How does the Homemaker’s Challenge: Accomplished blog hop work?

What homemaking challenges have you conquered and blogged about recently? We want you to share it with us. Did you figure out a way to repurpose something? Tackle a DIY project? Did you have a lightbulb moment about homemaking and care to share it with us?

Each Thursday we will host a link up. You may link up any post from your blog, past or present, that is about a challenge you are facing or have conquered. You must link back to Homemaker’s Challenge to participate.

Find us on Twitter using the hashtag: #homemakerschallenge . You can help spread the word via Twitter. Plus, if you need encouragement or want to dish some out throughout the week, use this hashtag so we can find one another.

Prefer Facebook? You can find us there, too! Homemakers Challenge on Facebook.

Logical Media - My Favorite Ad Network for Bloggers!
Please take a moment to visit our sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• NOT a DIY Diva
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Tell Your Time
• List Plan It
• The Fresh 20
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

The kitchen and front porch are my two favorite rooms of our home. I have a long list of desired items for both rooms.

I just found that One King’s Lane is running a special sale today!

If you join through that link, you will also receive an extra $15 FREE!

Today, use code ALFRESCO  to save an additional 30% off your entire order.
I’m headed to One King’s Lane  to take advantage of this deal now!

Logical Media - My Favorite Ad Network for Bloggers!
Please take a moment to visit our sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• NOT a DIY Diva
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Tell Your Time
• List Plan It
• The Fresh 20
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

I was searching for some ways to incorporate the boys Easter baskets into our home.  It seemed sad to discard such lovely basket and since I love simple living, I decided to repurpose them.

My first and most loved project was turning them into decorative plant baskets.

Here is how I did it:

1. Spray-paint the baskets to brighten the color
2. Find a plastic container that would fit inside to protect the basket
3. Paint the plastic container
4. Attach decorative rocks with a hot glue gun to the plastic container
5. Place the container into the basket
6. Then add the dirt and plant
7. Now I have a nice hanging plant basket

Depending on the size – they can be used to hold pens and pencils

Paper or cloth napkins

Paper plates when entertaining

Extra bathroom or kitchen towels

Any type of remote

Scrap paper for coloring and art supplies

With some decorative stones, a glass jar and a candle you can create a lovely center piece

A basket can hold any item you need in view but also would like to have organized and decorative

The possibilities are endless.

Can you think of a few uses for baskets? What do you use your baskets for?

Logical Media - My Favorite Ad Network for Bloggers!
Please take a moment to visit our sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• NOT a DIY Diva
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Tell Your Time
• List Plan It
• The Fresh 20
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

White walls. The bane of every renter’s existence. I’m over-exaggerating a bit. But we’ve rented for years. I’ve always felt bound by those plain, white walls that cry out for color.

But painting and repainting once we move out is never an attractive option for this mom with little children constantly under foot. A happy compromise for me and those white walls is colorful window treatments.

Color adds warmth and window treatments soften a room. However, the gorgeous prints from the “fancy” stores can cost around $100 a panel. I needed to find something more in my budget.

I was aiming to spend $10-$15 a drape. I searched the big box stores to no avail. All I could uncover were solid, drab curtains made from cheap material. That just wouldn’t do.

Use a Shower Curtain to Brighten Up a Room:

I strolled down the shower curtain aisle and found several prints I loved. Not only that but the price was right! I brought home 3 shower curtains and set to work.

Trade Rings For Ribbons:

I considered using clip rings to hold my curtains on the rod. But I opted to use ribbons instead. Not only was it cheaper than paying a little over $1 per clip ring but I liked the color and texture it added to the room. 

To emphasize a certain color, reinforce your decorating scheme by choosing ribbon in that color. I measured each strip of ribbon so they’d be of equal length and cut them accordingly. I then slipped each ribbon through the shower curtain slits. I tied each ribbon in a double knot around the rod.

Make an Easy Curtain Tie Back:

I have a large picture window and a smaller window. I chose to put one curtain on the smaller window and have it draped to the side throughout the day. I wanted to showcase my cute floral print rather than hide it behind a creased panel.

There was already a drilled hole in the wall where a former tie back once stood. I twisted a spare hook into the hole. By hand, I sewed the ends of the ribbon so they attached to metal rings I picked up at Home Depot.

The beauty of this project was that it didn’t need to be sewn perfectly. The homemade look was part of the charm. The bright, cheery print I chose helped bring spring indoors!

For under $60, I added stylish window treatments to my living room. The white walls no longer look stark but instead serve as a beautiful contrast to the colors I’ve added to the room!

No one would ever know I have shower curtains hanging in my living room. So let it be our little secret! Shhh….

Logical Media - My Favorite Ad Network for Bloggers!
Please take a moment to visit our sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• NOT a DIY Diva
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Tell Your Time
• List Plan It
• The Fresh 20
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

 Grandmaw’s Tried and True Homemaking Tips that Work:

1. Get up and get dressed.

Don’t stay in your pajamas all day and expect to be productive. Not to mention, you never know when someone may call on you. Comb your hair, brush your teeth, and put your shoes on, you have a house to keep, children to feed, and a husband to kiss. She didn’t say that last part, but I’ve seen her kiss my Papaw. They didn’t get four kids without kissing, I tell ya’. So get dressed.

2. Treat homemaking as a full-time job.

Homemaking is a full-time job. Treat it like one. The home is your domain to keep and tend. Just as there are things that must get done in the office, there are must-dos at home. Do them every day even if it already looks clean.

3. Be done by 10am.

There are daily chores that you should do every day: make your bed, wipe your bathroom counters, pick-up dirty clothes, do the dishes, sweep the floors, and shine your sink. You will have your own routine. Stick to it and be done by 10 o’clock. People will start calling and there are other things you will need to do. Don’t waste all day on these easy tasks.

4. Stick to the work week.

Housekeeping is for Monday through Friday. Saturdays are for family. Sundays are for the Lord. Enjoy the weekend.

5. Children come before housework.

There will be times your husband will leave for work and return to a house that looks the same or worse than when he left it. You can’t keep a doll house all the time, and that has to be okay! Tend to the babies first and get a towel from the dryer for your shower. Love your babies and care for them as only you, their mother, can do. It is such a short season.

6. Do what works for you.

Always remember, everyone is different and everyone likes to give their opinions. Just listen, and then, do what works for you. Half the time, the person who gave you the advice won’t know, or care, what you ended up doing. Your home is your domain. Don’t compare it to others. Make it a place you enjoy!

What do you think? Do you think grandmaw’s tips are worth adopting for your home?

Logical Media - My Favorite Ad Network for Bloggers!
Please take a moment to visit our sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• NOT a DIY Diva
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Tell Your Time
• List Plan It
• The Fresh 20
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

How does the Homemaker’s Challenge: Accomplished blog hop work?

What homemaking challenges have you conquered and blogged about recently? We want you to share it with us. Did you figure out a way to repurpose something? Tackle a DIY project? Did you have a lightbulb moment about homemaking and care to share it with us?

Each Thursday we will host a link up. You may link up any post from your blog, past or present, that is about a challenge you are facing or have conquered. You must link back to Homemaker’s Challenge to participate.

Find us on Twitter using the hashtag: #homemakerschallenge . You can help spread the word via Twitter. Plus, if you need encouragement or want to dish some out throughout the week, use this hashtag so we can find one another.

Prefer Facebook? You can find us there, too! Homemakers Challenge on Facebook.

Logical Media - My Favorite Ad Network for Bloggers!
Please take a moment to visit our sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• NOT a DIY Diva
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Tell Your Time
• List Plan It
• The Fresh 20
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

I don’t know about you, but I am a sucker for cute.  I cannot tell you how many “cute” things I’ve purchased, gotten them home, and sent them to Goodwill a year later because they didn’t work with anything else I had.  I’ve gotten better at passing up “cute” by having a specific style in mind.  Here is how to determine your decorating style.

1.  Look at what you have.

Take a look at the items in your home.  Which ones do you love?  Which would you put out at the curb in an instant if a replacement came along?  Why? What do the things you love have in common — a color, shape, a feeling that it evokes?

2.  Create a wish list.

I don’t know about you, but I can come up with a 10-page wish list in 5 minutes.  If you would like grown-up furniture or a whole IKEA set up, write it down by room.  Want more throw pillows?  Vases?  A new fireplace?  Storage?  Write it down!

3.   Consider colors.

Think about the color scheme you would like, preferably independent of your paint color.  This will help guide a future accessory purchases.  For instance, my kitchen colors are pink & aqua.  I try not to buy anything not in those colors and when I find something in those colors, I buy it!  I love those colors and so no matter where we are living, they will make me happy, even if it’s a bland white rental .

4.  Find inspiration.

The best source for decorating inspiration is Pinterest.  I have boards for each room in my house — dream bedroom, dream kitchen, etc.  In my bedroom, for example, I picked a pale blue/pale yellow scheme years ago.  I still like that, but want it to feel more South Pacific in my main furniture pieces.  I’ve been pinning bedrooms from Bora Bora resorts, accessories I’ve found, anything to give me a good idea of what I really like.  After a while, you will notice several similarities that will help you know when something you want to thrift or makeover will fit in your vision.

5.  Save & Shop!

Save up some money and go shopping.  We are entering prime yard sale season & thrift stores are usually bursting at the seams.  Craigslist is also easier in summer since you can haul big pieces in open trailers.  Flea markets, estate sales & auctions are good places to try, too.

If your list is unique, don’t be afraid to scour consignment shops or even actual furniture stores.  Your perfect piece may be in a large metro area a day’s drive away so don’t discount eBay or CL with local pickup either if you are willing to drive.
Having a vision for your home can really help save you money.  By only buying what fits the bigger picture, you can buy things that will stick around long term.  It also will also enable you to buy a dream item or two — like a teak canopy bed.  A girl can dream, right?

Do you have a vision for your home decorating?  I’d love to hear about it!

Logical Media - My Favorite Ad Network for Bloggers!
Please take a moment to visit our sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• NOT a DIY Diva
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Tell Your Time
• List Plan It
• The Fresh 20
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

“Dispenser” is perhaps not the most accurate word to use, because it doesn’t actually dispense the toilet paper. Sorry. But it does neatly contain it for you, in a discreet yet visible way, so that no guest ever feels the need to rummage under your sink for an emergency re-stocking.

I have this thing for re-using empty food containers; it’s kind of an addicting habit. Egg cartons, coffee cans, and now oatmeal canisters. I’m always looking for ways to recycle and upcycle containers that would otherwise be thrown away.

Thankfully, it’s easy to do with a few simple supplies. For  this particular container upcycle, all you need is:

• an oatmeal canister (it’s the perfect diameter for double rolls of toilet paper)
• wrapping paper (or 2 sheets of scrapbooking paper)
• coordinating ribbon
• scissors
• glue stick

Logical Media - My Favorite Ad Network for Bloggers!
Please take a moment to visit our sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• NOT a DIY Diva
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Tell Your Time
• List Plan It
• The Fresh 20
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

{photo credit modified by Jules}

The other day I told you How to Stage Your Home for Sale. That needs to be done before any advertise can take place. You’re going to want people driving by wondering why your home suddenly has so much curb appeal. You will want your rooms to be clean, de-cluttered, and be ready to show before you take any pictures. If you’re looking for a quick sale then you must be ready to show your home the day after you advertise it’s on the market!

Now, realtors have lots of connections but there are so many ways for us FSBO’s to advertise on our own now.

1.  Take pictures {making sure you take the best shot(s) of each room from a corner trying to get the biggest view of the entire room}
   *Use or borrow a  fancy camera with a wide-angle lens
   *Use an iPhone with a panoramic app
   *Use a nice quality camera
2. Signage
   *Quality Signs
   Use THIS
   
   NOT This
   
   The classier the sign the more interest you will get in your home.
   *Good Placement
   In front of your yard facing perpendicular to your home so those driving by can see it easily, not parallel.
   Place other signs at the entrance(s) to your neighborhood and/or busy intersections
   *Clear/Clean
   Make sure there is a least a clearly written phone number on your sign(s) with a BLACK, bold, permanent marker. If you have a nicer sign you can print information papers about your home for interested buyers to take with them {make sure these are in a nice, closed box to keep them clean and dry}.
3. Utilize Online Sites
   There are many sites online available for FREE or low-cost depending on length of listing or amount of pictures showing for your home. This is probably the most useful tool for potential buyers to view your home. Our culture LOVES buying things online and although they can’t purchase your home online they can view it at their convince in the comfort of their home {or ANYWHERE that the internet is available}.
   http://www.fsbo.com/home.aspx
   http://www.forsalebyowner.com/
   http://www.salebyownerrealty.com/
   http://www.owners.com/
   http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites
   http://www.ebayclassifieds.com/
   Example of FREE listing I’ve done for my home on Zillow, Owners,  Craig’s List, Ebay, and even Facebook. Facebook may seem to be an odd place to list a home for sale but most likely you are friends with lots of people who live near you. Lots of great home finds are found by word of mouth. This album of pictures will need to be set to “public” so people can share it and those who aren’t “friends” with you may view it. Just make sure not to list your exact address if you are uncomfortable with that.
4. Open House
   Plan to open your home on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon for prospective buyers to tour your home and ask questions with less pressure than a private showing.
5. Private Showings
   Some may prefer to view your home privately and you will need to make yourself {or a trusted friend or relative} available  to walk prospective buyers through your home at their convince.

We are still in this process as I am writing this but I faithing that I’ll be updating this status to SOLD soon. Let me know if you have any advise for other FSBOs or which of these suggestions have worked for you.

Video Tour Providers:

www.animoto.com
www. youtube.com
www.floorplanonline.com

Logical Media - My Favorite Ad Network for Bloggers!
Please take a moment to visit our sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• NOT a DIY Diva
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Tell Your Time
• List Plan It
• The Fresh 20
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

To our shock and dismay, we discovered that it doesn’t always look like the pages of a magazine! (We also discovered that a lot of men don’t like wicker furniture – even though it’s all over the pages of Victoria!)

But, from the pen of Emilie Barnes, I quickly learned that home “is as much a state of the heart and spirit as it is a specific place.” It didn’t matter if we lived in a borrowed room, a rented lower-level apartment, or a house of our own. Rick and I purposed to make whatever space we had into home. In those early years of marriage, I did my best to make our home into a welcoming refuge – first for our own family and then for others who would cross our threshold.

In her book, A Spirit of Loveliness (which was published in 1992 but I would still highly recommend), Emilie calls that The Spirit of Welcome.
She says this:

“A welcoming home is a place of refuge, a place where people worn down by the noise and turmoil and hostility of the outside world can find a safe resting place. A welcoming home is a place that you and others enjoy coming home to.”

A safe resting place. I love that vision for my homemaking. I feel like it breathes new life into the tired, old chores of housekeeping.

While it really is true that it just doesn’t matter how big your space is or how much money you spent on your love seat, I do think there are some practical but simple things that can help to cultivate this sort of attitude and atmosphere.

Here are a few things I do to make our home feel warm and welcoming:

• First, think first impressions. I try to keep my entry way tidy. Which actually starts outside where the patio is swept, the door is clean from obvious mud or cobwebs, and a wreath or potted plant offers an invitation to come in. Then, before Rick comes home each day, I usually make sure the entry area is picked up of clutter and the inside light is turned on.
• Second, what’s your house smell like? I think the scent of a home is important. Since I can’t always have yummy things baking in my oven, I have invested in a Wallflower from Bath & Body Works. I like them better than some of the grocery store versions because they smell more authentic. And, I like that they’re always plugged in – I don’t have to get home first to light a burner. (Yes, they are more expensive but I just watch for sales and stock-up semi-annually.) The scent of your home is especially important if you have pets or little ones still in diapers.
• Third, a little wax goes a long way! I often have a candle or two burning in the evenings when everyone is home. It’s a simple gesture that goes a long way toward softening the mood of your home. We found a battery-operated candle that hangs in the corner of our living room where I can’t reach to light a normal candle. It has a built-in timer and it’s nice to come home to when we’ve been out later.
• Fourth, beautiful music calms and nourishes the soul. Two of my favorite artists are David Nevue and Fernando Ortega. When I play those cds, my heart takes a deep breath. Sometimes when Rick, Caleb, and the dog are wrestling in living room, my sweet music is hard to hear. But, a man laughing with boy is its own kind of music, I suppose.
• Fifth, splurge on some fresh flowers now and then.  Or even stick some ivy cuttings in a glass bowl with water. Plants speak life.
• Sixth, always, always, always have the fixings for tea, hot cocoa, and coffee on hand. Even if you don’t drink them. It’s a very worthy sacrifice to cupboard space to be able to offer tea to a weary friend.
• And, finally, try using cloth napkins. I know it might seem like a small, even silly, thing. But, I have been using cloth napkins for all 20 years of our marriage. Sometimes, I make my own. Usually, I just watch for sales or coupons and buy them. (The trick is to try to find ones that don’t need ironed!)  This simple added touch has brought a lot of warmth to our mealtimes.

These are a few of the easy, practical ways I try to create refuge here. You might not take these specific steps. But, hopefully this will get your thoughts churning toward making your own home a safe haven for the people you love. Your home needs to be a reflection of your family and values, not mine.

No matter what you do, just taking the time to think and plan communicates welcome. It lets the people in your life know that you thought ahead and wanted to make room for them.

Logical Media - My Favorite Ad Network for Bloggers!
Please take a moment to visit our sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• NOT a DIY Diva
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Tell Your Time
• List Plan It
• The Fresh 20
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging