Yesterday was Phase One of The Adventures Of A Couple Living In A Small House Who Are About To Get A Bigger Bed.

Yes, the countdown has begun.

When I first wrote about the California King mattress and box spring that will soon be in Mockingbird Hill Cottage, I said that I had an idea or two about rearranging the bedroom to accommodate said mattress. The one thing I knew for sure was that the IKEA Expedit bookcase that was currently on the same wall as the bed would have to be moved. The only other wall it could possibly go on was the wall where Don’s dresser is (just to the left as you enter the room.) The obvious dilemma: where to put Don’s dresser?

I gave Don his marching orders. We were to meet upstairs in the bedroom at noon and figure the whole thing out. Don, by the way, has a great eye and is very helpful in times like these. We considered moving my dresser over closer to the outside wall, closing the gap between that dresser and the sideboard that also houses the television and somehow cramming Don’s dresser in there. Or putting in on the narrow section of wall perpendicular to those pieces. With an attic-type bedroom with sloping walls, our options are limited. Very limited.

Thankfully, Don came up with an idea that I had entertained but had dismissed because I thought he might not go along with it: Why not move the dresser into the other room? The office/studio/guest bedroom? This idea seemed like a lifesaver, if it was indeed possible to somehow make space for the dresser and make it work.

And so it began. We lugged the dresser into the next room. Which led to trying to figure out why one of the drawers always stuck. Which led to me waxing the drawer slides. Which led to trying the drawers in different slots. Which led to a dresser that finally works. Which led to moving my grandmother’s trunk over on the wall so that we could move a chair into a new position. Which led to me opening the trunk and sorting through the things stored inside and dumping a lot of them. Which led to finding an old hooked rug which looks good on the floor in front of Don’s dresser.

Lunch break.

Then on to the bookcase, which I could now move. But first, I had to remove all the books and place them in piles all over the bedroom. Which led to looking at each book and making a pile of books to be donated to the library. Which led to me trucking piles of books out to the area where my sewing machine is. Which led to an upstairs that looked like a disaster zone.

Once the books were removed, I could move the bookcase to its new position. Which led to me seeing lots of dust along the wall where it previously lived. Which led to me hauling the vacuum upstairs. Which led to me vacuuming behind the bed in anticipation of the move.

Then, as I sat on the floor and/or crawled on my knees to various piles of books, I rearranged the books on the shelves. I also made a pile of magazines to be recycled. I hauled the stacks of magazines downstairs. By this time, my back was complaining loudly.

It still needs tweaking, but Phase One is complete. Do you see why I want built-in bookshelves in the den? The books in these cubbies are doubled up – there are books behind the books you see. And remember, I made a four big piles of books to be donated. I only donate books I know I will no longer need or that I read but wasn’t thrilled with. Sometimes I donate review copies of the books I’ve reviewed on this blog. It’s all for a good cause. Our local library has a book sale once a year in order to raise money to keep the library going. That’s a cause I can enthusiastically support.

We won’t mention all the books in the shed.

That pile of magazines on the far right? Every Mary Engelbreit Home Companion magazine ever published. I refuse to part with them.

And Don’s new headshot took the place of his older headshot in my frame, per his orders. I’m proud to say I was the photographer for both of them. Who knew I could take an actor’s headshot?

Today, my back is aching and I feel the effects of Phase One. But it’s done! Don and I really like doing this sort of thing because sometimes, in rethinking furniture placement, we see things with fresh eyes and come up with an even better solution. It’s a win-win.

Except for my aching back!

Happy Friday.