Ever since I decided my bed was too big / bulky / not right for the size of my bedroom and put the mattress + box spring on the floor, I’ve yearned for a headboard. Something. Anything. To spruce up having a mattress on the floor. To give me something other than the wall to lean against while reading. To make me feel like an adult instead of a 20-something not-quite-adult with a mattress on the floor.

Well. The time for the ultimate dream DIY headboard is not here yet, and I think it may be quite awhile before that time actually arrives. Luckily for me, there are a bunch of non-insane, non-complicated, easy ideas to try without committing to an extensive project or needing a jigsaw and other messy [but super cool] man-tools.

So, welcome to my new bedroom! Recognize those maps? They used to live downstairs. I moved them. Obviously. [Super secret + fun project underway for replacing them.] No idea why the lampshade looks wonky, but I swear it was straight to the naked eye. Camera tricks!

I really love the new additions to the room, and I finally unwrapped some large euro-shams from Ikea and wrapped them in plain white cases. I have plans for those cases to spruce them up but it’s low on the list and they work fine as-is.

Let’s have a photo-happy tour and be sure to check out my source list at the end if you spy something you love!

I love the way the pillow cases are the exact coloring of the lamp shade. It works so well with the maps, too!

Favorite new hipster shoes. Got them at DSW so not sure if that makes them not hipster, but they are the most comfortable things ever. Worn them non-stop since purchasing.

A few weeks ago, I did a post on my vanity and the DREAM necklace display. The room is actually quite small, and I strategically did not photograph what you are seeing now because it was gross. Supremely improved, I think!

Got some questions from last week’s post on my awesome new planners about my gorgeous phone case – I found it a long time ago on Design Sponge and finally got around to buying one. Snagged on Society 6, it’s “Meadows” by Jenny Vorwaller. Her whole collection is beautiful and there are tons of fun cases on Society 6 – it’s a black hole time waster, so be careful.

This next photo is super boring but it perfectly shows what color the walls are painted, and also demonstrates a non-cute DIY because the light switch in the room doesn’t work. Walking into a dark room before turning on a light is in my top 10 things I despise the most in life, seriously. Too many episodes of Law & Order or something, but I absolutely refuse where possible to walk into a room without first turning the light on. This was my solution, made better by using those awesome vintage filament bulbs (ceiling and pipe made it too low to use a lantern or other covering).

And now, source list! Numbers go in somewhat clockwise order.

1. Black frame with signed matting (from my 25th birthday party) is from Michael’s.
2. Paper lantern from Ikea. Duh.
3. Maps from tiny store in San Francisco, frames from Ikea.
4. Lamp shade was a plain white shade from Target, and was possibly my very first DIY project ever when I recovered with that fabric (no longer sold).
5. Owl lamp from Home Goods.
6. Vintage nightstand I found on Craig’s List. Search using keywords “vintage,” “mid-century,” or sometimes specific decades works.
7. Sweater blanket (favorite thing ever) from Joss & Main.
8. Ruffle duvet cover (sans duvet, in my case, because it’s summertime) from Anthropologie, but no longer sold. I love this and this as alternatives (both are quilts, not duvet covers).
9. Pillow cases from Target’s new Threshold Collection. Euro shams and cases from Ikea.
10. Adorable alarm clock from Ikea
11. Paint color is Valspar Bay Waves.

The end! Which parts do you like? Am I the only one who changes decorations at the drop of a hat? Let’s share our secrets in the comments!

I have a serious thing for things in glass containers. That one aisle in the Container Store of floor to ceiling glass jars and containers is where I go when I need peace and calm. Everything looks better in a glass jar. Glass jars are practical because you can see what’s inside them. Glass is easy to clean. Glass is neutral so it goes with all colors, decor, themes, etc. Glass jars make everything better.

I went to Ikea last weekend during a fun trip to Charlotte and snagged this serving tray from the kitchen section. Previously, all my containers and junk just sat on the counter, and I’ve always felt they needed something to unite them. And boom. Kind of in love with this tray. AND it’s dishwasher safe! What! Guess what else is dishwasher safe? All glass jars everywhere.

Look how nice a glass container makes a bunch of tweezers and children’s scissors look:

And even my allergy meds in the fuzzy background look fancy. It’s like a magical glass property. I also love that everything has a spot to live. I read somewhere recently something like – where does your fork go? Your fork has a home. Everything should have a home. I didn’t put that in quotes because I can’t remember what the quote was or where I read it but I totally agree. Need a home for a stack of pretty [new] [awesome] hair ties? Glass jar.

Q-tips? Glass jar. Cotton balls? Glass jar.

So. I think there are two lessons here: 1. Trays are awesome and made for more than serving food. Grab one cheap at Target like this one or this one or this one (I love you, Nate Berkus!). 2. Glass jars and containers are fantastic storage devices. Personal hygiene items, food, flowers, craft materials, office supplies, clothing, paper, pine cones, mail, diapers. I think that list is random enough that you get the idea. Haha.

What are YOUR favorite storage and prettifying things? Anyone else in love with Nate Berkus? Let’s dish in the comments!

Remember when I moved my desk? And then didn’t share what the old desk spot had been turned into? Cruel. Well, I didn’t share because I couldn’t decide what to do with it, and until this week it was a mess of random chairs, vases, a pile of things for Goodwill, and basically became a crash spot for junk. It took a while, but an idea finally came to me. So, voila.

That black mirror has been sitting around this place since I moved in, and i couldn’t figure out where I wanted it until now. Also, a booboo after removing old things from the wall in that spot caused serious paint chippage that needed covering. Perfect. The patterned art are fabric-wrapped canvases, which were also in storage waiting to be used. I had previously experimented with other DIY art ideas on canvas, none of which pleased me enough to hang. A used canvas never needs to be tossed when you can simply cover it with something pretty! Fabric snagged at my favorite warehouse outlet in Burlington for $10/yard.

This might be my favorite innovation that came of this rearrangement. Those little white hooks can go anywhere, and since this is an old piece of furniture that I will probably sand and repaint someday, I didn’t feel bad putting holes in for function’s sake. Also, go Bulls!

These are Grandad’s cameras from way back in the day. They’re pretty awesome, though I have no idea how to use them (is that sad? I can’t decide). Either way, I think they look cool on display instead of rusting in a closet somewhere.

The place where the table used to sit is now occupied by these ladies:

That chair is anxiously awaiting a reupholster, and in the mean time is jazzed up by some zebra print and non-matching ottoman. This spot is definitely a work in progress because it’s a little bare for my taste, and the maroon fabric obviously goes with zero things in this whole place (except maybe my VT diploma!). I think some part of me wanted it to go in this prominent spot so I will see it all the time every day and the urge to tackle the reupholstery project will become something I just can’t resist. It’s going to be hard, so, I put it off a lot and think of it as something I will do in the vague future. Haha. But it needs to be done.

So, there you have it. I love that this place is so flexible that I can move so many things around so much and make it feel new. It’s good to get re-energized and re-fall in love with treasured items and one’s home.

What have you rearranged or re-purposed recently? Let’s see it in the comments!