mginwa's Profile

I also have the Fieldcrest Armoire from Target, and I really like it. I swapped out the knobs for nicer ones. It's a surprisingly good looking and well-made piece for the price point, and since it's tall, it holds a ton. Keep in mind cubic inches of storage when you purchase something like this--every inch counts in my home.

I used to have one, but I sold it when I moved into my last place. Worst furniture decision I ever made. Now, only 8 months later, I'm on the market for another one.

I disagree with the comments not to spend any money now, and to spend it all later. Do what you need to do to handle waiting it out--if you can't stand the kitchen as-is, do the minimum to upgrade/repair it and then save your money responsibly until you can do the full renovation. If you're miserable, you won't be able to calmly wait until the timing is better! I'd do a simple DIY repaint of the cabinet doors and fronts, and swap out the knobs for something inexpensive and unoffensive. Good old Home Depot has tons of cheap options, and they're better quality than IKEA. By all means replace the flooring--linoleum isn't expensive, it's so easy to clean, and it should be cheaper to rip up again when you renovate. Paint over that horrid backsplash tile immediately, and learn to love (or at least function with) the miniature fridge. All that said, make it tolerable, easy to clean, keep it simple, and just create a starting point for your planning process for the real deal!

I totally agree that a bathroom clock is awesome and helpful and for me, necessary, but I got a great one at Target for $2. Can't say I want to spend hundreds of dollars on a gadget for my bathroom.

I always compare the prices, but since storage is at a premium in my kitchen, I love the flexibility of buying only the exact amount I need. I will keep larger quantities of some staples on hand like flour and sugar, but I don't really have room for anything else, so the bulk bins are awesome.

I also have a basement bedroom (never, ever try to sleep in a basement. btw) and my cheaper solution was to get a $15 digital lamp timer at Home Depot. I use it on a floor lamp on the other side of the room, set it just like an alarm clock, and that combined with my cell phone alarm was enough to get me out of bed before dawn all winter. Nothing is guaranteed to work without a reasonable bed time, but the lamp timer really was a life saver.

First and foremost, what kinds of things do your kids like? No matter which section of the space you end up using for them, it's going to be a little on the small side, so you might as well get creative. If they like pirates, why not make them a pirate ship? What about Peter Pan's tree house? Or a circus tent? Instead of bunk beds in a corner, you can get creative and come up with a way that makes a small space special. I'm sure you are already thinking about this, as but hard as this transition is on you, it's especially hard on little people. You need to focus on how to make your kids visits to you as fun and comfortable as possible so it will be a positive experience for you both. Whatever you choose, make sure it speaks to what your kids like--it's their room. Let them help fill it with the things they like, too--many little kids collect stuff, so make sure there are shelves where they can put books and toys and magic pebbles and all the little treasures kids love.

Practically speaking, I would use the right hand side of the T space for your office and for storage. I would put a desk against the bathroom/HVAC wall. I would then use the left hand side of the T for the kids' space, with the beds/ship/treehouse in the upper left hand corner, play space in the center left intersection area, and perhaps a curtain dividing them. You can even do something really fun with that curtain, doing something like a big red velvet curtain with tassles that can be pulled to each side to open up the space during the day, and closed at night or when the kids are away. That one window on the left has to do a lot of work, so you don't want to block it with anything permanent, but you still want to create privacy for naptime and bedtime.

In the play area, I would try to make it work for you and for the kids. Instead of a toy chest, why not a more grown-up looking chest that can double as a seat when the kids are away? Rugs can go a long way to making it feel warmer and be more comfortable for play, as can big floor pillows.

Good luck with your new home!

Log, though I've trained myself to listen for unusual noises. I once slept through a tree crashing into my bedroom in a bad storm and woke to branches by my head--believe me, there is such a thing as being too sound a sleeper. I have to be responsible and get to bed in time because it's really hard to find anything to wake me up if I don't! I recently bought a digital lamp timer for one of my lamps, and it has proven to be the best alarm clock I've ever had--light beats noise every day.

My two favorite tricks for dealing with my tiny kitchen are to set up my mise en place and put away each ingredient as soon as I've used it. That way, when all the ingredients are in the dish, there is nothing left on the counter. This is particularly helpful when I'm baking--I never have to worry that I forgot a critical ingredient like baking soda. The second trick is to wash everything the second I'm done with it. I even wash my pots and pans before I sit down to eat. Nothing sits in the pans and gets hard and stuck, so it literally takes seconds to wash them, and I'm forced to move quickly so my food doesn't get cold. I enjoy my meal, stick the plate in the dishwasher, and I'm done, no more cleanup.

I LOVE it. I agree about protecting it with glass, though, particularly for oil. Think about that nasty greasy black dirt you find on the top of the fridge all over the painting, yuck. I would be careful with the glass, too--I sometimes steam up my kitchen when I'm boiling something for a long time, so I would want it to vent well if it gets steamy.