I am a pack rat. I keep toys I haven't touched in years, completed-and-glued-to-cardboard jigsaw puzzles, scraps of materials that "could be used make something later," stationary that I'm "saving" because it's too pretty, boxes of less-than-quarter-filled notebooks, and those cute little things that I've thrown into that all-encompassing category: knickknacks. My bedroom somehow stores nearly all my childhood possessions, one dorm room and two apartments' worth of mystery boxes, a whole lotta shoes, and enough crafting supplies to keep an entire kindergarten class occupied for days.
My room:
- Squeaky twin bed - headboard decorated with Lisa Frank and "Sandra" stickers
- No curtains - just bedsheets I hung up when I threw out the circa-1975 green brocade curtains
- Half-empty toy chest that belonged to my brothers
- Corner desk that I haven't been able to reach in about a year (too many boxes in front of it!)
- Some sort of storage unit with drawers and shelves - the shelves hold bags and purses, the drawers are empty, and the top is covered in a mess of jewelry and accessories
- 4 bookshelves of varying height and color - none are completely filled or organized in any way
- 2 chests of drawers, one from my grandpa, one from IKEA
- 2 closets filled with some clothes but mostly dusty boxes of knickknacks and craft supplies; shaky painted metal sliding doors, also decorated with stickers
- Beige carpet
- Lavender walls with water lily paper border along the top
- Fluorescent lights on one end of the room, and cracked-glass and brass light fixtures on the other
- Popcorn ceiling with glitter - what were they thinking back then...
Give all of this a nice layer of clothes strewn about, and you have my room.
I've come to the point where I just want to throw everything away. But of course once I do, I get nostalgic for that little green pencil and put it back in the "keep" pile. I'm doing my best! So far I've filled about a dozen boxes with clothes and toys to donate.
Prelim plan for my *new* room:
- Hard wood floors
- A fresh coat of paint - color scheme still pending. Possibly: pale yellow, white, and light grey
- REMOVE popcorn ceiling, refinish, and paint
- New furniture
- A work station for sewing and gettin' crafty
- A cozy corner for reading and knitting
- Good shelves for my books
- Effective storage for my supplies
- Closet systems (like Elfa from the Container Store, or Pax from IKEA) - SUPER excited for this
- New light fixtures and curtains
I want to create an open airy space where I can relax, study, and be creative. Hopefully this remodel won't take too long!
