If you’re in the midst of designing a vintage inspired bathroom you might have recently found yourself short on creative ideas. Typically the easy part of the project is the larger design elements. Fixtures can be figured out by way of the Internet.  Flooring can be designed by visiting one of our locations and talking with our consultants.

But when you get to down to the details it’s sometimes tough to reimagine ways to use things that will look good in bathroom inspired by design from a century ago. Fret not! Here are 20 snazzy ideas for ways to decorate and store common bathroom items!

1. Old, wooden step stool with 2-3 steps used as a towel rack.
2. Old, wooden crates to hold magazines.
3. Vintage wall mirrors hung over the sink.
4. Small drawers removed from an old wooden desk to store toiletries.
5. Old-school hard sided suitcase for extra toilet paper and bathroom sundries.
6. Crystal knobs mounted on the wall to hang towels and clothes.
7. Chalkboard.
8. Baskets hung on the wall facing outward, like shelves.
9. Glass jars with tin lids for Q-tips, cotton balls, etc.
10. Tin pail to hold a plant or flower arrangement.
11. Antique laundry washboard hung on the wall as décor.
12. Bath products with vintage, apothecary style labeling.
13. Apothecary cabinet for storing and neatly organizing toiletries.
14. Antique hand held mirror(s) lying on a surface or hung on the wall as décor.
15. Vintage lace curtains.
16. Soaking tub rack that fits across your claw foot tub and holds soap, a candle, reading materials.
17. Antique chandelier.
18. Old, tall wooden stool for setting things on or for leaning on when needed.
19. Repurposed vintage door.
20. Old sink faucet handles mounted on the wall to hang things.

Have you recently cleaned out your closet? It’s not an easy chore but it simply must be done on a regular basis if you hope to have a sane experience when you get dressed each day. Did you know, though, that there now exists some really cool options for the getting rid of the clothing you no longer want? They all smartly translate into ways to save money on the new clothes you plan to buy! Try one or all of these three suggestions!

1. Visit a local retail resale shop. There are chains such as Buffalo Exchange and Plato’s Closet, and nearly every town has at least one resell shop. Your best bet is to locate several. Then, you can go to each of them until you’ve gotten rid of everything. Shops usually have very specific buying criteria so a dress that goes unwanted at one shop might just the thing a different shop is looking to add to their inventory. Also, ask whether they are a resale shop or a consignment store. Resale shops buy the clothes from you and take on the responsibility of reselling them. They typically offer either a cash payment option or a trade option that is a slightly higher value than the cash.  If you work with a consignment store they will sell the garment on your behalf and split the profit with you, but you aren’t paid until the item actually sells. This makes it a lengthier process, but it’s not uncommon to ultimately make more money on the sale than you would from an outright buy at a resell shop.
2. Sell your clothing on Ebay. The site offers plenty of easy guides and tutorials to get you started. One very important pointer: Use great photos! People don’t typically respond to listings on Ebay that show poor photos of the item.
3. Join an online resale community. This is the newest, coolest option to recently emerge in the online consumer market. And, it’s fun! Like Ebay, you list your items and then mail them when they sell. Instead of cash though, you earn credit to spend on items other people have listed. They typically give you 20% of the cut, and the site features a pretty platform that includes pin-boards and a feed like Pinterest. Some feature online parties too! Two popular sites are Poshmark and Threadflip. 

Whether you work for someone or run your own business it’s valuable to be able to manage your work style. When you perform at your best you either receive the raise or promotion you’ve been hoping for, or you take your own business to the next level. However, being highly effective isn’t necessarily easy! Here are ten helpful tips on how to up your game. 

1. Visualize the outcome of the day. What will it look or feel like when you’ve accomplished everything you’ve set out to do for the day?
2. Once you’ve established your vision for the day don’t question it. Doubt and questioning waste time and energy.
3. Tackle the most difficult job of the day first, while you have the most energy and resilience.
4. Do real work before email or social networking. The day can slip away fast so it’s important to get real work done first, and then communicate.
5. Make your clients your top priority when you begin the communication part of the day. Without your clients none of the rest of your business activities ultimately matter.
6. Unlearn multi-tasking and use laser focus on one task at a time. You will be far more efficient and effective in the long run.
7. If your to-do list is especially demanding use a timer. Allot only the amount of time you actually have available and set the timer at the beginning of each task. Set it to a 10 minute warning as well and then force yourself to complete all tasks within the time allowed.
8. Start all tasks without perfection in mind. The goal is to simply get started without stopping to ponder. Give things at least a 15 minute start without hesitation. By quickly creating an initial attempt at any task you are making it far easier to hit your stride along the way.
9. Play music or ambient noise at a low to moderate level. It’s been proven that background noise actually increases your productivity more than complete silence.
10. Ensure there is plenty of ventilation and light in your workspace. Stale, stagnant air and a dark room can affect your brain’s ability to stay alert and “fresh.”