Create Your Own Coffee Station

Well, hello everyone! I hope you all are nice and warm! Work was closed two days this week! I can't believe how much snow and ice we have been getting around here lately--it's really beginning to be too much. Although, having the day off can be nice in some ways. On Monday I was able to knock a few items off my to-do list, work heavily on cleaning and organizing the baby's nursery, and even completed some projects around the house. Yesterday my office was closed due to an ice storm and I was able to accomplish a lot of those odds n' ends of the to-do list that always seem to be put off. At least I feel like I've accomplished something.

You know what else I like about snow days? Warm beverages, pjs, cozy blankets, and looking outside at a peaceful, white landscape. I thought this would be the perfect time to introduce you to our new and improved coffee station and give you some tips on how to create your own space for preparing your favorite warm beverages. 

So, let's recap. This is the coffee station we set up back when we lived in the other apartment. We got the cart from Target soon after my parents bought us the Keurig for Christmas last year. We had very little counter space and needed somewhere to stash the Keurig and k-cups. The cart also had space for our microwave which provided some extra counter space for us and we used two small baskets to store our tea bags and travel mugs. However, even with using a couple pieces of artwork we found on clearance at Target, the space was totally lacking...and the artwork was thrown off by the phone jack right in the middle of the wall. 

When we moved to our new condo, we set up the cart in a similar way and knew we wanted to do more with the space. We have more cabinet and counter space in our current kitchen, but definitely not as much room as we'd like. I picked up the coffee cup tree from Michael's on clearance for $3.99 and it definitely helped us to not have to store all the mugs in the cabinets, but it definitely took up space on the top of the cart. The baskets below began to get messy since they realistically did not fit all of our tea bags and coffee and the basket was definitely too small for our travel mugs. 

Frank and I knew we wanted to use the vertical space above the cart and I began searching for solutions. I found a great shelf at Hobby Lobby with wire baskets and cup hooks below, but when I realized the price tag was $120 I knew that would not fly for a family on a budget. So, I walked out of the store disappointed and determined to find another solution. 

A few weeks later, Frank and I were in Marshall's poking around for some small items for the nursery and as I walked down one of those aisles with mostly empty shelves save for a few lonely items I spotted it, THE shelf. Pretty much exactly the same as the one I drooled over at Hobby Lobby, but the price tag said $40!!! The only difference between the shelves was that the wire shelves were slightly more shallow and did not have wire baskets that inserted in each cubby. Oh well. Who needs baskets? I begged Frank to take it home and over the weekend he hung the shelf for me. Tadah!! I love it. 

I think the shelf really adds height to the space and is totally functional. I still need to do a better job organizing each cubby and already have some ideas for how to do this to make all my boxes of tea bags look less cluttered. But I can say already that the cubbies make it WAY easier to find the tea bag I am looking for. 

We also were able to remove the coffee mug tree since our cups hang nicely from the shelf hooks. It allowed me room to place a cute basket for a yummy scented candle, sugar, and spoons ready for use.

We decided to hang one of the pieces of artwork we got for a steal at Target last year and I think it adds some color and interest. I can't wait to decorate the top of the shelf as well...I'm thinking mason jars are in order...

I would say our little beverage station has improved significantly just by hanging our $40 shelf, a piece of artwork, and adding a basket for all the beverage fixings. It's perfect  when company comes over since they can fix themselves a cup of coffee with all the supplies they will need in one place. It's also perfect on a cold wintry day like we've been having lately...and it's not too hard on the eyes either!

What do you think? Do you have a coffee station at your home? All you need to create one of your own is a table for your Keurig or other coffee maker, a place to store your coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Cubbies and baskets work wonderfully, just make sure they fit everything you use to avoid our messy baskets that were constantly overflowing... Then, find a shelf or peg board or another solution to hang your mugs. And, voila! Coffee station. 

I hope you'll come back soon for a nursery update, a pregnancy update, and get ready for a great post on February 11th! I am participating along with 8 other bloggers in a challenge to use pattern in a project.  I'll be posting my project over here at La Vita DiBella along with links to the other 8 bloggers' sites so you can see what they came up with too! 

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