First, I showed you my office organization for the new year. Next up was my kitchen organization. This week, it's the family room. Here it is after my cleaning and organizing mission, above.
Sure, it's easy to say that you've organized your space, right? But can you prove it? Maybe it just stays clean all the time. I wish.
Here's my scary before picture:
Since it's hard to know where to look, I'll tell you a bit about this room. This photo was taken in the midst of our Christmas tear-down (with Christmas long past). See the red candles on the left and the Advent calendar still hanging up on the wall at right?
Aside from the Christmas touches, this is pretty much what our family room looks like on most days. My daughter decorates it with toys, books and games. She does headstands on the couch, so there's no room for decorative cushions and all the pictures on the wall are crooked from her feet hitting them.
I am a magazine addict - I pile magazines on the table, on the floor and in an (overflowing) basket. There's a pile of towels that need to be folded on the right. And then there's Jolene the beagle mix. She's checking out that empty bowl on the table to see if there's any food in it.
Luckily, I decided to move the couch cushions during my cleaning spree. I found a library book on Helen Keller that my daughter took out for a class assignment. That would have been fun to look for when the due date approached. And I found this nice wad of gum stuck to a cushion.
Helpful as always, Jolene decided to clean up some crumbs when I left the room.
Here's the after photo. I went with simple decorative touches because I am looking for a period of calm after the storm.
A simple bowl on the table, filled with dollar store wooden balls. (I copied my sister after I saw the wooden balls at her house. Trust me, I have to say that, or she will be calling shortly.)
I threw a few things together on top of the bookshelf using a blue and green colour scheme to match the curtains. What do you think?
How does your family room look today?
Linking up with:
LOL the gum! Bet that was fun to clean :P I love that you've put the before shots in :) My family room today, let's see: Lego all over the floor, my son's library books and drawings scattered all over the floor, DVD cases everywhere, books all over the couch, a tipped over pencil caddy with pencils all over the floor, crumbs, dust bunnies hanging off the curtain rods... there will be just two of us home today and I'm planning a big clean. Hopefully...
ReplyDeleteI didn't even get all the gum off. I just put the cushion back. ;) Your family room sounds just like mine. At least we aren't alone in our chaos. Good luck with your big clean! :) Joann
DeleteSo beyond gorgeous!!! I just love your taste {& those couch pillow are divine}. Okay, we have a beagle mix {Doc} & he is also a vacuum & he is 12x as big as your beautiful Jolene! We can not figure out how he is getting so fat-- we have had him on a diet for the past 2 years. Its terrifying. How do you keep your pup so trim??
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks Tabetha! I love your taste too. :)
DeleteMaybe Jolene is mixed with a skinny dog type. We're not sure. We give her the amount of food recommended and no table scraps, except for the things she steals. That can be significant on her lucky days or when we have company. She stills from visiting children especially.
Wow it looks great! The before picture made me chuckle, it's amazing how fast things get out of hand :) You simplified it brilliantly.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot. :) My daughter is really the fastest when it comes to things getting out of hand. She is a mess-making genius. ;)
DeleteThis post made me laugh all the way through. The 'before' shot is hilarious with the poor dog looking like he's standing in the only clear spot ... and your explanation of your daughter's head stands and crooked pictures (I guess the gum fell out when she was upside down?!) ... right down to your prediction of your sister's reaction to your outright COPYING her!! ... REAL life!! Love it :) And I'm right there with you!! The after shot is amazing ... you got the 'calm' you wanted, but the before photo is so much more fun :) Wendy
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy, You are so right! I hadn't thought about the gum falling out during one of her headstands. You are brilliant.
DeleteThe pictures on the wall are actually always crooked. It has a lot to do with the cheap Ikea frames. It's just a matter of HOW crooked.
My sister has yet to weigh in on the copied decor. I will hear from her though.
I will try to see the before photo as fun, because it will be back that way in about one to two days. ;)
I love that living room and that fireplace!!
ReplyDeleteThanks! A fireplace mantel has been on my list for a long time, but it keeps getting pushed to the bottom. Right now, I have mini-lights around the fireplace for a pleasant glow. :)
DeleteI know how it can be with magazines, they seem to be in every room of the house!!
ReplyDeleteOh, Jill. I have stacks of them everywhere!
DeleteThe room looks very tidy Jo! I had a very rare day off today and I should have been doing some organising too.... Along with magazines, my family room is overloaded with shoes, books and laptops/tablets at the moment :(
ReplyDeleteK xx
melikeyalot.blogspot.com.au
Oh yes, I forgot about the tablet and iPod and their cords! That too! :)
DeleteSo pretty and calm in the after picture!
ReplyDeleteK
Thanks Kate! :) I am enjoying the (temporary) peaceful look.
DeleteLooks so wonderful! Wow, I REALLY need to jump on your organizing train. You're inspiring me, lady!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ruthie. You are sweet. I am afraid I shuffle a lot of things around, so there's always more work to be done. :)
DeleteThe blue and green look fab! You are inspiring me!
ReplyDeleteYou are sweet!
DeleteBeautiful room! and a welcoming room. Nice work.
ReplyDeleteMaybe that before picture was a bit scary, but really, it's nice to see someone actually LIVING in their living/family room :0)
Oh, we definitely live there. ;)
DeleteLooks great! Can you come do my living room? :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I could, honey. ;)
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