Monday, January 19, 2009

Organization is the key!

Oh my gosh, it feels so good to be organized!! I'd love to have a room completely lined with floor-to-ceiling bookcases. Not only do I love the look of bookcases, but I have so many more books than this (not to mention all of my girls' childhood books), so I'd have no trouble filling them up!


(click on any photos to enlarge)

I love having the bookcases pushed together on this wall (why did it take me so long to do this?)... And although I hated having the TV and/or treadmill sitting in front of the bookcases (this post), I think the chair looks right at home in front of them... A cozy little place to sit and read (recognize the free reading lamp I found this summer? Perfect for this spot!)...


I used to be so embarrassed by these cluttered, messy bookcases (previous post), but not anymore...


Oh, I know, they're probably still too "packed" with books and such, and there's probably some perfect "book-to-knickknack-to-basket-to-dead space" ratio that I'm way out of whack with, but they're so much more organized than before!!!


(It wouldn't be fair if I didn't let you in on a little secret though... the wing chair is conveniently hiding the shelves that still need some organizing... so don't look behind it!!)



But the rest of the shelves got tidied up... I've started organizing old photos in storage boxes, and I picked up these great woven baskets at Home Goods. That place never lets me down - I take my measurements with me when I go and I always find exactly what I'm looking for! (Remember the vintage chenille scatter rug storage baskets I got there that looked like they were custom made for what I had in mind?)


I also did a little shopping for the top of the bookcases at Home Goods... I fell in love with these garden rabbit statues. I'm really trying to incorporate a year-round "garden room" feel for our family room, so these were perfect! I must have put them in my basket (and taken them out) about 3 times... My daughter, who was with me that night, said, "Mom, you're really going to be sorry if you don't get them." I'm so glad she gave me the nudge I needed because I really do love them! I already had everything else... it was just a matter of pulling things from different places and then arranging it all. (The little resin fox in the birdcage might go back to the garden come spring, but he likes being inside for the winter!)


The tall bunny sits on an old copy of The Wizard of Oz that was mine from childhood. (As a child, I was apparently quite worried about losing all of my books because I wrote my name in about five different places in each one!)


In keeping with the garden theme, a little birch tree birdhouse sits between books and little stone birds...


My bluebird music box and Mellen Infant Formula bottle (thrift finds I posted about over the summer) are on another shelf...


And here's another little garden bird statue, as well as a closeup of the beautiful woven baskets...

I also spotted this little "bookend Scotty Dog" at Home Goods and, since I was picking out a few things for my bookcases, he came home with me as well...


I like this view toward the sliders so much more than this..... What took me so long to rearrange this room???
(P.S. We had a beautiful New England snowstorm today... I'll share some photos tomorrow!)

Donna

16 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh, I SOOO need to get organized. You really have gotten a great feel for the "flow of the room" like you mentioned in a previous blog post about the bookshelves. Very nicely done! :)

Amber Filkins said...

Ooooh, I love it!! I LOVE the new arrangement. And I think the bookcases look great. I feel that same thing when decorating bookcases, but yours really look great.

Congrats, great job!

Vintagesquirrel said...

OH, Donna, (Wait, now I've got that song in my head...) I love what you've done. nd, I think your bookshelves look perfect. I, too, live in New England (MA), and am just loving al the snow... I just posted about it, in fact.
And, once I walk into a HomeGoods, you won't get me out of there for at least 2 hours. (just ask my husband)

Kathleen said...

Donna, I love the new look to your room. Home Goods is the #1 home decor store in my book. And you never know what you will find. We had plenty of snow here in Maine, too!

Tracy said...

Your room looks great, and I love the garden theme idea! I have two large white bookcases just like that, pushed together and mine are completely full of stuff, too. I don't care, I like "stuff", so dead space is wasted space in my book. Enjoy your snow!

Cami @ Creating Myself said...

It's a huge improvement Donna! I love the placement of the bookshelves now & they're so neat & tidy!

Cottage Lifestyle said...

It looks absolutely fabulous. Putting those bookshelves together and adding all the great organizing baskets makes it look like a magazine shoot.

Renee

Anonymous said...

Looks really good Donna! I have never been in a Home Goods store and now I want to see one. I just checked and there is one 40 miles from me. I had never heard of them!
Jill

They call me Estatez... said...

I'm loving your new look, great job! I need to go visit Home Goods but that place always gets me in sooo much trouble, lol.

They call me Estatez... said...

I'm loving your new look, great job! I need to go visit Home Goods but that place always gets me in sooo much trouble, lol.

Claudia said...

Fantastic! The bookcases look so wonderful, I want to be there and look at everything you have. I want bookcases in our cottage so badly. We have a wall in our den that would be just perfect for built-in cases and I have boxes and boxes of books out in the shed that need a home. Hopefully, when I get home!

Great job, Donna. Your room looks so inviting!

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Those bookcases look fantastic that way! It is amazing how we get in a rut and don't even notice another way to arrange the room. You sure have me doing some thinking! Great job! laurie

Coralie Cederna Johnson said...

Garden bunnies and birds, vintage Oz books and Home Goods...I just have to follow your blog. We love so many of the same things! Oh my, I love all your treasures and the interesting way you have them pictured! Ah...so cool!

Rechelle ~Walnuthaven Cottage~ said...

It looks fantastic! Doesn't it feel so good to have everything in it's place? I love the view of your sliders and how the view outside really opens up the space even more.
Really, what took you so long? LOL! Just kidding. Nice work!

Cottage Rose said...

Hey Donna; My but you did a wonderful job on rearranging your room. I so love how it looks. The little reading nook looks very cozy. Love it...

Hugs;
Alaura

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Hi Donna!

I love how everything turned out in this post and the two below! The TV shelf, the little stand to hold the electronics, moving the bookcases, etc. I LOVE books so I'd want to see your shelves full of books, but I have to admit the decorations from Home Goods are all great! I love Home Goods but the closest one to me is pretty far so I don't get there often. It's probably better for my wallet..lol

I missed what you did with the treadmill however. What did you do with that?