Sunday, May 13, 2012

Controlling The Clutter

Last week I wrote a post about moving a new table into the living room.

I ended the Domino Effect post by saying I needed to find a home for my little red table.


I put it next to the sofa in my work room.

For now, it is okay, but one of the first things I will do when school is out is paint it a different color.

I'm not sure what color I will go with, but I will be using this book for inspiration.


I won this book in a give away from Kim at Savvy Southern Style.

After I found a spot for the table, it was time to 'control the clutter' in this cabinet.

In an old post, Treasured Family Pieces, I talked about how we came to own this lovely cabinet.


The cabinet looks neat and tidy until I open the doors.


I 've been lazy and just threw items in the cabinet rather than taking them to the attic.


First, I removed everything from the cabinet


and put it in the dining room.


Steve's Surfer's Journals ended up on the bedroom shelves organized by year and volume.

My ADD took control so, instead of finishing the cabinet, I decided to change the mantel.


One of my Pinterest boards is called  I've Got Your Number and I have pinned lots of numbered items.

I gathered up different things with numbers and put them on the mantel.


First came some wooden dice followed by


some favorite books with this numbered bottle as a bookend.


The number 4 napkin ring was in a vignette in the entry.


I was multitasking and doing laundry during this process and came across the glass jar sitting on the counter in the garage.

I threw numbered balls into the jar to add color to the other end of the mantel.


I'm happy with the way it turned out and it is much easier than the spring mantel that it replaced.


Finally, I had no excuse and had to go back and finish the cabinet.


I literally made 10 trips up and down the attic stairs to get all the extra books and odds and ends to the attic.


I put my favorite New York vacation journal on one shelf and


a bunch of my other journals on another shelf.

The letter blocks are part of a complete alphabet set Steve bought me several years ago from the Sundance Catalog.

This is one of those jobs that needed to be done, but no one will really see it.

The doors stay closed, 


but I know that it's done.

The last part of this project will be to decide whether to keep the cabinet as it is or paint it.

Decisions...decisions!

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I am linked up at

House in the Roses

Show Off Your Cottage Monday

and

From My Front Porch To Yours

6 comments:

  1. I am glad I am not the only one who gets sidetracked while working on one project and jump to another. Love the mantel display and what a great cabinet.

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  2. Well, when I first saw the inside of the cabinet, I thought it wasn't too bad, rather charming in fact. However, it does look better now. I would paint the cabinet - if you want to keep the same weight for the cabinet just use red.
    I have to say that your cottage absolutely charms me. It makes me want to come visit you - badly. I could live there soooo easily. Have you ever done a post about your artwork? If so would you refer me there? or please tell us about it? it is wonderful.

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    1. Thank you so much for your sweet comments. If you are close by, we are always looking for house sitters to watch our dog when we go away. People are pretty happy when we say all they need to do is walk the dog on the beach every day.

      I like the red idea. Someone else suggested white. I have less than a month 'til summer vacation when I have time for projects.

      There is a link to Steve's website on the right sidebar of my blog. I have started a post about his art because several people have asked.

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  3. Hi lovely lady.
    I also love your Cottage so sweet. You did a Beautiful job on your spring Mantle.. I would paint the cabinet with a white milk wash seeing you like the Nautical look. Thanks so much for your sweet comments on my Nautical Tablescape and following my blog. Im your newest follower now.
    XXOO Diane

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  4. That's how I clean and declutter, one project leads to another. Looks really nice. I love the garden outside the window.

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  5. Job well done! Your mantel and your cabinet look great!

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