A Place For Everything, Everything in its Place

One of the things that I have really enjoyed about a new house is planning with the kids in mind. When we bought our house in Brooklyn 5 years ago, we knew we would likely have kids in it, and we thought we had our bases covered with three bedrooms and outdoor space. But actually having kids gives you a different window into how they live and what they need, and I've tried to plan this house with a nod to the Montessori philosophy of a "prepared environment," so that every room is accessible to them; with the exception of our bedroom, there is something for them in each space, and much of it is self serve: their books are in the bottom three shelves of the bookcases in the office; Clio's easel and crayons are in a corner of the dining room; and snacks are in the lazy susan (a lazy susan!), so Clio can go in and help herself to crackers or fruit leather when she's hungry. Their cups and bowls are also on low shelves in the kitchen (Clio has taken to getting herself a glass of water using her stool at the bathroom sink), and we put a small table and chairs in there even though we opted not to make it a full eat-in-kitchen, so they have a place to be while we cook or clean up.

Here's Eleri, enjoying some crackers that Clio put in a sippy cup for her.


Clio was so pleased with herself (and the whole self-serve arrangement) that she offered up a portrait.


For once, I've also given more thought to function than aesthetics as we unpacked and decided where things would go and how they would work. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to have a linen cabinet (right above the washer dryer), and to see this when I open the doors:




When we realized that we were running out of money, pronto, I remembered my thrifty student days and started finding ways to reuse what we already had or to rethink what we needed. We realized we could fit the stereo in this cabinet I inherited from my grandparents (the girls gave it a try before the components went in),

and I'm about to load up the old toy bins (themselves baskets that someone gave me as "wrapping" for a wedding gift) with all the bathroom supplies that don't fit in the bathroom, and store them in the hall closet. For example.

We did go for a few new items. (Actually, we bought a couch- YES, we made a decision, bit the bullet, and ordered a beautiful couch in very-dark brown--wising up after ten years with a white sofa). Among other things, we left behind a wonderful pull-out spice drawer, and needed a solution for our many, many spices. We found these great magnetic tins at Cost Plus World Market, and while they were out of the silver (and we loved but did not want to commit to the shiny red-enamel option), we were able to rain-check them so they would hold them for us once they came off the truck. When we pre-ordered 50, the stock guy heard it as "15" and didn't quite believe us when we corrected him. Anyway, with counter space on the skimpy side, we just stuck these all over the side of our refrigerator, which looks a bit like it is undergoing treatment with those Chinese medicine cups that once bruised Gwyneth Platrow's skin so extensively, her picture wound up on the cover of the NYPost.


I'm not sure I should even admit how happy this makes me. I was extolling their virtues to Dave the other night- so easy to keep alphabetized, the great sprinkle and pour features accessible by a simple twist of the top, the fact that any measuring spoon will fit in the wide mouth- and he kept saying "yes, honey, I know" very carefully, like I was going to start banging the things together and drooling. If I bring it up one more time, Dave might have me committed.