Junky.

Do you have a junk drawer? Believe it or not, we didn't until last week. Our house is extremely storage-challenged. Instead, our bar was littered with crap and there was a large bamboo bowl to contain messes. It wasn't pretty. Then I had the brainwave to using a good-lines-but-crappy-veneer bedside table as a living room piece. It's the happy home to recipe binders, Laptop Lunches bento boxes (review forthcoming!), and...junk!

I also love having fruit at child height for easy snacking. It's made a huge difference to us! And, if you're curious, here's what the drawer looks like inside:

Can you believe this was all out in the open until now??

Spot The Stuva

Once and a while it is funny to check the stats to see how people end up on this blog. One of the top Google searches is for IKEA Stuva (bizarre, I know), hence one of the more popular posts is the Stuva review I posted a while back when I was purchasing it for Henry's toys. It is easy to see why this modular system is popular, its simple design can be used in modern interiors with white doors for adult spaces or colourful doors for children's rooms. Here are a few of my favourite uses of Stuva lately in interior photos:

Flex Inredning

Hemlikt

Interiors Originals

Divaani Blogit

So Leb' Ich

Ikea Livet Hemma

I still love ours in Henry's room, if you are wondering. They are durable and wipe-able for little hands too! My only regret is not putting more wall mounted units instead of taking up floor space with the bench, however, those are the toys the kids use the most because of the accessibility.

Finally Some Storage

Hey friends, I know it has been a while since my last post, I've been experiencing the worst luck with computers lately. Not that you are spending a ton of time online (I hope) with this beautiful weather outside! We are trying to take it easy as well, tackling little projects here and there when we get a moment. Last week we finally got around to putting in some storage in the bathroom (my towel storage was a pile in the corner). I don't know if you remember, but I was considering kitchen cabinets for that room. We had them piled up in our IKEA cart ready to go, when I decided to have a peek in the "As is" section. And what do you know, 2 Godmorgen wall cabinets for 56% off! I scored both for 200, half the price as the kitchen cabinet solution...

They are pretty sturdy, too, with nice glass shelves on the inside. I love how each cabinet fits the width of a towel folded in half. Tons of storage, which is great as well. What do you think?

Cabinet Obsessed

Sorry about the late post today, my son told me at the very last minute about an assembly at his school (typical of that boy, too cool to invite his Mom). You are probably all aware of my storage obsession, but I've come to realize that I just love cabinets (strange, I know). Maybe because I grew up in a house full of found, beautiful, chippy cabinets that the look seemed to grow on me. I was always under the impression that the shabby cabinet was out of style, but recently I've been noticing a re-appearance in Scandinavian-inspired, or even industrial settings...

Futu.pl

Parolan Asema

VTWonen

April and May

Seventeen Doors

Mrs Jones

Pinterest

Simply Grove

I could buy every one. At the moment I am on the hunt for some vintage cabinets for the following uses; a wardrobe in my room and a shoe cabinet (I tried an open bookshelf but I need that mess behind drawers). A good excuse to go to all the fabulous antique fairs this summer!

String

A Merry Mishap

Emmas Design Blogg

From Scandinavia With Love

Planete Deco

Ffffound!

My DZ

Love is all you need

I have been coveting one of these shelves for a while (even just a little pocket one), but they are impossible to find in Canada and the shipping is too much from the states. Anyone know a secret source?

Hooked on Hooks

Cheesy title, I know. I just couldn't resist. Could you ever imagine there were so many options for hanging things on walls?

Capventure

Max Lipsey

Morba

Upon a Fold

Domestic

Huset

cb2

DWR

Quasi modo

Amazing, isn't it? I may have a little obsession. Don't you love a series of statement hooks on a white wall? 

Design Fail, and a Small Recovery...

Sometimes, things just don't work out in real life like they do in your imagination. After my trip to IKEA, I thought I had my sink clutter conquered. By hanging their little storage pod "Asker" under the mirror above the sink, I would effectively create a storage solution as cute as the one in the picture below:

Sarah Richardson via Pinterest

These little pods would be perfect for toothbrushes, etc. I thought I could place three above the sink. For some reason I forgot about a) the tap, and b) the height of the sink/mirror would be crazy high if I did this the way I had envisioned. My husband called me upstairs chuckling when he discovered this (warning: somewhat explicit content, depending how warped your imagination is?):

Err....I could only fit two, and they would "dangle" on either side of the tap.

Horrible. 

Oh well, back to the drawing board. On a positive note, however, my cheap-o round IKEA mirror is doing a swell job "softening" the harsh angles of the bathroom, don't you think?

Still a work in progress, but I am pleased! Maybe I will hang the storage pods beside the sink and a shelf above. Hopefully the laundry hamper below it won't make it appear like it is floating in space. What do you think?

Paper Clips and Doggy Bums

I realized the other day that I have added an additional element to the kid's storage; both Henry and Holly needed somewhere to hang hats, helmets, necklaces and hoodies...I picked these up on my IKEA trip a while back, I have liked them for a while because they add a sense of humor to any room:

 

I also picked up this cute hook for Henry's backpack for three dollars at Homesense. I hope he uses it!

 

I love them because there is no metal hook that could hit one of my kiddos in the head, the tail is nice and pliable. I think I have done just about all I can to keep the kid's rooms clean, the rest is up to them!

Sometimes Ideas Just Need to be Shared...

This idea has been circulating on blogland for quite a while: I first saw it on Ikea Hackers, and then one of my favorites Table Tonic:

Table Tonic

Now I know, I've been a little crazy on the storage lately. But what kind of friend would I be if I didn't share this brilliant idea? These run for only 6.99 at Ikea; I could go buy a million of these, they hold so much. I could see them especially in a craft room, and my husband is definitely going to pick up a few for his shop. Now here is how they look in Holly's room next to her own little stuva bench (I had to pick that girl up some storage, her room is next on my list. It is sad to say but her space has been poorly neglected this summer):

I like the look of these painted white but I am enjoying the natural colour as well. What do you think?

IKEA trip

Whenever I'm craving home solutions, an IKEA trip is always in order. Or at least that's what I felt this weekend! We did a small trip (our closest one is an hour away) and I came back with quite a bit of loot!

 

The majority of the pile is Henry's new storage solution. A little more than what I would have liked to spend, but I justified it by a bathroom score:

My vanity was marked down to $64 from over 300 (I will let you guess which one)! Check your local store's offers before going...

Of course I had to pick up some things for future projects (I've been eying this fabric for a while, soon to be discontinued I guess):

Of course there were things I wished had come home with me, as always:

Holly spotted these adorable trays, perfect for a little colour in the kitchen!

These rugs have been on my radar for a while (the one peeking out on the right would be perfect for my living room!)

 

I could have taken ALL these lamps home with me (you know my lamp obsession!) Oh well, maybe next time! Stay  tuned for the results of the trip!