Though I am not actively doing 'the cure' at this moment, I must say that I ALWAYS feel better after a good clean up and de-cluttering. Cleaning house is often part of the last few days of a cold or flu!

Over the past month of doing the cure, I've noticed that I like my job a lot more. Coincidence? No, not really. I feel very connected to my home, and an energy drain there is an energy drain at work too. I'm sleeping better now, which makes a huge difference in my work performance.

At home, I feel relieved that I have a plan to solve the problems of my condo, even if I haven't gotten to them yet. Now, instead of looking at them thinking "someday," I look at them thinking "Week 5".

I'm jumping in a little late and working on a cure for my guesthouse/sewing studio. It may sound quite grand, but it's just a little tack shed that some previous owners finished off inside with whatever bits and pieces they had laying around, so it's very quirky, and not in a good way :o). Of course, I can't blame everything on previous owners, it's also become a repository for all the junk we don't know what else to do with. I'll try to get some pictures posted tomorrow.

I've spent the weekend doing some serious organizing and just dropped 6 big grocery bags of Stuff off at Goodwill, with another 6 or so to go tomorrow, and more to add to the outbox. I have lots of ideas for what I want to do with the space, but will be in need of lots of advice I think, as I go along. I've been reading as many comments as I can make time for, and am feeling inspired! Thanks!

As to the survey, I responded less invigorated, etc. I believe this is because I am overwhelmed by the task, and I just got rid of more than a few things when I moved in April.

I'm spinning my wheels, not wanting to tackle the piles of stuff accumultaing to be gotten rid of as I sort, and not wanting to keep sorting because I know I'll just add to the piles of stuff to be dealt with.

That said, I really appreciate all the great comments I got on my new turret space, thanks for all of the encouragement and suggestions.

I'm gonne try to tackle that second bookcase this evening, even though it will lead to more piles.

Does that mean no Halloween candy tonight?

I read that article too and felt inspired, but I am not sure exactly how to translate into my real life and not feel deprived. I'm sure I can do it in some way, I think I just need to ruminate on it for a little while.

Although I'm not doing the cure, I did convince my husband to clean out his closet this weekend (bribed him that I would put away the laundry if I could just get in there) and we ended up with four huge bags of clothes that I left for the wonderful woman who cleans my house for me. She is always on the lookout for things to send to her home country.

AND, I've booked a couple of days off work right after Christmas so I can paint my son's room and generally move him along in his life (we just moved him to a toddler bed so that transition should be over by then). I'm scouting out ideas for storage etc. to totally redo his room.

Cheers to everyone who is doing the cure.

I'm actually on-line tonight at home, so I'll be posting about the possible arrangements for my living room as I try them out. I'm also hoping to do a style-tray of sorts for the room tonight as well.

Anyone else on now?

Amber, what color is your office? I think I need that for my living room. And as I said before, I love what you've done with your office!

Hi, skywaykate! I'm online at the moment (don't know how long that will last, I'm really tired tonight.) I've just been staring at your floor plan trying to come up with a magic solution. No luck so far. When you get your coffee table, will it be close enough to the couch that you can put your cup/glass/whatever on it, and maybe eliminate the need for end tables? I'm with alex in thinking that the piano corner looks kinda full. But is there room on the wall of doors to rotate the piano 90 degrees? The space doesn't look very big, just eyeballing it on the photo. Also, although I can't see it in the photos, there's a phone indicated on the floor plan. Is there a phone, or a jack, that you need to make room for on the wall that alex is suggesting putting the piano on? Anyway, if the coffee table could eliminate the need for the end tables, is getting another floor lamp a possibility, so you'd flank the couch with matching lamps? I was thinking that the couch and loveseat seem pretty far from each other, but the only solution I can see is either to angle the loveseat a bit (when you're looking at the floor plan as currently posted, I'm thinking to angle the left side out a bit, and maybe put the end table behind it, with a lamp on it. Then it might be a little cosier for conversation, and the person on the loveseat could see the TV as well, if that's important. Don't know if that would block access elsewhere though... I read somewhere on AT recently, someone commenting that angling furniture was "old" -- well, maybe for them, but just this summer, I angled my living room furniture, and I think it helped my bowling alley syndrome.

Dunno if this is any help at all, but at least you know someone's with you in this! I'll check back later.

And may I welcome Lucy! I peeked at your blog, and enjoyed your pics, and linked to your color contest entry, and your room is lovely. Way to go on all the Goodwill donationizing!

I've just re-read the chapter about Week Five in the book, and one thing it recommends in the Head section is going to bed early. I'm definitely going to try to do that for the rest of the week. I'm going to have to ponder the add or subtract one hard or soft thing from a room... got to channel Goldilocks for that one (this is tooooo hard. this one is tooooo soft...) Cleaning the office and dealing with the cord octopus sounds easier than figuring out whether my rooms are too hard or too soft.

Kate, What do you think about turning your couch (the big one by the window) 90 degrees so the radiator is behind it? Then face the love seat toward the couch (with its back to the 2 doors). That would reorient the room and maybe create "meandering" rather than bowling alley. :)

wrtrmaus, It sounds like books are your Waterloo. I'm not tackling books this time around. What if you did everything except the books?

I've got an alternate floorplan for you: not the same suggestion as Marilyn's, though I like hers.
Who knew there were so many options?

Link to your floorplan is in my name.

Um, sorry, I was addressing Kate.

I'm beginning to feel like I am sitting in a much larger living room than any of us have, having conversations with each other curled up on big comfy couches. Of course, all of you are a comfortable speaking distance away--all at the same time!

Ahhh, the beauty of the internet.

Earlier this evening, when I first saw this thread, I too was feeling discouraged and disgruntled. Except for the five days my visitors were here, my house has been in various configurations of chaos for four weeks. That's a lot of chaos!

And, I too, don't want to add to any more piles. Though I was thinking today that the deep treatment really is all about weeding things out and repairing things. It's NOT really about finishing up those one hundred million projects you started or have been thinking about doing for a few years--though that's been good too.

This week is the office: I weeded out a ton of stuff in the Spring, culled my craft supplies, emptied one drawer of my two drawer filing cabinet, I did good.

However, the files I pulled are still sitting in a pile waiting for me to do something about them. I have a stack of mags I want to go through and pull things from....though with the last mag I did, I didn't like the stuff enough to try and find a place for them in my "style tray" scrapbook....

So, yes, I'm feeling frustrated and discouraged, almost. Though I reserve the right to feel entirely differently tomorrow, lol!

I'm going to hang my sconces!

Sorry if I'm hogging the thread tonight!
Alex, you mentioned three Ikea chairs as good seating for small areas. The tullsta, humlarp, and Bjorsund. I can't find the last two. I even checked the U.S. site.

Do you have a link? Was there a typo? ....like you don't have anything better to do than straighten me out.....

Thanks.

Thanks for the welcome, beth!

Since it's too dark to take pictures, I fiddled around and came up with a floorplan I think will work for my little guesthouse. It has to function as a guestroom (really I just want to be able to take a nap out there, we have a guestroom in the house, and there is no bathroom out there) and as my sewing/creative room. I added it to the flickr group: http://www.flickr.com/photos/heylucyloo/285393009/
I got rid of one little side table I had in there, and there is an ottoman that I think I can use in my living room (which will get it's cure next), so I will only have my sewing machine cabinet and the bookcases, which are permanent (I'm not counting the piles and boxes and bags of stuff I still have to go through, you'll see tomorrow (: ). The TV is currently sitting on a very ugly end table that I would like to replace with something smaller. It's only a 13" TV, so I think I can go pretty small.

To the other book lovers out there, I feel your pain! I gave two grocery bags full of books to Goodwill today, and as I was driving away I felt a twinge of regret. It was hard! But, I have a library card, and lots of friends who also love books and share freely, so it will be okay. Right?

One question: What do you do with a S.O. who is a packrat? My husband will not get rid of anything! I'm very good about not giving away his things without his knowledge, but I really think he needs to lighten up a little. As I was cleaning yesterday, he grabbed a bible I had put in the donation pile to keep. It wasn't his bible and it didn't have any sentimental value to me. We have other bibles, and he doesn't even ever read it anyway. Gah! This is what I'm up against :o) I'd better go find it and sneak it back into the donation pile.

Yes, the pictures of the monkeys made an impact.

But knowing something and actually following the advice is hard, isn't it. I say this because as I was reading Maxwell's comments, I was chewing on Halloween caramels.

I mean, how many of us can actually achieve the equivalent of a 135-lb. 6 footer body frame. And keep it up for 6 long years. Do you want to live a longer life but be deprived of the pleasures of new taste experiences? (have a spotless home that you are afraid to mess up by having neighborhood kids or other guests come over and enjoy?)

So perhaps we can commit to deep cleaning and decluttering to maintain general home health. But not demand that our homes always be picture perfect.

I've been in some slightly cluttered homes that are extremely welcoming.

Hey Maxwell, thanks for posting that pic! It's strangely motivating for me to get all the crap and clutter out of there!

I'm hoping to get the red wall painted this week, and maybe even paint the desk and get it put together, but I'm being ambitious since I'm going out of town this weekend.

I did make sketches of how I want the office to be laid out, furniture-wise. I have a couple pieces of storage furniture and some shelving I need to purchase though. I might check out Lowes and see how their prices are since I probably won't have time to make an Ikea trip anytime soon (3 hours away).

Oh, and skywaykate, it's American Tradition _____ Colonial Gray. I can't remember the first word. I'll look it up when I get home. The paint is from Lowes.

Amber- Your office looks great. I've been working on mine on and off all cure, and it's still the Black Hole of Brooklyn. I refuse to post any before pictures, for fear that I might somehow jinx future sales potential, and I don't have any afters yet. Bad internet mojo = lower bids, no?
The big frustration/energy drain for me is that the entire apartment is turning into one big outbox faster than I can empty it. I've been shedding pounds and inches off my book shelves, but it's awfully hard to get rid of big heavy things when you live alone in a 3rd floor walkup & have no car. I promised my unused exercise bike to my in-laws, so I can't get rid of it until they pick it up - and they're in China until a few days after I go to Italy. Which is also stressing me. i'll be fine once I'm on the plane, but right now I'd rather stay home and tackle the chaos. I've only got one more weekend before I go away for 10 days and I so want to come home to a more organized space than I have now.
Ok - now that I've said it in public, somebody please berate me for complaining about a nice trip to Europe with my mother & aunt. I always freak out when I have to go away, even if it's just a weekend in Boston. if I can't get home in time to sleep in my own bed it had dam' well better be spectacular. Which Italy certainly qualifies for. Boston I'm not so sure. No offense to any Bostonians - I lived there myself for 2 years. Gahh time to go to work.

Alana,
The Humlarp and the Bjorsund are rattan - you probably didn't look in that section of the Ikea site. I realize not everyone like rattan and if you don't, those options are out the window. I think you get a lot for your money - the volume of a heavy upholstered piece and texture that you wouldn't get from another chair at the same price point. In addition, they are light weight and easy to move. (note: I don't have any rattan right now and am note certain how the cat would treat it)
I mentioned this on the AT site about a month ago ... I drag two friends shopping for chairs (they are married so it is easier to arrange). She is 5'-4", he is 6'-4" and I am 5'-8" - if we all consider it comfortable I put it on the list of 'buyable' chairs. It is a very informative process.
I have a theory (i.e. a strong opinion) that armchairs sold today are generally too large. My leather armchair is 28" wide - which is tiny by today's standards. My dad bought it as a bachelor about 50 years ago. It is very comfortable - shockingly so and everyone comments on it. And for a small apartment, the size is perfect. I am grateful he didn't want to keep it!!
Back to Maxwell's link on diet, here is a corollary -- if you buy an armchair big enough to grow into, you will.

Your corollary is well-said, alex! (and scary at the same time! Boy am I glad I bought small armchairs!) You're right, armchairs these days are mostly oversized and overstuffed. I had to really search to find a small armchair that wasn't too prissy, Victorian-looking, and uncomfortable. I ended up with a swivel rocker, something I swore I'd never buy, but like Baby Bear's chair, it's "Just Right". (What is it with me and the Goldilocks references these days???) It's not a big name chair, but it's solid wood construction under the cushy upholstery, from Best Chairs in Indiana. Wouldn't be everybody's style, but it works for me. And it was small enough that I could have two in my small-sized living room, without the place being overpowered.

As for the article Maxwell posted, as far as my apartment goes, I think I'm doing pretty well on the diet stage, losing the pounds and inches. I wish I'd actually weighed things as they were going out, it would be kinda cool to know how many pounds have left the building! What's going to be a challenge for me, is keeping my apartment on a "restricted calorie diet", and not bringing in too much stuff, and making sure what does come in is nourishing and healthy, not just junk to fill up the space. Hmm... the analogy is growing on me.

As for my own personal not-so-little-in-girth self, dealing with my body clutter is a whole 'nother story. (No before pictures of that struggle are going to appear any time soon!)

Back to work...

JOY! Where in Italy are you going? I used to live there--have fab places to eat...didn't get back this year...my soul is drying up!

Lots of stress this week--job got extended another week (won't it ever finish!), kids have half days, early starts, early outs, late starts, cleaning ladies coming to my pit of despair...sigh...Italia...vongole, mozzarella, lardo...I'm going to my happy place!

Plus side is AMVETS drove past the house and I flagged them down...a woman possessed. Got rid of the dresser that I had as a child, a book shelf, and a huge ugly fake plant that worked in last house but not in this one. Also tackled some paperwork "to dos" that have been hanging over my head for nearly a year! Why don't I just DO things as they come up?

Am on the Neapolitan plan, everything clean and organized for the new year. (Yeah, that's it!) In the town that I lived in, it was "out with the old, in with the new"--folks literally threw their old stuff out the windows of their apartments! It was wild!

Hi all --

So overall I'm feeling invig and ener, but this particular week, not so much. I'm going to a volunteer board meeting Thurs-Sun, so I'm trying to cram a week of work in 3 days -- I'm exhuasted. And I've been trying to keep on my cure schedule...not working so well. And all I can think about instead of the board meeting -- both the work and the pleasure of it -- is omg, so much time I could be curing. Not a good place. SO has promised to do many projects while I'm gone which is great.

Daylight Saving Time also put a crimp in my style -- I'm no longer home during hours when the sun is up and the photos of my LR suffered because if it. The flickr set is in the link that is my name. I'm not so great with the camera and needing to use flash really shows that up. lol.

I also put up before photos of the office -- disaster. Will post after next week when it is spectacularly (I hope!!!) transformed into a clean and functioning space.

On the plus side it was another successful week with selling on craigslist -- desk was sold same day and filing cabinet is going tonight. Not that is is necessary, but I've really liked the people who have bought my things and that just seems to make it better.

I'm right there with you, joy unspeakable, on the work of clearing out the outbox. I live in a fourth floor walk-up, and I do have someone else here, but he's not necessarily as motivated as I am. I feel like I have to nag, which turns the whole process of getting rid of stuff into a big, fat negative for me. Stressful.

I am currently putting myself in the "less invigorated and somewhat depressed" category. I just can't keep up the tight schedule of the 8-week thing. I work decisively, but very slowly, when it comes to changing my surroundings. Also, knowing that I can't afford to make some of the changes I'd really, really like to do is a bummer.

This morning on Good Morning America was a feature about this low-caloric diet. Yeah, the monkey on that diet looked great, but the couple who followed it and were interviewed looked rather unattractively unhealthy to me, JMO. But the principle DOES work when it comes to our homes and Cures.

Also, I don't think it's a fair indication of my mood that I just picked up an advanced reading copy (I work in the book biz) of a book called "A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder: How crammed closets, cluttered offices, and on-the-fly planning make the world a better place."

I was struck by that monkey comparison too, and I love the analogy of caloric restriction in our homes. The question for me is always, How do I cut stuff out without feeling deprived? (After all, our entire culture is based on how much we DESERVE more stuff.) Choosing and using just what you need and care about is an art and a skill I wish came more easily to me.

I just discovered another great book for those of us who want to think "small" no matter how much space life allots us--"Little House on a Small Planet: Simple Homes, Cozy Retreats, and Energy Efficient Possibilities" by Shay Solomon. Lots of real-life examples of people making choices to downsize--and why McMansions don't fill your soul. Very thoughtful and inspiring.

Uh, that should start off, "I DO think it's a fair indication..."

"Do." Not "don't."

I'm disturbed that Maxwell linked to this NYT article as something related to AT and I wonder if I've missed something with AT that I don't want to be a part of.

The Walford plan (the major calorie restriction group in the US) and others like it have serious detractors in the medical community. There aren't many doctors recommending depriving yourself of 30% of your daily needs. The diet the article is taking about is controlled starvation - simple as that. The followers of the plan are uncomfortably thin - and, having met some of them, they don't look young for their age.

What exactly are we talking about here that this article relates to? I believe in MODERATION as a part of quality of life ... and of course, for many Americans eating only 100% of your required calorie intake and no more would be giving something up - but the diet plan discussed in the NYT article is NOT ever going to be a part of my lifestyle in food or at home.

I also read the article about that "diet," as well one in New York magazine recently. Something to note: it's not a diet the way I normally think of diets. It's people living at the edge of starvation. I think there's a difference. It means not going out to dinner with friends, it means no glasses of wine, it means no slices of pie, it means no fresh baked bread, it means no artisanal triple cream cheeses. To get the nutrients you need in that amount of calories takes elaborate planning and plotting of everything you eat.

I like to think that that's NOT what AT is about, that the cut-out-the-fat living described in AT has room for a little bit of excess and spontaneity. Otherwise we'd be sleeping on cots in empty rooms.

I think that humans are collecting animals. I myself, being a visual artist and an almost completely visually driven person, am constantly attracted to new shapes, colors, and textures, so I have to be careful about not piling in too much clutter. I don't think people should beat themselves up for it, though - not within normal bounds. It's our nature to look and touch and collect. There is a healthy spectrum within which we do this, and then...

Then there are people like a former roommate of mine, a deeply depressed and physically unhealthy man whose room was *packed* to all corners with boxes and piles of things. He was definitely a compulsive hoarder, and I think it contributed to both his physical and mental issues. Poor guy, he was so sweet, smart, and good-hearted. I hope he went on to eventually throw away some of his crap. I know that a lot of those boxes contained bolts and other hardware. I also know that his room was gigantic, and the piles filled it completely except for his bed.

I've been slowed down by a combination of work, a dance performance this weekend, and a freshly broken toe..no sooner had the swelling gone down in my left foot, I broke my right pinkie toe on a door frame. But I soldier on! My husband and I have actually written "paint living room and kitchen" into our datebooks for next week, and he went through all his comics (and most of mine) and gave away a whole pile. We're both cartoonists and both used to work in comic book stores, so you can imagine, we have a lot. I feel we have a long way to go with certain things...but once we paint I think things will fall into place. The biggest issue I think we have is paper stuff silting up all over the place: mail, contracts, receipts, printouts, random stuff. And I'm not sure our studio is salvageable - his side of it has a HORRIBLE built-in wall shelf made out of MDF that is sagging and only partly painted. Ugh!

Bella - My mum signed us up for one of those "if this is Tuesday this must be Belgium"-type tours. So we've got Rome-Florence-Venice-afternoon in Verona- and Milan all crammed into 11 days. Not really my style, I'd prefer to spend the whole time in one or two cities, but as I've never been, consider it a broad overview so I'll know what city I want to concentrate on next time. Funny about the Neapolitan diet - I've been having fantasies of that very thing- just hurling unwanted stuff out the window, and two great-grandparents were from Naples. Maybe it's genetic!
Marm- It is a bummer not having the cash to do what you'd like to. My (fairly) new matress is on an ancient futon frame & I have a dresser & night stand are deliberately designed to trap as much dust & cat hair as possible under them & scratch the floor when moved them to get at it. I swear when I have the money all my bedroom furniture will be up on legs so there will be nowhere for lurking allergens to hide. But just dumping excess baggage feels liberating. And I love the Ikea lighting you did in your kitchen. It's always great to find inexoensive solutions to nagging little problems.

alex -

It's related to AT in that most of our homes/apartments could use a diet the same way our bodies could. I didn't like the article when I read it yesterday (the researchers admitted there was little conclusive evidence that it would really make your life any longer). The 135 lb. guy was also not really my idea of a hottie. I agree with the poster above that mentioned artisanal cheese, pie, and other delights as a part of life you'd be missing out on if you went into starvation mode.

I think the point is that one consciously chooses to eat artisan cheese instead of Kraft singles, the same way we should choose which magazines/catalogues to cancel or recieve, whether to have MDF or hardwood furniture, etc. You can't really have it both ways - either make a conscious choice to eat/live a certain way (and thus cut out other things in order to do it properly).

You wouldn't want to splurge on an Eames chair and ottoman and then have a cluttered office, or buy a bespoke suit and then put on 50 lbs.

Oh, I also want to say, I think that whole Calorie Restriction thing is extreme. The thing that really puts me off is the fanaticism and OCD-like number-crunching of its adherents, something I've seen in all food-fad groups. Any diet that turns you into a person who thinks solely of food, all the time, is not good. Adherents to extreme diets eventually have to structure all their waking hours around eating. I have books to read, dances to do, art to make, deadlines, classes to teach. I don't have time to carefully weigh and add up every damn speck that I eat. And don't even get me started on raw-food fanatics!

The safest, truest path always lies in the middle, I find. I'm seeing an Ayurvedic doctor right now, and the dietary changes I had to make were moderate and subtle, but created huge changes in my life. Eating locally and seasonally, eating with the temperature in mind, these are important things, and once you start eating mindfully, you naturally start eating just enough, no more. Maybe CR helps people who've previously lived on fast food or something...I don't know. But god, so much freakin' math just to make a sandwich! Please! The people in thet NY Mag article seemed to desperately want approval. They also seemed like people who needed an outlet for their neuroses, and found it in this diet.

My internet connection pooped out on me shortly after I said I'd be on! Thanks for all of the suggestions, I appreciate your thoughts and encouragment!

I did get a number of things done, including a new layout I'm going to try, and both couches are on an angle. I'll add a post in a bit once I've gotten the updated pictures on-line, yesterday I didn't use much of my bandwith but today, with only 6 pics, I've used 30%. Hmmm...

Jacquelyn - the office may require trudging through, but it'll definitely feel amazing when you're done, I'm sure, and it sounds like you have great ideas. I wish you the endurance you need to get through it all!

I hate Day Light Savings Time, the switch is worse than one way or another, I'm waking up at 5:30 now, instead of 6:30. And the darkness after work sucks, too!

Bella - love the thought of you chasing down the van, "PLEASE, take my stuff!!"

SCBeth - I totally hear you on the personal body clutter! But I think that once our environment is in good order, it will become easier (not totally easy, but easier) to rid our body of clutter. This from a girl so possessed by the cure she worked on getting her pics online this morning instead of making breakfast, and as a result, just ate the caramel off the caramel apple she got at work yesterday. Saving the apple for the afternoon.

Alex - I think our society does do that, buy something bigger and grow into it...hopefully I won't, because our couch and love seat are huge!

Joy - You ungrateful selfish girl! (OK, I'm not really being that harsh, just joking around.) Think of it this way: my two vacations in the last 5 years have been to Boston for 4 days, for our "honeymoon" during my husband's Spring Break--we got married the previous August--and to middle of nowhere Kansas for 4 days, to which we drove, for a good friend's wedding 2 summers ago. Be greatful, dam' it! =)

The desire to stay is a good thing, because it means you've got motivation to do what needs to be done. But realize that you can channel that feeling upon your return, and while you're there and preparing to go, you can think about how wonderful it will be.

Gekko - it's definitely more of a balance, I think. Something to strive for, but not to kill yourself for, because that defeats the purpose. A *bit* of clutter makes you much more real to people who come into your home.

Lucy - so hard about SO packrat. Your best hope is to try and contain in an organized fashion. And if they complain about you buying things to get their stuff contained, tell them you wouldn't need to buy such things if they weren't so packrat-ish. And try what Matilda did - bribery!

Wrtrmaus - I agree, sounds like your books are your waterloo. Don't beat yourself up about it, though, that's not going to do any good. Just do what you can now and know that you can come back to it later again, multiple times even, after the cure is done.

Alana - I hate the piles. My best solution for myself is to contain them in large rubbermaid containers as I go along, so that when I need sanity, I can stack them up out of the way. It's definitely helped me, and then you can tackle just one at a time once they're sorted, and each has a different type of contents (bags/purses, papers to be filed, sewing/mending, etc.)

Marilyn - That's a good idea, I didn't try that arrangement last night, might have to still tonight!

Woah...sorry for hording the thread!

Regarding the diet analogy (and disregarding the particular diet in question), 40 pounds ago, I was thinking exactly what someone else said: "how do I cut stuff out without feeling deprived?" At first, I struggled to fit the stuff in that I thought I had to have and deserved, while still eating what I *needed*, all with few enough calories to lose weight. It didn't work very well.

But when I just got rid of the crap for a while, I realized that I didn't miss it, and further, any time I "treated" myself, I ended up feeling sick.

Wonderful cheeses and fresh baked bread and mom's apple pie are all things that make life good. But too much of a good thing is just clutter, and if all you have are accent pieces in your home, it looks and feels chaotic.

There are better diets than the one in the article that correlate more with AT. They emphasize balance, control, and moderation. Most of all, they work to help you acknowledge the emotional issues at the root of the food issues. The same has been the case of all of the good money management books I've read. That's what I think AT does well, and why the cure is such a good structure for getting the crap out of a house. A cure has to be holistic to really be a cure.

Amy,

I got that Maxwell was trying to make a positive point about living simply by linking the article. I don't think this article or the cr movement makes his point - far from it. I do believe he made the link in good faith and perhaps didn't understand the issues related to this plan and only saw the relationship (although a stretch for me) to his blog.

The article he linked to is nothing about selecting quality over quantity. The Slow Food Movement that is growing in popularity in the US and Europe is more in line with your comment about cheese selection. I would assume it is close to what Maxwell is interested in. But he didn't link to an article about that movement ... the link made really unnerved me.

My point was that if CR is along the lines of Maxwell's theories ... then perhaps I am in the wrong place and have missed a whole side to his theories. Maxwell has some great ideas and thoughts about making a home ... but decluttering and starvation are two different worlds.

Alex, I think if we were all living in bare rooms with only cots, Maxwell would have linked to a different article. I think his point is that we have made the wrong choices, choosing quantity over quality (I certainly have). Moderation for us means restricting the quantity. This reminds me of an earlier comment about cooking at home. As someone who never cooks at home (and still has not even during the Cure) I can see how healing that would be--to use the kitchen for its intended function rather than just to raid the refrigerator. It doesn't have the same meaning for someone who frequently cooks at home.

Americans and other industrialized countries that have adopted the "American diet" are growing increasingly obese. While a constant obsession with dieting may not be a healthy thing or even succeed, I don't believe Max intended by the link that AT readers should starve themselves. I believe it was simply meant to illustrate the point that moderation in calorie intake in diet as well as home decor is likely to make a person healthier.

I too thought the gentleman in the article looked less than healthy. I agree that ATers are more into moderation than starvation and I think that is the healthiest way to be and still have a happy balanced life. That said, I think my house could still use quite a bit of cutting down on the carbs. That is turning into my biggest issue with this cure, I want to cure my house of carb furniture and it's just not in the budget. That said, I finally got a new set of photos up and am fairly happy with my progress. Everything is a work in progress, that's one of my issues with the cure - I wish I could just do something and then be done with it. But that's not the way it works, at least in my house. I keep on plugging, and keep surfing CraigsList for protein furniture...

I don't want this issue to take over the cure blog.

Yes, I am questioning his intent. However, only he can answer my question as to whether this plan represents something he truely believes applies to a lifestyle.... you don't have to defend him or his intent for me.

I'm with alex, I'd rather not have this diet/starvation/caloric intake issue overshadow the Cure. It might have been more appropriately posted as a general post to everyone. Anyway,
does anyone have any thoughts about that Head question I asked up there in the thread somewhere? In Week Five we're supposed to add or subtract something to address hardness and softness issues in our homes. I can see that my kitchen is nearly all hard, but can't really see a way around that. I'm not sure if I have an imbalance in the other rooms, but I feel that adding real live plants would be a good step in getting something living and organic into the place (I assume that would be soft, but???) Does anyone have any input on that? If you can see around the clutter in my living room before pics, maybe you can tell better than I whether I need more softness or ??? Link in my name, to one of the living room pics, others are next to it in the photostream.

Hey Beth, I think that the kitchen is a tough space for adding softness, but I definitely have herbs n my windowsill and I think some colorful dishtowels might be nice, I always like having some nice bright dishtowels out to perk the place up a bit. I think the living room is a place where you could easily use pillows and plants to soften it up a bit, all that stuff stored in there (however temporary it may be) does make it seem a bit hard to me. Best I can do, hope that helps.

Lucy, I totally agree with your comments. I have a similar problem with my husband - however, he is a very disorganized packrat. Cleaning out the hall closet I found boxes of old VHS tapes and cassettes and papers and postcards and I took them out for him to go through. He got all huffy because even though 90% of it was trash, his birth certificate and social security card were in there too! THAT was why I wanted him to look through it before I threw it away, and he acted like I was trying to sneakily throw away all this important stuff behind his back! So now I make sure we discuss anything that might be an issue if I get rid of it. And now his social security card and birth certificate are neatly put away with mine. So if we need them, we know where they are. So it is really worth it, you just have to keep plugging away at it.

I agree with smallcitybeth...the softness issue in the kitchen would be a good discussion. I also think that I probably lack softness in the dining room -- my chairs are not appolstered, they are painted...I have a fabric blind. I've also been thinking that my bathrooms could use more color... lots of black and white NYC apt. bathroom tile in both.

I still havn't read past week two yet, so I don't know if i'm contradicting or going over something that was already said, but..

this summer I spent about a month and a half recording what I was eating, wearing a pedometer, and recording how many calories I burned at the gym. I used my RMR and calculated how many calories I was taking in verses how many I was burning.

At the begining I thought, oh it's just a little piece of cake, but by the end I realized that that little piece of cake or a cookie every night was what was building on me. So, by the end of the six weeks I had lost 5 lbs, not by starving myself, but by finding better alternatives (like a turkey sandwich for lunch, rather than a burger) and limiting my portion sizes, also, by having those treats once or twice a week, rather than every night.

This week I noticed I'm down three more lbs too, because those habits I made during the summer havn't all fell to the wayside. I plan on doing this 6 week "cure" again in January, to reinforce the habits I forget and shed holiday weight before spring comes again.

So, regarding the article, I think it's a good point, but the man was freakishly thin. I mean, I'm 5'4" and 135 lbs. But in relation to our homes, we are dieting, we're taking out more than we're bringing in, we're bringing in better alternatives to what we previously had in our homes. We don't have the goal of making our homes look like military barracks, and neither would we want to look like the freakishly thin 135 lb 6ft male. I think the goal is that these habits would stick for a while, even after the cure is done. Then in a year, we do the cure again, reinforce some good habits, take stock of our homes, etc.

I had a whole response to that article written out, but then I realized that I, like alex, didn't want this to take over the Cure blog. So back to the fun stuff!

smallcitybeth - A red mat on the kitchen floor will make the space seem a lot softer. It'll also break up the beige and white of the floor and
lower cabinets.

I have tamed the might cordtopus! It put up quite a fight, but I prevailed. I also sorted through all of my files about a month ago, so that's checked off the list. But all is not well, because I've got living room floorplan issues again. *sigh* I thought I had it all figured out...now I'm not so sure. I have to get back to work, but I'll be back later in the afternoon to post better pictures and beg for advice. See y'all then!

Maybe a good way to add softness to the kitchen would be with pictures? Images you like, colors, organic shapes all could do this.

sorry, to drag the calorie thing on, but I had one more little analogy...

When I was doing my caloric assessment this summer, there were some days I realized I couldn't eat less or fewer calories whether it was due to blood sugar levels or the fact that I was just too darn hungry.

This, I think we run into as well. I live in a rented apartment, even though I know it would be better, I can't paint the walls, I can't install new cabinets or floors. I can't afford a new sofa, rug, etc. I don't have enough time in the week to get this done. We have limitations imposed on us which sometimes we can overcome, but sometimes we just have to let impose.

I love this group though, because the suggestions are amazing. And there's always someone to offer another solution when our limitations impose.

My biggest limitation right now is time, and lack of shelf paper. Hopefully I'll get the shelves papered by this weekend, and then I'm going to jump ahead to week 5/6 to be on track with the cure.

Soft in the kitchen is tricky IMHO because you need to be able to keep it clean. I do think our kitchens are much softer than they were expected to be in the 30s and 40s. Just look at old photos of kitchens and they look very utilitarian and cold. The focus on cleanliness and hygiene in a kitchen has evolved as we have easier methods for cleaning and better products. But it still seems like a trickly balance. What are your favorite kitchens? What is a gorgeous welcoming kitchen that has the good balance of hard and soft? Is the balance different than in the living room? - my assumption is yes. It would be interesting to share thoughts on what it takes to make a good kitchen.

On a side note, does everyone paper their kitchen shelves? My mom doesn't and by extension, I don't either. I do scrub the shelves clean before putting anything on them and take everything out clean them seasonally. All the comments on shelf paper are making wonder if we are doing it wrong. What does shelf paper do exactly?

I was wondering about shelf paper too. Does it actually adhere to the shelf? Or is it loose? I don't want to stick something down to the shelves, nor do I was some loose paper for roaches to hide under. Blech.

What's the deal with shelf paper?

my mom never papered the shelves either. But the place I live now has unfinished cabinet interiors. So I papered the bottom so that my dishes stay clean, and I papered the back for some color in the kithcen. I also took the cabinet doors off two of my cabinets so the color could shine through.

I do have friends that papering the cabinets is the first thing they do when they move in, the it never feels like home until you "_____". Their answer is paper the cabinets.

Just curious what everyone's answer would be to the question:

It never feels like home until I "________"

(mine is to hang my art on the walls)

shelf paper usually has a low tack adhesive similar to a post it note. Maybe slightly stronger. But it's removable without causing damage.

There are some without adhesive, they are usually textured and they are great for areas like the glasses cupboard, where you don't want things sliding around on the shelf.

They also make shelf paper in cork, blackboard, whiteboard styles. If you wanted to try the trend of "blackboard paint" say on the side of your fridge in your rental without committing to it, this would be a good alternative because you could peel it off if you decided you didn't like it or when you moved.

Alex-I have shelf paper on a couple shelves in my cupboards with glass doors. It's actually kind of a pretty pattern and I think it just looks nice. I also use that rubber shelf liner stuff (I don't remember what it's called) under my glasses to protect them from chips. It probably wouldn't have been a bad idea to use some paper in my spice cupboard. I don't know how all the spices escape, but it's kind of gritty and gross. I need to tackle that sometime soon :o)

Anne (in Reno)-Good to know I'm not alone in this. When we moved 4 years ago we moved boxes that he had packed in his garage full of junk mail. Junkmail! Grrr. Now all our mail goes to a PO Box and I'm usually the one who picks it up, so the junk mail never even makes it out of the post office. I may try the bribery route. His cat died last summer, and he's been wanting a new one. That's a pretty big bargaining chip right there (although the truth of the matter is, I'm ready for another cat too, but we won't mention that).

As for softness in the kitchen, window treatments can help, if you've got windows. I agree with pretty dishtowels and art too. If you've got an eat-in kitchen (which I do, no dining room), chair cushions and placemats/tablecloths will also add softness. Or what about adding softness through lighting? Like a pretty little lamp on a counter if you've got space, or even candlelight.

cordtopus... great word CathyinMN!

smallcitybeth in canada: In your pics what I see is hard on top (walls) soft on bottom (furniture/carpet). So I'm thinking that if you give yourself a bit more time to clear the items & get the art on the walls it may fix itself. Or at least, may make it easier to find the answer.

Is the guy pictured on the left, "Mike", suppose to be healthy? That picture had more of an impact on me than the monkeys. If this is what a low calorie diet can do to someone, I would rather stick with my current diet and have muscle. That is just spooky.

About softness in the kitchen: that's difficult.
Without a window to hang curtains, it's pretty difficult to get any softness above the counter-top.

Off the top of my head...things that can add softness (but they may also add clutter, so beware!)

1) tablecloth, table runners
2) chair pads, chair covers
3) teatowels, dish cloths
4) pot holders
5) fabric trivets
5) curtains
6) tea cosy, toaster cozy, etc
7) a fabulous apron
8) friuts and veggies on display
9) flowers
10) wicker and wood
11) rug or mat

About shelf paper? I have some under my dishes and glasses--and my baking tins. There's a small bit in a bottom cupboard where I keep my canola oil. I noticed that for some reason it gets pretty dirty. It was so low tack that when I washed the cupboards, I was able to take it out, wash it off and reuse it. I was glad--I love the pattern.

I also has what looks like old vintage (well, from the 50's) shelf paper on my plywood shelves in one of my closets. It's gorgeous.

I know people don't want to focus too much on that article, but I just gotta say, after looking at it - since when is 2000 calories a restricted diet? I thought that was the recommended average. It takes about 1300 just to keep your body processes functioning normally...then you need some more to work, play, and cure your apartment. And the "normal" diet example was terrible! You could easily be healthy without CR, just by not eating fried junk 3 times a day. And finally, that dude is way too skinny. And I LIKE skinny men!

Okay, back to curing. Sorry everyone, I just had to comment. Sitting here with a broken toe, I can't do much more.

Great list Alana -- I've reconsidered and I actually think I have enough softness in my kitchen...cute dishtowel and holder; cute aprons hanging and slightly dirty, but matched potholders. I've also decided that the magnent collection is a soft... Thanks everyone, you have helped me let go of one thing to worry about!

Jacquelyn--glad I could help.

Thought of one more--plants. Doh!

Hey Leela--how many of us have foot problems this cure? That's a poll I'd like to see. I hope your toe heals fast.

Did anyone else find it creepy to notice on the weekend thread just how many are "not participating but watching" the cure? Sort of felt/feels like we're in that big internet living room with a bevy of telescopes trained on us and wire taps in the walls.....

CathyinMin: what can we do about your layout??

Jessi,
It never feels like home until my books are unpacked and on shelves.
Doesn't have to be all of them, but there does seem to be a tipping point when it starts to feel like mine.

For me, it's home when:

1) The cat emerges from hiding.

2) I paint a wall - any wall.

3) My drafting table is set up.

Yes, people do seem to be hurting their feet at an alarming rate. I wonder why that is? I finally caved and decided to take it to the orthopedist tomorrow, even though I think it's probably unnecessary and he's only going to tell me what I already know.

Jessi - that's my mom with the contact paper. My current place's contact paper isn't going anywhere at all ever, without more scraping than removing the most stuck on wallpaper ever, so I'm just leaving it.

Contact paper, from what I've observed, is that it makes it easy to clean up any spills in the cupboards and drawers, and adds a splash of color if you want. I think you can use it or not, it's just a personal opinion. If the insides of your cupboards aren't finished nicely, contact paper can help.

Oh, and it never feels like home to me until the kitchen is organized. =)

I've got my living room pics updated, including a style tray! I found some really cool cubes that will replace my current end table need, I think. I think I found the coffee table I want (from West Elm) and maybe a rug (both in my style tray).

Also I want to replace the current shelf on the radiator with a glass one because it will lighten the visualness of it (the current ones are shelves from a bookcase we threw away, they just happened to approximately fit). The shelf and the TV area need to be really stripped down, they're way too busy to look at, need to be more visually appealing and calming, but that will come with time.

I've also got pictures of my new duvet cover on the bed, I'm quite happy with it, and new curtain in the bathroom that goes floor to ceiling (is pin-stripe black on white) in front of the storage area part of my bathroom. Need to get the "dust ruffle" (can't remember what it's called when it's not a ruffle) on the bed, also navy, and get the curtain up in the bedroom.

Am planning on getting the expedit this weekend at Ikea so I can complete the landing strip, and checking out lighting. I may hold off on the lighting until I really know what I'm going to do in the living room.

I need to check my stash of paper lanterns to see how many white ones I have and of what size; I am going to use one large one in the bedroom and may want to put the others up in the living room...

Let me know what you think!!

You are all correct, partially. Books are a big part of what is getting to me, but it's also my outbox stuff. I haven't had time or energy to get it packed up and hauled down to my car, let alone carted off to Goodwill and the library.

I know I should have emptied my outbox twice already, but it's just piling up in my bedroom and livingroom instead.

Wish me luck.

skwaykate -- LOVE the cubes! I agree that the west elm table might not be large enough -- per comment on flickr -- not 100% sure though because it does look big enough in the floor plan layout. Here is a thought what about 4 or 6 of those cubes as a coffee table? then they could move around for other purposes when need be?

Duvet is beautiful.

Ok, I posted my In-progress pictures (http://www.flickr.com/photos/heylucyloo/sets/72157594356047978/). It's definitely in the "much worse before it gets better stage." I'm thinking that the previous owners made this little house using bits and pieces they had leftover from renovating. Even knowing that, I'll never understand the paint job. Have you ever seen anything so ugly? I think what I'm going to do it paint everything a nice warm, bright white. Opinions? Ideas?

skywaykate: I like those cubes. I hadn't thought of Marshall's as a resource, but I'll have to check there for a new table for my TV.

wrtrmaus: Good luck with the outbox, I totally hear you on that. I dropped off 6 bags yesterday and planned on doing more today, but when I got ready to leave this morning I just didn't have it in me to take the rest. Maybe tomorrow :o). I do know that I feel so much better having gotten rid of that first pile, so just try to think of that lovely feeling and push on through :o)

I think my flickr link above is bad. I added the link to my name this time.

wrtrmaus - It feels good to empty the entire Outbox at once, but it does take a lot of energy. So instead of trying to do it all at once, perhaps you could empty it out in little chunks? Take an armful of books down to the car with you the next time you leave for work or errands. Bribe a few friends with food/alcohol/backrubs to load stuff into your car one evening. Try to sell a few things on craigslist instead of hauling it all to Goodwill (not as many good karma points, but at least the stuff will start to go). Good luck!

Alana - Well, it's a little hard to explain without updated living room pictures, and I can't update until I get home from work. Basically, I can't decide whether or not to add the chair that I included on the new version of my floorplan. A chair would be a nice addition but might require putting the couch right next to the front door, which doesn't feel particularly good when sitting on that end of the couch. I need to do some more measuring and considering before I declare it a major problem, though. If I get a small enough chair, I may be able to keep the couch a decent distance from the front door. Plus I'm just not sure if it "looks right". I'll try to put my thoughts together in a more coherent fashion when I get home from work!

First, thanks to all who gave suggestions about my hard/soft question! I will see what I can do...

Jessi -- it feels like "home" to me when I hang up my grandmother's shell rose picture. That was one thing she took with her from their large house when they had to go into a nursing home, which made me think it made the place feel more like a real home to her. When I inherited it (and started moving many many times over the years) it became a tradition that the shell roses would be hung first. (I was going to link to the pic that shows them in my Flickrs but it's not clear enough. Anyway,they're rose shapes made of small seashells.) And that was probably much more info than you ever wanted... ... ...

I will comment more tonight, I'm on coffee break now.

Lucy -- What a fabulous space!!! I like the idea of the bright white so that your fabrics and ribbons ect. can give the color -- almost like paint on a canvas. Your floorplan is perfect.

Hi everyone! I am still here, and still working on the Cure, even though there is no way I will be done at the 8-week mark. I have too much stuff that I have put off doing! Some days I feel as if I am just moving the clutter from one place to another, and not really purging at all. Has this been happening to anyone else? I have given up on trying to get rid of more books, as a vast majority are my BF's and he insists he needs all of them. But I may find better places to put them...

I haven't put up any pictures lately, because I feel my progress is so scant that "after" pics are not warranted. I have had some other obligations to attend as well, and the arrival of the holidays brings even more. I am hoping to try to catch up over the weekend...

Jacquelyn,

Your living room looks wonderful!! Congrats!!

Oh dear, I'm way behind. Just got back after 10 days away. I think I'm going to skip the home office (cause I'll need more than a week for that), and continue with the living room this week.

wrtrmaus - ditto on the outbox. I'm having the same problem. I don't have a car, so it's hard to get stuff out.

Welcome back, Anna! Miss Penni, glad to hear you're still with us.

Even though I have a car, it's still hard for me to empty my outbox, because I don't park very close, and I then have to find a place in the burbs because there isn't anything downtown. So I can sympathize all the more! I haven't done anything with my outbox because it hasn't gotten too big yet, though maybe this weekend I should get on some of it...

I really wish more places would do pick ups at apartments on scheduled days. I should maybe check with my landlord about the possibility, because we do have an entry way where some things could go.

Um, I'm haveing a "d-UH!" moment...I just realized about Room and Board as an option for a place to look for a coffee table, rug and electronics home. I'm in the motherland for R&B! I haven't done much looking yet so that's why I'm having a hard time coming up with things besides regular old furniture places. Those are in the burbs anyway, so it's not convenient, really.

I'll see if I find anything there...

I agree Anna and wrtmaus, getting outbox stuff out is tough - particularly without a car. In DC Good Will won't pick up for less than a two bedroom apartment. Thankfully, I don't have that much stuff.

In two weeks, I am taking a couple days off from work to get stuff done and paint the main room. I am hoping to beg and/or bribe some friends to help load up a truck for my last (hopefully) run. Until then, I have to juggle it all.

I just added some photos updating where I am. This time my photos focus on spaces I know I can finish during this cure -- the front hall and 'back of house' (closets and bathroom).

Sunday, I re-arranged my closets - for my cat -- and having said that I worry that I am becoming a crazy cat lady. I rationalize that the work was less to accomodate him and more to establish a detante between us. He was rather concerned while the work was going on ... and at about 90% completion, he had several complaints that had to be dealt with (i.e. ripping out, starting back at 50% and redesigning to work)(god, I am the crazy cat woman).

Anyway ... it's not much to look at right now, but I would love comments and ideas.

OK, I've quickly determined much of R&B to be out of my price range. They have the rug I want, but it's $1400.

Also, related to proportions some of you have kindly commented on in my pictures: the coffee table isn't really to scale, it's to just give an idea of what it would look like in the room. It's very difficult to get a decent picture of my living room as a whole because the entry is on the one corner, not facing anything interesting.

But I'm very excited to be doing all this!!

As someone whose calorie consumption was rigidly controlled by a former beauty queen mother, and as someone who had to go into recovery for a full blown eating disorder by 23, I am really, truly disturbed that this article has been linked to The Cure. I don't even know what else to say about it, except that I'm really dissappointed if this is the link AT thinks we should be taking. Actually, I'm really disturbed by all the links being made between body size and our homes, as if people - and especially women - do not face enough pressure to conform to a certain physical ideal, especially under the guise of "health." What is the true cost of (unproven, according to the article itself) physical health, if emotional and psychological health is the price paid for it?

Sorry for taking this off-topic, but I didn't post the link to the article, and I needed to comment on it. I'm still a bit in shock.

He he Alex! If it makes you feel any better, I've become Crazy Chicken Lady during the past month (I'm raising 26 chickens that I got as two day old chicks). Of course I don't have to make room for them to sleep in my closet :o)

I think your solution is really great, it sounds like the linen curtain will continue the clean lines with the added bonus of adding some softness.

Alex - I've added a few comments, will go find the issue of Domino I was talking about now. I must have missed it--why is your apartment full of wholes and construction workers?

Lucy - Why? Just curious what would possess you to do that...

Dorianne - I agree with your comments, and I love the mural in your place, your coffee table is beautiful, and what is your headboard made of? It's creative and looks great.

Also, totally know what you mean about theraputic furniture throwing...my roommates' cats destroyed my couch, so I threw it off the front porch onto the curb. Very cathartic!

I'm a wannabe farmer :o) We moved to the country four years ago and have almost an acre of land with our little house (1000sf) on it, so there's plenty of room. I'll be keeping about half of them for eggs, 8 will be going to new homes soon and I'll be looking for homes for a few more. We haven't been able to have kids, so might as well have animals :o)

Lucy,

As a former midwesterner, born and raised in a small farm community, I am jealous. I am always torn between the love of the city and the desire to get out and buy a little house with a small barn and a big yard for gardens. But ... there is no work in my profession in the country and I am unwilling to have a long commute.
Enjoy it for me too!!

Have any of you who are having difficulty getting rid of stuff in your outbox considered a yard sale? Yard sales are very popular in southern California. I was thinking about it, but the apartment manager wasn't around on Sunday to ask if it would be OK so I took the stuff to Goodwill with my nephew's help.

Cordtopus is right!

And wrestling with it. on the floor, in the dust, oh painting was more fun! Took me 90 minutes. Once I returned from the store with my $6.99 solution in hand (a wire mesh cutlery tray 6" wide by 15" long)it took me 90 minutes to attach it to the back of the desk, unplug, unwind, rewind and plug the cords back in again. (And that doesn't even count the hour or so it took to get the power bar up off the floor and into the wall. Couldn't find wall anchors...did it without them. pffffft.)

Sorry for the rant. I just came to celebrate it being done actually!

So I finally got the book and wow, am I going out of order. However, I also got a can of Glidden "Ship Shape" and painted a swatch in the master bedroom. So far as it dries I am pleased, I think that a second coat will help as will morning light tomorrow, but it looks like it's darkening nicely as it dries. My only concern is that the mister will deem it "Little Kid's Room Blue". He did this once before in the bath remodel process but he was right then. I'm hoping the flat finish will also help with that but we'll see. I don't want to do it if only half of us love the color.

skywaykate - thank you! The headboard is made of reed mats draped over a bamboo pole. Unfortunately, it's not standing the test of time - it's getting a bit shredded behind the pillows. Have to think of a new idea...probably recycled closet doors!

I also threw a loveseat over my 2nd floor balcony once - this past spring - which was indeed cathartic. I think it made my downstairs neighbour a little nervous about my mental health, though.

(I just realized you were probably responding to something I already wrote about loveseat-tossing!)

Go Alana! The cordtopus is often a mighty foe. ;)

Okay everybody! I need help with my living room layout. There are some pictures in a set on flickr, but I nixed making a floorplan because I can't seem to make one that really represents the space. I made one before that I was very excited about, but when I actually tried to make it work, I realized that the representation of the space was all wrong. It looked great on the floorplan, but baaaaaaad in practice.

I'd like to put a side chair of some variety by the couch, and I'd also like to put some light by the couch, either in the form of floor lamps or lamps on endtables.

The problem is that I can't figure out how to make those two ideas coexist peacefully. Should I put endtables on each end of the couch with lamps? Or a floor lamp on one side and an endtable on the other? Or just one floor lamp? One endtable? Should I keep the coffeetable that I've got and just shorten the length to accomodate a new chair or trade it out for a round model? The reading nook and desk are in their optimal positions. The only thing that isn't optimal about the couch placement is that I can't put it right next to the doorjamb. Hard to explain, but it just feels *wrong* to sit so close to the front door.

Hopefully all of that makes some sort of sense. I tried to be coherent!

It's taken me quite a while to make my way down here -- I've been meandering down 8-Week-Cure Lane (that's just off Apartment Therapy Street), and I've been dropping in everywhere someone has new pictures up, and I've been chatting a while...but I'm finally down to the Post-a-Comment Coffee Shop. (Yeah, I should go to bed...)

I've put a few comments here and there on people's Flickr pics, but I also took a few notes as I meandered along, so that hopefully I won't miss anything.

Opoponax -- I saw your new comments on my Flickrs, and thought I'd answer you here, because I don't know if you would be going back to my Flickrs any time soon... I want to clarify about my "draft stopper". Occasionally it's used to stop drafts (our building has a ventilation system that draws fresh air from outside and circulates it through the hallways, which sometimes causes a bit of a draft under the door), but most of the time when I use what I called the "draft stopper" for want of a better name, I'm trying to block out strong fragrances coming from other apartments, like room air fresheners, or scented candles, which bother my allergies. (Matter of fact, there's some sort of nose-twitching, potentially headache-making, odor coming into the room right now. Hold on a minute, while I put the odor-blocker draft stopper in place...) If there's a really strong odor, such as when they're painting an apartment, or laying carpet or vinyl flooring, I just have to leave and spend a few days/nights elsewhere. And while you're marvelling at how us Canadians manage to exist in our weather, spare a thought for the folks up in Alaska! We do have times in the winter when it's very cold, but Minnesota (for one) gets more snow than we do in the winter, at least where I live. That said, I really could do with less winter!

Also, Opo, you suggested that the inside of the closet where I have my landing strip would be a good place for paint or paper. Alas, both the fact that I'm a renter, and the fact of my allergies, preclude either painting or papering. I'll likely hang a picture or two in there, as I have on the other side, but may wait until I get a better furniture solution for that space, so I know what would look best.

Yay, Matilda, on your "mini-cure", and, nice to "see" you again!

Jacquelyn -- I really like your screen-across-the-TV-area idea, and the screen itself is gorgeous. Your whole living room is lovely. I have no doubt that with the good taste and decor sense you've shown in other areas of your home, that if you just keep plodging through the office, it too will be beautiful.

skywaykate -- Your duvet cover is so pretty! And just in passing, when a dust ruffle isn't a ruffle, it's a bed-skirt. I'm planning to get one, too (I'm definitely not a ruffle person). And have you checked out Lucy's blog? (link in her name in her most recent comment) Her chickens are delightful, and they even have personalities!

Cathy in MN, I left a couple of comments on your Flickrs. I like the idea of another chair, just wondering what kind of chair you're thinking of? I think narrow end tables on either side of the couch, with lamps on each...but what do I know? Have to say I was disappointed when I read the note that says the couch will soon be brown. I really like the red, and it ties in so nicely with the red dining room chairs you can see through the open door. Oh well, it's your space, not mine, and if you want a brown couch, so be it!

Thanks again to everyone who commented on my hard/soft quandary. I'm going to neaten up the living room tomorrow night and Friday morning (had shopping to do tonight, and didn't get to it) and then I'll have a better idea of what's what. The old TV is leaving on Friday morning (had to hire someone to come and take it away, and had to make that on a day when I was off work). Then I'll be able to get the living room back to some semblance of normalcy.

And finally, speaking of normalcy, Alex, you're not a crazy cat lady! (I think you need at least 20 cats, probably more, to even be considered for the position of crazy cat lady.) You're just a person who is considerate of the furry creature who shares your space. I love the fact that you made a special place for Cargo in your beautiful closet/dressing room.

Well, I must stop nattering on. G'night, everyone!

Wow--I'm really behind on the flickr comments. Sorry--I'll do my best to take a look at everything very soon.

I did post a few new pics too. One of all the snow we got...just to make you feel better about your weather, whatever you are having. dh told me he is going to plug in the car tonight. (Engine's come equipped with little block heaters here, so we plug those in when the temps drop so the engine can start in the morning.)

I got the pic of the ironing board holder up: I can't remember who was asking me about that.

Alas, I haven't a pic of the living room's new paint job, yet. I wanted to have the sconces up before I took them--and I had to finish out the roll with pics of the kids in their costumes. Sorry! :)

I'm not loving the sconces, unfortunately, so I'm at sixes and sevensess.

Forgot the flickr link. In my name.

A present for you CathyinMin....click my name.

Good morning, all!

Alana, I took a quick look at your new pics, and, well, (to borrow a phrase from a friend's nephew) that snow is yuck for me. Thing is, I figure you're north and west of me, so that picture represents what I'll be seeing before long. That's even yuckier for me. But it looks very pretty, with the snow on the trees... ... ...

I like your room arrangement suggestion for Cathy in MN, too.

Gotta go...

Dorianne -- On the article thing, I haven't commented because I feel guilty about not keeping up with the Cure postings (GMAT-prep hell; I get my life back this weekend, and not a moment too soon)... but the third page even says that there's no proof that calorie-restriction has any positive effect on humans. The only examples of individuals who like it are men. Let's not forget that lowering calorie intake much below your basic FDA Guideline levels interferes with women's reproductive health.

We're supposed to have some fat on our bodies, just as our homes really need some pillows and candles and such to be comfortable.

Actually, chez moi, following the Cure closely would mean *adding* clutter -- I just cannot get into putting candles and flowers on nightstands or in the bathroom. I know it's "good decorating," but my soul rebels at anything sitting on the edge of the bathtub.

I don't really see the diet/Cure analogy. That diet is particularly restrictive, and I see it as more living in a barren wasteland than in a nice home that simply lacks clutter. The guy in New York magazine was 6'2" and 130, for God's sake! My husband is quite thin and is 6'4" and 195.

Wende,
I completely agree with your instincts. Never put candles, knicknacks or flowers in places that feel like clutter. And anything sitting on the edge of a bathtub will fall off.
This is a home not a showroom floor. If it doesn't feel right it will drive you nuts.
The photos of your home posted on flkcr look so lovely. You can forget what anyone tells you is 'good' decorating - you are doing fine on your own.
My God - your taking the GMATs, moving AND doing the cure? Impressive (in an exhausting kind of way). Good luck with the test!!

Wende! I wondered what had happened to you...all you had to say was "GMAT" and I totally understood! (Something I have to look forward to myself, but my husband took the LSAT and my good friend the one for med school.) Glad you're back ;-).

Wende -- good to hear from you. I wasn't familiar with the term GMAT, so I googled it. Yoips! Good luck!

I'm with you on not adding things that are supposed to be good "decor" if to you they're just clutter. I tried having candles in my bathroom, on the back of the toilet, but I never burn candles, so they just sat there collecting dust. Candles aren't easy to dust (ever washed a candle? I have). I tried having decorative items (pottery) on the edge of the tub, but water got behind them, and now I have a couple of bits of mold there. Like alex said, this is a home, not a showroom floor, and it has to work for the person/persons who live there.

This weekend I'm tackling ol' cordtopus! And I'm experimenting with a different way of organizing my computer. We'll see what happens with that. It'll make a much nicer looking office space if it works.

Oh, and Alana -- I meant to say, when talking about your snow, if the snow comes, then Santa will come soon, right??? (she said wistfully, hopefully...)

Long story short, my boss called yesterday and said that I shouldn't go to work until Friday because some paperwork has to go through. Therefore, I am off to contemplate some more paint swatches. I am just too undecided about this blue.

Linked in my name is a before picture of my living room, because it's the best one to illustrate my question:

Immediately above the molding on the windows is a support beam that sticks out from the rest of the wall 4", above the windows about 1.5"-2". I want to hang the curtains as high as possible, after seeing how great that looked in the bathroom.

SO, do I hang them just under the beam, at the top of the window molding, or do I put them up very close to the ceiling and be ok with them sticking out a couple of inches from the wall/windows?

Anyone seen really flat (as in depth) curtain rods so I could consider doing them at the ceiling? Or would that look not quite right??

Kate,
The beam appears to occur on both window walls - is that correct? I assume you are going to paint the beam to match the wall instead of as trim.
I would install the curtains in this area- at least 3-4" above the window frame and you could go to the ceiling. The extra vertical height of the curtian will help highlight those windows.

I think it will be fine for them to hang several inches away from the windows - in fact I think it will look lux. Most rods hold curtains away from the wall - the depth varies by style and type of rod.

What kind of look are you thinking about for your curtains? That will, I think, impact the type of rod you get. Think about what look you want from your curtains first - then you can plan shop for panels and rods.

Alana, thanks for the floorplan and comments! I was up late and tried angling the couch (hope my neighbors didn't mind...). Unfortunately, it left things majorly cramped. :( There might be something to moving the couch to another wall, though. The SO keeps hinting that I should try that out.

smallcitybeth, thanks for the comments. :) It's hard to see in the pictures, but the couch's red, while nice, does absolutely nothing for the rug. And since I LOVE the rug, the couch color has to change. It's funny...I didn't like the couch's style very much, but it was cheap, so I bought it. At the beginning of the Cure, I was resolved to get rid of it. But over the weeks, I've found myself growing to love it! I haven't decided on what kind of chair yet, just that it'll be small. No oversized armchairs for me!

hmmm ...I meant to say " then you can shop for panels and rods"

oops

I left a comment at flickr for you.
My curtain rod stands about 3 1/2 inches away from the wall. If you were to mount your curtains on a rod on the beam, you'd have curtains about 4 to 5 inches away from the wall. That's not too much, really.

What about the wire option from Ikea? Don't know how it would perform over such a distance...nor if it is the "look" you want....

This is the Canadian site:
http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15594&catalogId=10103&storeId=3&productId=47243&langId=-15&categoryId=15846&chosenPartNumber=20079342

Alana - Can you find an example of what you suggested for my living room? I guess I'm not familiar and therefore can't picture it...thanks!

Cathy - I love the red. You have to love it though, so no matter what we think, you do what you know you'll love. If you're not sure, feel free to sit and wait!

Cathy - I pulled an Alana! =)

(I do like what Alana suggested with the screen and putting the computer just on the otherside, though I tried something else.) Click on my name.

I'm really not trying to hog the thread, really...

Pulled an Alana?
This I gotta see--

But first, a page from the 2006 Ikea (Canada) catalogue just for you skywaykate!

I was reviewing photos in flickr and it seems to me some of us might be able to use these pointers about how to hang small bits of art. The key is to arrange them in groups--as most of you probably know.

There are lots of great books on the subject: I would have got mine at the library, but this is a good on-line site. Most of you will know this already, but it might help some. (I hope).

Link in my name.

Cathy - I proposed two more "Alanas" on my page, click my name. Alana, your thoughts, too, of course, and anyone else who wants to help arrange Cathy's living room by committee!

Good News!!!! As of 6pm tonight, I have heat in my apartment!! Yeah!!
Okay ... I have heat in only in half the apartment ....... but that's an improvement.

Still have holes in the walls - but heat is ... as sign that they actually may finish the work in time for my long weekend so I can paint.

must not get my hopes up.

Wow, I'm flattered. I've been "verbed."

I like the sofa on the angle like that...what do you think Cathy? Are you up to another night of rearranging your furniture? Are you taking pics of each arrangement? That might help you too.

Oh alex--no heat? You're in DC, right? Not exactly summer down there either. I'll do your hoping for you. When is the long weekend? Any colours you want the committee's help to finalize?

In cure news, I went and handled a bit of my outbox today. I'd just been piling: but I sorted--stuff for pick-up, stuff for recycling, stuff to flog....

There's s not as much as I thought it was...so I guess I'd better find some more!

Alana - flog?

I'll let other people use the blog, off to baby-sit the kittle lids. =)

flog  /flɒg, flɔg/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[flog, flawg] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–verb (used with object), flogged, flog‧ging. 1. to beat with a whip, stick, etc., esp. as punishment; whip; scourge.
2. Slang. a. to sell, esp. aggressively or vigorously.
b. to promote; publicize.

Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

I mean it in the second sense, of course....though the first, some days, doesn't seem like a bad idea. (Bit like throwing furniture off balconies, I expect!)

Photos up of the new paint job! It looks different in every picture! The catch now is to get the mister to help me move the bed so I can get that one last spot. But wow does it look less horrible. And wow were those walls gross and covered with spiderwebs. Clearly we need a screen for the window because there are more spiders in there than in anywhere else I have painted (so far).

Anne (in Reno) -- Whoa! The new paint looks fabulous! It's a totally different room.

Thanks for the words of sympathy, skywaykate and alex! The Cure part actually helps with the move, since it gives me a kick to get things fully unpacked and arranged, though I'm grateful that our baths are new and ordinary so I can finish the guest room next week instead of worrying much about bathness. (I could obsess some more about the state of the grout, but I'm going to see if the husband feels manly wielding a hand steamer in a threatening manner. Doesn't that sound like something guys would do?)

Starting a (much wanted) new job (that I was very lucky to get) is actually what made the last couple weeks really tiring! But the GMAT is tomorrow afternoon; my admission interview is Saturday morning (I did *not* plan them to happen that close together); and then the worst is over.

skywaykate, I think rich curtains/draperies/whatever you want to call them, would look awesome descending thickly from the ceiling, that few inches from the wall (and then maybe pooling at the floor??) I hadn't noticed that beam thing until you pointed it out (guess I've been focussing on the furniture). I think it's neat.

Cathy in MN, how are you doing in the midst of all the suggestions? I left my vote on the first of the second batch of kate's alanas. (Yeah, that made sense. Sure it did.)

I "almost" wish I needed a rearrangement of furniture in my living room so that my space could be alana'd, too. Almost. I tried umpty-bazillion different arrangements in the summer, the old-fashioned "arm-strong" way, until I finally got the furniture into its current configuration, which I'm very happy with.

Yay alex! Heat in half an apartment is definitely better than no heat in all of an apartment.

Wende, I'll be thinking of you tomorrow afternoon and Saturday morning. Plan something that will be pampering for you, for Saturday afternoon!

In my Cure news, I got half the cordtopus tamed this evening. The rest will have to wait until after the guy picks up the old TV tomorrow morning, so that I can move the small bookcase that's currently hemmed in by the old TV, so that I can get at the rest of ol' cordtopus. I tried an experiment with the placement of my computer. Part of it worked, part of it didn't. I have the CPU and the scanner on a two-level end table at the end of my desk. I wanted to put the CPU on the lower level, so it wouldn't protrude above the level of the desk. This would bring the scanner up where it would be easier to use. Tonight when I tried it, I realized that the CPU is about a half inch too tall for this arrangement, and then I remembered I'd tried the arrangement in the summer, and oddly enough it didn't fit then either! But, I was successful in moving the printer off the desk and into the large drawer, which was originally billed as a printer drawer. I thought it would be too awkward there, and it is a bit, but it makes the desk look so much better (and maybe if it's a little awkward to print things, I won't print every thing that grabs my attention, as I do now.) Now I just need to figure out an arrangement of pictures or something to hide the cords that remain on the desk, without the arrangement of pictures looking as though its sole purpose is to hide the cords on the desk...

Wende in Phoenix, good luck!

I took a few more boxes of stuff to Goodwill today, and I also went to our off-site storage space and removed several empty boxes to be broken down for the recycling bin. (The storage could use a cure-style overhaul, but that will have to wait).

I think I will try to make it to IKEA tomorrow to see what storage options they have. Our built-in is spacious, but since the doors are glass, I would like to put some complimentary boxes in there to give a neat appearance.

I am going to look through flickr for everyone's updated pics...

So many floorplans! lol Thanks for all of the input, guys. :)

I tried angling the couch (in the corner it's already near...just didn't feel up to moving the desk and computer stuff around) and putting it on the wall with windows and the radiator. Unfortunately, neither arrangement resulted in enough space for a chair. The extra inches I had to take in order to move comfortably between coffeetable, couch, desk, and reading nook ottoman really added up. :(

I guess I'm going to have to leave everything the way it was and put an endtable with a lamp in between the couch and the wall. Maybe with the extra light, some art on the walls, and curtains for the windows, the room will transform enough that I won't mind the layout?

I'm out of town at a board meeting and miss you all and the cure!! Took a couple of minutes to look at the blog this a.m., but must go... Keep up all the good work.

Anne love the paint!!!!!

Wende - Good luck!!

SCBeth - Nice job on wrangling the cordtopus...I'm checking with my IT department here at work to see if you can turn your PC tower on its side. You used to be able to and it would be ok, and then you could put it below your scanner. It would only make using CDs a bit trickier, but I'll let you know.

Cathy - I think with art and drapes and a table, it will be just fine as it is! Just wanted to give you some suggestions. People made suggestions to me that just wouldn't work because things would be too close together, you know best because it's your place and your 3-D world!

Hi, skywaykate -- thanks for the suggestion about putting the tower on its side, but I think CDs would fall out when I tried to put them in. Thanks anyway, I think I'll leave it as it is. It already looks better with the cordtopus dealt with, and I have a plan for some pictures on the desk that will act as further camouflage. Now, if you just had a suggestion about what I'm doing wrong in hooking up my DVD player and my new TV...the player claims it's playing, but nothing shows on the screen. I've just put in a call to my clever-with-electronics friend, who can maybe figure it out. I'm usually good with such things, but this one has me stumped.

Otherwise, the livingroom/office is looking better and better!

Anne, the paint job looks terrific!! I think you picked the perfect color for the room

Alana, I have been thinking about paint colors - circling and I don't know what to do. I do know that the color I have is simply too light. I do know I am going to drive myself crazy thinking about this.

One of the house tours stands out in my mind - http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/house-tours/the-inside-out-jashiki-and-philips-urban-flow-008806 - they use four colors in their apartment all of the same value. It looks very pretty and soothing. This might be a possible direction - but the colors they used are all wrong for me and anyway i'd rather pick my own.

Then, I look at that choclate brown wall in the bedroom style image and think -- "oooo, I want that!!" And I don't think I want an apartment of all super dark colors. I don't think but I waffle.

I am going to paint the bathroom and front hall this weekend and will also paint some test samples in the main room. I'll load images on Monday for review and comment here. Obviously, I need help.

I have a question. Does anyone know of an easy cheap way to put up curtains in a bay window. You can see the window in the link in my name (along with my other progress pictures if anyone is interested in giving me feedback on those.) The woman at Home Depot told me I'd have to put up five individual curtains, but I want an unobstructed view when they are open. As you can see, they look out onto the world, and I haven't the energy at the end of the day to close the blinds so, currently, the whole city can see into our apartment in the evening.

Anthea -- your dining room is lovely (despite the table that likes playing practical jokes)... I wonder if the IKEA ceiling curtain tracks that Alana suggested for skywaykate would work for you? (link borrowed from Alana's post in my name below, hope Alana doesn't mind!) If the IKEA things are flexible, they could curve all around the bay, and give you what you want. (with my imagination that knows no bounds of practicality or budget, I'm thinking that remote control curtains would deal with the lack of energy for closing blinds in the evening...)

alex, I just painted my small (8x10) bedroom chocolate brown, and I love it. I linked a picture in my name. If you have a lot of light in the room, I say go for it. I painted it dark in part because there's too much light for me to sleep.

anthea, how about trying a hospital track with one long curtain around the whole window?

You can turn your computer on its side. No need to do anything to it! Oops, just read your update. To deal with the CDs, you need to put a finger on it as it's closing until you can't any more, and then it should work. But whatever works for you!

Anthea - Unfortunately the type Alana suggested won't work for an unobstructed view because you'd need to put spacers between every window to follow the curve, which would obstruct one curtain and instead you'd have to go with 5.

All I've been able to think of is some kind of track, like maybe the type you'd find in a hospital, because then you could get the curve, and with one swoop, you'd have it open or closed. Will keep my eyes out for a track like that.

In any case, it's gorgeous!

Thanks for checking, skywaykate! (and sorry for your trouble.)

Kate - I really do appreciate all of the suggestions, even though they didn't pan out! They got me to come to terms with the current arrangement and stop wasting all of my time and energy on rearranging the furniture. Now I can start wasting all of my time and energy on finding an endtable, lamp, and curtains!

Alex,
I think when it comes to paint you just have to go for it, knowing that if it's not right you'll try something else.

When I was painting my guest room I thought I'd picked the perfect green. I had my doubts as it was going on the wall, but I decided to keep going and see how it looked when it was dry and at different times of day. It turns out my doubts were right and it was just hideous. But I could tell that it was a very yellow-y, blue-y green and that I needed to go more grey and silver.

My second try was just right and I'm really happy with it. So the whole project took a little longer than I had planned, but paint is cheap, and once the room is prepped the actual painting doesn't take that much time, so it wasn't a huge loss. Good luck!

Athena,
What a lovely window bay. You definately want a window treatment that will show them off!!

I think you want either a ceiling track system - specifically one that makes custom curved pieces or a transverse rod.
For ceiling track, try the cubicle company Maxwell recommends on this site - they probably have good prices. SilentGliss is a company that will make a ceiling track to fit - with manual to remote operating options. They have a wonderful product but are pricey and I believe they are available only to the trade.

An alternate approach is to find what is called a transverse rod - which looks like a rod but has a track on the back side. Kirsch is probably the largest supplier in the US - you might want to try them.

Or you could mount fixed drapes between in window and hang blinds in each window.

Hardware can be very expensive, particularly for difficult window conditions. Draperies and their hardare are typically a big chunk of a decorating budget. We are lucky today to have so many inexpensive options for typical windows.

IMHO, you would be better off saving for what you want to settling for something you don't.

Can you believe it is Friday, already?
Where did this week go?
And I did nothing...well, OK, I did get a couple of cordtopus's tamed, my new dimmer switch installed, and my sconces up--but really, not much.

What are the plans for the weekend?
Maybe you can inpire and motivate me to get to work, golldarnit.

The worst is over with my foot. Getting better everyday, now! Thanks for your concern, everyone.

wow. crazy week, so no time to check in.

i can't believe it's already friday again and i NEVER did have time to find this week's flowers. let alone get anything else done. annoying as i have to start painting tonight. i did put together my new media cart sunday night, though, so all my furniture is ready to go into the room as soon as the paint is dry (hopefully sunday afternoon or even saturday night for the walls).

Well, that's great opo. It'll look fantastic, I'm sure and give you a great feeling of accomplishment.

Here's a little non-diet thought to get your weekend started .....

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

It's just about time to start the weekend's task list --- make sure you have a good time doing it!!!

Anthea,

Here is a rod option ... http://curtainrods.com/cgi-bin/store/agora.cgi?cartlink=flexible-traverse-rod.htm&cart_id=
It would work with a curtain that hangs on curtain hooks so the fabric covers the rod when closed (I am adapting panels from Ikea to do this) or you could add a valance or cornice treatment.

hmm, my tasks for the weekend:

I read ahead in the book, just enjoying it. So I am also getting a bit of a head-start on another room, while I have the free time to do it:

I'm re-arranging the master bedroom tomorrow. Permanently removing 3 items of furniture, removing from the house the same day (to Mom, who wants them). Installing Christmas lights in closet so I can see my clothes. Continuing to de-clutter books; outbox overflowing & will get sorted.

I need to put up the natural light in the living room, and get more things put into the computer as well as doing a full backup of it.

Aieek, that sounds like a lot! But the only time-consuming things will be book-sorting & rearranging furniture, so hopefully won't be so bad in practice.

Alana, don't worry about not doing anything during the week. I don't have extra time during the week myself. And you need to rest your foot, too!

Glad to see the progress everyone is making! I'll check back in later, my coffee break is over.

Hey wende - thanks for that post! I didn't notice that it was all men who were supportive of the calorie restrictions in the article! Thanks for pointing it out...I think it's an important point. I agree completely that women's bodies are designed differently, and are differently impacted by calorie restrictions, as well as other restrictions in nutrients, including restrictions in the dreaded FATS!

I also Googled the GMAT...good luck! It sounds very scary to me...

P.S. - Alex...I wish I could embroider your whole post on a sampler. :D