NIGHT STAND SHELVES

Hello from my lunch break, which I am spending at my desk eating a very boring salad, like I do most days. (Just when you thought my work was all exciting.) Anyway, I snapped this crummy photo on my way out the door this morning. Sorry (Veronica!) that this is yet another photo of a tiny corner instead of a full room. Ez installed the night stand shelves in our bedroom last night, and they're so convenient! Especially compared to our previous solution of throwing everything on the floor next to the bed and grumbling when we couldn't reach it. Now I can have my tissues, eye drops and phone within arm's reach, which is dangerous because I already have trouble getting out of this glorious bed every morning. 

The shelves are 14" long stained pine planks, supported by these brackets from Signature Hardware. Installing them was a slightly more annoying process than it should've been thanks to the placement of the outlets underneath, but Ez was persistent and I was sympathetic. (Note: I was cleaning the bathroom at the time of installation and I held the level for him twice, lest you think I'm a non-contributor.) 

If we estimate the cost of each shelf at a maximum of $25 (brackets, wood, stain, poly, etc.), and add in the $100 cost of Ez's homemade headboard, we have a pretty nice budget-friendly setup here for maybe $150. (The walls lamps are listed at $99 each at HomeDecorators.com, but I rarely buy anything online without a discount code...) One of the best parts is I don't have to dust and mop under and around any table legs, which makes me happy. 

I've probably said this before, but it feels so nice to finally begin to settle into our own home. I really don't need a lot of stuff to be content, but I really appreciate convenience and functionality -- especially after such a long period of construction and upheaval. Though it's cheap and simple, this little shelf does a surprising amount to make me feel at home.