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Quick Tip: Decorate With Necessities

081009-frugaldecorating.jpg Sometimes it can feel as though the extra touches we add to our spaces are really just... well... things. For example, those balls made from grapevine or covered in feathers or jute. They're really just taking up valuable space in most cases...

 
 

Why not try decorating with things you'll actually need later on? In this case it's soap! It's might seem easiest to accomplish in the bathroom, an area where we need multiples of things (cotton swabs, cotton balls) but think about other places, such as a home office with a cup full of freshly sharpened pencils or a jar of pink pearl erasers!

What's your favorite everyday item to display in bulk? Let us know in the comments below!


(Image: too-hectic.com)

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Look!, bathroom, glass, blue, soap, decorating, details, country, jar

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Comments (18)

I agree with decorating with things we already use. Jute balls, figurines and such just means more things to dust and if you're not careful, clutter. I love this glass jar idea, especially with the old school looking soap.

http://www.donkeehouse.com

posted by bitdot on August 10th 2009 at 12:04pm
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That soap in the jar is super cute! I do the same with cotton balls and office supplies. Much more useful than other clutter!

http://www.makemineeclectic.wordpress.com

posted by jessimarie33 on August 10th 2009 at 12:28pm
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I really love how that jar looks. Love the old time design on the soap too.

posted by suzy8track on August 10th 2009 at 12:32pm
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Everything just seems to look better in an old glass jar. I put buttons in mine. Also desk supplies like paperclips, rubber bands, etc.

posted by mirandabee on August 10th 2009 at 12:46pm
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I put all my necessities in glass jars. Everything looks fancy when displayed right! Vintage glassware also makes mundane necessities look important. Pencils, buttons, beads, and teas look especially nice!

http://speckless.etsy.com

posted by speckless on August 10th 2009 at 12:48pm
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I just wonder how many pink pearl erasers I can use in a lifetime.... which would make all the extra ones.... well .... the equivalent of the aforementioned "things", don't you think?
Pencils are another thing, abd in the bathroom I have one jar with exfoliating pads and one with body scrub. Looks nice and will actually be used SOON, because all the things I don't use (in THIS life) are just dust collectors.

posted by prue on August 10th 2009 at 12:50pm
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I like having my kitchen appliances (and I have many) out where I can see them.

Emily

posted by Emily Sneds on August 10th 2009 at 12:54pm
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Dishes and books!

posted by P-nut on August 10th 2009 at 1:06pm
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Cotton balls!

posted by Chelseabees on August 10th 2009 at 1:37pm
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Books, pencils, corks, office supplies, etc. I love glass jars, too. I started making some white paper roses out of coffee filters last night and I'm going to arrange them in a collection of empty Red Stripe bottles to put on a bookshelf. Not really a "functional" collection but I'm hoping it will look cute! And I also leave my cleaning supplies out in a nice arrangement in the laundry room because they're just too darned pretty to keep inside a cabinet!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27118936

posted by mrsjonessoapbox on August 10th 2009 at 1:57pm
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Where did that old-timey Ivory soap come from???

posted by ricestein on August 10th 2009 at 2:21pm
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Bottles of liquor, but probably not bongs (unless you're an undergrad)

posted by jlrmonogram on August 10th 2009 at 2:26pm
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I love this. I shop around for products with elegant packaging- like the Bath & Body Works lotion pictured above (though they don't sell the glass bottles anymore, drat), and toiletries by Boots (sold at Target). If you have to have something out, it might as well look nice!

posted by shockthebourgeois on August 10th 2009 at 2:27pm
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I keep miniature bottles of shampoo and body lotion in chemistry-style glassware.

posted by Eve in Hochelaga on August 10th 2009 at 3:03pm
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We keep tea lights and plain white match boxes in ours. Great idea. Keeps it fresh but functional. Love the vintage soap wrappers too!

http://www.filamentlab.com

posted by mattyork on August 10th 2009 at 3:14pm
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Love the look. Very Cute and Tidy. I literally just bought a bunch of these EXACT jars from target, $7.99. YES!

posted by Honey Child on August 10th 2009 at 5:31pm
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I keep the cat and dog food in these jars on top of the fridge.

posted by CaseyBoot on August 11th 2009 at 7:02am
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I have a wooden bowl full of my daughter's dinosaur collection on my dining room tabletop. We switch them out with the kids' rock collection and sometimes my son's many (many) matchbox cars. It's fun for them and makes a great conversation item when we have guests. (And the inevitable Firefly "This is a good land" re-enactment. We're exposing our children to the best of nerd-dom.)

posted by BlairRose on August 11th 2009 at 9:13am
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