I’m constantly reading these helpful little posts about ways to get organized. They constantly tell me I should create a home binder, organized with subject dividers and vinyl sleeves for builder receipts and cards, inspirational pictures, pages ripped from catalogs and a pretty image of my home onto the cover.
Never in my life have I had been organized enough to find this kind of thing together, but I have written about 1000 ideabooks, therefore I thought,”Why can’t I use to help me maintain my house on course?” Here is how I have turned my insomnia-inspired home Wish/To-Do listing into something I can keep on top of:
Collect photos and notes. Since I collect inspiration photographs and research each endeavor, I can easily add notes which include what I need to research, what I need to purchase, tools and their telephone numbers, how long the job will take, how much it will cost, and more.
Upgrades and reorder the list. With a click of the”Edit Ideabook” buttonI can incorporate information, alter the sequence of my endeavors and check things off as I accomplish them. I might even add a couple of things I have done already, since I do that on To-Do lists.
Here is my present job workbook:
PROJECT: Repair up that sad, sad laundry room
• Clean it — DONE
• Get dryer vent cleaned — DONE
• Learn if there is a better location to store more linens
• Learn when I could match stackables someday or when the ceiling is too low
• Figure out paint or wallpaper; make sure it goes together with awesome”Bounce Girl, Bounce!” Painting that’s already in there.
peterfasano.com
Coop Wallpaper by Peter Fasano
PROJECT: Repair up that sad, sad laundry room, cont’d.
Peter Fasano’s Coop could be an ideal wallpaper selection. I have been wanting to utilize this ever since I saw Steele Marcoux utilize it in her bathroom.
In the future, I can add pictures of washing machines and paint colours I enjoy for this room here too.
Mahoney Architects & Interiors
PROJECT: Replace ugly and stained tile on top of kitchen island with thick slab of honed marble or Caesarstone. I would like it to look like this, but be roughly twice as thick.
• Quantify — DONE: 56″x26″
• Telephone Clark to find out the name of this remnant location in Decatur
• Reach on the stone remnant location in Decatur
• Pick slab, schedule appointment.
Mullet Cabinet
WANT: This kind of hidden crap thing in the kitchen for trash and recycling
• Telephone Clark and receive good cabinetmaker’s name
• Clean an undercabinet and drawer to generate space.
• ASK: Is there any way to put a lid on the stinky kitchen trash? Having it open is kind of gross to me.
Vendome Press
WANT: New pendants at the kitchen
• Win lottery. The ones I tend to enjoy are pricey. But, I might have the ability to sell my existing Arts and Crafts pendants.
• Research when I can sell existing pendants and how much someone will pay.
• Ask Rebekah Zaveloff what she believes next time we have a conversation.
• Pick favorites (Hicks Pendant, Schoolhouse Electric) and find out which dimensions will operate by mocking up them with cardboard.
• Make notes on how long chains ought to be, dimensions which will operate, etc..
Union Studio, Architecture & Community Design
WANT: New kitchen hardware
based on new pendants, turn out kitchen components. I’d love something darker like this, together with the bin pulls and latches.
Need: 4 sets of latches, 20 bin pulls
FORTESCUE DESIGN/STUDIO TULLIA
PROJECT: Install black toilet chair
• Check out the seats in the Marketplace
• Quantify existing chair and make sure one will fit
• Buy it
Melaragno Design Company, LLC
MAINTENANCE: Have the gutters cleaned
• Telephone John the Lawn Guy — 678.555.5555
• Cost: $50
GE Appliances
GeoSpring Water Heater
MAINTENANCE: Have heating system inspected
• Call Assured Heating and Comfort to Schedule an appointment: 770.555.5555 — DONE: Jan. 13 between 10 a.m. and two p.m.
• Already paid for due to contract
Mullet Cabinet
WANT/SOON TO BE NECESSITY: New Dishwasher
• Find out what Wicki has — DONE: Fisher Paykel Double Drawer
• Research energy-efficient models — How do they dry well?
• Are there any green rebate kind of items accessible (Call Pat about town one that he was talking about at dinner)
• Check in on the scratch and dent joint
• Find out when large sales are
Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store
Home Decor Fabric-Annie Selke Links Chocolate – $45
PROJECT: Finally get that seat reupholstered (this has been around my to-do listing for 10 years)
• Browse for fabrics I enjoy
• Hit Forsythe Fabrics Design Center to find out how much I Want to order and cost
• Borrow truck and bring it over there
2Modern
Thor Pendant Lamp by Thomas Paul – $290
WANT: This cool light fixture for my bedroom
• Mock up measurements to test about the scale
• See if I can Find a discount at DP
• Get name of plumber out of Clark
Tobi Fairley Interior Design
PROJECT: Give old pine dresser a makeover
• Visit Ace and inquire about paint/sanding/priming/etc. (my neighborhood Ace completely IS the place) — DONE
• Buy dropcloth and new brushes — DONE
• See if hardware (quite like this hardware) could be freshened up or if I should buy something else fun at Anthropologie — DONE
ACCOMPLISHED: O.K.. So here is where I could put in a photo of my finished job, to find that sense of achievement.
This is actually the poor girl’s version of this dresser seen previously, which ate up my entire weekend. It has been a DIY disaster, but it is almost done. I am getting really close to having the ability to shoot my unmentionables from the bags and set them back in the drawers. I’m only hoping to make a determination on grips.
A Reluctant DIYer’s Diary of a Dresser Makeover
True Modern
TrueModern™ – Luna Sofa – $1,499
PROJECT: Find a new couch.
• Search Products department and make an ideabook on — DONE
• Research further; most sellers do not include the all-important seat height — DONE
• Hit shops that take the couches to watch them and pick fabrics in person — DONE
• Order on line or in person — DONE
Crate&Barrel
Petrie Sofa – $1,699
ACCOMPLISHED: Finding a new couch. The winner is the Petrie Sofa from Crate and Barrel (click title above for details). Here is how I went about creating this investment:
Prior to buying, I used in another manner. I made a list of couches which I enjoyed by perusing the Products section of , narrowing it down by searching beneath Modern and Sofas. As I browsed, I generated a ideabook called I Need a New Sofa That is not Too Low (my ottomans are 17″ high, therefore I need my couch to be that high, or else my toes fall asleep).
From there I researched my picks by seeing them in person once I could (shout out to the Crate and Barrel at Hingham, MA, in which I ordered it) and emailed companies for further information (shout out to Edgar Blazona of TrueModern for letting me know the chair height about the Luna Sofa was 18.5″).
This is part of this mad House Wish List I wrote during a bout of insomnia. After writing it, I realized I was never going to purchase that binder and doing things digitally is so much neater and more effective.
I’m still figuring out how my new ideabook system will work for me. By room? By what I expect to accomplish by month? Independent ideabooks such as Maintenance, Projects and Wants? I enjoy the idea of a big list for the whole calendar year.
So far this is an experimentation; I’d love to hear your ideas and understand if you utilize ideabooks for this kind of thing. If you do, please add a link to your wish list in the Comments section so that we could all check it all out!
More:
Book Tour: The Joyful Home Project
Using Boxes to Clean Up Clutter and Inspire Creativity
Show Us Your Own Kitchen!
16 Crafty Ways WIth Creative Spaces
