Organized Family Drop Spot!

Oh giddy and happy day! It's like the first day of school, and I have brand-new notebooks and perfectly sharpened pencils. You know that feeling of determination and conviction that washes over you when offered a clean slate? Promises you make to yourself to keep things clean and organized? That's how I'm feeling today with my new Family Drop Spot!

I was so tired of staring at this cluttered mess, and really needed to reclaim the Kitchen counter space.

First step was figuring out where to move it. After reading Emily's post about carving out small unused nooks in your home, I had new eyes for this little corner of the Breakfast Room.

And bonus, it has an outlet!

The next step was consulting the Mother Ship, aka, I Heart Organizing. Jen's blog is a huge source of organizing inspiration and ideas. I think I made the most out of this little corner, without cluttering up the Breakfast Room.

After installing the shelf, covering the memo board and making the charging station (read about those here), I was left with a pesky electrical cord.

But that's nothing a strategically placed plant can't hide. It needs a decorative pot, but that will come later.

The metal wall files are $10 from Ikea, and we already owned the folders. The pencil caddy is an oversized Paris mug my aunt gave me, and the wicker basket is another Ikea gem we already owned.

Martha Stewart's adhesive metal tags (from Staples) add a customized look, and allow me to label each divider for easier filing. And yes, 'crapola' is an official classification.

The shelf is 18"....big enough to hold a few things, but not enough to become a total catch-all.

Even though it's still going to be a bit of a clutter zone, it's only visible from one room.

And everything is fairly flush with the wall, so it's not an impediment to the room or walkway.

Who would have thought a single lonely corner could become such a functional spot. Talk about making something out of nothing! And for $50!

And I got my Kitchen counter back!

Of course clutter will still accumulate in other places, and I'll still forget to return signed papers to school, but hopefully this is a step in the right direction. I'll let you know how this space works out after we actually start using it! (Old habits die hard!)

Have you carved out a functional space from an unused area in your home?

Update: Many of you have been looking for the wall rack and box for charging, and they are now back on the Ikea site. Cable Management Box, Wall Magazine Rack