My Current Apartment

I hadn't lived in a studio in over twenty years. I really wanted to try it again. It was an excellent decision. I feel very calm and focused in this space.  

This is the temporary table I created out of moving boxes for my birthday in August. 

This is obviously my kitchen (note to self: replace dingy old dish towels with crisp white ones). The stack of papers on the left is my novel. I can't bring myself to tuck it away in some drawer. I guess I just feel like it needs to breathe until it sells :)

This is the little dining space at the end of the kitchen. To the left it looks a bit cluttery on top of the cabinet, but those are pictures of my dad, incense and candles. To the right I have a chair for meditating. I've wanted to get rid of it, but when I meditate in bed, nine times out of ten it turns into a nap.

...especially when candles are lit. The plaque reads: "Bless our Home" in Arabic.

This is my bedroom... and exactly what I envisioned before I found the apartment. Behind the double doors is the bathroom and a small dressing room or walk-in closet.

This is my office. Looks familiar, eh?

This is the view I usually wake up to. That's Kylee. She's a lot more fun than she looks. She was just tired of taking pictures that day, and was no doubt wishing she was out herding tombstones behind our apartment.

(From the kitchen) Yes, I do still hang things on the walls. This one is my favorite:

Courage... and sometimes a shovel.

Speaking of shovels... there is nothing minimalistic about this. It looks very cluttered, and I don't like it. But I'm having a hard time letting go of this shoe organizer. I like being able to see these things. It keeps me from purchasing batteries, thread, white-out, Thank-you cards, etc., because I can remember I already have them. Once I decide to move them to a drawer, I will have figured out a really good way to keep them organized in there, so I still remember what I have. I own a lifetime supply of staples, 3x5 cards and white-out from storing them in drawers, then buying more, because I'd forgotten I already had plenty.

This is my closet (note to self: spring for matching, opaque, storage containers). Four of the seven storage containers above hold photos. I've decided these are going to play a big role in Christmas gifts this year. The red one is Xmas ornaments (sooo not ready to minimize those - LOVE Xmas), and the purple one contains writing projects and a set of jelly jar glasses an old friend gave me for my 40th birthday, which I love. Can't part with them - period. The last container holds my summer clothes, a handmade set of curtains from Damascus, a couple of gorgeous tablecloths from Damascus and two yellow towels I use for jobs which I wouldn't dare use a white towel - a.k.a. dog adventures gone awry. The piece of glass you see leaning against the wall to the right is a coffee table I always envisioned in the apartment, but once I actually found it I wasn't sure I really wanted it. It's heavy and takes up a lot of space - not my style now. Don't be surprised if it's on Craigslist before Christmas. It's six feet long. I thought it would be nice when I have friends over for dinner... before I realized I live in a neighborhood full of great restaurants. Still mulling this over. 

If I find a picture of my previous closets, I will definitely post them here. I had three closets, each almost twice as big as this one and all three were crammed full. This one contains my clothing, shoes, coats, jewelry, luggage, printer and a spare blanket.

My bathroom... the mirror reads: "I am so happy and grateful I have the world's greatest agent, and he sold my novel today." He will soon, at which point I'll just change it to read "my 2nd novel" :)

Odd to have a saying about hope over your toilet, I know... but this is where I get ready to face the day too. It reads: "Once you choose hope, anything's possible."

The bag hanging on the back of the door is a bit cluttery, I know. But it's uber-covenient, as it holds all of Kylee's leashes, treats, toys, etc. The bag reads: “She is too fond of books, and it has addled her brain." -Louisa May Alcott. The quote on the wall was a fortieth birthday gift from my Great Aunt Carol: "Home is where your story begins." -Annie Danielson. This is to the left of my bed and I love waking up to it.

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In other news...

I met my awesome friend, Anna, for coffee Friday night. She's a professional organizer in a class by herself. Anna will never, ever, take you to The Container Store. She's a firm believer in working with what you have, because she says your problem is not that you don't have a good enough system. The problem lies between your ears. She can determine right away what the real issue is behind your organizing dilemna, and there is no problem too big or too small. I love hearing about her clients. She is always saying she has the best job in the world. Anna and I met while working with seniors. She's now devoting that time to her clients, as well. She personally handles a broad spectrum of organizing challenges across Chicagoland: http://www.freshlookorganizing.com/about.html