The Storage Ottoman

So who’s familiar with Rock Band or Guitar Hero????? If  you are you know all to well how much room these guitars and drums can take up. I found band practice right in the middle of my living room. It was easy for the kids to just scoot it away into the corner, but it was an eye sore that had to be dealt with. So where was I going to hide 100′s of games, 3 guitars,microphones,and a set of drums?????? Where could it be stored that was easily accessible and easily put away? Thus I began my search for the storage ottoman. First I measured the guitars, and other pieces to figure out how much space I would actually need. I immediately put those measurements in my purse so I wouldn’t forget them while shopping. It’s a good idea to have a compact tape measure you can keep in your bag.

 This is it open with 3 Guitars, drum set, etc. Look at all this storage space!

This ottoman is from American Signature Collection

Now in the past I have actually purchased furniture for the sole purpose of housing games,dvd,and other media. A simple media case will do all that, is way cheaper and takes up less space!!

There are plenty of options out there. Take into consideration what you need and if you can possibly modify to even better suit your needs. For example I would have loved to install casters on my ottoman so it’s more mobile for cleaning,seating,etc. Maybe in the future,always room for improvement! Until then here’s a few inspirational options…….

courtesy www.solutions.com

courtesy www.walmart.com

coutesy of www.bedbathstore.com

Library Books

Lately me and the kiddies have been venturing to our local public Library. They love it and it’s FREE!  About a year ago my daughter received her own library card through a school program, so we decided to utilize the offer. Both the kids are learning to be responsible,and this just makes it a tad easier on all of us……

Designate a bin,box,basket, where you will put Library Books ONLY. Label the bin. We keep all our library cards in a small envelope. Our library has a scanner for check out,we always make sure to print our receipts. The receipt has the book titles and when they are due. We also keep these receipts in our envelope.  Since we tend to keep some books longer than others, we check those that have already been returned off the list.
*****TIP****** Keep a tote near the door and go through your books, place the books you are finished with in the tote to go back.

Entry Way

Here is my entry way.Pretty minimal, but functions well for my family. I wasn’t blessed with a spacious mudroom so here’s how we roll. I found a coat tree and my local Goodwill store for $5. I brought it home a repainted black to match my decor. I had searched online but the prices ranged from $50-$200. This catches coats,hats,bookbags and my purse as soon as I walk in the door. No more jackets on the back of your dining room chairs,school totes on the floor.

This small tray lives on top my entry table. It happens to be fall so I am using my leaf! It varies throughout the year,small bowls,little trays. This is where we leave our keys. You wouldn’t believe how long the average person spends a year looking for their keys!

Underneath the table we keep two totes,one for shoes and one for my two darling boxers toys. These totes are great! I got them at Walmart for around $8 each. They have they have a basket weave design but they are plastic. I love anything I can rinse out/and wipe down.  Now most of our shoes are stored in each bedroom closet in over the door shoe pockets, but the everyday buildup became a problem. So we just toss the “daily shoes” in the tote,and when they are collected they can be carried back home. We like to leave our shoes at the door. Did you know 87% of dirt in your home was brought in on the bottom of your shoes? Now with two dogs in the house that chew things they shouldn’t we have accumulated alot of doggy toys. We can dump out the basket, but it is actually at a height where they just pull the toys out themselves!
Ok ,inside the drawers.

 The drawers house  an ink pen,for signing for packages or to jot down a note, a pad of paper,spare keys, my dog leashes,an umbrella,and extra sunglasses.

Entry Way Tips:

*If you prefer out of sight out of mind method consider using an armoire as a makeshift mudroom. Hooks can be installed to hang items.Drawers can store hats and mittens.

*Baker’s racks can also pull double duty in this area.

*To avoid forgetting items you may need place a tote on your door knob to slip library books,cell phones,umbrellas,outgoing mail,etc . into.

*Install hooks for hanging items, and a shoe tray works well for boots and other foot wear.

*A bench can add storage space and can be helpful assisting children with their shoes.

The Color-less Scheme

 

Who doesn’t love to mix and match??

There are some areas where if you don’t have a base pallet things can tend to look out of control .These are just a few examples where basics win!

Printed & Colored Towels

source www.smarttradeonline.com

 Senario -Your shopping and you see these awesome orange towels you just have to have!

Wonderful……..but don’t buy 10 buy 1 or 2. It’s great to have the color pop on your towel rack, but the truth of the matter in the long run you will most likely not be able to match these and many people end up buying a whole new set of towels when some fade or get ruined. White towels are the bomb, let me tell you why! No matter what, you will be able to find towels that match!!! Sometimes just texture can throw colored towels off, with white they still blend. They can be embroidered, or thick or thin they will always pull together. A long time ago I was given this tip, now over the years, I have about 2 towels out of several white sets left,but no reason to get new ones.

******Spa rolling your towels instead of folding is more please to the eye, it hides size inconsistencies as well, and takes up less space.

White/Clear Dishes and Glasses

Senario- It’s almost Christmas and the plates have little snowmen on them!!!

It’s good to invest in  a set of plain white dishes and serving ware .Clear glasses are also great.  Trends come and go but these remain tried and true. Instead dress your table up with seasonal placemats, napkins, maybe  a live arrangement. So forget the $30 snowman platter, and use redberry napkin rings and add a few pinecones for next to nothing!

This is just another household item that you can do a color-less mix and match! Think INSIDE the box.

Check out this table setting from www.hgtv.com

These look like everyday dishes to me!!!! Now where do I get those artichokes?

Color belongs here and there, but not everywhere. Elaborate PLAIN and SIMPLE but intended! Your closets and counters will thank you.

Harried Over Hair Products

On my vanity in my master bathroom sat a hair dryer,tangled  flat iron, curling iron. I would drag  them out every other day and tuck them back under the sink cords dangling . They annoyed me on top and when they were down under so I wanted a solution…….

courtesy www.crateandbarrel.com

Wow this is great ………but almost $30.00. Of course there was more,some requiring hanging,screwing,nailing,whatever. Not simple enough.

courtesy of www.kaboodle.com

This is great but what about my irons?????

 So I found a quick, super cheap ($1.00) solution at Big Lots…..an over the cabinet hook! Talk about low maintenance!

courtesy of www.crateandbarrel.com

This one is a little over $3.00 and very sturdy, they come in all kinds of materials. If you decided to move them or switch them around it’s not a problem. I have 4 cabinets under my vanity and use 3. So simple!
Here’s my $1.oo fix……………..