Matter out of place

I have a little garden. It has a few weeds. I did some gardening today. I said to my husband, "I am not sure that these are in fact weeds". He said, "They aren't supposed to be there, they are matter out of place." I then proceeded to remove all these little new growing plants from the bed. I am nearly done. I guess I should apply this to my house. It is matter out of place. There are lots of items in my house that need to have a home. I am working on my house, I am probably matter out of place in my own house. If I removed myself from my house it wouldn't be a problem. Matter out of place. My garden will be beautiful.

Illustration Friday - Urban

Take a walk through the park with your dog on a windy day in the urban landscape.

This image is copyrighted to me and if you would like to reproduce it or use it, you will have to approach me at inkisnow@gmail.com. Intellectual Property of Niki Maritz 2013

Save your money, use the library!

I love books! I have lots of books but I have limited space so I can't really buy any more unless they are on my kobo.

There are lots of fabulous children's books out there and I want to buy lots and lots of books! But books are expensive. The really awesome ones are very expensive because they are popular.

I have started taking Eve to the library. We go to the local music session for babies and then come home with a bag of books! Different ones each week keep things interesting and age appropriate. And they go back to the library the next week and we get new ones. This is something my mother used to do with myself and my sisters. Kind of a trip down memory lane.

Also you can get your kid their own library card. I am currently using my own until my daughter is old enough to do it on her own with a librarian and understand how it all works. Fabulous learning opportunities right here!

Keep out and stay out!

I used to have a massive kitchen bin. And a big recycling bin for all the stuff that was supposed to go out of my house. Same with organics. I had a big tub with my banana peels, carrot off cuts, egg shells and leftovers.

Well not anymore!
The big bin was stinky. The recycling bin was overflowing with boxes and bottles. And the organics bin would grow into something resembling the ogre from the marsh. It also had a pungent aroma!

The new house I am in is smaller. My big bin is empty in the garage and I haven't used it yet! I have a little bin. I empty
It every day almost! Same with the baby's nappies. They leave the room within a day of being removed from my baby's bottom. I put then all in the big bin outside.

Veggie off cuts and peels go into a bowl and are emptied by the end of the day! No more growing organic ogre!

Recycling is stopped at the door and also emptied into the bin outside. This all results in a very much less smelly, collective environment with less clutter!

How often do you clean your kid's toys?

I just washed a load of them. All her current toys. Some got washing machine treatment and I added a bit of oxy action stain remover too. Some got Milton tablets with water and were wiped down. Many of them came up well and some of these toys are as old as me. Many were my toys from my youth.

My baby girl is covered in spots. I thought it good to clean her toys but question is where did she get this virus? The world isn't a germ free place and we know that but how! She isn't even in nursery school! So my question is how often do you clean your baby's toys?

My landing strip

I recently spoke about a landing strip. A place to put my keys, sunglasses, phone, wallet and mail.

It's the place where you come home and dump your stuff tidily. It's also the place where you stop the outside world from coming in. Dirt, papers, bills, etc.

Here is mine. I put up a mirror, a key holder which I made for a whole $2 a table I bought ages ago serving as a place to put stuff and a shelf to put my bags under and now all we need is a few hooks to hang jackets or bags. I also bought a nice bag which I put a bin into for recycling and papers to be discarded at the door.

Here it is.

I made all of this happen with things I already have.

It's still a work in progress but I feel like I am getting there. My ideal is to have 3 places for each of our family members bags and jackets and hats. Each hook should cost on average $6 and I want to mount them on a piece of wood which is covered with a patterned geometric designed fabric to add interest.

Show me yours. This idea originated from the Apartment Therapist, Maxwell from ApartmentTherapy.com

My design education relating to space

I am a graphic designer. That is what I studied. I some how struggle to pull together a space. I am slowly creating in my mind's eye a place that appeals to the designer in me.

I am not rich. Less so now that I have bought a house. I currently don't have any extra cash to spare. So here are a few things I have learnt from hours of self education online.

There are wonderful websites to help you with DIY projects, ideas on everything from decluttering to learning how to use spaces really well and how to mix and match your world.

I needed a lot of these things to work for me because let's face it. I like stuff. I have a lot of stuff. I don't need it all but I have it. So I am now looking for clever ways to use what I have got.

Double function items are a win!

Like a bin that doubles as a bucket. A couch that becomes a sofa or a desk that pops off a wall for homework.

A landing strip is important.

I try to do the landing strip thing every day but even tomorrow it needs a big tidy up. Basically a landing strip is the arrive pattern or path you take when you come home. Shoes off at the mat, coat on rack or in the cupboard, keys, wallet, mobile phone and mail. The idea behind this is to keep the world out of your home by stopping it at the door. At the moment my landing strip is a shelf near the kitchen. My coats and jackets still need a home but I am working on that. My system isn't perfect but I am always thinking about it and refining it.

Before I moved out into out new home, we had so many water bottles. Metal ones, plastic you name it we had it. What for? Water bottles can be used for multiple purposes and day trips, trips to the beach, outings and you only really need one. I got rid of a bunch. If you have just one, you will look after it better, and you know it's yours, and it's less to clean but something you may clean more regularly. I have my favourite mug. I use it all the time. I don't use as many cups because I like the one I have. With baby bottles, we never seemed to have enough ready when we needed. With my expressing milk, and using formula and feeding the baby at the breast I was too busy for washing bottles and sterilizing them! We bought a gazillions but now only use about 5 which all get washed by the end of the day ready for the next day.

Try to do a bit of laundry each day to keep it manageable and also do the dishes when you use them.

Also a bit of creativity goes a long way. Something that is ugly and lifeless can have so much potential. I have been looking around with different eyes and craft markets are like treasure hunts.

I am also going to set aside a luxury money box. The idea behind this is to add $3 a week to the box until you have enough to splurge on yourself a little. My splurge is bubble bath! I buy the expensive stuff. After 10 weeks I can get a wonderful bottle of bubbles made from natural ingredients made locally! It's wonderful!

My aim is to get home each day and feel like I am in a well oiled hotel. With my style and my tastes. Bold patterns, bright colour, i feel like I have been hiding. My ugly plaid couch is due for a facelift. I am currently gathering fabrics for throw cushions and I am going to get a nice brightly colour end Picasso and Mondrian poster for the wall.

One other good tip is to make everything you can electronic. Fact is, your book shelves have a limited space for books but an e reader or computer or your mobile phone can contain books, important documents, lists, numbers and importantly, use your camera on your phone to store business cards, telephone numbers, important documents like medical documents (my daughter has a blue card for her medical condition that allows us access to acute children's care) good idea to keep it in my phone !

Hope this helps you with your mission to prettify your house!

Deliberate mismatching.

I have this settee. It's in a lovely plaid selected by my mother. I want a modern fresh and very comfy, warm feeling living room that makes you feel inspired on entering the space. Trouble is that my husband refuses to get us more into debt. So I can't by a new couch or get a cover or upholstery done. We simply don't have the money. I am told to wait a while until things are looking rosier. Until we quit paying for the rental we moved out of prematurely and the new mattress we bought today after discovering a coating of mould on the bottom.

I stopped and analysed the situation. I have to live with it. I have no choice so I went online to see how can I reinvent the plaid sofa. I came across an idea that got me quite excited. So the key here is to deliberately mismatch pattern and colour. I am going to more than likely very cheaply, make some clashing, vibrant plaid pillows and throw cushions to get the type of vibe I want. Even better if I can get some fabric from Thrift stores with reds, lime greens, purples, oranges and blues that will give this place the punch of colour I so desperately crave. The room to me at the moment seems dull, muted and the opposite of vibrant, energetic. I am a lover of sparkle, light, or colour and of patterns that are as loud as I am. It seems too formal. I relax here but with a few splashes of colour I feel like I can really facelift this thing. Comments please, and suggestions?

Less is more

Ok, so I bought a 2 bedroom flat with my hubs. I am addicted to making stuff and I know that I can't stop making. So the focus is on making a new space and making things that improve the environment.

We've been looking at light fittings and I am dreaming every day about what can be done but I always find myself making more toys and beautiful things for my little girl.

Last night I made her 2 mobiles. One from felt and beads and one from some small stuffed animals she had in a box. She has so many toys and I can't stop myself from making more. I love cutesy! (At least the second one was made with things she already had (her toy box is overflowing so I sorted that out).

I also love an immaculately designed open space with lots of light that makes a person feel refreshed and inspired. I am desperate for a space like this but need the dough to make it happen. I have to tell myself that I don't need all these things that are causing clutter and also until the roof is fixed and paid off I need to hold up. How do you ask a momma at home to stop making awesome toys and things for her gorgeous little poppet? I find this insanely difficult. Because everywhere I go, there is a culture of consumption and excess! I drove hubs to work and on the way back to get him there it is! The Burger King sign yelling my name! Very loud and very clear! I have food at home. But my urges push me to the fast food restaurant like I haven't had food for days! I managed to get passed without going in or buying food but at the petrol station I saw a sign on the pump itself with a new type of Kit Kat. It was enough to get me to buy one. I am weak when it comes to chocolate! Anyways, back to this culture of excess! I want to believe I have everything I need but the drive to have more doesn't lead a person to happiness. My home, my brain , my sanctuary is a place where many would get lost among the many treasures carefully selected but not given a place in my world. It would appear that I have too much (I do have too much). I don't need the take-aways, I don't need a heap of paintings and artworks yet I have the crazy urge to create and 90% of the time I am creating things I already have an excess of. Time to put my energies into creating a clear uncluttered, inspired space that encourages living and not a culture of "more is more". Anyone who has any suggestions, please feel free to comment!