I’m constantly trying to introduce new inexpensive storage solutions into my house and for the most part my hubbie is pretty accomodating.
Remember back in October I told you about a disagreement my hubbie and I had about putting a dresser in the living room. You can read about it here. He didn’t like the idea and although I wasn’t crazy about it either, I did know that, until we could afford something prettier, we could make it do as an inexpensive and practical storage solution for now. Well it has been eight months and yes the dresser is still in the living room. In fact my hubbie has never brought it up again. Personally I’d like to think that it is because it has finally grown on him.
But more than likely he just got sidetracked with the next ridiculous brilliant and clever idea I had. I went out and purchased these lovely wall pockets from Staples.
I wanted to solve the problem of all the kid’s workbooks/journals that collect on my kitchen table. So I thought these three clear wall pockets would be ideal on the dining room wall, one for each kid to put their workbooks into when they were done with them. Wrong! Hubbie would rather our dining room didn’t look like an office. Go figure! I didn’t want to put them in the actual office because I truly believe that you have to store things where they are being used in order for the system to actually work. We use to have the art centre in the dining room but that had to go away when the baby decided to dump the contents every single day. I did come up with another art centre solution and I’ll post about that soon.
Anyway I could see hubbie’s point (although I still think it would have been just fine) but I just wanted my table back. He stood his ground so I kept looking. Here is the compromise I finally came up with and so far it is working great.
A three drawer container, a drawer for each child, that fits nicely and tucked out of the way on my tea cart that lives in the dining room. This is the same tea cart that holds the sale flyers in the two wire pull out baskets. Everyone is happy and my table is cleared off. Yeah!!!
I’m pretty sure though that my poor husband is twitching just wondering what I’m going to come up with next!
Chrissy says
OMG. those wall pockets are exactly what I’ve been looking for. We have a basket attached to the side of a cabinet where we keep the “bills to be paid” along with a list underneath of when each needs to be paid and how much. (It’s actually pretty cool idea and as long as we keep following the chart we will have our house paid off in 12 years instead of 20) Anywho, the basket just isn’t big enough and I can’t get a larger one or we will hit our heads on it so these wall pockets will be perfect.
Guess it’s off to Staples for me.
Mommy says
After the wonderful dessert you made for his birthday, you’d think your husband would hold his peace. 🙂
Munchkin Land says
Very nice! Great idea! Compromise is always good, isn’t it?!
Faerylandmom says
You genius, you! Or incredibly practical. Either way, that’s a great idea.
Karen@FamilyBriefs says
Great solution – accommodating your husband, I mean 🙂
Aubrey says
Just de-lurking to say how much I enjoy this blog. I am an organizing junkie myself, but it gets interrupted by my Littles and my daily habits. 😉
Haley says
Well I thought the wall pockets were really cool, but I guess the little drawers aren’t bad either. 🙂
BTW I tagged you!
Haley
Once Upon a Dream... says
Wall pockets are a great idea! Do you think they would work to hold a few magazines for the bathroom? I’ve been thinking about putting a few magazines in the bathroom. Maybe I shouldn’t even be mentioning putting magazines in the bathroom… dont’ know.
Ladybug says
Wall pockets are great! I was just looking at some today!
The Lazy Organizer says
Great idea! You’ve got to get stuff off the counters before it multiplies don’t you! I love those little drawers. I have a couple sets for the kid’s art papers and I’m surprised at how well they’ve held up.
Gretchen says
You know, sometimes those hubbies foil our good deeds, but it’s important that you are interested and try to accommodate his input, as well. Hats off to you for balancing a happy marriage with an organized home. 🙂
Dina says
oh wow!! this is something I just bought for the kids too and for the same purpose to clear the kitchen table, well done!!
Lu says
I’d love to have Staples and The Container Store here in Brazil.
I love your blog and all your organizing solutions!
Marcia says
I have to agree with your husband, Laura – I also like a dining room to look like one 🙂
Love the drawers.
I tagged you for this meme
Have a great weekend.
Organising Queen blog and
Take Charge blog
Twisted Cinderella says
I have been planning on buying those wall pockets to put by the phone to gather up all the bills, take out menues, and papers that Prince Charming piles on the table.
Susanne says
LOL! My hubby would probably think he died and went to heaven if I started coming up with organizing solutions for all over the house. :vD
I love those 3 drawer things. They are handy for so many things.
Katrina says
Very funny! I would have gone with the wall pockets, but I’m sure my hubby would have rebelled, too. He doesn’t even like that I keep Camden’s backpack by the door to the garage — even though that’s the door we use when we go to the bus stop, so of COURSE it makes sense to me to keep it there. Good compromise, by the way! That’s a big part of a good marriage!
Stephanie says
My hubby’s been twitching all summer as I’ve been decluttering and trying new organizing ideas. My poor Pack Rat/Piler… I have hopes that one day he’ll understand the need for everything to have a place of it’s own.
mamabright says
I use this exact same three-drawer organizer for my kids school papers…it’s great!