Oops, I Did It Again

I couldn't help myself... I rearranged the built-ins again.  Hootie was none too happy with me.  It really is a problem.  I'm the girl that rearranges the items on top of the counter at stores.  I really don't understand why that's wrong.

Anywho, back to the built-ins.  There are literally hundreds of blog posts out there explaining how to properly merchandise shelves.  While they are very good, I'm not that fancy so I snapped a few pics and called it a day.  How about that?

Here is what they looked like before...

And here is what they look like now... 

I know.  You are probably thinking... what on earth did she even do?  But I did a lot actually.  

#1. Remove everything from the shelves.  It is too hard to work on a space when you have extra junk cluttering it up.

#2. Start with the largest objects first... since they will take up the most room physically & visually.  Start there so you can work around them.

Side note - One of my major frustrations with the original layout was that the baskets seemed to be floating around on the upper shelves.  By adding them in first, I made a more deliberate effort to incorporate them into the overall look.

#3. Add filler.  I think this is where people get confused.  You need more than just frames and a few books to make it interesting.  (This is where my box obsession serves me well!)  Anything will work... a small game, an interesting rock (Yes, I bought a rock recently.) or a family keepsake.  

#4. Have fun & play!  Honestly, there are no real rules to it.  If you like the way something looks, do it.  My one suggestion is to vary the heights.  Add a little memento on top of some books or use a box on top of a box to go a little crazy.  The point is to keep the eye moving.

That should clear everything up, right?!?  Good luck!

Cheers,

Jessie