Living Small

I just ran across these images from The Every Girl blog (if you haven't checked this blog out, you surely should!) and it instantly took me back to my days of small apartment city living. My Chicago apartment was so tiny, organization was a challenge for me. (Hey, I may be a designer, but I never said I was an organizer. It's actually one of my biggest flaws! Working on it though!!) 

The following images make small city living (or just small living in general) pretty, polished and styled perfectly, and best of all, functional! It's all about how you style it!

If shoe boxes are pretty, showcase them!

Make sunglasses easy and accessible. 

Commit a shelf to make up and jewelry so it's not scattered.

Together as a whole, it looks collected, polished and most of all pretty! I love how they have the dresses on the back of the door hooks, someone once told me to save time in the morning, put your outfit you plan to wear on the back of your bedroom door on hooks, it kind of gets you excited to start your day!

Next up: Kitchen

Average things look so much prettier when displayed. Putting them in nice canisters and jars make them easily accessible and actually might make you more creative to use them when cooking! 

Your items may not be as perfectly matched and color coordinated, but that is okay. Sometimes things look most beautiful when mismatched. However, if you aspire for a more coordinated look, it's important to find one common thread color and try to find it in each new piece (it can be as simple as white! As long as there is some kind of color thread on all the pieces, it will make visual sense!)

This photo really makes me smile. It really takes me back to my city living days. I remember feeling frustrated about the lack of kitchen storage and having the microwave and coffeepot in a weird spot. I wish I had seen these images back then, I may have felt differently. 

The coolest part? These are all done with great sturdy little wire shelves, you can get them from hardware stores and even Target has them!

I hope you feel inspired to get to work on your small space! Make it functional and styled, add a touch of whimsy with the practical stuff, layer with a piece of art or a plant. Most importantly make it you!

xo}L

All images via The Every Girl blog

Closet Crave!

To some people, living the dream is working at their job of choice, traveling the world, being a foodie. To others, living the dream is waking up to an amazing closet. Shoes lined perfectly, sections for different attire, color and a great spot for your jewels. It's all about presentation.

Here are a few closets that I thought were knock outs for all styles of design:

This juicy ottoman in this proper closet kicks it up a notch. I love the coordinating handles on the double doors.

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Glitz and Glam! You can check your image on any surface in this mirrored closet.

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Dark and polished, I personally think I may have gone with a long rectangular ottoman to balance the space a bit better, however I still like this look!

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You know, stunning closets aren't just for women. Men, can't you imagine picking your tie for the day in the masculine space? Everything has it's spot and its not to frilly, right to the point. 

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Are you a bit more modern? Maybe you have an awkward attic space? Don't let the shape defer you from a great closet. Here is a great installation, more modern and perfectly aligned in a more challenging space. Notice they put the dresser on the opposite wall?

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Here is an interesting one, this closet is an actual room used to showcase clothing, shoes and accessories! Do you have a large enough home to devote a whole room to a closet? If so, make it a show stopper, not just a storage room. 

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I saved this one for last, because it's my favorite. I love the use of wallpaper, the vintage image, the entire composition is just very inviting to me. I think I would enjoy picking out my clothes every day!! 

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A few things I have learned from these closets?

• Make your hangers match, preferably and chunky natural wood, it unifies and brings it all together!
• Don't be afraid to use color in the space!
• Don't be afraid of the possibility of wallpaper in your closet, make it your mini castle of YOU!
• Try to arrange your garments in an organization pattern, whatever works best for you but is pleasing to the eye at the same time. 
• Everything doesn't have to be contained, display pieces artfully to enjoy them daily!

I hope these images have left you with some closet crave, are you already brainstorming ideas for your closet? I am!

xo}L

Embrace Your Inner Organization Style!

For years and years I have been battling with the fact that I am a right brain thinker for years and years. I am very thankful for my creative skills, but I lack in organization skills. One of my biggest tasks to organize is my jewelry. I love costume jewelry and locally crafted jewelry. I have tried so many thoughts, jewelry boxes, compartment organizers from The Container Store, so many different things. I think I finally nailed it...

Finally, I embraced my right brain and decided to make my jewelry collection a happy display of art. It honestly makes me very happy to look at, when I travel I like to support local jewelry artist and buy a piece. When I look at it I think of all the different places I have traveled or lived and the beautiful people who crafted the pieces. Plus, it's really great to decide what I am going to wear with an outfit, everything is out on display to choose from and I love every inch of it!

So here is my advice to you, if you are having trouble with a specific type of organization, think of how you are going about it. Is it going against your natural grain? Embrace the type of thinker you are and think outside of the box and a way that organizing will make you  happy. Organizing is more than just putting things away in lined up matching boxes with pretty cut out labels, it's creating a balance of function and also helps with the way you feel. 

I urge you to think outside of the box and embrace your side of the brain! Happy organizing!