While nicely styled bedside tables in magazines and on television reveals may look nice, the reality is that the area next to our beds has to meet night time needs. TBG has hard working hands that get seriously dry. This basket holds a dispenser with moisturizer (clearance from TJ Maxx, filled with a mixture of products), a tub of Eucerin, and a sock to cover his hands with so it can all soak in. He picked a pair that had a hole in the toe so he could get his index finger out, allowing him to swipe pages on his nook. There is also a spray bottle with eye glass cleaner ($1 from Dollar Tree). All necessities nestle nicely enough in this basket.
Two other things he needs, are water and cough drops. High style is all well and good, but I thought his Batman water bottle was a great way to keep him hydrated at night. The small jar for Ricola lemon flavored drops (his favorite), gets restocked whenever I am cleaning the CPAP and see he needs more. This is his favorite brand and flavor so I buy the largest bags I can whenever they are on sale or clearance.
This little thing set me back twenty five cents at a garage sale. It's neither stylish nor masculine, but it does the job. It looks like something my step-grandmother, who lived in China for many years, would have owned. The badly aged night stands were my grandparents. One of these days, I'll do something to cover up the worn down surface. But for now, this little piece of hand painted porcelain is a nod to Grandma Gertie.
Other supplies are nestled in a Dollar Tree wire basket. The reading material is TBGs and he brings it home from work. I really hope he's not reading it in bed (then again Boiler specs might put me to sleep), but that's where it goes when I find it sitting on top of a dresser. This basket holds cough supplies and other stuff he might need in the winter, including a small bottle of oil with comfrey in it -- another aid for his cracked finger tips.
TBG is a faithful night time reader and he always has paperwork and other stuff in his pockets. The small paper mache organizer holds whatever comes out of his pockets at the end of the day that might need to go back the next.
While none of this is stylish, it's all necessary. My goal was to find a way to contain it all in such a way that it didn't look too cluttered.
Neither Marie Kondo nor Johanna Gaines will give me design points for this, but it works and that's what matters to me.
The bedside table has to work for the person next to it, no matter what the designer thinks. You did well.
ReplyDeleteThanks! It's a surprising high-traffic surface for him.
DeleteI long ago decided designers be damned. We have our own unique taste - I mean how many people have a massage chair in their bedroom? Or a telescope and 3 guitars in the living room? My bedside table has a lamp, 2 coasters (1 for a candle and 1 for my tea), a control for the electric blanket, my alarm that projects the time onto the ceiling (great for insomniacs) and usually a book. It has to work for the individual! We do rarely need handcream now that we live in such a moist climate but when we lived in Alberta the winters were so dry, even with snow that we were constantly using it. Don't miss that! Don't ever feel guilty about your cruise every year. If his employer gives it to him even though there is still some cost associated with it I would look at it as a necessary employment expense. Mental health wise I am sure it does you both good and worth every penny, worth scrimping in other areas to make it happen.
ReplyDeleteSo true! I have to tell you, right now we have a telescope, a guitar and amp in our living room. See, we have so much in common! I did look up the suite we are in on-line and it's almost as big as our entire second floor at home. OMG, I guess I can accept a little luxury here and there. I will say that painting the bedroom and updated the fan did make me feel as if our life was a little less basic than before.
DeleteIt sometime amazing what one can find at yard sale for less then dollar
DeleteThat tiny little piece was probably one of the best finds I've made. When you compare the price to the beauty and quality, it's amazing!
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