Food & Clothes: Two of My Favorite Things

So, last but not least on this house tour is my closet & the kitchen!

For a studio apartment, the closet in this place is HUGE!  Eyeballing it, I could possibly fit my bed (without the head or foot boards) into the closet.  One could definitely fit a single bed in there.  But I'm rather pleased with how I've divided the main room, so my closet is the Home For Everything Else That Doesn't Have a Place Plus All My Clothes and Shoes.  My closet is very pleased with its title.

View of the closet from the hall

There are actually two entry points on the closet.  The big door in the living room photos leads into the closet.  But I've decided to just keep that door closed all the time because I don't need two ways to get in here.

Cube organizer pulled from the trash

So, I found that 3x3 cube organizer next to a dumpster in my neighborhood.  When I was younger, I used to be mortified when my mother would have my dad pull the car over so she could pull something out of someone else's trash.  Now?  Hey, guess what!  It's free!  Plus, there is this understanding in my neighborhood that if you're getting rid of something that someone else might want, you don't put it inSIDE the dumpster.  You put it next to it.  I did the same with a computer desk I didn't want anymore.  I tried to sell it on Craigslist, with no takers, so on moving day, my step-dad & I carried it out and put it next to my dumpster.  It was gone within 3 hours.  There was actually a whole bunch of great stuff with this cube organizer, but I decided not to be greedy.  I had actually planned on purchasing one of these new at Target, where they sell for $50 and come flat-packaged and require assembly.  So I was rather pleased at finding one  in good condition, already all put together and FREE.  Did I mention it was free?

View from the back of the closet

Like I said, the closet is pretty much home to everything without a home.  I'll probably do another purge in the next few months, of things that just don't belong and that I don't need to keep.  I have a feeling that lamp is going to go.

I have to say that I think the kitchen might be my favorite room in the whole house.  I'm actually sitting in that little kitchen nook right now, drinking my coffee & writing this.  I definitely need to get some pads for the benches though, b/c my tuckus doesn't appreciate the hard surface.  That kitchen mat is from Marshall's and is the softest, scooshiest, squishiest thing EVER!  It's covered in kind of a microsuede fabric and I love standing on it while I wash dishes.  The green thing is a locker that my family has had for as long as I can remember.  It's been painted any number of colors and I use it as a pantry, although I really don't need any extra storage in this kitchen.

That hutch reaches ALL the way up to the ceiling.  And there is absolutely nothing in the upper cabinets except for a dozen rolls of paper towels.  There isn't much in the under-cabinets either.  Between that little tiled area and the locker are two tall skinny cabinets.  There's nothing in the upper one, but the lower on is PERFECT for my mop & broom & Swiffer!  

All of my single use appliances.  I have to say that the George Foreman grill might be the best $15 I've ever spent on a kitchen item.  Although I was rather dismayed to see it on sale for $7.50 yesterday at Target.  I've only used it twice, both times on chicken breast, but it's so easy!  I love it!  I also love all the counter space I have!  I put my microwave up on top of the refrigerator, because I really just don't use it enough for it to take up precious counter space.

And lastly, some of my Fiestaware pieces and proof that I have some of the loveliest friends in the universe!  Three of my best friends in the whole wide world chipped in to surprise me with this winking owl cookie jar from Anthropologie that I had been coveting.  They conspired with my mom & all the secrecy was great!

Me, looking sweaty but happy on moving day!

And as an extra special bonus, my boyfriend is currently on a ship somewhere in the ocean, so he got out of the entire moving process.  However, on September 1st, I had a special delivery.

From my mister!

A sweet & thoughtful boyfriend, amazing & clever friends and wonderful & helpful parents.  Plus a great new apartment and a loving cat.  I'm an incredibly lucky girl!