Adding a home office to my guest room

After whipping our spare room into guest-ready shape with only a few days to spare before the holidays, it became time to turn it into a space that I could use the rest of the year: my home office.

Here's a reminder of what it looked like during my pre-holiday decorating dash (previously, it was full of boxes):

And, just in time for my parent's arrival, we finished the painting and purchased a cheap, but surprisingly comfortable, futon, leaving us with this:

I'm afraid it's a really tough room to photograph (it's teeny-tiny - it would make a marvellous walk-in closet), but you can get the idea of the soft silvery purple paired with a punchy grape.

Then, it was time to make it a comfortable, and functional, home office without making it too "office-y."

I didn't want my guests to feel like they were sleeping in a cold, corporate setting - but, I still wanted to be able to focus on my work on the many days I'm spending in there.

So, in lieu of a desk, I opted for an antique table, and the filing cabinet has been swapped out for a night table, which can be pulled over beside the bed when we've got guests.

Obviously, it's still a work in progress.

The hunt is on for a comfier chair and some art to dress up the walls. Floating shelves will also be installed for some extra, open storage - leaving the closet free for suitcases and visitor's clothes. Add in some more task lighting, and I may just be ready to call the project done.

But, for now, I'm just pleased it's gone from a mess of storage to a usable workspace!

Another DIY for my to-do list!

I've been thinking about Michael Penney's Windsor chair DIY since I saw it on the House & Home blog earlier this week.

My current dining room set is a hand-me-down and leaves a little to be desired. Such as a fourth chair. And a leaf, which somehow went missing between Toronto moves 3 and 4.

A friend offered us a set of Windsor chairs that were languishing in her family's basement, but I was a little reluctant to take on another piece of "placeholder" furniture - you know, the stuff you keep around until you can find, or afford, what you really want?

They're quite similar to the ones Penney featured in his post - simple, sturdy, and not all that exciting.

But, what a difference a coat of paint makes!

The one on the left is primed, while the one on the right has been polished off with a glossy coat of paint.

After seeing this transformation (check out the full instructions here), I'm certainly going to take my friend up on her generous offer!

Now I've just got to decide between a glossy coat of white or black paint!

Your New Year's resolutions

Conquering clutter tops Yourhomer's home-related resolutions for 2010, according to last week's poll. (Check out my resolutions here). With that in mind, we've been offering up a bunch of great tips to help you keep your clutter-busting momentum, including:

- Do's and don'ts for reigning in home chaos

- How to stick to your resolutions

- 8 ways to conquer clutter in 2010

- Organize your closet in 10 minutes

Other top resolutions include keeping it clean, with 21 per cent of votes, redecorating, at 14 per cent, getting organized, also 14 per cent (check in on Monday for our full guide to getting organized), and repairing and maintaining your home, 7 per cent.

This week, I want to know whether you've already started to make progress on your resolutions. I'm getting there - slowly! Let me know how you're doing in the front page poll.

And, for some more weekend reading, check out:

- Colin and Justin create a bold pink bedroom

- A roundup of some trendy - and luxe - new wallpapers to help get you through those drab winter months

- HGTV's Brian Baeumler talks to me about his new series and how to help your marriage survive a reno

Mike Holmes on tonight's Marketplace premiere

I must admit that during my home hunt I never gave much thought as to whether any of the properties could have once been grow-ops. Someone would surely mention it, I thought. Plus, I figured any of the problems, such as mould, would come up during my home inspection.

But after watching the CBC Marketplace premiere (airing tonight at 8:30 p.m.) I feel like I was probably too optimistic.

With the help of Mike Holmes, the show takes a hard look at former grow ops and the home inspection industry - with results that had me taking a second look at my floors, ceilings and walls "just in case"!

They estimate that there's a former grow op on every block across the country. And many may be sold without the buyers having any idea of their home's past.

That's a problem because these houses can have everything from wiring issues - the show says grow ops are 40 times more likely to catch fire than a regular home - to structural damage and leaks due to the cutting of vent holes and mould, which can cause poor air quality and damage walls and beams. Repairing these can come with a hefty price tag. 

Holmes says prospective buyers should look for warning signs like venting left in the attic, holes cut in the fireplace, ceilings and floors and mould, which is often visible in the attic.

Marketplace hired four home inspectors to look at a former grow op, and all of them missed all the signs - which, Holmes says, is an indication the industry needs a revamp.

I found it a fascinating - if paranoia-inducing - watch, so, if you've got more exciting plans for a Friday night, I'd recommend setting those DVRs.

8 ways to conquer clutter in 2010

Organization is a common New Year's resolution. After all, who doesn't want to start the year off by whipping their home into shape?

Of course, that's easier said than done. According to a survey conducted for Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) in December, the majority of Canadians - 80 per cent - say they feel disorganized. Many also say they have a hard time keeping order in their home, with 29 per cent saying their house was the most disorganized part of their lives. 

And, the study says, all that chaos is upsetting: 43 per cent said it made them feel stressed, 39 per cent frustrated, and 11 per cent said their disorganization made them feel like failures. 

But, fret not, we've got some tips to help get you started on a tidier path:

1. Prioritize: The POC says you should decide which areas are the most important, and start with those. For me, that means my kitchen cupboards (a few cookbooks tumbling on your head's a good reminder), others may have hit their limits with entryways, mudrooms or piles of paperwork. Removing one of those major stressers makes a huge difference - and is great motivation to keep on going.

2. Know your "power hours", which, the POC says, means knowing how you work and when you're the most productive. For example, if you work best with a clean space, tidy your desk or counter before getting started in the morning.

3. Plan it. Set aside some time in your schedule to tackle a space. By writing down that you'll organize the linen closet at 1 p.m. on Saturday, you're more likely to actually get around to doing it!

4. Involve the whole family. Make sure everyone in your household knows where items should be kept - and that they need to be returned to their proper home once they're done with them!

5. Be prepared. Tara Stubbins, president of Take it Easy Concierge Services, says that having everything that you'll need on hand - like garbage bags, labels, boxes, file folders and markers - means you're less likely to get sidetracked. 

6. Start small. Stubbins suggests starting with a desk drawer, a closet or your car -- these small tasks will help build your confidence, and breaking it into small chunks helps make it more manageable.

7. Do a bathroom audit. Stubbins says you should toss anything in your cabinets and shelves that you haven't used in the past three months - if you haven't used it in that time period, you're probably not going to.

8. Check your closet. Chances are, there are things in your closet that don't get worn very often. But it's still tough to let go. To help, Stubbins suggests placing all the hangers in the same direction. Every time you remove, wear and wash an item, place it back with the hanger in the opposite direction. At the end of the season, take a look at the items still hanging in their original position - these haven't been worn and are great candidates for donating or a clothing swap with friends.

And check out our tips for sticking to your resolutions; how to organize your closet in 10 minutes and tips for banishing clutter at the roots.

What would you change about your home?

The new year is a great time to evaluate our lives, and our homes. Promises to conquer clutter, get organized or finally paint that kitchen/living room/dining room often top the resolution lists (read mine and share yours in our front page poll).

Thinking on the things I'd change around my house - installing tall upper cabinets in the kitchen on the achievable list, while living detached tops the impossible - I turned to Twitter to see what other people would choose if they could change just one thing about their homes.

Topping the list? More space, better kitchens, and a bit of organization.

Here are some of the responses:

@jennhoegg On my impossible list, I would move our basement stairs and make my dining room truly big enough for 5.

@moeturner Lack of a 5th bedroom. I would love to open up the kitchen to the dining room too...

@ColoradoEyes Size of rooms.

@NicolleWahl Needs a bigger third bedroom. At some point, my (son) is going to notice that he has "the small room."

@bitofmomsense fourth bedroom. second choice? re-do kitchen (might happen!)

@YMCbuzz: Kitchen!

@KathrynFDD would totally redo kitchen, both bathrooms top to bottom!!!

@caffeinated_mom: the mess!

@ KiddingAround Storage. Actually just storage for items we don't use on a regular basis. I feel lucky that I do adore our home.

@fireflynewbegin Storage!

@moggitgirls: Location location location! ;) On the lake/beach/river/ocean!

@littlemissmocha That it's in the wrong city?

@Larked Would really like a deeper bath tub with jacuzzi jets and maybe some different coloured mood lighting fixture enhancements :D

@kellidaisy my floors - all of them!

@yahoocanadalife The carpeting. I've got cream carpeting which is a pain to keep clean in high traffic areas. I'm dreaming of hardwood.

@Miss_Scarlett99 Make the driveway less mountainous :)

@Chantalmrichard I would knock out the wall between my kitchen and living/dining to make my whole main floor open concept.

@justdworld Office/playroom

@twit_twit_twoo Wallpaper! Add a little lux to my living room.

@canucklehead_ The kitchen island a.k.a. home dumping ground!!

@catherinew I'd add a second storey to the house so we would have room for a third bedroom and a second bathroom!

If you are planning to tackle any home improvement projects as part of the new year, be sure to check out our tips on sticking to those home-related resolutions and don't forget about the Home Renovation Tax Credit - time's running low, but you can still sneak in a few more projects!

And, please let me know in the comments what you'd love to change about your home!

Resolution time

I like the idea of New Year's resolutions, even though they're often forgotten by March. I think Jan. 1 is a great time to evaluate your current lifestyle and think about what you would like to have happen in the next year. For me, it's more about setting goals than making a promise.

For example, while I'd love to resolve something grand: "I'll work out more" or "This year, we'll finish setting up the house," I feel like both of these are way too broad - and would be just setting myself up for failure.

Instead, this year on the home front, I'll resolve to paint the bathroom and spare bedroom/office. Manageable tasks, which can be completed. Hopefully fairly easily.

I'll also aim to make green choices when possible, and try to tackle at least one maintenance project solo - while also staying open to the fact that I may still need to call in the pros.

So, spurred on by the promise of a new year, this week's poll asks about your top home-related resolutions for 2010. Will you commit to redecorating? Tackle more DIY projects? Banish clutter once and for all? Let me know in the front page poll. 

And, be sure to check out some of this weekend's must-reads:

- How condo owners can claim the Home Renovation Tax Credit

- What happens when Sarah Richardson comes to your house

- The decade in home decor

- Colin and Justin's advice for feathering the nest in 2010

- And the latest instalment in our 905 series