When I was reorganizing our desk area I realized I really hated the pen/paper clip/etc organizer we have. It’s ugly and it’s designed poorly, so that I only use half of it and even if it were full of stuff it would be a waste of space. I was contemplating a future project at the same time, our dining room shelves, which have my tiki stuff, goblets, and lots of other decorative dishes and realized nobody can really see my collection because it’s displayed so poorly. All of a sudden it hit me—why don’t I make some of my collections do double duty? I can use some of the pieces to organize stuff, and they’ll be out where I can see them and enjoy them. Just because it’s a collection doesn’t mean it has to be all lined up or crowded together and just looked at. Collections are meant to be loved and enjoyed!
So I decided to try to find functional uses for my collections. My tiki mugs ended up holding desk items. I have a cool tiki pepper shaker that I had to think long and hard to find a function for, and I finally came up with the idea of putting wires into the holes and making it into a photo holder (I haven't done this yet). My goblets and candy dishes will end up getting displayed in the bathroom with soaps, bath salts, toiletries, etc in them. Some may go on top of my dresser in our bedroom and hold some of my jewelry. To keep small things from getting dusty I might cut clear acrylic plastic to fit just inside the goblets, punch two holes in it, and make a ribbon handle. I also have seen some cool projects on Pinterest where a candle holder is glued to the bottom of a tray and made into a cake stand or a raised shelf. I would love to try that with one of my goblets, possibly.
Some other ideas for making your collection serve a function:
Books: make into shelves to hold light-weight knick-knacks
http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/home-improvement/create-book-shelves-00000000035586/index.html
Containers—pitchers, dishes, tins, glassware, bakeware, lunch boxes, soap dishes, salt and pepper shakers, baskets:
Small containers can hold small craft items like beads, glitter, brads and other small scrapbooking accessories; and small desk items like paperclips or pushpins, matches, toothpicks, q-tips, keys, coins, post-its, marbles, dice, barrettes, earrings, rings, postage stamps, batteries, magnets, business cards, chapstick, flowers,
Medium-sized containers can hold pens, scissors, and other desk items; soaps, salts, and other bath items; and jewelry, paint brushes, colored pencils, markers, small notepads, rubber stamps and ink pads, chip clips, hair accessories, toiletries, dishwashing sponges and brushes, tealights, incense, extra desk supplies like tape and staples, hole punches, scrapbooking scissors, cake decorating supplies, tools, batteries, seed packets, coupons, hold smaller collections, sewing kit, makeup, nail polish, perfume, hand lotion, flowers,
Large containers can hold cooking utensils, toilet brush, plunger, extra toilet paper rolls, beading projects, toiletries, first aid kit, medicines, envelopes, tealights (to use or for extra storage), tools, massage oils in bedroom, hold multiple small vases or candleholders, wrapping paper, ribbons, garden tools, take-out menus, cleaning supplies, dusters, umbrellas, hold smaller collections like shells or buttons, flowers, fruit,
Small vases or vases with multiple small holes can be used as toothbrush holders.
Make photo holders out of salt and pepper shakers (like I described above-- I will post a pic when I get around to making it).
Make magnets out of brooches, dice, bottle caps, seashells, or rocks.
Make jewelry out of seashells, keys, postage stamps, etc.
Put drawer pulls or doorknobs on a board and make a coat rack or jewelry holder.
Make a cake holder/ raised shelf by attaching a plate or round cake pan to a candle holder or stemmed glass.
Creative display ideas:
Make a kaleidoscope or search and find desk toy with small treasures like beads, marbles, buttons, etc.
Frame and hang flat things like stamps, postcards, comic books, baseball cards, etc.
Make a mosaic with bottle caps, seashells, rocks, buttons, etc.
Put a collection on top of a table and top it with a glass table top—flat things like stamps, postcards, comic books, baseball cards, or small things like seashells, bottle caps, rocks, buttons, etc.
String a garland or make a mobile out of seashells, colored glass bottles, antique keys, cookie cutters, etc.
Install backless shelves in front of a window and put colored glass items on them.
Make a chess or checkers set by making a game board and putting salt and pepper shakers, rocks, seashells, buttons, etc. on as pieces.
Make a vignette in a shadow box with doll house miniatures.
Make a wreath with vintage jewelry.
Hang plates on the wall.
Make garden art with old dishes/glassware, etc.
For collections that really just have to be displayed on a shelf (figurines, etc), you can hang wall shelves or put built-in shelves in out-of-the-way places like on a wall a few inches below the ceiling, in a corner that doesn't work for hanging pictures, etc. You can also use the few inches on a bookshelf in front of your books or the space above your kitchen cabinets (I put old phone books and magazines up there to raise stuff up a bit so you can see it over the lip).
Now, what you've all been waiting for..... my desk project! I haven't finished it-- I want to get a nice tray for copy paper, I want to paint the tin a pretty color, and I plan to make a mail holder out of a cereal box covered with scrapbook paper. I also am planning to hang a wall shelf to give me a little extra space. It's so nice to have our laptop on the desk instead of hunching over the little file cabinet, and I love having my tiki mugs and other knick-knacky things right where I can see and enjoy them.
I will sign off with a funny quote I found on Pinterest (can you tell I love Pinterest?)
"You never know what you have until...
you clean your room." - unknown
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