Now that I have completed the third week of the January Cure, I can already feel a substantial difference in the comfort of my home. There are still projects to be completed, but our living spaces are always a work in progress. It's just when the progress gets halted completely that it can be difficult to pick it up again. That is how the Cure has helped me most: motivation.
Day 9: Create a Landing Strip.
For me, to create a landing strip in its most effective and useful meaning was to make changes to an area of my home that had previously not been as user friendly as possible. In my kitchen there is a small shelf right above my work surface where I added jars of items I use daily. As a dog owner/person, many of these daily items are related to Luna.
Day 10: Work on Your Goal Project.
Despite having a home office, I often times use the dining room table as a work space. The desk had become an area where clutter accumulated, so I took control, cleaned it off, and it is once again a fully functional desk.
Day 11: Try a Media Fast.
These books next to the TV? I read through all of them when I first got them and had even referred to some of them a few times since, but most of them had not been touched in a long while. Now that the TV is off, there is a bit more time for reading. Not that the TV had to stay off all week — there are certain shows that had to be watched.
Day 12: De-clutter Books and Media.
Ok, so I don't know if adding books to a pile counts as decluttering, but they are very neatly stacked, so that has to count for something… we can't be perfect all the time and besides, it leaves room for a good comeback.
Day 13: Weekend Chores: Flowers and Bedroom Cleaning.
It felt good to top off the week by getting some fresh flowers. I had originally planned on filling a vase or two around the house, but this weekend at a vintage store in Carroll Gardens, I picked up (in addition to some really amusing pulp fiction paperbacks for subway reading — sometimes bad writing can be a good distraction) some medical glass pieces that I intended on using as vases. I like how they can sit together as a group or be separated and moved around on a whim.
To be continued!
MORE OF LIANA'S JANUARY CURE:
• Week One
• Week Two
(Images: Liana Walker)
Justin's Contemporary Contrast
Danielle's Charming, Classic Walk-Up
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
White Enamel Flatwa...
On Saying No to Paleo: Why Eating Isn't One Size Fits All
Perfect Summer Cocktail Recipe: Honey Bourbon Lemonade
Very nice changes!
I have an unrelated question inspired by your pic of jars --- does food stored in glass jars come to any harm and/or become stale faster because it's exposed to light?
We currently keep lentils and rice in jars and they seem fine. I have begun buying bulk foods more, and want to use more jars for storage and because I love the look. So I want to be sure storing food in glass in a sunny kitchen won't affect the nutrition. Sometimes it can take months before the a given jar needs a refill.
Cure on, curers!
I have been told that pasta is best stored in tthe dark but was never told why. I would think a quick google search would help determine which foods are safe in light and which are not. I keep all my food in cabinets regardless of how cute the container is. I live in a condo and don't have a whole lotta counter space.
Griffin - I purchase in bulk and keep a lot of my dried goods in jars, in the open and have not had a problem. However, I would recommend only keeping items that you will use up quickly. Their exposure to light does effect their quality. Items that I use up within a month stay out, anything that I use less frequently (flour, sugar, more exotic grain/bean/rice/nut) goes in our cupboards.
Thanks Griffin! I agree with the other commenters here. I tend to store items in jars that get exposed light that go quickly in my household like coffee, dog food, dog treats. I would store other things in the fridge for longer. Always glass though, I was brought up with a no plastic in the kitchen policy.
Those vases were such a good find!