Today, I am working on the living room. At our house the door opens up into the living room so this is also our front entry. I want it to be exciting and peaceful and welcoming when people come in.
My cousin and I are going for this funky fun 70s vibe. We’ve got some weird pieces so trying to tie it together.
When we come in, we always just drop our things at the front; shoes, coats, workbag, keys- it all gets dropped at the front door. This is what we did in our last house, droppings bags on the floor. I said that this clutter caused me anxiety, but the other roommate didn’t mind. In the end, one of our dogs got into one of the backpacks and nearly died from poisoning because the roommate had a huge bag of ibuprofen in their bag. I had known this was a problem from the beginning and had mentioned multiple times that this organization system wasn’t working.
Now we don’t live with that roommate and my cousin/roommate has said that I can do whatever is needed. This time I am going to solve the problem. I perused Martha Stewart, Sugar and Cloth, Bobvila, and the Spruce (aka the top ten in a quick google search). They are all very expensive or for families, which we are neither. We are two young professionals on a budget. I keep wishing there was a consulting firm for us – not Mom’s with a husband making the money, or like full-time white collar workers with money and no time, but like us – no money and no time just trying to function and be stable. Thus, since I do have time right now because of my health leave, I am using some of my brain power on this project.
Right now we have this cheap storage thing I bought on Amazon with a lovely old bookcase perched on top. It looks not good and is easily cluttered. We also have one of my meditation pillows and just a pile of paintings/art we are not sure what to do with. Also this coat rack from Ikea that is lilac that we panic bought, well that I panic bought after the poisoning incident. It kinda works. It was so hard to make! I had to go to Ikea again because I broke one of the parts, and my very handy friend figured out. It was a time.
Since this also is the open plan living room and dining room, it all kind of has to flow. We do have a coat closet if you walk in further – but like, I don’t think I can get my cousin or myself to make that extra effort to use it. Even in my childhood home where we had the perfect shoe closet, we still put our shoes by the stairs or just threw them into the closet and left our bag by the front door. There is something, that little extra-effort that is just a no-go. It has to be drilled in with lots of positive behavior reinforcement or like OCD to do.
My ex-boyfriend just had a table, which honestly kind of worked.
I really want one of those benches. We actually do have a bench already that really does not match the kitchen table. So I am thinking to move that over. And then to hang a key hook with the command strips. I think just a wee side table is enough to but the bags on. At least they are not on the ground. There is a nice thing at Out of the Closet that I think will work. It’s only $25 dollars. I’m gonna check that out.
I am down for the rug. The big rug or the small rug is the question? I think I want the big rug! We have the space, and I prefer the burnt orange color. I’ve requested on Facebook Marketplace. I might go and buy more command strips for the living room. Okay. A trip to out of the closet. I think I can rearrange things.
I can see the plan. I’ll update you on the results.
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