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?
Amanda says
I see a similar blog post in your future, telling us of how this table transforms again when Clara is pulling herself up to stand. We have a similar end table that can’t even hold a glass of water without our 1 year old charging for it. Thankfully we have enough bookcases with doors, a fireplace mantle, dining room buffet and whatnot so I can keep my favorite stuff out. Simplicity in design is how I rationalize it now . . .
Elaine K says
The best advice my periodontist ever gave me to was to floss while watching TV. I do a much better job when I’m not tired and just want to go to bed. It’s fun to see how your house is changing.
Kim says
Not to be super nosey, but I’ve been curious about how your house will change and evolve when you add another little addition in the future (since you guys have said that you want several kids). You always have great ideas for how to “make it work,” and I know that you aren’t considering an actual home addition until farther down the road.. Will you edit the guest room/office/playroom to be another kid’s room and maybe add heating to the basement so you can use that as an office?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kim,
We have no earthly idea! We brainstorm a ton of different solutions but we’re not sure where thing will end up since our opinions and needs are always shifting! It also depends if we have another girl or have a boy (since girls might share a room while a boy would probably want his own space). Only time will tell I guess…
xo,
s
Homestead says
I thought my husband was the only person who kept floss in the living room…. he now has our two big kids doing it… which is odd but good for their oral health I guess.
We have a funky tiny drawer in our living room that houses floss, nippers, files, lip balm, cuticle cream, pen/pad, spare ponytail holders, bookmarks and any randomly left out game pieces…. that is where they go so we can always find them next time.
When I was a brand-new mom I had a special basket… with a firm handle I could pick up off the floor with my foot so as to not disturb a nursing baby. It contained: spare diaper, wipes, pacifier, lip balm, tv remote, cordless phone, water bottle, diaper cream, lanisol (sorry tmi), spit up rag, notepad/pen (for all those brilliant ideas that disappear in 15 seconds and to track thank you notes), thank you notes, one ditzy magazine/book, nursing reference book…. all the stuff I needed in a lovely basket.
Lyndsey says
The pictures you took are great–was it late afternoon? The light is so relaxing, and your house is so stylish and comfortable. The box on the side table is a great idea. Little hands always swipe anything small off a table in my house, but if it’s corralled in a box with a lid, it might stand a chance of staying put! LOL.
I love this kind of post, it’s simple, but inspiring. And anybody can do it, make something more functional and also more stylish at the same time. So smart!
YoungHouseLove says
It was! Around 5pm or so. Good eye!
xo,
s
melarse says
I love your Target capiz boxes and wish they still carried them. Alas, I made my weekly trip to Home Goods yesterday and found 4 capiz boxes – 2 different sizes. So, it cost me about $50!? But I love them, and know I’ll use them for years and for many reasons. You guys have taught me to only spend on what I love, and there is nothing better than leaving a store (usually IKEA, Target, HomeGoods, Marshalls, etc) happy as can be with something I love in hand!
Newlyweds on a Budget says
I am all for making your furniture work for you! i keep trying to redecorate little by little as it’s all my budget will allow, but you guys give me inspiration that one day I’ll have a great home too!
Sandra says
With the vitamins that my kids take, I take, husband takes, I found I spent most of the morning pulling out all of the bottles. I went to the dollar store and found a small plastic box that is divided into 5 sections and it works wonders! There is only one lid that opens to all of them at my fingertips. I just didn’t want one of those “grandma” type boxes to help you remember what you’ve taken on any given day. Best thing I’ve purchased in a while!
megan says
Ya know, you’re probably right, “not rocket science,” but as somebody who seriously needs these tutorials on how to keep everyday stuff organized and not cluttery, this post is pure genius. You guys are great. Thanks for the post.
Jen says
As a dental student at VCU I must say that this post had an extra special place in my heart. Sherry, you are simply fantastic! For about a year and a half now you all have been a daily part of my curriculum… in between classes or seeing patients I head over to the library to eat lunch and spend 20 minutes with your blog. That little chunk of “me time” can make such a huge difference in my day! So thank you so very much for everything you all do. And i’m loving the new mood boards by the way. Keep up all the fantastic work!
Leigh says
This post couldn’t have come at a better time! One of our (ridiculously ugly) sidetables broke 2 nights ago. We’ve disliked them forever (they were free from a relative). But now that there’s no repairing one of them, we feel like we can buy new ones. We found some we both really like and when we got them home, we noticed how much smaller they looked next to our oversized couch. These will definitely meet our needs, but I worry they look out of place and disproportionate. Are there any hard and fast rules for the size of sidetables vs. the size of the couch?
Our new sidetables are very similar to the ones show in Blayne’s after pictures here:
https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/02/blaynes-second-design-dilemma-solved/
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Leigh,
There very well may be some hard and fast rules about side table proportion and size but we believe rules are meant to be broken! We always think that the best way to end up with a room you love is to try out a few arrangements or options and just go with whatever looks best to you (and proves to be the most functional). Heck, we added the large round top that you see on our side table (it used to be a tiny side table that definitely would have looked too slight next to our sofa) and then painted everything white. So remember that you can alter things too! Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Angela says
That capiz box makes me wish that Target here in Australia had a wider range of home goods! In fact I love the look of it so much that I’m planning a trip in my lunch break to my local Freedom store (www.freedom.com.au) to grab a similar one I saw there!
Emily A. Clark says
I love that you have a “nose bulb” (or at least that’s what we call them!) sitting out on your table before. Makes me feel so much better about what’s sitting around my living room.
Rebekah says
Our living room/all purpose room side table has only a stack of crochet coasters by this etsy seller: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MonikaDesign?ref=seller_info. We have a 2 yr old and every single coaster we had eventually was either bitten into or thrown (and smashed). We keep vitamins in a cute rectangular basket hanging from an s hook/grundel ikea shelves. I keep a nail file, magazine and blackberry in the car – for those car rides where the toddler conks out and I get a few min to myself. I say the kiddos make us become more organized, thrifty and crafty in our decor ways!
Carolyn says
Ha! I actually didn’t notice your “insane” before shot. Probably because it looks like my bedside table at the moment! The box idea though, is GENIUS. Stick a box with a lid on a table, fill it with all the stuff you need, put the lid on and enjoy looking at said box, without your table being crowded with vitamin bottles, lip balm etc. Seems so simple and obvious! Thanks for sharing this idea. Off to find me a box now..
j says
I can’t wait to read more of how you upkeep your house as your daughter gets older. My daughter is 19 months old and she tears through the house like a tornado hit it. everyday. help!
http://pearlsandgreentea.blogspot.com/
Dana @ HouseTweaking says
This is why I love you, Sherry! You may be the only other person who enjoys ‘tweaking’ a little ol’ side table more than me…and can then write a meticulous and thorough post on it. Love it.
Ann M. says
I love this post, I have a tiny side table next to my couch and regularly clean it up because while it’s so easy to just drop things there, I hate the clutter. So this post really speaks to me :)
Also, the light in the pictures is gorgeous.
Mrs. Potts says
I can’t wait to see how y’all start child-proofing your entire house. I can tell ya right now, my 15-month-old would push all of that stuff onto the ground, attempt to drink whatever beverage that is, tear the coaster into tiny bits, and then hide three of the most important things. I’m sure you guys will come up with better and more attractive ways of childproofing than I have.
Tiffini S. says
My side tables are totally clear. Between a large dog with a tail that we have nicknamed “The Cleaner” and a small child who thinks everything is a toy, it’s easier that way. But I have to be honest with you, I’ve never been much of a ‘decor on surfaces’ person anyway. I prefer bare end tables, night tables with only the basics (lamp, clock, MAYBE a book), and even my dining table has a single, lonely betta fish in his little vase (Betta Max, we call him). My kitchen counters drive me nuts with the following: Toaster, tool caddy (ya know, whisk, spatula, etc), butcher block for the knives, and two canisters. This alone is too much stuff for me, but we use them all daily except the cannisters, however putting them in the fridge doesn’t work, either.
I’ve always preferred bare minimalist looks just for convenience. I do love tables that are all ‘scaped up, for sure. But right after I admire the beauty of a table such as the one above, my first thought is “Yeah, but where can you set down a _______ (remote, book, glass, pair of your kids shoes so the dog doesn’t finish chewing them up).” Or maybe that’s just us…
Amy says
This is so clever. I’ve taken a similar approach to my bedside table. I do my flossing, etc. right before I go to bed haha. My must have next to my bed is hand lotion. So I used a little basket that I found at World Market and throw all of my junk–floss, hand lotion, bobby pins I forgot to take out of my hair, ear plugs for when my fiance is snoring :), and anything else that ends up on the nightstand. While it looks a little messier, my basket is open because I would still be too lazy to thrown stuff in it if it had a top/closed! I also of course have a lamp, alarm clock and a box of kleenex.
Rachel says
GREAT post! Thank you! It’s so fun to see how you make things beautiful yet livable. It’s not easy to do both and I think this is one of the reasons I like your website so much. The practical tips like these are some of my favs because it doesn’t take much to put them into practice. Very inspirational!
melissa says
I love that someone else keeps dental floss in their living room to floss during TV watching!
KimLivesHealthy says
I floss on the couch too! It’s the perfect place b/c I brush my teeth after dinner then we watch TV – duh!
Glad to know someone else out there is practical & organized :)
Carmel @ our fifth house says
Your 2 bowls on the side table idea inspired me to do the same! Check it out – http://ourfifthhouse.blogspot.com/2010/09/collected-not-decorated-family-room.html
Thanks for the inspiration!
Katie says
Hi guys!
I came back to this post because I need some help childproofing my end tables from my walking 14 month old. I got a couple of ideas but am still wondering what to do about the lamps on my side tables. They are on either side of the couch. I don’t mind moving them someplace else but I’m afraid my end tables will look really sad without the lamps.
I know you both are busy so I don’t expect a response to my little question. I just thought maybe you could address the issue in one of your babycenter posts. I’ve really been loving those!
Will be watching ‘Nate’ today!
Thanks.
Katie
YoungHouseLove says
We definitely plan to learn as we go so we will hopefully share solutions to things like that as Clara gets more mobile and we learn from those experiences!
xo,
s
Misty says
Silly question but where did you purchase the oblong pillow on the Dolce slipper chair in the above pics??
YoungHouseLove says
That was from Crate & Barrel. Hope it helps!
xo,
s