Winter refresh

As renters, Nicholas and I aren't responsible for the same amount of maintenance that homeowners have (except for replacing light bulbs—we're all over that), but we like to keep our rented home tidy, cozy, organized, and as personalized as possible.

I know I've said this before, but the real secret to organization? Have less stuff. We're still working on that one, over here. In the meantime, we focus on keeping our belongings either neatly tucked away, or stored in a manner that's aesthetically pleasing. Practically, this differs from season to season, as our tastes change, or we want to "mix it up." As we spend more time inside with the winter months, I find myself wanting to tailor our inside space to make it suit our seasonal needs. Lately, this refreshing is extended into multiple rooms and mini projects, specifically:

The pantry: It seems to get out of hand so quickly—and I'm not sure why. Well, I can guess why. As I've heard countless times, if an organizational system doesn't stay organized, then you need to try something different. So, this is my something different: all snacks/ingredients in clear jars, label with my favorite washi tape, and grouped according to category.

The bulletin board: I rearranged the contents of the bulletin board and we moved it from the office space to the a spot closer to the entry way. The relocation makes the office space feel more airy and the entryway more personalized and cozy. Win-win. (P.S.— those blue verse cards are part of a set of 50 Promises by Summer Harms and they're my absolute favorite for keeping the promises of God literally close at hand)

Other mini organization projects (not pictured) :

• The junk drawer: lest you think that every square inch of our home is tidy, don't even ask about the things that get lost in there. I think I purged 80% of the drawer's contents.
• The dresser: sorting out the jumbled mess of pants/leggings/fleece hoodies.
• My circular knitting needles: they're messy, and will always be stored in a manner of semi-controlled chaos that requires babysitting every few months
• Our books/the shelves in the little office nook: we relocated some books, and rearranging what remained into new, pretty stacks.

These are small projects, yes, but I'm surprised at the difference each makes. All that done (over the course of several days) and our home feels a little more fresh and inviting for this chilly season. And despite our status as renters, the apartment feels a little more ours.