Project Day - Organize Those Magazines!

I love magazines.  'A' loves magazines.  We could have an entire room cluttered with magazines.  In my work, I used to receive so many free magazines I could have sold them out of my house.  I love bookmarking great ideas on design, organization, fashion, travel, nutrition etc.  It can get to the point where my magazines start 'owning me' and I feel overwhelmed with clutter.  Once a month I go through all the magazines I've read and have earmarked and I rip out the pages I want to keep and throw away the rest of the magazine.  I buy white binders and place clear paper protectors in the binder.  I then put each magazine page in a paper protector so they stay clean and organized.  I divide the binders by subject matter, but I try not to over organize them because I find that inspiration for one area can come from a completely different field.  If you want to be super organized you can get dividers for your binders and write in various subjects.  For instance, a 'Home' binder might be divided by rooms or by "Paint, Furniture, Fixtures, Linens, Garden, Ambiance" etc.  

This past year has been a time of transition and a lot of moving.  I think being organized and simplifying the 'stuff' in life is key to being content and having less anxiety.  I'm only keeping the things I love and letting go of the things I don't.  I figure that there are many people in the world who would love and need those things more than I do.  Take an hour and organize something in your house today!

  You'll be so happy you did it.

Protect and Organize Your Foot Bling!

From the time I was in 3rd grade until the middle of 8th grade, my parents could not get me in a dress without a huge fight ensuing.  Though I was a ballerina for 14 years, once I left the doors of my dance classes, I transformed into a grungy skater girl who enjoyed wearing my grandpa's old flannel shirts with these huge orange jeans that I got on Haight Street in San Francisco.  I'm not sure how I ever left the house thinking I looked good.  My parents would buy me really nice clothes that I threw in my closet, preferring to glam up in my flea market finds.  When I was 14, in the middle of 8th grade, we moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico and I went to a prep school.  Suddenly, I wanted to look like a girl!  After fighting with my step-mom for a few years about my clothes, I was now sheepishly in her closet every morning asking, "Can I borrow this?"  That is when I discovered my love for nice shoes...and my taste became more and more expensive.  

When I moved to San Francisco after college, I considered eating beans all month so that I could afford my passion for shoes.  

  

My problem was that they all looked good on me!  I have a size 6 shoe and that's usually the display model size so I get that instant gratification because I don't even have to wait for someone to go in the back and find my size.  

Here's the point.  If you are going to invest in nice shoes, you need to protect and organize them.  Colorado is really dusty, so my dreams of having a glamorous, open-air shoe room just isn't realistic (I guess the dust isn't the only reason for that).  Rather than keeping the original boxes, which don't match and all the sizes are different, I like placing each pair in one of these plastic boxes from the Container Store and labeling them.  

Here are the benefits:

*You can stack them

*Organize them by Designer, Type, and Color

*The boxes are clear so you can see your shoes and they create and open, clean feeling in your closet.

*These labels are erasable so can fix labeling mistakes and update labels if you replace a pair of shoes

*Your fabulous shoes stay dust-free and organized! 

My step-mom and I still trade shoes and I can't help but get a little smirk on my face when I think about the fact that both of my sister's feet are too big to share with us... he-he.

The Laundress to the Rescue!

I didn't think that so early in my blogging 'life' I would talk about a company more than once, but I have to say that The Laundress saved us the other night!  'A' and I took my girlfriends from San Francisco to "Zach's Cabin", a fantastic restaurant above the Ritz-Carlton in Bachelor's Gulch (you can only get there by skiing in or taking a snow CAT!).  The girls were toasting us for hosting them in Vail and I guess 'A' got so excited that he knocked a huge glass of red wine down the entire front of himself!  He handled it really well, but all I could think was "goodbye to your favorite jeans and your Tom Ford shirt."  He couldn't even run home to change because we were on the top of a mountain!  After a few hours we got home and I grabbed his clothes and The Laundress "Stain Solution" and went right to work on them.   To my utter surprise, ALL of the wine came out of everything.  I just couldn't believe it.  This stuff is magic and saved some of 'A's' favorite things and I'm grateful that the product doesn't have all these harmful toxins in it (so I didn't even need a gas mask!).   

I bet 'A' is glad that I asked for "The Ultimate Cleaning Bucket" from The Laundress for Valentine's Day - I have all the flowers and jewelry I need - THIS was the luxurious gift I wanted!  I think he's a converted customer now too.

I'm in the Wrong Business!

Yesterday I had to drive 60 miles to get one of our cars serviced (oy, life outside the big city!!) and I was dreading not only the drive, but the waiting.... Until I discovered that there was a Target in this town!  I didn't realize when I moved outside of the city how living without Target would effect me.  It's my place.  I find so many things there that I didn't know I would ever need!!  So I happily walked into Target with two things on my list.  20 items and $136 later I walked out of Target.  When I was at the check-out, the lady was ringing up a few cute birthday cards that I got for some friends.  The cards were $6.95 each - WHAT?!?!?  When did a paper card (okay, these had sequins and ribbon, but still) become almost $7?  I could get into that business!  So here's the question.  Do people keep birthday cards or just toss them?  I'm happy to pay a bit of money for a card if people will keep them, but I'm not sure people do and I would rather buy them a glass of wine or something.  Let me know what you think - do you keep your cards?

Glitzy Green Gift Wrapping

I am a very fortunate lady and receive some pretty spectacular gifts...along with those, I get some wonderful wrapping paper that I keep (just one more thing I have to find space for!).  Is that weird?  I fold up the tissue paper, keep all of the ribbons and cute bags so I can use them again.  I keep them in two woven boxes that my mom sent me from Maui.  If you receive gifts from me, more than likely the wrapping has been 're-gifted'.   I believe in using what you have and re-using things like paper and ribbon.  

Three of my best girlfriends from San Francisco are coming to visit me in Vail this weekend and I put together some fun gift bags for them so that they can survive the dry/cold weather. 

 They're just little gifts like a water bottle, Luna bars, moisturizer samples and lip glosses....

But I made them look really special by using luxury gift wrap - Hermes and Cartier ribbons and a Chanel shopping bag.  Hopefully my friends won't mind that there aren't any luxury goods in there!

Tragic Technology

If you are an iphone owner, like me, you are part of a special club that only 'we' can understand.  I have turned into the biggest dork since becoming an Apple convert.....and I LOVE it.  However, this love of technology can suck the soul right out of you.  I have discovered an "Application" on my iphone that is a game called ReMoveEm.  If you find this game, do not download it - run for your life!  I have a very unhealthy addiction to this game.  It's completely basic (like Tetris, but even easier) but I can't stop playing it.  'A' is always asking if I'm playing the game and I say 'no' so now I hide in the bathroom to play it.  I'm living a secret life.   So if you would like to keep your job and keep a happy family life, stay far far away from this game. 

 Plus, I hold all of the 'Top Scores" anyway so you would feel very intimidated playing it.  

Mixing Styles

A few years ago I started getting really bored with my decor 'style.'  I realized that I was trying to have a similar look for all of my belongings and it was boring after awhile.  I began reading magazines for inspiration and noticed that my favorite spaces combined multiple styles.  I like a little bit of everything to keep the look interesting and fresh.  'A' and I bought this square dining room table that has a nice heavy barn look (from Arhaus) and matched it with these really simple, modern plastic chairs from Design Within Reach.  The juxtaposition of the two styles works perfectly and everyone comments about how much they love our dining room.  

Show Off Your Bling!

I'm a "if I don't see it, it's not there" girl.  I consistently forget about all of the great things I own because I can't see everything.  This especially happens with earrings.  I end up wearing the same jewels all the time and feel boring without some fantastic earrings.  I love having my signature pieces (my gold/sapphire ring, antique gold necklace from Portugal and my Cartier Love bracelet from 'A'), but changing up earrings is so fun!  

I keep my earrings hung on this funky 'bust' with a chicken-wire skirt. I found it at a boutique in the Highlands area of Denver, but you can find great items like this in many boutiques.  This way I can see all of my earrings and make an effort to actually wear them!  

Also, if you're a shoe lover like I am, use your shoes as art!  These fantastic cowboy boots should not be hidden in the closet - these were made to show off - so I keep them in a book case, mixed in with books and picture frames.  My favorite cowboy boot shop is "Boots & Boogie" in Santa Fe, NM.  Roy, the owner, is a hoot and some people (including 'A') pay extra money to buy some of Roy's old worn-in boots!

For the Love of Nespresso

During my crazy working girl days, I drank a ton of espresso.  The employees at the Starbuck's next to my office knew my name and my drink of choice - Grande Non-fat latte with Cinnamon and Nutmeg (because I thought it made the drink taste like Christmas).  One day, during one of my "who can afford to live in San Francisco with my lifestyle" freak-outs, I calculated that I spent at least $1300 per year on coffee!  When I realized that I could have bought almost two pairs of Louboutin's for that amount or actually put some money in the bank, I was depressed!

Last spring when I moved in with 'A' (that's what my boyfriend would like to be known as now that I'm taking our home life public), we bought a Nespresso machine.  It's hard to spend $700 up front on an Espresso machine, but when we added up the savings it made so much sense.  The capsules come in a variety of strengths and flavors and are 55 cents each so if you have 2 per day (I do, I do!) that's only $402 per year.  Even with the cost of the machine, our espresso costs went way down in the first year!

We have the Lattissima Machine ('top line' model in black).  

I bought us these great espresso cups in Portugal at Vista Alegra, one of the oldest China companies in the country. I love the designs!

If you're not convinced by me about the Nespresso machine, George Clooney does the commercial, so there's another great incentive.

Hanger Hanger on the Wall

This summer I did a home tour in Beaver Creek of some of the most exquisite mountain homes I have ever seen.  Aside from my constant calculating of how much money we would have to make in order to build one of these homes, I could not get my mind off of the disgusting hanger displays in the enormous closets in these homes.  Though these closets were larger than the 2 bedroom apartment I lived in in San Francisco and filled with designer clothing , the hangers were all mismatched, plastic, wire and all colors of the rainbow.  These people had thin plastic hangers holding up their furs!  That poor fox did not die so that it could hang on a turquoise tubular hanger.  I'm not anti-fur, I'm just anti-disrespecting your clothing.  Here's the deal - you will never love your closet until you have matching, functional hangers.  Whether you have a custom closet or you live in a rental with a pole and a shelf, matching hangers will change your life and preserve the life of your clothing.  

My favorite place to buy hangers is Hangers.com.  They have a huge variety of hangers in various finishes and I think their pricing is really good.  Also, for me, one of the most important things about working with a company is customer service - I only work with people who 'get it' - and they do.  

My absolute must-have hanger is this one....

It's called the Vinyl Hanger.  I prefer to purchase it in black, though white and light pink are available.  Black seems to show the least amount of dust... oh, Colorado is so dusty - I can't get over it!  This hanger is space-saving, keeps wide-neck shirts from slipping and, most importantly, you can hang delicate sweaters without getting 'pucker-marks' or stretching the fabric.  I prefer to hang rather than fold items because wrinkles are my enemy and I like to see what I own so I don't buy the same black shirt over and over again.  You can buy hangers to match your closet or buy a color that contrasts for a cool look.  My step-mom has a white California Closet and I got her all black hangers - very chic!

Hangers.com can also monogram your hangers which is very 'in' right now.  Monogrammed hangers make a great gift for a house-warming, wedding or new baby!

I won't show you my closet right now because we are remodeling our house and living in a rental for a few months.   I can't wait to show you our new custom closets in April!  

Squeaky Clean

Most people know me as someone who prefers to clean with natural products whenever possible. I don't like stinky chemicals and I grew up in a natural home.  With that said, there are two things I need my chemicals for - my dishwasher and my mirrors.  After trying every natural product known to man for my mirrors (yes, vinegar and everything), I discovered "Windex Glass and Surface Wipes".  These are better than the spray because they leave no lint from the wipe and leave no streaks, making me so happy when I'm examining my pores in the mirror!  These are these are the little details in life that make my day.  A nice glass of wine and some Windex wipes and I'm set.    

Also, I always wear gloves when cleaning - protect your gorgeous hands and expensive manicure!

Lavish Laundry

Of course my first 'real' entry has to be about something as exciting as laundry (really hooks the audience).  Working for California Closets for over 6 years,  I learned a lot about caring for and preserving your belongings.  Caring for your clothing is as important as organizing it!  My belief around clothing is to buy great quality and take really good care of it.  Nothing makes me more upset than wasting money on clothes that fall apart.  I would rather spend $400 on a dress that lasts years, than $50 on something I can only wear a couple of times - my style is more classic with an edge, less trendy (I need to mention, though, that the best t-shirt on the market is the "My Favorite T" from the GAP.  They're about $2o and better than anything else out there - expensive or cheap).  

Back to laundry.  The best laundry detergent I have ever used is from a small company called "The Laundress."  The company was started by two friends who had years of experience in the textile and fashion world.  They created a luxury fabric care line that helps to preserve all types of fabric, saves trips to the dry cleaner, is good for you and the environment, and has 4 different fragrance lines that smell divine.  I love the whole line, but if I had to chose I would buy the "Delicate Wash", "Darks Detergent", "Fabric Fresh", and "Wool & Cashmere Shampoo"....it's really hard to choose because every product is amazing.   

If you are used to grocery store bought detergent, the prices will shock you, but I justify this luxury by thinking about how long my clothing will look fabulous and the dry cleaning bills I won't have - plus, the products are concentrated.  You can find this line in some high-end home and beauty boutiques, but I think it's easiest to buy from their website.  Be sure to check out their whole website - I think it's amazing.  I love the "Things We Love" posts...such a great idea for any business website.  

Check out the products and let me know what you think.  

Funny Note: When my boyfriend and I were discussing Valentine's Day, I said I didn't want anything because I would rather save for travel or for something in our newly remodeled house later in the year... but then I decided to ask him for some detergent from The Laundress.  I'm not kidding.  I'm such a romantic.