New Year’s Resolutions – Bringing Sanity into the Bungalow
Written by stephanie on January 12th, 2009Happy New Year everyone!
One of my resolutions this year is to get our house more organized. The scattered toys and endless clutter are making me positively crazy (as is renovation burnout, but that’s another topic for another post.)
Lately I’ve been thinking that if our house felt less chaotic, I might be able to enjoy it a bit more. So, to that end, I’ve been trying to establish a workable storage system upstairs in the playroom and in the girls’ bedrooms.
toy basket from Chloe's room
We started over Christmas break by cleaning the playroom and finding homes for Chloe’s many toys. Next, we labeled each new “home” in hopes that labels might actually encourage our messy little kindergartener to put things away from time to time (as opposed to strewing everything across the floor, which is her usual M.O.)
I found these adorable chalkboard labels at the post-holiday sale at Pottery Barn Kids (a two pack for just $5.99!) and couldn’t resist them. I’ve attached them to the baskets underneath Chloe’s bed, and so far, so good. It’s been a couple of weeks and I can still see her bedroom floor – I take that as a very good sign.
So far the contents of the baskets still match the labels...
Currently, they are labeled with your basic run-of-the-mill chalkboard chalk. (Frankly, I’m somewhat shocked that it hasn’t worn off yet.) But I just received a fancy-schmancy liquid chalk pen in the mail from the Chalkydoodles shop on Etsy. (They have all sorts of great chalkboard products, hand-made from heavy duty oilcloth. Cute, cute, cute!) I can’t wait to give it a try! Supposedly, it has the look of chalk but the durability of marker. And it washes off with soap and water. I’ll be sure to let you know how it works.
If you’re curious about Chloe’s bedding, I promise to post photos soon. I’ve been feeling guilty ever since Ginger was born that Chloe’s bedroom was never completed. Santa must have sensed my guilt, because Chloe found a brand new comforter and pillow sham set from Nicole Miller under the tree on Christmas morning.
Catalog shot of Nicole Miller's Fifi Bedding
Miller’s Fifi collection features three of Chloe’s favorite things – dogs, Vespas and the Eiffel Tower. It also features black pom-pom trim, which ties in quite nicely with the black pom-poms in the playroom, so naturally, I.. er, I mean SANTA… couldn’t resist.
As soon as I’ve finished sewing Chloe’s new curtains, I promise to post new photos of her room in all of its canine/scooter/Parisian glory!
12
PM
super cute omg! I want pompoms on my bed!
12
PM
I know! I kinda do too, Dawn.
12
PM
I just love the baskets; so cute.
I have baskets everywhere to help organize!
Please do share about the chalk pen; I have chalkboard paint on 2 doors in my kitchen, and I am intrigued by the idea of a chalk pen!!
31
AM
Hi Kristin,
I don’t have any additional photos to post, but the chalk pen works fabulously! It pretty much looks like chalk, except that it might be a slightly brighter white. It’s no different from writing with a magic marker, so obviously, it’s a snap to use. And it does not wipe off unless you wipe it off with a wet cloth – in which case, it cleans up flawlessly. I am definitely digging the chalk pen!
31
PM
That is great, Stephanie! I just may need to check that out. I just love my chalkboard painted surfaces, but it would be great to have something less dusty to write with! Thanks for the feedback!
31
PM
They do say to test it somewhere inconspicuous first in case it doesn’t wipe off – supposedly that doesn’t happen often, but it CAN happen, so don’t test it out in center of your painted surfaces!
They have a multicolored five pack at Pottery Barn Kids for $30 (gulp!) but I bought my pen on Etsy from the “Chalkydoodles” shop for $6 (and she was offering free shipping at the time.)
No dust at all with the chalk pen – really cool!