apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We love this ingenious use of the decorative embroidery hoop. This time it's part of the landing strip, helping to corral papers and letters that need to leave the house.

Lot's of Culver City Openings This saturday

Art & Design Events...

• May is Organizing/Spring Cleaning Month at Apartment Therapy
  

• Bandini Art
  
  • Opening: Blood and Glitter
    
  • Saturday, May 10th, 6-8pm
    
  • Culver City
    

In our post on organizing the other day, Li wrote: I need help wrangling paper. I dealt with it okay when I was single but now that I do paperwork/bills for the whole family, I'm drowning in unfiled paper. I don't want photos of pretty file cabinets, I want ideas on how to organize what goes into the file cabinets. Roger that!

We certainly weren't in a position as teenagers to have our own outdoor furniture, but we're guessing they must be out there since PB Teen is selling this cushy circle put-your-feet-up-and-just-hang-out outdoor sofa set. We're also guessing that you don't need to be a teen to totally enjoy a good hang out sesh on one of these.

We recently got a chance to check out a store that's been on our list since reading about it on Apartment Therapy: OC Modern. We had such a great experience all around that we just can't say enough nice things about them.

The days are getting warmer, but the nights are still decidedly cool. We'd love to snuggle up outside with friends, each under our own plush throw.

Benita Larsson (of Chez Larsson) is our hero when it comes to keeping an organized home that is still comfortable and beautiful. So we're over the moon that she was willing to share her top 10 tips for staying organized. Read them all, and get to organizing, after the jump:

This year will be the first year we get to attend ICFF. This excites us for many reasons: we get to meet some of our fellow bloggers, get to hang in New York and get to see incredible design like these Scandinavian designs:

Did anyone make it to Pam's blowout Estate Sale in Malibu over the weekend? We were going to try and cover it but it got shut down before we could get there.

We don't normally turn to Land's End for style inspiration, but these 2 towels hit the nail on the head for us. We've talked the combination of blue and white being perfect for summer and after running across these towels, we'll have to add coral, orange and yellow as our second favorite summer color combo:

• What: Cafe at Surfas
  
• Where: Culver City
  
• When: Saturday afternoon, enjoying a little something sweet
  
• Why: We love Culver City and all they're doing to revamp its historic roots. This tile floor with it's smattering of flowers is the perfect example of a classic style that doesn't take itself too seriously.

We picked up one of Ikea's new garden pots for its simplicity and fun texture. When we got home, we realized we could use it for a number of things around the house.

We're at the beginning of Organizing and Spring Cleaning Month and want to know: Where are you most challenged when it comes to organizing? Are you in desperate need of a solution to an organizing dilemna? Has organizing just never been your thing? Leave a comment describing your issue and we'll find you some answers:

Now is the time to take those warm weather clothes out from under the bed and start storing winter clothes. It's also a great time to evaluate whether it's time to retire some of those outfits to make room for springtime:

We have a drawer at home with old cell phones, a camera battery or two and a broken ipod. We could use this drawer for something else, but often get hung up on exactly where to take these things. A new pilot program run by the US Postal Service might be the answer:

We wait for the weekend, then throw the windows open, turn on some music and start from the top down.

Organization can make all the difference in how our homes function and how they feel (and how we feel!), but knowing that doesn't always inspire change. It can be difficult to break the chains of habit and might feel easier to just do things as you always have. This could show up as piles to groan at, often not being able to find the keys, and needing to rush around the house cleaning before guests arrive. We've found that at the heart of the matter is prioritizing the things most important to us:

AT:SF mentioned it as a part of their sales calendar, but we though this sale needed a dedicated mention. If you're anything like us, you've been drooling over Knoll classics like Bertoia, Saarninen and Womb chairs for years wondering when you will be able to afford one. Well, we're getting closer since the Knoll Classics Sale at DWR is starting tomorrow:

The Shakers are known for making simple, durable furniture that has become an American classic. We love some of the timeless pieces that we found in the Shaker Workshops Catalog:

May Sales...

• Mitchell Gold
  
  • 20% off all special orders through May 11th
    
  • 7960 West 3rd Street
    

• Art Sale at Santa Fe Art Studios
  
  • May 3rd and 4th, 12-6pm
    
  • Downtown

Yesterday's question, who was your first designer influence? stumped me. I couldn't think of a 'designer'. Then I realized that I've been profoundly influenced by my family and their design choices. Jump below to see a mini tour of my grandmother's Parisian apartment and her eclectic mix of mid century modern and years of thrift store treasures:

Remember back when I was attempting to sew? I got through it but really could have used some basic knowledge of a sewing machine and a little bit of practice before I started. I have a feeling I'm not alone in this which is why I'm so excited that Machine Gallery is offering a crash course in the thread and needle:

Going vertical isn't just for organization, try using wall-mounted and hanging plant containers to create a garden in a small space like a deck or a balcony: