When you're living in a 650 square foot condo, everything in that space has got to earn its keep. For me, that often means finding creative new uses for items that would otherwise be purely decorative, making them work a little bit harder to justify hanging on to them. In an attempt to carve out a little more storage space, I spent the weekend purging my kitchen cupboards. When I came to the point where I was ready to purge my mis-matched vintage teacups and saucers, I stopped at this little gem:

Photography by Ryan Brook.

Its matching teacup had long since bit the biscuit, so I was ready to toss it, but couldn't bring myself to follow through. The soft turquoise is just so cheery, and the boho blossoms are the perfect counterpoint to my predominant decorating scheme of stripes, solids and animal print. Was there any way I could justify hanging onto this tiny treasure? And then it came to me: How about repurposing it in the bathroom as a one-of-a-kind soap dish? And there it sits, a whimsical little addition to my bathroom vanity! For more ideas on how to repurpose common household items, click here!   Follow me on Twitter!