Outing the ordinary

If functional items such as clothes, food and electronics are visible in my home I'll be more inclined to buy stuff that I really want to look at (a lot) -- and in theory I'll take better care of fewer items. I've been meaning to circle back to the original mission of this blog "to chronicle my efforts to become a more conscious consumer." I'm guilty of getting off track with too many thoughtless trips to Target, Ikea and the like.

To kick off this outing the ordinary concept I've ordered these Magnet Tacks from Design Within Reach. According to the product description these pretty little guys are "a superpowered magnet inside a sturdy thumbtack. They provide a sensible alternative to the junk drawer. It’s only fair to say they might also replace the junk shelf and junk countertop. Easily hang keys, sunglasses, small tools, pens and paper clips simply by holding those items up to the Tack. Any object attracted to a magnet – think stainless steel, brass, bronze, and silver – will find a tidy new home. Magnet Tacks come three to a pack and can be organized on the wall or corkboard in a grid or more abstract formation of your liking."

I'm sure I'm not the first to entertain this idea -- any thoughts or inspiration on this topic are welcome.