apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

My biggest problem in the bedroom is the very awkward layout of the room, so the furniture placement is difficult. It's long and narrow, but has a space heater jutting out into part of the room. Plus, it gets more narrow by the closet doors. There's only two workable places for the bed - one spot means my face is 6 inches away from the radiator, and the other means I have to slide my bum past the radiator to get into bed. Also, there's no way to have anything larger than a full-sized bed, so my husband and I are quite cramped.

Furniture layout is a problem for me too. We're in a converted attic so the ceiling is low on one side. The complete absence of overhead lighting (and stupid placement of outlets for lamps) is frustrating also.

Mine is just really small (9x12) with 2 doors, one wall is closet, and 2 windows. There isn't a single wall that there isn't something on! I can have a queen sized bed but it's tight.

It's just boring. I don't have anything on the walls, not even anything on the windows. It actually echoes a bit. It will look nice, eventually. Maybe I'll win the lottery.

Whoa, first5times, you and I must live in the same building.

My biggest problem is finding storage for everything while keeping a lovely design & minimal furniture. Tricky.

my old futon mattress gives a full feeling of the platform slats. my back kills.

it's a studio so no way to do a separate vibe.

For the guest room, the challenge is making the room feel warm while also storing all of our crafts, tools and cleaning supplies in various places.

In our bedroom, the challenge at the moment is keeping the laundry under control and bringing in more personal touches since everything is pretty matchy matchy...

Finally, I checked "give strength" this time. This week, I accomplished my main goal of getting the water heater replaced! This was no small effort and no small cost (odd water heater size, odd location). But it's done! Yippee! And the plumber informed me the old one did have a very slow leak, but the water (and rust) wasn't leaving the water heater tray, so I'm very, very lucky that it didn't turn into a gusher, which has happened with many in my building with our old water heaters. Count your blessings where you find them.

In order for the plumber to replace it, I had to remove everything from the bedroom closet, where the water heater resides on a shelf - including the Elfa-like organization system. Every last little shelf and clothes bar. And all the clothes. Quickly, because I didn't realize it would all have to come out. Chaos ensued.

So, after the plumber left, I said, why not paint the closet since it's totally empty? So I did. A freshly painted closet! Now, I can't replace all the guts of the closet till after the weekend, since I'll be away. But, I'm feeling quite chuffed.

I'm focusing on the one room workout (bathroom) and I so wish I could start in on the cleanup! Unfortunately, my contractor doesn't start for just over a week from now. But the good news is, I pretty much have everything I need now, so between now and then I do get to relax (I vote for "give strength"). It will be a much needed break.

I've posted a photo of my materials grouped together and in my house. I'm very pleased with how everything looks together. You can see them here: http://j-fer-rose.blogspot.com/

AndreaU, I love the bed and quilts. Quilts are wonderful.

I agree with many here in that our biggest bedroom challenge is the tiny room and difficult layout. I'm much happier with it after last fall's Cure though.

Can one give AND get strength? That would be me.

I also love the quilts, AndreaU.

Sorry I've been so MIA, work has been really insane, spring fever and social butterflying has totally distracted me. This weekend is totally being devoted to the cure!

My biggest issue is that I also have a studio and I giant pillar in the room that dictates bed placement so can't really change it up too much. I've been really thinking about my sleep issues, I'm a horrid insomniac, so I decided to use some extra muslin fabric to make a room divider and close it off to make it more of a "sanctuary" even though I think that word is overused for bedrooms.

Also I need a new comforter, my gray quilt is just blah. AndreaU where did you get that black & white quilt? I think it's perfect. I want a black and white print of some sort, or maybe a lavendar floral print that doesn't look to grandma. If any one has seen anything please let me know.

Pixie, congrats on such a huge project! I'm envious of the feeling of accomplishment you must have now.

I'm with Lizzy, I love looking at that bedding SOOO much!

I store a lot of things under my bed in plastic lidded bins. Last night I pulled everything out and started moving some of the smaller bins to the newly-freed-upped shelving space in my larger hall closet. I just hate the idea of having so much stored under my bed. I know it's a big Feng Shui no no to store things under your bed but come on, in a NYC studio you don't have much option but to purge nearly everything you have in order to be able to not have to store anything under there.

OK, so can I just tell you? Discovering super fine dust under your bed (around what's stored under there) and letting it sink in that the dust is residing with you as you live and sleep is a major creeper outer.

I need strength to purge even more things in order to manage to get just about everything out from under there once and for all. My bed is a futon frame but with a regular non-folding mattress. My dream is to be able to find a place for everything underneath so I can ditch this mattress and buy a proper futon one so I can have a couch during the day. And you can't have too many items stored under a folding metal contraption. Urgh.

Sorry for the super long post!

Pixie, I'm so glad to hear you got it replaced in time!

I'm happy because I found an eccentric yet capable semi-retired electrician to do a laundry list of little jobs.

One light in the kitchen reseated (it had fallen out and was dangling by wires). One non-working under-cabinet light replaced. Two ugly outside lights full of rust replaced. One ugly hall light replaced. Two non-working doorbells replaced.

Cost including materials? $237. I am SO happy.

*heather leaf*, I am with you on under-bed storage. I was able to clear out the various suitcases, but I still have two big storage boxes under the bed, which constitute our "linen closet." Given that I live in a 400 sq. ft. apartment with my husband, I don't think we'll be finding another space for those towels, sheets and blankets. But if I could, I would definitely have nothing under the bed!

Good luck with your purging!

"other"

my problems are basically clutter and style/color, i rent in a college town, so it's all pretty basic and boring. and all of my furniture and bedding, etc, are pretty much hand-me-downs or salvo finds, though some of those are pretty sweet. but my bedroom is a big mismatch of textures and colors, which would have an interesting feel if the whole apartment weren't white-walled.

I am happy today I got rid of the bright red that hasn't been letting me sleep very well lately.

I'm totally out of the order on this cure ... I did bedroom last week in preparation for weekend company. This weekend I'm giving strength, because I picked up strength last time in order to finish my office purge and I finally did it!

the layout of furniture is the hardest part for me.

various suitcases? streamline that if you can. I realized a few years ago that I never even use my suitcases. they were a high school graduation present. those rectangle ones with tiny wheels that never steer right. my out of season clothes went in them. so i bought a 26" upright and gave the old set to Goodwill.

now my suitcase takes up less space, gets plenty of use and only holds travel accessories. and it stands out at baggage claim; no confusing it with anyone else's bag.

Furniture layout! I don't even have a lot of furniture: bed, dresser, chest, nightstand. In a 10'x14' room. But I had to get a queen size bed. And there's a closet, and of course, a window. I just rearranged it today and am so grateful for furniture sliders!

I think my biggest challenge is my fondness for buying clothes! I started a new job last June and had to buy some dressy clothes for that, then I got downsized in December, got a new job (thank you, Kelly!) and had to buy some more casual clothes for THAT. So I'm going to have to do some purging. And Lady J's comment got me thinking that I should probably freecycle my two huge suitcases; they're too big for anything but moving, and I'd rather use boxes for that so that I don't have to store these two behemoths for years until I move again. Thanks, Lady J, for getting me to look at this in a new way. I made myself a nice new duffle bag last summer--wanted one that was more me, less like everybody else's--and that's really all I need when I travel.

STH - if your dressier clothes are still fashionable and still fit, why not store them in new plastic bins which could replace your old suitcases? It'd be a shame if you got a more corporate job and had to buy NEW work clothes right after purging the ones you have now! Your story sounds like mine except the opposite - now i have to get more corporate clothes for my new job. what's your size? LOL!

My primary bedroom challenge is that I have a massive stationary exercise bike and a stationary ballet bar (actually a fluidity bar) in my bedroom.

The bedroom is big enough to handle these, although now I have my dresser sort of scrunched into an awkward place. But all this equipment is a huge eyesore.

It would be different if I were USING the equipment. But I don't. And I should. Or get them out of the house.

My other challenge is my mattress is old and starting to get uncomfortable.

My biggest issue is one of self discipline. For the life of me I cannot seem to complete the process of laundry doing. I can wash the clothes, and then I can put them in the dryer, but for some magical reason that's where it ends. If I am doing more than one load i can get the first one out of the dryer, but folding the clothes and putting them away seems to be an impossible and never ending task. It's silly I know, it's not hard, it's not even that time consuming... I just don't do it well.

I think...we are finished!! My husband hung the rest of the artwork today. The bear painting I commissioned from Derek Erdman came within the week. Thanks Lindsey, from Chicago for posting the link! It was great feeling to hang the everthing that was most dear to us...my mom's hairpins from the 50's, our wedding photos, the sketch my cousin drew when I got fitted for my mom's wedding dress. We didn't get to install closet doors, since we are at a loss of what to use and we may forgo carpet (good-bue dust mites!). The Sony 26" LCD was ordered on Friday, after much research and saving of gift cards! Hopefully we can install it before week 8 ends! Thanks Maxwell and everyone, for the support and for this great opprotunity to join the Cure. We have lived in our home for 6 years and now we finally smile we we enter our bedroom!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjburke/2446628102/in/set-72157604069588155/

oops...we been here 5 years...but still...the bedroom needed the Cure!

Thanks to AT, I completely revamped my bedroom. It went from depressing mauve walls with worn-out generic carpeting in a sort of gray color, to "Pale Corn" paint on the walls, light yellow drapes with soft pink/peach roses, light colored Pergo on the floor, white furnishings, white and peach bedding, white blades on the ceiling fan (hand painted from a fake dark brown wood). Now it's a wonderful, light-filled space. So AT helped me "cure" my bedroom and now I love it.

I''m happy with the state of my bedroom, so I've been busy trying out cake recipes & preparing for my party on Thursday of this week. Today I made some delicious Lime & Buttermilk cupcakes with Coconut & Lime icing. Then I spilled a bunch of baking soda in my eye & had to call poison control. Awesome! Hopefully I don't wake up blind tomorrow.
Spending all this time in my kitchen has made me realize that I really do need a worksurface in the ex-outbox area of my kitchen: http://flickr.com/photos/theholidaygirl/2393184980/in/set-72157604409326964/
That's the ONLY outlet in the whole kitchen right there on the left.
I suppose that's what the Cure is for... figuring out what you really need in your apartment.
A few bedroom pics:
http://flickr.com/photos/theholidaygirl/sets/72157604767153207/detail/
I also put together some "Then & Now" photos. They compare my place in 2006 (a few months after I moved in) to my place now:
http://flickr.com/photos/theholidaygirl/sets/72157604711755063/

I am felling as this weekend I need a little strength. I was a way last weekend and will be away next weekend, so I am a little behind. I do fell good that I de-cluttered my bathroom, and did regular maintained cleaning in my Kitchen and Living Room. My only main task left to do is tackle the bedroom. I will have to wait till week nine to do that, then hopefully over Memorial Weekend I plan to have some friends over for brunch or dinner. This cure has been very productive, and it is such a great feeling to have a well organized apartment.

Holly will share the cupcake recipe or be excommunicated.

jen 64--this is gorgeousness! oh my! congratulation, you finished early?!

voted "get strength" this week! It always surprises me how much this changed from week to week. Its been great looking at everyone's progress though - congrats to everyone who is finished or close to finishing! You are all motivating me!

I finally hung something above the bed this week:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/suziegoombs/2443327683/

Since I worked on my bedroom a lot last time around I felt like there really wasn't too much to be done... except for my clothing. It is a mess. I have a similiar situation to STH's and heather's - my "corporate" work clothing is taking over and I still have tons of casual stuff that I'm not really wearing. Add to that a few piles of stuff from HIGH SCHOOL that really doesn't fit anymore and an enormous under the bed box of ballet leotards and tights. I started to pull it all out on Sunday and just couldn't do it. I don't know what to do with the ballet stuff and yet I'm not ready to let it go. It was cold and dreary on Sunday so I wasn't in the mood to get out summer clothing yet. So, I put it all back.
I did get to mop all the floors in my apartmnet on sunday. Even the bedroom! I despise mopping and usually don't do it more than 3x a year so this was big. I feel like the place is really clean now and there are no cat-hair tumble weeds blowing about.

I also created a little reading nook out of the blue:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/suziegoombs/2446509718/
I like it a lot but now I REALLY need a new coffee table.

I found the yummy cupcake recipe at equally excellent cooking/baking blog Coconut & Lime:
http://coconutlime.blogspot.com/2006/05/lime-buttermilk-cupcakes.html

enjoy!

p.s. Yesterday's freak baking accident so far has not rendered me blind. Cross your fingers for me and my eyeball, folks, please.