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Young House Love » Decorating » Organizing The House When It Gets Out Of Control

| By Sherry Petersik | February 14, 2014 | 340 Comments

Organizing The House When It Gets Out Of Control

That’s me these days. At least I like to think it is. Checking off those tedious and lingering to-do list items that I’ve been meaning to do forever, and taking names. So how about a Friday smorgasbord post? The funny thing is that just a few days ago we got a comment that said “hey I miss your Dude Get On That Already updates – will those ever come back?” Do you guys remember those? Where I’d finally get around to tackling something that had been sitting around waiting to get done (usually just painting or hanging something) and I’d share a little update – like this wall plaque, this box, this coat hook, and this high chair? Well, the funny thing about that comment is that as I read it I was thinking… I have actually gotten on a few things. What has come over me? Is this nesting? Has my body been snatched? So here are those details…

#1: Ding dong, the dining room table is cleared. You might remember this recent house-tour video which revealed that our dining room and guest room were looking chaotic and cluttered (it’s pretty much a promise that when we work on one room, another room nearby pays the price). Here’s a still shot from that video to refresh your memory:

Dining Before

Well, I finally got my act together and found better spots for stuff. It really helped to get a bunch of the craft stuff that had collected there into my newly organized craft closet upstairs. And I tucked the decorative items into the two bottom cabinets in the living room where I store other vases and cloches and stuff like that. It’s nice to see the wood of the table again. (I won’t tell you how dusty it was before I wiped it down for this shot.)

Dining Room Table

A few folks asked if I thought I’d use this table as a workspace if it were clear since I admitted to using the kitchen table until we get the office whipped into two-people-can-work-there shape. But I’ve found that even with the dining table cleared off I still prefer the kitchen table. I think it’s because I can see Clara playing in the living room more easily from there (the dining room is a lot more isolated due to its layout). But it’s nice to know I can run in there if I want a little more solitude. And that we can actually host people for some fancier-than-the-kitchen-table dinner if we’d like to throw a Downton Abbey-ish ball sometime.

The bad news is that the kitchen counter still pretty much looks like this (minus the crockpot full o’ stew), thanks to our in-progress pantry re-org (everything’s painted, so we’re just waiting for it to dry so we can load in some nice new systems). Sigh. It’s a vicious cycle.

Pantry Food On Counter

#2: I hemmed Clara’s comically long curtains. You can sort of see them in this picture below (I usually tried to just curl them under so it wasn’t as noticeable) – but they were about 6″ too long and although I liked the drapey affect, they were borderline sloppy with so much extra fabric going on at the end.

Curtains Long

So last weekend while Clara played with her dollhouse in the middle of the room and we listened to some tunes, I got to work hemming them with some Heat N Bond hem tape. It probably took me about a half an hour to cut them all and then hem them (I still left them drapey, so they skim the floor a little for that casual vibe) and it feels so GOOD to have that done. Seriously, I’ve asked myself if there’s something wrong with me that hemmed curtains make me feel so accomplished – but I think it’s just one of those things that I thought a million times in the last eight months (“I should really hem those curtains” would pop into my head each week as I put away Clara’s laundry), so it feels great to finally check that box.

Curtains

#3: The extra pieces of our sectional have been sent to greener pastures. Remember how our full Karlstad sectional didn’t fit in our cozier living room, so “honey, we shrunk the sofa“?

WDHunt Karl Change

Well, the random extra pieces that we we haven’t been using (the corner piece and the loveseat-sized end) have just been sitting in our attic under a drop cloth for the last eight months. I even mentioned that we thought about craigslisting them, but “we just figured selling the corner and loveseat to a sofa that’s incomplete without another end piece that someone would have to purchase might fetch us $20 tops” so I said we’d rather hold onto them and see if we had a use for them in the future. It was a completely surprise when someone emailed us months later, and offered to buy them for $250! We hadn’t so much as looked at them at all in the past eight months, so… sold!

WDHunt Karl In House

The funny thing is that it wasn’t a blog reader who wanted them. A woman was just googling around to locate these exact Karlstad pieces (they don’t sell them separately, so she thought she’d never find them) and came across our old post about storing those in the attic. She’s not from around here (lives in Florida, actually) but she had items in a storage unit in New Jersey that she was going to be driving down to Florida in her SUV, so on her way down she swung through Richmond and (miraculously) fit them all into the back. So now we’ve got an extra $250 in our pockets and Karl – er, well the unused portion of Karl – is living a sunnier life in St. Augustine!

WDHunt Karl In Car

 

#4: I donated/gave back/handed down/consigned a bunch of Clara’s old clothes. There were four large bins in this video that I explained were being sent in a bunch of directions (some items were being returned to sweet friends who loaned things to us, some were being donated, some were getting handed down to other prego friends and relatives, and I wanted to try consigning some things as well).

Baby Clothes

So after they sat there for months, I finally got around to donating and passing along everything I had set aside, and I trekked the leftovers to Once Upon A Child (a little secondhand baby store here in town) just to give it a try. Forty five minutes after dropping them off I returned to get a nice little check for $141!

Consigning Clothes

There were a few things they didn’t end up taking, so I swung by another donation box on the way home with the extras, and finally that Corner O’ Bins in the living room is no more. The funny thing is that I dragged those downstairs from the storage room at around 18 weeks pregnant (in anticipation of finding out if this was another girl or a boy, so I could sort through everything). Which means they sat in that corner for over 10 weeks just waiting to be dealt with. Better late than never, right?

#5: Clara’s birdcages are no longer birdless. That’s right, I put a bird on it. Make that six. I noticed that West Elm was having a huge ornament sale about a month ago and they had these gorgeous little colorful birds on clearance.

Ornaments

So for $20 I got six of them, and when they arrived I reenacted Snow White and put them all over my arms used their clips or their ornament loops to make them cozy in Clara’s birdcages. A few of you guys noticed them in this picture on Instagram/Facebook, and I promised an update, so there you go.

Birds Far

I even added a little wood dowel to the grey birdcage since it didn’t have one and I wanted to create a spot for one to perch and another one to hang. You can just barely make it out in this shot (the cut off bird on the right is sitting on it, and the flying bird under that one is hanging from it). That’s what I get for trying to be artsy with my photography.

Birds Detail2

Clara’s favorite is this one right here. She named him Prince Sam Bluebird, and we say goodnight to him every evening.

Birds Detail

And in other update news, our new washer came bright and early on Saturday morning (some of you guys have been asking about it, which is beyond sweet) and it’s a HUGE relief that it’s finally here. I now sing and occasionally pirouette while doing laundry. I’m sure that won’t last for more than a week, but it truly is one of those “you don’t know how good you have it until an appliance conks out on you and you live without it for a while and then the new one comes and it’s broken so you have to wait another week and a half” things.

Laundry After

So those are a few of those “I actually got on them!” updates, along with a little Washer Status Report. I still have a bunch more should-have-done-that-yesterday things bouncing around in my brain, so maybe I should set a future check-in date with you guys to force myself to attend to them. Wanna get stuff done with me? And then we can all reconvene and attempt to hold ourselves accountable to the internet at large? What’s your “gotta get on that” list looking like these days?

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Filed Under: Cleaning, Organizing, & Eco, Decorating, Our Third House

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Comments

  1. Maggie says

    February 14, 2014 at 12:55 pm

    Oh my gosh, Sherry, if you could SEE my to-do list right now… A large portion of the tasks though are related to one BIG get-on-that… changing my name! We got married in October, and I SWORE I was going to get to it right away, and yet here we are… Scheduling a trip to the SS office next week!

    In more easily tackled projects, the big photo hanging over our dresser is about 2 inches lower than I think it should be. And has been for about 4 months. Oy vey. Time to get on that too!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:45 pm

      Good luck Maggie!

      xo
      s

    • Maggie says

      February 16, 2014 at 9:39 pm

      Thanks Sherry! You too!

  2. Amy says

    February 14, 2014 at 1:08 pm

    I’m currently in the process of organizing my pantry and I need some inspiration to finish this job once and for all so I cannot wait to see what you guys throw down with your pantry next week!

    Reply
  3. Jenny C. says

    February 14, 2014 at 1:13 pm

    One thing hanging out of my “Dude Get On That Already” list for a quite a while and I finally got around to them last week. Finally making an appointment with a tailor. My husband and I both had several clothing items (mostly coats) that we loved but needed to have taken in. So after over a year of hanging in the back of closet screaming at me to either get them fixed up or thrown out, they’re finally getting altered.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:51 pm

      Ooh that sounds awesome Jenny! Hope they fit like a glove.

      xo
      s

  4. Steph Reiner says

    February 14, 2014 at 1:14 pm

    I’m seriously itching to do some nesting! We move in a week and being 22 weeks preggo with girl #2, all I can do is plan their shared room but I’m dying to get started! The house we’re moving into doesn’t even have flooring yet… we’re hoping to get that done before we move in but then painting needs to happen and then I can FINALLY start getting some stuff done! It makes me want to get going when I see you get so much done but I suppose I’ll have to just channel that energy into more packing. Which I despise. *scowly face

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:52 pm

      Go Steph, go! Sending you lots of get-er-done vibes!

      xo
      s

  5. Tara says

    February 14, 2014 at 1:21 pm

    Do you have a reason for the position of your TV on it’s stand? I noticed that in both photos, the TV is all the way back. I’ve never thought about putting it anywhere but the middle…until now!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:42 pm

      We anchor ours to the wall for kid safety (never want it tipping over and hurting someone) so it’s most secure when it’s all the way back (the anchor and cord don’t have to be super long/loose that way).

      xo
      s

  6. Liz says

    February 14, 2014 at 1:25 pm

    I’m sure you’re so happy to have the dining room table cleared off, but the mess definitely helped distract from the chandelier! Wow, that thing is ornate! Although it might tie in just perfectly with your future Downton-style dinners…

    Any chance we get to find out about the secret project soon?? :)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:52 pm

      We (allegedly) get to reveal the secret project in mid March, so less than a month! Wahoo! We can’t wait to let this kitty out of the bag…

      xo
      s

  7. Annie T says

    February 14, 2014 at 1:32 pm

    I am inspired!
    But too lazy to do anything today except make lists…

    two thoughts:
    One – I love the leather chair with little Karl. It makes the room feel more conversational and less epic theater.
    Two – the birds are beautiful! Maybe you should put one on the outside of one of the cages. So pretty!

    xxx
    Annie

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:53 pm

      Someone else mentioned that about the bird too! I think Clara would get such a kick out of one of them “escaping!”

      xo
      s

  8. Julia says

    February 14, 2014 at 1:35 pm

    We lived without a dishwasher for 6 months while we planned an unexpected renovation and said reno got completed. Never. Again!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:53 pm

      Oh man, I bet it was awesome to get one eventually! Our first kitchen didn’t have one, but we added it when we renovated. Best thing ever!

      xo
      s

  9. Ashley@AttemptsAtDomestication says

    February 14, 2014 at 1:36 pm

    This reminds me that I’ve got two sets of curtains that need to be hemmed. It’s been driving me crazy so I should probably get on that. I know that I’ll be so relieved and happy when it’s done!

    Reply
  10. Beth says

    February 14, 2014 at 1:38 pm

    Are there any baby update posts coming??? I am an expectant/first time/gramma & I worry as much about Sherry as my own daughter!!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:56 pm

      Aw thanks Beth! Congrats on your first grandbaby! That’s so exciting. I have been sharing random updates on our family blog (Young House Life) as well as tiny ones on Instagram/Facebook, but of course when the baby comes there will be posts about that over here too. So far everything is going well – I still have morning sickness, but The Bun is healthy and sweet, so I can’t complain :)

      xo
      s

  11. Stefanie says

    February 14, 2014 at 1:39 pm

    I love, love, love the birdcages and birds! What a fun, creative touch! The rooms you’ve done for Clara and the Bun are downright magical. Beautiful job, as always. Started reading your blog last summer, and you inspired me to make my own as my hubby and I bought our first house, dwellingonadime.com. Thanks for the ideas and keep up the great work!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:54 pm

      Aw thanks Stephanie! And happy blogging!

      xo
      s

  12. Danielle Purtle says

    February 14, 2014 at 1:40 pm

    I had friends in college that had just a corner piece of a sectional sitting beside their (uncoordinated) couch! It actually looked cool as a “chair” –especially because they had a bohemian look going on.

    I have a “small stuff” to-do list a mile long! Help me! Come down here and do it for me –and then you can blog about it!? It will be 67 here in Nashville next weekend; so come on down! :)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:54 pm

      Haha, we’ll be right down!

      xo
      s

  13. Chloe says

    February 14, 2014 at 1:41 pm

    Yay for getting stuff done!! That is THE BEST feeling!

    Can I make a request for a topic for a future post? How do you two reconcile different personal tastes and different feelings about what’s important/necessary/splurge-worthy? I bet many people, myself included, share a home with someone with different tastes or with different opinions about if a certain item is/is not worth spending money on. And insight from you and your readers would be super interesting!

    Thanks for the blog :)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:57 pm

      Love that idea! Thanks for the request Chloe!

      xo
      s

  14. Stacy says

    February 14, 2014 at 2:10 pm

    I love that you “got on that” and got so much done already since you’ve moved in. I realized the other day that we’ve lived in our home since August and I only have about 8 unpacked boxes where in my old house I had about 30. Not bad. I got rid of a ton of stuff before removed and now I’m wondering if I can just get rid of these boxes without unpacking them… dilemmas. Awesome with the consignment stuff – I have never had good luck doing that. I just give baby clothes to my friends as long as they are in good condition. Still not sure if we are having a 3rd child so I’ve kept my daughters clothing stored upstairs in plastic bins. If we decide not to I will get rid of all of it.

    Reply
  15. Colleen says

    February 14, 2014 at 2:25 pm

    I bought West Elm curtains for our dining room that I knew would be a bit too long, but I opted for that length versus a shorter one that I knew would be a bit too short and then that would bug me. So how long should I let them hang in order to get that sweet drapey, but not messy, look you have in Clara’s room now?

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:59 pm

      I left about an extra 1-2″ of length (as opposed to 5+” of craziness that was going on before). Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

  16. Tania says

    February 14, 2014 at 2:29 pm

    Sherry, kudos for getting some tasks off your list! I work at our kitchen table too, and I’m looking for a good way to clear my work stuff when it comes time for meals (without having to put it all away). Do you have a nifty solution? I’m thinking about using a big basket for my laptop, notebooks and writing implements to stash under the table.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:58 pm

      I just try to keep things confined to my datebook, a notebook, and my laptop, so it’s easy to push it into the fourth seat (which is still un-unsed) or just remove it from the table during mealtime). Keep a tight ship = my advice :)

      xo
      s

  17. Dawn says

    February 14, 2014 at 2:36 pm

    LOL…looks like someone is starting to nest…:-) Everythinglooks great! So happy to hear about your new little bean. And excited you’re having a boy. I’d say boys are easier but Clara seemed to be a piece of pie…so sure this baby will be too.

    Reply
  18. Emily says

    February 14, 2014 at 3:08 pm

    THE BIRDS! They’re so cute!

    Reply
  19. Miranda says

    February 14, 2014 at 3:21 pm

    I read daily!
    Comment seldom/never, but I loved this random post. Possibly because to me getting little things like this finished sometimes makes me feel even more accomplished than one big project.

    And now I am thinking of Ross and Monica: curtains=check birds in cages=check

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:47 pm

      Haha!

      xo
      s

  20. Kati says

    February 14, 2014 at 3:30 pm

    INSTANT GRATIFICATION! I was the one (of potentially many) who asked about the Dude Get On That Already posts…… I know you read each and every comment but it still feels good to have my home DIY idol actually read and respond to all of our comments. It’s just one of many reasons you guys are my favorite bloggers. Evs.

    My Dude Get On That Already item was…. TO ASK MY LANDLORD TO PAINT ALL OF OUR BROWN TRIM WHITE.

    Now full disclaimer: this terrified me. What if he says no? What if he kicks me out? What if he laughs at me?

    But the thought of keeping the trim brown terrified me even more.

    My thought is that ideally, he’d pay for the paint and labor (but that will never happen says me) so then I thought, well he can pay for the paint and I’LL paint the trim – I’m the one who wants it done, after all! and then the third option is I pay and I paint, but at least it’s landlord approved and won’t hurt my security deposit. Womp, womp. I just don’t want to sink any money into this apartment for updates that are not 99% portable – trim updates certainly do not count, but as you know…. MAN do they make a difference.

    So hopefully, my next Dude … Already update will be to inform the Youngsters at YHL that the trim has been painted. And we can all pirouette.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:40 pm

      Wahoo! I’m rooting for you Kati! Hope he says yes and loves you for it!

      xo
      s

  21. Chelsea says

    February 14, 2014 at 3:53 pm

    My get on that already is cleaning out the storage room, I mean office! Hah it’s basically the place that everything goes that doesn’t have anywhere else to go because its just not really used as often as everywhere else. Also where we store the vacuum and steam mop. I need to get on making it a room we use! We only have about 1000sf to work with, so an 8×10 room really is a must for function!

    Reply
    • Chelsea says

      February 14, 2014 at 3:54 pm

      Sorry, I accidentally sent that before I was done! Your dinning room looks great! I’d be all for throwing a dinner party in there! Blue trim and all :-) and I love the birdies too!

    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 4:00 pm

      Aw thanks Chelsea!

      xo
      s

  22. Shay says

    February 14, 2014 at 4:02 pm

    How long do you leave your curtains to have them pool a little? I’ve needed to hem my entryway curtains for almost a year but have been putting it off because I made our old ones too short and I don’t want to make the same mistake twice!

    I think mine are also about six inches too long and the collect so much dust. My toddler does love to play in them though.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 4:05 pm

      Ours were around 6″ too long too, but I went with 1-2″ of extra length, just so they were a little drapey but didn’t fold completely over or anything. Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

  23. Jessica A. says

    February 14, 2014 at 4:10 pm

    I’ve been getting on it with some house projects:

    We bought new lamps for the living room and ordered new curtains (on clearance from target.com) but all the snow and ice here in NC has kept them from being delivered. I also prepared for the snow days by frantically running to Home Depot when the first flakes started falling to get a gallon of paint. So I used my time snowed in this week to paint my laundry room! Now if only I would get on a few other things like putting that stack of clean laundry away…

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 4:13 pm

      Congrats Jessica! I love that a few rooms got attended to!

      xo
      s

  24. Erin says

    February 14, 2014 at 4:31 pm

    Getting the little things done can feel oh so satisfying! I love your blog and look forward to your 10am publish every morning! I’m sorry if it is already in the archives, but have you posted about hemming curtains with the heat & bond? I attempted and ended up with uneven hems and couldn’t get the perfect puddle effect you’ve mastered. Thanks Sher-dog!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 6:13 pm

      Hmm, here’s a post about how I made curtains that had that puddling effect (I just add 1-2″ inches of length so they softly drape but aren’t too long/sloppy).

      xo
      s

  25. Heather Wingate says

    February 14, 2014 at 4:52 pm

    Sherry, are you still dealing with the horrible morning….all day…..sickness? I’m about eleven weeks along, and have had the extreme morning sickness, so my heart goes out to you. There’s times after hours of puking, that I’ll talk to someone and ask them if they had much nausea/puking when they were pregnant, and they usually will respond with “I remember there was this one time I puked a little”, and then I want to respond with punching them in the throat. LOL! No…I’m glad that not a lot of people have had to go through this. Just so frustrating, and hard to focus on anything else, when your stomach feels like you just ate 29 burritos, chugged a gallon of milk, and then went on a circus ride. haha!! Hope you are starting to feel a little better!!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 6:12 pm

      Aw Heather, I hope you feel better soon! I only had it until 17 or 18 weeks with Clara and it magically disappeared, so I hope yours isn’t the whole time. This go-round my doc just thinks it’s a whole-time thing since I’m nine weeks from delivery and still at it. We have a theory it’s a gag-reflex-related (sorry if that’s TMI) since it doesn’t seem to matter what’s in my stomach, if I take certain vitamins, if I eliminate certain foods, etc. But the good news is it’s all worth it when I feel that cutie wiggling around in there ;)

      xo
      s

  26. Carolyn says

    February 14, 2014 at 5:27 pm

    I love this post and it came at the perfect time because just today, while my toddler napped I got my rear end in gear and finally hung some artwork in our family room. It had been sitting in my craft room for months as I procrastinated the project in fear of nails in my fresh walls that I would later regret. But all in all it looks great and cozy-I even referenced one of your videos for inspiration!
    Happy valentines day!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 6:14 pm

      Happy V-day Carolyn! And congrats on getting that done!

      xo
      s

  27. Martha says

    February 14, 2014 at 5:51 pm

    So, you want to share some of that Martin’s Whole Wheat Potato Bread?? I used to live in Pennsylvania and now that I am in the Midwest the Martin’s is nowhere to be found!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 6:13 pm

      Mmmm, Clara loves that bread more than anything!

      xo
      s

  28. Kathy S says

    February 14, 2014 at 6:04 pm

    You’re not the only one who loves washing machines. Check out the TED talk on that very item being the best invention of the industrial revolution:

    http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_and_the_magic_washing_machine.html

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 6:14 pm

      So funny!

      xo
      s

  29. Amanda says

    February 14, 2014 at 6:20 pm

    Did you go to the Once Upon a Child on Midlothian? I’ve heard from several moms in my SAHM group that people have cried when they got their totals back, that they give a lot less value than you can get from consignment. You must have taken a lot of stuff there to get that much money!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 14, 2014 at 6:24 pm

      Yes, the one on Midlothian! I brought a giant bin of stuff in (lots of things in all sizes, from newborn to 3+ years old). I washed everything nicely, folded it, left it in my big plastic bin instead of a junky looking garbage bag, and pulled a lot of the more worn stuff out before I got there (for donating). I think it definitely helps to go the extra mile with “presentation” whenever you can, so maybe that helped? They also seem to love Old Navy and Gap clothing (so much of Clara’s clothes were from the clearance racks in those two stores) although they didn’t seem interested in much from Target/Circo so they gave a lot of that stuff back. Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

  30. Bailey says

    February 14, 2014 at 7:00 pm

    You should think about spray painting you chandelier a fun color!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 9:15 am

      I thought that too! It would be cute in red in Clara’s room someday!

      xo
      s

  31. Rucha says

    February 14, 2014 at 7:17 pm

    My “get on that” list definitely includes building myself a clothes rack. Whoever built our apartment was about 8 feet tall, because 5’2 me needs a step stool to reach my hangers AND the hubby is complaining that my clothes have taken over the closet!

    Amazing Karl story by the way, we have the same couch (without the chaise) and I’m so glad it fits in our new living room after we moved!

    Reply
  32. Maja says

    February 14, 2014 at 8:24 pm

    “Ding dong! Router…. Netflix… whaaa???” Am I the only one thinking of Doorbells and More after reading item #1? :)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 9:17 am

      Haha! You’re the second, and I love you for it!

      xo
      s

  33. Julie says

    February 14, 2014 at 8:24 pm

    Love the birds in the birdcages. All of the beauty, none of the noise and mess that real birds make. haha

    Are you planning to take the money you got from Once Upon A Child and spend it on new clothes/items for the Barnacle or saving it for something else? I remember my mom taking stuff to consignment shops and she’d just end up spending whatever she got back at the same store.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 9:18 am

      Yes, it’ll definitely be going towards baby items, although I have a good amount of gender neutral clothes that I kept along with some fun clearance items I’ve already grabbed, so for example, it might go towards a new video monitor (now that we have two floors we think that could be helpful).

      xo
      s

    • rachel says

      February 15, 2014 at 7:10 pm

      Did you know there are apps that can turn two iPhones (or iPad or iPod Touch) into a video monitor system? We used an app called Baby Monitor 3G, and it worked great. And it was only a few bucks!

      But I’m curious about something. After Clara was born, you wrote about ways you saved money on baby gear, and said that you purchased and then returned a video monitor because you decided that an audio monitor was enough. I’m curious why you’ve changed your mind for this next baby.

      Here’s the link for reference: https://www.younghouselove.com/2010/09/save-it-the-baby-edition/

    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 10:34 pm

      Now that we have a two story house and two kids who could be sleeping simultaneously, we figure if we’re downstairs watching TV after they’re in bed for the night, we’ll appreciate a video monitor. Using only a sound monitor might mean that we could hear Clara crying in her sleep through the monitor and think it’s the boy, so a video monitor would clear that up quickly for us :)

      And I love the app/video monitor tip. Thanks Rachel!

      xo
      s

  34. Cheryl says

    February 14, 2014 at 8:43 pm

    My project list for tomorrow is to organize our photo boxes and souvenir boxes in an attempt to organize the home office. If I would just learn to put these things away when we get them, it would make my life much easier. I also hope to finish tax preparation. If those two things are completed, it will be a good day. :)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 9:19 am

      Good luck Cheryl!

      xo
      s

  35. Suzy B says

    February 14, 2014 at 8:57 pm

    Your post reminded me of Ikea curtains in my teen daughter’s room that need to be hemmed….might try the hem tape.
    Love the birdies….pier 1 always has some neat birds too.
    My sister does a Christmas tree with all bird ornaments…so pretty! You guys have done so much to this house. So excited for your new arrival. Love all the suggestions for baby stuff for both floors….all good ideas!!!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 9:20 am

      Thanks so much Suzy! Your sister’s tree sounds amazing!

      xo
      s

  36. Heather Dunham says

    February 14, 2014 at 9:11 pm

    Sherri, You have inspired me to use my weekend to finish hemming the curtains in our living room! I hemmed 3 of the 6 panels, but the other three sort of hide behind our sectional, so I haven’t bothered with them yet. Now, if only I could get a new washer and dryer like you, I would be twirling around and singing! Ours are so old, but somewhat functional so we have held off on buying new ones. Maybe I will start e-shopping tonight!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 9:21 am

      There are some pretty good sales this weekend! Good luck Heather!

      xo
      s

  37. Carly says

    February 14, 2014 at 11:05 pm

    I have been slowly hanging pictures and doing little projects since moving in october. When I finish something (like my growth chart this past weekend) I actually have thought “dude, I’m glad I got on that.” haha

    Reply
  38. Marie says

    February 15, 2014 at 12:43 am

    you probably had at least 100 ppl tell you already but i’m on the slow boat today…Clara’s Xmas pressie is on apt therapy :)
    http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/organization-inspiration-toys-199416

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 9:15 am

      No way! Thanks for the tip!

      xo
      s

  39. KarenH. says

    February 15, 2014 at 3:52 am

    Oh, yay!!! There’s NOTHING worse than being without a working washer in the house. BTDT, got the dirty t-shirt :)

    This weekend is my weekend for ‘getting on it’, too. I have the last sets of blocks to a large queen sized quilt to finish before next month’s quilt class that tells us how to put them all together. This is what I have done so far,and you can easily see it’s not quite queen sized yet!

    http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c290/jzygail/bigquilt_zps47cc6082.jpg

    I also need to add batting and a backing to the baby quilt I’m making for my next grandson who is due at just about any time now (we were just grateful he decided to hold off during Thursday’s storm). New DGS is getting a farm themed quilt.

    http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c290/jzygail/littlequilt_zps21bfed9b.jpg

    And that really ought to be enough things to get on for one weekend :)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 9:21 am

      Wahoo! Go Karen, go!

      xo
      s

  40. Lynda says

    February 15, 2014 at 7:49 am

    LOVE those birds.

    Reply
  41. Gotch from PlushRugs.com says

    February 15, 2014 at 10:29 am

    These birds are looking adorable, good to know that Clara got a new friend “Prince Sam”.

    Reply
  42. Krissy says

    February 15, 2014 at 11:20 am

    In the spirit of “Dude, get on that”…except for the exact opposite – I’m missing the “you might also like” features at the bottom of your posts lately. Is it just me? As much as I have plenty of “dude, get on that” projects lying around the house I also love me some YHL procrastination/inspiration/heading-down-the-rabbit-hole reads from those “you might also like” features. Any fixes?

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 5:30 pm

      Thanks Krissy! If you click into posts they’re still there I think. We were crashing a while back and had to take that widget off the main page to help with the load time, but thanks for the reminder – we can probably bring them back safely again!

      xo
      s

  43. Liesbeth says

    February 15, 2014 at 12:12 pm

    I totally know how you feel like dancing because of your new washer!!

    Our washer broke just before Christmas (and in my country all the stores are closed for 2 days on Christmas plus we had a huge pile of laundry to do).
    I’ve given my new washer the name Brutus (Brute), because he snores like a gentle giant and he works hard for me. First object I’ve ever given a name and hugged LOL. My fiancee thinks I’m crazy but I don’t understand why? ;-)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 5:31 pm

      Haha, I love it! Dance on, Liesbeth!

      xo
      s

  44. Andrea says

    February 15, 2014 at 12:52 pm

    I really lve these posts, guys! They make me wanna get up and actually work on my list :D
    This month it contains:
    Finishing my tax report
    Coding a new website for my brother-in-law’s company
    Get ready for uni
    Get the pup vaccinated
    Plan my parents’ big move
    Sheesh
    Also, I happened to be on the receiving nd of rehoming A Karl :D I kept my eyes open and found the three seater for 70€ and a recamiere (in sivik grey) for 100€. All in all I paid about 250€ instead of 500€+ yay

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 5:31 pm

      That’s awesome!

      xo
      s

  45. Devin says

    February 15, 2014 at 5:24 pm

    Where did your get the curtains in Clara’s room?

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 5:29 pm

      They’re from Ikea a few years ago.

      xo
      s

  46. Erin says

    February 15, 2014 at 5:31 pm

    I was just on this site and they had a “stay at home dad” meme that used a picture of John, thought I’d show you.

    http://redtricom.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/stay-at-home-dad.jpg?w=620&h=427

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 5:33 pm

      Isn’t that funny?! Makes us laugh every time!

      xo
      s

  47. Mary Ann says

    February 15, 2014 at 6:55 pm

    Sherry- I hope all is well with you. I’ve noticed that all we’ve seen of you for a long time is an arm with a tool. Come out of hiding – miss you.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 7:07 pm

      Aw thanks Mary Ann! I’m dealing with all-day morning sickness again, but I do pop up occasionally on Instagram and Facebook. Mainly I’m just a mess these days (stretched out shirt and crazy hair) while doing projects, so I just shoot my hand and call it good ;)

      xo
      s

  48. Kristy says

    February 15, 2014 at 7:33 pm

    Clara’s room is adorable (we have those same curtains in our living room and it also took me forever to hem them, like over a year!). I must have missed this somewhere but what happened to that awesome pink carpet that was in Clara’s room and the drapes in the fabric that she had chosen? Just wondering.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 10:38 pm

      Aw thanks Kristy! Here’s that post for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2013/09/claras-room-is-looking-up/

      xo
      s

  49. Jennifer says

    February 15, 2014 at 8:40 pm

    What kind of washer did you get? We’re in the market for a new one!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 10:41 pm

      Here’s that post for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2014/01/and-then-our-house-rebelled/

      xo
      s

  50. Sara says

    February 15, 2014 at 9:43 pm

    Yesterday Joann’s had baskets 50% off! You guys inspired me to buy three to organize my bathroom closet. Hopefully it will be door-less by Christmas. HA! I have work to do and a husband to convince! Thanks for the inspiration! :)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 15, 2014 at 10:37 pm

      Wahoo! Good luck Sara!

      xo
      s

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John and Sherry Sitting On Woven ChairHey, we’re John & Sherry. We’ve fixed up 7 homes, written books, designed products, started a podcast, and then downsized & moved to the beach! Here you’ll find over 3,000 DIY projects & home updates. More about us…
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