They always say winters in northern Europe are dark and dreary.  I have no idea who “they” are, but I can tell you this:

they are absolutely, 100% right.

Yesterday was the only day we’ve had blue skies ALL YEAR LONG.  The sun has peeked into the city a little here and there for a few minutes.  But that’s about it.  Otherwise, our skies are gray day in, day out.

Berlin even broke it’s record for the longest streak of days with no sunshine.  What a dreary winter!

I understand how seasonal depression could very well happen to people.

The first thing I see in outdoor photos on other blogs is all the sun and blue sky.  I get jealous.  What is that bright glowing glob thing?

I hardly every bring my camera with me, but I did on Tuesday.  This photo (taken around 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon) is of a little path I discovered several kilometers from our house.  I often try to think of what this path might look like in the summer and what the sidewalk looks like under the layers of ice and sand.

The city seems to sleep in a landscape of black and white.  Everyone wears black, almost as if the dreary days are some sort of funeral procession.  Europe, you are not so charming in the winter.

So if you have sun today, I’d urge you to go outside, lift your head, and just soak it in.  Do it for all of us in Berlin and Germany.

As for those of us in gloomy places, we’re patiently waiting for summer.  We’ll have our moment!  I only fear we’ll all emerge from our houses and turn brighter than a Red Hot in .2 seconds because our skin won’t know what hit it.  And the sun won’t know who we are either.

“Hello, Sun.  Remember me?  Well… I’m Kevin now.”

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So, uh, how’s the weather in your parts?  It’s cloudy, right?  RIGHT?!  Do share.  Tips for surviving gray days?  Ways you avoid winter sun?  Whatever it is, something tells me you might have a few winter survival tips up your sleeves – the kind that involve mittens and hot chocolate, perhaps.

Don’t laugh too hard at this old post of flying over Canyon Lands National Park in the US with some German friends.  I believe my words went something like this: It’s kind of a badge of honor for Germans to go back home sunburned from a trip to America [...] I was determined to stay as white as possible.

Reaching into the bag of emails today.  Here’s a question from Jess:

Katie, I think you might become the queen of clutter.  Well, not having clutter I mean.  I have a question.  My boyfriend and I are combining houses and I’m really afraid we’ll have too much really fast cause we both seem to love shopping for new home stuff more than we want.  Our apartment is pretty small. What would you say?  If you were to give a tip about shopping and bringing home clutter, what would you say?  You have me excited.  I hope my boyfriend will be too!  -Jess

There is an age old trick to keeping your house uncluttered: every time you bring something in, take something else out.

It doesn’t work for me.

The idea sounds really good, and quite a few readers have mentioned how well it works for them.  I agree that every time you shop, it does help to think of what you can get rid of when you buy more because a funny thing happens – you quit buying so much!  For me, the problem is that it really takes the excitement out of something when you start thinking of what to get rid of back home.  You also start to hang onto junk items just so you have something to ditch when you buy something new.  Old hole-filled socks?  A picture frame you hate?  Plus one-in-one-out is tough when you’re starting a new home, especially in our case – we didn’t even have stuff to get rid of in our new country of Germany!

I just can’t think that way.  And when I find myself unattached to items in our house, I want to get rid of them right away.  (You might recall my quick trick for pulling clutter from the closet.)

So here’s how I approach the purchase of new stuff:

1.  Do I love it and need it?

I try not to buy what I don’t love.  I try not to buy what I don’t need.  Don’t feel like you have to deprive yourself, though.  If you love the sticky notes with cute cartoons on them, buy them IF you will use them.  It’s easy to want to have them forever.  So try to find joy in using the things you have.  You know – it’s more fun to eat chocolate than have it sitting on your desk.

2.  Where will I keep it?

We have to have a place for it right now.  Not in a month.  Not next year.  Remembering this idea keeps me from scoping out after-holiday sales.  It also makes me question how much I really need the item.

3.  How often do I have to clean it?

Serious!  Nicknacks can be fun.  But remember: every item on the shelf or floor adds a few more moments of cleaning and dusting than if that space were empty.  So pick what you’re okay with cleaning.

4.  Where will I keep it when I’m not using it?

Holiday decor, off-season clothes, craft supplies, stationery – you name it.  It’s good to have a use for something now.  It’s just as important to have a plan for what you’ll do with that item later.

5.  Ask yourself if the stuff represented you, not family who doesn’t live with you or what society deems a perfect addition.

Love it or leave it.  That’s all I’m saying.  Just be sure you’re loving for you.

Looking for more tips on keeping clutter from knocking on your door?  Try these classic tips. Or these oldies but goodies.

Anyone else have some tips on preventing yourself from buying more than you need?  How about successes with one-in-one-out?

I had to pinch myself when I stumbled upon this little apartment that I want to share with you today.  Designers seem to always have really large houses where they can show off all of their skills and possessions.  The homes are always beyond beautiful.  But geez.  Sometimes I don’t know why the homes have to be so big and unusable.

That’s why I’m loving today’s small home. The owner, Kittie Lonsdale (and her husband), established a home design company called Lifestyle Space Design in Manhatten.  She says she’s inspired by William Morris, who wrote in 1882:

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.

Kittie’s refined this idea perfectly.  Her home is a 170 square foot (15.8 square meter) studio coop… that’s 10 x 17 feet (3 x 5 meters)!

The couple remodeled their home to suit their needs.  Kittie’s husband works from Dallas; she works from right in this little apartment.

They managed to create a full kitchen with bar stool seating, office space, and enough storage space to house everything they needed.

This pull-out stovetop is awfully creative, isn’t it?

What about the clutter?  Kittie says they donate everything that doesn’t provide a function in their home or that they don’t truly love. Looks like they’re the de-cluttering masters, doesn’t it?

And look – even a pull out bed for the little dog!

I didn’t find any information about the bed in the apartment.

Drats!  This closet is certainly impressive in its efficiency, huh?

Kittie’s home is the perfect reminder:  You do not have to have a big space to have a beautiful home.

So what do you think?  Have a favorite part?  Think you could manage in a 10 x 17 foot space?

Psst… have you seen how NYTimes chef Mark Bittman uses and adores his tiny kitchen?

(Images and info from The Kitchn, AT, and Lifestyle Space Design)

Over the weekend, I pulled out my sewing machine to sew fabric baskets.  I’ve had my machine for one year as of yesterday (thanks to a sweet gift from my guy), and I feel almost dorky to admit this…

but my favorite sewing projects are all organizing products.  Bags, boxes, gift bags, totes, pencil holders – you name it.  I’m there.  I love the look and feel of keeping things like my stationery in fabric baskets.  Plus it makes our home feel cozier and more handmade.  (You can check out the patterns and links from past projects I’ve done here and here.)

I didn’t think I could use another storage pattern because I loved the ones I had.

Then I was a pattern tester for Maya*Made’s brand new basket pattern that just came out today.

It was love.  We’re filling our baskets with teas that were feeling too crowded in our pantry drawer.  I’m getting my fabric scraps out of the back corner of my desk drawers.  We’re… well I’m not sure what all we will do with these baskets.  I tend to try things one way for a while then switch it around until I like it.

All I know is that a little homemade is making me feel like I’m back at home, watching my grandma embroider or sew badges on my Girl Scout vest.

Thanks for asking me to test your pattern, Maya!

How about all of you?  How to you keep your stashes organized?  Bins?  Boxes?  Little heaps in the corner by the bed?  Maybe you love to organize and create new organizing tools like my basket obsession.  Or maybe not.

Oh goody.  Valentine’s Day weekend is here, and nothing screams romantic like de-cluttering – especially when that decluttering happens to be in the bathroom.  I doubt I’ve got you rubbing your hands together with eager anticipation, right?  Yeah.  Right.

Not to worry.  There is actually something really sweet about de-cluttering your bathroom.  That lovely seduction is simple: the time involved.  Bathrooms are quicker to de-clutter than any other space in the house.  It’s not as hard to say goodbye to that shampoo that made your scalp itch as it is to part with your childhood teddybear collection.

So take 45 minutes this weekend to attack the bathroom and feel really good about it.

Here’s how:

1.  Plan your order of attack. I like to start with the easier places (like the vanity) and work my way toward the harder things.  It’s easy to decide what to keep/not keep in the vanity, so you start getting in the habit of pulling out items quickly.  By the time you get to the hard places (like the back of the closet), you’re already in de-cluttering mode.  Here’s how we do it in a typical American bathroom:  Start from the top of the bathroom and work your way down.  So if you have storage in your vanity, start there.  Plan on moving to open shelves next.  Then head under the sink, and finally into the closet.

2.  Pull out all of the items that you are not using. Don’t think about why you aren’t using them.  Just yank them from the shelves.  You’ll start seeing emptier shelves and drawers, which our eyes always seem more attracted to.  If you already know something is destined for the garbage can, toss it in.  Otherwise, just pile everything you aren’t using on the sink.  You can pull out everything from the entire room or do it a piece at a time.  I prefer a piece at a time – it keeps me from feeling overwhelmed by the growing pile on the sink.

3.  Pull out the items that are clearly ready to be thrown away.  Old products.  Expired products.  Half-used-never-plan-on-touching-again products.

4.  Set old medicines and medications aside. Take them to your pharmacy for proper disposal.

5.  Donate old glasses and unused contact lenses.

6.  Set out a basket or bag for unopened items that you’re not using. You have to be really strict about this one.  There’s no reason we need a dozen different hand lotions.  We don’t need ten travel toothpastes or toothbrushes.  Tip:  Get rid of every toiletry you will not use in the next month.

7.  Give away those unopened products to people who need them. I’ll share a secret with you.  It’s so much easier to get rid of items when you have a plan for where they can go.  I pick a local organization – the battered women’s shelter is my favorite choice. If I have a fancy soap that I’m hanging onto, I think of how happy it might make someone else.  Or I think of how much the woman could actually use the item.  I’ve almost pulled every item from our bathroom with them in mind.  Try it.

8.  Downsize the number of towels and sheets you have. When was the last time you actually used all the towels and sheets in your house?  Chances are, you have far more than you need.  We shared our tricks for surviving with a few towels and only two sheets.  Yes – two is plenty, and we have frequent overnight guests and no dryer.  (yes – we always supply clean sheets to visitors, too!)

9.  Check the shower. It seems crazy, but the shower seems to collect half-used items we’re no longer interested in using.  Check your shower’s collection, and don’t be afraid to ask everyone in your home exactly what they’re using so you can get rid of the unnecessary.

10.  Empty your makeup bag and de-clutter. What?  You thought I’d let this point pass since your makeup bag never made it onto the “to be considered” pile?  Ha!  I mean… sorry.  Get rid of old stuff.  Toss what you hate.  Donate what you’ve never used.  Keep what you love.

11.  Happily put things back on the shelf that you are certain you’ll use in the next month or next season. Go ahead and keep what you’ll use.  Just be sure it’s something you’ll actually use.  Don’t keep 4 old bottles of sunscreen if you buy new ones every year.

After you do a major de-cluttering session in your bathroom, it only takes 5-10 minutes to follow up every few months.

Do you have any tips for keeping clutter monsters out of your bathroom?  A scrub session?  Baskets?  Other tricks to share?  Our sleeves are rolled up.  We’re leaning in to hear you whisper your secrets.

If you keep cleaners in your bathroom, we’ve got you covered there, too.  Here’s a whole post on decluttering, donating, and disposing cleaners.  You’d be surprised by what you don’t need!

(Images courtesy of bhg)

It’s official.  German class has completely consumed me.  It’s like Moby Dick in one big gulp.  Then you have to sit and write a letter to the teacher to describe it all.  Umm.  Fortunately, learning a new language certainly comes with it’s laughs and really cool lessons.  Would you like a little dose?  Don’t worry – no grammar or exams involved.  (insert green envy from at my desk)

1.  The number of people who now call me “Kevin” has drastically shrunk to just one Vietnamese girl.  I am very much okay with this.

***

2.  My teacher often pairs us with people who don’t speak the same language so that we don’t slip into words that are comfortable and natural.  The first time I was partners with a girl from Russia, I believe the teacher’s comments went something like this:

“Katrin (me) and Viktoria work together.  The United States and Russia.”

She continues matching people up.  Viktoria and I start planning an adventure on a city map.

Our teacher comes back to us and listens in.  I ramble some horrible grammar that would make you want to choke.  Yet by some miracle, Viktoria understands.  So does the teacher.  We get a gold star sized smile.  The teacher starts to walk away and then pauses.  She turns back to us.

“The US and Russia?  Together?”

Oh wow.  I never really thought about it.  Neither did Viktoria.  We’re just two people trying to get the hang of this “der die das” German thing.  Our teacher raises her eyebrows and adds happily:

“The US and Russia.  Together.  …in Germany.”

***

3.  Now Viktoria and I email one another in the night. “Have you started the homework yet?”  ”No.  You?”  ”No.”

Of course, it takes us both a lot of time and a lot of online dictionary action to figure out how to express ourselves and then figure out what the heck we’re telling each other.  The amazing thing is that these emails seem to help our German more than any homework we could ever get.  They also take just as long.

So to Viktoria (who may very well be plugging in an online translator as she catches her name flashing across Making This Home):  thank you!

***

4. I’ve started looking for German blogs to follow. (Can anyone suggest any?)

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5.  For the first time, I’ve been going out to dinner or coffee with Americans who speak less German than me. I’ve always been the straggler.  Now I feel the shock of being the person translating menus aloud or asking the waiter for our bill.  For years, my husband has been my crutch.  He has taken care of everything and spoken to everyone for me.

We imagine people used to think he was so rude because they’d ask me questions and he would jump in to answer while I stood silently by.

“Excuse me, Miss.  Do you know where the subway station is?”

“Oh!” said Martin, who was busy opening the door while I stood by doing nothing.  ”You have to go two blocks down that way and then…”

I stood there, dumbfounded.

Of course, Martin was never butting in.  You can’t get interrupted when you have no clue what’s being said!

And if he wasn’t speaking for me, I was with a friend who knew German.  Bravery is a beautiful thing.

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6.  And finally, because I am completely baffled by this fact (taught to us by a Bulgarian classmate):

In Bulgaria, you nod your head up and down to say no.  You shake your head left and right to say yes.  It’s completely backwards than anywhere else I or anyone else in my class knows.  You too?  Here I thought the culture shock I had when I moved to Germany was awkward.  Just imagine.

Would you like some ice cream?

Shakes head back and forth and says, “I’ll take chocolate.”