Let's Talk about Everything

Wow it's been a while. I guess life kinda catches up to you and realize there's a lot more to do in a day then 24 hours will allow. And other mothers know that while that little person is growing you don't want to miss a minute of it because soon he will be off to school and then what? So that's what I've been doing I have been soaking up every second of being a mother and I couldn't be happier.

That being said with all the attention that I have put on my son it means that other things fall by the wayside but I digress. Now let's get into it. Today it seems like everyone and their mother has a blog and everyone has constant information overload as soon as their eyes open in the morning. What I am trying to figure out is how to write a blog that is not only fun and informative but one that also matters. The internet is filled with everything you could imagine and I have yet to discover my place within it. Regardless of that though I really want to help people. I believe that if you are surrounded by beautiful things and spaces then the rest of your life will fall into place with that. That is why I got into Interior Design and that is why I love it dearly.

Now for the not so fun stuff. I follow a lot of people on YouTube and various social media places and I can't help but notice how much hate and negativity is being spewed at these people for no good reason. I know what you will say. It's what the internet is...right? Well wouldn't it be great if people could just put positivity out into the world rather then spreading and perpetuating meanness and hate. I'm not saying I am perfect. Far from it but I know that I would much rather be happy for someones happiness then let my own jealousy or whatever cause me to say horrible things to try and tear them down. This in no way is me saying I don't do it and I look down on you because you do. This is a mother not wanting her son to grow up in a world where he is afraid to be himself. We have so much knowledge as a generation and most of us are still so ignorant to the world we live in. So maybe next time you are about to hit send on that mean comment I would just hope that you would take a pause and maybe consider not posting.

Sorry for the rant but when you start thinking about what the world looks like to someone who has just come in to it. It can be a very sad thing to see. I want to promote love and happiness not hate and envy.

I hope your day is filled with smiles.
Kristina xox

 

Let's Talk About Furniture Arrangement

Most of my posts have been about pretty things to inspire your space. Well now I think it's time to get down to the basics that will help you no matter what your style is.

Furniture placement is key to any space and it can truly influence the flow and overall feel of a room. Plus I would like to help everyone avoid the dreaded empty middle with all the furniture against the wall rooms. Please lets all take an oath to not push everything against the wall.

Some key things to remember when deciding where your furniture will be placed is...

Function:
What use will the space have? Furniture should be arranged to accommodate the activities in the amount of space available. If your living room is going to be used as a conversational area then comfy chairs should be placed near enough together to allow this.

Standard Clearances:

• Traffic areas should be 3 feet or wider.
• Minimum clearance is 1 foot 6 inches.
• Coffee tables need slightly over 1 foot between the edge and the seat.
• Desks require a minimum of 3 feet for a chair and a person.
• Comfortable dining requires just over 2 feet per person around the table's perimeter.
• Three feet is suggested between a bed and a dresser.  

Scale:
When furnishing a home don't forget to buy pieces that work with your space. A oversize sofa in a tiny apartment just doesn't work. So many lovely furniture stores have been creating lines of furniture intended specifically for condos/apartments, so if you are furnishing one of those be sure to ask. Opposite to that, small furniture in a large room makes the room look bigger and more awkward. If you have a large dining room you need a large table and chairs to bring the eye back down.


Balance:

Furniture arrangement should create a feeling of balance within a space. Symmetrical and asymmetrical are the most common types of balance used in a home. Symmetrical means if you draw a line down the center it's the same on both sides. For example, a matching sofa set placed opposite from each other with a coffee table in the middle is a symmetrical grouping. In an asymmetrical grouping the sofa could be replaced with two armchairs and it would still remain balanced. Neither is better it just depends on the individuals esthetic. 

Line and Harmony:

If you choose to arrange furniture against the lines in the room they still need to relate harmoniously to one another. A diagonal sofa is just fine as long as the rest of the room is on the diagonal as well.


This just barley skims the surface of furniture arrangement but it gives you an idea of where to start and how to make it look the most appealing. Stay tuned for tomorrow which will be Furniture Selection.

Happy Arranging

Kristina xoxo

Apartment/ Dorm Decor Tips

We have all been there. We pinch our pennies and eat peanut butter and jam sandwiches every meal to afford our first place all by ourselves. And even though the walls are usually just some kind of white and the space is very bare we love it because it is ours. I don't think that rentals or dorms should be boring and lacking in personality. There are some simple ways to add character to a space without breaking the piggy bank or loosing a security deposit.

1) Art
While it used to be that posters and magazines pictures were pasted to the wall with sticky tack or tape there have been some serious leaps forward in the ways people can fasten things to walls. My favorite non-marking wall hangers are the Command Picture Strips and Command Wall Hooks. (click here to find them.)

You know what this means? You can create so many things. Ikea has a great selection of art work that is reasonably priced! So find your favourite paintings or pictures and get hanging. Or for an even more personal touch you can create a photo wall of all your own pictures. I personally like the idea of a photo wall with mis-matched frames and fun adventure pictures.

2) Linens
Who said your bed has to be boring? There are so many cute comforters out there that are bursting with color, pattern, and life that will brighten even the most boring of bedrooms. Of course you can find fun bedding just about everywhere but I prefer to splurge just a little bit because you spend so much time in and around your bed I think that's where the most money should be spent. I choose some of my favs from the PB Teen collections.



 

 3) Home Accents

From a colorful throw on your couch to a collection of knick knacks from your travels the accents placed around your home can completely change the feel of your house/apartment/dorm. A colorful vase with some pretty flowers can create a pop of color on your kitchen table. Even if you don't have a lot of extra spending money there are so many ways to incorporate your own touches into a space. Check out places like Homegoods or Ikea for cute items to place around your house. Or if you're really short on cash then shop your closet. A cute clutch and some shoes can add a super girly feel to a vignette on a bookshelf or console table.

 

4) Wallpaper???

Yes wallpaper. While some may shudder just at that word in a renters world hear me out. There is a great new technology in wallpaper that makes it come off super quick and easy without damaging walls. Choose a wall in your space and pick a pattern that makes you smile. It does cost just a little bit more then the normal stuff but in the long run when you're not dealing with the mess of removal its well worth it. If that idea is still kind of daunting especially for a single girl (I couldn't put up wallpaper if you paid me a million dollars) what about wallpaper panels.

 

There are two different ways you could do this. If you have a handyman in your life get him to make you some bases and just hang those. Or if your so not a DIY person or don't know anyone that is you can always just go somewhere and find a huge frame with a pretty border and put a piece of wallpaper into it. Panels can double as art on a blank wall.

 

5) Double Duty Furniture

Furnishing your fist place can be scary and not to mention expensive. But have no fear there are some simple ways not to break the bank. First ask yourself is it necessary to have a kitchen table? Do you cook or have people over for dinner a lot? Or is it just you? If you don't absolutely have to have a piece of furniture don't. And don't buy something just because most people have it. Of course if you're like me and do like having a kitchen table you can always use that as a desk as well which is what I do. Which leads me to find ways to use furniture for multiple uses. A sofa table can double as a desk and a bookcase can hold more then just books with simple baskets for the more unsightly things.

Let's Talk About Cleaning

So I got to thinking. How do all the normal people who don't obsess over cleaning their house everyday and who actually don't enjoy it do it? Not everyone can afford a professional so it just build and builds until you get something close to an "Hoarders: Buried Alive" house! Oh gosh that show scares the bejeezes out of me. I myself and way to OCD (yes I have actually been diagnosed by a doctor) and a control freak  to let anyone come in and clean my house for me plus I think it's weird that they are like picking up after you, to each their own I guess.
 
 
Since I started living on my own and I was juggling full time work and after that becoming a wife and mother it became even harder to stay to a schedule and to maintain the level of clean I was used to keeping. Over the years I have gone through cleaning plan after cleaning plan created by great websites I've found and they just never seem to work for me. I realized something after about the tenth one I tried. Nobody can tell you how to clean your house or how often you should clean your house you just have to learn how you work and learn what works for you.
 
 
That being said I thought I would share the two cleaning plans I use presently to keep my perfectionist brain from screaming all day long. The first is a general list of things that need to be accomplished Daily, Weekly, and Monthly. This worked very well for when before I had my baby. I still do these all these things in the same times frame I no longer set aside a whole day to do the weekly list or the monthly list. Enter plan number two.

The MILLS Family Cleaning Plan

 

DAILY	WEEKLY	MONTHLY
 Dishes	 Clean Glass	 Clean out Garbage Cans
 Wipe Down Kitchen	 Dust Wood	 Vacuum Inside Couch
 Vacuum Floors	 Clean Toilets	 Clean Stovetop Burners
 Clean Bathroom Counters	 Wipe Down Bathtub	 Vacuum Vents
 Make Beds	 Mop Floor	 Wipe Down Switch Plates
 Tidy up Seating Areas	 Empty Garbage’s	 Launder Bath Rug
 15min Full House Pickup	 Wipe out Fridge/Microwave	 Dust Bookcase
	 Wash Sheets/Towels	 Inventory Pantry/Freezer
	 Do Laundry	 Dust China Cabinet
	 Vacuum Under Furniture	 Clutter Control
	 Clean Cat Litter	 Wash Bed Comforter

I apologize for the poor quality picture but this is about as great a picture as my poor little phone can take. In black is the daily list and this gets accomplished each and everyday. The green is my weekly list but broken down into manageable daily tasks that can be completed while baby is sleeping. I tried to keep things lumped together and in a way that all the tasks flow with the next. Sunday is my prepare for the week day and we usually have family time with my momma so I don't do much on Sunday's other then clean out the fridge of leftovers and expired food. Monday is bathrooms to keep the soap scum in the tub at bay. Tuesday is the kitchen wash the floors and scrub the cabinet faces. Wednesday is the big one, since our house is open concept I choose to include the hallways with the living room so it is basically double work day. Thursdays the bedrooms get a good dust and the floors washed, along with the sheets changed and the closet organized as clean things go back in from laundry. Friday after the flyers come, I make my grocery lists and I plan my meals for the next week and then hubby and I go shopping! Saturday is the best day because I get to just lounge around all day and not do a whole heck of a lot. I hope this helps somebody battle the dirty in their home and if anyone out there has a better way of doing things let me know.

Hugs
Kristina xox

 

Anthropolgie House Haul.

I am a sucker for a good shopping marathon. However not all of us have unlimited funds to support our guilty pleasures. So, I have decided to make another series about Wishful Hauls or how about If I could I would Hauls. I don't know I will figure that out later I guess.
 
Lately I have fallen in love with the shabby chic look of the Anthropologie home section and decided to design a living room using this as my one stop shop for everything. And go.
 
 
The big stuff is where to start, but first you gotta put the rug down (center the rug in the room and with the furniture.) I found this lovely sofa and chair pairing. I like that although they are not an exact match they are cohesive enough to give the room a put together look. Add two of the chairs to give the room balance and toss the throw over the arm of the sofa. Place the coffee table in the middle of and add your favorite trinkets to the top to bring character into the room. Flank the sofa with the side tables (the drawers are the best part for added storage!) and add your favorite lamps and decorative accessories. I've pulled some but there are so many options from Anthropologie that I couldn't choose more because it would fill this way too much. You can also use things from around your house to decorate. That one lone floral tea cup you inherited from Grandma, use it as a catch all dish on your side table to hold little objects that might get lost. This is inspiration add your own personal touches to make this room completely unique to you. I think this living room would be beautiful in a single girl condo where you have complete control over every beautiful thing that goes into you home.

1) Sofa
 

 
2) Chair
 

 
3) Rug
 

 4) Side Tables
 
 

 
5) Coffee Table
 

 6) Throw
 
 

 
7) Candle Holder
 

 
8) Candle
 

 

 

Happy Decorating

Kristina xox

Let's Talk about Turquoise

As I talked about in my Ins and Outs post I have been obsessed with turquoise lately. I have found it is a great color since I tend to favor neutral colors. And my obsession doesn't stop there. I have bought so many turquoise clothes and accessories lately I need a intervention I think. But before that happens here is a selection of my most favorite turquoisey things.

#1 Monogrammed Chevron Toss Cushion

you can find this beauty here.

This pillow is adorable. It would be a great pop of color on a solid color sofa or chair. Or if you don't have control over your own living room I think this would look absolutely beautiful as a accent pillow on a bed. The best part is....you can add monogramming to it just to give it an extra bit of character.

#2 Ruffle Pillow

you can find this beauty here.

Oh my golly this pillow makes me happy just looking at it. It is super feminine yet classic all at the same time. I actually own this pillow in about 4 colors because in my mind you can never have enough ruffles (thankfully the hubby doesn't mind me putting things like this on our sofa!) And I know this color is more blue in the picture but in reality it is a pretty turquoise blue. If you're looking to add a touch of fancy to your house this is a perfect start. Bonus: it goes great with these lamps which aren't turquoise but I love them just the same.

you can find this beauty here.

#3 Essie Nail Polish in Mint Candy Apple


you can find this beauty here.



 

Ohhhhhh so pretty! I know this isn't a house hold product but I digress. Since being a mom I have realized I can't do the whole gel French nails that were the staple nail color of my days gone by (diaper cream gets stuck under those puppies like nobody's business.)  Now I have developed quite the collection of nail polishes and this baby is my newest love. I saw this at my local wally world on sale and I just about passed out from happiness. This is the perfect summer color. Totally on trend for the moment and also it goes with pretty much every thing A lot of brands make a color similar to this but my love of Essie nail polish makes this one my favorite.

Hugs
Kristina xox

 

Where's Waldo (Kristina Edition)

Where the heck have I been?
Answer: My city experienced the worst flooding in it's history. And the aftermath has been devastating. But we have gotten through the worst and now we see how much strength we have. (You can read all about it here http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/alberta-floods-2013/index.html)

Now on to much happier and fun topics. I have decided to start a series called Ins and Outs. Basically things I'm loving and things the make me go banana sandwich.

IN'S

Turquoise - could there be a better color in the history of colors? The answer to that question is no. I have become mildly majorly obsessed with it. I painted my kitchen and bedroom this color, as well as countless home accessories have popped up in this cheery color all around my home.

Bioderma - a "cult favorite" among beauty gurus. It is made of micellar water which until recently was exclusively sold in France. So imagine my elation when I was shopping around my local Shoppers Drug Mart and I saw this little baby just sitting there waiting for me to find him! (I don't know why it's a boy but just go with it okay?) How does this magic work you ask, well, instead of smearing your make-up back onto your face instead of washing it off like water. The micelles (tiny oil molecules suspended in water) actually munch up the make-up like a little PAC-MAN. It makes the end of the days where I am just pooped at the end so much easier to get that pesky make-up off. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING STUFF!

Organizing - hi my name is Kristina and I have OCD! Oh and I am a neat-freak perfectionist. I don't know why but sometimes I get these urges to just all of a sudden go through everything, clean it, and get rid of it if it's not serving a purpose. Well right now is one of those times. And I think that it somehow works out perfectly because there are so many people that have lost everything and really who needs 6 juice jugs? Apparently me, but I have gone through some area's in my house and I have gotten rid of the excess.

Vampire Diaries - oh my golly gosh gee whiz! This show is probably one of my favorites ever. I am totally team Stefan...call me a sucker for a doomed love where everybody is being the bigger person and no one is happy.


OUT'S

Mosquitos - because of all the extra water laying around the place there are so many mosquitos! Taking the baby out for a walk or even just sitting on my patio with my coffee I get like 468 mosquito bites. 1 mosquito bite is 1 mosquito bite 2 many.

Clutter - this out goes hand in hand with my organizing in. Sometimes I feel like my house is falling apart around me and my organization has no structure. This leads to a mini freak-out on my part followed by some obsessive planning and researching on the best organizing ways. Do you ever have those days where you just want to throw everything out? No? Just me. Okay.


Well there is my rambly ins and outs. I find this somehow therapeutic so this is probably going to become a series I do whenever I just want to chat about stuff.

Hugs,
Kristina xoxo