Frugal Home Mini-Makeover

This is a picture of what used to be the housing for a set of doorbell chimes. The previous owners had yanked out the chimes, but hadn't really done anything with the space--there was a little oak rack of hooks crookedly drilled into the wall, and the old doorbell wires were sticking out of the top. I hated this little corner of the living room, and thought about how I could cover it up!

Then it occurred to me to try and make the most of it--I took out the oak rack and replaced it with the stainless steel dog bone to hold a leash and poop bags*. Once we confirmed there was no power running through the wires, I snipped them off. Then I went to Lowe's to buy the two little stainless steel hooks on which to hang our keys. I pressed the penguin--who I realize is terribly tarnished--into service to hold J's pocket watch.

When we painted the living and dining room recently, we opted to keep the space white. I have to say I'm really pleased with it now--and all I had to purchase were the little key hooks!



The picture's a little off-center, only because I wanted to get my piggy bank in there. :)

*I use store bags to pick up my dog's waste, too, but he poops more than we shop, so I buy biodegradable poop bags from Dirt Works to ensure we always have them on hand. I buy 400 at a time, which doesn't ever last as long as I think it will. We also have a small container attached to the leash filled with yet more poop bags, in case he does a "double" when we're out. And that's probably more than you ever wanted to hear about my dog's bodily functions.