FACES, SPACES + PLACES: Organized Oasis

THE FACE: Sheila P.
Palos Verdes, CA

THE SPACE: I was born and raised in Torrance, California and just up the mountain is this beautiful peninsula, cascading in homes that are either boasting with amazing ocean or city views or have some type of hillside pool or luscious backyard, and for the fortunate, you have all four! For me, ‘PV’ as the locals call it was synonymous with winding roads, the unmistakable scent of nearby eucalyptus trees, and the occasional wafting of manure from stables hidden within the hills. Let’s just say, if you were on a date and they drove you up to ‘PV’ versus the usual stop at Rocket Ship Park, it was serious, and if he played usher on the drive up, that was love. In considering who I wanted to feature on Faces, Spaces, and Places I knew I wanted to write the post in the Spring, cover someone who would know a thing or two about keeping organized, and someone on the West Coast!

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It was winter and a few days before the New Year. Although, I say winter in the most abbreviated sense of the word because I was in Southern California, and while many adorned puffer jackets and beanies, I was greeted by the sun while in my vans and tee; it almost feels sinful to have left this SoCal climate. Driving through Palos Verdes is peaceful, there’s this remoteness that feels so disparate to the hustle and bustle of Pacific Coast Highway just less than a mile away. Sprawling with horse trails and Tesla’s my sister and I make our way to see Sheila.

A wife and mother of two, and one of my sister’s closest girlfriends; we pull into her beautifully paved driveway. The quintessential modern farmhouse façade; it’s black framed windows and matching French doors are accentuated by the first love of every Joanna Gaines fan – white shiplap siding. We ring the doorbell, and through the bristles of the holiday wreaths that hung symmetrically over the entry doors, she answers. Resounding hello’s are met with hugs as we take off our shoes (naturally) and settle in.

The foyer opens up to an expansive living space with an unobstructed view of their foliage lined backyard and pool through the large windows just beyond. An eat-in nook nestles itself in a corner within the adjacent kitchen. Crisp white cabinets are accented with white subway tile, stainless steel appliances, and enough storage to make any mother’s heart sing. The open floor plan is flooded with natural light, neutral furnishings and built-in casework. Simply put, this home is beautiful. Classy and clean without feeling pretentious, approachable and warm without losing its sense of style; it’s the perfect merriment considering the core functionality of the space – family.

Hello’s quickly turn into the cliff notes of what’s been going on in our lives, while rampant little feet against the hard wood floor move around the living room to Disney+ holiday movies in the background. It’s a random weekday after Christmas and the whole gang is home eating dinosaur nuggets, peanut butter, otter pops, and an array of other snacks that Sheila either quickly hands over or throws into the air fryer. ‘We love this thing!’ she exclaims as she shakes dinosaur nuggets in the fryer basket then reinserts it to finish them off. Air fryer earning it’s keep on her counter, I was more so impressed by her control of the chaos. For just my husband and I, it’s an ongoing struggle of keeping our pantry organized, making sure clutter is at a minimum, and just keeping our ‘zen’ areas, sacred spaces. So in shooting Sheila’s home I wanted to pick her brain on how she manages her day to day and what she does to maintain her ‘zen’ at home.

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Jamie: With two kids under the age of 6, I can’t imagine that keeping organized is an easy fete, but yet you do it so well, what do you find helps you keep things in order?

Sheila: First off - everything has to have a home. Yes, even the 'junk' drawer. This doesn't happen magically though! If you haven't already "Marie Kondo'ed" your spaces, you have to start there. Take it space by space - maybe the master closet first, then the kid closets, then the pantry. This is no easy feat. To put this into perspective, our master closet took an entire day! You may need to start with smaller spaces like the drawers. Pick one overly cluttered spot - maybe the over-flowing linen closet or kitchen utensil drawer, and take every single item out. Pick your top 5 or 10 most used or favorite, and donate/toss the rest! The less "stuff" you have, the less to clean up.

Once you've gone through these spaces it's all about daily maintenance. Daily?!? Yes! The key is to not let things pile. But let's be real, this is all easier said than done. My kids have to be asked (more like bribed) several times to clean up and with our busy schedules, most of the time it just doesn't happen. Here's a couple key tricks that make your spaces look clean (even if everywhere else it's not!):

1) Create an "Inbox" - a catch-all place to put things you need to organize but don't have time to at the moment. For me, that's the mail and bills. We have an inbox on the wall in our pantry for school notices, bills, etc.

2) Keep countertops as clear as possible (this might be the hardest thing for us to do)

3) Use stylish storage - the wicker or linen baskets in our living room are full of toys! We don't have a playroom so it keeps them in one place and still looks cute.

J: When purchasing furniture for the kids’ rooms, do you tend to gravitate to any specific items?

S: The bed is generally the center of focus (even if they don't sleep in their own rooms!). Invest on a good quality bed and buy furniture that goes with it. We found that purchasing the trundle with it was useful, because sometimes they want to sleep in each other's rooms. A nightstand lamp is also key, because we've found that the ceiling light was too bright for bedtime stories, especially when they're trying to "wind down". I'm still searching for the perfect ones!

J: Aesthetically, your home is incredibly inviting yet it doesn’t sacrifice style. Are there any special considerations you and your husband talk through before purchasing a piece?

S: With 2 kids under the age of 6, functionality is the first consideration. Will it break when the kids knock it over? Is the material easy to clean? As much as I'd love a white couch, it just doesn't make sense with toddlers constantly snacking. We call our current couch the "beater couch" because it's survived apple sauce, juice, yogurt, you name it. When we have guests, we just flip the cushions over! We do have a white rug though, and even that survived red wine (my mom, not the kids!). Clorox stain spray does the trick!

As far as style, my husband typically lets me take the wheel (okay maybe not by choice) because I enjoy furniture shopping so much. (That doesn't mean he won't tell me when he hates my purchase!) I love modern, but I find that 100% modern feels too "cold". Adding different textures and styles into the mix makes it feel more cozy and warm. For example our dining chairs are crosshatch patterned plastic, next to a rustic wooden table and macrame wall hanging. My absolute favorite pieces of furniture are our Bohemian dressers, and those sit next to a mid-century modern upholstered bed - completely different styles combined into one single space. It's like Don Draper and Jessica Day (a few of my favorite characters) moved in together!

J: Your pantry is a thing of beauty with so much storage space, what was your plan of attack in organizing it?

S: Our pantry is like the command center and it's literally open 99% of the time we are home. That's because the kids (myself too) are looking for snacks every hour. First I had to measure out the shelves and purchase baskets, bins, and labels. I wanted the largest bins I could find to maximize the use of storage space. Then we followed the Marie Kondo way of taking EVERYTHING out, and throwing away expired or unused food/items. You'd be surprised how many expired mixes and seasonings you'd find in your cabinets! We also use it to hold our mail/to-do items and our calendar on the inside wall. We don't have an office, and since the kitchen is the hub of the household we found it most useful to have the family calendar there.

J: When the organizing and picking up comes to a halt for the day, what are some rituals you swear by or things you like doing to keep your ‘zen’

S: Organizing and picking up every day would help keep my 'zen' more, but the reality of a family of 4 with full-time working parents is that we just don't have the time (daily at least). 7:30 pm is the earliest that everyone gets home from a work/school day so the focus is more on having dinner together and catching up. What did you learn at school? Who'd you play with? Anything new at work? We try to do a no-cell phone rule at the table, but sometimes you just HAVE to share a funny meme or photo you saw earlier in the day. Weekends are much better! The other day we busted out the colored pencils and all colored on our bed in the master bedroom - the most comfortable place in the house. We even prefer to watch movies there instead of the couch, but the 'no-eating in the bed' rule goes out the door. You gotta have popcorn and candy!

J: At the end of the day, what inspires you?

S: I am inspired by my family, friends, food, and my surroundings. The answer to this question can change dramatically over the years and as of now, my family drives most of the decisions I make - they are my "why" in why I work so hard! What will make them happy, what will keep them safe, what's the best for our future? This is what drives me. But as much as possible, work should be left at work. Beyond that I'm thinking 'what are we doing for fun today?' I love to get outside. On the weekends my favorite thing to do is eat brunch in our backyard so the kids can play while I sneak a mimosa. Maybe we'll make a trip to the park or the beach. I absolutely love where I live because those places are only a short drive away and we are spoiled with sunshine! Lastly I love a good meal with family and friends. Nothing like a few hours of sharing entrees at a new restaurant, swapping cocktails and gripes (its healthy to vent!), and just making fun of each other, and life itself.

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Sheila’s TOP THREE PLACES to be:

South Coast Botanic Garden

You'd never know this gem exists, as you drive by it on Crenshaw Blvd, the 2nd most major road in Torrance. The garden has acres of trails with all different types of surroundings. One path takes you to a rose garden, another to a desert garden, and another to a Banyan Grove with fig trees that have huge roots. You'd think you're in a scene from Jurassic park. Last month we went to see the Cherry Blossom trees while they were in bloom. It's such a beautiful place of nature in the middle of a suburban area where we can take the kids for a hike that's only a few minutes away.

2. Terranea Resort

Have I mentioned I love to be outdoors? Even though it's a resort, non-guests are free to walk the trails and enjoy the sweeping ocean views. The last time we visited we brought our golden retriever, Brewski, spotted a few dolphins, and walked to the tide pools. My husband also loves to play bocce ball and we happened to spot a bocce court to play at while having a glass of wine.

3. Dia de Campo

If you haven't already noticed, I LOVE food. This restaurant makes my favorite ceviche, and I've tried a lot. They have 3 different kinds on the menu, and they're ALL good. But the best one (in my opinion) combines scallops, roasted corn, avocado, mango and jicama. That's just where you start though. You gotta try the short rib empanada and the pumpkin French toast. The ambience is fun too - it's sort of new-school Mexican with surfer vibes. Best of all, it's across the street from Hermosa Beach pier!