When I bought my house going on seven years ago, I decided I had to do some grown-up things to go with the grown-up mortgage. So I subscribed to the newspaper (which I only read on Sundays and only the comics, TV Guide and Dear Abby at that...I let that subscription lapse after about a year or so), and several magazines. One of the magazines I subscribed to was Good Housekeeping. I figured it could give me ideas on inexpensive decorating things.
And I did get some ideas. Like the one about getting a basket for your bathroom to hold all your "toiletries". I went out almost immediately and bought this cute little basket and came back and filled it with all my "stuff". It's an idea I really liked and really worked. It also saved time when cleaning because rather than having to remove all your "stuff" from the counter, you just had to move the basket, clean and replace the basket on the counter. Easy-peasy.
Okay, so a few months ago I went out and bought two more baskets. I wasn't really looking for baskets (actually, I was at the store looking for work stuff) but I found these two I really liked and they just happened to be on sale, so I snagged them. Didn't really have any idea where I would put them or how I would use them. They're both bigger than the original one I bought and a lot deeper.
So fast forward to yesterday...I was cleaning my bathroom and realized that I've kind of outgrown the original basket. It overflows. So I decided to try out one of the bigger baskets. I started being really neat about it...putting all the Mary Kay stuff on one side and and the Estee Lauder stuff on the other. I put all the hotel lotions and soaps in there. But the more I put in there, the more I'm finding in the smaller basket. It was like it had a false bottom or something. Anyway, by the end, I'm just chunking stuff in the basket (guess I don't have a lot of patience for organization and stuff). But, the good news is, it held everything, with no overflow. Plus it looks good on the counter, and I still have two baskets to play with.
I was thinking about the baskets last night and thought I could fill them with the books that won't fit on my new book carousel. I could also put the smaller one in the guest bathroom (now that I've cleared the plants off the counter) for guest toiletries. We'll see.
All this talk is making me feel like I need to renew my Good Housekeeping subscrip
tion. But my question to you is, have you ever gotten a really good decorating idea from a magazine? And if so, please share! :-)
tion. But my question to you is, have you ever gotten a really good decorating idea from a magazine? And if so, please share! :-)Also, do you have baskets and what do you keep in them? Inquiring minds want to know.
4 comments:
I receive a gift subscription to County Living that has some neat ideas once in awhile. The problem is, I'm just not a crafts person, hate shopping, and forget the ideas. LOL.
That said, I really like baskets and do use a few around the house - mainly for magazines in the bathrooms and newspapers in the front hallway. But, I could really, really use one in the bathroom for counter stuff like you have. And baskets for books! Hmm....
You know Ellen, sometimes I think we were separated at birth. :-)
L, who also is not a crafts person and hates shopping
Neat idea, Laura. Might work here if I can keep the cats out of it. ;)
I think I've taken some 'ideas' from decorating mags and applied them to the stuff I own. Most of my magazines are stacked and haven't been looked at yet.
Now you've given me an idea for the two fruit baskets I have (square). Maybe they just won't lay around and gather junk?
I'm hopeless. I hate crafts, hate shopping and am horrible at decorating and organizing. I do, however, have a sister who lives across the street who is a professional organizer and a great interior decorator. Without her, I'd be sunk (and I would have to spend my book money on magazines!).
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