Lauren, Author at Flip This Rental

July 20, 2017July 19, 2017

How to Restore Painted Hardware

One of the first things I noticed when I moved into this apartment, and something I have noticed in several other homes, is the sloppily painted hardware. This always bothers me because I think it shows a lack of pride by the painter. Not to mention the blatant disregard for quality craftsmanship that is becoming harder to find in today’s homes.

I figured the best case scenario would be to strip the paint and restore the hardware to its original finish. Worst case scenario would be stripping the paint and spray painting the hardware. What I got, for the most part, was better than best case scenario. I didn’t just get to restore some antique hardware. I got to restore some antique copper hardware.

Removing Hardware

The first step in restoring the hardware is to remove it. This is a little tricky when it’s caked in paint. In my case, the people who painted over the hardware didn’t differentiate between the hardware and the wall/door. The first step is to scrape the paint from the screws. You should only have to do it enough to fit the screw driver in and the rest will come with it when you unscrew it. I also took a knife and scored the paint around the outside of the hardware.

How to Restore Painted Hardware

The first vent was a little harder to remove because it was difficult to tell how many screws there were and how the pieces came apart. I figured out that the vent had three different pieces. Not all vents will be the same, so I won’t go into the specifics of how mine was attached to the wall. However, my strategy was basically just trial and error. I unscrewed the one screw I could see, and scraped a little on the bottom part to see if there were any screws down there. Then, I scored the paint around the outside of the vent and tugged a little.

Another good suggestion I have is to be careful with the tools you are using to scrape and unscrew. It’s pretty easy to scratch the metal underneath.

Removing Paint

The first step I took to remove the paint was putting the hardware in boiling water. I placed the smaller pieces in a crockpot and turned it on low and let them soak for a while. For the vents, I got a large plastic tub and dumped a couple pots of boiling water over it. Remember the paint is easiest to peel and scrape when the water is still hot, so don’t let it sit for too long.

How to Restore Painted Hardware

Boiling water worked really well for the hardware, but the vents needed extra help because of the details on the front of the vent. To get the stubborn spots I used Citristrip. When scraping the paint off the vents I pretty much stuck to using a plastic scraper so I didn’t scratch the metal. It would be easier to avoid scratches with a flat surface, but the vent had way too many curves and details.

Removing Tarnish

The last step is to remove the tarnish. I think one of the best ways to do this is by using Bar Keeper’s Friend. Just get the hardware slightly wet, sprinkle it on and scrub really well. Then rinse and repeat if necessary. Unless the hardware was really bad, Bar Keeper’s Friend got the tarnish off really easily. Then, I buffed any scratches out with a fine steel wool.

How to Restore Painted Hardware

I am amazed by the fact that anyone would think to cover this beautiful hardware up. The vents were so caked with paint I couldn’t even see all the awesome details towards the bottom. They definitely didn’t turn out perfectly but the little bit of tarnish that’s left shows their age and will hopefully remind people of their quality.

What do you think? Would you have put in the hours to restore this painted hardware?

See You Around!

Lauren <3

How to Restore Painted Hardware

If you liked this post or found it useful, don’t forget to share it! 🙂

June 22, 2017June 22, 2017

Bedroom Reveal and Item Sourcing

Now that it’s been almost four months since I moved in it’s about time that I give you a bedroom reveal. But first, let me show you what my room looked like as a blank slate.

Room Before

This room has a lot of white and a lot of windows. I was actually kind of excited to decorate with the white (there’s a lot of white throughout the whole apartment). I’m not so excited about the weird texture on the top half of the walls, but I’ll live.

It was also pretty interesting to see how the room was set up when my friend lived here. Honestly, I think that helped me get a better idea of what I wanted and reach the “end” result quicker. As I’m sure you know, there really is never any end to decorating a room.

Room Reveal

When I first walk into my room this is what I see. I got the desk from my step mom, the chair from my mom, and the wool blanket belonged to my maternal grandfather. The corkboard is a DIY I did a while back.

Looking to the right of the room you see the “closet” area. The bump-out is actually my roommate’s closet which left just enough room for two short rods on either side of it. I also keep clothes in the plastic drawers and in the cubes.

I bought the mirror from Target when I moved in and I got the tapestry from Amazon a while ago. The stickers on the drawers are reusable chalk labels by VersaChalk.

Looking to the left in the room you’ll see my bed.

When I moved in I already had two pillows, and bought two additional pillows from Walmart. I bought a sheet set from TJ Maxx which had a fitted sheet, flat sheet, and two pillow cases. The set is a very soft gray and almost has a slight purple undertone to it. The back two pillow cases are navy cotton from Target. The gray blanket is also a purchase from Target that I got two or three years ago. The blanket I linked to is basically the same one, except mine has a faint herringbone pattern in it.

On my night stand I have a DIY painting I made, a geometric container from TJ Maxx, and a lamp from Target (which I bought a few years ago). Again, the lamp is the same it just doesn’t come in gray anymore. The trunk is an upcycle I did a while back and you can read about that here.

In case you missed it, my curtains are made from sheets and you can read all about the cost break down and where I got my materials here.

I’m really happy to have my own space, and I’m glad I put some thought into each of the items in my room. It feels more cohesive than any other room I’ve had before and it’s definitely a relaxing space to go at the end of the day.

What do you think makes a space feel like your own?

See You Around!

Lauren <3

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May 24, 2017June 8, 2017

Comparing the Cost of DIY Curtains and non-DIY Curtains

Easily the best feature of my new room is the insane amount of windows I have. On the other hand, having an insane amount of windows is not so great when you’re trying to sleep.

When I moved in, there were plastic blinds on half of the windows and the ones that were left looked like junk. My friend that lived here before me tacked blankets up to keep the light out. I knew I was going to go in a different direction and wanted something pretty. Something that would block out the light when I wanted and let light in when I wanted.

As I’m sure you know, curtains are freaking expensive, especially when you have a bunch of really big windows. So, I made curtains out of sheets which was an idea I had seen from a few different bloggers on Pinterest. In this post I’ll show you the materials I used and their cost so you can weigh the pros/cons of doing a similar project.

My Window Dimensions

In my room I have 3 windows that are all 70 inches by 70 inches. Therefore, I needed 6 curtain panels that were at least 35 inches wide and 70 inches long. Obviously, these dimensions would cover the window but the length would not look great.

Ideally, curtains are hung at least 3 inches above the window. Personally, I like the curtains to touch the floor but not pool too much. To make sure I got sheets that were long enough, I measured from the top of the window to the floor and added three inches.

Curtain Materials

After searching around a little bit for different sheets I decided on the Mainstays 200 Thread Count Sheet in twin size. They had the best color option at the cheapest price so it was an easy decision. I used both a solid and patterned sheet to make the curtains thicker as well as reversible. I chose navy for the solid color and the blue diamond ikat pattern.

These sheets are $4.97 each and I needed 12 (6 patterned, 6 solid) for a total of $59.64. Each sheet is 66 inches wide by 96 inches long. In a different room I think one sheet would have been fine, but I wanted to block out a lot of light in my bedroom.

Below is an example of how much light 1 sheet (left) blocks versus 2 (right).

Comparing the Cost of DIY Curtains and non-DIY Curtains | 1 sheet versus 2

Cost of DIY Curtains (Fabric) and Pre-Made Curtains

I thought I was shelling out a decent amount of money for these curtains, so I was interested to see how much more I would have spent to buy fabric or just straight up buy curtains and achieve a similar look.

If I would have bought fabric from JoAnn’s:

Lining Fabric (54″ wide) – $3/yd (on sale) x 16 yds (to match 96″ length)= $48 (not on sale = $96)
Print Fabric (54″ wide) – $4.50/yd (on sale) x 16 yds = $72 (not on sale = $144)

The total price for just fabric would have been $120 on sale, $240 not on sale!

I found a pretty good deal at JCPenney on 50″ x 95″ back tab curtains for $13.99 each (clearance) times 6 panels for a total of $83.94. These aren’t that much more expensive, but the user reviews mention these curtains are not the best at blocking light.

Curtain Hardware

In all honesty, I didn’t want to do a whole lot of work besides hanging the curtains up so I didn’t get all fancy and make back tabs or put in grommets or anything. Instead, I just bought clip rings in oil rubbed bronze. There are 7 rings in each package, each package costs $4.74 and I bought 5 packages for a total of $23.70. I ended up using 5 rings on each panel so I still had 5 left over.

Last but not least I got curtain rods from Home Depot, also in oil rubbed bronze, for $6.97 x 3 for a total of $20.91. They’re 48 – 84 inches long and 7/16 in. thick. I was trying to get the cheapest option possible, but aesthetically I think a thicker curtain rod would be better.

Total Cost Breakdown

here is an overview of the items I bought and their costs:

12 twin sheets x $4.97 each = $59.64
5 packages of (7) curtain rings x $4.74 each = $23.70
3 curtain rods x $6.97 each = $20.91

Bringing the total cost of curtains and hardware (without tax) to $104.25

Comparing the Cost of DIY Curtains and non-DIY Curtains | Curtain Pattern

I absolutely love the way these curtains turned out and I think they add a lot of style and function to the room (but hey, I may be a little biased). I know in my next apartment I won’t be using all of the panels but I think it was a great investment compared to buying pre-made curtains.

What do you think? Would you try sheet curtains, DIY curtains out of fabric, or just buy curtains? I would love to hear your pro/con list!

See You Around!

Lauren <3

Comparing the Cost of DIY Curtains and non-DIY Curtains

March 15, 2017June 17, 2017

How to Style with Greenery, Pantone Color of the Year 2017

Recently, Douglas Elliman, a global real estate firm, contacted me to participate in their Pantone Color of the Year challenge. I will not be compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own. To see Florida property listings by Douglas Elliman and for more tropical inspiration, click here.

Spring is right around the corner, and St. Patrick’s day is even closer. So, now is a good time to share some ideas on how to work green into a room. Specifically, Greenery, Pantone Color of the Year for 2017.

According to Pantone’s website, “Greenery signals consumers to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate” (Pantone). It “symbolizes the reconnection we seek with nature, one another, and a larger purpose”.

Originally I thought that this wouldn’t be a color that I would paint on a wall but when I got thinking, I realized it would look great in a bathroom. Greenery seems to be a rejuvinating color especially in combination with neutrals.

I think the best tip I have for this color, and something I would do in my own home, is to style the room with a half wall. For example – shiplap, board and batten, or beadboard depending on your personal style.

This way there is texture added to the room, but it will tone down the vibrant green on the wall.

I created a mood board with my ideas on how to use this color in a bathroom.

How to Style with Greenery, Pantone Color of the Year 2017

One thing that I really like about the way this room is put together is the easily interchangeable color scheme. The green tropical feel is mostly emphasized by all the green accessories and it wouldn’t be too much work or money to change the paint color if you decided it wasn’t for you.

Blue is one of my favorite colors and it seems that I always end up thinking about doing a beachy look for a bathroom and I think that comes from the fact that there are a lot of blue accessories for bathrooms. To see what I mean, just look at my bathroom.

I think this is a fun and different way to have a tropical bathroom without making everything blue. Although I still think it would look great to add in some blue accents.

How would you use Pantone’s 2017 Color of the Year?

See You Around!

Lauren <3

March 10, 2017June 22, 2017

5 Tips For Simple Furniture Painting

Sometimes we tackle projects because we want to test out a new idea, or spend some time doing something we enjoy, but we don’t necessarily expect them to be easy or quick. Other times we know a project will make a big impact in our home but we don’t want to have all the fuss that goes with it, so we put it off.

One of my friends, Jake, has two dressers that didn’t go with the rest of the pieces he owns, so last spring we began throwing around ideas on how to refinish them. The project kept getting put off because we’re both busy people, and we had to be creative in figuring out a decent workspace.

Now Jake is moving to Chicago in less than a month, so I knew we needed to get our act together and get this project done. I wanted him to be able to have furniture he loves to take with him to a new place and have a fresh start.

While doing this project, I was conscious about the things that make a project less daunting, and these are the 5 tips I wanted to share with you!

1. Listen to Your Piece

This first tip I think really applies to houses, but can also apply to furniture as well. In a house, we take clues from the architecture to guide us to different design choices. I think in some ways furniture does the same thing. Maybe this is me justifying laziness, but after a while it becomes clear how I want to refinish a piece. Whether it’s paint, stain, fun details, or new hardware.

This time I didn’t have the furniture in my house to stare at nonstop so it was a little trickier. Jake didn’t really know what his style was, or more accurately how to explain it. To find the best fit, I took cues from the other objects he has in his apartment. He likes clean lines, silver metals, and doesn’t mind dark colors. Overall, he’s drawn to a crisp look with some texture thrown in here and there.

5 Tips For Simple Furniture Painting
As you can see, both dressers have outdated hardware that doesn’t go along with Jake’s aesthetic. One of the first things we decided was to replace the hardware with matching hardware for both dressers.

The dressers don’t have anywhere close to the same style so I thought it made the most sense to paint them different colors. I knew I wanted to use General Finishes and Jake decided seagull gray milk paint for the tall dresser, and midnight blue chalk style paint for the long dresser.

2. Use Sprayer Without Paint

After sanding the tall dresser I kind of hit a wall of oh crap how are we going to get all the dust out of these details? And then I was like oh! Canned air. And then I was like OH. I can just use my sprayer without paint to do the same thing.

I’ve never heard of anyone else doing this so maybe it’s just too obvious to blog about, but it was definitely an aha moment for me.

5 Tips For Simple Furniture Painting

3. Paint Consistency and Spraying Technique

I didn’t have any issues with the long dresser, likely because that is the second one we painted. However, there were some flukes with the tall dresser painted with milk paint.

I have a HomeRight Finish Max HVLP sprayer and in the manual, it says to thin paint out so that it runs through the cup that comes with the sprayer in 25 to 40 seconds. When I timed it, my paint was running through closer to 25 seconds, but I was ending up with drip marks.

5 Tips For Simple Furniture Painting

I didn’t troubleshoot all the possible issues, but I think it was because my paint seemed a little runny. It also could have been because I was applying too much paint at once and standing too close to the piece. These are some general rules I like to keep in mind when I’m spraying to avoid issues like this:

Make sure your paint is a good consistency
spray in even strokes, starting the spray away from the piece then moving across
Let go of the trigger after each spray to avoid moving too quickly and creating areas with too much paint
Don’t stand too close (or too far) from the piece. I generally stand about a foot or so away.

5 Tips For Simple Furniture Painting

4. Fixing Mistakes, Don’t Panic!

However, if you do mess up (like I did) don’t freak out! Whether it’s drip marks, accidentally touching the wet paint, or dirt in wet paint these are all fixable. In spots like the ledges of the drawer frames I wiped drips off because it wasn’t going to affect the finish. In spots like the side of the dresser, I just left them to sand (gently) before doing another coat. It would also be beneficial to just tap the drip with your finger so you don’t have as much to sand out.

One of us also bumped the bottom corner but I left it that way because I didn’t want to put too much paint on one area and end up with even more drips. I think it’s just easier to apply more paint than have to sand it off and then apply more paint.

I didn’t get any dirt in the piece this time but that is a super easy fix. Just wait until the paint dries and knock it out with a dry cloth. This shouldn’t mess with the finish at all.

5. Work with a Friend!

Typically I do projects on my own at my own leisure unless I am frustrated and need help. In this case, I felt there was more of a time crunch with the big move coming really soon. I didn’t want the project to take any longer than necessary so Jake could focus on packing and making the transition to Chicago.

That being said, it was so much faster to have an extra set of hands throughout the entire process. It’s also great because you have someone else to blame if things go wrong. Just kidding… sort of. If you’re looking for a project to go smoothly and take less time, definitely enlist help.

The project start to finish took a weekend and I wasn’t completely drained by the end. We bought supplies Friday night and worked from about noon to seven on both Saturday and Sunday. So really we put in about 14 hours, maybe less, since I didn’t really account for eating. Although I don’t think we really had any down time for paint and wood filler to dry.

So there you have it! 5 easy tips to make painting simpler and hopefully to help you gain some motivation instead of putting a project off. Now what you’ve probably been waiting for… before and after photos!

5 Tips For Simple Furniture Painting

5 Tips For Simple Furniture Painting
Have you ever tried any of these tips for painting furniture or have any other tips I didn’t mention? Let me know in the comments! 🙂

See You Around!

Lauren <3

5 Tips For Simple Furniture Painting

If you liked this post, you may also want to check out this post.

February 28, 2017June 10, 2017

How to Clean Up Your Yard When You Have no Idea Where to Start

One of the biggest issues I have had with this house is the exterior. Especially now that most of the big projects are done inside. It seems like whenever we invite someone new over I always give the disclaimer of “I know the outside is a hideous mess but I promise the inside is completely different”.

First impressions are a huge deal and the curb appeal of this house is giving a seriously bad first impression. If future renters saw a listing of this house and all they saw was the exterior I have no doubt that would seriously limit the pool of potential tenants.

How to Clean Up Your Yard When You Have no Idea Where to Start

This spring I want to get serious about bringing in some much-needed curb appeal (I’ve said that before). But, the problem was I had no idea where to start because there are seriously SO many issues. I think this is a common problem, so I wanted to share my process on how to get started. So here it is, how to clean up your yard when you have no idea where to start.

1. BRAIN DUMP

I originally was going to call this step a brainstorm but quickly changed that because I have been brainstorming ideas for like ever. Really this is a brain dump because I’m putting all the crap in my brain down on paper.

To do this step think about all the issues that are going on, anything that you would like to accomplish, and write it down. Write stuff down that you know you won’t get to until years later, and write stuff down that you don’t have a budget for yet. The point is to put your thoughts on the page to realize your overall vision and set goals.

My yard is a yucky mess, but there are also costly cosmetic fixes that I would like to do. I wrote everything down even though some might be unrealistic to accomplish in the short term. And some might not be possible at all due to lack of landlord approval.

During this step I put various amounts of dollar signs next to certain items based on their estimated cost.

This is purely a guess on how expensive things are. I did not do any research at this phase on project costs, I will do that later. This simply gives me an idea of when/if I will accomplish these projects and how big of a priority they are.

2. Recognize what is easiest to accomplish, and will make the most impact

After I dumped out all my ideas I starred the projects with the most impact. These are the items I will start with. There’s no point in thinking about painting the house to make it all pretty if there is a yard full of leaves and junk. For this spring I absolutely want to focus on:

Cleaning up the leaves and pine needles from the yard and all the “garden beds”
Getting rid of the junk in the yard by the garage, by the house, on the porch, etc.
Get the village to actually fix the driveway this spring. It’s a serious mud pit over here

3. Identify projects that should be done soon but aren’t huge eye sores

These are the kinds of things that are preventing you from adding all the pretty stuff to your yard, or things that are pretty much necessary but aren’t awful to look at. On my list these things include:

Make pallet compost bin
Kill moss
Wash outsides of windows
Plant grass seed
Power wash: house, porch, garage, and cement
Remove rock beds from South and East sides of house
Trim trees if needed

Most of the things on this list are pre-cursors to the tasks that I don’t have the budget for yet or need time to get to (the remaining things on the list)

4. Research, Planning, and Goal Setting.

This phase is somewhat ongoing and is really where you can get into either a loss of steam or seeing some real progress. Set specific goals that are realistic and have relative deadlines attached to them. This way you will know what to work on when, and you can manage your time between other projects.

Pinterest is what I use the most for research and planning. Once I have my general ideas down I start to look up specifics to see how I am going to do a project. You won’t need to do this for everything you have in mind but it’s helpful when taking on a big project or a project that requires learning a new skill.

One thing I found recently is an article on maintaining dirt roads and driveways. I won’t be able to accomplish it myself but I have a better idea of what the village should be doing to repair our driveway. Basically, the research and planning notes should be a more detailed explanation of the project. This is what my notes for the driveway look like:

This process is something I do for a lot of projects even when I somewhat have an idea of where to start, it doesn’t have to be just for your yard. I feel like this system helps me to make actual progress instead of constantly rethinking the first step and remembering all the projects I want to do.

What do you do to help you accomplish big projects? What do you have planned this season to clean up your yard? Let me know in the comments!

See You Around! (and have fun crossing stuff off your lists) 😀

Lauren <3

How to Clean Up Your Yard When You Have No Idea Where to Start

February 19, 2017June 15, 2017

Spray Painted Counter Update – Almost 2 Years Later

I wanted to share an update since it’s been almost 2 years since my post about how I updated my counter tops with spray paint! When I researched doing my counters, my main concern was how well spray paint would hold up. If it tells you anything about how they’re holding up, I can’t believe it’s been almost 2 years since I did this project!

If you want to see what materials I used and the how-to for this project, check out this post.

My biggest concern was next to the sink where we put our dishes to dry. We have a drying rack but most of the time all the dishes won’t fit in that. So, Chris lays a dish towel down and lays dishes on that. As you can imagine this gets a lot of moisture on the counters, and it discolors. I went back and added another layer of poly because I was concerned it was hurting the counter, but so far it hasn’t done any damage. (It still discolors when wet, but like only when it’s really wet).

We usually clean down the counters with a Clorox disinfecting wipe or just with a sponge and soap. Initially I didn’t think the Clorox wipes had any effect but I did notice a little bubbling of the poly.

I’m not 100% sure that this is from using Clorox wipes but I’m pretty sure because I don’t really use them on either side of the sink and those areas don’t have any bubbling.

I’m not sure what it’s from, but there’s also this area that looks a little gummy. It’s not very noticeable and the only difference is that it’s not slippery smooth like the rest of the counter.

There’s also a tiny little scrape or two on the edge of the counter where the white is peaking through. I thought maybe it was a flake of white paint because that’s the case in other areas but I think this is a little ding. When I scratched at it though it didn’t make it any worse.

Overall I’m really happy with how they’ve held up and I’m surprised considering we’re not as gentle on them as I thought we should be.

Here’s a full picture of the counters now:

And here’s the before and after from when I originally did the project:

Spray Painted Counter Update - Almost 2 Years Later

You might also notice that we have a tile backsplash and we removed the upper cabinet doors. If you want to read more about the backsplash check out this post about doing the tile, and this post about prepping the wall.

For the time and money this project takes it’s a perfect solution to fixing up counters before a complete overhaul. This could even be a permanent solution for areas like a laundry room.

So there you have it! My counters are holding up great and I’m really glad I decided to spray paint them. My ongoing struggle now is to make our open cabinets look a little prettier.

See You Around!

Lauren <3

February 10, 2017June 15, 2017

Rustic Farmhouse Guest Bedroom Mood Board

This is the second post in the guest bedroom makeover series. If you missed the first post, check it out here.

I’m definitely a girl that appreciates an old house and some well-loved furniture. This room has gotten me to be creative because the house is fairly new and the room is a blank slate. White walls, trim, wall to wall carpet, and doors.

One great thing about newer homes is you don’t have to rip out all the crap before making it nice again. I love ripping stuff out almost as much as Chip Gaines (okay maybe not quite that much) but it’s so much easier to just start with picking a design.

My favorite features that were already in the room include:

French door closet
Sage green curtains
Comfy futon
Variety of pillows
Crisp white trim
Warm white carpet
Nickel hardware
Big window

Rustic Farmhouse Guest Bedroom Mood Board

I want this room to be pretty neutral and relaxing but still crisp. I chose to go with a color scheme of greige, navy, sage, and white. The walls will be Sherwin Williams Versatile Gray, the bedspread will be navy, and I’m keeping the old sage curtains.

When my mom and I were rearranging (more about that in the next post) we found a Monet print behind the tall dresser and instantly started arguing about whether it would go in the guest bedroom or the master bedroom. She has a huge, beautifully framed, Monet in her room and the frame is what inspired her to pick Versatile Gray as the paint color. I argued that since she already has a Monet in that room she doesn’t need another. LOL.

I’m not sure if the painting pictured in the mood board below is the same as the one we found (I’m at home writing this post and only had a picture to go off of). But if it is, it goes so well with the color scheme I had picked out even before we found it.

Rustic Farmhouse Guest Bedroom Mood Board — To shop these items on Polyvore click here or on the photo.

Since the room is so white right now, it definitely needs to be cozied up. One easy way to make a room feel lived in and cozy is through adding texture and pattern. So even if you did want an all white room, it could be cozied up with some texture.

I want to make a reclaimed wood sign (pallet or barn wood) for above the bed, and I already brought in the chair that I redid for my mom to add some pattern.

They have some throw pillow inserts in the closet and if I feel crafty maybe I’ll make some fun covers for them.

Another easily interchangeable way to add texture is with throw blankets. I would love to get one of the blankets pictured from Target. They look so cozy!

One thing I like about these ideas for adding texture is that you can always change them whenever you get the urge to try a new design. There’s just something so refreshing about being able to swap out a few items and getting a completely different look.

What’s your favorite way to add warmth and texture to a room?

If you liked the mood board don’t forget to share it!

See You Around!

Lauren <3

February 2, 2017June 15, 2017

Guest Bedroom Makeover – Home Away From Home

Wow. So it’s been forever since I last posted. I finished my last semester of classes for undergrad in December and at the beginning of January, I started an internship. I graduate in May just to turn around and start my master’s in the fall! Phew.

All of the big changes really took a toll on my mind and body, so blogging wasn’t a top priority. I kept pushing without taking care of myself as much as I should have.

But now I’m feeling myself again and possibly on my way to being even better than before 😀

But back to the internship. If I drove from home it would be a 2-hour drive twice a week which means I would probably have to wake up at 6 am. Ew.

The good news is my mom and her boyfriend live 20 minutes away from my office. Jackpot. And in this crappy Michigan winter that makes life so much easier.

I’ve been staying in the guest room which they basically use as a giant storage closet.

This is pretty much the before picture. The bed was originally coming out of the corner on an angle and the stuff wasn’t shoved into the corner as much.

They have a really nice house and it just makes me sad seeing a room not living up to its potential.

And since I’ll be staying here until May I figured it would be a great way to (1) make it feel homier for me and (2) make it feel homier for the future guests.

Above is the product of my second step. Obviously, you can see there is less stuff shoved in the corner. I put a bunch of sleeping bags and pillows in a bag in the closet, some sheets and blankets in drawers, and shoved other stuff under the bed.

Ideally, I would like to have my mom sort through stuff with me, take some things down to the basement, and figure out better storage options for the rest.

I think the tall dresser would be better positioned in the hallway or even in the closet.

My mom has some horse tack in here which might honestly be the best place for it for now. The other stuff though could definitely get moved out/around.

In this picture, you can see I put my quilt on the bed because it made it feel homier for me. This will eventually get changed to match the room design, and my mom even mentioned buying a new bed set. I also moved this lamp in here which was first in the living room, then my mom moved it into her office. So we’ll see if that’s permanent.

I like the footboard but I don’t think it goes perfectly with the style I have in mind for the room. Maybe if I’m feeling motivated I will stain it a darker color.

Also, say hi to Louie. He’s such a cool cat and pretty much in love with me. Lol

The Plan

Besides all the organizing I already talked about, I also want to do some DIYing and decorating. So here’s the short list of what I want to do:

Organize/Declutter all the stuff
Paint the walls
Figure out the best furniture positioning (bed, side table, tall dresser, bring in a chair?)
Paint the side table and dressers
Stain the bed?
Get a new bed set
Decorate with objects around the house/thrifted/new

In future posts I hope to update you on how the organizing goes as well as share an updated design plan. I get the feeling that my mom will be open to my ideas so this should be a fun project for the next few months!

What are some amenities that make you feel more comfortable when you’re the guest? Or what are some things that you try to do for guests in your home?

Thanks for reading and as always…

See You Around!

Lauren <3

To see the next post in the series, click here.

August 11, 2016June 15, 2017

Labeling Frenzy – 5 Uses for VersaChalk Labels

It’s really a surprise that I didn’t start an organizing blog because I LOVE anything that has to do with organizing.

Recently, I purchased some labels and chalk markers from VersaChalk, mainly because I was looking for some labels for the set of baking containers I got at Goodwill. Let’s be real though, there is always a good reason to label the crap out of everything.

VersaChalk’s markers come in a set of classic colors which are more pastel, and neon colors. The classic colors come in a set of 10, and the neon colors come in a set of 8. Both colors have either fine tip or bold tip options. I decided on the neon set in fine tip.

Labeling Frenzy - 5 Uses for VersaChalk Labels

The labels come in round and vintage shapes, and I decided on the vintage shapes because they’re really cute. There are 7 different shapes, and each package comes with 6 sheets for a total of 42 labels. The best part is the labels are reusable, and according to the website – dishwasher safe (if only I had a dishwasher). Another cool thing is that the labels come with a white marker, so you don’t necessarily have to buy a whole pack of markers.

Labeling Frenzy - 5 Uses for VersaChalk Labels

1. Baking Containers

The first thing I labeled was the baking containers I mentioned. It takes a little bit to get the juices flowing from the marker, but once it’s going the markers write really well.

I love having these jars because they definitely class up the open cabinets. The labels just add on to the class factor 😉 I think this is one of the most obvious uses for these labels since it’s a mystery what’s in each container without a label.

2. Plastic Drawers

Another area that can always use some labels are bathroom drawers. I labeled all the drawers except for the bottom because it’s kind of a mish-mosh drawer of stuff. I also realized that I need to practice cute cursive writing, and being able to center it. LOL. But I do really like how the blue marker looks with the blue bathroom decor.

Right now my drawers are a disaster and I definitely have too much stuff, but I just read The Magic of Tidying by Marie Kondo. I’ve started the decluttering process and I’ll be getting to these drawers soon!

Along with my bathroom drawers, I also labeled the plastic drawers in my bedroom for socks, underwear, and bras. Not that these drawers need labels because I’m the only one that gets stuff out of them. But they do look cute! 🙂

3. Leftovers

These also come in handy to label leftover containers in the fridge. If we can’t tell what something is or how old it is, it doesn’t get eaten and sits in the fridge for months until it’s nasty and needs to be thrown out.

Since the VersaChalk labels are easily removable, slap one on a Tupperware container when putting leftovers in the fridge. Then write what’s in the container, and the date it was prepared.

4. Kid’s Dresser or Toy Box

From what I’ve seen on Pinterest. labeling kids drawers is a great way to teach what items go where. These labels would be perfect for this because many of the labels are big enough to write or draw pictures if your child doesn’t read yet.

The same idea also applies to toy boxes to help kids see where to put which toys to keep everything organized.

5. Linen Closet Bins

Lastly, I think these labels are really handy for labeling storage in the linen closet so it’s easier for yourself or guests to be able to locate extra items.

I haven’t organized in here quite yet, but I will soon! I love how much the green marker matches these bins I got at the dollar store.

And just so you have a comparison of what all the colors look like, here is a shot of some horrible doodles. As basically every single one of my teachers said through school (and still say), “I’m not an artist”

Labeling Frenzy - 5 Uses for VersaChalk Labels

What needs labeling around your house? Can you think of any other creative uses for these fun labels?

P.S. I was not compensated for writing this post in any way. I bought the markers and labels with my own money and I wanted to give a review for anyone who was interested.

See You Around!

Lauren <3