So, here’s what happened…

Picture a normal Saturday night. I go outside to grill our dinner, and I notice that one of the foundation vents is no longer connected to the foundation. Hmmm. I move it aside and see a dryer duct attached to nothing. The dryer duct to nowhere! I’m perplexed.

It was too dark and cold to go down into the crawl space to investigate, so I wait until Sunday morning to check it out.

Just so you can picture the scene, I need to explain the dryer duct set up in our wacky house.

Our laundry room was an addition to our old house at some point (I don’t know how long ago; it was here when we got here). It was just carved out of half of the garage. The dryer vents down, through the crawl space, out the back of the house. To accomplish this, the duct is quite long and has a few turns in it, including under our drain pipe and several water pipes.

You might be seeing the problem already, right? Anyhoo…

Back to our Sunday morning…When I got into the crawl space, I saw that the duct I had seen was no longer connected to the dryer; it was just left there, hanging out. The duct that was connected to the dryer was part rigid duct, part soft aluminum flexduct. The flexduct was used to get around the pipes described above.

Knowing how old that flexduct was and knowing that they can present fire hazards (if you want a great explanation of this and how to fix it, check out Pretty Handy Girl’s post HERE), I go in for a closer inspection. I notice that there are holes in the flexduct, and there is condensation on the duct and on the floor of our crawl space. Hmmm.

I then decided to pull off the flexduct, because (a) it clearly had holes in it, which is not good; and (b) it’s probably not safe, which is not good. When I pull it off, I find a half-inch layer of lint all around it.

I then freak out. Can anyone here say “major fire hazard”??

This is what I pulled out of just what I could reach in the duct:

Holy dust bunnies.

I head to the hardware store and get some semi-rigid dryer duct and a new dryer vent and I’m on my way. Right? Right?

Well, wrong. Sigh.

The more rigid ducting wouldn’t go around the pipes in the basement. Grrr.

Did I mention that Dear Husband had washed a load of clothes at this point? Yep, in the washer. Sopping wet.

So I did what any serial DIYer does when faced with a roadblock. I called my contractor, who has worked on all the major renovations in our home. He told me what I suspected – that the dryer duct shouldn’t be that long anyway (it takes longer to dry the clothes and it’s a fire hazard with all those turns in the duct) and we need another solution. The solution is to vent the dryer out the garage wall instead, right next to the laundry room.

Being a DIYer means that you are brave enough to take on projects, but smart enough to realize when you’re out of your comfort zone.

I am now, officially, out of my comfort zone. The professionals ended up tackling this project.

How to Clean Your Dryer Duct

This is actually a pretty easy project if your duct isn’t twisty and turny.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• vacuum with a hose attachment – I have this one.
• foil tape for ducts (not plastic duct tape)
• screwdriver if your duct is held on by a round clamp fastened by a screw
• gloves
• dryer lint brush if you have one (don’t buy one for this)

Instructions:

1. Unplug your dryer.
2. Remove the duct from the back of the dryer first. My duct was secured to the dryer both with foil tape and a clamp (a round pipe clamp with a screw to tighten it). Run the vacuum with the hose attachment – put the hose into the duct leading into the dryer first and clean out that lint. While you’re there, vacuum the surface of the back of the dryer, too. There’s some dust and lint there, too, I’d bet.
3. Then use the vacuum with the hose attachment to clean the lint out of the duct itself. To do this, it’s helpful to detach the duct from where it’s attached to the wall. Again, my duct was attached with foil tape and a round pipe clamp, so it was easy to remove. Make sure you clean from both ends of the duct to get all the lint out.
4. Next, use the hose attachment to vacuum out as much of the duct that runs under the house as possible. Mine didn’t go far, but it did get a good bit of lint out.
5. Reattach everything. Use the foil tape and clamps to secure the duct to the duct in the wall and to the one at the back of the dryer.
6. If you can, take a shopvac or other vacuum and vacuum out the duct from the outside, at the exit-point of the duct.
7. Re-plug in the dryer.

What did I learn from all of this?

1. CLEAN YOUR DRYER DUCTS. Like now. Like yesterday. Do it. I was shocked at the amount of lint that had built up, and we had had our ducts cleaned a few years ago. It’s a major fire hazard. I am grateful that we found this before we had a fire. (Insert freaking out sound here.) I know clean them out once a year, at least.

2. If you have the soft aluminum duct that has ridges in it, replace it with rigid or semi-rigid ducting. You can do this project yourself if you don’t have a wonky duct set-up like we did here (see the link above to Pretty Handy Girl for a great tutorial on why and how to do this).

3. Never underestimate the potential scope of a DIY project. What I thought was just reattaching a duct became re-venting our dryer duct, a much bigger project.

4. Working in an unfinished crawl space under your house is good for your abs. It’s like planking. I did this for an hour or so and now I feel like I had quite the ab workout! (That said, there were many cobwebs, so I don’t recommend this as a way to workout.)

5. CLEAN YOUR DRYER DUCTS. Are you getting the importance of this? Just checking.

6. If you are going to DIY around your house, recognize when it’s time to call in the pros. I don’t consider this a defeat, but rather a victory in knowing and understanding my limits. Sometimes DIY doesn’t go the way you want or expect it to, and that’s ok. Just recognize it, take a deep breath, and call someone who can help you. It’s ok – we’ve all been there.

My lovely neighbor is letting us use her dryer this afternoon, so the wash load will finally get dried and all will be well (or at least dry).

Now, go clean your dryer duct! I mean it!

For general tips on how to get started and tackle spring cleaning tasks, please see this post on spring cleaning and decluttering. Getting started is always the hardest part, right?!?

For tips on cleaning out your clothes closet, please see this post on how to get an organized closet in one afternoon:

If your porch is covered in pollen (mine is!), I’ve got the easiest way here for how to clean a screened porch:

If you have an unfinished basement that’s a bit scary, here’s how to organize an unfinished basement:

If shoes and Amazon boxes are overwhelming your entry, please see this post on my front porch makeover and organization:

I was lucky enough to get advice from a professional organizer on how to get an organized home office here:

And that’s even more timely now that I’m working from home (and so is Dear Husband and so are my kids)!

Clogged dryer ducts can cause a fire – here’s how to clean out your dryer ducts:

Cooking more? We are! I’ve got my five tips for organizing a kitchen here:

If you’re cleaning and organizing your bathroom, here’s the best all-natural way to clean grout:

My rugs are covered in pollen and dog hair!   Here’s an easy method for cleaning and deodorizing a rug !

And once you get organized, here’s five ways to get rid of unwanted clutter:

Pin it for spring cleaning later:

For more spring cleaning inspiration, you can find an awesome printable spring cleaning checklist at Mom4Real here. And if you are ready for a big organizing and purging project, try White House Black Shutters’ 40 bags in 40 days here.

(1) Clean out the Closets.

To me, one of the most time-consuming projects to tackle for spring cleaning is cleaning out everyone’s closets. In THIS POST, I share my tips for making this task easy and fun, and what to do with the stuff you want to get rid of.

(2) All-Natural Way to Clean Grout.

Even when your tile floor is clean, if the grout looks dingy, the whole floor looks dirty. I found an all-natural way to clean grout with items you already have in your pantry! Click HERE to see how.

(3) Organize the Pantry.

Spring is a great time to go through your pantry or cabinets and get rid of any food or products that have expired.

Check canned goods for expiration dates; check spices that you’ve had for at least a year. Toss anything that’s expired or old, donate anything that’s still fresh but you know you won’t use. For more pantry organizing tips, click HERE and HERE.

(4) Clean Out Your Dryer Duct.

One of the most important spring cleaning tasks you can do is to clean out your dryer duct. Over time, lint and dust can build up in the duct and cause a fire.

In THIS POST, I explain what I found when I cleaned my duct and my tips for cleaning out dryer ducts.  Read this post and then go clean out your duct. Like now. Seriously.

(5) Cleaning a Screened Porch.

When the weather gets warm, I want to be out on my back porch enjoying it.

In THIS POST, I show you how to clean a screened porch in five steps! You could be sipping sweet tea on the porch by this afternoon!

I hope these ideas have given you the inspiration and motivation to do some spring cleaning this weekend! Have a great one!

Here are some ways to add color to your bedroom, without keeping yourself up all night.

1. Head of the Class

Add an upholstered headboard to your bedroom for an instant pop of color.

The headboard above originally had a wicker on wood insert where the fabric is now. I simply unscrewed the original insert, removed it, and upholstered some plywood with a colorful fabric to replace it.  It’s an easy project that even a beginner DIYer can do.

Here’s the same headboard with different fabric:

The project only takes a couple of yards of fabric (depending on the size of your headboard).

2. You Gotta Have Art

Adding a colorful painting or other piece of art can add a needed pop of color to a room.

You don’t even have to buy fancy artwork; you can make your own! Just grab your camera and head out into your neighborhood. Snap some pictures of flowers, trees, or leaves that appeal to you and frame them in inexpensive frames from a big box store.

Or frame your favorite kid’s artwork for instant color:

3. Paint

Of course, painting a room can add color. But be careful when choosing a color for your bedroom. Choose a color that will keep you relaxed when it’s time for sleep, but still gives the room some character. For example, go for lighter shades of greens, blues, yellows, or grays.

4. Add Color Underfoot

Adding a colorful area rug to your bedroom not only adds color, but gives your feet a warm and soft landing spot every morning.

5. Colorful Bedding

To be honest, I prefer white sheets on my bed, because then they go with anything. So, to add color, I add pillows, duvet covers, and quilts to the bed.

For example, this quilt was made by my husband’s great aunt:

Putting it at the end of the bed adds color and keeps me warm when I want to bury myself under the covers on a cold morning.

Adding pops of blue in the throw pillows makes white and beige bedding less boring.

I hope that gives you some ideas for how to add color to your bedroom.

Rule #1: You don’t believe, you don’t receive.

Neither of my children still believes in Santa. That said, we have a rule: “You don’t believe, you don’t receive.”

The magic of Christmas still lives on at our house. We always manage to surprise each other with unexpected gifts. And we always leave out cookies and milk for Santa, and carrots for the reindeer. You know, just in case.

Rule #2: Give to Get.

Rule #2 is that you have to give in order to get. Every year, before Christmas, we go through our toys, games, and books and give away any that we don’t use any more. We donate them to organizations or thrift stores that benefit causes we love or, when possible, we take them to the children’s hospital directly.

Rule #3: Ribbons on the Tree.

OK, so this is mainly my rule: I love ribbons on the Christmas tree.

We didn’t have ribbons on our Christmas tree growing up, but for some reason, since I’ve had my own tree, I’ve loved having ribbon on our tree. I tie ribbon at the top of the tree and then let it flow downward. It’s almost like the tree itself is a present.

Rule #4: One New Decoration Each Year

Each year, I try one new decoration in our home. Last year, I hung wreaths from our curtain rods throughout the house. This year…

I added LED Christmas lights to my antique dough bowl, then put large silver ornaments on top. It glistens and glows and makes me smile.

Rule #5: Lots of Love.

This year has been a hard year for many of us. It’s been full of major change, not-so-nice discourse, and challenges for us, our family, or our friends.

Maybe especially this year, I want to make sure Christmas is filled with fun and love. We are going to make Nana’s famous fudge, watch lots of Christmas and other movies, play games (reindeer and otherwise), and just enjoy being together.

Even though this has been a strange year, we have so much for which to be grateful.

Peace and love to you all, friends.

And to all a good night.

(Someone really should tell the dogs that the tree skirt isn’t a blanket.)

Want to get some of the looks from our holiday home? Here are some similar items (note: these are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission to keep my blog running if you buy something from these merchants – thank you!):

I love everything about spring…the flowers, the warmer weather, the cool evenings…except for that yellow pine pollen! Every spring, a thick layer of yellow pollen blankets everything outside. It makes me sneeze just thinking about it.

For the first time in my life, I have a screened porch. So, for the first time in my life, I had to figure out how to clean the pollen off of it.

As you can see, here’s what’s on the porch – and all of it needed cleaning (including the dog, although that’s not covered in this post!):

• Sectional with cushions and pillows. We have the Arholma sectional from IKEA. The covers of the cushions are washable (although you cannot put them in the dryer).
• Small fridge (out of picture)
• Coffee table
• Dining table and chairs (all wood)
• Indoor/outdoor rug from World Market
• Air hockey table (from Target)

Here’s what supplies you’ll need to clean your screened porch:

• Hose
• Sprayer or pressure washer – I used a sprayer like this garden hose sprayer. You can rent or buy a pressure washer (which my neighbors did – I heard their pressure washer going at the same time I was hosing away!), but a hose sprayer with a jet or spray setting will work fine.
• Fence or some other way to hang up an indoor/outdoor rug, if you have one.
• Shop-Vac or other vacuum with a HEPA filter
• Mild spray cleaner
• Rags
• Old beach or bath towels
• Broom

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Also, make sure you are wearing clothes you do not mind getting dirty and wet! I wore my grubby clothes and rain boots for this!

How to Clean a Screened Porch in Five Steps:

1.  Prep

As with most projects, preparation is key. Here’s what you need to do for the prep stage.

First, vacuum the rug. Did I do this? No, I didn’t. But, in retrospect, it would have been a good thing to do before moving the rug off the porch.

Use a shop vac for this if you have one, just so you don’t get your regular indoor vacuum polleny (yes, I just made up that word). If you don’t have a shop vac, use your regular vacuum, but then make sure to clean it well after you’re finished de-pollening (another word I just made up). This vacuuming is not going to get the rug completely pollen-free; in fact, far from it. But it will make it bearable to move!

As I said, I didn’t do this. I tried to hose the rug down with the rest of the porch. DO NOT do that! Trust me. Hosing it down doesn’t clean the rug; the yellow, pollen-filled water just ended up pooling on the rug. And then I had to move the rug, which is MUCH heavier when wet!

Trust me. Give it a good vacuum and then roll it up and move it off the porch. Drape it over a fence or something else that can hold its weight. This is an easier task with two people if your rug is large.

Second, dust the ceiling fan. Do this as part of your prep because the pollen from the fan will fall down onto whatever is below it. So cleaning the fan first means that you’ve gotten that out of the way and can clean up whatever falls! To clean the fan, you can use a fancy duster, or just fasten a damp rag to a broom (with rubber bands) and wipe the blades down.

Third, move all soft surfaces off the porch. This means moving pillows, cushions, and, yes, the rug. If you have a clean, non-polleny surface, you can go ahead and take the covers off the cushions and wash them. I didn’t, so I just laid them on the walkway by the porch and did this later.

2. Hose

Get the hose and sprayer ready! Start with the screens. Using the “jet” or “spray” setting, start at the TOP of the screens and spray them – use a back-and-forth motion and make sure you get the whole screen area. You want to clean these screens so that the pollen doesn’t just blow off them, back onto the porch.

For particularly stubborn dirt on the screens (pollen, leaves, etc.), use a wire brush dipped in mild soap. Then rinse with the sprayer.

If your screens are in bad shape and you’re worried about spraying them, just use a softer setting on the sprayer, like “mist.” The key is to rinse them off. You don’t have to blow them away!

Once you’ve finished the screens, it’s time to hose off the furniture. Again, use the “jet” or “spray” setting and power-wash all that yellow stuff off! Do this to all the furniture and hard surfaces EXCEPT anything plugged-in or electric (boogie woogie woogie).

Once you’ve hosed it all down, you should now have a lot of yellow-tinged water on your porch floor. Take the sprayer on “jet” or other strong setting and spray that water off the porch. Direct the water outside. If the sprayer isn’t strong enough to do this, you can also do it with a broom. Just sweep all that water and pollen off the porch!

3. Wipe Down.

Take the old bath or beach towel and wipe down all the surfaces you just hosed, because there will still be some pollen still on them, and they will be wet. Start high and move to the floor: wipe down the furniture first, then put the towel on the floor and (I used my feet for this) wipe down the floor. This will get the rest of the pollen out.

Next it’s time to clean the electronic/plugged-in stuff: for me, that’s the fridge and the air hockey table. I took a mild spray cleaner – I used Method all-purpose spray cleaner – and wiped these pieces down with the rags. It took two passes to fully clean them.

4. Wash the Cushions

If you haven’t already done so, remove the covers from the pillows and cushions and throw them in the washer (or sink, if you can’t machine-wash them). I did this as the fourth step because I could put the cushions (the insides) on the sectional once it was clean.

Make sure you read the manufacturer’s instructions before washing the cushion and pillow covers. The IKEA cushion covers we have can be washed in the machine, but cannot go in the dryer. I would not have wanted the covers to shrink!

Once the covers are dry, put them back on the cushions and pillows. I then spray them with Rust-Oleum NeverWet Outdoor Fabric Spray, Clear Finish, which causes water to roll right off the cushions. Seriously – coolest product ever. Here’s a demo:

(Disclosure: Rust-Oleum sent me this NeverWet product, but not in exchange for this post or any other promotion. I am only including it here because I think it’s a great product.)

5. The Rug

Once the rug is draped over a fence, hose it down. Having it draped over something will make it easier (1) to get all the dirt off of it and (2) for the rug to dry. Once dry, beat the rug, old-school style, with a broom to get the rest of the pollen and dirt off of it.

Put it back on the porch and then vacuum it once more, just for good measure.

And, with that, your porch is clean! Now all you have to do is shower so that you’re clean, too! (This is a DIRTY project. I was filthy and wet after!)

Have you tried cleaning pollen off a porch before? What are your secrets? I’d love for you to share them in the comments!

Now grab a sweet tea and sit a spell! You’ve earned it! Have a great weekend, y’all!

1. Make a List

There is nothing worse than going to the hardware store, getting stuff, coming home to start the project, then realizing you forgot one thing. Instead, use your phone to make a list of the supplies you need and you’ll be ready to rock ‘n roll when you get home!

You can also make a list of all the paint colors in your home. If you need paint, you can just check the list to remember what color and sheen you need.

Click HERE for how to choose a paint color for the rooms in your home!

2. Photograph What You Need

When we moved into our new home, we changed all the locks. The problem was that each lockset was a different shape and type. To make sure I got all the right sizes and shapes, I took a picture of each one. That way, when I got to the hardware store, I could see which ones I needed.

I also did this with the toilet seats in our home. Aside from changing the locks, the other first thing I do when I move to a new home is change the toilet seats! Since each toilet had a different shape, I took pics of each one so I knew which shapes to buy!

Taking a photo is helpful also when I don’t know exactly what I need. For example, our guest bathroom’s toilet handle was broken, but I didn’t know exactly what I needed to buy to fix it. So, I took a picture of the handle and showed it to the hardware store helper and we got what I needed.

3. Level It Out

You can download an app that’s a level – I have the iHandy app, which has a level function that’s free.

You can pay 99 cents and get a plumb or surface level app or a ruler. The level app is a good way to check level when you have a small area in which a regular level won’t fit.

4. Shine a Little Light

Download a flashlight app and you’ll never be in the dark again!

I’ve used the flashlight when the power has gone out and my phone is the closest thing to me, and also when working in tight spaces, like under a sink.

5. Phone a Friend

There are certain friends that you know you can call when you have a DIY or project question. For example, a certain friend of mine (you know who you are) called me from a certain craft store about which glue to buy when she was making a Halloween costume. I’ve called my favorite contractor on more than one occasion when I’ve gotten stuck on a project.

I’ve also made that “should I buy this?” call from a thrift store, on more than one occasion!

BONUS: Download apps from your favorite home decor and craft stores and get coupons and other deals!

How do you use your smartphone when DIYing? Share your favorite idea in the comments below!

Did you know that you can make a holiday evergreen garland for free?!? Seriously – free, people! Here’s how to make an easy and free holiday garland.

Here’s the trick: when Christmas tree lots or stores like Whole Foods sell Christmas trees, they discard branches that are either cut or broken off. They keep these in a crate or pile next to the trees and you can usually grab these branches for free! (Ask first if you aren’t sure!)

We found a whole crate of stray branches at our local Whole Foods market. My daughter and I grabbed some freshly cut branches and, after confirming that they were free (!!), headed home, my son thinking that I was slightly nutty for bringing these discarded branches home.

All you need for this are the branches, and indoor/outdoor ribbon in the color of your choice. I used a red indoor/outdoor ribbon like this one linked here.

All you have to do is grab some branches and layer them along a railing (or post or mailbox).  Overlap the branches so you don’t see the cut ends.

For the last branch at the top, if you don’t want to have the cut edge showing, turn it around and tuck the cut end under the branches below it.

As you layer the branches, attach them to the railing using the ribbon. If you want the branches to be more secure, use floral or other wire to attach the branches to the railing, and then layer the ribbon over it to hide the wire. Tie the ribbon in a big, festive bow.

It’s that easy!

And it smells like Christmas!

Of course, you can add other decorations or embellishments to the branches, like ornaments or faux berries. I just kept it simple.

These photos are from our first house, but we do this every year for Christmas. It’s a fun, free, festive, and fragrant way to decorate for the winter holidays!

Pin it for decorating later!

No, not “regifted”! Upcycled – taking something old and making it new again, whether by just cleaning it up or giving it a new purpose.

You can make all of these yourself – they are easy, inexpensive, and totally customizable!

Here are my favorite five upcycled gift ideas:

Click on the photo of the project to go to the full tutorial.

(1) Personalized Coffee Mugs.

This is such a fun and easy project. Just write on coffee mugs with any color Sharpie marker pen and then bake the mugs in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

You can find cute mugs at the dollar store (for new ones), or at a thrift store (to upcycle). Fill the mugs with packets of hot cocoa mix or tea and wrap for an easy, inexpensive, and customized gift.

(2) Custom Curtains.

You can make custom curtains like these for about $10! I bought curtains at IKEA for $9.99 for two panels, but you can jazz up curtains you already have.  I used a Sharpie marker and wrote out food- and cooking-related words to make custom curtains for our dining room.

For a gift idea, figure out where the friend might use the curtains and then add words relating to that room. For example, a friend of mine wanted curtains like this for her classroom, so she wrote words relating to the courses she taught. Another friend made them for her laundry room and used words like “wash,” “rinse,” “suds,” and other laundry-related terms.

You can use any color Sharpie pen. Just make sure it’s the permanent marker, not the paint pen!

(3) and (4) DIY Custom Memo Board.

I’ve got two projects for this gift idea!

You can make a dry-erase memo board or calendar out of an old window:

Back the panes with scrapbook paper or wrapping paper, and add any decorations you choose. I used scrapbook stickers in letters for the days of the week. The clips at the bottom of the window are glued to a paint stick covered in colorful washi tape.

Oh, and the window? Found by the side of the road and cleaned up – totally free!

You can make a memo board from a cabinet door, too:

You can find spare cabinet doors like this at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore or a salvage yard (or your own basement or attic, maybe?). Paint the door any color, and paint the inset with chalkboard paint. Add hooks or decorations and you’ve got a personalized, custom memo board.

(5) Tool Caddy Into Garden (or art supply caddy, or utensil caddy, or…)

When I find these old wooden tool caddies, I snatch them up. I have three of them in my home, in fact. I’ve found them at estate sales and thrift stores.

For a great gift idea, paint one and then choose how to fill it. You can use these caddies for utensil storage in a kitchen, or an herb garden (like the one above), or for art or craft supplies, or actually for tools! It’s a great, inexpensive, customizable gift.

I hope that gives you some eco-friendly and budget-friendly upcycling gift ideas!

Pin for later:

Now that the kids are back in school and football season’s about to start, I’m ready for falling leaves and pumpkins.

How can you add fall touches to your home? Here are five ideas:

(1) Add fall colors indoors.

If the leaves aren’t changing to the warm, wonderful fall colors yet, change some things inside to those colors!

For example, add some throw pillows and a comfy blanket in warm fall colors to your living room. I found the pillows and blanket, above, at HomeGoods. So, for about $60 total, I gave my living room a fall feel.

Of course, before you go shopping, shop your home! Look for throw pillows or other decor in warm autumn colors. Then redistribute them to the rooms you want to redecorate. And think outside the red and orange: teal goes great with autumn colors! Because blue is opposite orange on the color wheel, teals and blues really pop when paired with fall colors!

(2) If the leaves haven’t changed color outside, buy some that have.

I am not a huge fan of fake/faux foliage, but sometimes, you have to give Mother Nature a kick in the proverbial pants.

Given that the leaves aren’t changing colors outdoors yet, I bought some leaves and flowers from my local craft store. They weren’t too expensive, especially with a coupon (both Michaels and JoAnn have coupons that you can get in the newspaper, online, or with their apps). For less than $10, I have fall foliage in my dining room!

Add faux stems to a vase, a bottle, or galvanized bucket for an easy fall centerpiece.

(3) We have a runner.

One of my favorite, easiest projects of all time: creating a runner from extra/leftover fabric!

This project is super easy! All you need is a little fabric, some fabric glue (I love Fabri-Tac), and 30 minutes! Find the instructions HERE.

I like runners on tables because they provide a pop of color and/or pattern, but are easily moved for meals, homework, games, whatever. Plus, I love criss-crossing different ones for a more interesting table than just one tablecloth.

(4) The eyes have it.

OK, OK, I know – it’s early for Halloween. That said, some of our stores have started putting out Halloween candy displays!

Rather than eating the candy now (no, no, I’d never do that!), make some cute candy jars for Halloween. Save two spaghetti sauce or pickle jars, remove the labels, and wash well. Then glue (I used a hot glue gun) the jar to some thrift store candlesticks. The eyeballs are from the dollar store – and, if you don’t want eyeballs, use plastic spiders or bats or whatever you want.

I glued magnets to the eyeballs with a hot glue gun (wow, that sounds really gross!) and stuck them to the lid of the jar. You can find the full tutorial for how to make these holiday candy jars here.

The great thing is that you can find other small holiday decorations, glue magnets to them, and change the candy jars for each holiday! For example, for Christmas, I swap out the eyeballs for little bells! It’s an upcycled project that gets recycled each holiday! Love that!

(5) Make applesauce!

Our market is just starting to get in varieties of apples…so the time to make applesauce isn’t far behind!

I have an easy recipe that you can make in the crock pot or on the stove top. Find Nana’s Applesauce recipe HERE. Your house will smell just like fall!

Are you ready for fall? What’s your favorite part of fall? Share in the comments!

This day in Dogs Don’t Eat Pizza history:
One year ago: DIY Two-Tier Coffee Table

Two years ago: Best All-Natural Way to Clean Grout

Three years ago: Repurpose Shutters into Privacy Screen

Four years ago: Ideas for a Family Command Center