Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle #1: Peanut and napkin tray

I've been slowly sorting out our wedding presents and have actually repurposed one gift, a peanut and napkin tray, into a caddy for the cosmetics I keep in my office shelf.

Question: Why do you have cosmetics in your office shelf?


Answer: Because more often than not, I find myself putting on my makeup while seated in front of my computer. A touch of multi-tasking if you will; I check my email while putting my face on. So to speak. Plus, it looks pretty lined up on my shelf so it serves to be decorative as well.

It keeps all my bits and pieces together perfectly and allows me to keep the regular use items separate
from my cosmetics toolkit which is usually stowed deeper into another shelf.


I've already picked my colours for the week so I won't have to crack open my toolkit any time soon unless we have a formal occasion coming up within the week.


(This week's palette is violet and I have my Elianto Shimmer Stick and Nichido Eye Shadow tucked into my daily makeup bag.)


I don't know yet what I'll do with the ceramic? porcelain? trays dishes that come with the woven tray, but I'll find something to do with them I'm sure.


I realise that's one of the things that I'm proud to say I got from my mom. She finds all sorts of creative ways to use things, and usually not for the purpose intended for the item.


Ugh, I need to stop slouching. *backache*


There are still so many things I need to tuck away but here are the photos of the tray turned cosmetics caddy as it appears now on my shelf:

In the back you can see some of my office supplies: notepads, a sheet of BluTack and various sizes of cellophane and double-sided tape. I also have my sunnies--different colours for different times of day and different moods, various moisturisers--I change what I use depending on how my skin feels for the day, and my perfume bottles. The office supplies are all reloads so before you start thinking that I have to take all that stuff out before getting to my supplies, it's not a big deal.

I didn't realise it was out of focus but anyway. Find here my currently empty magazine rack--it's where I store the magazines I collect for the year, usually Cosmopolitan Philippines, a smattering of Preview, and a bit of Good Housekeeping. I also have two Bibles--one I actually read, the red one, and one kept there for sentimental reasons, the green wire notebook is my writing journal, Robert Fiske's "Dictionary of Disagreeable English," Good Housekeeping's "Clean, Organize, Decorate" and my Fernando Amorsolo Book of Days.

I might show off my other shelf too once I've figured out how to fix it. Just so you know, the shelving units I'm using were not really meant for office files; they used to be tape and CD racks as our home office is occupying the space initially designated as the music library. We even still have the piano in the office which I said would not leave this room because it belongs here no matter what the room's purpose is now.

Aside: I've signed up for Pinterest and I can't wait to get my invitation. There are so many ideas I want to put together and post there!

Well, tomorrow is Saturday and I've a wedding to attend. I'll be away all weekend but here's to loads of pretty pictures to post once I get back on Monday!