update

You guys. I've not made very many things tidy yet.

Tops and bottoms

Today, I took 2 bags to Goodwill and 3 bags to the consignment shop, after only going through tops and bottoms. This felt so amazing. Here is the state of my closet already. I wish I had taken a true before photo. This is a huge improvement!

More posts to come...Yesterday I went through my socks. Not so fun but managed to get rid of at least half of them.

List making for tidying up

I started making a list this morning for my tidying up categories. I'm sure it will evolve but this is a good start. I'm planning to declutter my digital mess after finishing with the material clutter. 

the life-changing magic of tidying up

I know this book is everywhere right now. There is a reason for that.

I read this book last week on vacation and I couldn't put it down. It makes so much sense. I decided I would like to document my own progress as I work through tidying our house. I think it will be a great record to look back upon and will hold me accountable to finish the process, as well.

My goal is to be done by the end of January 2016. That's roughly six months from now.

I will do my best to blog regularly about it and will also share photos on Instagram: follow me @elletrain

Today I tackled my first categories of clothing: tops & bottoms.

Things I've learned so far:
_I'm already convinced this is a life-changing process.
_I love blue and black&white clothing (seriously, all the things are b&w or blue!)
_I should wear more pencil skirts

See! What valuable things I've learned after just one morning of working at tidying.

I managed to get 2 full garbage bags of clothing to donate and 3 shopping bags of clothing to sell...what they don't take will be donated immediately. I have an appointment already scheduled at the consignment shop for Wednesday.

Y'all. I constantly go through my clothing and sell at the consignment shop, but there's something completely better and different about my process now and it's thanks to the brilliant simplicity of this book...asking yourself with each item does it bring you joy?

That little sentence makes the decision process so much clearer. I'm loving it. I have dreamed of having a beautiful house for so long. It's impossible to have a beautiful space when you don't know how to care for your belongings and when you don't make room to honor your stuff.

Tackling tidying by category really seems to make sense to me, too. First, I put ALL the tops I own on my bed (making sure to get any seasonal items that might have been left elsewhere, stuff in the laundry room, suitcase that just returned, etc.) It was incredible how having all of my shirts in one place made it much easier to decide what to keep and what to get rid of. I followed with all the bottoms-jeans, pants, skirts, shorts, overalls, etc. I'm kind of a denim-aholic. I do wear jeans almost every day and now I feel great about the pairs still in my closet.  I don't have any more that don't fit quite right or that aren't quite the right wash/color.

Now, I feel confident about going to my closet and knowing I will love what I put on. This is huge. I know it will continue to get better as I finish the process.

I hope you're interested in trying this book out for yourself. I have no connection whatsoever to it, but I'm just so excited about the end result of this process that I can't help but share what I'm learning. Please share photos and comments if you are tackling this venture, too. I would love to see what you're learning, as well!

New sofa = new room

Wow. Today we got rid of the monstrous green couch and replaced it with this lovely caramel leather sofa. Loving how this room is coming together. It makes me a happy mama!! Here's a before shot for comparison. (I so so miss that puppy face sitting there. Gah.)

And another from a different angle. 

Ahh. So much better!! TGIF and Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Mother's Day weekend recap

St. John's Bizarre

Avocado smoothie

Mother's Day donuts!

A mama's purse (purse from Madewell and it's THE best!)

Cutie outfit

Baking and knitting Saturday morning

Challah bread made from scratch. So delicious! Get that book, seriously.

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend. In addition to all of this fun, my dear hubby finished painting the kitchen (a project that had been lingering since JANUARY!) and he got me a Zappos gift certificate! He knows me so well. #shoes #shoes #shoes

On the needles

Omg. 3 posts in one day. I'm excited to get back to blogging a bit. It does seem I blog more when I have the knitting bug and after a bit of a knitting slump, I think I've got it again. Here's what's in my queue and on the needles now...oh, and just off of the needles!

I finally finished Sienna's 'baby' bonnet. Doh. I started this in 2013. Oh well, at least it fits my sweet little gal still.

Knitting Binic precious sweater patter for Sienna. I'm using Rowan Felted Tweed DK in a lovely lilac color. This yarn is the best in the world and I wonder why I don't always knit with it?

I have so many unfinished projects (a couple of sweaters included) but I REALLY want to start these two next. I have stash yarn to use, so it's cool, right?

Holly

Daelyn Pullover

They are both fabulous. I love the clever eyelet shaping on the first and the garter back of the second. I can't wait. I have some lovely heathered purple Cascade 220 that I think I'll use on the Daelyn and then some griege Madeline Tosh I'll use on the Holly.

I feel much better now that I have the itch to knit again ;) Hope you are knitting some fabulous projects right now, too! TGIF.

Sienna turns two!

Can't believe I sent out my daughter's 2nd birthday invitations today! I love designing for my little gal. She adores horses, so that's the theme. A few fun touches to the party like carrot treats from cellophane cones filled with goldfish crackers and hopefully 'pony' rides. Stay tuned for photos. 

fabulous summer capsule wardrobe

I need a plan for my summer wardrobe. I want to get some new wedges or espadrilles, so I needed some inspiration. This was the first image I found in my search and wow, incredible! I want all of this. It's from the blog Birds of a Thread. I will be following her lovely posts! Not only did she put together this incredible collection, but she sews and plans to make quite a few of these pieces. Maybe it will inspire me to find a more permanent spot for my sewing machine in the new house. Ah, I love this so much.

6 minute egg

afternoon craft...macrame plant hanger

I love that my dad used to make these when he was in college. Inspired, dear father.

Back to it

We just got back from a beautiful trip to San Diego, my first. Oh yeah, and we bought a house! We are close to getting settled in after moving in January. Wow. Here is a little recap of photos since I have been a bit absent from the blog as of late (read: life with a toddler).