10 fall decor ideas for the living room that save time, money, and storage space + fall decorating mistakes you should avoid. Apparently, once the kids are back in school, I get the itch to go on a fall cleaning spree cleaning sofas and throwing around fall living room decor. Sure, it may be 90…
17 fall centerpiece ideas that you can make in 5 minutes or less as welcoming fall table decor, plus the most realistic artificial fall flowers. You know what’s the best fall activity? EATING! (You thought I was going to say leaf peeping or pumpkin carving, didn’t you? Maybe I’m just hungry; I don’t know.) But…
Over 100 brilliant DIY Christmas gift ideas related to homemade toys, home decor, fashion, beauty, food, and crafts. One of my absolute FAVORITE memories as a kid was making DIY Christmas gifts with my mom and little brother whenever my dad was working out of town. We sat around the kitchen table and crafted Christmas…
Everything you need to know to plan an epic swim party with themes, decor, games, and favor ideas + a free backyard party planning checklist. This post is sponsored by Leslie’s Pool Supplies. If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the years of having a swimming pool in our backyard, it’s how to host a…
After a whirlwind week’s worth of work (wow, say that five times fast), the conference room makeover is finished! If you missed where this project first started, our friend Amber, the Coordinator at The Cottage at Pathways Community Center in partnership with The Life House Women’s Shelter, asked us for help in making their office…
Find designer dupe modern vintage beds for under $1,000 in this shopping guide to get the high-end classic looking bedroom on a low budget. Go classic with large furnishings, trendy with home decor accents, and you’ll have opportunity for lots of decorating fun with zero regrets later. That’s my approach on a lot of room…
Garage organizers that will change the way your garage functions using smart storage solutions for tools, paint, and sporting equipment. It’s life changing what some decluttering, smart storage, and a fresh coat of paint can do in an entire garage remodel. Our garage is proof that the cost-effective way is sometimes you need to get…
Make this DIY Thanksgiving centerpiece idea for your own table decor using a scarf, thrifted candlesticks, and other common cheap finds to create a high end look. It’s possible we’re living in The Twilight Zone these days. Because as Robert and I were walking through our neighborhood with the girls on Halloween night, I saw…
A before and after home tour of our brick colonial house 5 years after moving in with recaps of countless DIY home improvement projects and decorating tutorials. It’s so hard to believe that 5 years have already passed since we moved into this house! And yet it feels like so much longer than that at…
A full budget breakdown of what a real master bathroom remodel cost and tips for saving money on a renovation. It is so hard to know these days how much a bathroom remodel costs. Supply and demand of materials, what contractors charge, labor shortages, and square footage all leave a big ol’ question mark and…
A full budget breakdown of how much our exterior remodel and backyard renovation cost, why we hired a few contractors, and what outdoor projects you can do yourself to save money. Technically, our backyard renovation still has one or two little projects for it to be deemed “officially finished”, but considering all of the things…
Tips to turn a backyard shed into an inexpensive DIY at home gym using secondhand workout equipment and small storage solutions. If you have a shed in your backyard currently crammed with clutter, it is the perfect opportunity to turn it into your own workout space. After about a week of work, our home gym…
A round-up of simple DIY crafts and cheap fall decor ideas to make your home feel cozy and inviting for the season using (mostly) what you already have. Even though it’s 90-something degrees outside, it’s hard to believe fall is right around the corner! I already have a few cheap fall decor ideas on the…
All the best road trip essentials for traveling with kids, organizing the car, and streamline packing + the ultimate packing checklist. After a stressful few weeks (who am I kidding… it’s been a stressful year for all of us honestly), it feels SO GOOD to finally venture out for road trips this summer. Robert, the…
8 simple and interactive sleepover ideas for a successful slumber party and how to make party prep easier using Walmart+. It’s a BIG DEAL kind of week around here… because we officially have an 8 year-old in the house!! And my mama heart is not accepting the fact that Olivia is halfway to a driver’s…
Three everyday household items you can use to make inexpensive throw pillows, plus how to do it using a no-sew method in minutes. I’m by no means a seamstress… let’s just throw that out there right now. My mom tried to teach me several times growing up, and I’ve decided I’m a lost cause when…
The beginner’s guide to setting up a smart home in 6 steps and how to pull it off for under $500. I’m the least techie blogger on the planet. There, I said it. My solution to every problem is “turn it off and turn it back on again”, and if that doesn’t fix it, I…
A complete step-by-step tutorial for how to paint kitchen cabinets to make them as durable as possible for as quickly and easily as possible. I spent a week painting kitchen cabinets. Almost exactly to the minute. And it was worth every Pandora karaoke jam sesh / paint brush dance party. Just in case you don’t…
To be honest, I’ve lost count of how many paint projects Robert and I have done after over a decade of DIY makeovers. But every single one always takes my breath away. Paint is the best way to make a massive visual impact for often not a whole lot of money… that is, as long…
There are times I think about ALL of the doofus decorating mistakes I made when I first started attempting to beautify our house a decade ago, and part of me wishes someone had warned me! Like yes, the colors on the little paint chips in the paint store DO look totally different than they will…
A full step-by-step tutorial to paint a concrete pool deck and patio to make it last for years and save thousands by doing it yourself. Painting our concrete pool deck surface was by far the best money-saving project we did in our backyard 4 years ago. And that’s saying something because we’ve done over 40…
Simple steps to follow to help you find the best deals on Facebook Marketplace to furnish your home or flip furniture for resell for a profit. Facebook Marketplace is like the wild west of thrift shopping when it comes to searching for furniture and decor for your home. There are no rules, sometimes a few…
The best closet makeovers using the IKEA PAX wardrobe system with hacks to make it look custom and solutions for creating the most functional storage. If you want the look and function of a custom closet without the custom closet price tag, these IKEA hacks are definitely for you. Four years ago, we made our…
How to stop chasing decorating fads by incorporating these classic interior design trends to create a home that never goes out of style. How Timeless Interior Design Saves Time, Money, and Waste The biggest pain point of decorating your living room or dining room in new trends of our modern time period is it can…
30 ways for how to make your home look expensive and intentional the easy way without costing you the high end designer bucks. I blame TikTok for this post. (By the way, I feel really old over there, but I digress.) The other night, the house was feeling all cozy and cute with our lamps turned on and I…
5 favorite battery operated Christmas lights and candles from Amazon to use on garlands, wreaths, Christmas trees, windows, and mantels. I don’t know how my parents handled decorating our house for Christmas back in the 80s/90s, but I do remember there being way more electrical cords involved than we have nowadays. The job has gotten…
40 ideas to make your own DIY Christmas decorations repurposing items commonly found in thrift stores or your own home, plus free homemade holiday decor solutions. The other day, I was randomly looking around our house counting up all of the thrift store Christmas decor projects we have hanging around. There have been a lot…
How to make your own DIY no sew curtains with passementerie trim using hem tape for grandmillennial style on a budget. For the longest time, I have envisioned a pair of gorgeous grandmillennial cottage style curtains for the bedroom for our younger daughter ever since I hung the chinoiserie wallpaper in this space. There were…
An honest, unbiased review of the Bartesian cocktail machine, pros/cons to consider, if it’s worth the money, and top rated drink flavors. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. It has been a little over ten months since Robert bought our Bartesian cocktail machine for me as a Christmas present, and ever since…
A brutally honest, unbiased review of the Tyler Pottery Barn Recliner, its pros/cons to consider, if it’s worth the money, and why it’s not for everyone. Our living room got a new addition in the form of Pottery Barn recliners 2 years ago, and I’ve never been so happy to lose a battle over furniture…
All of the supplies and steps you need for installing sheet vinyl flooring over old tile yourself for a temporary fix. Favorite project EVER! Okay, I say that about probably 50% of every project we do around here, but this one is definitely up there on the charts of most-transformative-for-least-amount-of-money. Even though this looks like…
A brutally honest, unbiased review of Ruggable rugs, its pros/cons to consider, if it’s worth the money, and my top favorite styles. Our Unbiased Ruggable Rug Review We’ve put our Ruggable rugs through the ringer, y’all! I took one for the team and put it through the real life test. Crushed up Goldfish, milk spills,…
A round up of the top rated fake plants to use on porches, decks, and patios and how to style them to look like real foliage. Want to know a secret? We use artificial outdoor plants for the front door. Don’t tell the neighbors. 😉 Ha! Just kidding. The neighbors have witnessed how I kill…
The 3 biggest paint color mistakes most people make and the best tips for how to choose paint colors for your home interior rooms like a pro interior designer. There is nothing more frustrating than spending hours painting an entire room only to step back and discover you absolutely hate it. Ask me how I’ve…
A small, windowless breakfast nook transformation with Parisian bistro decor, thrifted furniture, and DIY projects + a budget breakdown. Okay, you got me. Technically, I don’t know what style you’d call the finally finished breakfast nook, but between the DIY bistro table, the French striped upholstery, herringbone floors, and the aged brass fixtures, this space…
A budget kitchen facelift with cottagecore style using paint, inexpensive DIY projects, and small changes for a big impact. You know how you watch those makeover shows on HGTV and there is always this crazy amazing before and after with a new open concept and new lighting and new cabinets and new countertops and new…
How to make your own Parisian style faux marble dining table in under an hour by using a kitchen countertop. This project might go down in the history books as one of the fastest we’ve ever done. I am so totally in love with this Parisian style faux marble dining table we whipped up in…
Over 200 last minute gift ideas under $30 for men, women, kids, and groups with 2 day shipping or curbside pickup options. I can’t believe we’re so close to Christmas that it’s time for a last minute gift ideas guide! Where did December go?! This year, I’ve been much more on the ball with gift…
How we saved on our dream marble backsplash and countertop, plus the marble sealer built to prevent stains and etches for 10 years! The bathroom renovation has really come along in the past week, and the latest addition of the scalloped marble backsplash has me seeing ALL the heart eyes! We still have a long…
A step-by-step tutorial depicting how to create a mood board design for planning a room makeover in your house to save time and money. Learning how to make a mood board design has been such a huge part of our home makeover journey over the years. The biggest struggle I’ve always had for basically everything…
The best tools, resources, and tips from a full-time blogger to help start a blog and make blogging a career. Last week, I asked you guys to hit me with ALL of your blogging questions. And most of them revolved around “How do I start a blog?” It’s a lot to unpack, but I’ll do…
Our favorite wireless lights, battery operated lights, and solar lights around our home to improve closets, kitchens, landscaping, hallways, and anywhere without hiring an electrician. Nerd alert. I never thought I’d research and write an entire post about wireless lights but here we are. The “beauty” of living in an older house is our electrician…
