Rebecca Stisser : REorganization + REdesign: January 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

The (not-so) AWFUL Office REveal!!!

TADA!

Gorgeous, right?

I know...I'm jealous, too.

All the natural light, the bold and cheerful wall color, the crisp white furniture, the bright wall art that is actually hung up...the cozy reading papasan in the corner make my client feel so happy.

It makes me feel so happy, too. And jealous. Seriously.

The color on the walls in Benjamin Moore--ASH BLUE. Isn't it amazing?

My client treated herself to a new Bedford Corner Desk from Pottery Barn.

She also bought this new Martha Stewart Living Craft Space Table from Home Decorators and the two Melanie Swivel Counter Stools in silver from Home Decorators Outlet on Manchester. And she finally hung the file organizer on the wall...now it is functional.

She kept the dark wooden bookshelf in the same space it had originally been for two reasons. One, it was in good condition and full of function (good form and function is a must!) and, two, it helps anchor and balance that wall with the brown reading papasan on the opposite wall. As an added bonus, she bought bright and cheery storage boxes in pink, white, and orange to tie it into the cheerful wall art. All of the art on the walls means something to my client...it helps tell the story of her life. All of the art is original pieces by her two darling daughters and one is a personal favorite of hers from her best friend and incredible photographer, Heidi Drexler. These little details DO matter and make a significant impact on the space as a whole.

Fancy photography, huh?

A fish eye lens makes for a lot of fun... thanks Heidi!!!

A little

LOVE

goes a

lonnnnnggggggggg

way!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

AN AWFUL OFFICE...in need of some serious love.

A high school girlfriend of mine emailed me a few months back asking for help with her office. Of course I was more that willing to help her transform her AWFUL (to quote her) office into a gorgeous room that she and her family would LOVE to use to do homework, computer work, read or do projects.

Below is our chain of emails to get this party started!!!

Carrie:
Hey Girl! How are you? I love your website, what you did for Heidi, etc...

Would love for you to come over and help me with my "office". It now consists of an old desk, a computer, a bookshelf and an old metal filing cabinet. I would love for it to be a cozy office/retreat/study/crafty place : )

Call me when you are free and hopefully set up a date for you to come over.

Thanks Rebecca!

Me:
Can you tell me what the space currently is, where it is, and what you'd love from the space? Thx!

Carrie:
The room is 12x11 with a window measuring 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 on the North side and a closet on the other. It is located upstairs with two other bedrooms. It really has just become a "crap" holder and it's where our computer is that we all use quite often.

I don't have a job, but I do have the Marikle Foundation stuff, I do all the bills in here so files and checkbooks, office stuff, magazines, books...my camera and camcorder.
I have a desk in here that I hate and there isn't much lighting. No overhead lighting. Took the rug out. Really the only thing I have to keep in this room is the computer/printer.

What I would love:
Fresh, light and airy. I love quotes, pictures and colors. Orange is my favorite right now, just sayin'. I LOVE to be organized, but am not at all. I could stare at a newly organized drawer and smile for hours. I want to eliminate all the stuff I don't use and have the bare essentials. Don't know if there is room, but I am imaging the girls being cozy in a part of the room, reading, studying, doing homework, etc. They have brand new papasan chairs that don't fit in their rooms (mother-in-law's idea) that I would be willing to put in this office (either one or both).

Is that cool? Let me know what to start working on or thinking of. Can't wait!!!
Thank you.

Me:
Hello, Girlfriend! Loved your email---very descriptive---you know what you like and don't like, so that is half of your problem solved! I looked at my schedule and I am free this Thursday or Friday morning after 10 ish if you want to meet about your office. Let me know if either of these mornings work, if not we can look into other dates. In the meantime, try to think of a color that you would like on your walls that is on the lighter side than could compliment ORANGE. Maybe a pale blue? Very light in color and the orange will just pop off of it. I am super excited to help you LOVE your new office! Easy peasy....seriously!

(View from the entry door...tons of light and very open...love that!)

(Loved the bench in FRONT of the closet...what?!?)

(Notice all the great art she has framed and stacked in the corner...)

(Bare wall...begging to be noticed!)

Stay tuned for the AWFUL Office REveal...it's not so AWFUL anymore!

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Kitchen REorganization REveal

Here is the Kitchen REorganization REveal that you have been waiting to see...

(Holly Kunze, hope this is what you were hoping for!!!)

Before photo of the (NOT SO) "walk in" pantry...

Voila!!! Thank you Target!!

You might be wondering why there are bins for this pantry REdo?

Well, it's simple. After asking my client what she liked and hated about her pantry, I found out that she:

was sick and tired of stuff falling through the wire shelving
didn't really want to see her food...because it might tempt her to eat it
had a hard time keeping it all organized...and had too much of the same item because she would rebuy them over and over because she couldn't find what she needed.

So, bins it was...and cute ones at that! Thanks again, Target.

I also made laminated labels for the new bins in her pantry and cabinets. (My favorite of all the labels was the KOOZIES one! Seriously!) BTW, I am proud to say I own a laminator.

Now on to the more "boring" photos for some of you...but this is like EYE CANDY for me. No joke.

Rule #1: PUT LIKE ITEMS WITH LIKE ITEMS.

Rule #2: NEST THE ITEMS, if at all possible.

Rule #3: LAZY SUSANS SUCK...seriously.

Rule #4: KEEP ITEMS THAT YOU USE ALOT ACCESSIBLE AND DOWN LOW. (This client LOVES to bake, so the baking items were kept low in the Lazy Susan and in a lower cabinet right next to each other.)

Rule #5: DO NOT HAVE MORE THAN ONE SET OF KITCHEN TOOLS...(I know this is hard!)

Rule #6: ONLY KEEP NICE OVEN PADS/MITTS. Seriously...you only live once and you deserve it.

Rule #7: KEEP ALL BAGGIES, CLING WRAP, WAX PAPER, FOIL TOGETHER.

Rule #8: KEEP ALL DISHWARE TOGETHER.

Rule #9 and #10: KEEP SPICES WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM AND MEDICINES IN SEE THROUGH CONTAINERS UP HIGH... (so kids can't get to them!)

REorganized in ABC order...(Yes, I used to be a teacher--love!)

I did label these containers with my label maker after this photo was taken...I'm sick and I love it. (No pun intended!)

Rule #11: KEEP TUPPERWARE ACCESSIBLE AND ONY KEEP WHAT HAS A LID TO MATCH THE BOTTOM. (My client obviously needs to buy more since I recycled all the ones that did not match...)

Rule #12: TAKE UNWANTED ITEMS TO GOODWILL IMMEDIATELY!!! (If you hire me, I will happily take the load for you...it thrills me...just ask the workers at GW!)

Are you inspired? I hope so.

Are you overwhelmed? I hope not.

BUT...if you are...CALL ME...I can help.

I promise.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Kitchen REorganization...A New Year's Resolution

It's 2013...a NEW year has just begun...and it's another one of my favorite times of the year!

Why you're wondering?

Because it's a time of NEW hopes and dreams and resolutions to live a better life than the year before...a time of NEW beginnings...and REORGANIZATION.

That's right.

REORGANIZATION.

This is exactly what a recent client needed in her kitchen.

REORGANIZATION.

Everything had just simply "gotten away" from her and she needed help to get her pantry and cabinets back to some kind of functioning order.

She needed a bit of REorganization, so she called me.

Take a look....

You couldn't really "walk" into this "walk in" pantry anymore...

Look familiar? If so, I can help. Seriously.

This corner cabinet housed just about a little of everything...vases, pots and pans, serving platters, tupperware, baking dishes, and a toaster. FAIL.

This lower cabinet held a second set of dinnerware, lots of mixing bowls, baking pans and few holiday towels?

Again, this lower cabinet was not functioning well...

And neither was this one...

Or this one.

All of this clutter and confusion would make anyone feel frustrated and a bit overwhelmed and lost as how to even begin to tackle this "problem"--sigh.

But not really.

Because as we ALL know, most problems CAN be solved at TARGET.