DIY Coffee Bar Love

Hey there!

Am I allowed to love my coffee bar like I do? Am I allowed to love my morning coffee area to the point that I devote an entire blog post to it? Well, I do, so there.

Before I moved into my new place I searched Pinterest and YouTube videos for DIY coffee bar ideas. And yes, there are a lot of pins and videos out there. I had quite a lot of  ideas to choose from. There were all sorts of coffee machines and containers to house various coffees. There were mugs and cups and thermoses. There were various ways to stir the coffee and so many things to put in the coffee. It was like a dream sorting through what worked for me.

And I settled on this.

I've had a Keurig machine for several years. It took me about 6 months to purchase it because of the cost and I wanted to make sure that I would really commit to it. I love it and I am soooo glad that I purchased it. The coffee options are endless and in my opinion, it makes a damned good cup of coffee. I bought it on sale, with a 20% off coupon and a gift card. You know how I am.

Do you see what is in that picture at the top? Yes, there is a Keurig machine but next to it (at the very back) is my sugar container. In front of it is a container of coffee - Starbucks Verona dark decaf if you must know. Both of these containers are from Ikea, re-purposed several different times, now living in my coffee bar area. You also see some wooden stirrers (which I might trade out for special teaspoon stirrers -- not sure) and some organic sugar packets in a green bowl from Anthropologie (about one of the only things I really can afford from that store, even though I love it).

I found my espresso picture at the Dollar Tree. It's not the best picture but it works. It is that final touch to my coffee bar that makes it all work (because it was the last thing that I purchased).

Inside the cupboard that the espresso picture is on, are my coffee cups. You can't see them all but I have A LOT of coffee cups. You get to see shelves 2 and 3 but the top shelf has my very fragile and special cups. I use them on Saturday and Sunday mornings when I have time to sip my coffee slowly and thoughtfully. You also see my Torani coffee syrup in Salted Caramel. It's probably the only coffee syrup that I purchase. I make cinnamon dolce syrup or a white chocolate syrup myself. I also have another Ikea container and in it are some creamers. I didn't like these types of creamers at first. I was a purist and only used half and half but then I decided I wanted to switch up the flavor a little bit.

My coffee drawer is the first drawer underneath my Keurig machine. I can house three 18 pack coffee boxes, a few International Cafe drinks for the kiddo, 2 boxes of Dollar Tree cappuccino, also for the kiddo and some random k-cup pods. Before you go all cray-cray on me, the kiddo is about to turn 19.

I am very proud of my coffee station. I love what I have created. I feel good about sipping my coffee from this area. Too much, do you think? If you don't drink coffee, probably. If you do drink coffee, you are jelly. I know.

Making a House a Home - Donating

(photo credit - some place on the web - borrowed with love)

Hey there!

I know. I know. If I mention that I am moving one more time, you are going to drive over to my house and beat me up. Well since you're driving over to my house anyway, can you help pack a box or two? Thanks. Much appreciated.

I have two major areas going on in my apartment right now. I have the stuff that I am carefully boxing up for moving and then a pile of bags and boxes and containers of things that I am donating to the thrift store. I knew when I began packing up my home that not everything was going to make the cut for the new place. It's a mindset when you get a new place. You are starting over fresh; a new beginning if you will. You'd like to take everything but, not everything can come with you.

I've taken this to the extreme. I have been very careful and thoughtful about what my new place will be and what it won't be. That has meant that I have planned quite a bit and some of the stuff that has accumulated for the last 6 years just cannot come to my new beginning.

(Side note; am I the only person in the world that doesn't move each year? I have friends that I have known for a good 10 years and they have moved about 8 times. Since becoming a single gal, I've lived in my neighborhood for 11 years and have only lived in 3 apartments. Is that weird? Am I normal? Never mind. Don't answer that question).

So, the first room of my new place that I visualized was my kitchen. My current kitchen is very white and airy and light and refreshing. When I moved into my place I said that it was like the beach house that you rent every year -- cool, calm and carefree. The white cabinets make it so open and breezy. The problem was it got dirty quickly and the cabinet space was pretty dismal. The new place is a bit darker with a deep cabinet color but there is twice as much cabinet space. For a foodie, this is heaven. Because the color is richer, I feel like I have to make the kitchen richer.

What I mean is, instead of a spot where I have my Keurig machine and some coffee pods, I need to create a coffee station. I need a small space that makes my morning coffee experience elegant and special. Instead of pulling out my Kitchen Aid mixer every time I make brownies for the office, I need to have a stable baking station. My Kitchen Aid mixer needs to be spit shined (ok, kinda gross in the kitchen) and I need to have the basic baking supplies right next to it so that it would appear that I am a pastry chef at the ready. While these types of changes might not excite you in the least, I feel so ready to make this kitchen a reality!

 

(photo credit - some place on the web - borrowed with love)

And that means I need to give up some of the current clutter bug pieces that currently live in my airy, beach kitchen. I've packed up a ton of plastic cups and old plates that I never use. I have them "just in case". You know..."just in case" extra people come over. And, "just in case" I throw a party. I even have some older plastic containers "just in case" I have to take something to work. Well, all of those "just in case" kitchen items are going to someone else's house, "just in case".

The next room that I visualized was my living room. Again, it currently reminds you of a beach house and I decorated it as such. I didn't paint the accent walls so I had to use bright art work to make the room pop. In my new place, there is a painted accent wall and while the room is bright, if comes off of the heels of a darker kitchen. I still wanted to maintain a bright feel but change the coloring just a little bit. That means that the beachy items have to go. A few shells might remain but a bulk of those things will go to another home where they can be loved just a little bit better. Instead, I'm going to reintroduce my books on the book shelves and add fewer trinkets and more blank space. I'm going a tad bit cleaner.

There are many other things that I plan on doing in my new space. I am creating a smaller eating area and making the dining room into an office space for me and the kiddo. I'm making my bedroom into a glam room and my bathroom into a spa retreat. And, the closet...well, look out baby! That means a good portion of my current toys will have to go to new homes. And, after 6 years, that is totally ok! It's time to freshen things up and create a new world. After all, I feel like I'm stepping into a new chapter of my life.

That means I'll make sure I take you with me. You ready to move? Come and grab a box.

No, seriously, come and get this box. It's heavy!