What has been going on this month?

I haven't posted for the entire month of May...so what have I been doing?  I have been doing the things I should be posting about.  So, in one way I HAVE stayed on track, but I haven't been documenting,and thereby trying to help all of you keep on track.  Sorry!

At the end of April, I got it in my head that a bigger deck would be a good idea, and then a sale at Home Depot lead to a LARGE delivery of wood and supplies to my house.

In case you didn't know, expanding a 10 x 10 deck to a 10 x 30 deck is a LOT of work, and a LOT of wood.  I thought I had at least a small idea about what it would take for my husband to do this DIY project.  No, my husband is not a natural handy man, but he is extremely smart and will research things until he becomes expert at them.  He is more of the measure 16 times, cut once breed, so I knew that it may go slow, but that he could do it.

He was cautiously optimistic as well, but we went for it.  Then it rained, and rained, and rained, and rained some more.  In fact over March, April, and May, my area of Utah has received more rainfall than in the past 150 years of those months.  Yes, I live in a desert, and yes I have mushrooms and mold in my flower beds.  CRAZY!

Every spare second of sun, or moment of dryness, or at least a slow drizzle was spent trying to make as much progress on the deck as possible.  A lot has been learned along the way, but I have to admit that I have learned a lot more than my husband who has done at least 95% of the work.

LADIES LISTEN UP!!!  I have had small, realistic expectations about the speed of progress, and because of it, my husband and I have not even had one cross word toward each other during this experience! 

He is learning a new craft that I really pushed on him (I can't be the only wife who has ever done this?), he can't control the weather, and we will have this deck for years to come, so what is the rush or reason to stress him out about the time line? 

Please know, this is RARE for me, usually I would push and make it a terrible situation for everyone, but WOW is this approach much better!

We started with this 10 x 10 deck, and it is MUCH better than nothing, but it really didn't leave much room for lounging and relaxing after the BBQ was up there.

Then the structure needed to be started, with a red headed audience (of course).

The stairs were removed and the deck began to take shape!

Okay, then I did add a bit of pressure to the hubby with my excitement (old habit, what can I say).  The deck was finally coming to life and all I could imagine was the deck furniture that I would soon be able to have on it.  Have you priced outdoor furniture lately?  OUCH!!!

I found a GREAT set at the best price I have seen for my needs at Bed Bath and Beyond.

This set is $299.99, but with the 20% off coupon it was $239.99!!  My only complaint is that it isn't very colorful, but with the outdoor pillows they also had for $9.99 each, it made for some much needed color (FYI I got two of the red stripe and two of the blue strip).

The basic structure is now built.  A few touch ups are needed, and I want a gate to be built on as well.  Then I will stain/paint the new areas, and we will be finished...well...the deck has gone so well that we have begun thinking about a pergola...time will tell, it is Memorial Day, freezing cold and still raining out there...

I do promise more pictures and updates as we go along though!  Happy Memorial Day!

Next step in your Spring Cleaning

Are you ready to throw open those windows and enjoy the fresh Spring air? I am! Only problem is that the air might not be so fresh coming through filthy window tracks and door ways. If you think I am being overly OCD about this area, it may have been a while since you opened your windows and took a peek. YUCK!

First thing is to get out the best vacuum you have and get the smallest attachment. Take some time and really get out as much of the loose dirt that you can, it will make things MUCH easier when we start adding moisture.

While the vacuum and attachments are still out, use it on top of all doorways and door frames. Obviously if there is stuck on dirt, a clean rag or Magic Eraser will be necessary.

Now, getting the gunk and grime out of and off the window tracks and doorways does require some time and elbow grease, but it can be very rewarding.

If you have a Shark Pocket Steamer, this is my favorite place to use it! Shoot that steam right into the window tracks and entry ways and you will blast yourself to shinny happiness.

If you don’t have a steamer, you can still get it just as clean, just use more elbow grease. Get out your cleaning toothbrush, rags, and HOT water with cleaning solution and go to town.

While steaming out the tracks, also go over the screens. If you feel up to it, pop them out, and scrub them on the driveway like my mother used to do. That is a bit much for even me, though if you are up for it, more power to you!

My last touch on window trim and doorways may be a bit over the top for you, but it can really be the icing on the cake. Touch up/re-do paint on the trim, and re-caulk any necessary areas.

With a little effort you’re going to open up those windows and doors, and be greeted with the CLEAN Spring air.

Spring Clean those Bathrooms!

Cleaning the bathroom is a necessary evil, but knowing that does not mean that it doesn’t need a Spring cleaning touch up along with the other rooms.

Because the bathrooms are cleaned so frequently, Spring cleaning in these areas is relatively easy. I was able to get all three of my bathrooms done on Saturday! Here is the to do list for Spring cleaning all of the bathrooms in the house:

• Wipe/swiffer down all walls, where all of the hairspray and cosmetic gunk can get stuck. Remove all clocks, and decorations to get behind them as well. Use HOT water and a cleaning solution with towels/rags.

• Wash decorative towels

• Wash all rugs/toilet covers

• Clean out sink and tub drains

• Remove everything from under the sink, clean and replace

• Wash vents

• Wash garbage can

To Spring clean the toilets:

 

• Steam clean all around and behind the toilet. Re-caulking if necessary will give a clean look as well. If you don’t have a steamer, the hottest water you can handle (use those rubber gloves) with a cleaning solution will work as well.

These small touch ups will go miles to improve the cleanliness of one of the most used rooms in the house.

Finding the Hidden Dust

Where does all of this dust come from? Do you ask that question frequently? I do! No matter how great of a dusting job you do, it will ALWAYS come back, and unfortunately much more quickly than you want it to.

Other than the routine dusting that we all try to get to, the only way to address the dust is to find where it likes to hide, the places that we don’t always think of.

By getting to those areas during Spring cleaning, it will cut down on the dust throughout the rest of the year as well.

Spring Cleaning presents the opportunity for us to get around to cleaning the areas that we don’t always think of, but know we should get around to.

My to do list for Spring Cleaning in regards to dusting is as follows:

• Pull out and clean behind the:

Stove

 Fridge

 Washer

 Dryer

Large pieces of furniture

• Vacuum corners of ceilings and baseboards with vacuum attachments

• Pull off all vents and clean/vacuum them out

• Dust tops of all cabinets and fridge

• Remove light fixtures, wash, and replace

• Dust all fans

• Vacuum lap shades with vacuum attachments

I find dusting to be tedious and frustrating, but when it comes to Spring Clean dusting, it can be quite rewarding.  It will amaze you how much cleaner your home will feel when you get to these frequently skipped areas.

Spring Cleaning, Must Have Supplies

It is almost Spring, time to prepare for the big Spring Clean. Having all of the necessary supplies on hand will make for a more productive cleaning session, so here are the basics you will need:

1. Cleaning toothbrush
2. Tooth picks

3. Vinegar

4. Anti-bacterial cleaning solution

5. Abrasive cleaner and a good scrubbing sponge

6. Glass cleaner

7. Quality vacuum with attachments

Optional Items:

1. Rubber gloves (protect that manicure!)

2. Steam Cleaner (I LOVE my Shark Pocket Steamer)

3. Swiffer type of mop and plenty of rags

Most of these basic items you will have on hand, and although you can get the job done without the optional items, having them will make the chores MUCH easier. Spring Cleaning for me is about getting to those areas that we don’t always get around to, and doing a deeper clean on those that we clean more frequently. Come on, dig in and get a good Spring cleaning done, it will really pay off when you are spending all of your free time outside when the good weather finally arrives!

Switch it up!

Maybe you aren't well versed in swinging a hammer or sawing some trim, but certainly everyone can tighten a screw!

New/updated/decorative switch plates are a REALLY easy household project that can have a great impact toward updating the look of a home or continuing a specialized theme of a room.

Most of mine have been switched to brushed nickle plates.  My girls each chose one that matches their themed rooms.  My biggest tip is to look into your local come improvement stores instead of furniture/decorative stores.  You would be amazed at the selection and the prices are much more competitive!

Staying in the closet

While we are looking at our sheets in the linen closet, time to check out those towels as well.  An easy way to see if you need new towel?  Are the towels in your linen closet guest worthy? 

If you would not be willing to have a guest use the towel, time to down grade it to the rag bin.  If, after you do your down grading, you find an empty closet, time to take advantage of the great sales and upgrade those towels!

Sleep like a baby

Oh how I wish I could sleep like this!  We all know how important sleep is, and this is one area where quality is well worth the cost! 

When was the last time you got new sheets?  Luxurious linens are something that many don't get for themselves.  I have been in a lot of linen closets when I am helping others with their organization plight, and I have been surprised by how long people are hanging on to sheet that they never liked in the first place.

The higher the thread count, the better the quality, is a fairly safe train of thought.  I have also found that I really like the sateen weave of the thread as well.

Go ahead and check under the covers, if what you find is a less than inspiring sight, a trip to the linen store might be a good idea.  Maybe even take part of the upcoming tax return to splurge on yourself a little and get the highest thread count you can find!  It just may just help you to sleep like a baby.

A Spoon Full of Sugar

After creating such an organized area in my kitchen by cleaning the clutter off my fridge and putting it onto my wonderful magnetic cabinet area, it made me look into my cabinet a little deeper.

When is the last time that you looked through your medicine cabinet? I keep my medicines in a bin in a kitchen cabinet, I love having them all in one place, but some times it is a little too convenient and I don't always go through it often enough.

From my experience, most of have a smorgasbord of expired medications that we have been hanging onto. By weeding through the medicines that are past their prime, you will also learn which remedies you are running low on. For the health of your household, tackle the simple task of checking out your medicine cabinets.

Stick to it

I just finished a household project that I am really proud of!  I have had this project on my mind for a while, and it feels great to have accomplished it.

Does your fridge look something like this?  We all need a command central for our important items, but having to see it cluttering up my kitchen all of the time was driving me crazy. 

So, here is what I did.

Remove one of the cabinet doors by the fridge (where I had been keeping these items).

I went to Home Depot and bought a 10 inch by 10 foot strip of sheet metal.  It was $11.59, and I found it in the roofing section.  I then took it to the tool rental section where they used tin snips to cut my sheet into two 23 1/2 inch long sections at no charge.

I then took my AMAZING new glue gun (thank you hubby!), and glued the metal down.  I placed a heavy book on top of it, but I don't know if that was necessary.  This glue gun is like none I have ever seen.  It is an Aleene's Ultimate Glue Gun, certainly worth checking it out!

I then cut some trim to fit that I also got at Home Depot, and glued that down with the glue gun as well.

Next I used this specialized tip on my glue gun to fill in any cracks.

I prepped the area by sanding and taping it off.

I had previously painted my cabinets, so I painted the trim to match.

Allow for drying time, remove tape, and then hang the cabinet door back up.  Voila, a discreet area that allows you to magnet all of your important items where you want them without having to see the clutter!

This project actually cost me $1.04 because I had some money left on a gift card, but it would have been $18.77.  It includes enough sheet metal to do 5 cabinet doors, and enough trim for almost two.

Pillows!!!

In the spirit of household projects, lets consider pillows!  They are an easy, fun, and fairly inexpensive way to change things up.  I am by no means a seamstress, but I can sew a pillow.  I have even been known to put invisible zippers into mine. 

During January, the fabric/craft stores frequently have 50% off sales on their decorative fabrics. 

I have made pillows for my living room, my girls' rooms, and my bedroom over the years.  It is also a lot of fun to add trim or decorative elements to store bought pillows to make then more unique. 

There seem to be endless options for decorative pillows now.  Boutiques and standard stores have unique varieties all of the time.  You don't have to sew a stitch to change it up a bit.  But, if you do decide to go for the hand made variety...really go for it, and coordinate some drapes/curtains as well.  You won't believe the difference a little fabric can make!

Change it up!

I do know that LARGE household projects are not always possible.  Finances, time, and lack of motivation can plague each of us.  A really easy project that I did last night, I switched up and weeded through my kitchen accessories!

Do you have the same candle on the same tray for the past 5 years (or more)?  It takes no money at all to minimize.  I think many times we add to our accessories, but we don't always take some away.

We would all like a fresh a new room/house, right? Accessories can make such a difference!  It may be as simple as changing the location or quantity of your most favorite accessories.  Then, clear out the rest!  It will be a great start to a great new year!

A Healthy Household!

My household projects have needed to take a detour, so I thought I would tell you about my current focus, getting my household healthy! 

My oldest randomly got sick in the middle of the night a few nights ago.  Last night, my youngest and I visited the same porcelain throne not 10 minutes apart.  Obviously, I need to work on getting my family healthy before I can get back to my other tasks.

The obvious areas to start with is disinfecting door knobs, remotes, keyboards, etc.  A few years ago I was given a wonderful tip from our pediatrician's nurse, and I wanted to share.  When anyone in our family gets sick, I soak our toothbrushes in hydrogen peroxide.

Take one small glass/cup for each toothbrush and place them brush side down in enough peroxide to cover the brushes.  I soak them for a few hours, but as we all know, peroxide eventually turns into water anyway, so no worries about soaking for too long.  After the soaking, rinse well. 

"Sanitizing" your toothbrushes will make a big difference in getting rid of any germs that might have snuck into your household.

Good luck, and be healthy!

Create more space

I have just completed my first household project for the month!  It is a small one, but one that is really going to make a difference for me. 

1.  I went  through all of my jewelery, and got rid of things that I don't wear anymore or were in bad shape

2.  I took a small drawer in the top of my dresser and lined it with a soft velveteen fabric

Ta Da!!!  More jewelery space!  There are many ways I could have gone about giving myself more space for my accessories, but this one worked well for me.  I got to use my new AMAZING glue gun that my husband got me for Christmas, and was able to choose whatever fabric I liked. 

This projected didn't take long, and isn't a permanent change for my drawer.  I can easily use it for clothing if I like, but the soft fabric now gives me the option to put jewelry in a place that won't scratch it, and it is plush enough that things won't slide around when the drawer gets opened and closed.

Big or small, household projects can make a big difference.  Look around and find the right sized project for you and your household!

Happy New Year!

The focus for January is Household Projects!

It is a new year, a time for goals, resolutions, and fresh starts. In January, we will be focusing on projects around the house. Is there a blah room that you have been wanting to tackle? Do you have some furniture that could use some refreshing? Are your sick of your tired old decorative elements around the house?

Time to make some fun changes! January is a difficult transition for many people, and many call it the January blues, but with a focus on fresh, new, and fun, a smooth transition into the new year is just a few projects away!

Reality Check!

I have been LOVING this months focus!  We are one week in now and I have been checking off many items from the list I made of items that I have been meaning to get around to. 

First I started with doing touch up paint all over my house.  I have had a lot of marks around the house that have been driving me crazy.

It wasn't as simple as just a few touch ups.  I have many different colors around my house.  Some of the paint had dried out and I had to get new ones made, others I had run out of and had to get more.

Not every mark was easy to get to, some required a ladder, but it was very gratifying to address all of these little things that have been driving me nuts!

Another item on my list was "Stain more of the bedroom furniture".  In January I stained an old cedar chest from High School, and I really liked the results.  I have been meaning to stain my bedroom furniture to match the chest.  I decided to start with the night stands because they are small and I figured it would be the path of least resistance.

This is my husband's night stand to show you how the furniture looks.

I started with my night stand.  I sanded, and then began staining.  It required multiple coats to achieve my desired look but finally I had it!  Next step, applying the top coat to protect it and give it a little sheen.

 Cleaning up stain and top coat requires paint thinner or mineral spirits and I was out, so off the family went to Home Depot.  While there, I had to choose new hardware for the night stands.  None of the holes matched up to those already in the drawers so after I choose my hardware, I had to find wooden pegs to put into the previous holes.

Dry night stand over night, place the plugs, oh wait, they are slightly too big, AHHH!!  Okay, get out the drill and slightly enlarge the holes, place pegs and carefully hammer them in.  Stain and top coat the pegs.  Drill holes for the new hardware and place on knobs.

Three of the four are placed, then wait...I stripped a screw, @#*&%!!!!  Sprained my wrist, but finally got it out, placed a new one and now have my beautifully finished night stand!

Now on to the next one?  Not on your life!  My goal was to "stain MORE bedroom furniture", and that is what I have done.  I also have not put on makeup or done my hair for two days, I have cans, screws, drills, and tools, all over my house, and I am mentally exhausted from all of the set backs. 

My point is this, accomplishing things is NOT easy for ANYONE.  I think that people assume that "organized people" go through their happy and clean home with little to no difficulties.  WRONG!!!  I did however "choose" this difficulty by tackling this project.  Some of the things that I did along the way made this an "organized project": 

I started small, only one night stand had to be emptied, I didn't start doing all of the drawers in my room at once.

I started early in the day.  I knew this was going to take some time for all of the coats to dry.  Starting late would have made it miserable for everyone. 

I chose a day that was cooler outside.  Yesterday was beautiful and just under 70 degrees, perfect weather to be staining out on the deck.

When I was frustrated by the problems that occurred (and they always do), I kept my focus and pushed through them.

I knew when to stop.  I finished the night stand, but didn't start another one yet.  I may start it tomorrow, or later in the month, but I know that for today, I am done!!

September's Focus

I am really excited about this month's focus!  Because we change seasons in September and since most of us are now Back to School, it is a perfect time to catch up on all of those things we have been meaning to get around to.

Three times a year we are going to have this chance, and I have been really looking forward to it.  When I decided to do a monthly focus for this blog, I was sure to put "I've been meaning to..." as a focus as much as I could fit it in, and the season's changes (except for Winter which is in December and already too busy) seemed to be a natural fit.

This month I will highlight for you the things that I am going to check off my list that I have been meaning to get around to.  I would love to hear what items have been nagging at you and how you are going to work on them.  The possibilities are endless.

Remember the Kwal Paint coupon from last week?  Yep, today I am going to work on touch up painting.  Nearly every room needs it, especially my kids rooms.  I swear they must throw things at the walls just for the fun of it.

Good luck and Happy Fall!