manufactured by cw.

it's friday, friends! cheers!

what's a better weekend kickoff than reading a DIY/design post? in my opinion, not much [besides having a cocktail in hand]. here is the scoop on what's going on in my personal design life..

awhile back, it was verbalized I need a new place to call home for my water: book: pens: and lamp beside the bed. if you follow me on instagram [courtneywalker_], you may have noticed a few weeks ago some antique wood shopping taking place. can you see where I am headed with this? alas, new bedside tables to be manufactured by the hands of yours truly, with some design brainstorming and production from the beau. 

my room has an industrial/chic flair so we both have been searching for inspiration via boy pinterest Tapiture and Pinterest . here are a few pieces we are loving...

[honestlywtf]

[bellaMumma]

lonny

for our project, agreed upon materials include metal: wood: and glass. marble is up in the air.

i'm so excited about these pieces, I just had to share the preliminary plans on the blog, but promise to follow up with the finished product and our process. i'll leave you with pictures from our trip to Architectural Antiques in NW Indianapolis...

what fun plans do you have for the weekend? whatever it may be, enjoy!

c.design- cw

new york, new york...

... 'i want to wake up in that city'...

and i did exactly that this past weekend. the few days there were spent visiting with friends: tasting around town [food and cocktails/brews]: walking and more walking: and doing just some good ole' New York tourist things. 

to keep it short and sweet, here are 10 things i highly recommend for your next trip to the big apple. 

1. visit a rooftop bar at night. unless it's raining, the view will not disappoint. we went here and had this spectacular photo moment. amazing, right?!

2. choose a museum and visit on a hot or rainy day. we visited the MET and loved walking around this huge house of art and history. i've also been told the guggenheim is a good one.

3. ladies, pack a pair of flats and large purse. wear the flats while walking then slip the heels on at your evening destination. trust me, it saved my feet.

4. our group of four would probably concur these restaurants were lip lickin' good.
    Tipsy Parson : make a reservation and order anything. it's all delish.
    The Meatball Shop : an excellent lunch spot. save room for dessert!
    Southern Hospitality : all you can drink mimosas for $15.00 and it's owned by JT. 
    The Grey Dog : cool ambiance, rad food. the owners are michigan fans. #goblue ?

5. walk in grand central station. not only is it beautiful, it's so organized and clean for a subway hub.

6. take a stroll and grab a cocktail in central park. it's so beautiful and for a brief second, one would forget it's in the middle of the largest US city. 

7. unless kids are involved, avoid times square. it's dirty: loud: crowded: and honestly not much to see. it's a visit once and avoid going back part of the city. sorry, times square!

8. catch the subway to the 9/11 memorial downtown. the fountains built for a memorial are breathtaking and so symbolic. that area will tug on your heart.

9. book a broadway show! we saw matilda [kid friendly!] and like any broadway show, i smiled the entire time. 

10. a few years ago i went up in the empire state building and it's totally awesome! this trip our friends went to the 'top of the rock' and had a spectacular morning view of the city. 

are you dreaming of a visit to NYC? what will you make a must-see? do tell!

c.design- cw

the list.

as i'm sitting here making to-do lists [notice the 's'], i am reminded that i have once again  neglected this poor little space of mine on the world wide web. what's new, folks? 

around here i'm not sure where the first four months of 2014 went. school: work: work II: and living life apparently took up my time. now may is upon us and maybe it's because the weather is finally beautiful or the spring flowers are blooming in louisville, but i'm feeling refreshed and inspired for the summer months ahead. as one of my new year's goals to finish projects on my house, i wanted to share specifics.

with the month of may already fully booked and planned, squeezing in time [and saving money] to start checking off these house to-do's will be a tough task, but i am up for the challenge and ready to share with you.

ready? here we go.

HOUSE TO-DO'S:
- fully finish landscaping project 2014 [recruiting my main squeeze for this!] 06.18.14
- finish the staircase
- paint all 1/4 round in my house [dreading! any volunteers?]
- paint office 06.29.14
- paint kitchen  05.07.14
- purchase and install light fixture for master bedroom 06.29.14
- purchase and install light fixture for office 05.06.14
- repaint upstairs landing
- paint touchups in master bathroom 06.17.14
- fully organize basement 

ah, home ownership.

if these things can be accomplished before july, i'll be the happiest gal on brown avenue. what projects do you have planned for summer 2014?

c.organized- cw

beyond the wine bottle.

if any readers are fellow wine lovers, you may or may not have jars: bags: drawers:... let's be honest..tubs of the plugs that keep our favorite adult beverage fresh. in my opinion, not much in life is finer than enjoying a nice bottle of wine: writing on the cork [date: location: who enjoyed with] and saving it for display or memory. not only am i obsessed with this fun little tradition, but now drooling over the material: cork. all things cork, but specifically cork flooring.

  

if looks don't completely win you over, here are the facts...

• most cork comes from a bio-diverse ecosystem in portugal called montado
• montado supports a large range of plants + wildlife over a 1.8 million acre spread
• cork farmers disperse every year at the end of may to carefully collect cork without killing or harming the tree
• a tree is only stripped at age 25 and every 9 years post initial strip
• every 9 years, a tree generates an even higher quality cork then the previous stripping
• the cork industry in portugal is huge and the people pride themselves on that reputation
• cork is 100% recyclable; all byproduct creations are 100% recyclable
• repelling dust: germs: and mold, it's a naturally healthy choice
• for you loud stompers walkers, the material absorbs vibration, therefore reducing sound transmissions
• lastly, cork is an easy DIY installation

after learning about the material's makeup and benefits in school, cork sparked a serious interest to install in my own home. after this research, i will be investigating the best brands and pricing for my kitchen. 

would you ever consider cork as a flooring option in your home or work space? is so, what room?

c.design- cw

hello, 2014!

happy new year, readers! 

yet again, my blog has failed to take priority on the list of one million, one thousand, well, really only and literally one hundred things to do [in one day]. life is full and continues to go just way too fast, but i'm in love with every day.

today will be the reveal of...the new year goals. not resolutions, because i don't like that word...but goals. 

number 1: match my socks. where it may seem silly this is not done already, it's something i always thought was not a big deal. well, when spending 3 minutes per morning looking for a match and 9 times out of 10 wearing one stripe and one polka dot sock, it's time people. it's time.

number 2: work on posture. my lower back hurts, improving posture should only help. plus, it probably looks lazy and painful from the outside staring in.

number 3: eat healthier. this past december, i was really feeling unhealthy and here's why: no monitoring of food consumption and too much beer. wine and liquor it is. cheers.

number 4: every year, it's visit one new state. already planned is colorado [an opportunity for a design + travel blog post?]. in the works is louisiana and montana. 

number 5: finish a few additional projects in my house i purchased a year ago. it's coming along nicely [i need to BLOG you all!], but much more to do towards perfection.

that wraps up some major things to work on in 2014. do you have resolutions: goals: or just make stuff happen?

c.organized- cw

design surprise: in training.

happy friday, ya'll! i hear the weather back home [kentuckiana] is to be b-e-a-utiful this weekend, so get out and enjoy; save this blog post for your monday am blues. 

back in my backlogged blog post, there was mention of a design surprise. you may now begin the drumroll please.....

currently, the blog author of c.organized + design [muah] is enrolled in interior design school! that's right, in around 2 years my brain will be fully packed with wonderful design knowledge and ideas to properly and professionally re-outfit your room: home: office: whatever! 

here is a little history on my journey to design school. nearly 2 years ago i decided to go confidently in the direction of my dreams and was planning to immediately enroll in school for interior design. did you know going back to school is a scary scary thing? think of all the time + money invested in yet, another undergraduate degree. well folks, the 3rd time [accounting and finance were 1st and 2nd degrees] must be a charm because i dove in about 3 months ago [yes, it took me 2 years to do so!] at sullivan college of design and haven't looked back since.

the 1st quarter is under my belt and i can now properly draw your space [architectural drafting I]: recognize design from the ancient times to american georgian [design history I]: choose a design principal and element for any room [intro to interior design]: and lastly, choose a design that jives with your age: mental state: or personality [environmental psychology]. bam! just like that, i know SO much more about the design field! quarter 2 begins in less than 2 weeks. eek!

have you thought about returning to school for something you love? i may be your girl for questions or encouragement. email me!

c.organized- cw

backlogged blog.

alright readers, this blog went on another unplanned... hiatus, vacation, fail spree. whatever you want to call it, i will probably smile, nod along and agree. if you all are like me, i am wondering where my summer 2013 went? it seems like yesterday we were ringing in 20thirteen! much has happened over the past few months [a design surprise will come out soon] and the blog post ideas are backlogged in my brain and planner. 

to start back in a speak easy tone, i leave you with some favorite websites and blogs i check daily.

1. the everygirl this site might be a slight obsession of mine. almost daily, there's an inspirational story of literally 'an everygirl'. finances: travel: shopping: entertaining: career. it's all discussed.

2. levo league hey working woman! this is your site. 

3. copy cat chic this lady is amazing. anytime one can get a chair for $399 instead of $1,699, it's a deal. each post shows one item from a high-end retailer [expensive!] and another item from a good retailer [reasonable!], but it's basically the exact same item. boom! your wallet and/or husband will smile and thank you.

4. design darling if you're looking for a perfect little boutique you can browse while sitting on your rear, design darling is a goodie. monogrammed: chic: color happy sums up mackenzie's [shop owner + blogger] style.

5. the kids made me fat having a bad day? go read some of these blog posts. if you do not laugh, well, consider yourself a fun sponge.

c.organized- cw

yellow page opt out.

ladies and gents, do you find yellow page directories any of the following:

1) annoying
2) useless
3) waste of paper
4) waste of space
5) behind the times
6) bulky
7) an eye sore
8) ______________ [write your description here]

my answer: all of the above, #8 i will keep to myself. honestly, if you can think of any person who needs yellow pages besides your 92 yo grandmother who does not have a cell phone or computer, please leave a comment below. yellow page hoarders: i promise you google is a bazillion times faster and most likely more accurate than your yellow pages from 4 years ago. recycle those bad boys!

story time! not too long ago i recently moved into my new beautiful house [which you can read about here]. as i oohed and awed over all the kitchen storage, i opened a drawer to find 5 yellow page books taking up half the available space. 3 days later, my roommate and i witness an unmarked white van driving down our street oh-so slowly tossing books at each house. dangit if it was not ANOTHER yellow page book. we literally wanted to run behind this van and chuck the damn book back at 'em. [not to fret. we are nice people and did not want to cause a ruckus in our new neighborhood. therefore, the book went straight to the recycle bin.]

recently i found the wonderful website that will forever force the white van to pass my house. yellow page opt out is quick + easy. PLUS i learned a few interesting facts that made me a tad less bitter about the yellow pages:

- the yellow page paper does not come from freshly cut trees
- new products are made from outdated and recycled yellow page books
- yellow pages are made with non-toxic ink: dye: and adhesive
- there has been a 29% demand decline for yellow page books since 2006

we are earth friendly here at c.organized + design and really encourage reducing: reusing: recycling. more useful posts to come!

are you going to opt out for your directory subscription?

c.organized- cw

digital photo box

smart phone. tablet. laptop. mini tablet. desktop. camera. ipod.

we now live in an almost overbearing digital world where technology rules our everyday life. believe me, like the girl next door, i love my iphone, could not live without my macbook and am in the market for an ipad mini [for those of you who own apple stock--> you're welcome.]. with all of these gadgets, maintenance and organization is a MUST. now, i am no apple genius bar employee, but every time my lovely momma says her iphone is running slow, my response: ''you have too many pictures and/or videos on there''. where this may not be the true reason, i'd like to think it is. recently, we took a few minutes to import pictures to make a digital photo box [remember those photo boxes that were so popular ten years ago?]. we saw an immediate change in her phone AND finding photos on her laptop is now a piece of cake. here is a little step by step on how we can all get our photos organized, making ourselves semi tech savvy!

1) import pictures to your laptop or computer. after the import is complete, a message might ask to delete or keep pictures on your phone. this is a personal preference, but i delete to allow more space on my phone. if you are one to show off that big fish caught on vacation or a child's first steps to friends and family, maybe consider keeping those pictures on your device.

2) whether you are using 'my pictures' or 'iphoto', there should be a place to create new folders or albums. you can create as many folders/albums as one would like. consider grouping them by year, with subfolders under each year. here are some examples-

folder: 2013

subfolder: tampa, FL vacation

folder: 2012

subfolder: summer gardens

another way to organize pictures are by subject; put any picture that pertains to that particular subject in the relevant folder. currently, this is how mine are organized in 'iphoto'. examples-

folder: oregon 

folder: c.organized projects

folder: uofl 

   [side note, go cards!]

3) drag photos from the original import folder [pictures usually default into a 'my pictures' or 'photos' folder after importing] to the new organized folder [ie- vacation 2013]. holding down the CTRL or COMMAND button while clicking on photos allows for multiple pictures to be chosen. time. saver. 

4) smile because all of your photos are now in one place ready to access: print: share: enjoy.

do you have a go-to store for developing pictures? if not, i highly recommend Walgreens. the site is user friendly, processing time is minimum, delivery or pickup options AND you can link to your facebook page to print directly from facebook photo albums. handy, eh?

need a little helping hand with your photo project? i would love to jump in! visit my webpage for contact information. www.corganizedanddesign.com 

c.organized- cw

photo above from www.theverygirl.com 

sunday funday.

when did sunday turn into 'funday'? long gone are the days of recovering and cramming for the week ahead [for now, anyway]. hellooo brunches: flea market shopping: and the weekly GROCERY visit. don't lie readers, we all dread the grocery. especially when it's so crowded that all the mini carts are gone.

for lent, my lovely roommate and i decided we would 'cook more, eat out less' [simply thai->we know your sales have gone down because of this decision]. several weeks in and one left to go [who's counting, right?], we've done a pretty darn good job. 

let's chat planning. aka organizing. 

1) choose a set day to visit your local grocery store: we choose sunday evenings because it's a good prep time for the week ahead. and who am i kidding, there are young, single men perusing the aisles, mini carts available, and rarely a screaming baby in the place [i love babies, just not screaming ones. in the grocery.]. but all joking aside, keep in mind crowds: and product stock when choosing your day.

2) have some resources in mind for those go-to weeknight recipes: we are found flipping through our cookbooks before we go, but pinterest: cooking sites: magazines are also all lovely. keep in mind breakfast: lunch: dinner: leftovers: snacks: doggie treats when planning for your week. [lauren has been making our fur friend's treats. healthy AND saves some moolah.]

3) write down [or type in notes on a phone] the ingredients you think you'll need along with those to check on in your pantry. as you write, categorize by either A. type of food [ie- produce: canned foods: dairy] or B. location in store [ie-right: middle: back]. this will make it easy for shopping and check out speed. 

4) check on those spices you think might be hidden behind that giant jar of olive oil. 

5) grab your recyclable bags: headphones [if you're a music listener]: list: and coupons [if applicable]. 

6) have fun! roommate lauren and i are starting to get the hang of where products are located and may be speaking for myself, but am really starting to enjoy the whole shopping and cooking experience. [we have competitions too. who spent the most? who saved the most?]

bring on the dinner parties.....

eh, maybe in a few months!

where are your favorite places to find good recipes? comment below!

c.organized- cw

shape up that hand me down

have you ever had a room so desperate for one piece of furniture, where the rest of the room will just NOT be organized without it? yes? well, that was my bedroom two weeks ago. in case you missed the last post [here], i have recently moved and was convinced to find: refinish: and put clothes in a dresser.. in one weekend. insert sweat: blood: wine: dust: and some white wash pickling stain and it happened in one week. here is my little dresser journey and some GREAT places to furniture shop in kentuckiana. 

weekend one-

drive over the sherman minton bridge to the lovely dress and dwell in new albany for their 50% home furnishings sale. stop in antiques attic first because i got to d + d too early. buy an old revlon vanity table because it was EXACTLY what i was looking for [in another room] ...and a retro magazine rack too. run in dress and dwell to scope the store out before anybody snags what i want. no luck with a dresser, but buy lots of other cute home accessories. meet my antique saavy aunt who gives me lots of tips on where to look for good used furniture at a decent price. receive a picture message from my dad....

it was like that moment in christmas vacation when the griswolds are at the christmas tree farm and they find the perfect tree. although i didn't have a selection of dressers, i knew this was going to work. AND it's special because my grandparents: dad: and brother all used this dresser. double high five!

weekend two-

go to sherwin williams for the 73rd time in one month to talk furniture paint [they know me on a first name basis and probably hate answering 26 questions every time i stop in. sherwin williams people--> i appreciate your ongoing kindness and forced smiles.]. they suggest white trim + door paint on the above dresser. work really hard on friday afternoon to sand the entire piece [side note- all my friends with their own home should own a handy dandy hand sander. they are around $50 and since moving, that thing is my best friend.] 

saturday, paint the piece: hate it [it's stark white, people]: sunday, sand it again and paint with miniwax white wash pickling stain from home depot. use a dark miniwax stain to distress. in LOVE the second-go-round! to finish the look, i find beautiful knobs at world market [$5.00 instead of anthro's $11.00 knobs]. whewww. catch my breath: drink some wine: carry the dresser upstairs. boom! done. 

so, what do you all think? if you have specific questions on the process, feel free to ask!

until the next project...

c.design- cw

national organizing month turned....

............buy a house month! that's right, as of january 16th i am a proud: new: and slightly stressed home owner. 

this little beaut in louisville, kentucky had everything i was looking for in a first home and then some!
basement- check
garage- check
location- check
nice yard for the furries- check
old charm- check check 

with the help of one of my best friends [who is also my roommate]: her boyfriend: my parents: niece: and a few other hard workers, we have transformed that house into pure 'courtney style'. it is looking uber cute and already feels like home. i am excited to share some before and afters here soon!

now, getting back to the true biz: organizing! 

as some of my friends are getting to that age where buying a house is 'knocking at their front door', it might be a fun post to explain the home buying process and how staying organized helped me close in one month DURING the christmas and new year holidays. stay tuned guys and gals! 

[readers: my true apologies for no useful posts in january or most of february. managing two homes: work: moving: renovating 1 house: and a few shenanigans here and there will about wear a girl out. there are a few exciting projects and posts on the horizon, i promise!]

c.organized- cw

ringing in 20.thirteen!

happy 2013 followers! hope you ALL had a fabulous time ringing in the new year with friends: family: significant others: and furry friends. i love this time of year because even though each start of a day: week: or month is the opportunity to begin new and make a difference, january one is [what seems like] an official new start. we can focus on different goals: opportunities: relationships.

january is also..drum roll, please... national get organized month! wahoo! time and time again i hear from people their new year's resolution is 'to get organized'. perfect timing! go for it and email me if you need some assistance. many helpful posts should be coming this month, so stay tuned!

my favorite way to start off an organized year is by purchasing a cute new calendar and planner. sure we all have iphones, but there is something special about writing it down on cute paper. check out some of these chic calendars posted on the brit + co. blog. 

and you must browse design darling's site for planners and everything else colorful and fun!

going in to the new year, what are you focusing your energy on? anything fun or different? 

whatever it may be, get out there and make it happen! 

c.organized- cw

merry christmas to all.

wishing you all a very merry christmas filled with love: joy: laughter: and sparkle. 

c.organized- cw

while the boss is out of town..

we make use of our strong employees and chic, yet conservative decorating tendencies. our office is small with several private offices: a bathroom: kitchen: and common area....filled with valuable antiques extra furniture. this left our poor little work abode without a conference area. out with the old, in with the new! 

.brody the model dog.

this table about to be unveiled took me months to find. i had found what i thought was the perfect conference table at ikea after searching the typical office furniture sites with bulky legs + dark hues. of course, about an hour before leaving for ikea, i search the site for inventory available...nada. all is not lost, though.

part of my attempted daily to-do's is blog: site research. this website is wonderful for those with high price style but a low[er] budget. thanks to copy cat chic, i found the perfect conference table and they had it in stock [and on sale] at our local world market.  the table took up every inch of my small suv, but after months and months of searching, by golly that table was coming to work with me. 

without further ado, here is a sneak peek at our beautiful new lunch table conference table.

c.organized- cw

the best of everything. in one place.

purses: scarves: jewelry: oh my! does anyone else have trouble figuring out the perfect place to showcase your 'pretties' without spending a fortune? recently i had the same issue with jewelry and came up with an inexpensive solution. 

[pre organized]

first things first. take inventory, remove everything from your bucket: dresser: drawer: organizer bin: whatever you currently store your jewelry in and separate into basic categories OR by color..

rings: stud earrings: dangling earrings: bracelets: necklaces: watches: costume

deciding how to display or store your jewelry is a personal choice. some might prefer clear plastic boxes [organized either by color or by type of jewelry], others might like to show off their accessories in a plastic or cloth divider. personally, i love my fun jewelry out and about : ) click the link to check out where i found my inexpensive cloth and plastic dividers! http://www.target.com 

[post organized] 

have an empty wall in your closet? here's a fun way to hang your necklaces! all you need is a hammer: nails: and maybe some decorative cabinet knobs [if you want a little extra pazazz].

how are you going to organize your jewelry or other fashion accessories?

c.organized- cw

blog lova = unorganized inbox?

since beginning the startup adventure i've been searching: following: liking: loving: obsessing over fellow creativists blogs. [see my list of blog favorites below] when visiting a blog, there is most likely an option to subscribe via email or 'rss feed'. [i've yet to figure out what rss feed is; that will be homework for this week.] up to this past week, i have submitted my email for every blog and website catching my eye as fun: creative: entrepreneurial: woman empowering: colorful: etc. now, this means i have about 40 emails coming in per day from different blog posts. as you know i love organizing, so creating folders + click/drag procedure has sufficed, until realizing it was a pain in the a*s unnecessary work.

one night last week, my goal was to find a website i can login to and see all of my blogs in one place without having to sift through a bunch of email subjects, of which all begin to look the same. www.bloglovin.com is my lovely answer and suggestion for you. blog lovin is easy to setup: search: follow: read your favorite blogs. an iphone/ipad app is available. AND it's free! all new posts show up on your feed [similar to FB or twitter] ; as you read, there's a 'mark as read' option. a list of your followed blogs are on the far left for easy access to each individual blog site. now, i know there are many more blog collaboration sites out there [maybe rss feed is one of them and i am currently clueless], but blog lovin   is pleasing my blogging needs.

[pre organized]

[post organized]

what website do you use to read your blogs? 

c.organized- cw

working at work.

my day job has several perks [pet friendly: family oriented, literally: unlimited snacks, waters, coffee: comfy.modern work seats: fun colored binders] but the best thing about my job is.. i can organize. our office has lots of papers: blueprints: binders: files: emails: design samples: etc. which all should be kept in an orderly fashion. recently, i went through some of my office [it's also the blueprint: design sample room] and glamoured it, in an organized sense.

once again, i pulled everything off the shelves and put back as needed. there were a few cardboard boxes i tossed, but everything else found a place in the provided space.

[pre organized]

down to biz face with the project in the background!

[post organized]

i used office nails + hammer to hang up all color: wood samples on a side of our blueprint desk.

shelf i: wood samples, shelf ii: carpet samples, shelf iii: tile + ceiling samples.

what needs to be organized in your office? 

c.organized- cw

too many clothes? never.

have you ever heard of the 1 year clothing rule? ....if you don't wear it in one year, toss [[ideally donate or take to your local consignment shop. louisvillians, i love sassy fox upscale consignment]]. well, i don't necessarily follow that to a T. many of my clothes are between 2-5 years old and i keep them because on occasion i pull something out to make a classic look..different. in a fashion sense, 'what goes around, comes around'. sure, my closet is full, but keeping it color coordinated and most items hung (tshirts, jeans, and gym shorts are folded), it's easy to evaluate my daily options. 

c.organized had the pleasure of working in a beautiful closet that just needed touch up ideas for storing lots of clothes: shoes: beauty supplies: purses. the process i find easiest is to take everything off the shelves/racks, determine what goes back in, and start placing in the appropriate place. easier said than done? (no worries, we can help!) if you have one rack (like my closet), i organize by color, then by clothing type. this closet had multiple racks, so was sorted by type of clothing (ie- pants, short sleeves, long sleeves, dresses), then by color. once again, not much was thrown or donated. 

although it would be nice, we don't need a carrie bradshaw closet to make our beautiful clothes: purses: shoes feel right at home.

[pre organized]

[post organized]

c.organized- cw