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Armoires & Chifferrobes & Bears, OH MY!

May 3, 2016 By Sharon 2 Comments

My husband uses the word “chifferrobe” every chance he gets. He also loves old movies, old music, and nostalgia. If the word “chifferrobe” reminds you of “To Kill A Mockingbird,” there’s a good reason. Apparently it’s used 11 times in the 1962 novel.  Needless to say, it’s not a modern term. But whether you use the word “chifferrobe” or prefer to say “armoire,” you probably haven’t said either word very often lately. These furniture pieces are not exactly “trending!” I met an antique collector on a plane recently chifferobewho said, “what’s the difference between an armoire and a husband?” “You can get rid of a husband.”

Since moving to Bryn Mawr 2 years ago I’ve sold a few pieces of furniture on the Philly/Main Line High End Yard Sale Facebook page. Lots of towns have something like it so if you’re looking for an armoire, (first ask yourself “why?”) then start there. It seems everybody has an armoire they want to get rid of. Including me.

I made the mistake of agreeing to buy not 1 but 2 armoires from the previous owner of my home. I thought one would be great for housing a TV in my boys’ room, when they come to visit. Wrong. Millennials watch TV on their laptops. The other I planned to convert into a self-serve bar, with storage for stemware, glasses, and bottles. I thought it would lead guests out of the congested kitchen area and into our seldom-used living room… wrong again! Guests prefer to hang out where the action/appetizers are. So I’m stuck with 2 armoires/chifferrobes/dinosaurs.  I urge you not to make the same mistake. Don’t agree to buy someone else’s cast-off unless you’re sure you want that albatross.

Built-in closets, bars, cabinets and shelves, not only add value to your home, they also serve as stream-lined clutter free storage when equipped with doors to hide what’s behind them. Armoires are heavy, hard to move, and even harder to get rid of.  So for now, I guess I’m keeping the chifferobe, the armoire, and the husband.

 

 

Filed Under: Decorating Advice, Decorating Mishaps, Edit and Organize

Time for some Life Changing?

September 6, 2015 By jlenartweary Leave a Comment

At first, I would have tag-lined this book, “tiger mom meets home organizer,” but after reading (most of) it, I’d recommend it to everyone whoSharon-tidying up book struggles with keeping their home organized and clutter-free. (who doesn’t?)

#1 NYT best seller, Marie Kondo’s advice on whether to toss/donate or not: “Keep only those things that spark joy when you touch them.”

But don’t be fooled, her process is extreme and nothing like what you’ve heard before about “tidying up!”

Filed Under: Edit and Organize

Edit, Edit, Edit!

July 2, 2014 By Sharon 2 Comments

Three years ago we bought a business in the Lehigh Valley and knew that when our boys were out of high school, we would move closer to Keystone Harley Davidson.  (Yes indeed, that was a shameless plug.)

Planning ahead and being organized is usually a good thing.  But when an organized planner who’s also a real estate stager knows she’s moving in 9 months, it borders on OCD.  Without a doubt, there are far more neat and organized people in this world than me.  Some are my friends, some are my frenemies.   There are also many intelligent, mentally sound individuals who wait until their house is sold and the moving van is on it’s way before they even begin the purging process.   Don’ Be That Girl/Guy.

For example, I know a seemingly neat, tidy, sane couple, who lived in their house about 8 years, (not 18 years) and planned an out-of-state move.  Their home took about 6 months to sell.  About a week before the moving van arrived, they spent 3 days filling a huge dumpster in their driveway, not once but twice!  Huh?  How does anyone (certified hoarders excused) keep that much disposable crap in their home knowing that it all has to go somewhere on or before moving day?

Yes, purging (we stagers call it “editing,” it’s less traumatic) is a time-consuming, overwhelming, dirty job.  But it doesn’t have to be a thankless job.   Donating the things you no longer use can be rewarding.

A few years ago my frenemy Carol and I were sharing purging stories.  (don’t judge)   She was cleaning out her son’s drawers of old clothing he rarely wore, and packing it up for donation.  Her son caught her in the act, and complained that he wanted to keep his old t-shirts because he “might want to wear them again some time.”  Carol thoughtfully replied,   “You may wear these again once or twice, but the little boy who gets them will wear them every week.”   #everybodywins.

Last fall (the move is less than a year away!) I organized a neighborhood yard sale.  Five families participated, I unloaded tons of stuff, collected $600, and donated the rest to The Vets.  That evening the neighbors gathered at our house for a very fun pot luck dinner.  My husband’s comment at the end of the night, “well, that was the most eclectic group we’ve ever hosted!”  Six months later my dear neighbor/friend passed away.  I was thankful we had that time together.

Last month I gathered about 100 of my children’s old books, got approval on what I could give away, sent an email out to my friends who have young readers, and invited them over to browse.  They left with shopping bags full of books and smiles on their faces.  It was so much fun to watch these little guys get excited about the books my boys once loved.  I didn’t get pictures of the first round of boys, but here are a few…

 

Liam

Addison

 

It’s never too soon to donate those items you don’t use.  Start purging early so that you can have fun with it and make it enjoyable, not just overwhelming and exhausting.

 

Filed Under: Edit and Organize


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