New shower head

Due to the old one shooting off randomly one afternoon, my husband and I were compelled to install a new shower head in our shower last week. Here's the photo diary.

Rubber bands hold the front of the head on so we could shower before the new one was installed. It worked really well!

We had a really hard time getting the old head off. Who knows how long it had been on there? First, we soaked it in CLR.

We then resorted to the foul-smelling but effective Liquid Wrench and powerful pliers.

An hour later, success!

The new one screwed right on and works great. The CLR also worked wonders on the lime scale, so I used it to spruce up the rest of the tub fixtures.

Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com. Sign up for Lelah's News, a once-monthly newsletter.

A little painting project

One of things I love about my apartment is two glass-front cabinets that separate the kitchen from the dining area (which I turned into my office). They are the perfect storage place for all the beautiful glassware my husband and I received as wedding presents. A few days ago an idea just popped into my head. The glassware is so pretty, but it sort of blends in to the cabinet since it's clear. What if I painted the back of the cabinets the same robin's egg blue (actual name of the color) that my office is painted? I thought it would show off the glassware nicely and add a spot of color to that part of the room. Here's the photo diary of my project:

Before through the glass door.

See how the glasses are barely visible?

First I taped the shelves with painters tape and newsprint. I didn't bother doing the undersides of the shelves, because you can't really see those edges and I have a fairly neat painting hand.

I gathered my tools. The paint, leftover from last September when we painted the office room in the apartment, a stir stick (also leftover), a paint can opener, a paintbrush - new (I left our old one in Ojai when I painted my desk white in December, oops), a rag for catching drips, which I didn't end up using, and more painters tape.

Painting in progress...it goes on so much lighter than it dries!

Paint drying.

Once it had thoroughly dried, I removed the tape and paper carefully. Not all the edges are perfect, but that's okay by me.

With the glassware added back in. I think it looks much better, don't you?

The finished project through the cabinet door. Pretty!

Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com. Sign up for Lelah's News, a once-monthly newsletter.

Soles4Souls

I announced on my newsletter last week (you are signed up for my newsletter, aren't you?) that I'm participating in a service project with NAPO and Soles4Souls, a nonprofit organization that accepts donated shoes in any condition and then uses them to help people all over the world. For more info on the specifics of how they do it, see their FAQs.

The project officially starts today, June 1st, and so far I have collected 24 pairs of shoes. If you are in the LA area and have one or more pairs to donate, I'll be happy to pick them up from you and send them to Soles4Souls. If you don't live in the LA area and want to participate, send me an email and I'll let you know how you can help.

Hundreds of thousands of pairs of shoes go to landfills every year in America. Shoes are something many of us take for granted. Most of us have multiple pairs we never wear. Lighten your closets and help someone in need by donating your unwanted pairs. Thank you.

Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com. Sign up for Lelah's News, a once-monthly newsletter.

Helpful hooks

Last weekend my husband and I did a small DIY project. We installed new hooks on the back of two doors in our apartment. If you don't count the three times my husband went to the hardware store to exchange our original choices for the ones we ultimately installed, it didn't take any time at all.

We got bright brass (ie: gold colored to match the rest of the hardware in the rooms) Stanley hooks. They are sturdy and well designed with screw holes offset so you can easily screw them in without battling the hook itself.

We measured and marked where we wanted to put them, and drilled pilot holes with our drill.

Then I held the hook in place while my husband installed the screws.

Ta-da. Very simple and they will be very useful for guests towels and robes. We did this project together, but if you have a modicum of dexterity, you could easily do it alone.

Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com

DIY desk

I have a much bigger space for my desk area in my new place than in my old. The desk I've been using for over five years swims in this space, and I have plastic file boxes just hanging out beside it, looking ugly, that hold the majority of my business papers and office supplies. I also have a lot of books that became homeless when the most of the bookshelves landed in my husband's office, and he decided, quite understandably, that he didn't want a ton of romance novels in his work area. 

I decided I wanted to upgrade my desk and incorporate bookshelves. I've often wanted just a simple large surface for my computer, inbox and printer with some space for writing or other small projects. I sketched a design and ran it by my dad and my brother, who are pretty handy. They also have saws and other tools and a workspace; I have a semester of woodshop under my belt. Granted, that was in 1996, but I think the principles still hold. By the way, practical classes in junior high and high school are not always required, but they are really invaluable, especially for kids who read a lot. Anyway. Here's my sketch of the bookshelves, which will support desk surface. We're going to take a team approach to building this thing when I'm home for Thanksgiving. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com