bexdc's Profile

This Etsy shoe storage bench is FAB. Looks very well-made. Of course, it's also a bit expensive: http://www.etsy.com/listing/71621121/japanese-tansu-style-shoe-storage-bench?ref=v1_other_1

There are lots of fun pieces here --- but there is just way too much stuff! Take out 50 percent and we're getting somewhere. The busyness + lack of editing and cohesiveness = an overall amateurish look.

This is a great idea and I appreciate all the helpful advice. I too have a black thumb but the tips are giving me hope ...

Mike: These are all excellent suggestions. I have sold and purchased many items on Craigslist -- furniture, digital piano, bicycle case, etc. -- but I have never used the Google Docs spreadsheet to sell items, so thanks for the tip.

One request: Can you do a similar post for selling clothing and other items on eBay? I bet a lot of readers would LOVE that.

I love the simplicity and serene feel of your place. LOVE the living room credenza and your various "starburst" mirrors. It's good to see a house tour where folks do NOT have the luxury of being able to take out tile, carpeting, etc. You have to be more imaginative when one has to deal with the constraints that most renters have.

To wordwallah: One great resource for getting rid of unwanted things that still have some use: FREECYCLE. These groups are all over the country. Google 'freecycle' and your city and you will likely find a group nearby. I have given away glass and backing for picture frames, cardboard boxes, even a couple of chairs.

Lots of great advice in the comments section on buying a sewing machine - however, as an absolute beginner, I can't try out sewing machines in a shop because I don't know how to use one AT ALL. What I want to do is to buy a sewing machine and then take a few classes before I start trying to hem curtains, make pillowcovers, and complete other simple projects.

All that said, would it be wise for me to buy one of the sewing machines that Consumer Reports recommends? CR recommends the Kenmore 15358 as the best "basic sewing machine."

Forgot to add:

- Canceled online coaching (I'm a long-distance runner)
- Won't pay more than $25 for a haircut. I'm vain. But not THAT vain.
- Cut waaay back on housekeeping
- Take 5-minute showers instead of 10 minute ones. I do this not b/c of cost but b/c I hate wasting water - especially now that I live in a drought-ridden state.