J-fer's Home Cure

Catching up

2009-10-25T11:32:00.002-04:00

I've been catching up this weekend. This morning I cleaned out three big cupboards, one food cupboard and two storage cupboards. I was unpleasantly surprised by some of my discoveries, such as a couple expired and very sticky Luna bars.

I still need to clean my pantry and then I should be caught up with my assignments. I've already started a good pile of stuff to give away.

Slow Progress

2009-10-24T16:23:00.002-04:00

I've been making really slow progress. Last weekend I mostly ended up lazing around and so I didn't get around to my assignment.

Today I'm catching up. So far I made brownies and cleaned out my fridge. My refrigerator is amazingly clean now! I'll be moving on to my food and appliance cupboards soon.

"Before" Photos

2009-10-17T11:15:00.011-04:00

It's a cold and rainy day and I look forward to starting to put my kitchen back into order. I just took my "before" pictures to show how much work I have to do.

Starting the Fall 2009 Kichen Cure

2009-10-12T10:13:00.002-04:00

I'm about to start the Fall Kitchen Cure at the Apartment Therapy Kitchn. I don't have any plans for remodeling or major purchases, the intent is simply to reorganize and pare down the contents of my cupboards.

Newly Framed Art

2008-07-25T10:05:00.004-04:00

While the official Apartment Therapy Cure is long over, I've still been making some small improvements and will make updates here occasionally.

I possess one and only one piece of real art, a painting by my sister. I decided it deserved a real frame, not the Ikea frames I use in the rest of my home. I got a recommendation for a DC frame shop that lets you do some of the work yourself to reduce costs. The frame looks great! Here it is:

Final Touches

2008-05-31T15:55:00.007-04:00

I will still make a few tweaks here and there, and complete some final paint touch-ups, but here are "after" and "before" photos from my project.

The bathroom (I'm very pleased with my final choice of linen colors!):
The bathroom "before". The photos just don't convey the state of disrepair:

The living room "after." (I still have a few paint touch-ups to make):

The living room "before." I'm so happy to be rid of the louvered wall (on the left between the kitchen and the living room):

Choose your own adventure

2008-05-22T19:42:00.005-04:00

I took some photos of two different options for towels/bathmats. (I haven't had a chance to touch up the paint, so forgive the obvious smudge about the TP.)

The towels I originally purchased (I can't remove them from their packaging until I decide to keep them). If I do keep this set of towels, the trash can doesn't have to stay:

Another option:
The second version definitely pops A LOT more and I like that. I'm just not sure it is as warm as I would like. I like that the bathroom is so cool and clean, but I would like also like it to feel warm and comfortable.

Too impatient

2008-05-20T20:37:00.009-04:00

I'm too impatient to wait for the final reveal. It is probably going to be a while before I can complete my final paint touch ups (that's my job, not the contractors'), so I have decided to post photos of the not-quite-finished product. Besides, I'm having second thoughts about a few of my accessories and I could use some feedback on that.

Photos as of 10 minutes ago are below (first the overall effect, then some details, including the new tile baseboard).

I bought towels in two colors, this pale grayish blue and a darker blue (What you see hanging is actually the bath mat). I'm having double thoughts about the towel colors now that I see them here. I think I would prefer towels that are more turquoise, like the trash can shown in the second photo. Any thoughts?

Right now the art is propped up on the towel bar and not hanging on the wall. That's because I don't like the frame it is in. It adds one too many silver/gray to the room. That's an easy fix though:

It keeps going and going...

2008-05-18T23:02:00.002-04:00

I was back in town for the weekend and I was sick. Which is too bad, since I had a lot I had to get done. To save some money, I decided to paint myself. My boyfriend helped me with that this weekend. In any case I'm a day or two away from a completely functioning bathroom. At this point I'm going to save the photos for a final reveal...

Looking good

2008-05-14T22:36:00.006-04:00

I'm still out of town but my boyfriend was nice enough to stop by and take photos of the recent progress on my project. They look great and I can't wait to see everything in person.

The shower tile:

The floor:

The knee wall in the kitchen. I talked to the contractor about the finishing they added that had not been what we discussed. They redid the finish and this is more in line with my tastes:

Hooray!!!

Losing track of days...

2008-05-13T19:01:00.003-04:00

I've been traveling from one place to another-- this past weekend I was in Michigan and now I'm in Minnesota for work. As a result, I haven't been able to take photos of the most recent progress. As I understand it, the contractors have begun tiling the bathroom. I'm looking forward to seeing it on my return. In the meantime I am enjoying the fact that my hotel room has a functional bathroom.

Day 4

2008-05-09T08:00:00.005-04:00

Here is the most recent progress.

The shower nooks are taking shape. They look great. I am concerned that the bottoms should have a slight slope so that they will drain, so that is a question for the contractor this morning:

The knee wall in the kitchen is being finished. They aren't finishing it the way we discussed, which was with a narrow ledge of leftover counter from another project my contractor worked on. I don't love the aesthetics of the way it is being finished. So that's another thing I could talk to the contractor about. But I'm not sure I should worry about it since I do hope to get new kitchen cabinets and counters in the next year or so, and plan to install new the countertop on the kneewall at that time. So in my mind this is (and always was going to be) a temporary finish and I wish they hadn't spent so much time on it. They did a nice job, it's just not my style:

Day 3

2008-05-08T09:14:00.002-04:00

Some more progress on day 3.

Some plumbing work was completed:
The workers shown here completed more work on the floor, ceiling, and walls:

Day 2

2008-05-07T07:10:00.006-04:00

Day 2 was not nearly as dramatic as day 1., but overall I was pleased with the progress.

A little bit of drywall was installed:

Yesterday the contractor alerted me that some of my floor joists were not in good condition. A piece of plywood was screwed and glued to the floor over the warped joists. I'm worried about this... I thought the message I got this morning was that the joists would be repaired for some added cost. They have not been repaired, but the plywood has been installed. If you step on the portion shown in the upper right hand corner it is quite bouncy and not level:

The new bathtub was positioned in the bathroom:
And the bonus project! I had the contractor remove the white louvered wall that served as a divider between the kitchen and the living room. This shows progress of the new knee wall being constructed to replace it. It's almost there:

End of Day 1

2008-05-05T22:00:00.004-04:00

I checked in after work and was surprised to see how much had been done.

The walls and ceiling:

The pipes where the vanity used to be:

The quarantine bubble between the construction and my living room:

The scary thing is that I got a phone call from the contractor this evening. He wants to meet me first thing in the morning. Apparently there's something unexpected with the floor. I'm seeing dollar signs, and is this an ulcer I feel forming? (How fast excitement can turn into stress...)

Pre Remodel Chaos

2008-05-05T07:41:00.002-04:00

My contractor should be here in a few minutes. Here's what my apartment looks like.

The living room is more crowded than it has ever been. The bathroom and my closet are completely emptied of my belongings:

Finishing Touches

2008-04-28T07:31:00.004-04:00

This weekend I spent some time on the finishing touches for my new bathroom. I bought some towels and framed some art. Now if only I could jump forward in time and see everything installed...

Construction begins one week from today!

Almost there!

2008-04-25T18:22:00.004-04:00

It's really amazing. I almost have nothing left to do and I still have one work week and two weekends before the contractor starts work. The most recent development was today. I just picked up my floor tile and I like it even more than I imagined.

Here's a photo of the floor tile with a few tiles of the shower tile, the vanity door, and the sink faucet. I like the way everything looks together!

(Alana in Canada... I may end up putting white contact paper on the inside of the frosted glass if I find that it looks too messy.)

Summary of this week's accomplishments:

Floor tile arrived
Matching towel bars, TP holder, and glass shelf ordered
Toothbrush holder purchased
Saw my contractor featured on television news (a feature on green design)! Good thing I've already got a date set for my job!

Tile Choices

2008-04-21T18:39:00.004-04:00

I've been asked what tile I ended up choosing for my floor. I wasn't able to get the Eco-Gres Mosaic tile that I wanted because the manufacturer was out of stock. I found a replacement by Daltile. Here's a simulation I created on their website:

This looks NOTHING like my bathroom, but the floor tile and wall tile shown here represent what I have ordered (with the exception of the trim between the floor and the wall, I'm not using what is shown here and I couldn't seem to make it go away).

This is the Daltile Colorbody Porcelain, in their Keystone line. The color is Suede Gray and the tiles will be 2" square.

To Buy List

2008-04-19T12:02:00.004-04:00

One day later and here's my updated "to buy" list:

Grout
Towel rack/TP holder/Glass shelf

Which means I just purchased the following:

Threshold
White trim tiles
Tub spout/shower head (and drain/overflow)
Shower curtain rod
Tub

I don't love the tub spout/shower head, but the one I got was the nicest I could find for my price range. Even the majority of the really pricey ones don't seem to match my aesthetics.

Art and Color Scheme

2008-04-18T15:45:00.003-04:00

I think I will frame the art from this month's page of my calendar for the bathroom, as shown above. I like the graphic, but I also love how calm the colors are. This is going to come last, but I'd like to have bathroom towels in two shades of blue to match the shades in this. I believe I will have white walls in the bathroom, but paint the ceiling a pale sky blue.

Date Set!

2008-04-18T12:13:00.003-04:00

The contractor is going to start work on May 5. He estimates the project will take two weeks (that's the worst case scenario, assuming I have all the supplies before work starts). I even gave him a deposit check (40% of the estimated labor cost). As far as having all the supplies, things are looking good. My faucet came today and my floor tile (a new order that I made on Tuesday) should be in next week.

My "to buy" list is getting fairly short:

Grout (to be purchased after floor tile arrives, for color comparison)
Tub/tub spout/shower head
Threshold
Towel rack/TP holder/Glass shelf
White trim tiles (Home Depot was out of stock when I bought the rest of my tile)

I'm going to finish a couple weeks late from the official "Cure" schedule, but I'm ok with that because I think it will be well worth it!

The Continuing Saga of the Floor Tile

2008-04-14T18:55:00.002-04:00

Today I decided that I would order the Eco-Gres Mosaic tile for my bathroom despite needing to order nearly twice the quantity I needed. I decided I would use the extra tile to create a horizontal stripe about 2/3 of the way up in my shower (with white subway tile above and below). Or maybe I would use it to create a back splash in my kitchen. So I placed an order. My credit card was charged (I even received a fraud check phone call about the transaction from my credit card company-- this project is certainly resulting in charges that deviate from my usual patterns). All was looking good...

...Until my phone rang this afternoon. The manufacturer is out of stock of my tile. Estimated lead time is 16 weeks. It's time to move on to something else...

Weekend Accomplishment!

2008-04-13T14:18:00.007-04:00

Sometimes it gets worse before it gets better...
This is where I'm storing everything I need for the bathroom remodel.

A summary of what I accomplished this week/weekend:

Toilet arrived
Purchased Ikea vanity and wall unit
Assembled vanity and wall unit (doors not yet mounted)
Purchased white subway tile for walls
Ordered bathroom sink faucet
Looked at bathtubs shower faucets, towel bars, and toilet paper holders
Did some editing in my living room
Filed my taxes

It doesn't look like much, but this will become my new bathroom vanity.

Goals for this week:

Order/purchase floor tile
Order/purchase shower and tub faucets
Decide whether to buy new bathtub or to refinish existing bathtub (please offer your opinion!)
Schedule work

Faucet ordered

2008-04-13T09:57:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to show off the faucet I ordered for my bathroom (Fontaine RIVIERA Brushed Nickel Centerset Bathroom Sink Faucet):

Still Here-- One story about yesterday

2008-04-13T09:25:00.006-04:00

I've been working behind the scenes to further my bathroom remodel project but haven't found a chance to post my progress. I have picked my contractor, Emilio, and now just need to buy all my supplies and schedule the work. Let me tell you a story from yesterday...

I went to Amicus Green Building Center to look at tile for my bathroom floor. By chance my contractor Emilio was there taking a class! I looked at their selection of tile and found a couple things I liked. I asked about prices and learned that the ones I liked were $16-$18 a square foot (not including installation). This was lovely tile and I'm sure it is worth that price, but it is just too far outside my price range. But then I found some tile that I liked just as well and my excitement grew when I learned it was $6 per square foot.

Example of Eco Gres Mosaic Recycled Porcelain Tile

Sample of the Color I Picked: Silhouette (it is much more attractive in person-- it has a beautiful and subtle sheen)

I talked to Emilio about the tile and he told me he thought it would be a good choice and that it would be easy to install. Everything seemed to be going my way, so I bit the bullet and decided to place an order. The sales woman (who was very helpful) started filling out my order form. When we got to quantity, I told her that my floor was exactly 22.5 SF and that I wanted to order 25 SF.

This is where the story turns sour. This particular tile is only available by the box. A box covers 22 SF. Apparently, the company is very strict about never breaking a box. So I would need to order 44 SF of tile to cover 22.5 SF of floor. That's a deal breaker for me. I thought about maybe using some of the tile to form a back splash in the bathroom, or to line the top portion of the shower, but I don't think that fits within the aesthetic I'm looking for.

I guess I need to find a new floor tile...

Bathroom remodel: Progress

2008-03-31T19:19:00.002-04:00

While so far none of it is visible, I have been making progress on my bathroom. The toilet is ordered and has been shipped (it was shipped freight, so I don't know when it will arrive). A friend highly recommended a contractor, and he's going to come over on Friday to take a look.

I've been looking at vanities and tile and will hone in on purchasing these items once I've talked with the contractor.

I'm getting excited about all this!

In bloom

2008-03-25T17:58:00.003-04:00

More flowers in the apartment! The art to the right of the flowers was created by my sister-- I just got the piece a few months ago and would like to have it professionally framed. Right now it is on top of an old poster in a cheap Ikea frame.

One Project Completed!!!

2008-03-23T19:06:00.006-04:00

Here's a project that my boyfriend helped me complete this weekend. It was a simple project that began when I got a great deal on some nice solid brass doorknobs (thanks Tuesday Morning!). But turns out that it wasn't as simple as I would have liked.

The photo on the left shows my old doorknob, deadbolt, and chain. I never liked any of them. The new doorknob and chain were easy to install, but turns out that the door under the deadbolt and the plaque surrounding the doorknob was in very bad condition. It took a lot of work to make everything look good. In the middle photo, you can see the door in progress, with wood putty filling in the damaged part of the door. On the right, you can see the door after I finished repainting just this afternoon.

I changed all of the other doorknobs in my apartment to match. Here's one more example, first the old ugly doorknob, then the nice new one:

Kitchen

2008-03-23T18:41:00.005-04:00

During week two, I organized my kitchen. I did this last Cure and after doing it again this week, I'm convinced that it needs to happen every six months.

Here are some photos representative of my progress. Below is how the cupboard over my stove used to look. I had trouble finding the items I needed and every time I opened it I worried that something would land on my head.

Below is a photo of the same cupboard after pruning out the items that have been there too long. It is so much easier to use these items now. I was even able to order the cupboard by type (in general: vinegars on the left, salty in the middle, and oils on the right):

Bathroom Style Brainstorm

2008-03-18T21:25:00.003-04:00

Here are some ideas for the bathroom.

Shiny gray floor tile
Standard white wall tile (likely with gray grout)
White vanity with glass doors (white ceramic sink)
Wall cabinet with glass doors
Linens and floor mat in two different shades of blue.

Bathroom Remodel: Speed Bump

2008-03-18T18:33:00.002-04:00

Well, I ordered a new toilet! The Toto Aquia, a dual flush model. It was very exciting, I felt an incredible sense of accomplishment, and I even felt that I had gotten a great deal.

And then...

I got an e-mail from the company. Turns out the toilet is not in stock. They estimated a 25 week lead time. 25 weeks! That's nearly 6 months. Needless to say I canceled my order. I hope to find another company that has it in stock. If not, I'll order another model/brand.

New hallway lighting

2008-03-15T13:03:00.000-04:00

Here's a project I completed between the Fall Cure and this one: new lighting in my hallway. My apartment has a long hallway and it used to have one ugly ceiling light fixture at one end of the hall. The hall was so dark and shadowy that I could hardly see what I was doing.

I replaced the light with some simple track lighting. I wanted something compatible with compact fluorescent bulbs that would disperse light throughout the length of the hall. This is what I found. They are not the most attractive light fixtures, but they are subtle. The hallway is much improved with the new lighting.

Meals at Home: Homemade Pizza

2008-03-15T11:52:00.001-04:00

Part of the Apartment Therapy Cure involves cooking at home. I enjoy cooking at home and I'm always trying to do more of it. Lately I've been making a lot of pizza. Homemade pizza dough is surprisingly easy, but even easier using the recipes in the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. This pizza has tri-colored peppers, sun dried tomatoes, and just a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. I've found that I prefer simple pizzas with just a few toppings.

Flowers

2008-03-12T18:25:00.000-04:00

Just a short post to share the joys of Paper-White Narcissus.

Beginning the Spring 2008 Cure

2008-03-11T21:56:00.001-04:00

Example of damaged tile in my bathroom

Existing storage in the bathroom

I accomplished a lot during the Fall 2007 Cure, but feel that there is a lot more to be accomplished in my little apartment. During the next eight weeks, I hope to complete a one-room remedy for my bathroom. I tend to be an overly ambitious person, so I also hope to accomplish some deep treatment throughout the rest of my apartment. I know I won't get to all of my goals during this Cure, but I'm going to list them anyway:

Remodel the bathroom (which I have been putting off, and saving money for, for years). This includes:

New tile (floor and ceiling, something simple so I can redecorate anytime with accessories)
New vanity/sink
New toilet
Reglaze the existing bathtub
Additional/More useful storage

Bring order to the entry closet
Find new solution for upper shelf storage in clothes closet (current sweater boxes are breaking beyond repair)
Replace doorknobs throughout the apartment
Fix water-damaged wall on bay window
Think about new art behind sofa
Frame artwork from my sister (currently in an old picture frame on top of a cheap poster)
Quick bit of editing in the kitchen (it's close already)
Make murphy bed cabinet less busy (my constant struggle)

The Wish List that is REALLY Stretching it:

Remove ugly divider next to stove and replace it with ???
Refinish legs on chair and loveseat (will get to this, but probably not in the next eight weeks)
New kitchen cabinets, counters, and floor
Replace floor lamps
Window coverings?

I'll be adding new goals as I start this process. Here goes...

Watch this page

2008-03-05T21:18:00.000-05:00

I'm gearing up to "cure" again so I'll actually be updating again soon. I'm very much looking forward to it as my apartment can still use help!

Major Progress!

2007-10-28T15:15:00.000-04:00

I've really been trying to get a lot accomplished in these last weeks of the Cure.

Here's the progress on my living room:

The brown sissal rug replaces the orange rug. The orange rug was in violation of the co-op rules (which require most of my floor to be covered with rugs) plus it wasn't very practical with a black cat who sheds profusely. Despite the fact that I vacuum frequently, the rug always had a greyish sheen from cat hair. The new rug is more practical and I like it! The orange chair and loveseat were Craigslist finds. They need a little bit of wood refinishing work. I have new orange pillows from etsy.com

Other major progress this weekend! I have almost finished refreshing the paint in my hallway. The white hallway paint was EXTREMELY scuffed up and ugly looking. I taped off my red stripe (since it doesn't need repainting and I want to keep it) and I repainted. The reason it was possible to paint? Because I've gotten rid of most of the crap I keep in my hallway! Hooray!

The hallway is cleared out!
Picture taken prior to prepping for painting.

I really want to do a little bit more on the hallway. I'd love to get some track lighting because the hallway has terrible lighting. I know I can get an 8-foot track that would light most of the hallway. Trouble is, I haven't been able to find any track lighting that accommodates energy-efficient light bulbs. Right now nearly every light in my apartment is compact-fluorescent and I don't want to break the trend.

Other thoughts: I found a long skinny (horizontally-oriented) shelf at Ikea. It is very glossy white. I think I could install it right up against the ceiling (it is approximately 10 inches high, 10 inches deep and maybe 70 inches long). I think it would go really well with the linear theme of my hallway, without making the hallway seem closed-off or cluttered.

Also, I am replacing my cheap plastic hallway mirror. I haven't purchased one yet, but I have been looking.

Now if I can just get my cat litter bench finished my hallway would really be coming together. Hopefully I can talk my sister into sending me the bench soon!

More Progress!

2007-10-21T20:07:00.001-04:00

Some images showing progress this week! The first photo might not look like much, but look, there's nothing there where a bookcase used to be. I sold the bookcase on Craigslist today. I still need to figure out the best way to store my cds and a few other items. I ordered a fancy Russel and Hazel binder for storing my recipes and takeout menus.

The second photo shows my new bulletin board. It's on the inside of my kitchen cabinet door, and I'm loving it.

Other progress this week:
Really thoroughly cleaned the entire apartment (including floors)
Bought nice new bathroom soap (Olive soap!)
Emptied portions of outbox
Listed 3 items on Craigslist, so far 1 item has sold
Continued sorting through all my cupboards/closets, weeding out unnecessary possessions
Started applying spackle on areas of the hallway that I will be repainting
My boyfriend got in on the action: he removed all my vents and grates. He's taking them to his house and hopes to strip the messy old paint from them. (He's really tall and apparently they have always driven him nuts. I'm a lot shorter, so I never really noticed what a mess they are.)

Working through frustration

2007-10-19T08:34:00.000-04:00

I've worked every evening this week as I really want to get rid of my hall bookshelf. I found myself very frustrated because no solution seemed to be the right one, and so many solutions are necessary (need a way to store cds, need a way to store a bunch of assorted crap, such as my owners manuals, maps, etc, need a way to store my recipes, and even need to figure out a way to store my pencils!) I started feeling disheartened. But I didn't let that happen for long, I took action. I took everything off the bookshelf and just put it somewhere, even on a temporary basis. Now I have an empty bookshelf that I plan to list on Craiglist this weekend. I know I'll find storage solutions.

Some items on my done list from this week:
Started emptying outbox
Hung hooks in my closet for purses (unfortunately hung them too low, will fix that soon)
Emptied hall bookshelf
Hung Cork inside my kitchen cabinet door to serve as a hidden bulletin board
Cleaned/sorted through my office supplies and media
Put my recipes into plastic sleeves that will be inserted into a binder when I find one that I like (anyone know of any pretty binders???)

An evening's worth of progress

2007-10-15T20:56:00.001-04:00

I'm a little behind due to several intensely busy weeks. I am determined to catch up and so I got a good bit accomplished this evening.

Tonight I went through much of what I have stored on my living room bookshelf and I moved a lot to my outbox. I also went through my hall bookshelf (shown in the photo to the left) and weeded out detritus. All that stuff surrounding the bookcase? That's my outbox, all of it.

I REALLY want to get rid of this bookshelf completely and am trying to figure out how to do so as part of this process. The problem is figuring how to store this stuff or having a willingness to just get rid of it. I plan to find a more compact way to store cd's but am looking for ideas to do so attractively. Anyone, anyone?

This weekend I did make some good progress despite a houseguest that kept me busy much of the time. I have a degree in Landscape Architecture and this weekend I photographed all of my now-very-old work from my graduate program. Then I crumpled up the originals and recycled them. It was hard to get rid of the originals, but I really will never use them again, even for a portfolio. Plus I took photos, so in a way they are still with me...

A Yummy Meal

2007-10-15T20:52:00.000-04:00

Here's one of my home-cooked meals from last week. I made it with vegetables from my CSA: lentils, stir-fried turnip greens with hot pepper and garlic, and roasted root vegetables with fresh rosemary (notice the gorgeous purple potatoes). It was a very tasty meal. This is a "green" cure, so I will note that the meal is vegetarian and so am I.

I'm still here

2007-10-14T20:41:00.001-04:00

I haven't posted in a while, but I'm still here and I'm still curing. I've had a house guest all weekend, so I'll be doing some catching up starting tomorrow!

Green Festival Washington DC

2007-10-05T08:43:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow I'm volunteering at (and then attending) the Washington, D.C. Green Festival. I look forward to seeing if I can find some good Green Products to use during the remainder of my Cure. So far I've attended every Green Festival in D.C., and I have been very impressed with all that I've learned.

Week 4: Meal #1

2007-10-01T20:03:00.000-04:00

Week 4 specifies that I cook 3 meals at home. That's going to be a challenge this week due to some work related travel, but now I at least have one meal crossed off my list.

I made a vegetarian stew. I got a bunch of vegetables on Saturday from my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and I chopped a bunch of them, put them in a pot, and let them simmer. No recipe, just veggies, stock, water, and seasonings. I'm actually surprised at how good it is. The best part is: I did dishes AND installed my new landing strip in the time it took the stew to simmer.

Landing Strip Progress

2007-10-01T19:40:00.000-04:00

I just installed a new portion of my landing strip. I can't wait for the next time I get to come home and land.

I've had the key box since my last apartment, but I just finished installing the red wall organizer underneath (I took "strip" literally and ordered the The Magnetic Pocket Strip by Three by Three Seattle).

The door to the left is my entry closet, so that's where coats and shoes go when I get home. Mail and keys will go to the key box and pocket strip. Not sure what I'll do with purse/wallet/cellphone, but I'll get this figured out.

Entry Closet

2007-09-30T20:38:00.000-04:00

A (poorly panorama-ed) photo of my progress in decluttering my entry closet... I'll be doing some additional work to figure out how to most efficiently store my winter scarves and purses.

Week 3 Done List

2007-09-30T18:16:00.000-04:00

Bones:

Vacuumed, dusted, and mopped.
Cleaned my entrance (although there still is more to do here)
Started thinking about how to accomplish my needed repairs (and made one of them, too!)

Breath:

Decluttered my entrance (again, still a little to do here) but I did get rid of the old mattress that has been cluttering my entrance for over a month!
Ordered a landing strip (due to be delivered tomorrow!)
Decided not to renew my magazine subscriptions (the internet is a suitable substitute)

Heart:

Thought about cool and warm rooms
Thought about the 80/20 rule (will post more on this later)

Head:

Uh oh, nothing to put here this week. I was out of town on business this week, so no home cooked meals or housewarming invitations yet. But given that I was in another state for much of the week, I feel great about what I have accomplished.

Repair Number One

2007-09-30T18:06:00.000-04:00

I made my first repair this weekend (well despite my best intentions, my friend did most of the work and I watched). When I installed my murphy bed three years ago I had to remove the trim between the floor and the walls. Until today I never repaired the few inches of trim on each side of the murphy bed cabinet. Which also means I was storing the long lengths of trim this whole time too. Now it's all repaired and I've disposed of the extra trim. Ahh, the sense of accomplishment...

Week 2 Done List

2007-09-23T19:27:00.000-04:00

I'm a little behind this week but here's my done list so far:

Bones:
Cleaned kitchen/Threw away old food
Using a brita filter (pitcher)

Breath:
Cleared space for an outbox
Put lots of stuff in the outbox!

Heart:
Bought fresh flowers (put the ones from last week in the bathroom, they still have some life in them!)
Style: organic modern

Head:
Cooked a couple of meals at home.

Ideas for Greening the Cure

2007-09-18T12:04:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking about ways to keep my Cure green. I've come up with some ideas, but would love to hear some other suggestions.

Reducing Waste

Donating/Selling the contents of my Outbox.

Craigslist.
Freecycle.
I just learned that my local animal shelter will take my old ratty towels.

Recycling items that nobody will want.

Lightening my Demand for New Resources

Buying used.
Buying products made of recycled materials.
Really asking myself whether I need something before bringing it into my home.

Indoor Air Quality/Toxins

Not allowing toxic items into my home.
I recently bought a new mattress and did a lot of research to make sure that I was getting one that wouldn't release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's). (I settled on a natural latex mattress.)
I'm currently trying to find a rug pad that won't off-gas toxic fumes.

Supporting Local Economies

I'll be cooking my homemade meals for during the cure with produce from a local farm (I joined the CSA, Community Supported Agriculture, this year.)

Starting in on Week 2

2007-09-17T20:05:00.001-04:00

Week 2 includes a very thorough cleaning of the kitchen. I have a lot of stuff in my kitchen. Way too much stuff.

This evening I had some extra time so I removed EVERYTHING from the pantry, cleaned it all, and then selectively put things back in. The first image shows the mess in a portion of my pantry before I started this evening. The second photo is of the items from my pantry that I will be moving to my outbox. The third picture is my pantry after I cleaned it. I still think my pantry could make more efficient use of space, but this is certainly a start. Later this week I'll tackle the rest of the kitchen.

Week One: Done List

2007-09-16T15:42:00.001-04:00

Here are my accomplishments for week one of the Cure (Deep Treatment):

Bones:
Made a list of repairs (see previous post)
Cleaned the floors

Breath:
Removed tea kettle from my apartment (gave it away). No matter how hard I try to clean it, it always looks dirty and since it sits on top of my stove that's no good. I can easily use my saucepans to boil water.

Heart:
Bought fresh flowers from the farmer's market

Head:
Sat for ten minutes in my hallway.
Earth friendly cleaning products: I didn't do any additional research on these, as currently I use baking soda and vinegar for just about everything, and I am very pleased with the results.

Repair List

2007-09-16T10:47:00.000-04:00

Living Room:
Repair plaster under window
Install missing trim
Fix murphy bed so that shelves hang plumb
Refinish wood on chair and loveseat
Refinish wood on storage box

Hall:
Fix/Repaint to fix scuffed walls
Repair holes in wall

Kitchen:
Remove stains on counter
Fix scuffs on pantry door
Fix scuffs on floor

Bathroom:
Work toward remodel!

The Interview

2007-09-16T10:02:00.000-04:00

According to the book, "Apartment Therapy" by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, an interview is a good way to start the Cure. It is a good way to learn about me, my favorite things, my style, and the problems I am having with my apartment.

Favorites

Actress: Film noir femme fatales

Actor: Roberto Benigni

Artist: Magritte, Rothko, Alcocer

Books: Anna Karenina, Short stories by Dorothy Parker, Catch 22, Blindness, A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain, hard boiled detective stories

Music: 1920's crooners, 1930's jazz and blues, 1940's bluegrass, 1950's R&B, 1960's phsychedelic and garage rock, 1970's glitter and soul, 1980's new wave and punk, current indie and miscellaneous.

Restaurant: Java Green

Automobile: My bicycle!

Television Shows: Lost, Twin Peaks

Clothing: Vintage, Ann Taylor Loft

How would you describe your style?
1. Colorful
2. Modern
3. Simple

Personal History
Where were you born: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Where you grew up: Grand Rapids
Where you lived as an adult: Ann Arbor, Michigan; Seattle, Washington; Washington, D.C.

Whom would you consider a role model? The Dalia Lama

What three adjectives describe the qualities that you admire in this person?
1. Happy
2. Generous
3. Simple

Apartment
What is the problem with your apartment?
1. Hard to keep neat
2. Not a good place for everything
3. No outdoor space

If your apartment could speak, what would it say is the problem?
You say you like me when I'm neat, and yet you never put anything away. (It isn't easy enough to put things away, the places some things belong are too difficult to reach.)

What one thing would you like to do more of in your apartment?
Entertain spontaneously.

Eight weeks from now, when this project is done, if friends came to visit, how would you like them to describe your home?
1. Cozy
2. Spacious
3. Colorful

The Cure: Introduction

2007-09-16T09:39:00.000-04:00

During the next eight weeks, my apartment and I will join in with the Apartment Therapy community to undergo some intense therapy, including (but not limited to) performing much-needed and long-overlooked repairs, and purging clutter. I will attempt to keep my cure green by doing what I can to limit negative impacts on the environment and I will post my progress here.

To learn more about the Cure, visit the Apartment Therapy website.