Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Apartment Improvements

For now, our little family plans to stay in our current apartment for the next year (I'll let you know if something changes.) If you are keeping track, it's been almost 3 years since we moved to NYC. Have you been along for the whole ride? If so, leave me a comment and let me know! Anyways, if you've been following you also know that our current apartment is our THIRD apartment. We really love our location and our space is great (for the city) and we want to stay put this time. Since I won't get the chance (insert a giant sigh of relief) to do my annual "moving clean up" and redecorating, I've been thinking of ways to spruce up our space. At this point, I only want to add things to our apartment that we can move with us later.

These are a few of the things I want to do:

1) Hire carpet/upholstery cleaner. WHY did I get a linen sofa? I know, I was a newlywed and I wasn't thinking about my little J walking around with sticky fingers and leaking sippy cups of milk. (I've resigned to the fact that they ALL leak.) I'm thinking a professional is the only one who can get pedialyte stains out of my carpet and milk stains out of my sofa, unless one of you has a better idea? Resolve only goes so far, we need the professionals. If you live in the NYC area, please send me your recs on the best steam cleaners.

2) Change some of the lighting fixtures. Buy a chandelier for our dining area and maybe an entrance light. Right now we just have the standard that came with the apt. For the chandelier, I want something simple that I can change the shades out when I get bored or when we move to a house someday. For the entrance light, I want something that is versatile and can be used again. I feel like both lighting fixtures would make an immediate difference and would improve the feel of our apartment. A good investment if you ask me...now off to convince my sweet husband.

3) Frame National Championship tickets and Baby J's birth announcement. (The announcement is finally at the framer, just trying to figure out how to lay out the National Championship tickets, cover of Sports Illustrated after Bama won and maybe a pic of us at the game...tips appreciated if you have ever framed something like this!)

4) Fabric cushions for dining/room chairs. Have you seen any good ones?

5) New bedding for our bed. I bought the PB stripe duvet last year and I want to go back to white. I'm bored of the stripes. It just feels cleaner and more crisp. I love white beds!

6) New desk for our room. I'm loving this one and this one. The one we bought 3 years ago from West Elm is a piece and we both hate it.

7) Send more stuff to storage. We got a storage unit last year and it has been a life saver for keeping things simple. Buy more storage containers for J's growing collection of balls, books and all things that light up and make noise and have a million pieces.

8) Sell J's monogrammed clothes (let me know if you have a little boy J and are interested.) I'm keeping the rest...you know just in case I have all boys. I'm pretty sure I'm destined to have boys since I'm such a girly girl.

9) Frame more recent photographs. (Change out others for a fresh look.)

10) New rug for J's room if number 1 doesn't work. At this point it needs to be able to either go in another nursery (no, I'm not pregnant just a planner), or it should be able to move to his big boy room when the time comes.

11) Clean closets and give clothes to goodwill and sell clothes "I just don't want" on blog or ebay

I think this enough to keep me busy. I've got a lot to do before my MIL arrives in a few weeks. She and my FIL are staying at our apt while A and I go to Newport so all drawers much be cleaned out. You know, just in case. =)

Let me know if you have any other ideas of ways to refresh your space.

12 comments:

morgan823 said...

I have actually been reading since right after you moved. I can't remember how I found your blog exactly. But I'm from AL and love New York so I had to read all about your move. I know you miss home but it has to be fun being somewhere like that. Although I'm sure your over it now. :)

Unknown said...

Love all your ideas. Can't wait to see them!

preppyinnewengland said...

So true how decorating changes almost immediately with little ones? How I so missed the white and linen!

amanda said...

I think I've been around the whole time-or close to it. I found you while doing wedding searches and had so much fun comparing plans since we were getting married within weeks of each other. I kind of fell off the blog wagon last summer when I was feeling really sick and trying to keep my lips sealed about why :). Now my little man has me on my toes so we'll see if I make it back. I will be revisiting d posts for tips and shopping ideas though!

Anonymous said...

Has it really been three years? I've been following since you were planning the wedding. Those were fun posts :). I can't think of much else, your list is so thorough! If you are for sure leaving the city in a year, maybe make a list of all of the things that you still haven't gotten around to doing and that you want to do before you leave. You've probably done a lot already but maybe there are some kids places that you want to take J to before moving away for good.

Preppy Mama said...

Hmm, think I've been around the whole time. I bought Teflon / stainguard area rugs and they all stained! Go with the professional cleaning first. Ikea has great rugs for kids rooms. Changing light fixtures always makes a space feel new and clean. I just changed my bed back to white, all white and it feels so much cleaner. Can't wait to see what you do!

Amy said...

Just a note to say hi and that your apartment will look great with your ideas. I have been reading since the beginning, and can't even remember how in the world I found your blog. Still love following your adventures. Enjoy the summer!

Kim said...

1. Sippy cups ALL leak. I have tried them all and they all leak. Some less than others, but I haven't found any that are leak-proof.
2. I love the lighting that you link to. ALl of it.
3. I have to switch out pictures too. I have NO pictures of my youngest son hanging in our house, with the exception of in his own room. He's two and a half!

Barefoot in the Park said...

i've been along for the whole ride...and the wedding planning! your blog was one of the first ones I came across! glad to hear all is well. have fun with your improvements!

linda said...

I've been reading pretty much since you started blogging, I lived on the UES side when I was a newlywed( 25 years ago!) and love your sweet blog! This is a beautiful time in your life....
You have great decorating taste and anything you pick will be beautiful.

Sarah said...

I love the PB Porter desk, too. My girlfriend has it in white and it really is pretty. I like that it looks like a table. I have some other wood furniture from PB though, and the quality isn't necessarily the best, but I think for the price the Porter desk is a good deal. Let me know if you get it - I want to see pics!

Claire said...

Used to live at 81st and York Ave. when I was single - and really like to read your blog - now that I'm a grandmother and live in a townhouse a block and a half from the ocean in Myrtle Beach.

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