Chores

Jason has been working for almost the entire weekend because his company is moving to a new office space, and as the IT guru, he's in charge of getting all the computers moved and re-connecting them to the network. It's a bummer because I've hardly gotten to see him at all (he's literally been working until midnight these past couple nights), but on the upside, I have gotten SO much done. It's amazing what a couple days alone (and sans car) can do for one's productivity. Thus far, I have cleaned the kitchen; done the dishes and 3 loads of laundry; cleaned the bedroom and both bathrooms; unpacked some remaining boxes; swapped out my summer clothes for fall/winter clothes; organized my closet; and sorted out some clothes and shoes that need to go to the dry cleaners/shoe repair.

As a child, I loathed doing chores, but I now find something comforting about these rituals. I like feeling prepared for the week ahead. With Van Morrison's Greatest Hits blasting and the sun shining cheerfully through the windows as I work, I dare say that this weekend of chores has even been - gasp! - sorta fun.

And no, we don't have a cool retro-looking washing machine like the one in the picture, though I wish we did.

Image via Flickr user sinkdd.

Mupdate (a combination of "Monday" and "Update")

Happy (late) 4th of July everyone! I hope you had a wonderful holiday!

We spent the weekend in Annapolis at our new place! Even though the only real furniture we have at this point is a mattress and box spring, it was still great to spend some time there. I can't get over how quiet it is at night compared to DC, although it shouldn't be a surprise.

On Saturday, we went to Jason's grandma's house. We hung out on the dock and then feasted on crabs, potato salad, sandwiches, and more. I'm convinced that his grandma makes the best crabcakes in all of Maryland. It was quite delicious.

We spent the rest of the weekend getting stuff done: making trips to Bed, Bath & Beyond (to stock up on towels and such), Whole Foods (to fill the pantry), Home Depot (to order appliances and buy some plants), changing the locks and putting on a dead bolt, and ordering the rest of our furniture online (thanks CB2 and West Elm for having awesome stuff at reasonable prices!)

I have today off for the holiday (instead of Friday), so I'm hanging out at my apartment, packing and checking things off the to-do list. It's weird to pack up all the remnants of my life from the past two years. This was the first place where I lived alone with no roommates (which I strongly believe everyone should try at least once as there's no better way to get to know oneself) and the first that really felt like my own, so I'm getting a bit sentimental about leaving it.

Anyway, back to packing for me. I hope everyone's week is off to a good start!

Details, details

I've been pouring over my copy of the Domino Book of Decorating, and getting really excited about decorating the new place. I suppose I should be most concerned about the big items at this point - bed, dressers, bookshelves, etc. However, I find that I love picking out the little things even more. The finishing touches. The details. The rugs and pillows and lamps and even the salt and pepper shakers ( I love these, by Jonathan Adler!)

I've spent this evening scouring Etsy for cute, handmade stuff. Don't you love this print by rosiemusic? Jason and I often hang out side-by-side, just working on our computers or reading (yes, we're both introverts...), so of course, I had to order it.


I also snapped up this print by Sooooound. Isn't it pretty? I think I'll hang it above my desk.



Images via Etsy.

Things that make me say "Ahhh"*

*A fair amount of this is more fantasy than reality

A linen closet brimming with freshly laundered organic cotton sheets, shams and extra duvet covers; a selection of cozy quilts and comforters; a stack of thick bath towels and fluffy robes made from Egyptian cotton; and woven baskets filled with soy candles and aromatherapy sprays.

A laundry room with baskets for sorting clothes and a table upon which to fold them, plus plenty of extra allergen-free laundry detergent and lavender-scented dryer sheets.

A bathroom well-stocked with a bevy of shampoos, bubble baths, shower gels, and fancy French milled soaps.

A refrigerator loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables from the farmers market; several tubs of Greek yogurt; eggs; milk (soy, almond, or rice, plus organic skim); several varieties of cheese (goat cheese, mozzarella, cheddar, fontina); hummus, spinach artichoke dip, guacamole, and salsa; free-range chicken and fresh salmon for grilling; fresh scallops, shrimp, and mussels; some cured meats like prosciutto or salume (to throw together appetizers for impromptu guests); packs of Vitamin Water and sparkling water; neatly stacked containers of fresh prepared deli items from Whole Foods (for nights that I don't feel like cooking); every manner of condiment; ginger beer; plus several bottles of champagne and white wine. A freezer boasting several kinds of cooking stock (chicken, vegetable, etc.) to thaw and use in recipes, frozen fruit to use in smoothies, Amy's frozen meals to grab when I don't have time to pack a lunch; several types of Ciao Bella gelato plus Ben & Jerry's for Jason.

A pantry with oatmeal; granola; dried papaya and Medjool dates; cashews, pistaschios, and almonds; at least three different kinds of Yogi tea; several tins of Illy coffee; cans of San Marzano tomatoes; tomato sauce; canned garbanzo beans, black beans, and artichokes; dried bread crumbs; cous cous; basmati and whole grain rice; quinoa; a high-quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar; raw honey; an assortment of dried spices plus fresh ginger and garlic; blue corn chips and pita chips; whole grain bread, pitas, and crackers; olives and capers; cashew and almond butter; a variety of pastas (spaghetti, papardelle, soba noodles); a full arsenal of baking supplies; several bars of organic chocolate; and red wine, of course.

Electronics that are fully charged, with a drawer of chargers neatly organized and extra batteries at the ready. A cabinet full of extra toilet paper, Kleenex, paper towels, light bulbs, and cleaning supplies. A floor that is vacuumed and mopped, counter tops wiped clean, and other surfaces dusted. Papers and bills filed in attractive file folders; magazines in cute display cases; important receipts and warranties in a labeled binder.

Dresser drawers filled with impeccably folded t-shirts, tank tops, and other basics, in an array of neutral colors, with rose and vanilla-scented sachets nestled within. A walk-in closet that holds a collection of beautifully tailored high-quality dresses, hats, scarves, blouses, sweaters, and pants, always fresh from the cleaners, never in need of mending or tailoring. Shoes that are shined, with nary a scratch or scuff.

A desk with a well-edited supply of beautiful stationary and notecards for every occasion, notebooks and journals, office supplies, art supplies, pens and pencils.

A good book waiting for me on my nightstand.

A Gmail inbox sorted into folders, and devoid of spam; a calendar with important dates and friend's birthdays; an up-to-date and steadily shrinking to-do list.

A purse that is free of random receipts, old sticks of gum, and other clutter, and always contains my wallet, keys, cell phone, sunglasses, iPod, lip gloss, and green tea mints.

Freshly manicured fingers and pedicured toes, hair recently blow-dried and straightened, teeth flossed (I've become religious about flossing actually), skin moisturized, and muscles relaxed from an intense yoga workout.

Walls decorated with beautiful art; fresh flowers in pretty vases; orchids that are watered and well-cared for; an almond-scented fragrance diffuser in the foyer that greets me with a yummy smell.

An iPod programmed with playlists of my favorite music, suited to different activities, occasions, and times of day, and several interesting new podcasts.

A big bottle of water that I bring everywhere I go.

What about you? What creature comforts make you breathe a small sigh of joy?

Image via Martha Stewart.

Extreme closet makeover

Last night, I got a call from my building manager asking whether a prospective new tenant could come take a look at the apartment this morning. "Sure," I said breezily, thinking that I would just need to straighten up a few things. After hanging up the phone, it dawned on me that any prospective tenant would want to check out the closet space. Uh oh. Though I keep my walk-in closet relatively neat, there is also a sort of closet-within-a-closet type of thing that you access by opening a door inside the walk-in closet. This, my friends, has served as a sort of secret repository for all manner of unsightly things these past couple of years: piles of unwanted clothes, shoes that have mysteriously lost their mates, a purse with a broken zippers that I keep telling myself I'll get fixed someday and hence cannot get rid of. You name it. I'm pretty sure there's also a spilled box of Altoids in there somewhere (fell out of one of the purses), and approximately $847,000 in pennies, though I can't be positive because it's hard to find anything in the tangled mess of clothes, shoes, and other debris.

So, I'll spare you all the gory details, but let's just say I was up rather late last night dealing with this, ahem, situation. I'm proud to report that I am now in possession of six neatly organized bags of clothing to donate to charity and/or pawn off to my sister; a suitcase filled with expertly folded sweaters and other winter clothing; a box of boots and other pairs of shoes that I won't likely need between now and our moving date; and a darn clean closet (I even vacuumed it!). I'm still debating what to do with the purse.

It's actually a huge relief because I've been stressing about it ever since we bought the condo and I realized I would, indeed, need to pack up my apartment. Speaking of which, the whole moving thing is starting to feel really real. We close on the place next Monday, and will probably be moving sometime in mid or late July. Which means I only have a couple more weeks to pack and do a million other moving-related things. Oh, but I am feeling rather accomplished because I've picked out this Anthropologie rug for the living room. Pretty, huh?


So, tell me everyone, what's your best moving or packing-related advice?

Image via My Favorite and My Best.