We haven’t given our office any love in the entire eight months that we’ve lived here (other than deciding that it was no longer the dining room and shifting that into the old formal living room nearby). Pretty much our moving day MO was to: plop old office furniture down, work away, and ignore the fact that the rug’s crazy-off-center and you can bump your head on the old dining room chandelier. Sad times.
But the lack of love given wasn’t for lack of trying. We’ve been keeping our eye out for two similar/identical secondhand filing cabinets for, oh, eight whole months. So we were starting to lose hope after about twenty five visits to all of our favorite local thrift stores without finding two of them:
- that were the same height or depth (we ideally wanted to put two of them next to each other to make a square cabinet)
- that were even remotely operable (it was crazy how many were so dinged and dented that they hardly opened)
We even checked out online office supply shops and local places like Office Max, but a lot of the filing cabinet options that we found were upwards of $100 a pop – and we wanted two). Then on our recent trip to Ikea (for these shoe cabinets), this piece of furniture caught our eye as we strolled through the upper level:
It’s an “Effektiv” (hence the bad pun in the title of this post). And we decided half of it (it was actually two of them pushed together) would be the perfect solution for a little “situation” that we have going on (no not that Situation):
Yes, that’s a printer-paper-camera-bag-shredder pile right on the floor that’s sheepishly tucked out of view behind the sofa (but not completely out of view from a few other angles). And yes, Clara loves to push buttons and throw paper and cause general pile chaos. So something had to be done. Like yesterday.
Even though the Effektiv system has LOTS of customization options, we went for something very similar to what we saw on the showroom floor (just half as wide). I annoyingly lost the receipt (bad blogger) but it was in the neighborhood of $150. Which isn’t too bad considering some of the “heavily discounted office surplus” options would have been $200+ for the double-wide equivalent. Even the cost to build it all myself probably would have been in the $150+ range after getting all the drawer slides and hinges and file fittings (and I worried it wouldn’t have the same durability that I’d get from something made by experts since it would be constantly opened and shut). Oh and that price included one base, two shelf pieces, and the various interior fittings for a double wide file drawer on the bottom and concealed storage for things like our wireless printer and stacks of paper on the top double-doored shelf.
We figured it’d be a good piece to anchor this empty wall (opposite the wall with the desk, next to the doorway to the kitchen) while also adding some functional storage.
One by one, I assembled each of the three pieces and screwed them on top of one another. It was a thrilling process I assure you, so forgive me for glossing over it so quickly.
Oh and as for the vent on the right of it, luckily it has those angled registers so the air gets directed out at an angle that allows it to flow right out the side and into the room. There’s about a 4″ gap there (even though it looks a lot smaller in pics due to shadows) so it’s great thus far (we can feel the air easily coming out, so it’s not getting trapped or anything). Whew. Otherwise we’d just close that register because there are a few others in the room.
The beauty of this piece is that it slipped right in under the chair rail and fit pretty nicely width-wise too (we didn’t have the wall measurement with us, so we’re beyond relived that it wasn’t an inch too wide or something). It was offered with lots of customizable options – drawers, cabinets, hanging file systems, solid doors, frosted fronts, etc. We knew we wanted the upper shelf to work as a cabinet (to store the wireless printer & reems o’ paper mess) and the lower one to house a ton of hanging files (we have a surprising amount of paperwork due to being “our own business”). For some reason I’ve become addicted to hanging file storage and the two little file boxes slipped under our desk are, well, not doing it for me at all (they’re only about 7″ wide).
We went with basic white doors since they were the cheapest option and provide the easiest blank canvas in case we want to paint, wallpaper, stencil, or even O’verlay them with these cool things down the line for a more interesting (read: less Ikea-ish) look.
When it came to the interior fittings, first I put the file system in the bottom. It consists of a metal drawer/frame, a heavy weight in the back (to keep it from toppling when the drawer is pulled out) and a flat white cabinet face that will attach to the front. We also anchored it to the wall with an Ikea-provided kid-safe anchor system, just to be double safe.
Then the top half just consisted of putting on two cabinet doors, so the whole thing went from this…
…to this…
You’re probably wondering about our knob dealio. We decided to skip the ones from Ikea and go for a more homemade handle. We thought something rustic like casual string was a nice contrast to the sleek lines of the rest of the piece.
Okay, I’m totally kidding. The string was just temporary (since I learned the hard way that it was impossible to open the doors without prying them open with a flat head screwdriver without it).
I wasn’t kidding about passing on all of the Ikea hardware options though. We tried to like something. Really we did. But nothing was really doing it for us and we thought knobs from somewhere else might give it a little more character and make it work with other things in the room (like our $35 thrifted lattice desk chairs). Note: of course we have about ten million other changes we plan to make in here (slowly by surely) when it comes to the furnishings, lighting, etc.
But back to the hardware. Yeah, we’re hoping that adding some non-Ikea knobs or pulls could help to make the whole thing look a smidge less Ikea-y (as would eventually painting, stenciling, or wallpapering the fronts, sides, top or the whole darn thing). But we’re not gonna do any of that ’til the whole room is further along. Because who knows, once the room is painted (stenciled? wallpapered?) the piece could look best in plain ol’ glossy white (and we’d be kicking ourselves for having jumped the gun). We already found some pretty cool Anthropologie-ish handle options at a place that rhymes with Schlobby Bobby though, so once we make a final decision and screw them in (which always freaks me out by the way- is anyone else totally intimidated to drill right into new furniture?) we’ll be back with updated pics for ya. Hopefully within 24-ish hours.
Has anyone else added some functional office storage recently? Did you have better luck hunting down something secondhand? Do you also have a deeply rooted fear of drilling holes into new furniture to attach hardware? I must measure things fifteen times just to be sure I’m not hanging them an inch off center or something.
Kristen @ Popcorn on the Stove says
I hate the IKEA knobs. I usually go to Lowes or Home Depot to buy replacements. Often, the pieces look nicer than ever and way less IKEA-ish. Can’t wait to see which knobs you end up with!
AarthiD says
I’d been wondering about the home office; I know it had been mentioned in 2010, but I really hadn’t seen anything about it since there. The Effektiv set looks really nice in that corner! The string was a nice fake-out! ;)
As far as Clara’s animal noises go: d’awww.
I guess my only question is if you’re worried about messing with the room’s air circulation by putting something in front of that vent there? That’s the only part that makes me nervous about that placement. In fact, you guys tend to have really good luck with IKEA things being just the right size — here, the laundry room…
YoungHouseLove says
Luckily that vent has those angled registers so the air gets directed out at an angle that allows it to flow right out the side and into the room. There’s also about a 4″ gap there, even though it looks a lot smaller in pics due to shadows. So far it’s great and we can feel the air easily coming out (so it’s not getting trapped or anything). So grateful! Otherwise we’d just close that register because there are a few others in the room.
xo,
s
AarthiD says
Ahhh, okay, that makes sense. Yeah the angling doesn’t really show up in the pictures! *laughs*
Oh! I remember the other thing I wanted to ask: how do you survive not having a ceiling fan in that room?! You guys are in Richmond, VA, right? I grew up in Texas, and I know a Southern Summer is nothing shy of intense. (Though, you know, a pretty chandelier isn’t something to just go about replacing — not when there’s ORB around! Hahahaha.) If we hadn’t had ceiling fans in the den of the house I grew up in, I don’t think it would have been bearable!
YoungHouseLove says
We have central air, and definitely use things like table fans in the bedroom while we sleep, but I think we just grew up in households with the whole if-you’re-hot-take-off-a-layer (and if you’re cold put on a sweater) rules. So we just wear thin tees and shorts with our central air set to around 84 degrees and we sweat to the oldies. Haha.
xo,
s
AarthiD says
*laughs* Fair enough! I just moved to Manhattan and I’m realizing that the strip-down-layer-up rule is much more common (read: economical!) here. Not that we weren’t running around in cutoffs and wifebeater tanks back in Texas, but you know. Fans are awesome.
May I ask what your plans are for this room, if any? Off-center rug aside, I really like that chair rail. It looks well-made and breaks up the wall nicely.
Aaaaand since it feels like all I do is ask you questions, feel free to ask me anything! :D
YoungHouseLove says
Oh gosh, our plans are to take it one day at a time and try not to get overwhelmed! Haha. We’re not those people who know every step of a makeover going into it. We sort of piggyback one decision over another, so we have no idea about window treatments (probably roman shades though) or even paint colors yet. We do plan to keep the chair rail though- at least at this point we do. Haha. We change our minds a lot though!
xo,
s
AarthiD says
Yeah, with a whole house, I bet it would be really easy to just feel incredibly overwhelmed. But hey; your method is obviously working for you guys, and the flexibility is awesome — it means you can do things like have recycling bins be shoe racks! (Which, ps: still totally awesome.)
I was reading this entry over at Centsational Girl, and it made me curious: how do you and John work to balance your tastes against each other? Naturally, this not being your first home reno/redecoration project, you’ve worked out the worst of it, but I definitely feel like your rooms aren’t screaming feminine! or masculine! in their entirety at me. How do you do it?
YoungHouseLove says
We just have one rule: we both have to like something to get it or make it or do it. So John doesn’t cave to me if he doesn’t like something and vice versa. It keeps us from holding things against each other or feeling like we’re not as at home as the other person. It definitely takes longer to get full mutual sign-off on everything though, haha. But we’re happy to take our time in exchange for ending up with something we both love.
xo,
s
AarthiD says
Plus, I’m sure, if you both agree that you like something, then the room ends up pulling together much better. Does this apply to everything — art, paint, upholstery, colors of lamps, etc? Clara’s baby clothes? ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, our “full agreement agreement” goes for every purchase or project. Well I guess except for our own clothing since John doesn’t ask my permission to get pants he likes, etc. But for Clara, we definitely chat about if she needs a blank and make sure we both think it’s cute (and will match other things she has).
xo,
s
Marianne says
Way to get to work on the office! It seems that’s always one of the last places to put together! I had to say also, I laughed out loud at Clara’s little half-scoot-half-slide things she did at the end of the video! Too stinkin’ cute!
Van says
you were really lucky… we usually get a little short of inches when buying things because they look like they would work in the space without the measurements…
good luck with the knobs hunting…
my honest answer says
Great amount of storage in there, and it fits in the corner perfectly!
Just wondering – do you have a nice view out of the window in front of your desks? I thought it might look nice to have the sofa on that wall and your desks under the front window, but I thought there was perhaps a reason you chose to do it that way round.
Anyway, it’s coming along nicely.
Also, did you see Katie’s ORB light fixture? LOVE.
YoungHouseLove says
We’ve tried it a few different ways in the past and actually plan to try our hand at more furniture rearranging in there soon! The view out the side window is of bushes and trees as is the one out the front, but the front one is brighter since there’s less of an awning (the side one is through the carport). Oh and as for Katie’s fixture. Yes. Amaaaaaazing! So in love.
xo,
s
Heather W says
Have to share this is too funny! I saw Katie’s post this morning regarding the light fixture and thought how lucky she got to find for $10 and it looks so good and would love to find one similiar etc. etc. So, as I am going down my my stairs I look up and realize I have the exact light fixture hanging over my landing! (it was there when we bought the house and I have been wanting to change forever but lights are expensive that size) I know exactly what to do and already have my can of ORB and will save a ton of money!!! I still can’t believe it.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- I love that! You have to do it now! It was meant to be!
xo,
s
Heather W. says
I know right! I can’t believe I have a complete tutorial to use to do it too. Wow, it must be my lucky day! I will be pinning it for sure.
Veronika says
Oh wow! Love the Clara video! Sorry it totally outshines the new Effektiv situation! lol
She grows so fast! Lot’s of love for Clara!
xo,
veronica
Cheryl M says
LOL ….. you had me for about a second with the string! I thought oh God they’ve lost it!!
Hope you find some awesome knobs/handles to take it from Ikey to I Likey!
and yeah putting holes in new furniture freaks me out too!!
Karrie says
Oh jeez, I thought you were serious about the string!! It’s early, and I need more coffee, but I thought , oh god, really?? really?? string?
Amy says
I like it but it looks like it blocks a vent. If you have a secret for getting around vents I’d like to hear it because they are the bane of my furniture arranging existence.
YoungHouseLove says
Luckily that vent has those angled registers so the air gets directed out at an angle that allows it to flow right out the side and into the room. There’s also about a 4″ gap there, even though it looks a lot smaller in pics due to shadows. So far it’s great and we can feel the air easily coming out (so it’s not getting trapped or anything). So grateful! Otherwise we’d just close that register because there are a few others in the room.
xo,
s
Taylor @ TheProposalEnthusiast says
That is a very cool piece. I will definitely need it in my future home office! Going to go check it out on ikea.com now!
annabelvita says
I currently have all my files in an old wooden toy chest. I love the chest but it’s just not working at a file solution anymore – I’ve been looking for a second hand one to jazz up nicely but maybe I should check out Ikea.
Do we get to see the finished product with the doors and drawer open?
YoungHouseLove says
Of course! Once we get those handles we’ll share the full monty. Haha.
xo,
s
ALittleBite says
I actually liked the knobs from the showroom, but something Anthropologie-ish sounds great!
Sara says
Ikea is the best! What do you guys have written up on that mirror though? Do you just use it as a dry erase board?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, here’s that info: https://www.younghouselove.com/two-to-do-lists/
xo,
s
Nancy says
I love your blog! Quick question, what kind of tool kit does Clara have?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s a new one we got from Ikea when we got our shoe cabinets. It’s full of fabric tools (hammer, saw, tape measure) and even comes with a tool belt. I think it was $6 or less. She loves it! We also got a fabric animal set (she loves the goat for some reason). Haha.
xo,
s
Amy says
I’m the one who told you about that over at Baby Center. I’m so glad Clara likes it! My 20-month-old adores his.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Amy! She loves it!
xo,
s
Annie says
the “place that rhymes with Schlobby Bobby” line made me chuckle out loud.
Sarah Johnson says
I have a completely, way off topic question: I try to be green and save paintbrushes, but I can never get them clean enough to work again! Any suggestions? Am I just not trying hard enough with soapy water?
YoungHouseLove says
I usually wash my brushes for five minutes straight or so. Until the water runs clear. So that would be my first tip. No-VOC paint seems to be milder which also helps my brushes look good. Oh and if you’re using oil-based paint soap and water won’t do it, so mineral spirits are the way to go. When everything totally clean I lay it flat to dry on a folded paper towel. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amanda- Hip House Girl says
One more tip- if you use a wire brush, it helps to get some of the paint off that’s already dried higher up in the brush. Just brush with the direction of the bristles under running water. And yeah, it takes a lot of water to get a brush clean, but it’s probably still “greener” than just replacing brushes every time.
YoungHouseLove says
Smart!
xo,
s
Caitlin Wallace says
I’ve never tried it before, but I saw this a couple weeks ago on Little Green Notebook: http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-to-reupholster-chair-part-2.html
She suggests soaking the brushes in warmed vinegar to clean them.
-Caitlin
YoungHouseLove says
Another great tip!
xo,
s
Jenn says
I saw this and came right over to share (Sherry, I’m lookin’ at you) :)
http://www.thesweetestoccasion.com/2011/08/diy-party-animal-candles/
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my goodness, of course I’m in love.
xo,
s
Teresa says
oh that is SO cool… wonder how the spray paint is though with food..? any clue how to make that food safe?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, there are some non-toxic sealants (like Safecoat Acrylacq) that might work? Anyone know?
xo,
s
Amanda @ Our Humble A{Bowe}d says
We built my office storage because we knew we wouldn’t be able to find something we liked. I understand your concerns about drilling holes into furniture, too, but I have a tip: make a paper template like I did here: http://ourhumbleabowed.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/a-nearly-finished-office/
YoungHouseLove says
Love it! I think that’s John’s plan too. It helps him manage his putting-holes-in-new-furniture anxiety. Haha.
xo,
s
Megan says
Hey, did you guys see this post from Elements of Style, these are a great idea to buy or even DIY, could be a nice treatment for this :) or I think wallpaper would be super-cool too!
http://www.elementsofstyleblog.com/2011/08/from-the-genius-files.html
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, we’ve seen those and love them! They’re definitely an option once the room starts to come together and we decide how much pattern/texture/color we want on the cabinet!
xo,
s
Allison says
I was thinking of this same idea but couldn’t remember where I had seen it. This would look awesome on the cabinet!
bridget b. says
i think the internet ate my previous comment, but i love these overlays as well. so cool. you guys could probably diy something similar.
Ali says
Very cool organization piece! I think I need something along those lines myself!
Can’t wait to see it once you put in the hanging files! I LOVE hanging files! So easy to find what you need and they feel so professional!
~ Ali
Maureen says
I have gotten A LOT of use out of my Ikea “Antonius” storage. I used to use 2 sets in my closet, for shoes, and one in our linen closet for the towels. Now, we are making an office area and will be using the 2 sets from my closet as a base for a desk, and we will be reusing an old wood door to make a desktop. I am very excited about this project. :)
Katie says
you should buy the knob and handle hanging guides from lowes, they make it easy to get all your knobs level and they are not that expensive (like $3), they are usually available in the knob aisle.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip! We might have to check those out! John’s a fan of making a little paper template, just to manage the anxiety. Haha.
xo,
s
Emily Z says
We have the hanging guides for knobs and handles and my boyfriend liked being able to use them. Took a lot of stress out of drilling holes into our furniture and cabinets.
joyjoy says
We used one of those guides when we added handles to our kitchen cabinets. I was a little freaked out because we had so many cabinets to drill with no point of reference (there were no knobs at all, so we didn’t even have a single knob for reference), but the hanging guide made it all quick, easy and even!
Jennifer says
I am totally intimidated to drill into new pristine furniture! We recently got new kitchen cabinets that were pull-less for way too long because I practically had panic attacks over the thought of messing it up and making a hole in the wrong place. Finally my husband has more courage than I do so he put the pulls on and it looks so much better (and is definitely more functional!).
Elisa says
Spray paint everything ORB and you’re done! Bam!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- did you see Katie Bower’s awesome ORB light? I love it!
xo,
s
JennyB says
I just hopped over to Katie’s blog…I’m in LOVE with that light!! It’s looks so terrific. I’m in the process of ORBing all of my 80’s brassy door knobs and light switches. I want to replace the dining room light fixture which is also 80’s brass…maybe I’ll ORB it instead!
Elisa says
Oooh no I haven’t. Off to check it out…
We’ve already got a bunch of ORB stuff in the house and I’m totally on the crazy tra— eer, ORB train.
Naomi says
We’re looking for a desk and office storage for our new-to-us house and haven’t had any luck yet, although sadly we live at least a 7 hour drive from the nearest Ikea :(
Annnnnd I got my husband to look at desks online and tell me if he saw anything he liked, he comes up with a $900 option….so we continue our search.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, I feel your pain! It felt like we’d never find something! Fingers crossed for you!
xo,
s
Donita says
FORGET THE CABINET!!!! Oh my, CLARA is so stinking cute. She is so smart and talks to well. OK can you tell I am a Grammy. LOL She melts my heart. What a doll.
Love the cabinet too, can’t wait to see which pulls you choose.
Chloe says
The drawers look great. Clara is so cute! I love her Tarzan-esque shuffle at the end.
SingleMama says
Looks good! Power tools intimidate me too much…I have benn known to bribe people with pizza and/or beer to help me with anything involving power tools.
Blair says
That piece is perfect! Got to love ikea. My problem hasn’t been my office area but instead my tiny kitchen and lack of space to store dishes. I have this weird bowling alley type hallway in my place that’s larger than normal but too small for any deep shelving. I ended up using a dvd cabinet to store extra small dishes and random bits. It’s just big enough to store some bowls, which I apparently have too many of. http://thefirstapartment.blogspot.com/2011/02/50-dollar-fix-kitchen-hallway.html The only problem is I keep buying more dishes!
~Blair
Staci @ My Friend Staci says
I was intrigued by the leather strap solution here (picture snagged from Emily Henderson’s Blog). Totally not crazy about it in the kitchen, TOO MANY handles for this out-there idea, but would look great on something like this with a limited number of handles, to counter-balance the glossy white!
http://www.stylebyemilyhenderson.com/storage/HSTAR605_R1-Custom-Door-Handles_s3x4_lg.jpg
YoungHouseLove says
I really liked that too! Like a lot! Definitely something I tossed out there. John may or may not have been more skeptical. Men!
xo,
s
Marchelle says
I have a large sooo heavy dresser with the plainest knobs ever. I found great knobs at Anthropolgie. I bought ones that didn’t match (matchie-matchie = bad) to add interest. And they were about $7 a piece. Not a big DIY’er so that may not be a great deal after all. :)
JennyB says
I love the idea of wallpapering or stenciling the front of the cabinet, once you get a color-scheme figured out…something light and leafy like your curtains in the family room? I like that it looks like furniture and not so officy(?) Good luck with the knobs (that’s what she said).
Love Clara’s expressions! Cutie-patootie.
Samantha says
I’m recent to your blog (and loving it). My husband & I just moved to Chester in November (from the VA/NC line). And I was hoping you don’t mind sharing what your favorite thrift places are in the Richmond area???
YoungHouseLove says
Here’s a post all about that: https://www.younghouselove.com/five-richmond-top-fives/
Welcome to Richmond! Well, the Richmond area. Haha.
xo,
s
Dina says
We actually just added some Ikea storage ourselves, and are likewise waiting on better looking hardware! Our new kitchen is sadly short on storage, so we fell to gool ‘ol Billy for a pantry. We went with a big bookcase with lower solid doors / benno / skinny book case with glass door combo in white. Coolest part: the phone to our doorman’s desk was right in the middle of the glass door cabinet, so we cut a hole to fit it. Now we open the door to answer when the doorman calls and it feels like some whacky version of the bat phone! We love it! This weekend begins the knob search, right after we get some fabric in the back of Billy to add some color.
Celia says
We’ve been looking for cheap office storage too! I couldn’t believe how expensive new filing cabinets were either, and the options in thrift stores were pretty bad here too. I work in an old house-turned-office building that has lots of used furniture, so I asked if I could buy any of the filing cabinets not being used. They gave us a 4-drawer beast (seriously, this thing weighs a ton, even with all the drawers removed) that had lived in the basement for free! Unfortunately, it floods in the basement so the bottom is pretty rusty. Everything else is in decent shape though, with minimal dents and all the drawers work well. We used a wire brush and vinegar to get as much of the rust off as we could and now we’re painting it red. We’re not sure this will be a long-term solution, but it will work for the time being. And we’ve spent less than $10 on it for the brush and paint, so it won’t be a huge loss if we end up tossing it in the future. Good to know about the Ikea option!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome! You totally scored. And painting it red sounds like so fun!
xo,
s
Janelle says
I think you guys need to share the things you’re hunting for, so your readers can help you. I would have suggested you find an old ugly metal filing cabinet at a yard sale, estate sale, or an office going out of business, and you could do this with it: http://pinterest.com/pin/99331284/
YoungHouseLove says
We love that idea! Alas, even at yard sales, thrift stores, and local office shops we didn’t find a single one that worked that was within our price range!
xo,
s
Debbie says
i have those same file cabinets (in the black/brown & brown/gray finishes) at all three of my homes & i think they work great. granted i dont use any of them on a day to day basis like you might, but i think they are much better than those industrial looking steel ones. more suited to a home office.
Martha says
Nice! We’re struggling right now to find some storage/landing strip furniture for our “entryway,” which consists of walking through the front door into the dining room. It’s difficult to find something that won’t look weird with the chair rail! I’ll have to check out Ikea options. Plus, the O’verlays concept sounds great – thanks for the tip, Megan!
Kerry says
Lol on the string fakeout.
Something I saw today that made me think of you guys, although I am guessing you’ve already seen it.
http://www.thenester.com/2011/08/the-1970s-called-and-wants-its-owl-back.html
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh- I love him. The sheer size is awesome. Haha.
xo,
s
Jenni says
I’m so jealous. My husband works from home and his office is a disaster. I honestly don’t think there’s a way to contain the mess of paperwork, files, books, computers, etc. that he has set up!!
Julie says
I find that we are “Deffektiv” when it comes to following IKEA instructions.
Julie
ilikebeerandbabies.com
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha, sometimes we are too. But the illustrations do (usually) keep us laughing through the madness.
xo,
s
Miranda says
I just used the old “college” listen and then ask questions rule. I had some comments/questions and in the 29 comments preceding mine you answered them already. Soooooo…
1. Love the storage solution
2. The Clara animal noises video made the post:)
3. I hope I can find the tool kit @ Ikea online because my little man would L.O.V.E. it. We have a Vtech tool box and he never puts the wrench down???
Samm Spangler says
I too was on the hunt for a filing cabinet for my home office that wasnt a. hideous and rusted or b. $200… I tried the same places you guys did but struck GOLD on craigslist after about a weekk of looking.
A local Jewish Temple also ran a thrift store (who knew?!) and there, in a corner, for $10 beans was the cutest lil darn 30″ white filing cabinet with a drawer for knick-knacks on top… bead boarding on the side, and the awesomest (yes, its a word) ORB handles… seriously, its like something out of Pottery Barn (although I’m not really sure).
God Bless Craigslist!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, I’m so jealous! What a lucky score! We tried craigslist a few times but they were all those tall skinny ones or just a single guy (searching for two was quite the challenge). Haha.
xo,
s
Erin says
First of all, I love y’alls blog! It’s very inspiring in so many ways. When you talked about looking for filing cabinets secondhand I immediately wanted to tell you about surplus warehouses associated with Universities and even public schools. When I lived in Albuquerque, NM, APS (Abq.Public Schools)had a sale of surplus furniture and even computers and musical instruments, overhead projectors, (anything that they weren’t using anymore) and they always had tons of file cabinets, flat files, desks and even industrial kitchen things, chairs too! Now my husband and I are in NC and UNC at Chapel Hill has a surplus place that is very similar to what was in NM. I got an old wooden file cabinet that I now use as a dresser. Anyhoo, I would look into any of the local school systems or universities in your area to see if they have something similar, that is if you already haven’t looked into that type of resource. I’m looking forward to your next post, as usual! Have a wonderful rest of your day.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the tip Erin!
xo,
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Emily says
We just moved into a BRAND STinkin’ New house 4 months ago. Within the first week (possibly the first day) my husband had drilled into the beautiful new stair banister….why you ask? We got one of those fancy schmancy child gates that stretch across the stairway. Totally happy with our decision, but it was sad and scary to drill into these perfectly new banisters. We care more about our kids than wood though, so it wasn’t even a choice. Ironically, my daughter learned to crawl under it within about 2 months…oops.
stephanie says
Our home office has a window that looks out to the front of the house, so my 15 year old son was just sitting in here with me waiting for his carpool ride to school while your Clara video was on. He made me rewind it about 10 times to see her crawl…he said, awww she is so cute and look how she crawls with one leg. Not only did the video make my day, but seeing him appreciate it was adorable!!!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so cute! The funny thing is that Clara walks nearly 90% of the time, so that crawling footage was a rare catch these days.
xo,
s
Michelle says
Hi! Great video of Clara! :) Two questions: Where did you get your desk? We’re looking to create our own L-shaped desk out of two tables, similar to the one you have. Second question: In our nursery we have espresso colored furniture, white molding and black picture frames. We didn’t know we were having a girl so our colors are green, brown and light blue. I want to spray paint the black frames a nice “sweet pea” pink color. Do you think that will look funky??
YoungHouseLove says
We built our desk with an old door a while back here. And as for your nursery plans, they sound awesome! I say go for it.
xo,
s
Michelle says
Hmmm…maybe I’ll be building some desks!
YoungHouseLove says
Good luck!
xo,
s
Stephanie M. says
Oh my goodness, Clara is beyond adorable! Her crawling technique cracks me up everytime!
Emily says
Clara is so cute!
Between your new shoe cabinet and this filing cabinet, I’m starting to think it’s a good thing that Ikea is so far! I want both pieces! :)
Tracy says
My favorite part of this post: Schlobby Bobby. LOL!