Thinking Outside the (Cat) Box

I really like to make things. Whether it’s cupcakes, paper airplanes, or snow angels; if it involves the magical combination of creativity and handiwork, I’m sold. I’ve already mentioned my love for making lists and crafts, but what’s occupying my mind today is making furniture. There’s nothing quite like creating something that is both art on its own and also serves a functional purpose. Last month, I got my construction quick fix from assembling an Ikea bookshelf, but it still left me yearning for something more. Today, I finally got my answer. I received an email about a new design for a cat litter box table. Sure, I thought the idea was cool, but why on earth would I spend $450 on something that I could easily make for less than $100, heck, probably less than $50?

You know what would be even better?! If I could find a cheap vintage side table, big enough to fit my cat’s litter box, and build sides around it…

Perhaps a rustic end table would be cool:

Or something a little more shabby chic:

Or I could go all modern and cubist:

Whatever I end up making, I feel good knowing that my cat will have a creative and thoughtful box to do her business in. I’ve officially become a crazy cat lady.

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Ikea, You-kea, We-all-kea

There’s a rumor that trips to IKEA cause couples to break up. The store has also stirred up some controversy in Italy over an ad that showed a gay couple holding hands. IKEA can also trick you into thinking you’ve made something, when really, you’re just assembling something from a box. There’s a Harvard Business School study that shows the “IKEA Effect” in which we associate labor with love, or an increased valuation for the things we make rather than buy. Then there’s always the people who just hate IKEA; whether it’s the cheap construction of the furniture, the unpronounceable Swedish names for every product, or the lack of instructions to help you put things together. Most people I know tend to have a love-hate relationship with IKEA.

Basically, IKEA causes a lot of emotions. This past weekend, I took a trip to the IKEA at College Park, Maryland and found that I too had many feelings after my visit. Mostly, my feelings consisted of a desire to organize my life and make the most of the space in my small apartment. The way IKEA sets up their showrooms and the rooms they show in their catalogs just makes me feel like I should be living in a tiny house in Sweden where everything is neat and efficient. Constant struggles.

Walking through an IKEA also feels like a mini-war against everyone else in the store. I MUST GET THE LAST BOWL BEFORE YOU DO! A store as big as IKEA can overwhelm my senses and the introvert in me instinctually seeks an escape. I usually just try to get in and out as quickly and painlessly as possible. Now that I am fully recovered from my trip to IKEA, I can confidently say that this trip was a success. A) I’m still in a relationship, B) we fully assembled the bookshelf sans instructions, and C) nothing has fallen apart yet (knock on wood…or particle board).

Plus, you know what makes everything (including IKEA) better? Cats.

This Changes Everything

I can’t even begin to explain this, so just click on the link and see for yourself.