Category: Home Improvement

Affordable ways to update your home.

Green = Green: Perpetual Calendar

Published on by Our Humble Abode6 Comments

I shared a few thrifty finds last Thursday, including two small file holders for $0.99 each. 

I mentioned that I saw an idea for a perpetual calendar by Ashley Ann for Design Sponge.  I always love a good calendar, so I decided to make a perpetual journaling box set.  The small tan box is perfect for 3 inch by 5 inch note cards, which I happened to have two packages of.  I don’t have a date stamp, so I wrote each date in the upper corner of each index card.  It was pretty quick because I used a number format (1.1 for January 1st, 1.2 for January 2nd, and so on).  Also, I decided not to cut the cards because my box was already sized perfectly. 

After I numbered each card, I used two colors of cardstock, also already owned, to cut dividers for each month.  I made each divider 5 inches wide by 3 1/4 inches tall so I could easily see the dividers above the notecards.

This project took under twenty minutes and cost under $5.00 (if you don’t already have the materials), but what I really love is the sentiment.  I’ve missed the first few weeks of journaling, but it will be cool to see what we did on this day ten years from now. 

I also really love the Max 365 perpetual calendar by Massimo Vignelli, but I could to without the $74.00 price tag.

Obviously, the Max 365 calendar can be used over and over, which eliminates the need for a new calendar year after year.  But, my DIY perpetual calendar can be used for the next ten years (I have ten lines of journaling per sheet).  By using a perpetual calendar, I’m saving paper, making the earth a little greener.  I also saved some green ($73.00 to be exact) by creating my own calendar using a thrift store file box and supplies I had on hand.

Ashley had a great idea, right?!  Anyone out there inspired to make their own perpetual calendar?

(Re)Organized Boys Closet

Published on by Our Humble Abode10 Comments

As our boys grow, I find the need to reorganize their belongings, namely, their closet.  With Ev out growing clothes at a rapid rate, I need access to larger sized clothes without the hassle of digging them out of storage.  Without a dresser in the room, I have to get creative with their storage.  When we last shared our closets, I had it organize, keeping larger clothes on the shelf in a clear covered bin, but it became cumbersome for me (being 5 feet, 4 inches tall) to get large, heavy bins down often.  We needed a change.

Here was Vincent’s side.  All of his current sized clothes are hanging, larger clothes in the big bin on top, diapers in the small bins in the cubes, and socks in a bin.

Here’s Everett’s side.

Everett’s side was pretty much the same story.  After a while, I started hating that I had to slide the doors to get to their stuff.  As I mentioned above, the large bins were really becoming a hassle, too.

What was our solution?  Ben installed a second closet rod.  We didn’t move anything around, so the rods are close together, but they’re boys.  They don’t have anything that really hangs down, so it’s fine for a while.  By installing a second bar, we can hang both boys current clothes on one side, eliminating the constant sliding of doors.

Another benefit, we now have room to hang larger clothing on the other side of the closet.

We still use a laundry bag to save shelf space.  A small hook holds it securely and out-of-the-way.

As for the storage cubes, we keep our baby wipes (which we buy in bulk from Costco when we have a coupon), bedding, Everett’s socks, and one bin of diapers for each boy, rather than all their diapers.  The clear bins on top of the cubes have Vincent’s socks and underwear and the yellow bin has pajamas.  I love those yellow bins because they fold flat when not in use, saving space.

We still have a large bin of clothes, but we don’t need to access it often.  We also have shoes, puzzles and a bag of other random items that I still have to sort through.

Where did all the diapers go?  On the top shelf of the right side.  The yellow bin is our donate box.  Anything that I decide our boys no longer need, I put in the bin until it gets full.  The next time I go to a thrift store, the contents get donated.

Previously, we had a plastic baby bath tub.  Everett has since outgrown it, so I donated that, too, which freed up a lot of valuable space.  Now we have a box in its place.  Whenever one of the boys outgrows something, I put it in that box.  When that box is full, I sort the clothes into the proper bin in our basement.

By adding a second closet rod, we’ve doubled our storage space and we have plenty of room to expand.  Score!  Do you have any storage tips, tricks or products you can’t live without?  What do you do with outgrown children’s clothes?  Do you hang your kid’s clothes or prefer to fold?  If you hang, do you use the size dividers?

Simple Solutions: Lighting

Published on by Our Humble Abode14 Comments

Along with replacing out dated hardware, changing light fixtures can make a big impact.  Before we were married, Ben installed oil rubbed bronze lights in our kitchen, hallway and dining room.  We began the phase out process of oil rubbed bronze on the main level when we installed a drum shade over our DIY dining table. 

Then we replaced the ceiling fan in the guest room for a coffee filter pendant.

Anyway, we chose brushed nickel flushmount lights.  I would have loved a semi flush fixture like the one in our master bedroom, but couldn’t due to the linen closet door swing.  Here’s what we started with.

Notice the junction box with out a fixture?  Yeah, that needed to be fixed, too.  After about 20 minutes, we had two new lights in our kitchen.  After a little work in the kitchen, Ben moved onto the hallway.

And here’s what we have now.

Our upper level lighting is much more cohesive now.  We still have a ceiling fan to replace in the boys’ room, but the rest of the lighting is either brushed nickel or white (fabric or coffee filters).  Anyone out there inspired to change out their old light fixtures?

Office Storage: Revealed

Published on by Our Humble Abode21 Comments

To continue our bookshelf week, we’ll share our office storage system and what’s inside.  Sounds like fun, no?  Well, hold on to your seats because this is a wild ride.  We’ll start with my wall o’ shelves.  Here’s an overall picture, just for reference.

First up, these IKEA storage boxes hold my assorted envelopes. 

The storage boxes to the right hold overflow and odd sized envelopes, ink cartridges, and miscellaneous junk because I don’t have drawers yet.

The large boxes at the very bottom in the center hold 12 inch by 12 inch scrapbook paper.  Below those, boxes store fabric, yarn and thread. 

In the far right column, I have a row of magazine files, some empty, some not.

Let’s take a look inside.

These two files have tutorial books, including a trim, origami, and Ben’s workout book.  Another has the boy’s baby books and other baby items like a baptismal candle.

A few more files hold mine and Ben’s baby books and cards from our wedding and showers.  To the far right is a spiral bound scrapbook.

That completes the wall of shelves, but what’s above my desk?  Glad you asked!

To the right, my stock of papers fill a row of magazine files.  I found three-ring binders that look similar to the magazine files at Office Depot a few years ago.  One keeps samples of my designs.  Another is empty but I like to keep it out so I have room to expand.  Helpful hint: The binders also work great to store cds and dvds.  We removed the pages from a four square dvd file and placed them in the prettier file and it’s great!

To the left of my desk I have a few more magazine files (gotta love ’em) storing mailing labels.  Next to those are two boxes for mailing envelopes and files.

Oh, I created simple labels for everything, too.  I know, my OCD tendencies are back, but at least it’s useful!

Above that, I have a shelf that looks purely decorative.

But I’ve got a secret.  I use those pretty marble vessels to store extra paper clips, rubber bands, and pencils.

Pretty sneaky, huh?  That completes our office storage for the day.  I want to know if you have any helpful hints or surprise decorative storage in your home?

P.S.  All the magazine files and storage boxes hail from mother Sweden (aka IKEA).  The boxes are part of the Kassett series and the files are the Flyt $1.99 for 5.  Great price when you need so many and surprisingly durable!

It’s a New Year!

Published on by Our Humble Abode6 Comments

To kick off the new year, we’re sharing our revised to do list. 

Here is our list from June:

1.  Remodel our kitchen.

2.  Pour a new concrete patio.

3.  Refinish our hardwood floors.

4.  Finish part of our laundry and close the ugly out.

5.  Complete our steam room/shower.

6.  Clean and stain our fence.  Build gates.

And some of our smaller projects:

1.  Repaint our interior doors and replace hardware.

2.  New dining table and chairs.

3.  Update bedroom and hall light fixtures.

4.  Finish drawers and doors for basement office, entertainment center and bathroom.

5.  Touch up paint throughout the house, fill any cracks with caulking and maybe repaint our living room, hall and dining room.

6.  Spray paint our end tables and create new tops.

7.  Fill in areas with landscape rock.

8.  Grout our bathroom seam to prevent leaking.

9.  Paint front door outside trim white.

10.  Install a master bathroom fan.

I have crossed off the things we have completed, but we still have so many things to finish (or start!)  Here are the most recent additions to our never-ending to do list, starting at the entry:

1.  Even out front walkway.

Notice where the pavers meet the concrete…tripping hazard.

2.  Build/buy a storage bench and recycling center.

3.  Organize entryway and coat closet.

4.  Repaint living room, hall, and kitchen.

5.  Build a buffet table.

6.  Buy or make a new light for the boy’s room. 

7.  New night stands with storage for the master bedroom.

8.  New art for the master bedroom.

9.  Get a mirror for the stairwell.

10.  Buy, find or make art for the entire basement, including one large piece behind the couch.

11.  End tables for the theater room.

12.  Decorate the theater room entertainment center, without altering the sound…  That is tough.  (Finish and hang the sliding doors for the entertainment center)

13.  Organize our laundry room, add shelving, and finish the walls.  A light switch (and not a pull chain) would be nice.

14.  Make a bed and headboard for the small basement bedroom. 

15.  Buy and install sliding closet doors.

16.  Hang curtains and more art for this bedroom.

17.  Convince Ben to donate the headboard for the queen sized bed and switch beds from room to room. 

18.  Convince Ben to get rid of the rarely used exercise equipment. 

19.  Find a reasonable furniture layout for the large basement bedroom.

20.  Clean out the bedroom closet and donate anything we don’t need or use. 

Things I’d like to change, but may not:

1.  Repaint the backs of the entertainment center shelves.

2.  Repaint master bathroom.

3.  Make a cool, modern spoon rack. 

I’m sure there are plenty more things that I’m missing, but this should keep us busy for now.  Do you have long lingering projects looming over your head?  I would love to have the doors and drawers done for our basement that we finished nine months ago.