Pottery-made Toothbrush/Hairbrush Holders and Soap Dishes

We have a toddler and we have to share our bathroom with her. She's very proactive when it comes to brushing her teeth and loves to reach across the counter to grab whatever she can. Keeping the big, fragile, handmade toothbrush/paste holder on the counter quickly became a precarious proposition!

Likewise, we have a matching handmade pottery bar soap holder. I just love it - the colors, the way they swirl - I could design my entire bathroom around these artsy pieces. However, keeping bar soap by the sink with Miss Precocious running around is asking for trouble.

I really want to keep these pieces, but have nowhere to store them. So I repurposed them, if only slightly:

The toothbrush holder:

Pretty self-explanatory, don'cha think?

The toothbrush holder is now a hairbrush and comb holder. It sits on the dresser in the adult bedroom, where only The E.P. and I can reach it. This way I can still enjoy it on a daily basis, and it won't be forgotten when we un-childproof the house in a few years. Look, the lint brush fits nicely in there too!

The soap dish:

Next to our new, easy-clean, unbreakable toothbrush holder is the soap dish -- now in use as a toothpaste tube holder. Here is it in "presentable" form. Often I push it back and rest the tubes against the wall. It may seem rather silly to use it to prop up toothpaste in the corner, but it serves two purposes:

1. She can't reach that far back in the corner. Which is great, because I'd rather that the paste stayed in the tubes.
2. This is the type of sink counter top that collects water when one washes their face or completes other common sink tasks. Water always pools in the corner. 

It's much easier to clean the bottom of the soap dish than to allow the toothpaste tubes to wallow in puddles all day, potentially growing mold or other bacteria. That is just disgusting, and I won't have it if I don't have to.

Have you ever used a toothbrush holder for an alternate purpose? Pencil/pen holder, something else? Share it in the comments!

Eclectic at it's best. Or rather, because it has to be -
I've nowhere else to put this stuff. ;)

Old/Storage Dining Chairs as Kitty Castle!

This idea is perfect for anyone with extra antique chairs, cats, and the desire for people to comment on their home. Trust me, this is a real conversation starter:

The lower chair is NOT resting on the bookcase.
We moved the bookcase there some months after the chairs were placed.

The chair on top is part of on heirloom set on the E.P.'s side, which we hope to have repaired someday. The other chair is inherited from my grandfather and I love it. But our current home is so small, we have no where to store them. We already have a couple chairs lined up along one wall in a corner we never use (under the TV).

I combined my determination to keep these chairs with the cat's need for somewhere to climb and play, and somewhere safe to sleep out of the toddler's reach.

So Resourceful's Guide to Hanging Chairs On the Wall

Technorati claim token

GZD565UJ9VTC 

Resourcefulness at its.... Best? No, that can't be right....

I'll help!  Look, Mommy, I repurposed myself!

About This Blog
This is going to be a how-to blog featuring creative ways to repurpose stuff around the house, turning the space-takers into space-savers. Read this blog for tips and tricks on how to reinvent household items for maximum convenience, even if the results are a bit wacky.

About Me

I'm a re-purposing fiend. I am constantly trying to take what I have and work it into something better. I like to save money, so rather than buy something new, I first look around the house, see what's on hand and create. I also try to find a suitable uses for items I love but no longer need for their original functions. When I have time on my hands, I like nothing better than a creative household project that requires 5 fun trips to the thrift store, because I can make what I need for less than I can buy it.

I currently live with my mom, my Evil Prince, and my toddler in a small 3-bedroom apartment. Being in such a small space has forced me to think with even more invention, and while most of my projects are not suitable for the vast majority of people, they may be useful to some in similar circumstances. At the very least, I hope my projects are amusing - I do some pretty silly stuff on an everyday basis.

Back Story
On of my first dates with the Evil Prince, we were waiting in a long line for hours to see a mega-blockbuster at our favorite movie theater. When it started to rain, and I'd grown tired of carrying my stuff, I rigged a keep-dry rack for our belongings on the railing next to us using my purse strap and an umbrella. "Wow, you're resourceful!" he commented. The thought had never occurred to me. Ten years later, the E.P. is still amused by the clever, smart, and loony solutions I come up with around the house. 

As a kid, I once flipped a shoe box upside down and nailed it to the wall next to my bed. Finally, I had the little wall shelf I'd been wanting for ages! Mom made clear that she was not impressed, but she let me keep it until it feel apart. Little did she know that my shoe-box shelf was only the beginning. "Resourceful", I've learned, is one of my strongest traits.

My other blogs:

...Because We're All at the Center of Infinity (thoughtful essays)

WholePup: Mind . Body . Spirit (healthy living and recipes)

Puppyshine (a family blog and occasional mom-blog)