Bedroom Storage Solutions

In a previous post, I mentioned how I needed to de-clutter our bedroom and how I was trying to find a storage solution for the toiletries, perfumes, makeup, etc. that I use on a daily basis.  I wanted a solution that meant they were all easily accessible and could be placed underneath the mirror for when I am getting myself ready in a morning.

One Saturday morning, I spotted a wooden tea trolley outside our local vintage shop and thought that it might just fit the bill.  Later that day I popped back in the car with the intention of buying the trolley I'd seen.  It was priced at £25 which I thought was pretty reasonable.  Whilst checking it out I noticed another tea trolley in the window, being used to display lots of items.  It looked 1950's in style, with some lovely curves, that I had an idea would go well with the mirror in our bedroom.  I asked the price and it was £35 so I bought it, as I preferred it to the other one and it was really quite a nice object, that was a little bit different.

The mirror under which I intend to place it, is one we bought from Ikea many years ago now.   It is made of some sort of plywood and has a curved shelf at the bottom, which currently holds my makeup and other products, but they regularly fall off and into the bin or onto the floor which is very annoying.   The wood finish is quite light and doesn't really go with the oak finish of the rest of the bedroom furniture.  In addition, it has become quite marked over the years and was in need of a spruce up so I decided to paint it.  Here's a picture of the mirror (once painted).

When I got home I decided to try the trolley in the space where I wanted to put it under the mirror and it looked quite nice.  I decided to paint the trolley to match the newly painted mirror with some left over eggshell paint we had.  (Grey, of course).  It is probably sacriledge painting the trolley, as it was teak and what I thought was a 1950's type design (although my partner disagrees and thinks it is earlier), but it had lots of scratches and ring marks on the top which did detract from it.  I proceeded to sand it down and paint it.  Luckily it was a hot day and I could do it outside.  (Our dog does have a grey ear now though!).  I like the effect of it painted.  Here's a picture.

 

As usual, I forgot to take a before photo, as I was keen to get on and transform it.  Now it has been transformed I just need to make a couple of tray cloths to protect the paintwork and find a couple of nice baskets or boxes to put all my toiletries and makeup in tidily and I have another bedroom storage solution completed.

In addition to this solution for makeup and toiletries, I also found some solutions for storing some costume jewellery, namely necklaces and bangles of which I have quite a few.  The solution for necklaces I've had for a while and have been using and it is great for preventing them all getting tangled up.  I don't know what it was originally used for but it is a bit like a kitchen roll holder with nails put in at intervals which you hang your jewellery from.  I like the white porcelain doorknob on the top.  I found it in a charity shop and it is such a useful item.

I also found the solution for the bangles in a charity shop for £1.  It is a kitchen roll holder and I just painted both of them grey (again) and put the jewellery on them.  Here's a picture of them painted up before hanging the jewellery on them

and then afterwards (with jewellery) and in their place on the bedroom shelf.

I find that having jewellery out on display reminds you of what you have and encourages you to use them more often than you might if they were tucked out of sight in a jewellery box.

So, a couple more solutions found and completed, but still a couple yet to work out and a patchwork cushion project to finish and then I'll do a final reveal.  It's taking longer than I thought but I'll get there eventually.