We're so inspired (and a little floored) by the activity in our Flickr group. The amount of work the Curers are getting done is incredible: painting kitchens, decluttering rooms, buying fresh flowers, and more. One warning: eight weeks of curing can be very tough, so don't burn yourself out in the beginning. Take advantage of energy bursts when you have them, but remember to take a little time to relax and enjoy your home through the process. This week, we're decluttering the kitchen and cooking at home. Click below for lots of new photos and good links...
Sign-up for the Cure ends today. We're still sorting through and adding those who've signed up to our roster. If you've signed up and your name is missing, let us know in the comments below and we'll add you. Cure participants should sign up for the city nearest them. Texas residents are part of the LA Cure, and central Canadians are part of the Chicago Cure.
AT:Chicago Curers
Illinois: amandaraealso, mary.grace84, Melissa, greta, Peardown, Mella DP, stynan, ShowLola, VelvetDC1, katie_oltremare, Alana in Chicago (aka pxlchk1), harmony_france, lucitebox, leahm (aka Annie Savoy was Right), Solbeam, Tamara, schroerlucke, CoCoCurrin, chicagoamber, 7, MidCenturyMixer, lumur, singleta
Arkansas: meandell
Canada: Alana in Canada (aka scraplolly), smallcitybeth, olya
Georgia: raikenn
Iowa: Farleece, ddd, fourinonehalf
Kentucky: sophisticatted, moni-ka in KY, cricketchirp, bbtracle
Louisiana: jess2nola, StellarMom
Michigan: lorijo (aka thefarmersdaughter), Laurie@PaintedMoon, Laurall (aka lolagrinnin), fifi72170, jeanneh, Darcie, shotsjr
Minnesota: lhedden21, aprilk, jesjoh
Missouri: pleban, STLcolleen, thedanmole, HRH, aisforanita
New York State: metromom, Aulaire
Ohio: JenEvans86 (aka je218604), StarterStudio, Signe (aka degerkas), stonefb, Candice (aka minhus), sunnyshelle, Sarah
Oklahoma: Francesca, Cecilia N
Tennessee: sar3j, murfreesboro, shinerld, Kendalina, sulli21282, ShoupLA
Wisconsin: nongsa
Not Sure Where They Are, But They're In: imagentnell, paperandglue, stephvixen, margaretk (aka Margusie)
Weekly Assignment (Deep Treatment): This is a tough week in terms of time. We're decluttering the kitchen from top to bottom and cleaning all surfaces. This can take a couple of days, so don't push yourself too hard. Spread it out over a few evenings or use this weekend to get it done. We're also cooking at home. For recipes, check out the Kitchn. Our sister site was founded to provide home cooks with simple, quality recipes and good information on how to make better, healthier food.
Weekly Assignment (One-Room Workout): One-Room Workout folks are focusing on a floor plan. This step of the process is really important, since it's key in creating a vision for your space. Once you have a clear idea of what functions and what furniture are going into your room, things will fall into place much more easily. There are free floorplan programs on the web you can use (we've used Better Homes & Gardens Arrange-A-Room and Point.Click.Design) or an old-fashioned pencil and paper works just as well too.
Good Links:
• lucitebox repaired her cool vintage lampshade.
• scraplolly (aka Alana) is doing some inspiring decluttering.
• meleniegonzalez has a new tile backsplash in the kitchen.
• ce_pelle did some major cleaning throughout her home.
• je218604 decluttered her medicine cabinet - it looks so clean and organized.
More Good Links:
• steph vixen just moved into a very small, cool house.
• singleta418 is thinking of painting the mantle.
• aisforanita is thinking of putting lights inside the kitchen cabinet.
• velvetdc1 asked for advice on keeping or getting rid of a pair of sofas.
• metromom wants ideas for redoing a dresser.
Previous Posts:
• CHI Spring Cure: Mid-Way Through Week One
• CHI Spring Cure: Week One
• CHI Spring Cure: Week Zero - Weekend
• CHI Spring Cure: Official Sign-Up
• CHI Spring Cure: Week Zero
Hi. I am not on the list. elisam in Alabama! Thanks
view elisam's profile
It's great to see everyone's progress! I think we're off to a good start. Thank you for the reminder not to over-do it. I run the risk of burn-out with nearly everything that I do and this will be no exception, I'm sure.
I LOVE the blue kitchen. Fabulous job on the pink chair--it's awesome looking. Wow. Ceck out Margusie's beautifully pared down living room. It's so inviting and calming. (I envy all of you clutter free people out there!)
My friend made me that hanging vintage lampshade ceiling fixture. Be sure to check out the "before" picture because it was a really cruddy looking ceiling fixture. It's not a difficult thing to make and I think it cost me less than $50 because I had the shade here.
view lucitebox's profile
The first picture looks so peaceful and makes me want to curl up with a good book.
Everyone is definitely moving right along and making some serious good progress. This weekend I got the perfect desk for my new craft/sewing area. After cleaning out the TV that didn't work and all of the old video game units, the room looked so much bigger. Now I need some help with color choices to make it look more finished. Any ideas?
My flickr photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/degerkas/
view Signe's profile
the kitchen in my house has been a problem since we moved in- when we got here it had brown 1970's cabinets with brass hardware, country kitchen wallpaper with pink and blue hearts, CARPET on the floor- brown,yellow and orange tile design, an avocado green dishwasher, cream colored stove, black microwave and white fridge. We have been working on it bit by bit and this summer it may be almost, kind of done.
We put up the beadboard to fix the holes, now we have to decide on paint. I have a pic up on flickr that shows some options, but I am open to anything.
Here is my blogsite -just one more chair and here is my flickr site - lorijo aka the farmersdaughter
view lorijo's profile
Ack, noooooooooo, not the living room! You folks are merciless!
I went shopping, inspired by the picture below mine, lucitebox's, actually.
I found a few things to perk the room up, but not too much. Don't want to buy too much before I really know where I'm going.
I was trying for orange, purple and green last fall...and finally the stores have things in that colourway.
I spent the day taking my stuff to good will and shopping.
Felt good.
view Alana in Canada's profile
Posting my photos has been so nervewracking, you wouldn't believe. But it's been great to exchange ideas with everyone in the Flickr pool.
Also, for reference, I'm in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
view paperandglue's profile
Cool! Another Canadian!
I've posted "After" pics of my Storage Room. I'm happy. It's happy.
I've also blogged about it in more detail at http://serenityathome.blogspot.com
It was my Week Zero project. Week One didn't turn out to be photo-worthy.
view smallcitybeth's profile
Got my goals posted for this week.
http://prairiehometherapy.blogspot.com/2008/03/week-2-goals.html
It's gonna be a doozy.
view Alana in Canada's profile
Information on properly installing dryer vents:
This guy suggests going to the roof and smoot metal pipe:
http://www.askthebuilder.com/B228_Installing_a_Clothes_Dryer_Vent.shtml
Once again, This old house comes to the rescue. Replace the coil stuff. Detailed how-to with pictures:
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20055319,00.html
And this one includes instructions on how to punch a hole through the side of the house: no more window! (Which can't be code, anyway!)
http://www.rd.com/17536/article.html
hth.
view Alana in Canada's profile
Hi! I did the official signup last week but anyway, I'm in Chicago! This is exciting, thanks!
view Margusie's profile
This week is all about de cluttering my itsy bitsy kitchen and sourcing some stuff for my bedroom re do's . I have to find some sort of battery opperated light source for my 3 yr olds closet. It's dark as a cave in there. Anyone have any ideas?
view lorijo's profile
lorijo- i tried a couple and I was not happy. I finally got an electrician to run wires from the bedroom ceiling to inside the closet. I spent less than $150 for 3 closets, because it did not take the electrician long to run the wires.
view Francesca's profile
We picked up a little LED stick-on disk from Home Despot for my daughter's closet. It's weird, though, and you definitely need more than one. Try that, see if it works. This looks better than the one we got.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100496341
view Alana in Canada's profile
Well, I washed down the washing machine--how can I let it get so gross?
and the microwave.
I feel like I'm spinning my wheels, though.
(Can't get down to the basement to do any proper cleaning until "school" is over--and that looks like it might take 'til supper time at the rate we're going today. (sigh).
(I homeschool my kids, in case that didn't make sense.)
view Alana in Canada's profile
Well, I'm done washing out the pantry shelves--thank goodness.
We had a small mouse invasion this winter--I had just one shelf left that hadn't been completely cleaned out. (It was one we had used to lure the mice).
And of course, everything wasn't as well organized as I'd like cause I just THREW all the mouse vulnerable stuff into closeable bins...and then, when the husband gave me the "all clear" unpacked higgedly piggedly.
Glad that's done!
And I was surprised I had 5 lbs of expired stuff to toss. The oldest item was from 2002.
view Alana in Canada's profile