Chic Storage Solutions
If you've been following me on Instagram, you've seen pics of a few the storage solutions I use throughout my home. You may have also seen my #riddlemethisphoto, where I asked followers to guess what I stored in my Moroccan coffee table vase (shown in the photo on the left).
Today, I'll be sharing with you four surprisingly simple, très chic storage solutions. You'll also find the answer to photo riddle at the end of the post. No peeking...
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3 Practical Storage Solutions for Small Spaces
Let start with the room that contains more gadgets, appliances and daily use items than any other room of the home - the kitchen. Have you ever stuffed a kitchen drawer with so many things that you had to slide your hand thru the tiny opening between the door front and face plate to free it open? Yep, that was me. My kitchen is S-M-A-L-L (80sqft). It's so small that I have only two drawers available for storing utensils. The photo below shows how I tackled this dilemma:
This is my kitchen gadget jar. All those small, awkwardly shaped items that clutter up the drawer, and eat up much needed space go here. Pizza cutters and wine bottle openers are placed inside the jar with the sharp end first for safety. The clear glass also makes it easy for me to reach in to get exactly what I need. Adding a simple handwritten chalk label reminds everyone - including myself - what items are stored here.
Storing tiny kitchen gadgets in a canister or candy jar keeps drawers clutter-free
Since the canister itself is attractive, it's stored on an open shelf. I've been using this method for a few years now with great success. No more jammed doors!
What about those large bulky spoons, spatulas and tongs? Since placing them in the drawer was clearly not an option, I used to keep them inside of run-of-the-mill utensil caddies. While quite functional, these are often unattractive and give the appearance of clutter, which sort of defeats the purpose. Think about it though... any vessel could serve as a utensil holder. Right? Right! Since then, I've changed the vessel several times. Here is what I use today:
Who knew this fix could be as simple as using a vase? When paired with a simple tray, candle, and some citrus, it all looks purposeful now. For a cleaner look, I recommend pairing down your utensils to just a few in two finishes: stainless with black, or stainless with wooden utensils.
Continuing on in the kitchen... I now needed a place to store my daily dish/drying towels, and hand soap. I also needed a place to put jewelry when it came time to get my hands dirty. Again, since it was going to be in the open, this solution too had to be aesthetically pleasing. After quick trip to the thrift store, I came back with this:
This is the best $2.50 I've ever spent! I don't know what this tray and bowl were originally used for (if you know please tell me), but I saw them in several thrift stores. The tray is just large enough to hold the counter towel rack, my favorite J.R. Watkins hand soap, and the small bowl for my jewelry. Again, the white tray looks crisp, and helps to define a "zone" in my kitchen.
And finally, the moment we've been waiting for... What do I store in the Moroccan vase on my coffee table? Drum roll please....
SOCKS! (giggles) Socks? Yes, socks (more giggles). Allow me to explain. We have a "no shoes" rule in our home. I must admit that my husband is better at enforcing it than I. So to make it easier for me to ask visitors to remove their shoes, I rolled up a few socks and tied cute ribbons on them. Another option is to put them into little mesh bags.
Since guests are practically greeted by my coffee table and vase upon entering, there's no better place to put the socks (and foot spray), than into the vase itself. I also place a cotton ball dabbed with baby or lavender oil at the bottom of the vase for a welcoming scent. Can I just tell you that I've never seen people get so giddy - male or female - about taking off their shoes! It's a thoughtful, personal touch that makes them feel special.
So there you have it. Four simple, chic - and fun ways to store essential items. In future posts, I'll share a few more of my clever storage solutions. In the meantime, do you have any ideas to share? I'd love to hear all about it.
