the january cure : assignment six.

the assignment:

Most of us probably can very easily think of some piece of artwork we have that needs framing - It can be a painting, a drawing, a photograph, a print, a poster, a card - big or small, expensive or free - made by you, a friend, a local artist, or even your kids - from a gallery, a secondhand shop, a craft fair or found online. Non-traditional things can be wonderful as decorative art, too - when framed and elevated to an object of honor - a menu, a silk scarf, tickets, a note from a loved one.

Think about which item would truly make you happy to display in this way in your home. The origin and the artist is less important than how it makes you feel. The important part is that you should love it and really want to use it to add some warmth, beauty and individuality to your space. Now that you've given it some thought and made a choice it's time to get this taken care of - don't put it off any longer - let's get the process underway. (Lots of helpful links below!)

Get busy and keep in mind that we'll be hanging artwork on the 28th, so it should be ready by then.

If you already have a piece of framed artwork set aside that you can hang on the 28th with the rest of us, consider today a free day to catch up or put some time in on working on your project that you got started on yesterday.

well, framing and putting up art is something we've been pretty active about doing since we've moved in. we've even put up more recently that we haven't blogged about:

but even with all that, we have so much more, both framed and unframed:

so we're going to look through what we already have framed, and see if we can find some wall-homes for at least one, but hopefully more, by the 28th.

the january cure: assignment four and five.

the outbox concept:

Choose a space that is clearly defined. This area should be out of the way of daily activities and be a place you can comfortably allow to get messy and chaotic for a short while. A closet or guest room is perfect for this, but any small area or corner near your front door will do. Designate this your Outbox.

The Outbox is not garbage, nor does it need to be an actual box; it is a halfway house where things sit while their fate is being decided. You should never be afraid to put something in the Outbox.

Once an item has sat in the Outbox for some time, it releases its hold over the owner and becomes just and ordinary object that one can easily decide what to do with. One client compared it to the phenomenon children experience when they fall in love with a rock that is wet or under water. Later, when the rock has dried off and is no longer shiny, it becomes just a plain old rock again and the child's attachment to is suddenly lessens.

As simple as it is, the Outbox has proven to be extremely successful in allowing people to clear out and heal their homes efficiently on a regular basis.

OUTBOX RULES

1. Anything can go in the Outbox

2. The Outbox is allowed to get messy

3. Everything must stay in the Outbox for at least one week

4. After that time you have several choices

    a. Take anything back out

    b. Leave anything you are undecided about for one more week

    c. Dispose of the rest by moving to the garbage, recycling bin, or giveaway pile

Once you get used to separating first and disposing of later, you'll find that clearing clutter gets easier and easier.

the assignment (number four):

Set up your outbox as per Maxwell's guidelines above and put one thing in it. Easy. You can do this.

We'll be prompting you to use the outbox throughout the Cure and will give you a date to "empty" it. No need to worry about any of that yet. For now, just get your outbox set and feel good about putting that that first item in it, knowing that you are well on your way to letting go of things you don't need.

as "simple" as the above sounds, we kind of have two giant "outboxes" - the guest bedroom and the office, and piles of things to get rid of or donate. we could probably be more delineated about it, but we're lazy.

the assignment (number five):

Review your list and and choose a project that fits the below criteria:

    A project that can be completed this month, in a few hours. Remember, you'll be very busy with the rest of your Cure assignments, so don't get overly ambitious in your choice - stay practical on the time commitment required.

    A project that will make a noticeable difference in either how you use your home (organizing, flow), how something works (repairs) or how things look (decluttering, decorating).

    A project that you'll be proud to share with the rest of us! 

heh, we could technically skip this one, as i've already complete about ten of the items on the list! but in the spirit of being good, i think the project we'll tackle is organizing the media console. we've kind of thrown a bunch of things in there, including many dvds and video games. but also a lot of other random things that aren't necessary. so far we've talked about buying a binder of dvd/cd sleeves so that we can get rid of all those cases and make room for more in the drawers!

inspiration : a beautiful craftsman in portland.

i'm utterly in love with this house i found on houzz:

Craftsman Exterior by Portland General Contractors The Works

it's pretty amazing how similar in aesthetic it is to what we have picture for our house. we love the slate blue exterior, with white trim, and dark blue frames. we've actually discussed doing just that (we already have the slate blue exterior, but our trim is a light yellow - which we hate - and we'll need to replace all the doors and windows anyway).

even the exterior you see above with the wooden deck and french doors is a look we want off the side of the house where the kitchen is. absolutely gorgeous, and inspiring!

Craftsman Porch by Portland General Contractors The Works

Craftsman Living Room by Portland General Contractors The Works

and talk about built-ins! i love, love the built-ins, and the beams in the living room. i don't think we'll go as dark as they did with the floors and beams, but it is really pretty. and the floor to ceiling built-ins below for an office and the bedroom - that's pretty much exactly what we want as well, with interesting and creative nooks for space savings and storage. so clean, so simple. we'll definitely be referring to these images often once we get to doing all the aesthetic renovations.. the only thing i don't love is the headboard. seriously, that's it!

Craftsman Home Office by Portland General Contractor The Works

Craftsman Bedroom by Portland General Contractors The Works

even the paneled ceiling, with white walls and light warm grey cabinets and trim. so clean, and pleasing.

Craftsman Bedroom by Portland General Contractors The Works