Closer...

Some more progress, I got the major step in place, the shelves.  However, I have  far more stuff to put on the shelves than I thought, so I'm gonna have to do some more pruning and re-arranging.  And once again, I have no idea how the alignment and arranging of these photos works, sorry.

The still mostly empty
shelves, with the new
rattan chair and throw.

Yah, the remaining
clutter area.  The damn
tree is gonna have to go.

N.'s dog breakdancing on
the cardboard to Michael
Jackson.  We listened to 80's
while assembling the shelves,
it was AWESOME!

(A little dark)  My seating area now has an
ottomanthat is also storage.  Also, a fake orchid.

                                      

Some Tangible Progress

I've made some actual progress in this project,  I am no longer living amongst piles of boxes and bags.  My closet is quite impressive, although you may not be able to tell quite so much by these photos. The closet still has some work to be done, but it's already 238402349% more user-friendly. You may take for granted the concept of walking over to your closet (or dresser) and pulling out some clean panties and a night gown after a bath, but I'm telling you, it's like a miracle to me at this point.  I'm also a bizillion times more likely to put my clothes away since I have, like, a place to put them.  

More impressive (for me) though, is the every day experience of having more light and space in my living space.  That space is only like, 15% completed, but taking down the black out drapes and putting up sheer white ones makes my tiny apartment seem so much bigger.  I also ditched those ugly old shelves and one chair and ottoman.  I threw some tapestries and a white fluffy throw over the remaining chair, bought a table, a bar stool and a music stand.  

If I didn't do any more, my apartment is still so much more livable than it was before.  I've got a ton more to do, which I'll get to a little bit every payday.  But for now, it's already much more peaceful.  See for yourself:

Closet from the side, and yes, those are post
 it notes with the drawer
contents written on the drawer

New, lighter space!  Btw, yes, I get
flowers every week in my
farm-share basket

Actual, usable space!  Chair and
violin playing area with new music stand.

Look!  I can actually find things,
 even thougheverything is black!
Getting dressed is so easy now!

Close up of the more organized space,
btw, I went from about 40
purses to about 10!

Low Point

Put in another 12 hours on this project...oh wait, no, there was some time picking up N at her house (that her amazing husband is building from the ground up, btw) and having Subway for lunch. Her house is gonna be amazing when it's done. Meanwhile it's a hellhole here. N and I did a ton if work (6 more blue ikea bags to goodwill) and the 2 largest bookshelves packed up (tempoarily) and shelves stashed in the garage. Then we had a disaster trying to put together some terrible shelves from Target (instead of getting those Ikea shelves.) We even recruited contractor hubby, and he couldn't even make them sturdy, so we all schlepped those heavy horrible shelves back to Target. Exhausting day and the place still looks a mess I'll take some pics tomorrow of the parts that look improved. For now, bath, wine, book and bed and resting tomorrow.

Apparently it gets worse before it gets better

This is really discouraging. However, I'm motivated cause I cant get to my violin right now. I mean, I'll be motivated in a bit, one glass of wine at lunch with N. actually made me tipsy, so, naptime now. Amazingly N. wants to come over tomorrow and work some more! She's crazy into this, it's so great!

Step One

I did some clearing out yesterday, I was hoping it was in preparation for N to come over and help today, but instead I just made more of a mess.  I did however get rid of one chair and non-matching ottoman...which I put out in my alley and were gone in 15 minutes!  I also took two of those blue IKEA bags full to the brim of crap to the goodwill (some clothes, shoes, DVDs...um, and other stuff.)

I also hung new curtains (goodbye black out drapes), covered up the other ugly chair (that's temporary until I get the $200 chair + ottoman next month) and set up a music area...where I practiced for an hour last night.  That made a huge difference, I practiced for an hour last night and it was good thing I set a timer or my fingers would be bleeding today, I could have easily played for a lot longer.  Here's some pics of the current state of my digs:

disaster area, but new curtains!
yes, that's my bed under all that crap

music space (still with some junk around it though)

The IKEA trip

After N and I had what was not "the best pho in Seattle" at Pho Aroma on Delridge, we went to IKEA to look for some ideas for my place.  We decided on mostly white stuff and to keep up with the blues and whites of the beachy theme I originally came up with years ago.  I basically need 2,348,029,348 shelves and a sitting area, and a full on closet make-over.  Oh and a violin-playing area (I didn't include a photo of my future violin playing chair because it's boring.) Here are some of the things we liked:

yay, bookshelves, I'll take 14

how to hide things on bookshelves

a table on wheels!

another table with wheels!

my future sitting chair (N. is also getting 2)

matching ottoman

two of these are going in the closet

this lamp!

of course we stopped for meatballs,
but when I get around to the kitchen,
I want this set (just 2 chair)

and i will replace my goodwill dishes with these

this is going over the bed!

more ways to hide stuff

sheer but nubby white curtains,
because I no longer need black out drapes

decorative stuffs

more decorative stuff

more ways to hide stuff on bookshelves

"Before"

My apartment has been too cluttered for too long.  I don't know what set me over the edge, but all of a sudden it's making me crazy: I can't find anything, I'm constantly tripping over stuff, it's just awful.  Even if I don't intend to live here much longer (more than a few years) I can't keep living in this disaster zone.  The thing that is really getting to me is how inefficient it makes me, I can't find anything, it takes me forever to get dressed and leave the house!  I can't find that one book I want to read, or the new bra I just bought.  My good friend N. has promised to help me sort everything out, she's totally excited for the Dee's Apartment Project.  Or maybe it's the free beer and pizza I keep promising.  Anyway, here are some "before" pictures so you can see what I'm talking about:

my horrific closet

another view of closet

yet another of closet

entry way, in a rare moment of not being overly cluttered

bookshelves

the closet door that is always left open

more bookshelves and closet door

the back of the closet door, with shoes

my "couch" type place

bed area with nice blue wall

bed area, with weird shadow

looking towards closet 

 (And no, I have no idea how the photo layout stuff on here works, you get random cause that's what it gives me.)