Thursday, July 28, 2011

The perils of a small house...

I think I've mentioned before, that my house is small. Very, very small. There are certain plus points to this... less to clean, less to heat, and the hubby says it forces us to all get along.  Now, I'm not going to lie... I do idly imagine living in a house with more rooms than I know what to do with. Jeez, I'd be happy to have just one extra bedroom, so the girls don't have to share... but, this is my lot, and so, I have learned to be organized, self controlled, and impartial to what's on the telly!


Every now and then, though, my self-control goes AWOL, takes a little vacation, and I end up purchasing things just because it was a 'too-good-a-deal' to pass up. Any thoughts of where I'm going to put said item evaporate, like the early morning dew on a hot summer's day... and I, my dears, are left with a large (and often) impractical item, with nowhere to put it...


Case in point... my rather large pine dresser... ohhh, how I love this... how it called out to me on craigslist... 'look at my aged patina, and I have an aged key to boot'... 'wouldn't I complete that country kitchen look you covet?'.... 'what? I'm too big? No silly... I'm perfect'... I mean, with a hard sell like that, what was a girl to do? My knees buckled and it came home with me...

As soon, as I positioned it in my doll's house size kitchen, I knew deep down that it was too big, but I pushed this niggling doubt to the far reaches of my mind... then, the hubby came home and gave me a slap round the face to bring me back to my senses (not literally, of course)... He looked at the offending item and declared that it looked like a NBA basketball player in a room filled with 'regular'-sized folk!
He was right... humph! Curse this small house *looking at the sky, clenching fists, and shaking them in a curse-like manner *...


But, what to do? It was here. Paid for, and it gave me storage up the wazoo... so after lots of faffing and titivating, we came to a compromise... the hutch part now resides in our basement (the graveyard for all spontanious, impractical purchases) with the old addage that it will get used one day when we open this place up.  Meanwhile, I still get the benefit of the extra storage from the dresser... so, not a total washout then...


So you ask me, has my lesson been learned?? Have I recognized that there is only so much you can fit into a two bedroom cape? Of course not! Only the other week I picked up a vintage milk crate... a steal... and perfect to store something in... I just need to find somewhere to put it... ahhh, the perils of a small house...
Hope you're all having a great week!
Lx

16 comments:

  1. Yes, it is a challenge. I lived in a tiny house for 2 1/2 years. Now I am in a smallish apartment and it feels huge.

    I'd still buy the pieces I love, too.

    Fondly,
    Glenda

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  2. Oh, Laura. You are such a gorgeous girl, always bringing a smile to my face. I think you have a fabulous eye for such finds. And that milk bottle is heavenly - I would love one in blue! J x

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  3. I too live in a very small house - a seaside terrace - luckily with a big garden. I share your sorrow on the "where to put more stuff?" front! Now following your lovely blog xxx

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  4. hi gorgeous sweet friend...can i just say- if i lived in a shoe box i would have bought that crate...and the dresser...and the kitchen table...

    if it strikes a chord and makes you heart beat faster then it should go home with you!

    some woman say beauty is pain- i'm with you...fitting all the house stuff in we love is a pain...but so worth it!

    i have so missed being here!!

    melissa xx

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  5. i did enjoy that post! I can quite see why you post that chest. It's beautiful and the size it is now seems to fit just perfectly in that space in your kitchen! I am fortunate enough to have quite a large house now, but it's amazing how you fill every corner!!

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  6. I love that dresser, it looks good in the spot you have found. And that milk crete is to die for.

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  7. I think your cabinet without the hutch part looks fantastic - I like the way the wood compliments the wood in your kitchen benches and it's great that you have some more storage. Enjoy your weekend x

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  8. It would have been a crime not to purchase such a lovely piece. It looks lovely and one day I'm sure you will have space to use the whole dresser x x

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  9. I love that piece - it looks perfect in your kitchen! I bet the extra storage comes in quite handy too. I have a small house as well, and I have the same issue. I have to control my impulses, but it is also a convenient excuse to say no when our families try to give us all of the stuff they no longer want. :)

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  10. I so know what you mean but my purchases go in the shed where I go visit it and give it a little stroke ...:) What a shame your dresser was too big, its such a lovely piece of furniture x

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  11. I've just come across your blog and you have had me laughing out loud with this post, I do the same thing. Nowhere to put it, but just get it anyway! In my opinion, if you NEED it, then you can find somewhere to put it! hehe!
    P.S crate and milk bottle are lovely too x
    Gem

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  12. I have to say I would have done the exact same if faced with that beautiful dresser...its gorgeous! I love old wooden furniture and if I fall over them for years, so what? Its worth it to have such a regular feast for the eyes!!

    And yes, probably the milk crate too- crates are always soooo useful, I've three old coke crates....

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  13. I love hearing how people feel about their homes. Thanks so much for sharing this, I really enjoyed it.

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  14. It is so interesting to read how you struggle with the same luxury problem I have: how to store it all?
    I must say, you make the most of it. Such nice pictures. I will be back here, for a cup of my finest tea...

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  15. Personally, I like the milk bottle sitting next to the crate. My husband was a milk man early in our marriage and I wish I had a milk bottle from those early days when we too lived in a very small duplex. I think that antique dresser looks fashionably functional in the spot you put it!

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  16. Ha! I have a tiny two bedroom cottage as well and I always hesitate for days before buying a piece of furniture on Le Bon Coin (kind of the French Craig's list)... Ususally until it's sold to someone else! Right now I'm wondering if I'm not going to get rid of one of the doors in the kitchen, just to have room for the fridge!!! By the way, I would have bought that pine dresser, too, it's too cute to let it go to soemeone else!

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