I have a serious storage and display problem at my house. Not enough of either. I’ll save storage for another day.
I never seem to have the right table or bookcase or buffet or antique trunk that I think I need to display some of my prized possessions. And I never seem to have the money needed to go out and purchase something big and new. But I do have an assortment of shelves, ledges, and sconces that I have bought for very little money—or obtained for free by seeing the possibilities in someone else’s cast-offs.
Try using shelves to store your collectibles or things that you need in sight. Shelves add dimension to flat, lifeless walls and have the added bonus of actually being useful! You should screw or nail into a wall stud when mounting the shelves for added strength. (It’s not too lovely to see a shelf tumble to the ground, leaving a gaping hole in your drywall…Experience speaking, here.) At the very least, use wall anchors. In this case, bigger is better.
You can use shelves anywhere! The one pictured at the top of this post is in our powder room. It was less than $15 at HomeGoods and gives me a place for a small lamp, pictures, and hooks for hand towels.
Here are some other examples of shelves in my house. The office shelves with brackets came from Target. Notice my Cincinnati pig on the bottom. The green shelf unit was actually an old bookshelf/paint shelf that was in my parents’ garage. I put two D-hooks on the back and hung it on the wall. The shelf with the old house picture (maybe by Warren Kimble) came from HomeGoods.
Places to look for shelves, ledges, and sconces: Target, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Hobby Lobby (one of my favorites!), Garden Ridge, Old Time Pottery, Wal-Mart, flea markets, garage sales, and yes, trash. Keep your eyes open and use some imagination!
About jamie
I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, writer, reader, decorator (the untrained kind), teacher, learner, shopper, sewer, crafter, learner of new things, tryer of new projects.
