lydiechan's Profile

Also try this: Instead of asking yourself, "Do I need this," tell yourself, "I don't need this." 99% of the time it's true. From snacks to shoes to bad relationships... What you need is limited to a set of clothes, enough food to keep you alive, and shelter to keep you out of the elements. Probably also a job to pay for those things.

Relearn what the word "need" really means, and it's easier to understand that you don't need most of what you have.

I'm going to be a pain in the butt and state that this post is epitome of missing the point. Three "unique lighting sources" does NOT mean 3 different lamp shades all pushed together on one table.

If you are lighting a set (which your home is the set for your life, so you'd better be thinking of it that way), you want three light sources - one that illuminates the characters, one from a different angle to help fill in the shadows, and a third to light the backdrop.

In decor, three independent lighting sources means, for example, lamps flanking a sofa and a third lamp over a desk, or as a down-light over the TV or focal point. It does NOT mean a lamp next to a window next to a sconce.

Additionally, each light should serve a purpose in addition to allowing you to see in the room. For example, the light arrangement above is utterly pointless because all three "light sources" (there are only two) only illuminate the chair immediately adjacent to them. A reading lamp next to a cozy chair is a great option, but three reading lamps next to a cozy chair? Now you're just making modern art.

The beauty of a light comes from its functionality, whether it's to highlight a favorite art piece, allow for easier reading, or illuminate the faces of individuals in a conversation circle (and if you don't know what that is, go back to interior design 101). Otherwise you have a lamp on a table on a stage and no point to the arrangement.

I'm right with Garimi and LibbyMade on this one. I admit to being a die-hard minimalist on this one (who else do you know that owns a total of 2 dinnerware sets? Yeah...2 plates, 2 bowls, that's it.) but a lot of the clutter really does seem to come from having multiple items. I can't handle a lot of clutter in my admittedly-small apartment, but even in areas where I could afford to stuff a lot of things in, I prefer the minimalistic approach.

Most people forget to declutter before they organize. If you haven't used it in 6 months (especially in the kitchen) you should consider outboxing it for 1-3 months. If you don't use it in that time frame, let it go.

That said, a lot of people like to look and easy access of peg boards. It's not my style, but it looks like you did a great job on yours!

Moseyblog, I am currently researching sofa cushion filling for my 50's Dunbar (which I will some day have completely reupholstered). It is very hard to find local places to buy foam, especially here in Denver, so I've gone online and found several good resources. Most offer banting wrap options or even down slip pillows. My favorite site so far is http://www.foamorder.com/cushions.html and, even though you will need to measure your foam cores and make some basic decisions, their order process is very easy to navigate.

Sorry I can't help you with a local option, but hopefully this will work for you. Good luck!

I have to admit I'm going to disbelieve any article in future that tells its readers they should buy Ikea furniture. They recently opened an Ikea here in Lonetree and we took an evening to explore it. I would call the quality dorm-room at best with only a few exceptions. The sofas, chairs and beds are truly uncomfortable and don't feel solid.

That said, if you're looking for kitschy organization, quirky (but unoriginal) pieces, or some real bargains, Ikea is a great place to shop. But I would limit my consumption to their small pieces, and if you're looking for quality furniture look elsewhere.

Whatever you do, if you love it don't get rid of it. I had an English rosewood credenza that I traded down for a thing from Target and I've been kicking myself for 2 years. I will probably always kick myself when I think of that credenza. Moral of the story:

If you love a piece of furniture, don't throw it out. At least if you sell it you can imagine it is living happily ever after at someone else's house.

Make a memory: put on some tea or coffee to make the place smell good (or a glass of wine), pull out your favorite blanket to curl up in, and watch your favorite movie.

What the younger and older people alike don't understand is that our economy isn't changing. It. Has. Changed. We are no longer a culture of hard workers and savers who are working toward a house and a pension and stability. Our government is upending, we have no hope of security - social or otherwise - under our current heading, and the iceberg is getting bigger by the second.

I would love to think that the current trends are my generation looking at the intrinsic value of something and realizing that what they are paying for has no real worth. But the reality is our parents didn't teach us how to handle money, so no, we can't afford houses. Not because the housing market is ridiculously out of whack (which it is), but because the words "save," "invest," and "wisdom" have seeped out of our vocabulary.

Am I offended that a girl decided not to waste money on a plastic disc that loses 80-90% of its value as soon as she takes the plastic off the case? No. Am I offended that the government is hard-selling a version of the future where those who worked hard to save and invest are robbed to give money to the lazy and the uneducated? The question isn't why am I offended, but why aren't you?

Wow. Soap box.

Yeah, I didn't notice a toilet. So unless they're putting a port-o-potty somewhere... This would be a great vacation home somewhere super remote. Or a fantastic location for a slasher film.

My bookshelf says I desperately want(ed) to escape my life (at some point). The adventure books I read and re-read are still there, but gathering dust, while the "take control" section of my library is growing with budgeting and finance books, books about working and living better, and humorous selections that help me embrace the nonsensities of the daily trudge.