House, Progress, Projects, Shopping

Shopping, Organizing, Unpacking

This nesting business is serious work. I heard today that Target’s sales forecast is stronger than expected, I might be somewhat responsible. I’ve been bouncing around between Target, IKEA and hardware stores for weeks like I’m stuck in a crazy little retail pinball game.

IKEA is as brilliant as it is irritating. A great deal of the kids’ furniture is IKEA. Simple, functional, and durable enough to get them through the destruction years without destroying our budget. Aside from the kid furniture, the organizational tools and ideas are spectacular.

Their S-hooks, I use in more ways than I can count.

In the townhouse, I hung a tension rod against the back of the large shower wall, lined it with S-hooks and they were used for post-pool swimsuits and towels. These hooks also doubled storage options in the cramped garage and laundry closet.

They’re already in use in the new house as well, wrangling towels –

and these genius little hanging baskets.

The 4-year old has a bunk bed. It was the bed both boys shared at the townhouse and it is a Very Big Deal that he now has the top bunk. The bottom is dedicated to his “stuffies” – that’s what the kids call stuffed animals these days. He insists upon having water at night (Can you fill this with cold water, please??) and there is no side table situation for bunk beds. S-hook and cute IKEA basket to the rescue.

Another IKEA stroke of genius is this little hook/clip combo.

My goal today was to deal with the laundry room. Which is also a bathroom.

The laundry closet/bathroom is a little challenging. The space is odd. The washer is awkwardly placed against the inside corner to accommodate the dryer, which is also awkward due to the crawl space access location in the closet. This is also the way to the HVAC unit so it has to remain reasonably accessible. The dryer is gas and the gas line position keeps the dryer from sitting against the back wall of of the closet so it is not lined up with the washer. This problem obviously causes an OCD flare-up, especially since it keeps these massive freaking louvered doors from closing properly. They’re off the track to accommodate the dryer’s position and they frequently wander around the room at will. They must go. I don’t love a louvered door anyway. The IKEA hook/clips have helped me solve this problem.

There was a bit of trial and error to a curtain solution. I wanted to use the hooks directly on a curtain rod, and did a little test.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite right, so I went to my trusty solution for tiny curtain rings. Binder rings.

I used pliers to pinch the tiny hooks around them so the clips won’t easily fall off.

These curtains are full-sized flat bed sheets. Inexpensive, washable, already hemmed. Easiest curtains ever.

 

Open.

Nope. No one wants to look at that.

Closed. Ahhhhhh, better.

There’s a shower in this room, all set with s-hooks to wrangle swimsuits and towels. Another s-hook is hanging in the laundry closet to hold the pool bag of sunscreen and toys. Those seagrasss bins are stocked with beach towels, pool toys and other nonsense.

That rug is Target. I love it, perks this little room up just enough.

Another genius IKEA organization tool is called Skubb.  I don’t know why.

 

I usually use these as advertised, to control clothes in dresser drawers. They were great for tiny baby clothes. I have now discovered they work well in the pantry. We have a shallow pantry that quickly looks cluttered as hell and drives me crazy. No one needs the temptation of chips launching out at them when the door is opened. I didn’t go labelmaker-psycho on them (yet) but I did make great use of the painter’s tape for quick labels.

Target’s kitchen organization brings us this genius knife block in a drawer solution.

 

And season-ending sales on Target patio furniture means fun chairs for the deck.

Last night, we made a purchase that confirms that we are definitely getting old.

The chest freezer.

We had Georgia Power pickup the garage fridge left by the former owners. FYI, they will come get an old working fridge and give you $35 for it.

Now this –

Looks like this –

We may be getting old, but there is delicious frozen pork in that freezer.

2 thoughts on “Shopping, Organizing, Unpacking

  1. I’m am having so much fun reading your updates!! Keep ’em coming. When you’re all done, load up Ikea and bring it for visit to Whitney.
    You’re a genius!!
    xoxoxo

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