The "A" shaped bookshelf has always been a bit of an issue for us in this house. In our old house it fit perfectly in the room above our garage that was my office. Here we don't seem to have many walls that are large enough to accommodate it without blocking a window. When we bought new living room furniture last year and found ourselves with a bit more open space, the shelf found its perfect home in the living room. I jumped at the chance to have a better home for our cookbooks on the bottom shelf instead of having them stacked in the impossible-to-reach cabinet above the fridge.
The new layout left us with two problems: the lamps that used to be plugged into the only outlet controlled by the switch at the bottom of the stairs were moved; and the cookbooks looked totally chaotic on the bottom shelf. We lived with both issues until S finally begged me to buy a new, smaller lamp for the shelf so he'd have light before he tripped off the bottom step in the morning. S rarely asks me to shop.
So I hit the 'net looking for lighting for S and searched the house for more baskets to better organize (hide) the cookbooks. And this weekend we went from messy looking to less messy looking:
There is never enough storage for the toys taking over our house!
ReplyDeleteI subscribe to your feed too!
ReplyDeleteThe tops of the bedroom dressers and nightstands are my nemeses. They never stay the way I want them to!
ReplyDeleteWe need organization in just about every room. But, the spot that is currently my worst offender is on the kitchen counter were "stuff" collects for way too long.
ReplyDeleteour problem spot is right by the door--we have our piano there, and it's covered with mail and music books...our dog also seems to enjoy hiding his toys under the piano bench...it's not a pretty sight when you walk into our house!
ReplyDeleteI have a super messy kitchen gadget drawer.
ReplyDeleteI'm a blog follower
ReplyDeleteI'm a blog follower.
ReplyDeleteTwo words: The Basement.
ReplyDeleteI like the golf ball lamp!
ReplyDeleteOur basement "storage" room. I can't stand going in there.
ReplyDeleteI follow you on Google Reader too.
ReplyDeleteMy entry is always a mess of mail, keys and coats/scarves/mittens strewn about. I would love to corral that somehow.
ReplyDeleteI also follow you on google reader!
One side of our master bedroom needs help. We have a large window (basically taking up the entire wall) under which random things tend to collect. A storage container, suitcase, clothing, etc. Still not sure what I'd do with this space, but $50 can only help.
ReplyDeleteAlso subscribed via Google Reader.
We don't have an actual entryway where we can stash all of our stuff. So, we have a bench sitting just inside our living room next to our stairway. I try to keep it organized with cute baskets and all, but it never looks organized. I think it will forever be that spot that drives me bonkers!
ReplyDeleteMy nightstand is eternally messy..... I just can't seem to keep up with that bad boy.
ReplyDeleteI am a basket lover...and my children refuse to stop trying to stand on them, so I'd replace the one in the media cabinet, or the one holding the baskets, or the laundry one...or....
ReplyDeleteFollowing you in my blog reader!
ReplyDeleteOur office could use some organizational assistance.
ReplyDeletelovelydomesticdiva (at) gmail (dot) com
I follow on gfc
ReplyDeletelovelydomesticdiva (at) gmail (dot) com
My desk! I just can't seem to keep it under control!
ReplyDeletedavisonphotography (at) gmail (dot) com
I follow you in my blog reader. :)
ReplyDeletedavisonphotography (at) gmail (dot) com
My basement drives me nuts! It's become a catchall for things that don't have a place to go.
ReplyDeletedftrew(at)gmail(dot)com
The dining room table. It's just hopeless.
ReplyDeleteThe spot between the basement door and the dog's dishes -- where B drops his satchel every night, and the dog dribbles on it. We need a basket or a stool or a shelf... or a different dog! (No, kidding.)
ReplyDeleteOoo, our office is always getting taken over with all my fiance's stuff! But I don't know which is worse; the office or the front entry - both definitely get dumped upon.
ReplyDeletemisscarolb at gmail dot come
I follow you in GR :)
ReplyDeletemisscarolb at gmail dot com
My desk is perpetually messy!
ReplyDeleteOur kitchen counter is always messy! It is the drop spot for mail, keys, and everything else.
ReplyDeleteI'm with some others..basement storage!!
ReplyDeleteright now it's my jewelry stash on our dresser. i have waaaay too many pretties and not enough room!
ReplyDeleteand i follow your blog!
ReplyDeleteMy office wins hands down! Paperwork, books and the "to be ebayed" pile!! Yikes, help!
ReplyDeleteI already follow you in my google reader :)
ReplyDeleteThe messiest spot by far is our poor dining room table. Bookbags, mail, shopping bags, all seem to live there for days. And I had such grand plans for the perfectly arranged table as the first thing you see when you walk into our home.
ReplyDeleteMy dining room. It's not just where we eat, it's where the computer lives, where we sort mail, and where the dog's food lives. It drives me nuts!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm a blog follower on Google Reader.
ReplyDeleteI seriously need help with my front closet!
ReplyDeleteI subscribe to your feed on google reader.
ReplyDeleteMy basement gives me the willies. And virtually every cabinet and drawer in our house is currently a disaster. Plus the laundry room becomes a catch-all for every stray thing that doesn't have a home (and some that do). Wow, do I sound like I live in squalor . . . .
I subscribe to your feed now too :)
ReplyDeleteWe don't have entryway mess now that there is a little open closet- but now we have open closet chaos! Need help!
ReplyDeletegina9876(at)hotmail(dot)com
My messy section is the unfinished portion of my basement. It's where things get dumped for years.
ReplyDeleteI subscribe (of course)!
ReplyDeleteI shared on facebook but I don't know how to post the link!
ReplyDeleteI tweeted at http://twitter.com/#!/anashct/status/48191321571201024
ReplyDeleteemail: anashct [at] yahoo [dot] com
I blogged about your giveaway here http://mommilitary.blogspot.com/2011/03/organize-your-chaos-with-giveaway.html
ReplyDeleteanashct at yahoo dot com
Mandatory Entry: I would like to for once and all get my closet organized...everything is piling up up up...
ReplyDeleteAnashct [at] yahoo [dot] com
The food pantry is always so messy! It drives me nuts! lol
ReplyDeleteavalenti6936 at yahoo dot com
thank you!
the messy spot in my house is kitchen drawers. I cleaned one out yesterday!
ReplyDeleteI follow you via Google Reader!
ReplyDeletetosha25italia (at) yahoo
My scrapbook room is one messy spot. But when you clean it you have to get everything back out. :)
ReplyDeletewe have one spot on our kitchen counter where we tend to stockpile "junk we don't know what to do with" like all the papers kids come home wiht, coupons and pretty much anything else. it drives me batty!
ReplyDeleteand i am a follower!
ReplyDeleteYes my kids art supply drawer storage area is unorganized
ReplyDeletetbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
google follower
ReplyDeletetbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
tweet
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/#!/ChelleB36/status/48593271991185408
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
My whole house is a mess! We just moved into a new place, and I'd love to keep it organized, but closing costs are expensive!!!
ReplyDeletecheshiresgrin at gmail dot com
RSS follower
ReplyDeletecheshiresgrin at gmail dot com
Oh dear Lord...what spot in our house is NOT a mess? I guess I'll have to go with the island in the kitchen as the worst spot. We just can't seem to keep it cleaned off...ever!
ReplyDeleteThe closet in our kid's room is always a disaster, constantly growing out of clothes!
ReplyDeleteshannoncarman at yahoo dot com
I'm a GFC follower!
ReplyDeleteshannoncarman at yahoo dot com
There's any area of the bathroom counter that gets cluttered with makeup/hair/skincare stuff that I desperately need to get an organizer for...drives me & Hubby crazy :)
ReplyDeletedanielleaknapp at gmail dot com
I follow via GFC
ReplyDeletedanielleaknapp at gmail dot com
Definitely the junk drawer...drives me crazy.
ReplyDeletekara at shibiya dot com
Kitchen table + mail + keys + wallet + flashlight + sunglasses = GAH.
ReplyDelete... and you're in my Google Reader!
ReplyDeleteThe "mail corner" in our kitchen is a disaster that I am always trying to creatively wrangle! Great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteAnd I've been following you in Google Reader for a while now :)
ReplyDeleteMy husband's desk! Which happens to reside in our master (and only)bedroom in our tiny apartment. Certainly I can find a way to improve on the mess with something.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win this great prize!
I follow you on Google Reader!
ReplyDeleteI am proud to say she used to be my roommate in college! Just wait until she's the new Martha...
ReplyDeleteOur kitchen counter seems to being a magnet for junk.
ReplyDeleteI subscribe to your feed.
ReplyDeleteMy hall closet is a disaster! I always tell myself I'm going to organize it.... but it never happens.
ReplyDeleteI subscribe to your feed
ReplyDeleteMy office is a mess! I'd love more baskets for storage...
ReplyDeleteThe piles of paperwork in our office get under my skin. Always a bill to be paid, a paper to be filed, shredded. It's out of control days after I organize it!
ReplyDeleteI subscribe to your feed too. :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I only had a messy 'spot'. I've got something more like freckles - all over. I manage to keep the closets organized. As a matter of fact, I think I do really well where most people fail, and fail at the 'simple' things.
ReplyDeleteI am following with google.
ReplyDeletep.s. I'd love to see an email subscription option. Pretty please?
I used your tweet button and here you go:
ReplyDeletehttp://twitter.com/#!/tammigirl/status/50663801137278977