I wanted a cute bulletin board for my daughter’s desk, but I wanted it to be cute. I also didn’t want it to cost a lot.
I decided to use what I had on hand and make it happen. I had an empty white frame and some foam poster board. I also had cute fabric that would match her room and some pretty ribbon.
I began by cutting my poster board to size with scissors.
I then used Locktite spray adhesive to attach my fabric.
After I got the fabric attached, I decided it needed a little something more. I chose to add ribbon and glue some white buttons to the board.
And then I popped it into a frame and hung it up. The eldest little Lumber chose some of her favorite pictures to display on her new board.
It turned out super cute and so helpful for organizing her desk area.
And best of all, it was super cheap and super easy to make as well.
RIGHT Now. Drop everything and PURGE YOUR HOME NOW! No, I’m kidding. Sort of.
I know you read a lot about purging your home on my blog. Some of you are probably fans of living with less already, while others of you are scratching your heads and wondering how much more stuff I can get rid of and blog about it. #istillhavetoomuchstuff
I am currently in the midst of a whole house purge, but we will talk more about that later.
The truth is, living with less has a lot of benefits. Some are health benefits, some are financial benefits, and some are so good they don’t fit into any category. I’d like to share a few of those with you today, as well as some great advice for purging your home that I’ve collected over the years.
1. Living with less can be beneficial to your mental and physical health
Living with too much causes your house to feel cluttered. A cluttered house feels chaotic, and makes it hard for you to relax and destress. Continued stress affects your mental state, as well as your physical health. An organized and clean home evokes a peaceful feeling, and who doesn’t want to feel at peace in their own home?
This one is especially true if you have kids. More stuff=fewer places to put things away. Stuff that is left out in the floor becomes a trip hazard. Show of hands: who else has fallen over items left in the floor, or stepped on some hard plastic toy with your bare feet? (Lego moms, can I get an “amen?” )
2. Living with less makes your home feel and appear cleaner
Living with too much makes it harder to find places to put things away. Having nowhere to put things causes your home to look and feel cluttered (see above).
A cluttered house also seems dirty even if it really isn’t. Having less stuff and less clutter makes your house look and feel cleaner.
3. Living with less saves time
How does living with less save time? It means that you spend less time looking for things. It’s been said that the average person spends four years of their life looking for things that they are missing. Not being able to find your missing items makes you stressed. Having less stuff means that you don’t have to sort through so much when you need something.
5. Living with less saves you money
How is this? Well, when you make a conscious effort to live with less, you are much more intentional with your spending. Additionally, who here has ever bought something, only to realize you already had that same item at home? Living with less makes it easier to distinguish what you need- therefore keeping you from spending money on something you already have.
There are many benefits to having an organized and simplified home, with less stuff. Start with one room at a time and keep only what you need- donate, recycle or throw away the rest. I know many people who wish their home was less cluttered, but I don’t know anyone who wishes their home was MORE cluttered. Start today and you’ll soon see the benefits.
Getting organized can be costly, but it doesn’t have to be. You certainly can spend a lot of money on organization if you want, but if you’re budget conscious like me, you don’t want to do that. Luckily, there are many ways to get organized without overspending.
1. Shop discount home stores like TJ Maxx or Home Goods, or use sales coupons.
I love the basket selections at my local big box craft store, but I don’t love the price. TJ Maxx and Homegoods have tons of cute baskets in a number of colors and materials, and they aren’t expensive.
2. Don’t forget the dollar stores
Dollar store bins and baskets aren’t the most durable, so they aren’t appropriate for organizing everything. They’ll do for organizing cabinets, holding bathroom toiletries and organizing your kids’ books,though.
3. Target has awesome baskets, and they’re frequently on sale
I have bought so many cute, durable baskets at Target over the years. They have so many different sizes and styles to choose from.
4. See if you can repurpose or DIY something
I have covered diaper boxes with fabric and used them for bins. I’ve wrapped old mailing boxes with twine so they’d look like a basket. I’ve used tin cans wrapped in scrapbook paper to store things. Before you buy, Look around to see what you already have that can be repurposed.
5. Shop your house
See that basket on my china hutch? It’s been everywhere. It’s been in my bathroom, my kitchen, my office, and now it landed in the dining room. Shop your house to see if you may already have something you can use before you buy anything new.
There are so many ways you can get organized by spending little to no money. All it takes is a little creativity. You’ll be glad you did it later.
We had an awkward blank wall in our bedroom that was just begging for some rustic charm. I thought about buying a coat rack, but I couldn’t find what I wanted at the right price.
Then I found these super cute drawer knobs at Hobby Lobby. I loved the detail and “antique” look of them.
I immediately knew that I wanted to use them. I went to the garage and grabbed a scrap board. I stained it using Minwax Mohogany.
I then measured the board and marked where I wanted the knobs to go. Next, I drilled the holes.
I then inserted the knobs and screwed the bolts and washers to the board.
Now I no longer have an awkward, empty space, and a handy, cute new place to hang clothes.
It’s that time again- spring time. The time when flowers bloom, everything is green and fresh, there is pollen all over everything…and some of us engage in a little yearly tradition known as spring cleaning.
I don’t know about you, but my house needs some extra TLC, and I can’t always get to those extra things during the school year. Like many others, I choose to spend a few days in the spring giving my house some extra cleaning and organizing. Today, I’d like to share some tips for getting your house cleaned and organized but in a simple and timely manner.
I also like to do some extra cleaning, such as moving furniture and cleaning under or behind it, or cleaning our blinds. We also pressure wash the sidewalks, porch furniture, and outside of the house. We also take down the curtains and wash them.
