the first: 59 // IKEA and our mornings
This fall marked a change in our mornings: Harlow began preschool two days a week! She loves it, which makes me love it — even though I miss her like crazy during those 3 hours! — but what I don’t love is the cold in the mornings. Whoosh. Anyone else ready for Spring?
I digress.
IKEA challenged me to find one item, $50 or less, that would help make our mornings run smoothly. I chose this wall shelf from the PS 2014 collection! You might have seen a glimpse of it in my post about the new artwork for my entryway! This little corner of our home is seriously becoming a favorite of mine!
This shelf has seriously helped in SO many ways in the morning — and any other time we are rushing out of the house! Let me show you how!
It’s trim and hugs the wall, so it’s the perfect shelf for an entryway or small space — yet still has quite a bit of storage space for being so small!
Starting at the top!
I use the hooks on the shelf to hang up my wraps, slings and other items that I need as we are walking out the front door. We typically leave from the front door for walks to the library or taking Wyler out, so an umbrella and his leash are key! The adorable buffalo plaid cowls are from this adorable shop.
I leave the top shelf open for Harlow’s little trinkets and treasures. She loves having a little spot to put crafts or special stones she finds on our walks! On the next shelf, I keep a basket with Jones’s hats. He’s a hat hoarder…not sure where he gets that from at all. ;)
Below that are Harlow’s allowance jars! She gets to count our her savings, spending and tithe month the first weekend of every month. She’s so excited to take some spending money to Target to buy “STITTERS!” Stickers :)
On the next shelf, we keep one of Harlow’s snack bags for school — I always keep one there in case I forget to pack one and we are in a hurry! That way there is always one I can grab in a hurry. I also keep one of her mason bar company tumblers there, so she can take it with to the library or on a walk. She keeps an old coin purse of mine there for “all her dollars.” Her words, not mine. :)
This next shelf has been the BIGGEST time saver for us! We live in a very vertical home — with wood steps. We don’t typically wear socks because it’s just too slippery! But of course in the winter, we would find ourselves bounding up the steps with negative 2 minutes to spare as we scrambled to grab socks for the family. Now when I’m folding laundry, Harlow’s socks come back downstairs and into this basket! It has made getting out the door for school SO much easier and less stressful! She picks out a pair and no dashing up the stairs to the third floor needs to happen at all!
Below that? A few pairs of shoes! Since Jones’s arrival, we’ve been parking in front and using this door a lot more! Keeping a few pairs of shoes up here also helps in that “no stairs to dash up or down while we are trying to leave” scenario. :)
We had a little bit of fun taking these photos — can you tell?!? So tell me:
What are your tips and tricks to getting out the door? I am ALL ears!
