design process - the guest bedroom

When I first started reading design blogs back in 2009 - 2010, what drew me in was the behind the scenes, real life look at the process. Design/diy bloggers back then would show lots of in between/ process photos. It wasn't just a bunch of beautiful, perfectly styled after photos. I think the pre-Pinterest age of blogging was really great for the teaching aspect. I know I learned a lot just by watching the process someone went through when designing a room. So with that in mind I thought I'd bring you all along for the ride as I slowly but surely "finish" the rooms in our new home. I say finish in quotes because let's face it, a room is never really finished.

This new design process series is going to be kicked off with our guest bedroom. I was going to wait to get started on this space. But our steady schedule of guests has prompted me to get moving. We've only lived here for 9 weeks and have had guests here with us for 3 of those 9 weeks. And we have more guest visits already on the calendar! I guess that's what happens when you move near the beach because our guest bedroom in KY never saw this much action. ;) I'm not complaining though......I love hosting visitors! My underlying mission every time someone comes to stay with us is to recruit them to move here. Charleston's not a hard sell though. I should probably get a real estate license. ;)

Step #1 - I like to start a room design with a list of words that describe how I want the room to feel. I'm big on vibes. Sounds very voodoo-ish, hippie-esque maybe, but it's what I do. I think more about the feelings I want the room to have rather than the look I want. I want guests to feel welcome, comfortable and excited. I want this room to have fun vacation vibes with a heavy dose of Phillips family personality. Basically I want this room to say, "Hey, we're so glad you're here! "

Step #2 - After figuring out the vibe I want, if I'm designing a bedroom I always start with bedding. Always. That is just what works for me. Then everything else sort of flows from there. I've decided to go with a red, white and blue - patriotic - Ralph Lauren inspired look because I love that classic yet fun combination of colors.......... and because I dig a gender neutral look for a guest room..........and also because I already had this blue and white striped quilt. ;)

Step #3 - Once I pull bedding basics together, I start piling art pieces that I think will be fun in the space. I think the two things that really make a space are pattern and personality. And nothing adds more personality to a space than what you choose to hang on the walls. Not everything you see here will probably make the final cut but this at least gives me a jumping off point. These pieces play into the overall feel I'm going for and will be the inspiration behind everything else that goes in to the space.

I think this post is also a tribute to using what you have. Creating a whole new look doesn't have to mean buying a bunch of new stuff. I'm using the quilt (which by the way has been marked down to $49.99!) that was on my son's bed in our KY home, and the throw pillows are also oldies but goodies. In fact, there's nothing new in the picture above. Everything you see here lived in our KY home somewhere, just not in the guest bedroom. So our guest room here at our new house will be outfitted with a fresh new look using the same old goodies from our previous home.

When you curate your personal style you end up with a collection of things that will/can seemlessly work in just about every room in your home.

So that's the beginning of the guest room. Next up I'll be figuring out the room layout in terms of where to place furniture and choosing a wall color..........more to come soon!

*FYI - There's a fun Instagram giveaway coming very soon. Be sure to check it out!

Property prices up 2.3% in August

Residential property prices rose by 2.3% nationwide during the month of August, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Residential property prices also remained up 9.5% on an annual basis, according to the report.

In Dublin residential property prices rose by 2.8% in August. Dublin residential property prices were 8.2% higher than in August 2014.

Dublin house prices rose by 3.0% in August whilst Dublin apartment prices increased by 0.3%.  However, it should be noted that the sub-indices for apartments are based on low volumes of observed transactions and consequently suffer from greater volatility than other series.

Outside of Dublin residential property prices rose by 1.9% in August. Prices were up 10.8% compared with August 2014.

At national level residential property prices were 35.4% lower than their peak level in 2007.  Dublin house prices were 34.4% lower than their peak, Dublin apartment prices were 40.4% lower than their peak and Dublin residential property prices overall were  36.2% lower than their highest level.  Outside of Dublin residential property prices were 38.7% lower than their highest level in 2007.

The post Property prices up 2.3% in August appeared first on MyHome.ie Advice & Blog.

Landlords could be fined for refusing rent allowance tenants

Landlords face fines of up to €15,000 for turning away tenants who claim rent allowance under new laws coming into effect in a matter of weeks.

That’s according to a report in today’s Irish Independent.

Homeowners who discriminate against tenants – solely on the basis that they receive state benefits – are not currently breaking any law.

However, new legislation could be introduced as early as next month to get the system up and running before the forthcoming General Election.

Figures show that a record 83 families became homeless last month and the problem is escalating in urban areas.

The Department of Justice confirmed that the Employment Equality Amendment No. 2 Bill has passed all stages in the Seanad and is expected to be through the Dáil “by the end of the year”.

It will be ‘policed’ in the same way as any allegation of discrimination under equality legislation.

The Equality Tribunal, which becomes part of the new Workplace Relations Commission on October 1, will adjudicate on complaints of discrimination. It makes binding judgments – unless appealed to the courts – and can award compensation to victims of discrimination.

Given that the tribunal is independent, the Department of Justice said it could not “speculate” as to the level of financial penalties that may be handed down.

However, a spokesman said existing legislation allows for compensation that is intended to be “dissuasive”, by linking the maximum amount that can be awarded to the jurisdiction limits of the District Court, as they are set from time to time.

Anyone who wins a case on the grounds of unlawful discrimination can be awarded the maximum amount of €15,000.

The proposed legal move has angered landlords, who accuse the Government of engaging in a “cosmetic exercise” in order to be “seen to be doing something”.

There have also been complaints that the Coalition is ignoring more pressing issues, such as rising rents and the lack of available housing.

Vincent McNamara, of the Residential Landlords Association, strongly refuted claims that property owners shun those on state benefits.

He said: “Currently, there are some 150,000 tenants on rent supplement, in private rented accommodation.

“Landlords don’t refuse people because they’re on rent supplement but they want people who have a track record of paying on time and being compliant.

“While most tenants on rent supplement do observe the rules, the majority of non-compliant tenants happen to be on rent supplement. That’s where the problem arises.

“The Government wants to be seen to be doing something but this is really unnecessary.”

Meanwhile, Mike Allen, Focus Ireland’s Director of Advocacy, has said a more radical approach is required if landlord discrimination is to be stamped out for good.

“This legislation won’t make any difference. What’s really needed more than anything is an increase in rent allowance, in order to secure tenancies,” he said. “The levels of rent supplements are between 20pc and 30pc below what landlords are looking for.

“What the Government give people is completely out of sync with what’s available out there in the market.”

In Dublin, an average of 70 families have become homeless every month so far this year.

The Simon Community said the number of properties available to rent has plummeted by 80pc since 2009, while rental prices have increased by more than 20pc since June 2013.

However, rent allowance limits have not gone up during this time frame.

There are currently 3,285 adults and 1,383 children using emergency accommodation. In total, 657 families are sheltered in temporary accommodation.

The post Landlords could be fined for refusing rent allowance tenants appeared first on MyHome.ie Advice & Blog.

ode to a pink door

Better Homes & Gardens

Peppermint Bliss

Elements of Style

Examiner

Kelly Golightly

This is Glamorous

source

Thistlewood Farms

houzz

Apartment Therapy

source

House and Home

source?

Miss Poppy Designs

source

Whether it's dark pink, light pink……salmon or flamingo……blush or bashful ;) …….I love a pink door. And if there's a city where colorful front doors reign on high it's Charleston, SC. So this is happening. If you follow me on Instagram you know I narrowed down my paint color choices to two.

I made a trip to Sherwin Williams this weekend and am excited to finish and share the results! I figure if I hate it…..I can always repaint, so why not?! It's just paint.

What are your thoughts on pink doors? Which color do you think I chose?

Happy Anniversary To Me!

Well, us

We aren’t going to get to spend our actual anniversary together this year, but we did celebrate by going for a little hike last weekend and indulging in some treats reminiscent of our wedding day.

A friend of ours tipped us off to this insane fire tower near Mt. Pisgah that supposedly had the best views. It’s called Fryingpan Tower, and boy, was it up there.

Can you spot it up on the top left?

The hike itself was pretty short, basically a steady incline on a gravel road. When we got up to the top, it was even more intimidating up close.

Um yeah, I was starting to question the structural integrity of this beast. The very top is closed, but we did manage to walk up maybe 3 flights before the height was just too much. It didn’t matter, we still got some awesome views!

Someone else was a little uncertain of the height, but enjoyed the hike.

When we got back, we decided to indulge in some truffles from a local chocolate shop…the same shop who provided truffles for our wedding, French Broad Chocolate Lounge.

I picked up a box of their Fall Collection, because obviously it would be amazing.

They were out of the Pear & Chevre, so I ordered a Salted Caramel to replace it (bottom left). I’ll definitely have to go back for that one though.

They certainly didn’t disappoint. Mike and I had fun taking 1 bite of each, even though he proclaimed it was the first time he’d ever not popped the whole thing in his mouth at once haha. I like the unusual combinations a lot, and especially reading more about them in the detailed little insert provided in the box.

French Broad always puts out an amazing product! I think my favorite was the pumpkin, followed by the rosemary hot toddy. Because these were all gluten free, I didn’t feel too guilty eating them (#notpaleo #stillworthit). They do ship, by the way Overall it was a great day celebrating 7 years of marriage, and almost 10 years together.

IHeart Blogiversary - Six Years Later

Happy Monday! Did you have a great weekend? Our weather was about as good as it could get and that made for the perfect combination of getting out and about with the family and also getting a really good start on Preston's headboard project.

Writing this post is a bit surreal for quite a few reasons. Mostly because when I started blogging just over 6 years ago, never would I have imagined that I would be still blogging six years later. Or that many of the amazing opportunities I have experienced over the last six years would be because of this blog. But also because I can barely believe that another year has already come and gone since I hit 5 years. (You can catch up on my 5 year blogiversary series here: Blogging Photography Tips, The Bread & Butter of the Blog, What I Have Learned Along the Way.) It is like I blinked and boom, a whole year has come and gone.

So much has changed since a year ago, yet, I feel like I haven’t moved forward. In fact, this was a bit of a rough year for me and I maybe even took a few steps back.

Over the last year, a lot has happened behind the scenes and with me on a personal level, which I fear can be sensed in my blog writing here and there as well. That paired with writer’s block, project burn out and being over-saturated in the world of blogs, Instagram and Pinterest, I have been stuck in a bit of a rut. So for those of you that take the time to come here and visit on a frequent basis, I just want you to know that I sincerely appreciate and value those minutes, and I only want them to be 100% happy and positive minutes. And I thank you so very much for continuing to read and for your incredible support. This community sure is a great one!

Although I have experienced natural highs and lows over my years of blogging, this past year had a higher frequency of feeling tired, stale, burnt out and even a little lost. Throw in a kitchen/living room renovation that has taken us much longer than expected and has also impacted how we utilize our home every day... it was all the perfect recipe to crash and burn. It is truly challenging when something that you love so very much isn’t going the way you envision it, and that is true for me when it comes to our home, my blog and my business as of late.

That said, I without a doubt LOVE organizing and creating order out of chaos. I thrive when I can look at a closet, drawer, cabinet or room and find ways to remove the unnecessary and create peace. It is equally as important to me to make every project special, beautiful and functional. It is what I crave and I know in my heart it is what I am meant to do.

I also enjoy sharing those projects with you. I have always believed that if even one single person was inspired by something I shared, then my day was a win. That is what brings me back here and wanting to continue with this amazing journey.

Looking back, blogging is not the same today as it was five years ago, and has even continued to change over the past year. There are more and more blogs on the scene every day. Ideas are on repeat. The bar is always being raised. Expectations from readers have shifted. I have never been one to want to create “quick” or “filler” content or post for the sake of posting (I have done it but have always regretted it), but I have also begun to feel that every post has to be a post of magnitude. That if we don’t have new projects or meaty posts to share multiple times per week, we are failing. This feeling came from two sources; my own personal expectations and standards as well as the feedback I have received in the form of a comments. Slowly, the blog became more of a place to showcase and provide tutorials and less of a place to get personal with friends over a cup of coffee.

Although I am currently teetering on the edge of blog burn out, I don’t want to burn out. I still love what I do, and don’t want to come to a point of resenting it. So many of my favorite bloggers have been sharing similar feelings or have even stopped posting all together, and although I find myself nodding my head and relating to a lot of the reasons why, I always miss their online presence and am not personally ready to leave. #stuckwithme.

I frequently think about when I started blogging back in 2009. I was posting 3-5 days per week and we were pumping out content and projects. We had an entire home that was waiting for our touch and that had not been seen or shared. Sure, we would get tired and there were definitely moments when I wasn’t maintaining a solid work/life balance, but we worked through it and usually came out smiling because of all we were accomplishing. It was sort of the honeymoon phase of blogging. But ultimately there was no healthy way to sustain at that pace. Today, every post takes me twice as long to write because my heart wants to create pretty, inspiring and detailed content to share. From working on a project to documenting every step, photo editing, graphic creating and writing a detailed post, I am spending anywhere from 6-10 hours on a simple project post to 12-18 on something more in depth (that is averaging the time it takes to do the actual project all the way to hitting the post “publish” button). And being that I don’t blog about recipes or fashion or typical lifestyle items, lately it has really come down to creating a project in order to have something worth sharing. Working on projects around the clock for six years has become both expensive and honestly a bit exhausting. Our home has project piles in every corner and my husband is always waiting for his next assignment. And we are constantly forced to decide between working on our home and enjoying our home and typically we pick the first option. We know we are fortunate to be faced with those choices, but they do still wear on us from time to time. Magazines create pages of content with the help of a team, photographers, writers, idea makers, sponsors, etc… and each issue takes months to put together. These days it seems as though bloggers are trying to keep up with similar inspiring and fresh content multiple times per week, as a 1-2 person team, while also managing hours of behind the scenes admin tasks and maintaining an online social presence as well. Throw in a shop to run and there really are not enough hours in the day. In fact, my shop hasn’t been given the attention it deserves at all in the past year and my “big plans” have been just that for quite some time.

Six years in, below are the items I would like to focus on moving forward:

• Content: I can’t only share project posts as content and still post 3-4 times per week (it is just not realistic and is part of where this burn out feeling is coming from), or feel guilty if a day or two goes by and I have nothing new to share. Aside from our home projects (big and small), what other type of content would you like to see me share and create? I personally have been brainstorming a few ideas and would love to hear some from you all as well. One thing I would like to start is an occasional series of “What Would Jen Do?” based on a frequent email subject line from my readers. I would share a reader dilemma and before photo (a topic many people may see as a problem area) and offer up my solution, action plan, illustration and product recommendations. I would also like to design a free printable each month, share more quick tips, new organizing trends and products that catch my eye. Occasional specific and quick organizing challenges are always well received. There are also many times when I read a great article or come across a super cool project/tutorial, and I want to share those as well. Maybe even small moments from around the home once a month (I am always swapping out bedding, accessories, finding new products, etc…).
• Projects: My money maker has always been my shop, not my blog (little to no sponsored content happening here and still using Google Adsense as revenue which is so last year - ha). We are looking into ways of making the blog more profitable in order to keep up with project costs and content demand, but I also want to focus on my shop and diversify what IHeart Organizing is as a business. There will be days going forward that I will be dedicating to evolving, diversifying and growing additional arms of IHeart Organizing as a brand, so if I go quiet from time to time, that is where you will find me.
• Balance: Nothing is more challenging than having to say “no” to family time in order work on our home and create content (this always seems like a fresh feeling after a summer of kids being home and me trying to keep up with business and being a full time mom). Bryan works outside of the home full time, helps coach sports, contracts out on the side and then comes home to a list of projects. I would love to give him a little bit of a break from time to time. Heck, I need one sometimes as well. When I worked in the corporate world, I had office hours, took three weeks of vacation and sick days as needed, and never once felt bad about it because it was part of my compensation package. I haven’t always been great about taking time off of IHeart work, even during travels and family vacations, so I am going to start tracking and enforcing days off. Taking small breaks here and there will only help me stay excited about what I do here, and will also allow me to be more present with my family.
• New spaces: Although we have blogged every nook and cranny of our home over the past six years, it doesn’t mean we don’t have more long term plans for our home. A few wish list projects on the horizon are an entryway addition, a playroom/office switcharoo, a master bathroom gut, laundry room upgrades and exterior updates. And can we talk about the need to organize our horrendous kitchen corner cabinet and freezer drawer? But as I mentioned, I really would like to diversify and also work on spaces outside of our home. Years ago I started this blog with hopes of becoming a professional organizer and helping others. This next year I am hoping to re-visit those goals. Because I heart organizing, but I really heart helping others.

Bottom line, I don’t plan on going anywhere just yet. I am still going to post when I have something worth posting and sharing, in hopes of helping even just one person. But I may not post every day. Or have new projects every single week. I want to continue to love what I do and do what I love, but I also want to do it well and with gusto and excitement and not with resentment or into the midnight hour. I always preach the importance of finding balance, and I have always failed at actually doing it. Hopefully, putting it all in writing will help me feel better about finding that happy medium and really implement it moving forward.

In six years, we have knocked out a large variety of projects big and small and written a total of 1,550 posts. I mean really, that is A LOT of posts. I am cracking a bottle of wine over that milestone tonight. Many of my favorites are shown throughout this post as a reminder to myself to stick with what I know, love and feel excited about. And I hope that you will continue with me on this crazy ride for as long as it goes.

Thank you all so much for listening and being the best support group a girl can ask for. These posts are always hard to write, but I always feel better when I do.

Happy Blogiversary to IHeart Organizing and cheers to many more!

closet organization for men

One of my favorite things about the new house is that the hubs and I have separate closets! SEPARATE CLOSETS!!!!!! I feel like Oprah because all I want to do is give every married woman I know her own closet. You get a closet! And you get a closet!!!! I mean having your own closet, no matter what size it is, is a game changer. Plain and simple. It just is. And after having to share, a fairly small, closet with my husband for the past 5 years I now have a new found appreciation for separate closet spaces.

I love my husband.

I really do.

But if I never have to share a closet with him again I will be the happiest wife on the face of the planet!

Because the truth is, he's not the most organized man or person you'll ever meet. Let's all give him a collective "bless his heart". Bless him. Just bless. ;) Because the man kind of repels organization. And unfortunately for him he married his polar opposite. I'm that "everything has a place" kind of person. And I totally geek out over organizing pretty much anything. We make a great team. ;)

So, being that he's on his own in this house because I don't have to look at his closet which means I won't be straightening and tidying his crazy mess every day #hallelujah, I decided to help him out by starting him off on the right foot. I thought I'd share a few of the things I did to help him get organized because so far he's kept everything looking really great, so I think (emphasis on think) this new system is going to work out really nicely for him. Time will tell I guess, but it's been over a month now, and things are still looking neat and tidy. #winning

As with any organization project I always recommend starting with a thorough purge and sorting session. Before we moved the hubs did a really good closet edit, and he let go of some shirts that were looking a little worse for the wear and a few old pairs of shoes that had passed their prime. So when it was time to unpack and put things away the purging portion had already taken place. All we had to do was sort by category and hang by color.

Something I noticed that he tends to have trouble with is keeping folded clothes stacked neatly. Sweaters and sweatshirts would start out looking great and then they'd be sloppily falling over in no time. So instead of storing those items in his closet he's keeping them in a trunk in our bedroom. Which also made room for him to use the wire shelves for shoe storage keeping the floors clutter free.

*Takeaway - I think it's a good idea to figure out what you have trouble with when it comes to organizing and keeping things tidy. Once you identify your problem areas it makes it easier to figure out solutions that will actually work for you.

Next I knew he'd need a place to stash all of the "stuff" he carries in his pockets, so I brought in a little tray, a small fabric bin and a glass jar. The jar is great for him to deposit all of his loose change, and the fabric bin is great for pocket squares, sunglasses, cufflinks and receipts.

As you can tell I couldn't help but to "pretty" things up in here. Y'all know my feelings regarding wire shelving. I kind of hate it, but replacing it with a nice closet system isn't in the budget right now. There are bigger fish to fry. Instead I brought in a plaid ribbon and looped it through the fronts of the wire shelves in an attempt to disguise them. I think the plaid is just masculine enough for the hubs. He's not a fan of the wire shelving either, so the ribbon is a win for both of us.

*Takeaway - Obviously it's not a necessity at all, but I do think it plays on the psyche when you take the time to decorate an otherwise purely functional space. When you walk into a closet that is not only organized but decorated with the things you love I think it's easier for you to maintain the overall tidiness of the space. It's like motivation to keep your closet orderly. And that mentality applies to men just as much as women. It's a people thing not a gender thing. (At least that's been my experience.)

It not only works as motivation but decorating your closet also makes use of those items you're not quite sure what to do with in your home. We all have stuff like that right? Things we love and don't want to let go of, yet they don't exactly have a "home" in our home. If you have a closet with a large vertical footprint, the top space that you can't easily access is a great spot not only for out of season items but also for "pretties".

*Takeaway - A closet is a personal space that is really just for you to see everyday, so fill it with things that make you happy. Motivational quotes, old photos and postcards......use your closet walls like a bulletin board filling them with all the things that inspire you.

I can't say enough good things about these big, heavy duty canvas bins. They are perfect for keeping casual footwear off the floor which makes it so much easier to vacuum. And a little lesson I've learned thanks to my hub is if you make putting dirty clothes in the hamper a simple and easy task there's a higher chance you'll avoid running into his dirty clothes pile on the bathroom floor.

*Takeaway - Put a hamper in an easy-to-access-can't-miss spot. If they still miss it put a headlight on it or a leg lamp......whatever works to get their attention. ;)

Lastly, cafe rods are absolutely perfect for tie storage......especially for that "unusable" wall behind the closet door. This is probably my hubs favorite thing in his closet as he wears ties quite a bit for work. They're easy to access, and he can see his entire collection in spot.

Organizing is really just about figuring out what will and what won't work for you. It's about creating systems and developing philosophies that coincide with your lifestyle. Typically organizing for someone else doesn't often work too well because we're all so different. That's why it's important to include the person you're organizing for in the decision making process, so that the system you create is perfectly tailored to the person who will be using the space everyday. I think the hubs and I may have actually nailed down a plan that will work for him. And if it doesn't, well, I won't have to look at it everyday.

I'll just keep the door closed. ;)