Our Simple Home, The Kitchen, 2.28.23

 What attracted us most about the home we have now was the location, the all brick exterior, the open, blank-canvas basement and the size. Contrary to popular opinion, the SMALL size was a huge plus for us. Barely 1,000 square feet was a great compromise for my desire for a truly tiny home and M's desire for a small, but efficient and functional home (and NOT a tiny home!). 

The entire house had to be remodeled to suit our needs, but we couldn't afford to do every, single thing we wanted and needed, so the kitchen and bathroom were left super simple. Even though we have no dishwasher, very limited counter space, and a layout that is far from seamless, I honestly love this quirky little space.

I think if you embrace what you have and consider the limitations as an opportunity for creativity, the space becomes a part of who you are and evolves into something that you love with each tiny change that you make- even if those changes are just adjusting shelves, rearranging dishes, or moving the table.

Here are some before, during and after photos of our simple, inexpensive kitchen re-do.

Left, the day we got the keys, after closing. Right, first coat of paint on base cabinets

First steps, and the most expensive- removing a wall between the kitchen and living room.

A before and after of the wall removal, from the other side.

Finished, closer view of the finished kitchen- New paint, curtain replacing lower cabinet doors, new hardware, upper cabinet doors removed, new sink, new faucet. We kept the original counter tops and backsplash tile, which keeps it looking a little bit "retro"!

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more on our simple home and an update on my capsule wardrobe. 

Simply, Juli

Capsule Wardrobe, First Steps, 2.7. 23

My Wool& experience was such a positive one (their clothing quality and their online community is AWESOME!) that it led me down this path of creating and living with a very limited wardrobe.

The Wool& dress that started it all! 100 days in the Wool& Audrey in Black Heather.

My reward dress for the 100 day challenge- a Sierra Swing Dress in Vintage Blue. 

My evolving capsule wardrobe began with perusing through pinterest, looking for a sample wardrobe, because I had no clue where to begin. The one shown below is the one I found- it looked like my style and contained a lot of my colors, plus I already had many of the items, which will save some money. The things that I buy from this point on will be higher quality, but also higher priced, so I'll have to pace myself. I'm keeping this sample wardrobe in plain sight until my capsule is complete, so I'm less likely to buy something that doesn't fit into the overall plan. 

I've been on a "no spend" since Christmas, but I accidentally bought a Jane's House sweatshirt without thinking. Soon after, I bought a package of bobby pins, also without thinking. I know it seems like no big deal, but I love a challenge (especially with myself!) and I consider this year's "no spend" a fail. But...it was a lesson on how easy it is to buy completely out of habit. I was going to go for a 100 day "no spend" this year, but since I'm looking for capsule wardrobe items, I will allow myself just what is on the list and I will get rid of several items for each new item brought home. Just since beginning to plan my capsule wardrobe, I've given away almost 50 items of clothing. That, to me, is a win! 

 

Another big change I'm making this year is in my shoes. I donated these three pairs of boots, all very high quality, but with a narrow toe box that restricted my toes and hurt my feet- A LOT! So, one purchase, (made before Christmas!) was this pair of handmade moccasins from the Etsy seller SassyBrass . Seriously, one of the best purchases I have ever made. I have only worn these, along with two other pairs of shoes with wider toe boxes for the last six weeks and my feet haven't felt this good in years.

Meet me here next week for a peek at our very minimal home and my mission to downsize the stuff inside it! 

 Simply, 

Juli