13 Just Three Things - 09 | 27 | 17

I am stepping out of the office for a few days this week and it feels amazing. The kids went back to school a couple of weeks ago and have already brought home every form of sickness and cold. I couldn't flee from that nonsense fast enough, although, I am starting to feel a tickle in my throat as well.  And as much as I don't love being sick, I am already missing those runny-nosed snuggly boys like crazy.

Today I thought I would share a few quick updates from the iHeart block. I always tend to ramble and go beyond just three things in these types of posts, so I am vowing now to keep it short. Can I do it?

In last month's Redbook magazine, I shared my favorite tip for staying organized on the road with kids. Many of you already know that pouches are my organizing everything, so I wanted to be sure to hit Redbook's audience with the same scoop.

I always keep a few pouches pre-packed, some stay in the car, others come in and out depending on the day and reason for traveling. Regardless, they keep all of us prepared and sane. I use one for some school items so the kids can do their homework while traveling to and from school activities, another as a small emergency kit packed for those totally unexpected but let's-be-real-I have-three-active-boys-that-get-hurt moments, and another pouch loaded with gadget cords, notepads, and a few small activities.

These pouches are not only perfect for the task, they were also perfect for photographing for a magazine. However, I know the price is a little more than most would spend on a pouch, so I rounded up a variety of alternative yet similar options for you below.

I also use pouches for organizing my tote, my beach bag, bins in my office, small makeup and hair accessories, even a few items in the kitchen. Do you love zippered pouches as much as I do, and if so, how else do you use them to organize your days?

The cord tags shown above are these from the Container Store.

I recently worked on a small office update for a dear friend at our local school, and I fell in love with a product I hadn't tried up until now.

The office was originally a darker beige, so I started by giving her walls a fresher, lighter paint color (with permission of course). Working under fluorescent office lighting was a new challenge, but the Benjamin Moore Gray Wisp color complimented the rest of her space well and accomplished exactly what I was hoping for. When working on an office or desk space, it is always my goal to find a way to easily file and track down paperwork, while also keeping the actual desk and nearby surfaces as open as possible. Her primary desk holds her computer and phone only, and this side cabinet does the rest of the work for her.

For the wall, I utilized pieces from the Martha Stewart Wall Manager system, which is mounted on a rail. Once the rail was installed, a variety of mix and match pieces were added to customize my friend's storage and display accordingly. This is an organizers dream! I super love that the chalkboard and corkboard can easily slide out and flip to become a different surface type (the corkboard flips to a dry erase board and the chalkboard has another cork board on the back). A few other components I used were some trays that attached to the top rail to hold desk accessories such as pencils and pens, pushpins, glasses, notepads, etc... The lower rail holds wall pockets for notebooks/planners and important file folders. I even added a hook for her office keys.

For cohesion, I also added a couple of magazine files and a paper sorter from the Martha line as well. Next to pouches, magazine files rank high on my list of useful organizers. I used them here to hold catalogs and booklets that correlate to her daily duties.

And because no office space should feel sterile, I added a task lamp that can be turned on to add warmth and cancel out some of the harsher, cool fluorescent lighting above. And a faux yet realistic green fern helped to add a little life as well, yet requires no natural light or maintenance.

I still have a few more touches to give this space, but it has already been another project that I have had so much fun being a part of!

You may have already heard, but TJ Maxx now has a shoppable online store! I do so much of my shopping online these days (time, location, ease, etc...), so this was huge news for me. It is like having a mini HomeGoods right at your fingertips! Whenever I am looking for baskets and storage, HomeGoods has been a primary source for finding really beautiful options on a reasonable budget. So when I was sourcing some lidded seagrass baskets, I was thrilled to find them at a great price, and even more thrilled that it was a new-to-me source for online home purchases.

I fell down a rabbit hole of great home finds and rounded them up for you below. Quite a few remind me of higher priced pieces from a variety of well-known and more expensive brands. Can I get a high-five for stylish and budget-friendly home items?!

Ok, now do you see what I mean?! Did you already know this? Should we start a petition to get the full HomeGoods online now too?

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via

I know I promised to keep it at three, but just one more very quick thing! Have you seen the movie, Home Again? I could watch it over and over just for the house! It was so adorable and well done and such a great balance of colors and neutrals. I want to see more of it and can't seem to stop thinking about it! I found a few images online here and here. Enjoy!

Is there a movie you watch on repeat just because of a house or set? I do that all of the time, and would love to know what ones are on the top of your list too!

13 Just Three Things & Some Link Love: 06 | 15 | 17

It's that time of year again! The kids are home from school for the summer and we are trying to figure out schedules and daily activities and boundaries and sanity savers. We have already made a trip to the craft store to load up on supplies, picked up a couple books from the library and Amazon, enrolled the boys in a few summer classes and tuned up their bikes for hours of cruising the neighborhood. We had a rocky start just trying to get everyone adjusted to the freedoms of summer, but I think we are finally finding a good groove that we all enjoy (fingers crossed). I am always looking for ways to keep the boys busy doing fun things that don't include a lot of tech time; they are each working on summer journals and have picked up a few fun hobbies to try and learn and also just spend a lot of hours playing with friends and being typical boys. But I always enjoy (and appreciate) chatting with fellow friends and families to add some additional summer sanity savers to our list. Maybe I should dedicate a post just to that since I could totally keep this conversation going for multiple paragraphs...


O N E //

I have said it a thousand times, but sometimes the best organizing solutions are the simplest, most obvious ones.

I am completely ready and dreaming of a true full-size built-in closet system, but until then I am making the most of my personal armoire. This last winter I realized that I own and utilize more sweaters than summer/swim items, so it only made sense to create easier sweater storage in the main area of my armoire and move my seasonal swim items to the less accessed canvas boxes I made. And who are we kidding, I am always so cold that I wear sweaters year round. In fact, I just pulled one from my pile yesterday. #freezebaby

I have forever wanted to try these wire shelf dividers but was skeptical that they would be flimsy and that I could DIY something better. Why do I let myself believe that I need to try and make everything?! I don't! So I finally just bought a couple of dividers, popped them on my shelf and fell in love with this little area of my closet.

I am happy to report they are very sturdy! The dividers do not stick out too far to shut the cabinet doors (but if they would have I would have just shaved a 1/4" off of the back of the shelf), and they do exactly their job of keeping my piles stacked and separate. Now, if I pull out a sweater out the rest remain in place. They are so much easier to see and use on display this way, and considering I wear them so frequently, this makes my happy every day!

I still love my DIY sweater boxes, but they now hold swimsuits, coverups, and other seasonal accessories.

Moral of the story? You don't need to DIY everything. Don't avoid simple solutions. Easy changes make a big difference. Rethink your spaces from time to time. Nicely folded and stacked things are always going to make me smile. And I can't wait to use these in more closets.


T W O //

I have a thing for pretty hardware for a few reasons but basically, I appreciate that it can take anything and make it look shiny and new. Good hardware elevates cabinets and furniture and also can instantly change the entire look and feel of a piece or even a room. That said, good hardware can be expensive. I have been sourcing bar pulls for a few projects and the majority of my faves were running from about $20-$50 for anything over 8" long.

I wish that I could report that I found the most stunning hardware on the planet for under $5, but I did find these at Home Depot for a really great price considering their quality, scale, weight, and finish. They are really so good in person. I was so heart-eyed when I opened them, I decided to end my search, order a couple more for the other projects and share their prettiness with you.

UPDATE: They seem to sell out on HD's website quite often, so I also tracked down the same hardware on Amazon here.


T H R E E //

I continue to contribute to Redbook magazine each month, which is always such a rewarding and fun experience! It is really important for us to collaborate on projects and spaces that are accommodating to busy families, won't take a lot of time, effort or money, don't have to be perfect to be functional, and ideas that are completely no-nonsense/approachable! That last one is especially important!

A few of the spaces we have covered recently are the pantry, junk drawers (using my tried and true method as well as a new one), and this summer cabinet which is currently on newsstands.

We have two summer stations in our garage; a cabinet that holds all of our picnicking items and beach supplies and another for our outdoor toys. I also especially love this bin for transporting items to and from the beach and parks because it is lightweight, durable and holds quite a bit.

Having these two areas has been essential in getting out the door quickly and easily when traveling to the ball field, park or lake. I highly recommend taking a few minutes to setup an easy-to-access summer cabinet.

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L O V E  L I S T

July 11th and 12th I will be speaking at my third Bloom Workshop! I can't wait to go back because this workshop is done so beautifully and thoughtfully. There is something for everyone and it is especially amazing for those in the creative industry with small businesses. We focus on photography, styling, design, branding, social media, blogging, florals and growing a variety of additional creative skills. This time I will be heading to Chicago and I would absolutely love to meet you there! IHeart Organizing readers can receive 10% off their ticket with the code IHEART at checkout.

This mini blush and gold binder is calling my name! I love these for organizing receipts and notes in my handbag.

I do my best to stay away from Target but I have found a couple of good items lately! These gold sandals have been on my feet for a month straight and my son loves his new super-soft and super-cute Pillowfort sheets. The one thing I have somehow resisted, although I have gone back to it a few different times, is this super chic file box. I don't need another file box, but am trying to come up with another use for it!

I will be the first to admit that I have made quite a few mistakes while working on our home. With that, I have learned some things over the years; if you don't try you won't learn, nothing is permanent, and some of the best results come from taking risks. I also feel like making mistakes comes from rushing something or acting on creative impulse, and at times those mistakes can make us feel a little defeated, discouraged and deflated. Emily Henderson recently shared some mistakes she has made in her new home, and I found it to be really humbling to hear from someone with a lot of experience that this is OK and normal. In this Pinterest pretty blog world paired with the Instagram highlight reel that we look at daily, I think it is really important to share and talk about the good, bad and the ugly.

These gold wall pockets are stunning and I am considering a couple for stylishly stashing away small accessories.

I recently made these "no"jitos for a lunch gathering and they were delightful!

20 Weekend Projects Under $20! I spy one familiar project, but I have 19 more to add to my list!

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I should know by now that I am too chatty to limit these posts to just three things or just some links. I think we need to have more frequent chat sessions, would you be interested in that? I always think that I have nothing left to blog about, and then I sit down and start typing and you can't shut me up.

This week I have been working on a really great pantry project for a friend, I can't wait to finish it up and share soon!

10 Just Three Things & Some Link Love: 02 | 17 | 17

Happy Friday, Friends! What a week it was, but today was wonderful. Our weekend weather forecast is unusually great for this coming weekend, and that always puts a little extra spring in my step.

So what is new with you all? Last week I started work on a client project that I am ridiculously excited about. A full kitchen organizational overhaul has begun, and after a couple of days of solely sorting and purging, it is already feeling much lighter and easier to navigate (no fancy organizers necessary to get to those feelings). She mentioned that looking at it as a whole was overwhelming, but just having someone there to help her with her decisions and to work next to her was a huge aid in finally getting it done. And she is so right. There are times when I become overwhelmed with specific projects or messes and sometimes just having someone else to talk things through is just what I need to finally dive in. So moral of the story, if you are stuck, call a friend (and I know that isn't rocket science but it is a good reminder).

We also dove back into our own projects this week and finished our laundry room tiling and wallpaper, both turned out better than I could have imagined. So a huge hooray for organizational and home projects! I can't wait to share both soon!

In the meantime, a few other small things that recently caught my attention.

I typically steer clear of the dollar section at Target because I know it is basically just one big temptation island of cute and random things that I absolutely do not need. But, I did spot some fabulously fun file folders calling my name from an end cap, and at a price of three for a whopping dollar, it was too good to pass up. I use file folders for organizing everything in my daily life, so why not use ones with a little pizzazz?

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Last month I took a quick trip to Texas to visit my dear friend, Grace, and while I was there I had the opportunity to lend a hand during a nursery installation. It was such an amazing experience for me; I learned so much about the entire process and it was so exhilarating to see the darling space come together at the end of a long day. Grace is such a unique talent and working with her on any project is such a treat.

I was able to see a little magic happen while she was sourcing options for a changing pad tray. Generally, changing pads are placed inside of large wood trays that sit on a dresser or changing table. The trays not only give the space a cleaner look, they also hold the pad in place during changings. These trays can be heavy and expensive and even challenging to source, but as we were walking the aisles at The Container Store, bam, an idea was born.

This underbed basket ended up being just what the space needed, it was a perfect pairing and couldn't have worked out better to hold the pad on top of the new dresser. #geniusgrace To keep it from shifting, just cut a piece of rug pad and place it between the basket and dresser top. Or use picture hanging Command Strips.

And, now I have baby fever...

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Finally, I spotted the most beautiful home and a new designer to follow in this month's HGTV magazine.

You can check out Shannon's home and portfolio here, and follow her on Instagram here. I can't even handle the bathroom; those hex tiles have me all giddy and feeling really good about our recent kitchen tile purchase. And the wood tone paired with that rich wall color? Gah... I am almost speechless.

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I have had quite a few tabs open on my phone since the first of the year, and thought it would be fun to share some of the articles that caught my attention. All of these are quick and inspiring reads that I have gone back to multiple times over the past month.


10 Habits of Highly Organized People

The Ultimate Decluttering Guide: 130 Things to Get Rid of in the New Year

15 Organizing Tricks for Inside Your Most Clutter Prone Spots

The Ten House Rules You Need to Embrace Once and for All This Year

How to Get the Designer Look in Your Home on a Budget

Ten Ways to Practice Self Love

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And last but not least, I am calling on you readers! I am starting back up with the What Would Jen Do series and would love for you to submit your trouble areas (questions and photos) to me as a potential future WWJD problem/solution post. Submissions can be sent to wwjendo.iheartorganizing@gmail.com, and I will aim to select spaces that may be a common dilemma for a handful of my readers, as well at topics that can be accomplished on a moderate budget (think nooks, pantries, entryways/closets, playrooms, bathrooms, etc...). Also, please note that you must be willing to share your photos and story right here to be considered.

On the flip side, if you have a space or project that you tackled and are feeling organizationally excited and proud, I would LOVE to see them! I am bringing back the Reader Space features and I would love to help you spread your tips and excitement. I am on the hunt for projects that have made a positive impact on your life; big or small. They can be anything from an organized drawer, a DIY project or an entire room overhaul. Please submit your story and photos to iheartreaderspace@gmail.com. Photos should be high resolution and taken in natural daylight if possible (blog not necessary to participate). Please include a brief description of the project and how it has changed your life or routine for the better, and I will follow up for additional details prior to featuring. Oh! and no worries my friends, we will NEVER judge "before" pictures because that just wouldn't be nice! Only love goes on at this blog! I can't wait to hear from you and continue to celebrate all of those organizing successes!

Have a fabulous weekend everyone! And I hope your weather treats you well!

22 Just A Few Things: 12 | 07 | 16

I started the "Just Three Things" series earlier this year as a way for me to pop in with occasional topics and talking points that cross my mind, but don't necessarily require an entire post. I initially picked three talking points to keep my chatty self limited. Today I am tapping into my wild side and breaking my own rules.

I have quite a few things to share, so although I am covering more than three things, I promise to do my best to keep things short, sweet and to the point.

ONE

Last week Delta Faucets invited me to take a whirlwind trip to the beautiful St. Simons Island in Georgia, to take a tour of the brand new 2017 HGTV Dream Home! Every year for as long as I can remember, I would stalk the HGTV website for home images, set up my DVR to record the tour, and enter their home giveaway daily. So when the opportunity came up to tour the newest home during the day of the unveiling, I was beyond thrilled. I am still filtering through the hundreds of photos that I took that day, but I will be sure to share every last detail about the home soon. There were so many details to love.

TWO

I know I have been doing a lot of talk about shelf liner lately, but that is because it has been on my mind for a few projects and I have been on the hunt for the perfect pattern. I finally tracked down a really good navy blue one; it is so freakin' fun, especially if you are still on the gingham/buffalo check train (choo choo!). My eyes explode into a million little hearts every time I open the cabinet door in our laundry room, and I can't wait to add it to our son's bathroom as well.

THREE

The other night I found the Dude Be Nice project website, and I couldn't stop watching the videos. If you are looking for some goodness and joy, check them out. Just be sure to grab a box of Kleenex before you settle in.

FOUR

I prefer to purchase the jumbo size bottles of my shampoo and conditioner, but I am not a fan of their bulkiness and heaviness in our shower. I found these pump bottles on Amazon (they are plastic but look like glass), and I just love how the gold labels identify the contents. I use this label maker paired with this clear tape with gold font. The tape is almost always sold out on Amazon, but I just saw they added a couple more boxes. The best part is that it is waterproof. I have been using similar labels on my travel toiletries and our cleaning bottles for years.

FIVE

My dear friend Michaela started a cheerful holiday focussed Instagram party and it has been really fun following the #holidaystyle2016 hashtag. The insta-hosts are Michaela, myself, Cassie, Courtney, Carmel and Megan, and there is a new holiday focussed theme each week. I love seeing glimpses of all of your homes and how you are celebrating the holidays this season. It's not too late to join in on the fun! Check out the hashtag and share away!

SIX

I am ridiculously happy to be receiving so many inquiries on social media and via email regarding the 2017 IHeart Planner release! These pages have definitely been a labor of love, and this year there will be 18 layout options to select from (three sizes, horizontal layouts, Monday starts!). It is also my favorite one yet, and I really hope you all agree it is worth the wait. I am hoping to get the files uploaded to Etsy within the next couple of days, and I thank you all so much for your excitement and interest!

SEVEN

Contributing the Redbook Magazine each month has been one of my most exciting accomplishments and one of my favorite opportunities this year! You can find me each month near the front of the issues; I am their Team Red Home contributor and focus specifically on around-the-house organizational ideas. This month is my fourth article, and I am chatting all about family friendly command stations! The magazine is on newsstands now and is loaded with quick tips!

EIGHT

I know many of you love a good gold find as much as I do, so I just had to share these adorable stainless gold pet bowls that I picked up at Petco last week. I wasn't able to find a link to them online, so I am not sure if they are discontinuing them (please don't Petco!), but each bowl was under $5 and they have been really great and easy to clean. We plan to put them in our laundry room as part of a pet feeding station, but I didn't want to wait to share in case they are only a temporary find.

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Whew! That was fun! Hopefully I wasn't too long winded with all of these little bits of information! Thanks for checking in everyone and I hope that your December is off to an amazing start! I am off to finish up the planners and hang some wallpaper in our laundry room. It arrived yesterday and it is just so good!

4 Just Three Things - 10 | 31 | 16

Boo! I hope you had a spooky and happy Halloween! We were lucky here in the Midwest with some decent temps and no snow, which is always something to celebrate. And an abundance of sweets which should easily last until this time next year... #yikes

I have been setting some goals to try and finish up a few spaces in our home that were in the process of being updated due to our renovation (cough, kitchen-dining-living rooms), the office/den switch, and our two younger boys getting their own bedrooms. After taking a little home break last year, I had a clearer vision of how I saw our home working for us, and now we are trying to get there by plucking away at each space as time allows. Yes, we may be crazy for working on so many spaces at once, but I love that our home offers us the opportunity to change things as our family grows and changes with it. And I am also grateful that I have this place to share those projects. I want to thank you all for your kind and uplifting comments on our recent kitchen update, I really appreciate your encouragement and that you are all just as excited as we are to see the space come together.

That said, once in awhile it is nice to take a break from the bigger projects and just chat. That's why iHeart these Just Three Things posts. And I have been banking up talking points, so I think I am going to try and put them into regular rotation. Chatting is what made blogging so fabulous in the first place.

- ONE -

Last week I was working on a little organizing project in my office, and dug through our recycling bin again. I will be using a couple of decorative storage boxes in lieu of drawers, and was looking to create some dividers. Not wanting to run to the store with specific measurements only to spend too much money on something that wouldn't fit exactly the way I envisioned, I decided that I was better off sticking to my favorite drawer organizing method... Cereal boxes! I get ridiculously excited that I had instant access to what I needed, that they were basically free, and that I could get the organizing project done without leaving the house. I also love that with the help of a little gift wrap, the organizers also turned out as darling as can be.

It's just a reminder that sometimes the best organizing solutions are quite literally right under our noses. I am going to love opening this box each and every time I need a new book of checks or a craft brush, and love even more that the contents won't be a jumbled mess!

Have you been finding ways to reuse items around the house as helpful storage and organization lately?

- TWO - 

Gift wrap works great for the method above, but in kitchens and baths, shelf liner would be better suited for lasting durability and clean-ability. And after Megan's recent post paired with my need to line a few more cabinets and drawers in our laundry room, I decided to source some of my favorite shelf liners below.

These Macbeth Collection patterns are always changing, a great price and can often be found at discount stores such as HomeGoods, Marshalls and TJMaxx. I also think this copper metallic option would be great for all sorts of projects around the house, beyond lining drawers. And these lined fabric sheets are a great option if you are looking for something a little special for clothing and accessory drawers. Finally, lining drawers and shelves with black chalkboard contact paper is neater than neat because you can line and label all at once!

via

- THREE -

I have been wanting to pull all of my favorite organizing projects together in the form of a portfolio for quite some time. I recently decided to give the SmugMug platform a try, and it feels so wonderful to click through and see all of my favorite work grouped all together in one happy place. It is still a work in progress and I am planning on adding quite a few searchable keywords to each photo, but for now here are a few tips using the platform:


1 | All of the project images will appear as you continue to scroll through the Project Gallery page.

2 | If you hover over an image, you will see a caption appear.

3 | Clicking into the image will allow you to view it at full screen size (and arrow through the remainder of the gallery). It will also provide you with a clickable link to the specific project details on my blog.

4 | There is a "Search" button at the top of the gallery, which will allow you to search for a particular project. I will be continuously adding additional keywords and projects to the gallery, but if you can't find one in particular, feel free to shoot me an email.

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Thanks for getting cozy and chatting with me! I hope your week is off to one heck of a start!

22 Just Three Things - 09|09|16

Happy Friday! These short weeks really throw me off my game; I woke up thinking today was Thursday. And I am probably the last person on the planet to be the tiniest bit bummed that it is already the weekend again, but bam, I'm just not ready.

The boys started school this week and that has been a whole separate adjustment for all of us. I am sure I will begin appreciating the few hours of quiet time I will have during the day, but I am also missing those summer snuggles and playing at the park. And I can barely believe that the leaves are already changing here! I guess that means it is time to start prepping for winter hibernation. #seeyanextspring

In other news, we are knee deep in small projects all over our house. It was like my creative bubble finally burst and I became really excited to start making little updates in quite a few rooms, but I am also having trouble staying focused on any one space (and living in the chaos I am creating all around me). We recently had a few special order pieces arrive for our laundry room and the boy's den, so it will be good to finally move forward with those spaces, my office received a coat of paint (more on that in a moment), and our youngest is moving into the old guest room. So many good and fun things!

Now, just three things....

ONE

I have some news. HUGE, amazing, jaw-dropping, dance party inducing news. Earlier this year I was invited to join Redbook's Team Red! As in Redbook Magazine! I am so ridiculously honored to be gracing the pages of their magazine each month, sharing my organizational ideas, tips and hacks. They have been a dream team to work with, there is so much that goes in to every single page from the brainstorming to the photography. I really couldn't be more thrilled. You can find me in the front of each issue for the next year! September was my first article, and it is on newsstands now.

I don't want to make this into an speech similar to those given at the Grammy's or Oscars, although, that is how this feels to me. Like I just won an incredible award, my breath is taken away, and I am left with very little ability to find the right words. Just tears and huge amounts of gratitude. For all of you. For my family. And for the folks at Redbook for seeing something in me. Champagne (with a side of cheese) for everyone!


TWO

Can we talk about these fantastic Chippendale style chairs for a moment? I can't even handle how much love I have for this type of chair. And this love has been going strong for YEARS! And after I spotted a grouping of them at a local home furniture store, where I proceeded to participate in the sport of chair petting, I couldn't get them off of my brain.

The problem was that I was having a really hard time tracking down this type of chair at a reasonable price. The chairs above were over $200/chair. And after more searching, I found out that is actually a GREAT deal. Yikes.

But the look of these chairs stayed on my brain and heart and I continued to fall for the idea of adding them to my office. I mean, look at how gorgeous they are! Here are a few spaces that I find to be quite inspirational.

sources: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

They just add a level of detail and sophistication to a space, not to mention, they are classic. The Chippendale chair "trend" has been holding strong for awhile now, and I don't see it going away anytime soon. And even if it did, I would still be a fan.

Well, my consistent searching of Craigslist ultimately paid off. The moment I spotted a set of two matching chairs for a total of $100, I acted fast. Lighting fast. And finally I had my chairs.

And they are in amazing shape. I later looked up their specific details online and found the same chairs listed on another site for $800, so I felt like I really won the lottery. I also love that they are black and will be a really nice contrast to my very feminine aqua hutch.

But after using them for a few weeks, I have to know. How practical are these chairs for a desk? It breaks my heart to ask, but they really aren't the most comfortable chair I have sat in. The one positive is I am forced to get up and stretch more frequently, vs. letting hours and hours go by with little movement. But now I am looking to update them to be sure they are something that will work for me in this space and for the long haul. After quite a bit of online image digging, I found a few images of the chairs with some added seat padding and even back padding.

sources: 1 | 2

So now I am wondering if I have the skills to take on this upholstery project on my own, or if I should give my upholsterer a call. And although the original seat fabric wouldn't have been my first choice, I might decide to turn it into a throw pillow or two because it actually has a really fantastic texture. In any case, I refuse to give up on these beauties just yet, and promise to keep y'all updated on their outcome.

After I removed the birch tree stencil, I gave my office a coat of Sherwin William's Alabaster White to get it back to a blank slate, and I have really been liking the airy feeling. I never thought I would be one to love white walls, but they are sure to be the perfect backdrop to my colorful style. The white is one that changes with the daylight, which is always a little challenging to work with, but I will try and get the room photographed and share some updated photos of the nice and subtle change it made to the space.


THREE

I had the honor of meeting Sarah Dorsey a few years ago at a Better Homes and Garden's event, and again on a HGTV cruise last year. She is one of the sweetest gals I know, not to mention endlessly creative and talented. Every last project she churns out leaves me more in awe than the last, and that is saying something! This girl needs her own show!

Sarah recently revealed a bathroom makeover that is breathtakingly beautiful. Perfect tile choices, simple yet stunning finishes and DIY counters that look like a million bucks. Definitely my must see this week!

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My Craigslist furniture hunting hasn't ended, in fact, I just found a piece for Parker's new room that I am off to check out. Persistence really pays off sometimes! Do you have any good Craigslist stories to share?

Have a great weekend everyone!