Room DIY Ideas

So in March this year I moved into a new room and because I didn't have much time to decorate and stuff, as I had varsity, I just haven't got around to changing it up, getting organised and making it a bit more homely. Seeing as it's relatively new, it's felt a little bare cause I never had time to add decorations/art/any other little bits and bobs, so that's what I've been doing recently. That means a lot of DIY room stuff, so I thought I might share some of these (mostly from Pinterest) with you, if any of you are looking for some quick and easy room DIY ideas. 

MY DRESSING TABLE

The first thing I did was sort out my make-up. I bought a white cake stand type thing to put all my everyday make-up on, like the stuff I really do use on a day-to-day basis. I previously kept these in an old and not-so-attractive travel bag, so I'm really happy with having this little stand, and it's just so handy having my essentials laid out and stuff. 

The next thing I did was put all my make-up brushes into a pretty mug on my dressing table. I don't have a huge amount of them, but I think they look really nice like this, and it's a good way to keep them clean and organised. 

In my re-decorating, I have truly embraced by love of candles. I really do love them, and I think that having a couple lit for an hour or so always adds such a lovely scent to the room. I bought these three vanilla scented candles in these cute little jars and I just think they look very pretty on my dressing table. 

The last thing I've added to my dressing table are some little jars. I love the idea of organising things with jars as they look so cute, and are just a great way to keep stuff in order. So I bought these three and then, inspired by an idea I saw on Pinterest, I gave them chalkboard labels. 

To make the jar labels I just painted some black acrylic chalkboard paint onto blank white paper. Once that dried, I cut the paper into equal sized labels and then used spray adhesive glue to stick them onto the jars. I also bought this really cool chalkboard pen which makes it a whole lot easier to write neatly in chalk!

On the one side of my dressing table, I attached a really pretty piece of material ribbon to the wooden edge by hammering two drawing pins into the wood. I made sure the ribbon was a little slack and then I just pushed through all my earrings. I just think this is a really simple, pretty way to store earrings, instead of in a jar or something where they get all tangled up and the butterflies lost and what not. 

And so that's it for my dressing table. The only thing I'm still wanting to do is maybe buy a pretty small vase with some fake flowers (although nice ones that look real hehe) and then also, I want to see if I can't get some draw dividers to organise my make-up and hair stuff in those drawers a bit more. 

DESK 

For my desk, I didn't want to fill it up too much because even though it looks clear now, during the semester it is a whole different story. 

So the first thing I did was buy this turquoise/teal-ish coloured wooden A4 sized box to store any loose papers, forms and bits and bobs to file, that sort of thing. I have needed something like this so badly recently, just to make sure I can keep organised, particularly during the semester, and not lose any important papers, etc. I also just painted the wooden tag on the box with chalkboard paint again, which I think is a cute little touch I guess. This was slightly pricey (particularly for Mr Price Home), but I think probably a worthy investment. 

The next thing I did (a month or two ago) was to attach some little white lanterns to the shelf above my desk. I just think that fairy lights and lanterns make everything so much warmer and homely, and so I like having these on. 

Another thing I did for my desk was to buy a couple of glass mini milk-bottle jars to store all my pens and stationary. I obviously have a different pencil case for varsity, but I just like having these to store any loose stationary, etc. I decorated the jars by adding some decorative pegs and stuff and then I also used this mug with a quote on it for other bits and pieces on my desk. 

MY SHELVES

Around my book shelves I have this big canvas of a world map, and I decided that I wanted to put this picture-bunting type thing up on the shelf above it. This definitely wasn't my idea, I saw it on Pinterest and loved the idea, so made my own one. It was super easy to make and then I just pinned it up on my shelf. 

All you need is some yarn/string, some pretty little pegs, the photos you want and some pins to pin it up.

DOOR HANDLES

The last little thing I added was these pretty little ceramic hearts on my bedroom door and patio door handles. I just thought they are a pretty little touch. 

And that's all for now! I have been wanting to make a few small changes like this to make my room more organised and also a bit more homely by adding a few pretty touches. If you  are redecorating any time soon, I hope that maybe these inspire you a little! All of this was just putting stuff together or very basic DIY (I am no craftsman haha) so it is super easy and I actually had quite a bit of fun doing it! 

Lots of love

THE MESSY DESK IN THE CORNER

So a few days ago I was studying for a huge geography test the next day, and at about 12 that night, I stopped to go to sleep, took one look at my desk and laughed at how absolutely cluttered and messy it was. I am not usually that type of person, but somehow my desk is always a right mess. 
But somehow, everything on it is important, if that makes sense- it is  "corner desk" built into one of the corners of my room and has lots of cabinets and cupboards below and stuff, one of the walls it is against I have painted a bright grass green which I love- I know this is a pretty random post, but I was thinking as I looked at it, that the way it looks and the things on it kind of reflect where I am in my life at the moment and who I am. 

1= my desk calendar, I would not be able to get through a school year without this! I need it to be able to write down my activities and things like that as well as school tests and tasks everyday, so I never forget. 

2= My macbook pro, always with me! Even when I am studying, I can't help but have it with me in case some Youtube, twitter, blog or music procrastination is necessary. Haha, I also do use it for research and stuff too ;) 

3= My geography notes. Only a few of many. In fact, looking back at it, this was probably one of the biggest tests with the most content that I have ever done. So lots of notes were needed!

4= My skippers license forms, I don't know if any of you saw in my bucket list that I crossed passing this off, so these are basically the forms that I need to send through to get the official document and stuff. 

5= My apple hard drive. I love this, I have so many movies and tv episodes on here. At the moment I am loving Revenge and Pretty Little Liars. 

6= 'The Crucible' - my English set work book at the moment, quite surprisingly to myself, I am really enjoying it.

7= Puppy shampoo, haha, I am sure I have told you all, hundreds of times about my cutte little puppy that I got for my eighteenth birthday, well I need to bath him sometime so I bought this.

8= My green wall that I painted myself and love so much. Green is my favourite colour and I really love my room because of my green wall and linen, etc. 

9= A pamphlet for studying a bachelor of medicine at University of Cape Town. At the moment, though it appears unlikely that I'll get in, this is all I want to do with my life!

10= Watercolour pencils that I am using to sketch my art piece before I take the picture to canvas and start properly, I need to mess around with it and make sure I know what I am doing. 

11= My phone. I have a blackberry because that's what everyone here still has, although SA is gradually making the transition to everyone having IPhones. I am not one of those people who can't go an hour without her phone, but I won't say that I don't check it fairly regularly, especially while I am studying for any form of procrastination possible. 

12= My Lip Ice. I can't remember what brand it is but it works so well and it is one of those ones that tastes super good too. 

13= This sounds weird, but thats my "favourite pen", haha, its like the pen that I always write with, I am sure lots of you all have that one pen that you'd pick to write with over another. This is mine. 

14=An empty glass, very random, but I am one of those people who drink a lot! I drink a glass of water or juice, etc. almost every hour, hehe...

15= A couple of bobby pins. My hair very often calls for these.

16= A pamphlet for the volunteer program at Red Cross that I really want to do, I am just really struggling to find time among all of the school work. 

So thats it. And I guess, for something that is so messy and filled with things to do or school work, I kind of love my messy little desk tucked in the corner.