best of 2011 (domesticated version)

sort of random, but really a home sweet home best of:


best (simple yet effective) around-the-house tips that made my house cleaner in 2011: 

*i discovered this on vacation, when somehow the plastic detergent measuring cup showed up in every load of clothes our friends kim and jeremy did. aha! they throw their liquid detergent scoop in the laundry every time they do a load. that way the scoop doesn't get all gunky and you use every last drop of the detergent. maybe y'all knew about this one too, but i didn't. no more sticky nasty detergent residue in the little plastic cup, which somehow is immensely satifying.

* i spotted this on pinterest and love it: using a magazine file to store foil, baggies, and plastic wrap. instead of an avalanche of differently sized boxes spilling out, they are nicely contained & neat.


best newly organized spot in my house:
we have a weird little nook off of our kitchen that was not really being used well. when we cleared out our third bedroom downstairs (that was doubling as an office) so that someone could live with us, i switched the nook into an office & i turned the closet into storage for files & supplies. so much more tidy & organized. (the trick for me is always maintaining these brilliant new systems, since that is not my strength.)

best backyard activity:

our holi fight! so fun, so messy, so colorful.

best renovation project:
we had lots of hurdles, but i love you, studio. (thanks, husband and all of the helpers that made it happen)
before:

(almost all the way) after:

(actually, since i took these pictures matt also sealed and painted the floors, covered the outlets and did some final fixer upping and we moved my stuff in, so i'll have to post the real final soon)

my favorite but many of our neighbors least favorite home renovation project:

matt painted our house- dark charcoal with dark trim. is isn't for everyone, but we love it. so there, neighbors who said, "wow, well, at least it will fade" or "i've never really seen a house color like that before" or "are you at least going to make the trim color light?"

before:

 after:

hands down best contributor to making my house visions come to life by doing all of the work:
husband.

runner-up:
brother aaron, who always comes over to help the cause! any cause, really. my brother is a rallier if there ever was one.

oh, and also? he's funny.

guess what else = awesome?

comments.

bring it.