Linanda de-cluttered the top of a dresser and made room for some pretty
fresh-picked flowers... a great treat for the halfway point!
• Cure Clock: 4 weeks to go
• Assignment: Read Week 4: Retail Therapy
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Congratulations, everyone! You've made it halfway through the Fall Cure. You've done some soul-searching, some deep cleaning, some serious de-cluttering and a few crucial repairs. Maybe you've fallen a bit behind, or maybe you're feeling overwhelmed with all that lies ahead, but that's natural at this stage. At the halfway point, it's good to stop and take a breath. Empty your Outbox and enjoy the space you've made. Get out of the house and spend a little time shopping for things you need and love, or re-focus your energies on a DIY project to breathe new life into something old.
Kim's living room in progress! Inspired by an entry in the Room for Color contest, she found an amazing green rug on sale (pictured in lower right).
Don't you think the colors are great together?
First... Let's Talk About Shopping
Retail therapy can be a great jump-start at this halfway point, but let's face it: This is a tough year for shopping. Most of us participating in the Cure this fall are probably dealing with a much tighter budget for new items than we were last year or the year before. Sitting down to make a shopping list likely means making difficult choices and putting some dream items on hold.
Here are some tips to consider when indulging in "retail therapy" on a recession budget:
• Prioritize and condense your shopping list. Rather than crossing items off your list for the time being, it's tempting to buy inexpensive, lower quality versions of all the things you want. But in the long run, you might be disappointed that you spent much-needed money on items that didn't last.
Instead, prioritize your list according to your actual needs (putting essentials like lighting at the top, and add-ons like side tables lower down), then trim, say, the last three items off of your list, saving them for when you're a bit more flush. Suddenly you've freed up room in the budget to spend more on those top priorities, which may mean you're able to buy special, high-quality pieces you love rather than mass-produced items.
• Consider DIY makeovers instead of new items. It's true that new items can bring an uplifting energy into your home. But with a little DIY ingenuity, you can sometimes achieve the same effect by reviving old pieces instead.
Reader Ann Pierce, whose landing strip is pictured above, added some bright fabric to a couple of stools and created a whole new look. Cekla78 bought some inexpensive Ikea fabric and added some color to her little guest room, pictured below. And then of course there are Maxwell's coat hooks, which looked fantastic after their wire-brushing treatment.
Cekla78's colorful new guest room
Before you go shopping for fabric, here are some posts to reference for fun DIY updates:
• Fabri-Tac-tastic, Part I: One Easy No-Sew Pillow Update
• How To: Reupholster a Drop-in Chair Seat
• How To: Reupholster an Office Chair
And our last "retail therapy" tip:
• Focus on items that further your goals for the Cure. Sometimes if you're having trouble getting through the more laborious tasks involved with the Cure, you can use this midway "retail therapy" moment to encourage yourself to speed things along. If your media de-cluttering is going slow because your DVD storage is such a mess, prioritize a lovely new cabinet or storage racks on your shopping list. If you notice as you sort through books that your shelving is on its last legs, prioritize a new system; there's nothing like new shelving to inspire a re-organization.
Flickr member All About Eve bought cute new hangers for a closet-reorganization, above. And Maris (below) found a nice basket made from recycled newspapers to gather junk mail on the landing strip.
Next, A Little Bit of Bookshelf Inspiration...
Nicolezh bought some cozy sheepskins for her reading chairs to add some softness for the winter; suddenly that bookshelf de-cluttering took on a new urgency!
Dragonkatindc is still working on her living room, but has sent a lot to the Outbox... including books! When a bookshelf features so prominently, keeping it from becoming overloaded is especially important.
Dialing It Back to Week Three for a Moment...
Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that some of you are still working on your landing strips. I thought we'd spend a little time back in week three today in case you're still in need of some inspiration and advice.
Cure participant Calderon is dealing with a relatively common problem for house-dwellers: she's got two entryways, one through the garage and one through the front door. This is an issue in my own house: my husband parks outside, so he's always dumping his stuff by the door, while I park inside (smaller car), so my stuff gets dumped by the door to the garage. Like Calderon, we find that our shoes, mail, and so on end up somewhere in the middle—say on the dining room table.
A few possible ways to handle this problem:
• If your mail comes in through the garage, sort it there. Keep a recycling bin inside the garage itself so you can just get rid of junk mail before it even comes in the house. Then what little "real" mail there is can easily be transferred to a way-station on a landing strip or to its rightful place on a desk. Personally, I don't even bring the mail inside every day; I sort it in the garage, and every few days I bring important mail inside and transfer it to our desk.
Using a cute mail sorter like Astronauta's helps the task feel less tiresome
• Sometimes it's necessary to have two little landing strips instead of one large one. This might seem bulky at first, but ultimately you'll be glad everything has a spot. Think about why and when you use each entrance and plan accordingly. When you walk the dog, do you leave from the front door or through the garage? Keep the leash on the appropriate landing strip. Do your kids come in through the garage with dirty shoes after school, or do they come through the front door? Provide a mat or a basket for shoes in the appropriate spot.
And to Wrap it Up, a Great Meal!
Since you're cooking three meals at home this week, we'll leave you with Flickr member Purple Plum's great idea for an easy fall meal: risotto. Risotto is a simple, nourishing, one-dish meal that's great for leftovers. It's one of the first things I ever learned to make, in college in the dorm kitchen, and it's a great dish for cooks who are learning because the variations are endless. Purple Plum's lovely risotto included leeks and mushrooms; all the ingredients needed are pictured here.
A few great risotto recipes from The Kitchn:
• Recipe: Mushroom and Leek Risotto
• Recipe Recommendation: Risotto With Squash and Sage
• How To: Make Risotto in a Rice Cooker
TODAY'S COMMENT QUESTION
What has been your single biggest triumph of the Cure so far?
POST INDEX
• Week 4 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week 3 - Show & Tell with Abby
• Week 3 - Tips & Tricks with Sarah Rae
• Week 3 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week 2 - Show & Tell with Abby
• Week 2 - Tips & Tricks with Susie
• Week 2 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week 1 - Show & Tell with Laure
• Week 1 - Tips & Tricks with Sarah Rae
• Week 1 - Intro with Maxwell
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Well, I certainly indulged in a bit of retail therapy tonight! Fortunately an entryway rug and a lampshade are going back.
It was fun but frightening how much money I was able to spend so quickly.
view Alana in Canada's profile
I'm not really following the cure this year, but I'm just doing some major, major de-cluttering and selling tons of stuff on craigslist. It's shocking how much stuff we've crammed into our apartment due to not moving for 5 years (previously we were moving at least a couple times a year due to university). So much lay hidden and unexamined. We're hoping this huge object lesson in not acquiring more than you actually need, will stick and when we do decide to replace some of the cheap IKEA stuff we're selling, it will be with more care and thought. We're going to try just living without stuff until what's NEEDED becomes obvious and we can select something lasting and beautiful.
view angorian's profile
I've fallen behind on the cure (no flowers and the outbox is overflowing) but I'm using this week to catch up. Since my new sofa won't be here for a few weeks ::crossing fingers::, the living room plans are on hold. I'm pretty happy with the layout so a deep clean will do for now.
My biggest triumph so far is decluttering my entry way (Maris- photo above). In addition to the mail box, I've also worked out a solution to the shoe clutter in my hall way (photos on flickr)
I don't mind taking the extra step to keep the area maintained. Having a system in place, just makes it easier.
view solbeam's profile
I just worked on my organization in my craft room I'm "curing" last night. I blogged about it here: http://iheartminiblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/fall-curecraft-room-update.html
I still have to DIY some shelves to go in the shallow part of the room behind the Poang chair, and the room needs to be painted, but it's coming along! I had to do my retail therapy portion last week, since my hotel room was only a few miles from Ikea. I also need to scout out some cheery mustard color fabric for the windows (however cheery mustard can get!) and something to cover up all the storage that's under the built in desk that's not pictured. Probably more fabric! I'm also on the hunt for a cushy, soft rug to go in my empty corner since I like to do most of my cutting and measuring on the floor.
I just wish I had TRUE before pictures from when this room was filled to the brim with junk for over 50 years from the P.O., who left it for us to deal with. I was so angry I didn't even get a shot of it :(
view iheartmini's profile
I'm still behind but I'm trying! I can really only do things on the weekends which kind of makes the week work against me but...last weekend I
Cleaned the kitchen drawers and pantry cabinet, vacuumed them all and put new contact paper in drawers and under sink. Still need to clean the cupboards, oven, microwave and counter tops.
Made 1 recipe and will make the other one tonight. Pasta Primavera (experiment) and Tofu Curry (tonight).
Scouted a little table at a thrift store for landing strip. Bought paint and put on first coat on Saturday, 2nd coat Sunday, clear coat on Tuesday (have to work around work/school schedules). It's now dry so tonight I will take before pics of messy entry, try and coax a neighbor to help carry out old stupid t.v. in the way, clean entry and put new table in place!! I even found a cute dish for our keys to sit on.
Then I will vacuum the living room and entry rug from all the gross leaves that keep coming in!
No flowers since I spent too much on table, other thrifting, paint, etc!
Happy Curing!!
view SweetLuna's profile
Apartment Therapy,
It made my day to see my living room featured as an example of organized bookshelf space! The hard work of curing the apartment is paying off in so many ways.
This week, retail therapy mostly means selecting and buying the paint for our bedroom. Other wishlist items for bedroom include dark gray pillowcases and some throw pillows in white, gray and "citron". Post painting, I'll hang the curtains I already have, and select which photos get (possibly reframed) then hung.
Secondarily on my retail therapy list - I'm searching for chair-seat sized cushions to be seating spots atop a low bench-like cabinet in the living room, in a very specific shade of blue. One of those "I'll know it when I see it" colors.
view DragonKatinDC's profile
Straightening up the house and thus far keeping it straight (w- 3 kids
view arb2's profile
I printed out the receipes for the risotto and they look good, but I live alone and wonder what I would do with the leftovers. Is it any good the next day? Can it be frozen?
view Careen's profile
Biggest accomplishments for me have been to pick out paint colors and to schedule the painters to come this weekend. Yea! We're going to have the entire 2-bedroom apartment re-painted, and I'm so excited. Getting the right color on the wall will help me decide what colors will look best for the dining table and landing strip. Here are the paint colors!
ageographyofliving.blogspot.com
view Lizzy's profile
I've been looking EVERYWHERE for a yellow fabric JUST like the one Ann Pierce used above! Where did she get it from? Any ideas?
view saeras's profile
Can I tag on to saeras comment and say I'd love a great post about modern fabric lines? I'm still having a heck of a time with curtains for our red-cabineted kitchen!
My biggest accomplishment is that rug! (Well, and being included in The Cure post! Made my day!) The rug ended up arriving today, and it looks fantastic. It's changed the feel of the entire room, and we're only getting started. Can't wait for the curtains!
view kimba714's profile
Dear AT,
you made my day by featuring my little guest room project!
For me this therapy means transforming our little rental into a warm family home on a limited budget. I still have a lot to do, but my problem is that because it is a rental I can not touch the walls. No painting, no wallpapering, no shelves and even drilling holes for pictures is not very desirable. If anyone has any ideas about how to make walls look great without ruining them, pls let me know!
view cekla78's profile
Bedroom paint chosen - will be purchasing today - a warm, mid-tone gray. Already have white curtains. And I just fell IN LOVE with this etsy seller, and will choosing some bedroom throw pillows in the next day or two: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MARIESCOSYCUSHIONS
view DragonKatinDC's profile
DragonKatinDC, your living room looks fantastic. My office bookshelves are a complete mess so yours is very inspiring.
I'm also looking for something for the office (the room I'm working on) exactly like your low horizontal bookshelf that could also be a seating bench. Would you possibly want to share where that piece came from?
Take care,
contralto
view contralto's profile
@Careen,
Risotto is great for leftovers - actually you can make it into little patties and pan-fry them in just a bit of olive oil for a nice side dish. Unfortunately it doesn't freeze very well, as the rice becomes mushy.
- Susie
view susiekn's profile