We’ve been in our house for exactly one month now (crazy!), and while it’s very much still a work in progress, we’re feeling settled!! Boxes are all unpacked (and the empty ones are no longer hanging out on our front porch!) and we’re finding our rhythm.
I’m not in any rush to finish anything; I want to be intentional about every single thing that comes through our door and make sure it has a purpose and a place, and that I really really love it, so I’m taking my time.
That said, there have been so many small little things I’ve needed and hadn’t thought about, like wastebaskets in all of our bathrooms, and baskets for storage in general. I feel like one thing you don’t realize until you move into a new space, is the importance, and sheer number, of little baskets, especially if you’re trying to minimize visual clutter, which I think is all of us? Toys, blankets, shoes, random cords, extra towels etc. from being everywhere at once. I’ve found that attractive looking baskets are the easiest way to keep everyday life looking a little more organized.
The transition to a house with two floors and two under two is reallyyy something people don’t talk about enough. How am I supposed to get up and down the stairs with a baby, a toddler hand, two water bottles and a phone? Haven’t figured this out yet, but a catchall basket at the bottom of the stairs does help. I toss anything that needs to make its way upstairs into it throughout the day, and bring the basket up when I eventually have a free hand (rare).
I also like using vintage baskets, or these from Etsy to hide kid related things around the house. Keeping the baskets themselves decidedly non-kid-looking makes it feel a little less like there are toys everywhere, even when there are, in fact, toys everywhere. In our main living spaces, I like something that blends in with the rest of the house.
Right now, we have an oversized vintage basket next to the front door for our most worn shoes so they’re easy to grab on the way out, but I’m very open to other suggestions of how to practically and discretely store shoes by the front door.
Some of my all time favorite baskets are the nesting trio from Rose Uniacke. I’ve gotten so many questions about them over the years, and I’m constantly finding new uses for them. They’re great for storing blankets or towels, and I use one as a laundry basket in our bathroom.
Speaking of, I recently bought some wastebaskets from Roan Iris, which is also a great source for little kitchen accessories. I just got these trays and racks to place our hand/dish soap on. Another one of those small things I hadn’t given much thought to, until suddenly I needed one next to every sink. Another site I love for things like this, June Home Supply.
Alsoo Zara Home has an incredible selection of baskets in basically every shape and size. I’ve found myself looking there more and more for specific, not particularly exciting things you suddenly realize you need when you’re outfitting a home.
I’ve always admired Scully and Scully’s fabric wastebaskets, and they have so many beautiful patterns to choose from. I especially love the Verdure Royale tapestry one. It’s also a very good way to get a touch of the tapestry feel at a noncommittal price point.
I shared this on Instagram last week, but a few years back I ordered this table and draped fabric over it, and brought it back for the time being. You can easily recreate this in any size and fabric.
Another thing that has made it through many different homes with me: vintage wood stools. I always find a place for them, and they’re always useful for something. As a little side table, next to a bath, or as a quick place to sit. Highly recommend.
Recent Purchases:
Pool towels were harder to find than I expected. We have one singular towel from the Belmond in Mallorca that somehow made its way into our suitcase... The towel is an incredible shade of blue with LA RESIDENCIA blind embossed along the bottom. One day we’ll have custom embossed pool towels with our name on them, but for now I opted for something more readily available and classic. I went for this ivory/flax stripe and am very happy with them.
Another basket, this one to keep the towels ^ in by the pool.
Provence outdoor dining furniture, extremely excited about this, particularly the dark green cushions.
I had been looking for the best way to store important papers, and I immediately ordered this filing folder once I came across it.
To say I’ve been beyond overwhelmed with decision fatigue and the endless options for literally… everything, would be an understatement. I went back and forth on a toaster and cookware set for way longer than I’d like to admit, and I finally forbid myself from spending one more second on the decision. I went the affordable route on both and got this toaster and this pant set. The Smeg toaster obviously looks great but costs have to be cut somewhere, and I decided an ~$100 purchase was the place to do this?
On the note of recent acquisitions around the home, introducing, our fancy double stroller. Pushing this around is what I imagine driving a school bus might feel like…if that school bus glided effortlessly, fit through all standard doorways and came in a beautiful shade of cocoa brown.
Inspiration
There are many reasons I love an afternoon at Spencer’s, one of them being the overall ambiance, and another being the abundance of inspiration. I love that the space feels warm and inviting, interesting but not too out there.
I’ve also found myself revisiting old round ups from the last time I was in home interior mode, like the below.
The house is unfinished, but these small things are what are making it work and feel lived in. We have empty walls and missing furniture, but for now everything has a place, and I’m enjoying figuring out the little things that make our days here easier.
Lots more to come!
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