When I first moved into my apartment almost two years ago, one of the number one items I had to make sure fit into our small space was a bar cart. With some Ikea DIY, my dream bar cart was finally a reality! And now every time I have a visitor, I’m so glad my bar cart is prepped and ready for a cocktail. Today, I’m sharing my essentials for what to keep stocked on your shelves and some favorite items to shop for yourself!
1. Bubbles: Champagne is my favorite thing to sip and celebrate with, so along with keeping bottles ready to drink, I also have been known to buy a bottle or two that are in fun colors or patterns to add a pop of design to the cart.
2. Liquor: Gin and tonic is always my go-to cocktail, but I make sure to keep a variety of different liquors on hand to make sure my guests always have their favorite drink when they’re at my place, such as a bottle of vodka and a darker liquor like rum.
3. Mixers: Not only is it convenient to keep a mix of different mixers on the cart, they also bring different dimensions and color to the cart. My number one to use is flavored San Pellegrino’s because it goes well with almost any liquor, and adds fizz and flavor to your drink. I also keep the essentials stocked like tonic water, ginger beer for moscow mules and any other fun flavored drinks that may work well for cocktail mixing.
4. Variety Of Glasses: I made sure to include a variety of glasses when filling my bar cart, to make sure no matter what the cocktail, I had the right glass ready! From tall and low glasses to copper moscow mule mugs to champagne flutes, I mixed the glasses on different shelves to add height and fill up the shelves.
5. Fun Accessories: The best part of my bar cart was stocking it with fun accessories to decorate and drink with! From a colorful ice bucket to striped straws, I wanted to have elements that not only complete a cocktail, but also add details and color to my small space. My favorite elements include my NYC matchbook collection that fills up a vintage tray on top and my bar cart artwork that hang above.
