On My Mind: I Finally Solved the Problem of Where to Put a Wet Sponge
We just moved to a new house, and though it’s only a couple of blocks away from our old one, it somehow still required a small fleet of trucks and movers. (Shout-out to JP Urban Moving, which was incredible.) I admittedly have hoarding tendencies — throwing stuff away feels so wasteful, and what if I need that random tchotchke down the line? — but stepping into a nice clean home made me want to change my ways. I purged and donated as much as I could in the weeks leading up to the move and hope to do more as I unpack. Even though it feels like our stuff is endless, there are a few things I need to help me get our place together. Here’s what I’m daydreaming about as I slog through a million bins and boxes.
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I have owned only utilitarian doormats. A new house is an excuse to get one that’s extremely cute, like this mat from one of my favorite bedding companies.
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An old boss of mine had a bunch of task lamps from the French company Jieldé around his house, and I’ve coveted one ever since. After unpacking my falling-apart desk lamp the other day, I knew it was finally time. All the colors are so good, but I’m loving this bright blue, though I also considered ivory and Vespa green (the two my boss had) as well as red, mustard, and maybe even pink.
[Editor’s note: Jieldé lists all prices in euros, so the price shown is an approximate conversion to U.S. dollars.]
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I wish to be a person who leads an uncluttered life. The first step is to clear the kitchen counter of any extraneous stuff. Only the essentials can stay out. Instead of keeping my oil, salt, and pepper in my usual Muji plastic trays by the stove, I want to put them on a tasteful wooden lazy Susan. It was surprisingly difficult to find one that wasn’t too big or cheap looking. I like this one from Sur La Table that’s 10.5 inches in diameter and made of olive wood. I was also looking at this (stationary) 12-inch Boos block with chubby feet and this $8 acacia board from Muji. And I love this wedding-cake stand from Andrew Pearce (his wooden salad bowls have been on my wish list forever), but it’s a little too big for my purposes.
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I finally solved the problem of where to put a wet sponge. I had one of those wire sponge holders that attach to the side of the sink with suction cups, but it never stayed on and the suction cups always got so grody. My sister gave me this ceramic sponge holder she made, and now I feel like I’ve been enlightened. It’s beautiful, functional, and so easy to clean. You can find similar ones on Etsy.
The new fridge is oddly tall, and so is the single upper cabinet in the whole kitchen. The pantry also has shelves that go up to the ceiling, so I’ll need to add a step ladder to my collection of height-assistance implements. I am currently testing this scalloped step stool from Hati Home that’s made of solid oak. It’s beautifully made but very heavy. We’ve had this plastic Ikea stool for so long that it’s cracked, but it’s so lightweight and easy to move, especially for the kids, I can’t seem to give it up. I’m thinking about getting the (Strategist-favorite) Hasegawa stepladder because it weighs next to nothing and can stand on its own when folded.
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My cooking utensils are currently divided between a ceramic pitcher and an ugly but very useful Simplehuman holder. I want to move the ones in the latter into a nicer-looking crock, like one of these stoneware versions.
We didn’t have any medicine cabinets in our old house and still don’t in the new one. Instead of continuing to use the aforementioned Muji trays to contain the bathroom vanity items, I want to put our electric toothbrushes, toothpaste, and whatever else into “handsome containers that better align with your aesthetic,” as Helen Rice recommended in our story on easy home upgrades. “If you can’t swap out the container (like toothpaste, for example), find an opaque stoneware crock or oversize vase where it can hide while still being easily accessible.” These kitchen crocks and other jars work just as well in a bathroom.
I trashed all our anti-slip bath mats before the move because the rubber backing was disintegrating after years of wear and tear. One hundred percent cotton mats are the way forward. I have been testing a couple of Riley’s plush Egyptian-cotton spa mats and may get more. They’re supersoft and absorbent — and easy to wash. Some of my favorite towel brands make beautifully patterned mats, like Autumn Sonata, Baina, and Matouk. I have a bathroom runner from Morrow that I also love. There’s even a whole world of fun tub mats, too, which I have yet to explore. Here are some that my fellow Strategist writers shared with me.
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All my hand towels seem to have disappeared in the move. I have been impressed with Casaluna’s organic-cotton towels and may just buy more of them. I am open to non-terry options as well. I have a small linen towel from Baserange that I love, but it isn’t available anymore. The brand currently has a waffle kitchen towel on sale, which would be perfect for a bathroom. I suppose I could also go the colorful route, as with the bath mats.
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I love the idea of getting fun trash cans, but for the bathrooms, I need something that closes. I bought this two-pack of Kohler step trash cans at Costco years ago for $30 and love how slim and compact they are. I also like that they come in white, a nice departure from the usual stainless-steel look. They’re now $40, which still feels like a deal. I also love these Japanese wastebaskets, but they’re frankly too fancy for dirty tissues.
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