Mommy Tips: Puzzle Organization

I can't stand having puzzles around with missing pieces. It became increasingly hard to find a place to store the puzzles in a way that didn't scatter the pieces everywhere so I think I came up with a good solution. I got this canvas picnic basket from Michael's for $15, took the puzzle pieces and put them into ziplocs; labeled them with a black sharpie and done. This also makes all the puzzles mobile to any room in the house. I'm really happy with the results!

Mission Organization: New TV Room

I've been obsessed with Peter Dunham Design and his fabrics for YEARS! I've been carrying around this tear sheet from House Beautiful since about 2007. I love it because it is so completely unexpected. He has a way of combining fabrics like no one I've ever seen. So I just decided to fully embrace one of my favorite sayings, "someday is not a date on the calendar"... I'm done saying "someday I'll have my Peter Dunham dream room". Someday is TODAY! Stay tuned for the before and after!

Mission Organization: Chalk Wall

I've been going back and forth on a chalk wall for June's playroom but I think I'm just going to go for it. And you know what they say, "go big or go home" so I'm thinking a full wall. Originally I was going to go with installing a chair rail and chalk wall on the bottom half but after doing some research, I think the full wall is the way to go. It's definetely a statement!

Mission Organization: Inspiration!

I'm drooling over this one...

Mission Organization: Garage project in motion!

I think the neighbor's jaws dropped a bit when they caught a gander of our newly organized garage. These shelving units are great and we bought them from Front Gate. We hired our nanny's husband to put them together. In a few hours, we had space for two cars. Worth it! BUT I'm not celebrating yet! I won't quit until I can eat off the floors and until every shelf is labeled and grouped in sections. I might have to take a day off and knock this out. Stay tuned!

Mission Organization Day 7: Master Bath

I'm going to call this exercise "Now you see it, now you don't!" But let me be clear about one thing... while cabinets that hide toiletries and things are KEY, this doesn't mean it should look like a hot mess on the inside. Here are my top tips for organizing the bathroom:

1. Buy toiletries in bulk! There's no reason to run out of anything, ever! And it's so much cheaper to buy quantity at Target than to run out to 7Eleven in an emergency for some toothpaste.

2. Organize your loose things in nice baskets and separate them in categories. Under the sink I have baskets labeled, "hair", "spa" and "face". I also use my handy dandy P-touch to label them so things don't get confused. I got these baskets at Cost Plus World Market.

3. Put as much of your stuff behind closed doors.

4. Clean out your drawers... if there are old Q-tips with eye shadow at the bottom of your drawers, that's a sign you need to do some work.

5. Don't keep toiletries or products you are not using; give it away or throw it out!

6. Make sure all your towels match and put them in a big basket. I like white towels.

7. Beautiful things should be functional. I hang my necklaces on a Madonna sculpture and use these little vases I picked up in Italy to put Q-tips, toothbrush and toothpaste.

Mission Organization Day 5: Planning New Dining Room!

So one of my biggest projects for 2011 is re-decorating the dining room. I took pictures of us having Christmas dinner in there and it looked like we were eating in PRISON! Something MUST be done.

I picked a great black and white striped fabric for the drapes but I just found out that the fabric doesn't run vertically, only horizontal. This threw me for a loop as I had only pictured it in my mind as a vertical striped drape. I searched for inspiration and the pics above is what I've found. Gotta live with it for a minute. My whole plan is contingent on this fabric. If it doesn't work out I must go back to the drawing board which is devastating. I'm warming up to it.

Mission Organization Day 4: Guest Bed

There was just something not right about the bed in the guest room... how to describe it? BORING! The whole thing was cream... nothing popped. At first I thought it was serene and calming but the more I lived with it the more I realized this room needed a pick me up. Big Time! So here is the end result.

The Breakdown:

Drapes: Restoration Hardware

Accent Pillows: Anthropologie

Euro Shams: Shabby Chic

Paisley Indian Quilt: Thomas O'Brien for Target

Sheets: Thomas O'Brien for Target

Coverlet: Shabby Chic

Mission Organization Day 3: Playroom

Recently we switched the playroom and nursery rooms. Turns out what was originally the nursery had all the daylight and the playroom was like a dungeon. This started to make no sense. Junebug would go down for a nap and all the sunlight would keep her awake... she also didn't seem to like hanging out in the playroom at all! The new layout is great as the new nursery is dark and cozy while the playroom is sunny and fun. However, I misjudged how much work it was to swap these two rooms and as a result things were just thrown into the playroom closet. It was a disaster... but disaster no more. It took about 5 hours of focused work time but I think it's finally in a good place.

Mission Organization Day 2: X-Mas Cooking

I love cooking sides on holidays (I leave the bird up to my husband). This recipe for green beans in hazelnut butter is one of my faves but it's a lot more enjoyable to make when you're organized about it. I don't know where I'd be without these little glass mini bowls. You can purchase them at Cost Plus World Market. I LOVE them. It makes it easy to prep the ingredients, line them up in order of when they go into the recipe and completely feeds my neurotic brain that needs everything to look and feel a certain way.

GREEN BEANS IN HAZELNUT BUTTER (from Epicurious):

Makes 4 servings

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min

ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot (1 small)
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup hazelnuts (1 1/2 oz), toasted , any loose skins rubbed off, and nuts finely chopped
• 1 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed

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preparation

Stir together butter, shallot, zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until combined. Add hazelnuts and stir until combined well.

Cook beans in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain beans in a colander, then return hot beans to pot and toss with hazelnut butter.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Green-Beans-with-Hazelnut-Butter-109454#ixzz1B7ZCMhh9

Mission Organization: Day One

My Christmas vacation begins today and I'm DETERMINED to GET ORGANIZED...

10 full days at home! OMG! I've never been so happy. First things, first. The office.

Tip #1 - Purchase furniture where you can hide your things. I got this old tibetan piece at an antique store somewhere in LA and it's been awesome. I was told it was a coffin but I can't say for sure. When you shut the doors, voila! Clutter gone. Of course, things should not look like a hot mess when you look inside. But this is what vacation is for. Let the games begin!