I’m on a mission for organization possibilities…..in my bathroom. I’ve found a few organization pictures to serve as inspiration.
{Image source: Apartment Therapy}
{Image source: Ana White}
{Image source: South Shore Decorating Blog}
Image source: Burlap & Denim}
{Image source: HGTV}
From top right: 1. Glass Canister with Bronze Lid $11.99, 2. Wildon Home Dryden Deluxe Storage Tower in White $261.99, 3. Yngaren Bowl $9.99, 4. Honeycomb Toothbrush Holder $6, 5. Rewired Baskets $24, 6. Fryken Box with Lid, Set of 3 $9.99
UPDATE! Our winner of the Kirkland’s $100 Gift Card Giveaway is Ash Johnson, congratulations!
I seem to have come out of my summer daze and have resumed projects around the house. I’m sure you know what I mean when I say, it was so hot I literally have made less than 10% progress on my to-do list up until this past Friday. I’ve been really trying to wrap up projects without starting new ones….easier said than done. What finally knocked me out of my condo updating coma was a simple email from Kirklands, asking me if I was interested in ramping up the storage in my house. “Um, yes please,” I said. Then they said, “Do you think your readers might want a free gift card for blowing up your comments section? “Hmmm, I think they would,” I said. (Scroll down for the giveaway section).
So off to Kirkland’s I went. Well, first I went to the website to see what I might be able to use in the way of storage and that would fit my budget. Then it was off to Kirkland’s.
I had fun hunting down the storage piece I saw online and checked out a few other pieces that caught my eye as well. Like these great chevron vases that I was crushing on.
I saw these great ottomans that I completely hearted. Especially the gray and white one on the bottom. If I wasn’t currently in the middle of redoing my own ottoman I might have snatched it up!
I also was slightly mesmerized by their collection of lantern style lamps. Like a moth to a flame, I stood there and stared for a minute mentally picturing myself taking home the lamp on the left with the ORB looking lantern. It would be perfection next to my bed, or behind my overstuffed chair, or anywhere really.
Then I finally found the perfect solution for my storage needs. It was a cream linen 3-basket storage unit and he was just the right size, and the right price. I took him home for $119.99. I used the $100 gift card Kirkland’s supplied me and then pulled the rest out of pocket. The piece also came in black but I have so much espresso/black furniture I thought this linen and white piece would help break things up.
Now, as I’m looking in this picture I’m wondering what in the world are all those rolled up pieces of paper in the background in that wire basket? I must make a return trip to find out because I have no idea and I’m thinking it might be a cool collection of maps? I must find out…
I have a major need for linen storage for me and my roommate Ryli, which is exactly what I had in mind for my little storage piece. That is the one thing I find strange about my house, the fact that there is no linen closet. So it’s up to me to create one. The place I was thinking of was a little spot at the top of the stairs so it would be perfectly accessible to both of us.
Also while I was trying to get a good before shot of this space from the front, Clide kept photo-bombing the heck out of me.
I was so pumped that it fit the spot perfectly.
Elated that it fit, I went into my closet when some my extra sheets and blankets are just piled on a shelf and lovingly folded them into the drawers. I also stuck some extra towels in the top drawer, but I’ll probably take those out and store them in the downstairs bathroom. That way Ryli can add her extra sheets. I really love the leather-like brown lining on the top of the basket drawers.
Then I had a little fun pulling some things from around the house to put on top of it. I needed to find smallish things for the top so they wouldn’t accidentally be knocked over the balcony. I grabbed my little white textured IKEA vase and statue-candle-holder from target and placed them on top, then I ran downstairs and cut a few leaves off of my indoor pony-tail plant to put in the vase.
I’m picturing adding a small stack of colorful books maybe when I get a chance, unfortunately I’m in short supply of colorful thin books. Maybe it’s time to hit up a thrift store?
Here’s the view I see as soon as I step out of my room.
And the view from the top of the stairs walking up…..just in case you were curious.
So there you have it, my new cream linen 3-basket storage unit from Kirkland’s. Now for the giveaway details:
$100 Gift Card Giveaway to Kirkland’s
The opinions in the post are 100% mine. A special thanks for Kirkland’s for providing the gift cards for this transformation, and giveaway.
1. 
Hi! I’m Tidy-Up Gal and I am so honored to be contributing this post to Compartment Life. I love cute dresses (with pockets) and shoes like the next gal, but I think organizing is more fun. So much fun that I finally took the plunge and started my organizing blog almost a month ago, so this guest post opportunity is huge for me! Shannon asked me to share 10 smart tips to get/keep your home organized, so I hope you find these useful – and smart enough!
Image from Crate and Barrel
Give your home a quick tidying up before going to bed. Rumor has it that going to bed with your home untidy is a bad omen. Something about the good luck fairy-diva not being able to get around or something…kidding! Seriously though, make it a habit to do a little bit of straightening up before you retire for the night. Rearrange and fluff your throw pillows, put magazines back in their places, etc.
Don’t wait till you’re ready to do laundry to sort. Pre-sort your laundry way early! Get a few baskets/bags and label by load. That way, you throw dirty clothes in their rightful place and save time.
Tame your mail pile. Mail, especially junk mail, grows quickly. Check out my post on how to keep mail from overwhelming your home.
Get up right now and go to your kitchen pantry. Those cans of green beans that have been sitting there since last year? Check the expiration date. If they’re not expired, take them out, put them in a bag and drop them off at your local food bank.
Keep a shopping bag in your closet and label it “items to be donated.” As you rummage through your closet every morning looking for something to wear, you’re sure to stumble upon a skirt you haven’t worn (and probably won’t) wear in years. Toss such items in the bag. This will make purging your closet much easier when you do your seasonal closet cleansing. You do do that, right? Yes.
I know, I know, I don’t like to do laundry either, but don’t prolong the already painful process. Fold clothes and put them away immediately after the dryer stops.
Use baskets/bins to keep loose items organized.
Use a bin to hold phone chargers, game controllers, etc.
One tip that I’ve heard and personally love is having a basket to hold things that need to be put back in their rightful place. Instead of having stuff lying around, put them in the basket for later. If you’re going to use this tip though, can I trust you to not have more than one for-later basket?
The more often you clean, the less daunting it looks when you finally tackle it. Breaking up cleaning/organizing helps you feel less overwhelmed. Don’t wait until Saturday! Who designated Saturday as cleaning day anyway? Oh, that’s right, my mother.
Finally, when organizing, think more functional, less fancy. We all want our homes to look picture perfect, but it doesn’t help if you arrange stuff in a fancy way and can’t grab them quickly when you need them.
Helpful? Smart? I hope so! Stay tidy!
Comment on this post for a chance to win an original Compartment Life decal! 
Whether you live in the north or the south, spring cleaning is a common chore which many perform in order to rid the winter blues. Clearing your home of unwanted clutter, dust, and other material can create more space, a brighter living space, and a freshly cleansed home feeling. Typically, most people will pack up their winter gear and store it during their spring cleaning, but forget about making a home feel like spring has finally arrived. Creating a home that not only feels fresh and smells fresh is a great way to alleviate the winter blues. Here are five spring friendly ideas that not only tidy up a space but help welcome in the new season!
Rugs
Over the winter month’s rugs can and will become dusty, grimy and just plain nasty feeling and looking. During your spring cleaning routine, it is important to shake out those rugs. Hanging rugs outside on a clothes line allows the fresh air to radiate throughout them, entering your home when you place the rugs back in their designated area. Hanging your rugs on your clothesline gives them a fresh scent, kills dust mites, and saves on your electricity bill if you happen to have an electric clothes dryer like me.
Potted Plants
Why not create a fresh, spring appearance in your home by incorporating potted plants? I am sure we have all heard the saying “April showers bring May flowers” right? Why not start inside your home when you decide it is time for a spring cleaning? I like to purchase gerbea daisies or pansies, bring them home, and repot them in a pot that is decorated. Terra cotta pots work may time of the year, but for me personally, I like pots that have color to them for spring. After a long and cold winter, I want to look at yellows, pinks, blues….anything of color besides the color of snow!
Clean the Fridge
Over time our fridges may look like we are trying to grow a science experiment! I know mine does in the winter, of course I am embarrassed to admit this, but it happens. The winter blues kick in, or I want to cook A LOT and there it sits, in my fridge. Create a fresh, new smell and appearance in your fridge and ready it for summer barbecues with a deep cleaning. Purge all leftover food, and remove all shelving. I wash my fridge with soapy water and a rag. I like to remove ALL the shelving and soak in hot water while I clean the remainder of the fridge.
Tables
During the winter months I like to decorate my tables, yes, even my kitchen table, heavily. I place a tablecloth on my tables, along with numerous decorations. When it comes time for spring cleaning, I remove those items from my table…by removing those items I have given my table a fresh, new appearance. Remove your tablecloth and store it for a later use. Replace the tablecloth with placemats. Add a bowl of fresh fruits or vegetables to the center of your table as a decoration. An added bonus of “spring cleaning” your table is it is less likely to be a place where people place mail, magazines, etc due to the fact you created a fresh appearance and set the table, especially if you get a good habit of cleaning the table off each night.
Sponges
If you are anything like me, you have sponges for certain tasks in your house. I have read all the articles that say not to use a sponge, I get it, but I simply cannot help myself. I know that I am not the only out there that still uses sponges for certain tasks. Spring cleaning is a perfect time to freshen your sponges if you do not want to replace them. Soak your sponges in ¾ cup bleach to 1 gallon of water for 5 minutes to remove 99 percent of the bacteria strains often found in sponges.
If you’re anything like me then you are over the winter months and ready to usher in the fresh new season! April is just around the corner so it’s time to shed those winter blues and start adding spring to your home! What are your routines for welcoming spring into your home?
Other names for this post “A Very Shameful Compartment Visit” or “A Trip Through Shannon’s Messy Life”
So I’ve officially been in my new home for about a week and half and I realized I have yet to show you anything! Shame on me! I love it, my roommate loves it, and my pups love it, but its only in the beginning phases of looking like the house I’m dreaming it to be. While the main components of my house are unpacked like my clothes or anything in the kitchen I’m realizing that I have a lot of unpacked boxes of books, movies, and decor but nowhere to put them because I have no storage! Who would have thought. It really makes you stop and wonder…where was I putting all this before the move? I actually shot some video of my house to show you the state of chaos that it’s in, my apologies for the mess but I wanted to show you the real life version so you can see the areas I truly need improvement in. I’m being very brave in showing you this part of my home mess, so do your best not to judge. Hey I had literally just moved in a couple of days before this video was shot.
If you don’t have time to watch the video above. Take a peek through what will be known as my gallery of before pictures. I have never made the effort before to document the progress of a house/apartment/room becoming a home. So mostly what you’re going to see is a gallery of photos with blank walls, messes of boxes and lack of storage for anything. Hey it’s alright, these things take time, and as long as I continue to take it one day at a time I may keep my sanity.
Some things to note:
- My purple couch. I love it, I can’t believe I ever lived without it. No puppies allowed.
- The blue coffee table is on its way out. It will be replaced like much of the furniture in this place. For now I’m making do with what I have. First item to replace though is an entertainment center.
- Every wall needs shelves and decor. I know.
- As much as I like to pretend, even when decorated my house is in some state of chaos/mess like in the video.
- My closet needs storage. My pantry needs storage. My living room needs storage. My laundry needs storage. Get the picture?
- The guest bedroom is already going through some changes I can’t wait to show you them.
- I want to repaint the two bedrooms. Grey for my room with purple, black and white accents. Red for Ryli’s (my roommate) room with white and gold accents.
- I’ve started thinking about restaining the concrete. Can it be done? Probably.
- This whole house is a major work in progress. Some come with me on the journey!
Thanks for bearing with the mess of the photos and videos, but now you can really get a gist of the storage I so desperately need.
Is there a big blank wall in your home that is intimidating you? Maybe the thought of large work of art or photo seems like a good idea, because you know the space needs something larger, but you are afraid to pick just one? Maybe, you have you been admiring those lovely collages of photos, but can’t seem to figure out a way to put them on your wall? I understand your dilemma. I recently wanted to fill a blank wall of my own. I had wanted to make it personal, but flexible. I also didn’t want the task of lining up all the pictures just so, creating a bunch of holes in my wall. So instead I decided to have a collage of interchangeable photos, so I decided to put the frames up on shelves.
Floating shelves have been all the rage lately and for great reason. They are great additions that not only create a place to put wall art, but add a stylish and interesting architectural detail to your home.
First, I had my boyfriend make me some floating shelves in a piano black finish, watch this video for a quick tutorial.
Now, if you don’t have a boyfriend to make you shelves, or you’re just not handy you can just order them online. Like these shelves which range from $29.99-$59.99 depending on the size.
Chicago Floating Shelves From Home Decor Express
Once I had the shelves built and installed, I bought some fairly inexpensive, black 11×14 frames that contained an 8×10 mat. I found a collection of four frames in one large package over the holidays and bought two sets of them. When you buy in bulk you’re going to get a reasonable price and exact matches.
Then, I chose several pictures, some from a wonderful trip that my boyfriend and I took in Montana and others that I had taken around the house. I printed 8×10 prints in a matte finish. I framed all the images and put them on the shelves that were spaced apart just enough to give the images room to breathe, but not so far that they were not a cohesive collection. I leaned the frames on the shelves against the wall without nails, which is possible because the floating shelves have a small lip in front. This makes the shelving versatile and I’m able to also put some small keepsakes on the shelving as well.
Now, the big blank wall has style and I have a wonderful collection of images that tell a sweet story and create a great memory in our home.
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