I've always been a Homegirl at heart. But now that I'm an official Homegirl, there are some things you should know about me:

I'm up for anything. I fancy myself a DIY kind of gal, but my skills don't quite match up with my hopes and dreams. I will paint and stain almost anything, have taken apart most of the sinks and toilets in my house and have switched out light fixtures. I'll try anything once, and have no shame calling someone to help fix my attempts (we don't call them mistakes).

My basement is cursed. We've had three (yes!) sump pump disasters in the past few years. The most recent one has left us with no flooring, a half-finished wall and lots of painting and trim work to do. Did I mention that's where my daughters sleep?


I'm no Mrs. Clean. Although by no means a neat freak, I do like things tidy. I like to come home to -- or at least wake up to -- a clean kitchen and living area. I am, however, the only one in my family who feels that way. And that includes the dog, who will drag out all of her toys at the first sign of a clutter-free floor. Although sometimes I feel like my teens are a lost cause, I still have hope for my son, who's almost 7. He loves to vacuum and clean bathrooms. And I'm not going to ask questions. (See picture.)

My kids think I have superpowers. I can tell what they've eaten and pretty much every move they make from the time they walk into the house until they shut their doors at bedtime. Sadly, it's because of the trail of terror they leave from one end of the house to the other, from the backpack dump I have to step over to walk into the house to the wrappers in the couch cushions or empty bowls in the basement. Never mind that one of our main house rules is no food outside the kitchen.

I have a not-so-small addiction to small appliances, gadgets and all things kitchen. This has me constantly seeking out smart ways to create more storage in my spatially challenged home. It's always a work in progress, and has been met with mixed success. (Does anyone else store china in the top shelf of their bathroom closet?) Twice a year, when the Great Seasonal Purge happens, I can shed half the clothes in my closet, but somehow the gadgets and appliances seem to stay.

I love to entertain. And I love all aspects of entertaining, from the cooking and planning to the decorating and, yes, even the cleaning. It makes me happy to see people happy, enjoying good food, good company, a good glass of wine and good music (often at the hands of my budding musicians).

So this is prime time for me. It's the start of the entertaining season and it's also time to shift focus from all things outdoors to all things indoors -- like where to put that dutch oven I just ordered.

Do you have any creative storage solutions? I'd love to hear about them!