Best projects of 2020 and plans for 2021!

Hello there! This is always one of my favorite posts of the year because I see how productive I am…even when I don’t feel like it! I don’t feel like a total sloth after pulling this post together. Especially after this last crazy year!
**Quick note: If you are reading this post via email, you will now have to click through to read my posts. I had no choice but to change it when one of my affiliate companies made it a requirement. Just click the “read the whole post here” link! 

If you would like to get my posts via email you can sign up here.
I didn’t think I’d have much to share, but I did plenty last year. They weren’t all huge before and after makeovers…but I think I like these even better! Most of the projects are easy to accomplish in a day or two with little
… Read the rest
Categories: Home Contractor, Home Decor, Home Experience, Home Exterior, Home for rent, Home Improvement, Home Improvement Ideas, Home interior, Home security

The perfect under the sink organization solution!

You know how great it is to find a solution for an organization issue that’s bugged you for years? That’s how I feel about this under cabinet organization fix I recently found. I just can’t believe it took me this long to find it!
We had to make quick design decisions when finishing this house since we took over a spec build that had already started. We’re thrilled with most of the design decisions I made, but there are a few things I wish I could change. 
Our builder suggested this option, and I approved them without really looking at the detail. Having all cabinets and no lower drawers is the woooorst: 

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. 
See my policies and disclosure page for more information.

I have cursed and raised my fist in the air many times standing at that vanity. Maybe it wouldn’t

… Read the rest
Categories: Home Contractor, Home Decor, Home Experience, Home Exterior, Home for rent, Home Improvement, Home Improvement Ideas, Home interior, Home security

New wall in the basement to create game room spaces!


We just finished up one of our biggest projects so far in this house…and I didn’t take ANY progress pictures! WHAT. We hired most of it out and even though it took almost two months to complete, I didn’t take any pics along the way. 
I guess because it’s just a wall? But it’s made a big difference in our basement! I have plenty of after pics to share with you at least. 
We have a large basement — it’s one of the main reasons we decided to buy and finish this home! This floor plan is really everything we ever wanted or needed! We have so much space to work with in our basement, and it’s been FUN to figure out how to use and build out those spaces. 
There’s a spot down there that we’ve deemed the “game room” — mostly for the kids to play or play
… Read the rest
Categories: Home Contractor, Home Decor, Home Experience, Home Exterior, Home for rent, Home Improvement, Home Improvement Ideas, Home interior, Home security

Great tips for holiday storage {that make the next year MUCH easier!}

Hello there and happy new year! I hope you had a lovely holiday season! I didn’t mean to take two weeks away, but I’ve been busy getting the Christmas decor put away and it took longer than I thought. 
I forgot when I was putting it up that I have to put it allll away. 😉 Although in general I find putting holiday decor away is much faster and easier than setting it up. This year I bought new storage bins, so I reorganized and the whole process took longer than usual. 
I’m sharing my Christmas decor organization methods and a few tips I’ve figured out along the way! 
I will tell you off the bat that this won’t be one of my thriftiest organization posts. I spend a little extra to make things easier and more efficient when I pull things out for the next year. (But they will
… Read the rest
Categories: Home Contractor, Home Decor, Home Experience, Home Exterior, Home for rent, Home Improvement, Home Improvement Ideas, Home interior, Home security

Our 2020 Christmas home tour!

Hello my friends and happy Christmas week! After this publishing this post all I have to do is wrap some presents…and then I’m done! Are you ready for the festivities? 
This Christmas means more than ever…because #2020, of course. I think we can all agree, even with the good this year (and we’ve had a lot of it) — it’s been rough. We’re ready to celebrate this season in a big way and then say SEE YA to this year. 
I haven’t mentioned it here, but a few months ago my sister and I lost our mother. We had a difficult relationship with our mom for most of our adult lives…but for most of our childhood she was an incredible mother. She truly was my hero. 
The loss has made me hate this year even more, and yet extra thankful for our blessings. My word for this year…bittersweet. 
I went
… Read the rest
Categories: Home Contractor, Home Decor, Home Experience, Home Exterior, Home for rent, Home Improvement, Home Improvement Ideas, Home interior, Home security

The PERFECT Christmas cookie!

Looking for an easy and delicious cookie to make for the holidays? I’m a traditionalist at heart — the tried and true cookies are my favorite. My sister passed on her favorite snickerdoodle recipe to me years ago – it’s a quick and easy one and I usually have everything on hand to make it.

If you can’t tell by now, quick prep and easy ingredients are my staples when it comes to cooking and baking. I don’t share many recipes on the blog but when I do you know it’s good and easy to make!

These are perfect for the holiday season, but I wouldn’t say no to these any time of the year!:

YUM! Here’s what you’ll need to make these snickerdoodle treats: 

— Easy snickerdoodle cookies —

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. white sugar
2 eggs (room temp)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
… Read the rest
Categories: Home Contractor, Home Decor, Home Experience, Home Exterior, Home for rent, Home Improvement, Home Improvement Ideas, Home interior, Home security

TONS of easy and fun holiday wall decor ideas

I think one of the easiest ways to add some festive touches around the house is with art — of course they look great on the walls, but some holiday frames layered on a countertop, bookcases or picture ledges also goes a long way! 
I’ve shared a ton of ways to do that for really cheap over the years, but I made some new ones this year so I figured I’d do a round up of all of the fun ways to make Christmas art. 
I shared a few of them last week — those involved glitter and that was super fun! Some of these are even simpler. 🙂 

Gift bags (cloth or paper):

It doesn’t get easier and cheaper than making holiday art with gift bags — especially if you shop the after Christmas sales! 
I just take any pretty gift bag — this one was less than $2: 
… Read the rest
Categories: Home Contractor, Home Decor, Home Experience, Home Exterior, Home for rent, Home Improvement, Home Improvement Ideas, Home interior, Home security

Elegant $2 DIY candle holders {using dollar store items!}

I’m continuing my dollar store candle DIYs with this beauty! You can see the snowy candles I shared earlier here. 
This is such a good one folks…I actually made these years ago and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to make them again! One of them broke a few years back and I never got to making a new match. 
I started over with two this time and they are so pretty! You’ll need two things from the dollar store — a glass candlestick and a glass cylinder candle holder: 
This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. 
See my policies and disclosure page for more information.

You can use any glue that will adhere glass. There’s a few out there so just do what is easiest. This time I used this aquarium sealant I had from a past project: 
aquarium sealant to glue glass
Just few put a few little dabs along
… Read the rest
Categories: Home Contractor, Home Decor, Home Experience, Home Exterior, Home for rent, Home Improvement, Home Improvement Ideas, Home interior, Home security

Fun and easy GLITTER Christmas art ideas

Oh my goodness, I’ve had more fun than ever decorating for the holidays this year! My husband keeps commenting on how festive the house is. (It is every year, but I’ve had a blast working on some crafty projects this season.) 
I have been working with Krylon spray paint this year and have completed a bunch of smaller and bigger transformations — you can see our painted kitchen hardware here, our outdoor makeovers and the little touches on our Thanksgiving table here!
This one was probably the most fun because it involved GLITTER. The good kind that sprays where you want it, not the stuff that gets all over the place and haunts you for months. 😉 Krylon has a fantastic Glitter Blast spray paint that I loved!
These are all super easy and REALLY inexpensive projects! My first project was in our mud room. We have a
… Read the rest
Categories: Home Contractor, Home Decor, Home Experience, Home Exterior, Home for rent, Home Improvement, Home Improvement Ideas, Home interior, Home security

Our comfy and rustic Christmas basement tour!

Hello there! I’m joining in with a few of my blog friends to share one of our favorite rooms dressed up for the holidays! If you are new to TDC, welcome and if you are coming back, thank you! 😃 You can see more from each of the ladies joining in at the end of this post. 
I was super into decorating our basement for Christmas this year! I’ve painted the walls in here a cozy dark gray, and I kept going with that comfy vibe with the decorations. 
We have a huge, SUPER comfy sectional down here that’s the centerpiece of the space: 
Traditional red gingham Christmas decor
This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. 
See my policies and disclosure page for more information.
Do you think we have enough pillows? I’m not sure. 
I mentioned those faux leather pillow covers in my favorite things post this year — I got them for
… Read the rest
Categories: Home Contractor, Home Decor, Home Experience, Home Exterior, Home for rent, Home Improvement, Home Improvement Ideas, Home interior, Home security