Hellhole be gone!

I have a confession to make. I am a closet slob. That's right, I secretly cultivate messes in all the storage areas of our apartment. I can't help myself. I am a pack rat, and also a firm believer that if you can't see it, it's technically not a mess. However, my closet had just gotten too horrible. It was at the point where I had about three things hanging up and everything else had just been shoved in there. Okay, faithful readers (both of you), please don't judge me too much....here's what my closet looked like:
Yes, I know. Disgusting. It occurred to me that I had been going about things all wrong. Yes, I hate hanging and folding, but I LOVE organizational systems. Clearly, a trip to Target was in order. I bought a bunch of linen cubes and sweater boxes and such. Also, I bought the Rubbermaid "Configurations" closet organizer thing. The problem with my closet was that it only had one rod. There was no place for folded clothes, and my shoes were everywhere. So, I talked my beloved boyfriend into sawing out the rod and helping me to install the kit, and I was on my way to recovery. I folded everything I could, and only hung jackets and such. Here's the half-way point:












Now, some people would be done here. Some people are not crazy. I decided I needed a little more. I decided I needed some geometric cloth. And a shadowbox. And a frame-turned-tray. A a vase. With a fake flower. Thank God for Ikea (Did you hear that? That was the last bit of my soul turning black). I bought some "Petronella" fabric and a couple "Ribba" frames. And here's what I came up with:

Trying!

When I lived in Ireland, it was shocking how little trash (ahem, "rubbish") we produced. First, we recycled everything. We reused as much as we could, too. I was always impressed at how inventive people were about finding new uses for junk. Compost was a big deal.
Remember, this was a working farm, so we always had a place to put the compost. And then there was the pig bucket. When I first arrived at Ballytobin, I thought "pig bucket" was a metaphor of some sort. Nope. I fed the pigs every day. They'd eat anything! Except orange peels. I don't know why, but they hated them. Because of all this, we only took out the trash every couple of weeks. It was nice.

I've been trying to live a more ecologically responsible lifestyle. Bob and I recycle like crazy, so this is nothing new. We've started using reusable grocery bags. I love these. They have a nice flat bottom and are really tough. I've also bought reusable produce bags. And darn it, I don't have a yard or a farm, but I miss composting. So countertop composting it will be!

Now, this next one I feel a little guilty about, because I don't use it exactly for the right reasons. Yes, I'm talking Mrs. Meyers. Specifically, I'm talking their lavender stuff. I LOVE the way it smells. To make myself a little less superficial, I also use Shaklee's Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate. It doesn't smell like much, but it lasts forever and it works. Oh, and we avoid paper towels and napkins and use microfiber cloths and cloth napkins instead.

I also recently bought the least ugly door draft stopper I could find. These tend to be atrocious, but my front door definitely makes my house lose heat.

There are still things I need to work on. Most of our house stuff is plugged into power strips, but I always forget to turn them off during the day. I haven't switched to CFLs yet. Well, this isn't completely true. I bought a bunch, but the light was sickly and blue. So as quickly as they were put in, I took them out. There's a wider range of CFLs available now, though, so I need to go buy a bunch. I also know I should switch to a low-flow showerhead, but I LOVE my shower's water pressure. I find it very hard to rinse my hair in low-flow showers. Still, I might try this one. For twelve bucks, it's worth a try.

Finally, Martha Stewart Living did an article about reducing junk mail. It took a few minutes, but I opted out from as much as I could. Here are the links:

www.optoutprescreen.com (credit card offers)
www.dmachoice.org/MPS (mailing lists)
www.coxtarget.com/mailsuppression/s/DisplayMailSuppressionForm (those pesky Valpaks)
www.catalogchoice.org/ (this one killed, because I love catalogs, but I can browse online instead)

So, I'm trying. I'm not doing this to be trendy. I'm doing it because it's easy and right.

Somebody Slap Me

I did it. I bought the damn hourglass. It has a delicacy to it that I really dig. I also bought a candle holder and a glass with an Indian print, which I'm actually having some buyer's regret over. My lovely boif pointed out that the glass looked kind of like a fancy version of the things fast food joints give out for a buck and a hamburger (I wanted to throw it at him, but he was right). The candle holder is cool except it turns out that its intended shelf in my bathroom slants downward slightly, which is pretty unnoticeable but becomes very obvious once you look at the top of the taper. It's the whole "if a pilot is off by two degrees he'll end up a batrillion miles from the right place" thing. Argh. Also, if I'm being completely honest, the hourglass is a little crooked.

All this made me think of my love of home goods. Why? Why do I love matching things and putting stuff together and vases with China mums and little bird figurines and why, oh God why, hourglasses? Have you read Bee Season? It's not a book I loved, but the mother turns out to be a huge thief of knick knacks. She calls them "perfectomundo," and this was an aspect of the book I really, really got. I don't know that I'm necessarily trying to fill some void, but there's a charm in tiny, perfect, beautiful things. I know I shouldn't be some happy about or want so much these material objects, but is it so bad? Isn't it okay if it gives me some satisfaction?

And that is why I will eventually buy this stupid Victoria Hagen hurricane from Target.

Tord Boontje, Thomas Paul and I Will Have Great Times Together

Good news, Thomas Paul: Tord Boontje wants to be our best friend. No, don't worry if you can't say his last name. We'll call him Big T and he'll never know how clueless we are. Won't we have fun?

I'm rather the Johnny come lately when it comes to this guy---I first noticed him when he did his Christmas stuff for Target (cool plates and a nifty garland). I like how he combines bright, modern colors with whimsical nature prints. I also like his Transglass products--vases and glasses made out of recycled bottles. It's just that particular shade of green I love. Man, between Tord and Tom, I am going to have the BEST plate collection ever. They had better get started giving me stuff, though, 'cause the only plates in my family are those Norman Rockwell Christmas things. Great for Grandma, but me? Not so much.

More good news: I finally tracked down those damn white birds I've obsessed about since my boyfriend took me on a charming walk through downtown Claremont (yeah, don't think he's so great---I went to a football game first. (Okay, yeah, he's pretty cool)) and I went into a home store and I saw them and I decided I didn't want them. Anyway, I now remember why I didn't buy one. I just can't make myself pay 24 bucks for a bird. Argh. Anyway, they're at Global Table. Enjoy.

The Times They Are A'Changin'

I've never liked the barrel/drum side table/stool/ottoman thing. I tend to favor straight lines. Lately, though, I've begun to think they're the bee's knees. In their February issue (that of the infamous Zac Posen dress-induced despair), Domino showed where to find a "cheap" version. I will look tonight and post the picture and link of that. I especially like the Gervasoni take on the table; it's made of pressed newspaper. How cool is that?
I have a small space next to my adored $35 gold craigslist armchair that would be perfect for this table (without the black top though...). Pier1 has something similar--the "Handan Stool." I like it, but the color wouldn't work for me, and I'm not crazy about the trim or little dot things. Is there a technical term for little dot things? Crate and Barrel has the "Congo," but it's $379. Ouch. Do any of you have know other sources for similar pieces?

By the way, how do we feel about all this rattan/wicker/natural grass stuff? Pottery Barn's latest catalog featured tons of it--I liked the cover and the picture in my previous post, but wasn't nuts about the rest. And Pier1 has always had a lot, but they're just loaded with it now. By the way, the one chair I do really like, the Dayton, is on sale for $65. You still have to buy the cushion (for around $44), but I find the chair price rather reasonable.

And finally, you know what I find the most exciting thing in the whole world? I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE when I'm looking at a website and they have something that I found a near replica of at Target. It makes me feel like a winner. And perhaps I need to seek another source of validation, but the sense of satisfaction is no less real. Behold: Crate and Barrel's Kingston for $199. I bought almost the identical table at Target. Crate and Barrel: 0; Casey: 1.

Creepy Coincidence

Last week, my boyfriend and I went to his parents' for dinner (side note: I think they may actually like me), and after we said our hellos, I immediately noticed the new addition to their living room. It was The Chair. The Chair haunts my dreams. Apparently, The Chair exists in reality. It's Ethan Allen's Sussex. Funnily enough, I don't really like the chair as it's pictured on the website. Bathe it in yellow damask, however, and (as my friend Cristina says-- I would never actually say this-- except for right now...) I 1-800-LOVE-IT! The boif agreed; his parents had indeed bought the chair I talk about ad naseum. Poor guy, the word "damask" has been forced into his vocabulary. It's the risk you run when you love me, I guess. I wonder how long the damask trend will continue. I really like it, I must say. Not the fussy stuff, but bold graphic prints make me a little happier than a normal person should be made by upholstery.

I am very much in the mood for flowers today. When I lived in Ireland, our farm had flowers everywhere. We had so many different kinds of daffodils it made my head spin. We had huge (and I mean HUGE) red tulips with dark black centers. When they opened all the way, well, one was reminded of Georgia O'Keefe. Little crops of flowers popped up in completely random places (next to the muck pile, for example. By the way, avoid muck whenever possible). We also had a picking garden, which was just awesome. My teeny tiny room was always filled with jars of flowers (jars, because there ain't no such thing as vases on a farm). I meant to stop by my town's farmer's market yesterday, but it was raining and I had to get the stitches out of my mouth (wisdom tooth, ick). I think I will go to the neighborhod florist this afternoon and buy myself some tulips.

Also, and I am a little upset by this, I need to buy a basket. For some reason, I have never been a fan of baskets. Unfortunately, I am a fan of piles. My living room is pretty darn neat right now, except for a pile of magazines next to my couch. And let's be honest: that pile of magazines isn't going anywhere any time soon. Because darn it, I have to keep those home design magazines that I've already read twelve times. Because I am crazy. So World Market, here I come.

Ooh, this just in: I went to the World Market website to find a basket I didn't hate, and apparently, all their rugs are up to 50% off. Nice. They're got a couple I really like. Look in the "natural fibers" section. Also, holy crap. Apparently baskets are expensive. Target, here I come?