On Tuesdays I share a favorite image(s) from our Home as Art Flickr Group. I hope that you find them inspirational too!
All of today’s images come from Kay Loves Vintage. She has a lovely blog, which can be found here.
I recently got a chance to check out a great new book from Debbie Wiener. It’s called Slob Proof! Real-Life Home Decorating Solutions
The book offers design ideas as well as resources for material choices that are easy to keep clean. One material that is talked about often is called Crypton. We actually have a pet bed made from Crypton, and it is amazing stuff! If you are into science at all, you will especially love Crypton, not only is it “space age” material, but it really does do what it says it can do. I was really excited to see it incorporated into the Slob Proof! solutions, as I had no idea that it was also available for furniture.
One of our home rules is that our house must be livable. We don’t have “show rooms” in our home, each of our spaces is a space that we truly use and enjoy. Debbie uses this same approach and focuses on designing for the way your really live. I loved that aspect of the book because it resonated with me, and I feel like too often people design for someone else. In a no nonsense and funny tone, she gets right to the point… if you have kids, or a messy pet, white couches are not likely for you! She also offers great tips for designing on a budget and making the most of your money spent.
She even has some quirky tips, like using permanent markers for quick touch ups, or even white out ink! And the book even addresses window treatment options, lighting, use of color, and flooring. If you are interested in learning more, you can connect with Debbie via Twitter, Facebook, or read her Designing Solutions blog to get tips and advice. I really enjoyed the book, and have been planning and saving up to add some of the solutions to our home. You can find Slob Proof! Real-Life Home Decorating Solutions
Thank you to Debbie and Alpha for providing the book for review.
It’s almost spring time here in the Rockies, and it’s amazing the difference 24 hours can make. We went from springlike and sunny.
To snow covered, a total of 8 inches fell.
And right now the sun is out in full force, melting the snow, and the sky is a brilliant color of blue. I am already dreaming and planning for the garden. I can’t wait to get back outside.
Also, I still don’t have a backs plash in my kitchen. I do however have a working sink! I will be very happy when my husband is free from these major work projects, and we can finally finish our kitchen and show you the total transformation. Until then, at least my laundry room is clean!
If you remember, I decided to take a crack at the 28 Day Organization Challenge. I joined a bit late, but I was somehow able to accomplish it! Here are the very embarrassing before photos of our laundry room:
The room had become a HUGE catch-all space. Storage items always seemed to find there way into the space, as did some other things that didn’t belong. If it’s hard to tell what is in the before photos, here is a quick break down. First, a workout bike took up a bunch of space. This actually belongs in the room when it’s not in use in the adjacent family room. Second, items that actually belong in the kitchen that are hanging out until our kitchen is done. Third, a desk and table that never get used. And that big brown thing? It’s our broken foot board from our master bedroom.
Here are the afters:
I decided to go with the flow… this room seemed to want to be a storage space, so why fight it? I purchased two shelves, and put everything on them. Luckily I already had a few fabric cubes and two fun bags that could store loose items. The top shelves are now holding all the things that will return to the kitchen. The white wicker chest of drawers in the corner keeps linens inside.
The second shot shows the wall where the bike can now easily come in and out of the room. And now that there is a place to store extra laundry supplies, the chest of drawers near the washer has a much neater top.
The desk, table, and the foot board have been moved to the basement where the long term storage is. The foot board will be re-purposed when we rebuild our bed frame which is why we are holding on to it. My husband wanted to keep the other two items because he has a future use for them (or so he promises, lol). It’s amazing the difference this transformation makes! With more space and no clutter to contend with, I may actually find myself wanting to do laundry! 
Edit: I just saw a post that said we need to answer these questions for the Organization Challenge (there are prizes as stake)! So here we go, though this is mostly covered above, I want to make sure I don’t disqualify myself.
1. What was the hardest part of the challenge for you and were you able to overcome it? The hardest part was figuring out what to do with the space. It had been so many things, and kept getting cluttered. We have had many ideas for the space in the past as well, but I overcame the challenge by giving in. I decided to just go with the flow and let it be a storage space, since that is what ended up happening all the time anyway.
2. Tell us what kind of changes/habits you have put into place in order for your area/room to maintain its new order? Now that I have actual places to store items, being able to put things away and keep it in order is going to be easy. The main problem before was everything ended up on the floor, or piled on one table. Now everything has a place to be.
3. What did you do with the “stuff” you were able to purge out of your newly organized space? What could be donated went to a local charity. The bigger items were taken to our basement for long term storage, and future use. The bike, which was taking up most of the space, comes in and out of the room when not in use in the adjacent family room.
4. What creative storage solutions were you able to introduce in order to create additional space as well as establish some limits and boundaries? I purchased two storage shelves, and everything else were things we already had. I was lucky enough to have two fabric cubes, and two fun totes to use as storage. The cubes hold painting supplies and soap making molds. One tote holds gift bags, while the other holds more crafting items. The chest of drawers in the corner holds extra linens, while the one next to the laundry holds household items like hammers, as well as laundry related items.
5. Why do you think you should win this challenge? It was a big challenge, with a lot to do. Though I would love to win, I feel like I have won already just by getting this space done!
It feels like we are in a holding pattern with our house projects! The kitchen back splash has some issues that need to be readdressed before we proceed with out tiling. These kinds of things are inevitable, especially considering how quickly we tried to get everything done in preparation for the counter top arrival. Even more especially considering how I was flying solo on most of it due to my husband having surgery right in the middle of it all. Add in a huge project for work, and a couple of colds, and not much has been getting done around here.
But there is an upside to everything! We have all the supplies, including the tile, so as soon as we fix some bumps and unevenness we can get started right away. We have an awesome new faucet for our sink, the Lewiston from Delta. I was able to order two shelves for the laundry room project, which once they arrive, will be in full swing. And, we have at very least been able to move most of the stuff back into the kitchen, and we can even cook and eat at home again.
The adventures in DIY never end, do they?
