Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Quick Cleaning Tip: Another Use for a Lint Roller


Having dogs that shed, I use a lint roller constantly.  Dog hair on my clothes gets under my skin.  But over the years I've found a few other unexpected uses, so I thought I'd share.  Maybe you already do this too! 

Before- The material on the back of picture frames collects dust.
  
After- To keep it clean, I go over it a few times with the roller.

 Throw pillows get tossed in the washer regularly.  But for those moments in-between, I dust them with a lint roller.

Especially anything with a texture; like velvet, felt or burlap.  

They seem to attract lint.

Over time, my lampshades get pretty dusty.  Dusting them with a lint roller works great.
  
 As much as I love using my vacuum cleaner's dusting attachments, I don't love pulling it out all the time.  A lint roller does a great job on furniture, especially around the edges.  

Any lint roller will do, but I love the fresh scent of Bounce.  The clean scent it leaves behind is really fantastic!

*Interested in more of my tips and tricks?  Click here, then scroll down to the bottom of the page for a list of my favorites.

Monday, January 25, 2016

Hallways: Making the Most of a Small Space


We have a small upstairs hallway that lacks natural light and wasn't used for much more than a place to store the laundry hamper.  Womp womp...


Although a tricky area, I knew I could make the most of it.
  
We had chair rail moulding installed.  Then I painted the walls Revere Pewter and the area underneath white.

We replaced the light fixture for something better.  I really love the look with the Edison bulb.

I bought a new rug from Overstock.  For a cohesive look, it's the same as the one I'm using in my entry, just a different size.  It was affordable and really brightened up the space.

I found this dresser at the thrift store for $15.  It was old and beat up, but I knew it would be perfect to store overflow from the linen closet.  

Before bringing it inside I gave it a good scrub then painted it with a can of "oops paint" found at Home Depot.

The changes were dramatic and I instantly fell in love!

Some of the decor on top of the dresser has changed.  And I replaced the art for something that was more size proportionate.  I'm constantly changing and rearranging my home as it evolves.

Now this space, albeit small serves a purpose.


 *P.S. Today I'm over at my friend Lisa's blog sharing a favorite corner in my home.  Click here to see what it is!!

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Garage Bedroom Progress: Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Hello friends!  I hope the new year finds you well.  It's been a few weeks since my last post.  I've had my hands full, but I'm here today with a few updates.

I started journaling again.  The writing prompts really help to jump start my brain.  Having a dedicated space encourages me to write.  Mentally, I feel much better after writing down my thoughts.

We've made some progress since our garage conversion.  Decorating a new room is certainly a process.

With so many options, it takes time to find the right pieces.

We created a budget and decided to begin with a few key furniture pieces.  I don't want the rooms in my house to feel matchy-matchy or trendy.  
  
In my bedroom I'm using a gray color scheme with wood, metal, glass and different neutral textures to organically create a look of my own.

Since choosing darker furniture, I decided to keep things bright and airy with white accessories.

I added color through books and artwork.

My goal is to create a space my family and I can be proud of.  A room that my husband and I can relax in at the end of our day.  We still have so much more to do to make the room feel complete; a DIY project for the window seat, exterior shutters and window boxes.  We're getting there slowly, as we piece the room together.  

*Thank you all so much for following along as we complete our project.  I'm truly grateful for each of you being here.