Rack 'n' Trash

Happy second day of Spring, Nesters! Before we get this party started, can we just talk a wee bit about this insane weather we've been having?  I live in Massachusetts and it should be damp, rain-boot-wearing, bone-chilling-cold weather out right about now.  Instead, I'm wearing a skirt {without tights!} and a tee today because it's EIGHTY DEGREES.  Yes, you heard me- eight. zero. Actually above that for the next couple days.  I know what you're thinking- BEACH DAY!  My thoughts exactly.  Alas, the new job has got me AC'd and chilly in my cube but you can bet your bottom dollar that I'm taking advantage of my lunch break and heading outside today! 

Anyway, I realized I haven't shared much of anything with you lately, except maybe some meager subway art that I made and our little octopus friend George. Well things have been comin' along in the ol' homestead.

We hung a coat rack in the living room/dining room that is making me a happy camper, since we wont be draping our coats over the first surface we see when we get home anymore. Hooray for the small things!  We had wanted one there for some time but we couldn't find one that was right. Wrong style, too big, too small. We felt like Goldilocks and the 3 Bears. So on one late-night impromptu trip to Home Depot for switch plates {yes, it was that urgent that we went to home depot at like 9 PM on a Tuesday night for switch plates.  Come on- you know you've been there...} we popped down the hinge isle in hopes of finding a missing part for a set of broken sliding doors.  And there she was, in all her glory; the perfect size, the perfect style, the perfect coat rack and only about $30. 

We took her home and a lazy 3 weeks later, got around to hanging her. And it took all of 3 minutes. It's funny how just a little thing like a coat rack changes the whole balance of a room and some how makes the place feel so much more lived in.

Another little addition that is actually unseen by the naked eye in our house is our new kitchen trash barrel.  I know, you all call it a trash can.  Well here in good old Beantown, we call it a barrel- you know, like "Crate and." So here on TN, its a barrel thank you very much. {You should all to try to make the new lingo stick in your neck of the woods and report back!}  Recently I visited a college girlfriend of mine to see her and her hubs new house.  A gorgeously renovated cape in Darien, CT.  While there, I couldn't help but notice their kitchen was void of a big, stinky trash barrel, unlike ours which was hanging out there for all to see... and smell on occasion.  

They told me that the previous owners of the house had bought the Simple Human in-cabinet mounted pull-out unit. I figured they would be far out of my price range. Now, I wanted to upgrade from the $20 plastic Walmart can, but I just have something against spending $150 on something you put trash in... I had been looking at my options and even at Home Goods, nice stainless steel ones were going for $80 a pop! I had visions of something like this guy but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. 

via

On this little trip to see my friend we also did lots and lots of shopping, stopping at Bed Bath and Beyond.  Low and behold, they carry it!  You can check it out here. They even had an option with a separate recycling bin!  What I was most surprised at was that it was only $60.  And everyone knows BB&B always has a 20% off coupon that's active. I had it in my hands to buy and drag all the way home with me, but I opted to wait and show Matt before I went ahead with anything totally crazy. Like buying a trash can- I'm so wild and crazy! But really- I value his opinion and he deserves to help decide whether our trash is under mounted or not!

About 2 hours after I got home from the trip, Matt and I went to BB&B. As soon as he saw it, he was totally on board as well. Only $48 later and 15 minutes of installation and we were up and running!  And a good 7 of those minutes were me, trying to figure out how to take the top bracket off the bottom mount without having read the directions. Oops. 

We had to put it as far toward the garbage disposal as possible so that we could still reach our hand to the left of it to flip the switch for the garbage disposal. See? Hand fits perfectly!

The only catch with the Simple Human products are that they claim you have to use their specially sized liners.... untrue. We've been working on the same BJ's size "tall kitchen bags" and they fit perfectly in there.  Better than in our old barrel that would always fall in even! It's actually nice and snug around the lip and has plenty of space inside.

We are still getting in the habit of the new placement and still trying to walk back over to where the old barrel was but every time either of us uses it, we announce our excitement for the new upgrade. Yes, we're that wild and crazy.

So let us all know- what's the scoop on your trash can/barrel/receptacle/circular file.  Do you love yours like we do now? Or hate yours, the way I used to?  Do you have one of the fancy touchless ones that I've seen so much about? Or could you not care less? We want to hear about it!  I hope you guys are enjoying this crazy weather!

<3 Gina