom, I work full time, now I blog...between those things, the grocery shopping, getting the oil changed, tires rotated, mowing the yard, running errands, school functions, Girl Scout outings...and a huge house to clean?  When would I be able to do anything I actually enjoy?

I would MUCH rather spend my precious time with the Doodle, with my cats, a good book, my blog...well pretty much anything other than cleaning!  I can clean my house in about an hour and that includes cleaning the bathroom!

Last year I read a book called Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominquez while I was trying get my finances under control .  I highly recommend this book if you are sick of working and never getting around to what is important to you and what you really want to be doing instead of working your life away.

What I took away from Your Money or Your Life is that I wanted to start making a life, instead of just a living (or making a dying as they call it in the book)!

And how many of us wish we weren't stuck in the rat race every day?  Do you wish you had more time for your family?  To volunteer?  To garden?  Whatever it is that is important to you.

Well, that's what my small home is for me - freedom.  Yes, for now I still need to work full time, but having a small home allows me more time and more money in my pocket so that I can enjoy the things that are actually important to me!

The Dollar Stretcher has a nice little story called "Small House, Happy Home".  The author, Fiona Lippey says "One day, I discovered that a smaller home with a smaller mortgage would mean we could have a happier lifestyle, with less debt and stress and more time and money."  I couldn't agree with Fiona More! 

The Digeratilife discusses the pros and cons of a small house here.

Small Living Journal discusses the financial advantages of a small home here.

And Unconventional Ideas, author John O. Anderson, has a really nice article about his experience and feelings about small homes.  While its an older article, it still applies today.

Image courtesy of Trendir

I've found the biggest advantages to living in a small home are:

* Household bills are less.  It just costs less to heat and cool a smaller area.

* Usually it means a smaller mortgage.

* Require less natural resources.  Less wood, drywall, paint, flooring,

   windows, etc - or even better if you can buy an already existing house

   instead of building new!

* Decorating is alot less expensive because you need alot less furniture.

* When you DO buy furniture you can afford better quality because there are

   so fewer pieces needed.

* Maintenance to a small home is easier and less expensive.  I just replaced

   my entire house of windows (a whopping five windows from single pane to

   double pane) for less than $3,000.  My coworker was just quoted $30,000 to

   replace his windows on his huge house with twenty-something windows!  

   Think flooring next people!  950 sq ft vs. 3000 sq ft?  Yeah, I'd prefer to pay

   for the new floors in my house! ;)

* It's forces you to pare down your belongings and not bring excessive

   amounts back into the home!  This saves money and gets us off the

   consumerism roller coaster...which saves us time as well.

* Less stuff means less time shopping for, cleaning and maintaining all

   that stuff!

* Forces more time together as a family!  Like it or not, there is nowhere to

   go!  And there can't be too many secrets when I can hear you

   BREATHING from the next room! LOL (Slight exaggertion here) And I

   personally prefer this. :)

Don't be ashamed of your small home!!  Live in it with pride!  Sure you may not have that status symbol of a huge house or 3 bathrooms, but you probably don't have the hefty mortgage and time consuming upkeep either! :)  I know I don't!  And I have more time to do the things that are important to me too.

So there you have it...the small home advantage!

Until next time....