My House: The Front Room

Living in a house built in the 1960's already gives you a hint of the challenges that lie within the floorplan.

• Small closets
• Few cabinets
• Formal living room (Do any of us live "formally anymore?)
• Huge yard (Lots of time spent maintaining the lawn.)
• No garage

The front room didn't know what it wanted to be when it grew up.

After watching our flow of life, we turned the "formal living space" into a dual-purpose office/music room.

One feature I love about this room is that it becomes a collection point for donation clothing. The secret is behind the door. Look at the close up. Ta da! Amazing how an inexpensive solution has been so effective for us.

Everyone in our house has been trained to put discarded, outgrown or out-of-style clothing and other small items in paper grocery bags behind the front door. We all do it. When we shop, if an item comes in, one or more items goes out. Then, weekly, we take the bag to a donation center when we take recycling items. It's just part of our normal routine.

Anyone else have a great solution for collecting donation items in their house? Tell us about it!

(c) 2009 Sheri Smith Bertolini