I’m itching to get a few organizational projects out of the way, a result of warmer weather and a need to purge clutter. If I had the time this week, these are the projects I would take on.

{images credited to MarthaStewart.com}

1. Chalk Paint Drawer Labels – I have leftover chalkboard paint from creating two huge idea walls in our living room. I think making labels would be pretty easy.

2. Mini Office in a Chest – I have a rescued from the …

The styling of bookcases and shelves can sometimes be tricky.  Do you just put your books on them, do you use them in an office to hold storage, or do you put up your collections for display?

For inspiration, here are some great examples of bookcases and shelves, and what you can do.

You can organize them by color:

Or, you can use them to bring some color into your room:

Turning into a mommy just happened over night. One day we were two and the next day we were three.

But. I have always been a little rigid, controlling, obsessed with tidiness and cleanliness. I’m a Monica. I obsess over the little things like a crumb on the counter top or some dog hair near the baseboard. I can’t help it, but I’m learning to tone it down a bit.

What girl doesn’t want her house to look impeccable and always be …

(image source)

Back in the day I subscribed to the now-defunct design magazine, Domino. I religiously tore out inspirational pages and glued them into scrapbooks or slid them into clear plastic binder sleeves; I never saved the entire issue. Then I got lazy. I stopped cataloging my favorites and just started stacking past issues on my bookshelves. In retrospect, I’m glad I decided to keep a year’s worth of Domino. It’s fun to flip through them to see what strikes my …

Welcome back to A Well-Stocked Kitchen, my ongoing series about the tools and gadgets that have helped me become a better cook and baker! This week, I’m sharing my cookware (i.e. pots and pans) collection with you.

Pots and pans were the area where I felt the most lost when registering for wedding gifts. How was I supposed to know whether I needed a 9″ or 10″ skillet?  Is Le Creuset all it’s cracked up to be? Did I really need …

Welcome to this week’s edition of A Well-Stocked Kitchen, the series in which I’m sharing the tools that have helped me produce lots of deliciousness in the kitchen. This week, I’ll share with you the contents of my “stuff” drawer. This is my go-to small-tool stashing spot. It’s not very well organized, but it’s one of the highest traffic areas of my kitchen.

Anything I missed? What’s your favorite little kitchen tool?

Measuring cups x2. My biggest piece of kitchen-gadget-related advice is …

Welcome to another edition of A Well-Stocked Kitchen, where I’m sharing with you the tools and gadgets that have helped me become a better cook and baker. This week, I’m talking about small appliances, the ones that are relatively portable and can sit on your counter or be stored away when you’re not using them. These are listed in order of the frequency I use them, with most frequent first.

Which small appliance can’t you live without?

Food Processor: My #1 most …

Welcome to another edition of A Well-Stocked Kitchen! This is my humble attempt to share with you, dear readers, the tools that have helped me become a better cook and baker. Today, we’re talking baking supplies. Another time, I’ll write about the ingredients I keep on hand at all times, but for now, this is the equipment that produces yumminess on an almost-daily basis.

What baking tool can’t you live without?

Silpat: This non-stick silicone baking mat/cookie sheet liner is one of …

I’m so excited to introduce a new series I’m starting here at EADL: A Well-Stocked Kitchen.  Over the last year or so, I’ve managed to reach the perfect balance of just enough stuff: I use everything I have (nothing’s gathering dust or wasting space), and 99% of the time I find I have the right equipment for any recipe I want to try.

Over the next few weeks, I’m going to share the contents of my kitchen drawers, counters, and cabinets, …

Chances are you know someone like this: a hoarder, someone who keeps every single piece of crap stored away ‘just in case’ and has difficulty purging the old junk from their lives. As you can probably tell by my tone I am NOT a hoarder. In fact, I’m quite the opposite. I get a serious thrill out of cleaning out my closet regularly and donating a bunch of ill-fitting and outdated clothing to Goodwill. LOVE it. Even better? Going through …