We are officially moving July 6. The trucks arrive THIS WEEKEND. We are not taking the kids’ bedding, so I need Florida replacements. No, wait. That sounds negative. What we need, they need, is to arrive at their new, shared, living quarters with the bedroom made up purdy and organized. I need to get on this, stat. At one point, I hit up Target and purchased an onslaught of Shabby Chic bedding, which when all was said and done and I was left to live with it for a few days, I decided it was Shabby Weak. Returned. So, help a girl and her interior design loves out.

Lucas, by the way, is in LOVE with his American flag pillow, sleeps with it every night and is concerned, insistent, that said throw pillow is coming with us. It is. Each night the loves sing with me: Fifty Nifty United States. So, they’re learning the 50 states in alphabetical order, and as we learn a new state each night, I pull up a map, then some tourism videos on the state. Just a bit of bedding background if you will… plus, you know I’m a preppy/ nautical junkie. So, there’s that. As for Phil, he’d rather not be bothered. YAY!

Also, I’m not suggesting white for a duvet. In fact, likely there will be no duvet and just the quilt and sheets, as it’s balls to the inner thigh hot. So where you see a white throw or duvet, it’s really a stand in for “nothing belongs here.” Help!

The walls in the room are PALE BLUE not RED

This room used to be a media room (earlier photos on Flickr), complete with wall-to-wall floor to ceiling velvet black-out curtains and electric reclining seats. Basically a man cave with surround sound and room for wii fit-throwing. But with a full bathroom en suite and an enormous walk-in closet, we decided for staging purposes to convert the room to another bedroom, with an agent left to speak to the possibilities of the room’s functions. We’d rather buyers see the diversity and also see the house as a true four bedroom (which it is), than see it as a three bedroom home with an office, living room, dining room, game room, and media room. We will, however, be taking the enormous television with us to Florida, clearing out the focal point of the room. In place of the TV, I’m adding an armoir, but I still don’t think it’s much of a focal point. What, if anything, would you do?

Media room converted into fourth bedroom

Those orange wires hanging from the wall… what would you do there? They are surround sound wires that connect to the outdoor living room, allowing the outdoor living space to flood with quality sound, controlled via remote from outdoors. We can of course remove the wires, but then the new owners will lose out on the outdoor sound system. We had these wires covered with floor to ceiling curtains.

And please don’t say, “add window treatments,” because we purposefully removed them to give the room cleaner lines and tons of bright light. Again, the TV, its stand, and the floor speakers will not be in the room once the house is on the market.

Above: View from Bathroom (also outfitted in same blue and white color scheme)

Objects May Appear Greener Than They Actually Are (thanks to the iphone)

Many thanks are due to Shannan Riemer, a fantastic—so good at both what she does and what she doesn’t do; your basic all-star—realtor in Austin, who’d suggested I organize my cookbooks (and closet) by color.

Espresso “Station”

Shrimp Roll with Cracked Pepper Potato Chips

Family room. Living room. Call it what you will. It’s nearly there, save for a missing coffee table. Plus, I’d really prefer a new area rug with navy and cream stripes to brighten it up. But who knows if it will work in a new space, so we’d better hold off, no?

The question is, what type of coffee table works here? I’m thinking something airy, not too chunky or visually heavy, no brown wood unless it’s thin and raised, so there’s plenty of air between the tabletop and the floor.

The chairs now are positioned “talking style,” but perhaps they’re better off being parallel, both facing the sofa, cleanly.

Also, I KNOW the class jar thinger is tilted crooked. I’ve fixed it.

This might sound odd, but we might not be here to water plants (or orchids), so is a faux orchid a big no on a coffee table? I feel like they’re okay when used minimally, and out of reach, up high somewhere where no one is tempted to touch it. And in bathrooms. Thoughts?

Do I need to add a yellow throw pillow or two to tie into the yellow and white theme on the shelves?

Go on, be honest. I’m removed from this emotionally… well, trying to be.

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Update. Okay, this “coffee table” stand-in is from outside, and again, I think it’s too chunky/heavy, but I like the square shape and height. That is my real, live, orchid, though we’d need to replace it with an alternative to live. You do the math.

De- to the clutter. Are the shelves in the living room really too busy?

Stand-In Coffee Table

I’ve removed furniture. And I can pull the chairs out further so they’re not so close in. Does this work better. Now, what to do with that loveseat…

Have Cookbooks, Will Carry

Is it totally wrong to stage a kitchen with a “coffee lounge” (aka, the loveseat)? I ask because behind this living/family room is a dining area with a glass table and chairs. There’s also enough room, though, for an eat in kitchen. Though, I think it’s weird to set up the kitchen—with an eat-in breakfast nook (on it’s own area rug to help define the space)—when there’s already a dining area so close by. Ideally, I’d have two club chairs and a low round table in the kitchen, a coffee spot to read the paper, or a place for guests to drink wine, and still be close to you in the kitchen. BUT, Phil refuses to spend money buying two club chairs for the space. So, what would you do? And, yes, I’ll slim down the cookbook library.

Also, here’s how the previous owner staged it… with a children’s picnic table.

Previous Owners

Previous Owners’ Dining Space

There’s more where that came from… On my Flickr I show how the previous owners staged the home, and you can also see how we’ve lived in it.

Also, for the record… know the movie Brewster’s Millions?
Loved to love that film. Richard Pryor has to spend an obscene amount of money, and one of things he does to spend it is hire a decorator to design a “room I could die in.” I have many of these dream rooms. So, for the record, these are my dream rooms (aka my inspiration and mini-loves):

Lover Living. I want to make out with this room, despite the fact that people might scream “too busy.” This is my ideal. I’m not a minimalist girl.

Skippity do wop do

Love to love these plates for summer seafood entertaining + the night of 7 fishes

Nope. Not a post about the raunchy sex I’m not having. Lust now, and let’s face it always has, come in the form of purchases. All of these loves pass my Jealousy Test.

Yes, this is a dog collar. Here’s my question: would a teacup yorkie collar fit my wrist? Love.

Oh, Juliska, you saucy minx. This ladylike dinnerware makes me think of manicured gardens, white linen, and entree salads of avocado, grapefruit, and pistachio nuts paired with Grüner Veltliner. Not that I’m specific in my obsessions or anything.

Now that I’m shifting gears to Palm Beach County it’s about time I full-on embrace my inner Golden Girl. I’d be the one drinking just before noon. Yes, there’s a tray for that.

So, body parts crossed, we might have found a place to live in Florida. Woodfield Country Club. I’m sure by the time we unpack it will be time to move. As relieved as I am to be done with the house hunt, much more of a relief is the fact that I’ve just now seen spot, and man did she run. TMI ALERT: I am menstruating for the first time since JANUARY. And no, I do not get shots or wear ass patches; I’m not on birth control because I like anal sex. So, there you have it. Bleed back on.

This has happened to me before when losing weight. On that front, I feel myself losing interest, taking things for granted. I need to shift the focus back to my health, about feeling light and strong. Getting my vitamin D levels up, eating my Chia seeds, filling up on yogurt and protein. I’m down 24.6 lbs., still. I don’t care if I lose any more. What I really want to do is marathon my way through The Biggest Loser, start with Season 1 (it always motivates me to drink more water and to move more).

I feel like my dream vision board from my new year’s resolution is coming true, that there’s change on the horizon. Travel, more family, possibilities. I still want to feel giddiness, lean into wisdom, and for some odd reason that’s been biting at me all year, I have a strange obsession with horses. And that’s one to grow on.

I realize I’ve fallen off the planet (aka been in Florida). No, I haven’t been working. I’ve been enjoying, though, which is something. Actually, isn’t it the whole point? Work should feel delicious and make you giddy. Only, I’ve been getting so wrapped up in “the rules” and plot point formulas that writing has stopped feeling fun. It’s strange because with both of my books, I never once thought of plot turns—though they were, after all, memoirs. And while I believe that even memoirs need to have an arc with a clear beginning, middle, and end, you can’t just make shit up to create momentum and suspense. So, right now in the process I feel stuck.

I’ve made a point of not including any of the material in my next book within the pages of this Greek Tragedy blog. So, there’s a lot missing, a lot I’ve been meaning to write, even privately, but haven’t. And while I’m wondering what’s going on with me, I’m also just trying to manage. Man-age. As in, this is exactly how man ages: by juggling.

By remembering to hang the tutu upside-down on the hanger, so it has the “poof factor.” Remembering what time the rehearsal is, then the recital.
Remember each morning to bring their bathing suits to school, so the teachers can change them, and have them ready for a 12:45pm pickup, where I whisk them off to a ten minute swim lesson. Remember that the swim lesson times change next week.
Staging. Look up best ways to stage a spa bathroom, special small touches that make a big difference staging your home.
Convert the media room into a bedroom, and hit up Tuesday Morning.
Buy paints and paint white canvas. Make sure a predominant color in the painting carries throughout the room with coordinating accessories.
Manage this: you’re moving to Florida and you’re actually going to put your house on the market! When did this happen? And where are my boxes?
Find a summer camp for the tots, find a state while you’re at it.
Find a school and a school philosophy you believe in, that comes highly recommended.
Find a couples therapist in Boca.
Find doctors and curly hair stylists and occupational and physical therapists.
Look for babysitters in the big FL.
Find a motherfcuking house to rent in the sunshine state (and remember it’s not about the house, it’s the community and school that matter most)
Remember to tell the handyman to power-wash my mouth out.
Today, get thee to a Weight Watchers meeting (I’m down 24.6 lbs., but I will likely gain a pound today because that’s at least how much managing weighs). Then, get to Abigail’s classroom by 11am for her belated Mother’s Day celebration – remember video cam. Next, pick up Sir Luke at 12:45 and drive the taters to “don’t drown” lessons – cannot be even one minute late! Returns to Gymboree and Old Navy. Call Kids’ Club and let them know we’re coming to the club tonight.
Don’t forget Mahan is coming over tonight, coming to the club with us – make room inside the car.

Of all of it, my favorite part by far is the staging. I know this is true for almost everyone, but why do we make our homes the best they can be once we plan on leaving them? As in, this is good for you, but I’m somehow not worth the effort. Oh, how I love a neat manicured house full of coordinated accessories. New category for this blog to come: STAGE THIS HOUSE, where I’ll be taking your suggestions room by room.