Target storage ottoman vs. Crate and Barrel ottoman

I finally found a leather(ette) storage ottoman for Pete's music room. I had seen this one at Target for $79, but hesitated, thinking I'd find something cheaper.



Anyhow, I ended up getting this Crate & Barrel ottoman at the C & B Outlet for a steal. It was originally $149 and marked down to $59, listed as "worn" on the sale tag, but I can't find any wear. But, I don't think it's quite what Pete had in mind.

So when I saw the Target ottoman on sale for $59, I snatched one up.



And look, it's got storage for Pete's music books!



The C & B ottoman can go in our living room for extra seating, for which we are always lacking. And we live in a shoebox, so small and portable is good.



I would love to buy an actual nice, leather ottoman, but a) they're too much money for us to spend right now, and b) it would be mauled and nicked and stained from all our animals and visitors. A friend of mine once said he spends extra money on quality things, so that they last a long time and don't look crappy. But I have trouble spending money on nice furniture because it all gets so beat up in this house. If it's something I can literally lock away, like my china and vintage tea cup collection, then fine, I'll spend some extra cash. But I don't want to have a house of museum-quality furniture that I'm still paying for long after it's beat to death.

A mangled mess

My horribly overcrowded and messy jewelry box (notice the cleaning equipment in the background)


Even the drawers are jammed full of stuff.


A close up of the chaos. Notice the wine cork among the baubles, a souvenir from our engagement bottle of wine

Things are out of control in my jewelry box. Several years ago when I first bought it, it seemed like such a luxurious space, just waiting to be filled with all my trinkets. Fast forward to now, when I can barely shut the lid, earrings are disorganized and missing, and necklaces are tangled and jumbled. I hate it, but it'll have to do for the moment. I'm not the type of person to hang each set of earrings on a holder or something, but I do like keeping them in bins according to color and style (studs together, colors together, hoops together, etc.). And as you can see, that is no longer happening here, is it?

I would love to get this jewelry armoire from Pier 1, but it's a bit outside my price range. Still, it's very cool and would definitely fit all my stuff—right now, that is. I can't seem to stop adding a little here and a little there...