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!
Wow your new place has really come together! I’d find it interesting to read a staging post, for what it’s worth.
I’d love to hear more about staging your house! We will be putting ours on the market soon and could use some tips!
Oh woooooow. Can I move in? Specifically, into your shower because I LOVE it!?!? The house looks wonderful so far Ange! I love how you guys have decorated the ‘finished’ rooms. It must have felt SO good to get rid of a lot of stuff during the move. I like your no-microwave challenge. I’ve read about how bad it is recently and how much better food is nutritionally when it’s cooked using methods other than zapping in a box, so I’ve been using ours less as well. Can’t wait to see more of the house!
I stopped owning a microwave a few years ago – it takes some getting used to but then you stop noticing it.
A tip for reheating things without a microwave? Use your steamer basket set over simmering water! I used to heat everything in the oven, but stuff dried out – the steamer basket works really well for most things!
I love that tip..I need to pick up a steamer basket. I imagine it would add a lot of moisture!
So far, I’ve just been reheating on the stove top in a skillet or small pot, bu I had to add a bit of oil or water so it didn’t dry out (it was a pasta casserole)
It looks gorgeous, regardless. The house never stays as tidy as when you’re getting things together from a new move or cleaning for company! HA!
And uh YES PLEASE on the staging post!
Glad Im not the only one! ;)
I second that! I’d love to hear some staging tips.
Me toooo!
Me too! I totally want a staging post! I am just starting to try and get into making things look better around here and have absolutely no eye for it!
P.S. I always read in my google reader so haven’t seen the new winter header yet, it’s gorgeous! So satisfying on the eyes.
Thank you! Im going to have to come up with a spring one soon…
I’m rather impressed with what you’ve done so far – you should be too. And your linen closet looks pretty neat and the sheets well folded to me!
Yes please, I would love to read a post on staging! Your linen closet looks better than mine and I DO like to fold things :)
So, I think it’s a little strange that this is the post that makes me de-lurk and actually comment on your site (which I have read daily for the last 9 months, at least!). But.. BUT! They do have a retractable hose central vac system! My husband is very, very excited about building a house and is slowly compiling a list of all of the must-haves. This is definitely in it:
http://www.hideahose.biz/
Thanks for sharing your life and recipes with us. When we went vegan in August of last year, your site filled the void of all of the other foodie blogs I could not relate to anymore! :) I appreciate not only your delicious recipes, but also the voice with which you share them. Your site is the first thing I visit when I open my computer in the morning!
omg that just made my day! haha. Awesome. I guess they have something for everything these days. ;)
Thanks for your comment, so glad to hear you enjoy the blog! Take care
Love the new place, Angela.
I haven’t had a microwave for more than a couple of months since 2005. I don’t miss it, and though we do have one at the office, I rarely use it.
I’ve gotten used to eating room-temp leftovers (removing them from the fridge an hour or so before eating) or reheating on the stove.
Interesting tip re: the room-temp leftovers! I could do without the microwave at home but at school or work, especially in the winter, its hard! I’m figure even cutting back on its use is a good step, right?
I would love to read and see pics of your staging tips and tricks!
I really like sage as a bathroom color, but be careful, my fiancé and I painted our bathroom a shade of sage that looks more like a sea foam, not the biggest deal, but it looked nothing like the color swatch.
Those metal shelf racks are lifesavers aren’t they?! Last summer I begged my fiancé (and eventually won) to put some up in a closet we have on our patio. It was kinda a free for all of things piled on the floor- now all of my cookware and baking pans (along with my kitchenaid, crockpot, chocolate melter that I have never used, coffee pot, my beloved waffle maker, etc) are somewhat neatly placed (and piled…) on the shelves. I think I was eating a Larabar and tap dancing around the isles trying to keep myself occupied when we were picking out the shelving……………………..
Ha ha I’m glad I’m not the only one who tap dances stores when I’m bored :) yes, please, Angela on the staging post!
We could start a club, the bored tappers club! Lol.
I have to comment on the microwave thing. I’ve been using microwaves for me entire life, up until about 3 years ago when I moved in with my fiance. He never thought they were necessary, so he never got one. It was definitely hard to adjust at first (especially like you said, for heating up leftovers!), but now I don’t even miss it! I’ve just learned to get used to taking a little extra time to heat things up in the oven or on the stove top. You can do it!
I don’t use a microwave. See this blog I published back in 2009
http://crunchylittlebites.com/2009/10/06/microwaves/
After reading your blog through and through (and you know I have viewed all your pages…like it was a book, I know, I’m silly) and wish I’d continued blogging from when I fist began back in 2009.
Nonetheless, you’re new living space is gorgeous and you deserve it to feel as warm a nest as any. You really have style and vision Angela.
That bathroom is gorgeous! I absolutely love when bathrooms are flooded with light. Since it’s the first place I spend time in the morning (between showering, drinking my coffee and getting ready) it just makes me so happy when it’s bright and light.
Definitely YES on a STAGING POST!!
Gorgeous shower by the way, specially love the light – it makes everything so … so :)
wow! your house is lovely..i love how you decorated every corner of it. It’s looking really good now, great work. I’m excited to see how you’ll decorate your shared office. I’d love to have an office in our house to.
Would definitely be interested in a staging post and where you purchase some of the items. Our house is in dire need of wall art & some accent items (speaking of which where did you get the long mirrors & the bench with all the great baskets shown in your shared office).
Thanks!
The sofa table is from Ikea (I think it comes in another gray-brown shade too) As for the mirror, I will have to get back to you on that one
I *think* it’s this mirror from Ikea, but I will ask Eric tonight to confirm:
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/10121252/#/10121252
Thinking it’s a trip to IKEA ASAP :) Homesense and Winners are next on my list :) Thanks!
ah IKEA…thank God for a significant other who seems to like putting those 6 million pieces together…i just want the finished product! trying to find good places to pick up little accent pieces without spending a fortune is a bit of a challenge as well!
I’ve seen some really nice long mirrors at Winners and Homesense lately. Don’t think they were too expensive. We have one in our entry and with a family, it’s a nice item to have when we are all trying to rush out the door in the morning!
Looking good! I too refuse to fold sheets, ergo our linen closet is more like balls of bedding. Then again, I’m not real great at folding my own clothes either. It’s tedious. I (still) have a microwave over the stove but I unplugged it a year and a half ago, and have not really missed it. I reheat a lot of food in my warming drawer, electric kettle for soups, or toaster oven, which I had NEVER used before I unplugged the m/w. And I’ve managed to melt chocolate on the stove on my warming burner. When all else fails, a skillet over medium low heat will work for a lot of leftovers (<—plus keep it crispy!)
I love your blog and I love your new home! We have recently been painting and have fallen in love with Cavern by Martha Stewart. It is the prettiest color (smoky grey with a warm lavender hint).
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/paint/paint-samples-posters-fan-decks/martha-stewart-living/8-oz-cavern-interior-paint-tester-msl242-79916.html
Happy decorating =)
I feel like I can smell that “new house smell” from your pictures! Your house looks amazing! I love your kitchen… I want my own some day :)
I love the bathroom. It’s gorgeous.
And yes please, I’d love a post on staging – we are looking for a new house in the next year and I’m super worried about having to stage this house, esp will 2 (or 3) dogs and 2 cats.