10.19.2010

My New Shelf

new shelf

I know that everyone and their grandma has an Ikea Expedit shelf, but I can't help it - I love them!  So when Nate told me that he wanted to get me some new craft room storage for our anniversary, it didn't take me long to decide what I wanted.  In fact, I think I blurted out "Expedit!" before he was finished speaking, and I might have jumped up and down in excitement.  I love storage that's both functional and inspiring, and these shelves make everything in them look like art.

Fabric looks so much prettier when sorted by color, don't you think?
fabric

Pyrex casserole dishes full of ribbon...
ribbon

There's no shortage of Sharpies in this house!  This is just part of my collection, and Nate has his own, too.
sharpies 2

It took me awhile to decide to take my floss out of organized floss boxes, but I'm so glad I did.  I love having supplies out as much as possible.
floss

A stack of less-than-perfect vintage hankies, ideal for crafting.
hankies

Empty Polaroid cartridges - I use them to test cameras at the thrift store.  I like to have them sitting out where I can grab them on my way out the door!  The Duaflex is my primary TTV camera.
polaroid cartridges

Some of my Polaroids sit up on top...
polaroids

(hey, meet the Swinger...)
polaroid swinger

...along with an adorable paint by number that I picked up for fifty cents!
paint by number


I hope you enjoyed seeing my new addition!  Happy Tuesday!

19 comments:

Lisa Gutierrez said...

oh, I love it!
I have square shelves in my living room (a 2x2 and a 2x4 right next to each other), but I've yet to really organize them. You have some amazing inspiration here!

Brooke Ann Dove said...

Jealous of how organized and cute it looks! Happy Anniversary!

Chrissy said...

Love it! I have one, too...just with 5 squares each way! I've had it since 1997 when we first moved in together! Aren't they great!

Chaucee said...

Girl - this is amazing! I love how you organized by color, I definitely agree things look that much better when arranged that way! :D

Hope you had a lovely anniversary : )

Amy said...

Best storage ever! You can stack things up, across, in baskets, they're perfect! I love how you've used yours!

allyn said...

i think it's lovely + feel similarly that the shelves should display your pretty daily wares. great collection!

Erin said...

I'm so jealous, those look great. I also love all the little dishes you use to organize. So pretty.

morgan said...

I love it!
I have to admit I don't have one but I need one.
:)

Bekka said...

I have a Swinger as well...I think it might be the prettiest of all the Polaroids! :) Love the shelf!

thriftyredhead said...

Oh my goodness!!! I totally want one of these, but I currently have no place to pot it. :(

Brandi said...

Alli, this looks awesome. I love how you sorted the fabric and thread by color (it gives me a little organization high). It's amazing how some shelving can just make your room.

Nadine said...

love the polaroid collection (:

I have this shelf too for about a
year and I was wondering, how to you
keep the dust away? I dust mine
weekly yet there seem to be a lot
of dust!

French Press Knits said...

Perfect- your photos are lovely as well :)

Nicola said...

My boyfriend has one of these shelves, and he has put me off them because he keeps a load of boring boy stuff in his! Yours looks much better.

I just bought a vintage bureau for myself today, it's the best piece of furniture ever to enter my house! It's so cute and functional. I was filling the shelves up with books, but I had to stop and set my laptop up on it, I just couldn't resist!

Alli (One Pearl Button) said...

Thanks, everyone!

Nadine, I have a terrible time with dust, too! Our coffee table and TV stand are also Ikea black/brown, and yeah - soooo dusty. I just try to ignore it and dust at least fairly often (you're definitely doing better than me with once a week). If you look in the picture with the Polariod cartridges, you'll see that there's plenty of dust in these photos, haha!

Nicola, your bureau sounds amazing!

Tasia said...

Looks awesome! I tried to cram an Expedit into my half-sewing-room but it wouldn't fit. I love how fabric looks all folded neatly onto shelves!

Sweet T. said...

I love that I'm not the only person decorating with Pyrex ha! I love this shelf. I need something similar as my crafting area is getting out of control and my Goodwill vanity is no longer keeping up.

Vanessa said...

I love the collection of Poloroid cameras and all of your colorful flotsam and jetsam! Such a nice, fresh, easy way to organize. I think I would inspired just by walking past this unit. Well done!
www.snappyandsavvy.blogspot.com

twocheeseplease said...

I have an expedit shelving system too (in white) and I adooore it! Everything just looks so much better stored in there - although I wish I had enough space to store my supplies in cute pyrex like you! I have too much stuff and so I have to store it away in boxes, sigh!

Very inspirational!