Sadly, the super tidy “after” living and dining room didn’t last very long!
Real life happened. Or should I say I happened.
I always have good intentions when it comes to cleaning up clutter, but often, more important things just get in the way. I’m trying to start a daily habit to tidy up clutter though. I’ll let you know how that one goes…
Here is a another angle from the other day when it was all tidy looking. Boy, that didn’t last long.
See the staircase to the basement? The basement is rented out to someone else and we don’t have any access (there is a fireproof door locked from both sides). It would be nice if we had it for storage, but I think we’ll be ok since we got rid of so many things before the move.
The hallway:
When we were staging our house before we put it on the market, we put long mirrors in hallways to make them look bright and big. It’s a fun trick that we carried over into this place.
By the way, if any of you are interested in a post on staging please let me know. We picked up several great tips from a stager that our realtor brought in. I also have lots of pictures (after staging) from the old house. If there is interest I will write a post on it, so please let me know!
Here’s peek at our old house’s entry way after staging:
The entry way was previously empty (and I mean empty!), so we added the sofa table, big mirror, faux flowers, rug, plant, and small accessories on the shelves. It made a huge difference.
Ok, back to the new place.
If you walk down the same hallway, you’ll come to a small powder room:
It needs some sprucing up…I might even paint it if it drives me crazy enough. Anyone have a good colour for a small bathroom?
At the bottom of the stairs you’ll find our cute little giraffes to greet you.
Now, we’ll go upstairs for a peek!
This is the view looking to the right from the top of the stairs:
We put another piece of art up and another mirror in this hallway.
The door to the right of the mirror is our bedroom and the door to the left is the bathroom.
The bathroom is quite modern looking and flooded with light. It’s definitely one of my favourite rooms.
This pic was from before we moved in. We have plans to put up art and pictures in there, so I will show you those when it’s finished. It also needs a bright pop of colour!
If you turn right out of the bathroom, you’ll come to the laundry:
I guess it’s more common these days for homes to have the laundry on the second floor and I must say it’s GENIUS. I’ve never had laundry on the second level and I’m loving the convenience. No more lugging baskets of dirty clothing down the stairs.
Here’s what you’ll find inside the doors…
One of the hardest things I parted with in the old house was our new front loading whirlpool washer and dryer. I cry at night for them. Ok, not really, but man do I miss them!
Eric had a vision for this laundry space.
Last weekend, he installed a shelf and he’s also putting a small one on the far left side a bit lower down.
It took us over an hour to pick the shelving, figure out the parts, and then find someone to cut the wire. Remind me again why I let him talk me into going to Home Depot on a Saturday? If it weren’t for those energy bites, a meltdown may have occurred.
We plan on putting our cleaning supplies, laundry soaps, toilet paper, paper towel, etc up there. The shelf is just low enough for me to reach on my tippy toes.
It also doubles as a clothes drying rack…which is why he put the shelf a bit higher up!
I originally wanted to purchase one of those free-standing clothing racks (the big clunky ones), but I like Eric’s idea much better. It’s a 2-in-1 laundry “room” now and takes up no extra space in the house. He’s a keeper.
Across from the laundry is a linen closet:
Something you may not know about me (but may not surprise you): I simply have no patience for folding. Don’t even get me started on those fitted elastic bed sheets! I know how to fold properly, I just don’t like spending time on folding and could care less what my linen closet looks like. That’s also why I hang up 95% of my clothing.
Immediately next to the laundry and linen closet is the 2nd bedroom, which we’ve turned into a shared office. Well, we will be turning into a shared office.
Right now, it’s a scary, scary place.
Oh and you know how I said I loved the central vac? Well, after using it for 2 weeks, I now have mixed feelings about lugging around the hose and having it take up all the closet space. I think someone needs to invent a retractable hose for a central vac…one that retracts right into the wall. Do they make those? That would be pretty fun, but only if the hose came out of the wall easily and it was on each level. Probably not the most practical idea.
Our desks are due to arrive in another week or so. Right now, we’re trying to do our personal and business taxes among this mess and it’s not working out so well, especially because we put one of our files in storage by mistake.
Our bedroom is also not finished, so those pics will have to wait for another time too.
By the way, I forgot to mention in my Kitchen before and after post that I’m challenging myself to stop using a microwave. Our microwave in the last house is staying with the new owners, so I took this opportunity not to buy a new one. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time now, so I figure now is the time. I’ve missed it a few times already (mainly for reheating leftovers and melting chocolate), but it is nice having the extra counter space too. I’m sure I will get used to it after a while!
Your home looks so beautiful! And I love the giraffes by the stairs.
The light is so amazing, it’s just gorgeous; congrats ^_^
Since moving in to my super cute, but old, suite, I’ve barely used my microwave. Due to limited counterspace and outlets, I keep my microwave stored on top of my fridge, unplugged. If I want to use it, I have to take it down and carry it across the kitchen to plug it in! A nice deterrent, for sure. You’ll do just fine without one :)
Also, I would love to see a staging post.
Cheers.
haha that would be a deterrent for sure. Good idea :)
The only time our condo is tidy is just before we have company or after a week when all the clutter starts to drive me crazy. We also have two cats who shed like crazy. I’m loving the before and afters! I’d also love to see a post on staging though I’m not looking to be a homeowner anytime soon. Your master bathroom is amazing! I would totally love something like that.
Oh I also forgot to mention that I hate our microwave and I want to get rid of it all the time but Sean won’t let me. He says we need it but I don’t like the fact that it takes up so much counter space. It was a leftover from the previous owners so it didn’t cost us anything but Sean likes to reheat things in the microwave because it’s more convenient than stove-top heating.
I grew up with a Mom who didn’t believe in microwaves in her own kitchen and it honestly was the best, now I do have one now in my own kitchen, but I rarely use it which I think is a good thing. Your home looks great!
Your new home looks great! I can’t wait till I have washer and dryer at all in my apt, but I totally agree with you on the central vac, that really needs some modernizing.
I love your new home! I love the idea of the mirrors in the hallway, that is so perfect!!
hey Angela,
One thing I did that might be helpful regarding the microwave was put it in a cupboard above my fridge. I had a large empty cupboard there and wanted the counterspace for other things. I bought an appliance extension cord at Home Depot and shove it in the cupboard. I never use the microwave except when I need to melt something quickly and my stove is in use, but didn’t want to give it up completely. I use it just a couple times a year but it is handy there. If you hvae a similar cupboard (most kitchens do), that might be helpful. The cord was just about $7.
Yes! Give up the microwave!! To wean yourself off it, move it at first. I put mine on a table in the garage for a while, so I was giving myself more kitchen counter space, but I knew it wasn’t completely gone if I REALLY needed it. I made a few trips to the garage to use the microwave (melting chocolate and warming honey were the two big reasons to use it), but then it just became inconvenient, and I started using my saucepans for things like that again. One day I realized that I hadn’t used the microwave in over six months, so out it went!! I feel so much better having it out of the house…..they scare me!
I am loving all this home inspiration as we fix up our own house right now for a possible future move too. I would really appreciate a post on staging (although I have no idea how to balance the need for “staging” and the ongoing “stuff” that we would still need to keep for the 2 little kids!).
I love the furniture you have chosen and absolutely love your dining table. It is exactly what we are looking for but unfortunately ordering from CA is a little too expensive.
Aloe Vera Green…a beautiful green that actually has brought out the pale lavender in our ceramic tile so that my towels are yellow, pale green and a dark lavender. It is bright, cheery, yet “spa” like and relaxing.
Staging tips would be wonderful.
Oh, and I haven’t had a microwave, dishwasher or garbage disposal for 5 years…you won’t miss it.
Love the look of the house! Would be interested in staging post for sure! Stripes are amazing for small bathrooms – really opens things up and gives the illusion of a bigger space! Check it out here: http://www.roomzaar.com/rate-my-space/Bathrooms/Stripes-expand-Small-Bathroom/detail.esi?oid=13528341
wow that look incredible!
Love hearing about your new house! I’ve nominated you for a versatile blogger award, come check it out: chemegirlcooks.blogspot.com
Thank you Katie!
I am LOVING the casa pictures!!!
Yes I would love a post on staging!!!!!!
We moved into our place 2 years ago and didn’t have a microwave. Our kitchen is microscopic so we decided not to buy one altogether. Now, we seriously don’t even miss it. Ever. We have every other appliance: food processor, steamer etc. but are quite happy to cook everything fresh or else warm it in the oven.
so happy to hear that, I think I am already feeling the same!
Hi again, I saw your vegan brownies and “bio ” profiled on Healthy Bitch Daily. That’s so great. I can’t wait until your cookbook comes out. I will be ordering it for sure!
Yes please, i would love more staging tips…especially from someone with your taste. Your new place is spectacular!
Everything looks so nice! I love how you’ve decorated the new place :)
As someone who plans on putting their house on the market next year I would LOVE to hear all about the process of putting a house up for sale: first steps, staging, cleaning and storing stuff for house views, how to have a place when you don’t know when a house will be sold. All the details!
Also, this is random but I’ve been eating a more vegan lifestyle lately. And love it. More recently I have been incredibly stressed with a lot of different things (one major one is getting married in 6 months) I don’t know if you could help me with this but I’ve began tracking calories to see if I’m eating enough(been veeeery veeeery run down)- would you happen to know how many calories you aim for in a day?? Also, I know you mentioned you’ve suffered/suffer from anxiety. As do I. Have you ever read any books on combating it or anything?
Hey Angela!
I am speaking on behalf of myself, Rachel Davidson, her new husbandy Steve-kins, and Cameron Manwaring. We are all vegetarian/vegan-ish AND have made about 500,000 of your recipes :D nomnom.
anyways, we just made a raw cashew based cheese cake and now we are (literally) lying on the floor in food baby comas, because it was soooo heavy! So we just wanted to suggest, if you have time/inclination, that you make a not crazy heavy vegan cheesecake-ish type thing?
ALSO Rachel and Steve have been wanting you to make a curry :D so just some suggestions for le FUTURE!
you are a gem <333
xoxoxoalyne rachel steve and cam
Hey Alyne! I didn’t know I had a vegan cheesecake recipe! Are you sure you aren’t confusing me with another blog? Or maybe I am just getting senile after 3.5 years.
I LOVE your giraffe painting it is absolutely adorable and works so well with your house.
P.S you should get an electric vacuum. You just plug them in to charge ’em up and then you can whip them around the house, completely CORDLESS!
I love your new space..so much natural light!!
I love love love your new home. I really hope someday that I can decorate my home like this. For now, it’s particle board and mismatched furniture for me!
I am loving the new house! It makes me excited to get one of my own! :)
Nice place!!! Very spacious!
I haven’t looked at the website for awhile because we just moved like you guys. My hubby also had a 3.5 hour commute to and from work everyday so we had to move! And our new place has wood floors and a second floor laundry room like your place. :)
Please post more pictures and tips on staging!! I love looking at all of your house pictures.
I’d love to hear about staging. I had a heck of time doing so with a house we sold last year, and I’m not looking forward to doing it again (which I will probably be doing in the next year or two). I have no gene for decorating. From what I hear, though, a “staged” house is a pretty good way to keep a house day in and day out because…it looks nice!
Unpacking is a bear! Once you get one room done another one gets trashed, it all gets worse before it gets better huh! It’s fun to see how you are decorating and making the most of the space since I’m doing the same thing right now too!
I didn’t have a microwave for the better part of of my life growing up. Ours broke and my parents just never bought one again. We have a built in one which is nice because it doesn’t take up counter space, but I try not to use it if possible. I do, however, use the timer on it all the time and would miss that dearly. The only time I have to use a microwave is to heat food up at work, but now I’m walking distance from home so I don’t even have to do that anymore!
We have a puzzle of your giraffe painting here at work (we like to do them during breaks – super fun) – IT IS SO HARD!
Would love to see a staging post as well :) My Eric has a nickname for me and my messiness. Hurrican Sonia (of course), because I am such a clutterbug. I hope with the new house I can de clutter.
It looks great Angie!
I’d love to hear about staging tips! One of my fav websites with home decor tips is younghouselove.com. They do some really awesome things!! And the trick to fitted sheets is fold it and the regular sheet any ‘ol way and stick the sheets in one of the pillow cases…then store. The mess is all hidden away in the pillow case :)
Hi Angela! Congrats on the new place. I am moving soon so I have really been liking your posts lately. And I am REALLY intrigued by your lack of microwave, and other people’s comments about not having a microwave. It never occurred to me before.
We have a toaster oven and no toaster, and are moving to NYC (read:tiny apt) in the next few months so I am considering getting rid of the toaster oven. Especially since we are like 95% gluten free there never seems to be much to toast.
Speaking of moving and getting rid of stuff– Angela, I would love if you could share some tips on your experience with throwing stuff out when you moved. I know you mentioned before you donated a lot of items before moving. Do you have any advice on how to decide what to get rid of? Or at least some inspiration / kick in the butt?! I get really excited about cleaning and throwing things out but then when I start doing it, my inner hoarder comes out :/
haha I know what you mean, it’s always hard to part with things!
What worked the best for me was to go through things in rounds. The first round is always the most difficult- if you’re like me, you don’t want to get rid of much! Only get rid of things you know you don’t want or need. The things you are on the fence about- put them in another pile and come back later. The second round- done at least a week or two later- things start to become more clear what you want to keep. That pile of “on the fence” things is easier to part with, but maybe you will end up keeping a few things and thats ok too.
Round three, was sometimes a full month or two later, I really discovered which items could really go for good. By then, I barely had a hard time giving away by the 3rd round! I just wanted the junk gone!
I love your bathroom! SO elegant! The tub is awesome :)
I like the mirror idea, will have to do that!
A post on staging a home for sale would be great. We are just stepping into the real estate selling market and need all the tips we can get.
My parents’ guest bathroom is a nice lemon yellow– I think it’s such a nice 1/2 bath color, especially with white floors and fixtures!
I like that colour too :)
Hi Angela,
I would DEFINITELY like to see a post on staging. My family is desperately trying to sell a beautiful home and it’s just not working! I would find this really helpful and my mom would too!
Love the blog. Look forward to your posts every day in my Google Reader! Hope you’re settling into the new place :)
Thanks,
Julia
Thanks Julia, I think based on the interest I will try to put one together. Just need to find all my pictures…gulp
We downsized into a small condo from a family home 6 months ago. Had to get rid of two thirds of our stuff, but it was very good feeling. We had a microwave that was only a few months old but there was NO room in the new kitchen, so it had to go. I missed it at first, but now rarely do. I have “waterless” cookware and I find it works really well for reheating leftovers. I heat the pot with a tiny bit of water in the bottom (leftovers are drier) and then I add the food and cover with the tight lid. Just another version of steaming. I am pleased that I am now microwave free!
That is such a great tip. Others mentioned reheating this way too. I’ll have to try it out! HOw would you defrost? By steaming perhaps? I ran into this issue yesterday and just ended up letting them thaw on the counter (frozen samosas). If you have any tips Id love to hear them!
I think defrosting has to be done the old fashioned way. In a pinch I have put stuff into a ziploc bag (tightly sealed) in a sink-full of cool water. It still takes time though. I guess one has to be more organized and pre-plan!
For the little powder room I would definitely go for a bright color because dark colors make spaces seem smaller. Nice blog, thanks for sharing!
I would LOVE to hear about staging!!!
:D that just left me with a big smile. A few years ago, my bestestest friend and I dreamed of opening a boutique together when we were adults. We decided to hang up all the clothing we would sell because both of us hate folding so much! ;)