I’ve been embarrassed to admit that I have no wall art on my unpainted walls that have been screaming for color—“PAINT ME!” I guess I have a hard time deciding on something that I want to look at every day and, because I change my mind so often, I haven’t come up with anything that appeals to me. I know my plan was to stick to neutral tones so that I could add bright combinations of accessories, like pillows! So I finally broke down and hung a set of shelves. I chose a narrow wall surrounded by windows in my living room. They are the main focal point of the room and one of the first things that catches your eye when you walk in the front door.

I experimented with displaying different trinkets and picture frames on the shelves, but nothing seemed to work. There was no balance. No chi. Until one day an idea came to me as I was walking through the aisles of my favorite second-hand store. I noticed that there were an obscene amount of unappreciated glass containers of all different shapes, sizes, and colors. And at fifty cents to $2 a piece, they were a steal! They seemed to look a lot more fascinating to me in clusters. So I picked out a variety of clear glass pieces that worked well as a group and decided that my theme would be natural objects. I used a combination of things that I found outside along with a bag of potpourri. I added plants, candles, shells, rocks and voila! Wall art! Amount spent on glass containers, $23. Next challenge? Paint!

NOTE: Be sure to use a wall anchor that accommodates the amount of weight your shelves will hold. Read this online article about Choosing and Installing Wall Anchors to help you decide.

I finally took the time to find a solution to how my cats can sit by an open window (now that it’s winter of course). Cardboard boxes just weren’t cutting it anymore, so I decided to upgrade to a pair of affordable bookcases that I found at Ikea.

I love Ikea, but there needs to be an easier way for a single girl like myself to pick up furniture. It would have been a lot easier if I could have just ordered the bookcases online so that they were waiting for me when I got there. I even called ahead of time to rule this out as an option because I just couldn’t believe it wasn’t offered. They do offer furniture delivery, but that would only work with large orders. When I got there the store was extremely crowded. I had to fight my way through all the gaukers to get to what I came for. Fortunately, the associates were very helpful at loading the boxes onto the cart for me, but with my luck the cart that I was given was very uncooperative. I was now stuck with this broken cart! Not only did all four wheels turn, but my cart kept veering a hard left. So instead of going straight, I had to constantly go in CIRCLES in order to successfully travel in the direction that I wanted to go in. I must have looked so ridiculous, and I realized the next day that I had strained my back, but I did it!

Please note, Ikea furniture does not come pre-assembled. When I got home, I had to take the slats of wood out of the boxes and carry them up three flights of stairs, piece by piece. That was not pleasant, and every time I set the pile down to open the door, my next-door neighbor (the one I still haven’t met) would yell at me through his closed and unwelcoming door. And once I got them all inside, I had to assemble them. That part was fun and easy in my opinion! The directions were very easy to follow, and I got them up in time for the first snowstorm of the season! Of course, I couldn’t keep the windows open, but I can tell that my cats appreciate their new window perch.

When I have company, I replace the cushions with magazines, candles, and plants. They frame the room nicely and allow me to put my trinkets on display.

Although Ikea was not a pleasant experience, I consider this a mission accomplished!