STRANGE DILEMMA

This is not a problem I ever thought I'd have. See this garbage can here, the one on top of a stool? I've had that can since forever, even remember buying it off that big wall at Bed Bath and Beyond. Please understand, we are not kitchen-garbage-under-the-sink type people. We are get-the-biggest-can-they-sell-take-trash-out-once-a-week type people.

That's until we had a toddler in the house. One who likes to put her toys in there. Sigh... alphabet magnets, crayons, even her beloved matching squares from Petit Collage! We've had two matching zebra casualties. None more sad than myself.

It's time for a new solution, one of the smaller-can-inside-a-cabinet variety. Oh children, they bring such sacrifice! To the left of the fridge I have a 24" pantry, where we currently hide recycling, and I imagine it will go there. I still need to find the perfect can and I hate everything I see. So until a solution manifests itself, this workhorse shall remain perched on the stool, out of reach of grabby hands.

BTW, this photo causes me anxiety for the following reasons:

1. there is still no trim around the doors or floors in our kitchen
2. all doors in the hallway have yet to be painted
3. all doors in the hallway desperately need new knobs
4. poor placement of the knobs on our pantry has given our over-priced refrigerator dimples
5. oh yeah, forgot to add quarter round to the toekick

2010. Bring it on.

I used to be the most organized person I knew, a list maker and master-juggler... my handwriting was impeccable. These days, I'm more inclined to throw my hands in the air and curl up on the couch, "mañana, mañana" as the Junction busboys used to say. The thing is, I don't like this new me. I like the old me and if we are going to tackle this house in our lifetime, I gotta bring her back.

Let's start with something beautiful, because so far this blog has been a whole lot of ugly.

{2010 calendar, via Camilla Engman, $28}

Pretty sure my 2009 Camilla calendar expired yesterday so I'll order this one today. See that girl on the right? She's shying away from responsibility, but not me!

Next up, I've been drooling over this for years. Time to take the plunge because this stack of contractor estimates is crowding my inner peace.

{Russel+Hazel Collator, via Amazon $29.99}

I have a vision of using clipboards like these for each room in the house. I'll hang them in a row on the wall by my desk for quick reference.

{Hardboard Clipboard, via Amazon, $2.49}

For the ultimate in list-making and because surely, I can't do it alone, this is kind of crafty.

{Do & Delegate list organizer, via See Jane Work, $10}

Oh jeez, for a little impulse internet shopping, this is too cute to pass up. Excuse: I have been collecting a lot of random business cards. Erg, it's out of stock at the moment, hopefully that won't last long!

{People Business Card Holder, via See Jane Work, $14}

That ought to do it. I feel the anticipation of my organized life pumping through my veins. In 2010, I will not be trampled by the wild stampede that is this house, but rather in charge of each project, one at a time, check!