Simple Additions for Your Home

I was organizing my new place and thought I would share some tips for quick and artful organizing.

This small chest of drawers serves a couple of purposes (besides storing clothes). I am on the search for a new bookcase so in the meantime I am artfully placing books in cozy settings. I have four books placed on top of each other with the smallest on the bottom. I have this arrangement in threes: lamp, small vase, and tall vase with straw sticking out adding height. You always have a visual balance with groups of threes or a pyramid (this is an upside down pyramid). You're eye naturally follows the arrangement from top to bottom. A secret storage item in this setup is the small orange vase. I bought a set of three in orange, blue, and purple. Placed around my room they serve as accent pieces and quick storage items. I place my hair ties, bobby-pins, and any other small item inside.

I like to have some of my jewelry on display. I bought two hammered silver trivets, one large, one small, from Crate & Barrel. My larger bracelets, watch, and necklaces are in the larger trivet and earrings and rings in the smaller. On the top of my dresser I also have a small ceramic pinch pot where I have smaller pins and rings.

Below I have a corner of my bathroom vanity. I have to have a clock and I found this cute vintage looking clock at IKEA. A morrocan patterned glass canister from World Market holds my toothbrush and toothpaste. Finding interesting storage solutions for everyday, ordinary items is a refreshing organizing skill. My light blue Q-tip holder is perfect for grabbing a couple and hiding the sometimes unsightly things.
Below is another example of a quick book displaying option (when you are waiting for a bookcase). The books are vertical with a candle holder on one side and a picture frame on the other. You don't have to buy bookends. You can find items at your home and make them useful.