The Purging of the Placeholders

Awhile ago, I saw this post on Apartment Therapy about "placeholder furniture," those pieces we each own that serve a utility but won't likely stand the test of time. For us, like many of you, Ikea is the source for much of the placeholder furniture we have.

I'm not saying the Swedish giant is bad; it serves a purpose for those of us twenty-somethings with limited funds. Adam and I have items from the Big Blue Box that we intend to keep, like this. But with spring here, I am really itching to purge the chaff, the not-quite-right, the placeholders, for more lasting pieces.

For example, I recently replaced this much-touted desk that just wasn't quite me:

(via West Elm)

...with this, a Connecticut Craigslist find (purchased for only $50!):

What placeholders are you hanging on to?
Do you have a plan to replace your placeholders?