Sure it might just be a small change, but sometimes switching up the way a table functions can really make all the difference. And our house is not a museum. Pillows and accessories are swapped out all the time, and nothing’s too precious to get relocated or edited down whenever the mood strikes. So as our life evolves (ex: we added a baby girl to the mix and John now also works from home) we like make sure our house evolves with us. Which meant it was high time we reevaluated the way that we use our side table in the den. Here’s what it looked like back when we introduced it to the room (read about that here and how we built the table here):
The only functional needs that we had at that time for the table were:
- A spot for a notebook (I like to jot down ideas in the evenings while we’re sitting on the sofa watching TV or reading)
- Room for a drink (which could easily be accommodated)
- A place to display some decorative items as well as a stack of “keeper” magazines for reference
- A plant for the air purifying perks that it adds to the room
But our lives and the way that we use that side table have changed over the last year and a half. So our once useful and clean table was left looking like this:
Yikes! Clearly the old table setup wasn’t meeting our new-ish needs. So we had to reevaluate what we really wanted:
- A container to store all of that unsightly junk out of view
- Fewer decorative items to free up more space to drop a teething toy or an errant rattle
- A spot for a snack (snacking on the go is definitely something we do these days)
- A coaster to indicate exactly where a drink should go (no more wiping up after glasses that sweat on the table)
- A stack of “keeper” magazines for reference
- A plant for the air purifying perks that it adds to the room
So here’s the newly tweaked table as it looks today. We pared down the mags, removed a lot of the decorative items, and placed the notebook on the nearby desk (now that a lot of space has been freed up over there since we moved my computer into our new home office). Then we added a few new items like a clutter hiding box and a coaster. Thank goodness for concealed storage huh?!
Granted, adding a decorative capiz box isn’t rocket science, but sometimes something that simple can really clean things up and make for an autopilot tidy look. But it did take a bit of creativity to get everything that I needed to fit into said box (which is an old Target purchase of yore by the way).
First I went through all the clutter from that insane before shot and paired it down to just the things that we actually used on the regular. For example, the bulb syringe could be put back in the bathroom since it didn’t need to be in the den at all times. The thermometer could be moved to the bathroom too, but because we already had one in the bathroom (and I’m paranoid enough to take Clara’s temperature once a week or so when I think she’s feeling warm) we decided to keep the spare one in the den. So other than cutting out the bulb syringe, we decided to do our best to accommodate everything else.
I’m on a few postnatal vitamins these days so the only way I remember to take them is at night when Clara’s tucked into bed and John, Burger, and I are decompressing with a bit of TV. But I reasoned that I didn’t need to keep both vitamin bottles and the tin vitamin sheet on hand (since all three would never fit into the box). Instead I found an old Target bottle (from an ancient prescription that we no longer needed) and filled it with all three types of vitamins. Now I can easily take them each night without devoting half of the side table to my vitamin bottle and tin collection. I was also happy to see that the nail file (Clara has some crazy sharp nails!) would fit, along with a few other things that we appreciate having nearby. Yes, I do floss on the sofa every night. Right after taking my vitamins.
The point is that I’m weird, but my side table meets every odd need that I have now that we’ve removed some things and added a few others. And it didn’t cost a thing or take more than about a half an hour to decide what functions I wanted to gain (and lose) and to reorganize things accordingly. Oh and you’ll notice that we have the pistachios in two nested ceramic bowls. This is because it’s so much easier to bring both bowls over to the sofa when we want a snack and use one bowl for the empty shells while we pick pistachios from the other. So there’s a nut-eating trick for you. What don’t we cover here at YHL?
Oh and it’s worth mentioning that anyone with little people who are a tad more mobile than Clara should be careful to store things like nail clippers and vitamins out of reach- safety first! On another note, just to show you what I’m dealing with these days, here’s an outtake from the photoshoot for this post. Yes, John thought it would be funny to duck into a shot with Clara and then run away. Oh the hilarity.
But it looks like Clara approves of the new side table sitch. What about you guys? Have you corralled a collection of pills in one bottle to cut down on wasted counter space? Does anyone else floss on the sofa? What are your necessary items to have on hand? Lip balm is a given right? That’s my one non-negotiable-must-have. What’s yours?
I know it is crazy, but I secretly loooove any pics that show even just a small bit of clutter in your gorgeous home. I too have a baby nail file and random baby clutter on our side table so this inspires me. And yay for the spontaneous outtake shot. You guys are hilarious!! :)
This is cracking me up! I not only had to make this adjustment to our side table in the family room, but I had to do it to my nightstand as well. It seemed like my Little Guy’s “stuff” just started taking over. Wait until toy time comes and they want to move about the house and play. Then you have to start doing this same thing to whole rooms. We have little boxes of kid friendly goodies hidden throughout the place. I’m sure you guys will come up with great ways to make that happen as well!
I think I’m going to take the box approach for my bedside table that is currently cluttered with vitamins, contacts, lens solution, etc. I have a beautiful box that I bought for such a purpose while camping, why shouldn’t I use it all the time? Duh.
Lip balm is a definite given! I haven’t stored any in the living room (yet!) but I do apply it approximately 20,000 times a day… And I have some in my desk drawer at work.
We’ve been tackling a few easy updates of our own, most recently a better looking vitamin bottle for our microwave shelf (seen here sans vitamins: http://hernandohouse.wordpress.com/2010/08/03/counter-attack/) and we also put our paint swatches in a basket under the living room side table.
I hate having tons of remotes. We have two upstairs and 3 down. I’m working on a box to hide them.
http://ourhumbleabowed.wordpress.com/
I love how you think about what you need a space to do for you, and then make it happen. Your point is that it’s possible to keep all the function of a space and to do it in style–I love that concept! It doesn’t have to be an either/or.
My must-have is a glass of water. I carry one around wherever I go, so have coasters ready all over the house.
I know this sounds crazy, but I never even thought to decorate our side table. The only way to keep it clean around here is to just not use it…which makes it completely pointless, right? Of course, right now it has a book, magazine, and several bobby pins on it, so my keep it clean theory isn’t exactly in practice..
Love this. Our end tables are just a mess of whatever we are using at the time. I think that box is genius!
I truly love you guys – I read you every day and you always have such great ideas and decorating info but I’m sorry flossing on the couch is just wrong
As our baby girl gets taller we find that most of our side tables are losing functionality as we desperately move items higher out of reach. This has the unfortunate effect of cluttering our higher spaces like bookshelves and mantles while we wait for her to hopefully outgrow the “explore and destroy” stage of toddlerhood. We do leave things like cloth coasters and ready to be recycled magazines accessible so that she has something she’s allowed to play with. It’s tough being a little explorer and hearing so many cries of “no no” and “no touch!” Thankfully one of our side tables has some drawers she can’t get access to so we’ve been able to tuck a few needed items in there!
These simple tips can be so helpful– you can sometimes miss the most obvious solutions, you know?! So thanks for sharing!
I like to keep hand cream, vitamins, nail clippers and my headtorch (weird I know, but if I can’t sleep I like to use the infra-red setting so as not to wake up my boyfriend when I’m reading).
It’s all a bit cluttered at the moment as you can tell from this pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/annabelvita/4920266196/ Totally need to get a little box to put it all in!
I also like using baskets to coral things – even if you can still see the clutter I think there’s something about having it all contained that makes it seem a little more together (eg my old dresser http://www.flickr.com/photos/annabelvita/4920266196/)
We have a nail kit/box on our coffee table. I think I got the idea from Mrs. Bower. It’s so convenient.
Ps: i LOVE that white flower. Is is a lotus?
It’s actually a silk flower from my old days in NYC (when my tiny studio kept any real plant life from surviving). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Great tweaking! There will soon be reason to tweak again, a toddling babe! We had to remove a side table all together because our son kept bumping his little head into the corner. Your round table top will be perfect but I bet the small vase and magazines will go. Babies love magazines! You always make everything look so nice, well done!
Flossing on the couch is so not weird! Flossing in the car at red lights (like me) is! Haha
This certainly has inspired me to add a little snack box near the sofa with some healthy option snacks!
Thanks guys!
I can’t wait to see pics of your house with all the plastic toddler furniture shows up!
flossing on the couch….hhmmmmmm!
Love it… I need to do more re-organizing in our tiny NY UWS apartment. I am always amazed that within two days a clean house can look cluttery with just a few odds and ends! ugh!
Ah yes, the baby clutter that creeps into every spot in the house…you always have to re-adjust for baby “stuff”. Looks great!
I have lip balm tubes everywhere!
What can I say. I love your blog. I have a 7 month old son. We have lived in our house almost one year. Now the crawling process has started. I can’t wait to see how you guys baby proof your home. If I have any pointers I’ll let you know. So far I had a glass coffee table, and have switched it out with two ottomans like you have in your den. No sharp edges!
I remember when we did this too. Our coffee table was getting so cluttered with baby stuff – the nose bulb, the nail clippers, saline solution, orajel. We bought a square box to store stuff under the coffee table, but then it became a cluttered mess. I recently went through it and got rid of stuff and put most of it back in the bathroom. Now that our little guy is on the move, we don’t spend nearly as much time camped out in one space. Now we have the need for tons of toy totes to keep that clutter under control!
Yay Sherry I floss at the tv too! A nail file and clipper is a must for me as well as my little tube of aquaphor for the lips and the (4) remotes! TV, Netflix box, dvd and one more for who knows what.
I remember those days all too well. Our side table always held a burp cloth, giant glass of water, a few pacifiers and for extra style and glamour, a breast pump tucked beneath.
Ya know, I don’t keep boxes of stuff on side tables. I’m thinking I should, because when Hubsey and I are watching TV in the evening, I feel like I get up every 15 minutes to fetch something or other. I did have a bunch of crap on my nightstand (note pad, pen, chapstick, ponytail holder) but it got shoved into a drawer when we put the house on the market. Duh! I should’ve just gotten a box!
haha. I loved this post. Hearing all these things about your personalities is fun and it makes me feel like we’d be friends if we knew each other!
What in the world is so weird about flossing on the couch?! Are people concerned that you’re flinging food particles around the den or something?? I’m sure you are just as tidy when you floss as when you do anything else, so rock (and floss) on girl!
I keep a similar box on my nightstand that houses glasses, phone chargers, mints, lip balm, and whatever else is laying around that I don’t want to be seen.
We’re getting our house ready to put on the market and I tackled our teeny-tiny laundry room this weekend. There’s open shelving that came with the house, and we didn’t want to invest in removing it and putting up cabinets to hide the stuff. Plus, the shelves are too short to hold the actual detergent bottle, white vinegar, etc., so it was always on top of the dryer. grrrrrr ….
Made some curtains from IKEA fabric and used their DEKA cable system with the “S” hook removed to cover up the clutter. Got a fabric bin from Target to corral the detergent, vinegar and other miscellaneous items. It also makes it easier for when we’re showing the house – I can just pick up the bin and head out the door. :) Sometimes I think we just get complacent. Sorry for the long post – I can’t believe I waited so long to do this!
Nice switch! I would hardly call that before picture “insane” though. Also, I too floss on the couch. What are you supposed to do, stand in the bathroom and do it??
Hi! I found your blog last night and immediately fell in love with it. You two are the most adorable couple! …not to mention your cute as a button baby :)
This post is great, your side table reminds me of my desk. It is also white, round and more often than not….overflowing with “things”. I love a good box so thanks for the idea. Looking forward to future posts…but for now I guess I can keep myself occupied by looking at old ones ;)
-Jennifer
LOVE this post! It’s the simple changes like this that make our places ‘home’. Living in a small space is teaching me that every little thing counts and I’m using the box trick in every room. Pretty and functional. Thanks for sharing!
Love that gorgeous box!
Any online shop you know of that sells something similar? Where did you get it?
Thanks J&S!
Hey Andrea,
We got it from Target a while back but have seen similar boxes at places like HomeGoods and Marshall’s and TJ Maxx. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Oh, lip balm is an absolute must! Along with floss (I’m a floss junkie – My dentist thinks I floss too much), a nail file, and cuticle clippers. Oh, and hand lotion. If it’s not sitting right there by me I spend the entire night standing over the junk drawer digging it all out and grooming! I might have to get my mini chest down from my decorative wall cave (for lack of a better term) and move some stuff around on my side table!
We currently do not have side tables as we have a long coffee table from World Market that houses two side tables nested under it. We like keeping them there when a side table is needed. However, we both have a magazine holder with our current reading materials. There are also two decorative boxes we received as gifts that have our extra candles in them and have our pretty coasters sitting on top. I am a bad flosser and am now considering the flossing on the couch concept…better there than not at all :D
Love the cute box! I have them too all over the place. I keep a nail file (for me), reading glasses – I got tired of trying to find where I’d put them down so bought a bunch of them at the Dollar Tree and now have some in each room, a bookmark, and some tissues. Our household has totally different needs from yours but we also like having a box or place to hide the utilitarian items. Makes it easier to dust too if you only have to pick up the one box instead of each item.
You are so funny!
Hey, I have that exact same capiz box…my MIL gave it to me years ago. I had to do a double take at yours and then go look at mine. haha…gotta love Target! :)
Without a doubt Burts Bee’s chapstick is in ever pants pocket I own and on every end table also. I love nightstands and end tables with a drawer to help wrangle all the doodads that end up in my house. Out of sight and within reach!! Check out my night stands right here!
http://temporary-nest.blogspot.com/2010/05/one-night-stand.html
The switch looks great! I have trays on our coffee tables / ottoman in both our living and reading rooms – keeps the remote controls, drink coasters, and reading books or small plants neatly organized.
p.s. Yes lip balm is a necessity – one in my nightstand, one in the office, one in the kitchen, and two in the purse (just in case one goes missing)! Burt’s Bees is my little addiction – could be worse. :)
I am SO SO glad to hear someone say they are in the GREAT routine of flossing every night, wherever you may be in your home. I work in dentistry and a lot of people do not realize how important it is to floss daily –ESPECIALLY if you’re pregnant or a new mom (google it!) Make sure you are doing the best job you can by getting a nice “C” shape around both sides, in between each tooth!
I agree about the lip balm!!! But I sure hope you don’t cut your toenails there!!!!! lol
Cindy
Hey Cindy,
Nope, those are also for grooming Clara’s nails. We clip, then we file (while the second parent is in charge of entertaining her enough so that she smiles all the way through).
xo,
s
I love when simple changes make the world of difference. i’m actually at work applying those skills to my messy desk area. The best accessory was of course…… “Clara”. She’s soooooo adorable!
Great idea with the vitamins! I floss in the passengers seat of the car as well as the couch!
Loooove that box! If only I had a cute box for every lip balm I have stashed around the house. It would look like a warehouse in here!
And this is random, but have you ever used/thought about using a glass/crystal nail file instead of the standard version? They have a MUCH finer grit (but still work super quickly), so they don’t tear the nail edge the way an emery board does. As a result, nails stay in way better shape.
Plus! They’re definitely greener, since they literally last forever (well, or until you step on them accidentally…) and are easily cleaned with hot water and soap. The ones from Essie are my favorite (I have those stashed all over the house too!). Sorry that’s so off-topic. But still. They’re worth checking out!
Thanks Jackie! Never heard of them- but they definitely sound worth checking out!
xo,
s
This is totally random, but have you guys tried Everybody’s Nuts salt and pepper pistachios? We pick them up in the industrial-sized bag at Costco. They are fab!
Mmm, haven’t tried them but they sound delicious! Thanks for the tip.
xo,
s
I confess…I’m one of the people who went “ewwwww” when I read that you floss on the couch! But that’s my own personal issue…I also think nail clipping should only be done in private and over a garbage can or the toilet! LOL!!
Better to floss on the couch than not at all. :-)
I have this small skinny and tall basket I keep next to “my” side of the couch :) At any given time it contains nail clippers, a file, a couple USB cords to hook up to my laptop, external harddrive (for all those pictures I upload), body butter, pens, hair clips and ties, and somehow a seam ripper made it in there too. It’s my little collection of random Kate stuff corralled into one (tidy) spot. I love it.
I’m a flossing fool too but thinking of flossing on the couch kind of squicks me out — I imagine food particles flying around! :) (although I will admit to having a toothpick in my little basket – having recently had my wisdom teeth out sometimes I have to fish food out of the holes… which probably isn’t much different than flossing on the couch but… whatever, I never said I was logical!)
Totally floss on the couch! Why not floss and watch TV- I guarantee you will do a better job! It is not like huge bits of food are flying out:) HA
I keep floss, nail file and lip balm on my side table in a little basket with a lid.
It is all about multi-tasking people!
http://styleandcentsability.wordpress.com/
boy howdy, do i need to figure out how to GET a side table next to my sofa! our current couch is left over from david’s bachelor days, and it’s 12ft long and covered in black leather. it’d be imprudent to get rid of a perfectly good sofa (and i’m hiding the leather with throws and pillows) but it leaves NO room for a side table, as it butts right up against our pit bull’s kennel. tiny houses, big furniture. that’s my TLC show, right there!
Lots of people like to comment about how you are going to have to majorly change things when Clara starts crawling and walking, etc and that your house will become a colorful, plastic playland. I think they are trying to scare you:). I’m sure you are already confident in your abilities to avoid that, or at least keep in under control, but as a mom of two young kiddos (almost 3 years and 1 year), I can tell you that kids are smart and if you don’t want them touching something, they’ll eventually understand and leave (a potted plant, a fireplace, etc) the object alone without requiring you to remove all the items or put up huge plastic gates or blanket barricades. Safety always comes first, but child friendly decor doesn’t mean primary colored plastics and gates. We have large toy and book baskets in every room that we spend time together as a family(great room, sun room, etc)in and that alone works really well. Also, having one dedicated room as a ‘play room’ instead of a formal living room as it’s intended has helped a great deal too. I love watching your house transform as your family and needs change. You both are so talented! Keep up the hard work!!
PS Floss where you want to floss. At least your doing it!! It’s easy for moms to stop taking care of themselves, but you’ll be a better mom if you keep yourself healthy!