Like so many others, my journey to minimalism started with budgeting goals, then to minimalism, and then into design. These things are so well connected. Additionally, many people become more focused on recycling and reducing throughout this transition. One of the best resources is using what you have for prototyping organization and design.
It is very easy to get caught up and drive toward the end result right away. However, the greatest tool I’ve had during my journey was the ability to use what I have to mock up a temporary version of what I think I want.
Below are some ways that I’ve reused things I already had as a prototype for something to test the ideas I had in relation to organizing and decorating.
There are really two primary cases in which I reuse items as prototypes. The first is after a move or trying to redesign the structure of a space. The other is when I’m actively working to reduce the items that I am trying to store in a space.
When Redesigning or after Moving:
Sometimes we may have a checklist of what we want in a space but we just don’t know if it will all fit and function well. This is a perfect time to mock up a space. For example, when I moved into this house I went from a large vanity with no cabinets or medicine cabinet into a small vanity with medicine cabinet and a full-length narrow linen closet.
Since the spaces are radically different but most of the items still need to be used in that space, I needed to mock up what I think I would use in each area.
Medicine Cabinet:
- Top shelf: used a candy box lid as a container to hold toothbrushes and retainers
- Middle shelf: checkboxes! These things are fantastic. They hold pens well but they fit perfectly in this space and maximized it. You’ll also notice that I used plastic cups to hold Norwex facecloths and Q-tips.
- Bottom shelf: This is actually a small planter that I bought in my previous apartment and kept killing plants in. Here it’s been repurposed with yet another plastic cup I had on hand to hold makeup items.
These have mostly become semi-permanent because I’ve struggled to find containers with the correct dimensions. Also, I intend to swap out this old medicine cabinet as the mirror is damaged and the hinge is breaking the plastic cabinet.
Bathroom Closet:
- Top shelf: used a shoebox bottom to hold bath supplies as it’s up high. I later switched to the basket shown. It can be found here.
- Second to top shelf: Used another shoebox (still using) to hold less frequently used refills
- Middle Shelf: just towels
- Second to bottom shelf: another shoebox to hold feminine care supplies, now using Tupperware from the kitchen.
- Bottom Shelf: trash and toilet cleaning
Basement Bathroom Layout:
I’ve really been wanting to have a deep soaking tub. I’m really not sure if this is a fantasy, but my house is only an 800 sqft footprint and the upstairs couldn’t accommodate one that will also be easy to shower so I wanted to turn my open bathroom fixtures in the basement into a full bathroom with separate shower and tub. I measured and mocked it up with cardboard from furniture and appliance boxes so I could move around and see if it was too cramped.
Livingroom Décor:
I’ve been redecorating my living room because it felt too cold, so I made a vision board and identified the aspects that were important. However, since things were backordered, I needed to mock up the furniture that I purchased to move into the next steps. I also mocked up curtains with Command Hooks and wires as well as a curtain rod I borrowed from a basement bedroom.
Especially in décor, it often isn’t glamourous but it can help you work through fundamental problems with large and expensive decisions such as installing cabinets.