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I've been trying to organize my apartment for the last month, but to be honest little progress has been made. Why? Because I'm kinda lazy... What!? At least I'm honest! Also I've had exams and presentations on top of my lab work.
The reason why I want to organize, other than the fact that I HATE looking for things, is because I also hate clutter and mess. Living in an apartment, we don't have that much storage space. And maybe, just maybe, we have too much stuff, but then again maybe not ;)
We are lucky enough to have a pantry where we keep all our food (that don't go in the fridge), minus the peanut butter and nutella, that is kept close to the toaster for quick grabbing in the mornings, and in progress cereal. The pantry needs MAJOR organization. I mean, sure I organize it on a monthly basis (or bi-monthly), put the likes together, making sure nothing is going to fall, but they never stay where I put them. We accumulate all the time, acquire new food (we buy on special, so we get lots of the same thing), things get moved around, and things get messed up.
One of those things that we've been getting a lot of are Sidekicks, and they are a bugger to keep tidy. They don't stack like cans, they fall over if they don't rest on something, etc. So I was planning on getting some sort of container for them, to sit them all in, BUT when I was shopping at the grocery store and went to buy more Sidekicks, I got the perfect idea to organize them. See where this is going? No?
Well, I noticed that the Sidekicks were already well organized on the display shelf, that they had their own little display cardboard box. And because they were on sale and flying off the shelf there were a few empty ones. And BAM, moment of genius, I could just take those cardboard boxes home with me! And I did!
It's even already labelled! My only regret is only taking one, though they all fit in that one, but if I get more then those won't. Maybe that also mean I should use up the ones I already have.
Fits nicely, don't you think?, so much more accessible. Maybe the reason why I didn't use them up before was because I couldn't SEE them (they were at the back). Now they are quite evident and I can easily look through them to get the one I want, without fearing that I mess up my tidiness.
Remember when I said my pantry was a mess, well look:
I couldn't just leave it at that now could I? So I did a little reorganization.
Much better! Now I can see where everything is. For the moment being. Until I have to start ALL over again. I really need a better system. Sure I regroup the likes together, but I want more containers to keep everything tidy. I've just been drooling at all the pantry makeovers that are posted in link parties. Sigh, an other day...
I'm really wondering what other type of cardboard containers I could find in the grocery store now. I'm not saying take out all the Sidekicks (or whatever else) from the box and take the box, but if it's empty and just sitting there, why not?!
My motivation to organize my apartment came from the 31 days to cheaply organize your home at Organizing Made Fun. There were some great ideas given there.
Mid-October, I started amassing every type of container and cardboard box I could find. Here's my stash:
I got some yogourt containers, big and small, coffee containers, granola boxes, mushroom containers, toilet paper rolls, coffee cups from McDo, kleenex boxes, soup and pasta cans, etc.
The only thing I've really found a use for at the moment is one of the McDo coffee cups. I think they are kinda cute, and they have the best spout! Last week, McDonald's was giving away free small coffee, and we took advantage of that. I do believe McDo makes the best coffee!!
So I used it to keep my bf's wart treating kit in, since they are not things that can stand on their own. There's a falcon tube (that's a lab tube for those not in the bizz, 15ml, with a pointy tip so it can't stand on its own) with apple-cider vinegar (home remedy to treat warts if you are interested, along with hydrogen peroxide), plastic transfer pipette (or dropper google translate tells me), medical tape, and not pictured, prescription acetic acid.
I have some plans for the other containers. Especially for the little yogourt cups! You will have to wait and see, but maybe you can guess?
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I have also been working on a craft. Its progress is quite slow because, once again, I chose the cheapest and therefore most time consuming method of approaching it. I will give you a little preview today though, because I love previews!
I am painting all these skewers individually, with a brush. 3 times. Maybe 4 because I still don't think it's got complete coverage (doesn't really show in the picture, or when you look closely, but from far it does, which is really weird...).
Until next time! Thanks for reading!
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I am finally done my handpainted chandelier in my kitchen! I showed you a sneak peak in my last post, and now I'm ready to show you the final masterpiece.
But before I do that, I want to tell you a little story. You may skip to the pictures if you so wish, I won't be offended ;)
Ever since I saw my first wall decals (from wallsmatter.com), I've been really desperate to get me some for myself. But the thing is, they aren't cheap. When we found our new apartment back in May, I knew I had to incorporate a decal somewhere. At first, I was going to do this lamppost with 2 little kids kissing, but that's also when I was looking at all the designs and saw the chandelier. I knew I wanted it. But I wasn't ready to dish out 50$ for one.
I figured I could just paint it myself, how hard could it be? I would make a stencil and then just paint over it. So I looked and looked around the internets to try and find a chandelier I really LOVED. I had decided on one back in May, but then when it came closer to moving, I was looking around again because I wasn't sure I really LOVED that one. And that's when I found this one. Just wow.
Before I began, I photoshopped it in a picture of my kitchen.
It would look AWESOME. Took me a couple of months to actually start this project, even though I was really anxious to get it done. Why? Because I was scared I would mess it up. That it would not look as great once it was all said and done. Well, now that it's done, I think it looks even better, because I made a few modifications to my template.
You ready for it?
Ta da! Ins't it MARVELOUS. Ok I must admit, I'm a little biased. But at the same time, I see more the imperfections than anyone. I LOVE the contrast on the dark color of the wall.
As I mentioned, it wasn't easy. Far from it. It took me A LOT of time. But instead of it being 55$ + tax + shipping, it cost me like 1$. No joke. 50cents for the poster to draw the stencil. 1$ for the bottle of white craft paint, which I didn't even use half of.
For those of you who want to see more of my mishaps and challenges, read on.
I started off with my 50 cents poster, and a bloated up printed copy of my favorite chandelier. I divided the printed chandelier into squares, and did the same of the poster, to have the same proportions, and to have a guide to copy freehand the chandelier. I only did the exact half, since I was planning on flipping it to do the other half and for them to be perfectly symmetrical. Also, I was only going to make the body part of the chandelier in one piece. The pieces that repeated themselves, the candlesticks and pendants, I would make 1 stencil and just copy it over and over and over.
Then I cut out the shape, put some tape to the back and stuck it to the wall about where I wanted it.
I took a few pictures to compare it to my photoshopped version, because that's EXACTLY where I wanted it to be. I had to move it the first time I put it up. I was afraid to start painting at this point, what if I didn't like the positioning of it once I'm all done? But I took a deep breath and went on.
At first, the only white paint I had was primer. And I started with a big paintbrush. BIG mistake. It was really thick and just went all over under the poster :( That's when I realized I should've gotten spray paint. Next time. I did the first half of the body of the chandelier with that primer and a small craft paintbrush. I had this:
I knew I would have to go over every inch to make the edges more smooth. Both with the white paint, and the red paint. Little knicks in the white paint was not forgiving AT ALL. Which was really time consuming. I went to buy craft paint at this point because the primer paint was just not liquid enough to patch up my mistakes, it would not spread well. Once that half was all good, I did the second half by flipping my stencil over. I wanted to make sure I could make it look good before I proceeded and wasted my time.
Lots of work still at this point...
To make the beaded string part, I literally took a string to trace the natural fall of it. I had to go on a hunt for a small round object to make the beading. I was lucky to found a small dowel with a flat end. It was the perfect size! I just dabbed it and pressed it to the wall. I liked how with just one coat of paint it didn't make a perfect circle, as in there's still some of my red paint showing through. I find it makes it look a little like it shines and has texture.
And the final handpainted masterpiece:
I am so VERY happy with the outcome. As I mentioned, it's not perfect, but that's why I love it!
Thanks for reading!
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