And yes, part of the point of the junk drawer is that it’s one place in your home where you get to be unabashedly messy…

but really, we all know that what a junk drawer is is a black hole into which all sorts of things you definitely don’t need but can’t bring yourself to throw out disappear, never to be seen again.

There is a way to do junk drawers better.

Pictured above: the junk drawer of none other than Martha Stewart herself. She recommends using pretty little bowls to organize and separate all those tiny little things (pills, screws, batteries) that would otherwise be lost in the depths.

Or, if you happen to be like me and own way too many teacups despite the fact that you don’t really drink tea…

You do as I do. (The other two little containers are salt dishes, and I use an old silverware tray to semi-organize things like screwdrivers, glue sticks, and pens.)

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Sure, they’re a little cheesy. But they’re also so romantic, and make me feel like I’m on vacation in Bali.

Anyway, I really wanted one of these in high school. But my family had cats.

And then I really wanted one in college. But I had a dorm room with a bunk bed.

And then I really wanted one after I graduated. But I had another cat.

And then I had Lucy.

And then Virgil.

And now I have a baby.

So: no hanging net canopy thing for me.

But I can live vicariously through you.

And while we’re talking soft hanging things, how gorgeous is this Southwestern-style tapestry from Urban Outfitters? (They have lots of great tapestries that would work either as wall hangings or draped over a duvet.)

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This was my view from my desk yesterday morning.

And this morning.

Good times.

Anyway, I post this because to me, this illustrates how fast things change with a baby. Just a few weeks ago, only a couple of those crazy play stations were in rotation; yesterday morning, we cycled through every single one within about forty-five minutes. A week ago, I couldn’t get my son to eat much solid food before lunchtime; now he happily takes down an enormous breakfast right after his morning nap.

All these changes make establishing a solid routine challenging, but we’ve managed to get a sort-of schedule going that involves waking up at 6:30, napping at 8, and 2-3 varying-length naps over the course of the rest of the day. It’s not an exact science, but it gives some shape to the day, and I’ve come to rely on it enormously; I know when I can get some good work done, when I might be able to grab something to eat for myself, and when I need to go to bed by if I want to be a functional human being the next day.

This weekend, I’m taking Indy on a plane for the very first time (my mom and I are headed to Canada to visit my relatives).

It’s a tiny little plane (yeek) and a short flight – but we almost always end up sitting on the runway for awhile before takeoff (that photo above is of the last time we took this flight, when I was ten million months pregnant and had to sit on the runway for two hours in an airplane with no air conditioning before taking off in the middle of an electrical storm).

So that tentative little schedule we’ve worked out? Not happening so much – not when we start traveling at his bedtime and arrive at our destination somewhere around 1AM Friday morning.

I am in need of travel-with-a-baby tips to ease my nervous mind.

Anyone?

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In celebration of the warmer weather: a lighter twist on the mod eye paired with a punch of orange on the lips.

Products used in this video:

Orlane Paris Bronzing Pressed Powder

MAC Studio Fix Power Plus Foundation in C3

Nars Orgasm Blush

Elizabeth Arden Liquid Eyeliner in Brown

NARS Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Hollywoodland

Benefit They’re Real! Mascara

Lipstick Queen Chinatown Glossy Pencil in Genre

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The suit on the left is wildly, ridiculously expensive, and I would never buy it.

The suit on the right is not exactly made for us support-requiring ladies, and I would never buy it.

But I do enjoy looking at them both.

Suit: Pret-A-Surf Graphic Colorblock One Piece,$365; Urban Outfitters Noelle, $102

For affordable colorblock swimsuit ideas and accessories, click here.

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Just discovered this gorgeous space over on Smile And Wave (click here to check out more images of the room) and am totally inspired. I love how they blended clean midcentury lines with vintage light fixtures and splashes of country-cozy, and then threw in a few weather-beaten signs just to make the whole thing exactly up my alley.

This is what I’m talking about when I refer to a space that’s “collected” rather than “decorated”…and as you can see, “mismatched” doesn’t have to mean “messy”.

Of course the best way to achieve this look is by putting on your thrifting pants and hitting an excellent patch of luck, but if you’re not into scouring your local flea markets, below are some purchase-able ways to get your own retro blend.

Some of the above pieces are affordable; others, not so much. My advice for decorating in this style? Thrift as much as you can, and purchase only those key elements that you simply can’t live without. Because the real key to this look is loving what’s around you and making it your own.

Product info after the jump.

Clockwise from top right: Cola-Red “Memphis” chair, faux Eames rocker (find them on Etsy or Overstock), Leeds mirror ($199), sheepskin rug ($109), crochet blanket (50 EUR), Retro Planet tin sign ($18), vintage typewriter ($215), Navajo-style rug ($600), Room & Board pillow ($50), Ikea Norden table ($279).

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Thank you to CafeMom for including me in their blogger series in honor of Mother’s Day. Click through to read about why we made the decision to move, and why it feel right for us.

P.S. One thing I’d like to clarify: the title of this article (the original title is “This Kind Of Life”) sounds sort of like I’m saying that city living is nice and all, but not good enough once you have children…which is really not what I think. I love the city; I was raised in the city; I think that growing up as a resident of New York City is a wonderful thing – or at least there are many wonderful things about it. It’s simply that when we thought about the specific things that we wanted for our family and our future, we came to the conclusion that a move was the right thing to do. For us. That’s all.

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