Misadventures in DIY:

Laundry Closet Finale and Reveal

2013-05-11T14:20:00.006-04:00

It's been a while. I would love to say I had a good reason for this project to take so long, but really, it was just life. Either way, it's finished! And I'm extremely happy with the results. To take you back to where I left off: Parts 1 and Part 2.1

I've come a long way since then and I apologize for the pictures in advance. I've gotten a new phone recently, so the pictures should be a bit better, but the lighting in the area is still horrible. This area of the house gets no direct sunlight and only gets a wish of sunshine during the day.

Since all the walls are prepped, the first order of business was to find a pick out my cabinet for the corner. This definitely took 2 people: one to hold it up, one to screw it into the stud. This also prompted to me to purchase a stud finder. I'm usually very adept at finding studs in the wall, but this closet seems to defy all logic.

Since I have a ton of pictures and the explanation is fairly simple, I'm going to post a ton of pictures. If you want more detailed steps or questions, let me know!

Cutting (measuring twice, cutting once), sanding and painting the shelves

Installing the shelves after the cabinet was placed

The final details! Trim, cabinet pulls and touchup paint

Final Product!

Since there isn't a lot of explanation, here are some neat things I learned while on this project:
My Misadventures
-Make sure you consider the size of screw you'll need when working on a project like this. If your shelf is 3/4" thick and you are securing it to the wall, you need to go through 3/4" of shelving and at least 1/2" of sheetrock to get to the stud. That means you need longer than a 1 1/4" screw. On the flip side, when you're screwing your 3/4" shelf support into the side of a cabinet that's only 3/4", you don't want a 2" screw because it will stick out the other side. This is why I had to make 3 different trips to buy 3 different lengths of screws and thus had to buy a tackle box to keep all of my screws in.
-Tackle boxes made good screw/nail/small tool organizers.
-Only use a small amount of glue. Or it gets everywhere.
-The small brackets on the back of the wooden shelf supports may not be screwed in with the best screws. You may have to replace them with your own screws. Especially when you practically pull the shelf off the wall on accident.
-Cheap cabinets don't always have doors that line up. Keep that in mind and don't be surprised. If you're a perfectionist, spend more money. I'm a lazy perfectionist that's frugal, so a cheap cabinet worked for me and I adjusted them to get as close to even as possible.

I also found the handy LED bar you see on the middle shelf while shopping in the lighting section. I figured it's the perfect place to use a puck light since there's no easily available electric.

Overall, this project went fairly smoothly, at least as far as my projects are concerned. I had some stumbling blocks, but nothing a trip to Lowes couldn't fix... or a 2 month break.

The whole goal of this project was to make the space more usable and I think I succeeded. I'm happy with it and I have even done laundry without grimacing since then. Have questions? Want more info? Think it looks AWESOME? Let me know!

2013-05-05T21:57:00.001-04:00

No posts in the month of April? None before that? What am I doing??

Well, I have a job and it sometimes takes up quite a bit of my time. I've also been working outside quite a bit to get a landscape bed planted and getting all the others in tip top shape. Lastly, I haven't had motivation or money. Both are key to brain storming and planning new projects!

So, I promise I will have a post up within the week on my finishing my latest project, the Laundry Closet. I've put the finishing touches on it and I'm excited to share! I've also gotten a new phone with a better camera, so I hope it helps.

In the next month, I also plan to start on a few projects for my Future Guest Bedroom. Get excited!

Let me know what you think! Leave a comment or send me an email.

Closet Organizer Giveaway!

2013-03-26T14:15:00.001-04:00

I'm sure you've all heard of ClosetMaid and I have great news, they're having a giveaway! The Love Your Closet Sweepstakes is giving away 2 awesome closets like the ones below

Visit the ClosetMaid Facebook page or @ClosetMaid #Love Your Closet Sweepstakes to enter the LoveYourCloset Sweepstakes!

I know I'll be entering, so make sure to share it with all of your friends! Click the Facebook link below to share.

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Resurfacing My Lovely Island Butch Block

2013-03-23T20:17:00.000-04:00

If you haven't read my previous post about my DIY kitchen island (Part 1 and Part 2), then let me introduce you to my kitchen island.

It's been at least 6 months since I completed this project and I've succeeded in beating up the counter top like no other. I did the initial conditioning of the top and didn't do any follow through. I know better! No really, I do. I've already stained it with beet juice (the ugly dark gray blob) and there are small water spots on it. It's begging me to be oiled. Overall, the top was just looking dull and much lighter than when I started, which is a sure sign that it needs some love.

Since I made this island originally, I've also picked up a handy-dandy power sander. We sanded this thing as much as we could, but there are still rough spots on the sides. The top never really got as smooth as I wanted anyway. So, instead of just re-oiling, I've decided to resurface and completely recondition the butcher block portion of the island. That's the great part about wood, you can resurface and do it right the 2nd time!

The very first thing you should do is lightly clean the top of the butcher block. I had a lot of crumbs on mine, no big surprise: I'm messy. I got as many of the dried spots as I could, but I knew sanding would also help with that. Then, it was on to the sanding.

For resurfacing, you need to really get the top layer off. Since mine wasn't sandy very smooth the first time, it was easy to tell when I was done. I started with a rough grit sand paper of 60 (I don't know what the unit of measure is... but it's 60 something) because that's the sandpaper level that came with my sander. Very scientific. I sanded the whole thing, including the ends (very important!). Also, make sure to use enough pressure on the sander that it can do it's job. Mine has a handy pressure guide that helps figure that out. ALWAYS GO WITH THE GRAIN OF THE WOOD.

Misadventure #1: Power sanders sometimes leave funny marks. It's ok, they will probably go away.

(After the first sanding)

After the first sand, I noticed there were marks on the end from the sanders pattern. I freaked out a little, thinking I had just ruined my island. Turns out that they go away with more sanding enough that oiling at the end makes them completely go away.

After sanding, I cleaned off all the dust just to keep things as clean as possible. When you wipe off the dust, you should only use a slightly damp cloth/paper towel and let it dry completely. Why? Because wood doesn't like water, that's why I'm doing this whole mess.

Then I stepped up in sandpaper grit to 120... because that's what my sander came with. I could definitely tell a different in the way it was sanding down and I was able to get all of the stains from my messiness out. The beet stain still remains.

(After sanding with 120 grit paper)

I cleaned it off again... and made dinner. You know, because every good project means you should stop in the middle and do a completely different task, right? Just kidding, I started this project on a Wednesday after work.

After wiping it off again, I had one more step to go, to 220 grit sandpaper. I only have this grit in sandpaper sheets, so I did this step by hand. A single finishing coat with fine sandpaper isn't that terrible. Again, go with the grain. This step got dust EVERYWHERE.

(Last sanding! I used it flat with a flat hand to try and keep it all even)

Ok, sanding part, Check. Now to the conditioning part! As you can tell, after sanding, the wood is quite a bit lighter than what I started with, though much, MUCH smoother.

(Before I started and then after sanding with 220 grit sandpaper)

I apologize for the hazy pictures. This is about the time I realized that it wasn't just my eyes and the camera lens was disgusting.

For conditioning, I took a two-fold approach. After much research, I decided that I wanted to continue with using oils or wax as a conditioner instead of completely sealing with varnish. It's not the look I want, nor do I care for the smell since the counter top is not coming off. Mineral Oil is the best product to use and I found another product that is Mineral Oil plus natural waxes. The wax will make it have more of a water resistent quality than with just oil.

I picked up the Mineral Oil from the laxitive section at the local store and Howard Butch Block Conditioner from Amazon. I definitely DID NOT know Mineral Oil was a laxitive until I couldn't find it and asked for help.

From here on out, it was a piece of cake. I chose to use Mineral Oil first and then the conditioner, but you can use just the conditioner if you'd like. I did 2 coats of Mineral Oil and 1 coat of the conditioner. Pour some out, spread it around with a clean, dry cloth and let it sit for a few hours. Then you can wipe up the excess, let it try some more and do another coat. After the first coat, you'll notice a huge difference in the color. Using the conditioner was a bit different because it's thicker (from the wax). I didn't let it soak into the wood as long, but I let it sit for a while afterward.

Here are the pictures, they don't need much more explanation:

(First coat of oil!)

(You can see the difference when you're spreading it around)

(After the 1st coat soaked in)

(Time for the 2nd coat of oil)

(It looks soooo good after the 2nd coat as well)

(This was the first coat of conditioner with wax)

(After I wiped it all off, the water beaded up wonderfully)

And now the after pictures! The wood looks so much better. It's shinier and definitely not dull. I followed the instructions on the bottle with wiping it off and buffing it. Be aware, the wood may feel slightly oily or waxy after you've reconditioned it. It's not going to kill you, it's just that very top excess coat.

Happy butcher block!

This took me a few days, but that's merely because I let things soak in for a long time. After a few months, I'll need to use the conditioner again to keep up the water repellent coat and to keep the wood conditioned. Every 6 months to a year, I'll should reapply oil or conditioner to keep it in tip-top shape. Basically, anytime it starts looking dull!

Let me know what you think! Leave a comment or send me an email.

Quick Update

2013-03-18T21:09:00.000-04:00

It's been a bit since I've posted any projects, I know. I'm trying to get my next project together, but I keep running into roadblocks. Such is life, right? Planning my work travel has taken more time than expected. It's also been a VERY expensive month. First, then fence and now my refrigerator! The ice maker is on the fritz and since I HATE the layout of this fridge, I decided that it's time. I will be the owner of a (hopefully) lovely side-by-side fridge tomorrow. Luckily, my upcoming DIY projects will be inexpensive, so I guess I have even more incentive to get them going!

Have any suggestion for DIY projects? Let me know! Leave me a comment or send me an email.

Project: Floating Shelves

2013-03-07T21:16:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, you just look around the room and say "This room is missing..... something."

I had done that for a while in my living room. So I put a picture on the wall. That wasn't it.

Then I got lamps. That helped, but still wasn't 'It.'

One day, when I was trying to sleep, it dawned on me: I didn't have any shelves. I didn't have any place to set 'things.' I didn't have a place for a sense of ME. My walls were also practically bare. Painted, but bare.

I don't care of bookcases, but I knew I wanted shelving. Built-ins were out of the question as they can be somewhat expensive and require more handy work than is all of my family, combined.

As with a lot of my ideas, I started with research. I figured out what I wanted first and then researched the options available. It happens that my beloved Ikea has floating shelves. I liked the options at Pottery Barn, but let's be honest: Do I seem like the person to buy the Pottery Barn option over the Ikea option? That would be a no (under most circumstances).

To see if my plan would really work out, I resorted to making a life-size representation. I seem to do that a lot, right? It works.

I created a layout that a combination of long and short shelves to create a unique look.

Unfortunately, this project was done before I started taking lots of pictures. So the only other picture I have is of the final outcome.

Misadventure #1: Small floating shelves are very difficult to install and don't hold much weight. It could just be the way I installed them, but we had some issues with the foot long shelves. We ended up using 1 in the corner on the middle shelf to make it stand out. It still gave me the effect I wanted.

Misadventure #2: Walls and corners are rarely square. This makes putting perfectly square things into corners challenging. Think along the lines of round whole, square peg. In the end, I put the long part of the shelf against the wall and just let the corner be. If it was a bit off, that's alright.

I actually did the trip to Homegoods before I put up the shelves. I wanted an eclectic, but unified look. I went for silver, black and ornate. There are a few pieces that are different, but I think all the pieces look good together. *Most of them have stock photos, but I'll update with a recent picture as soon as it's sunny.

*Update: This is what it looks like now, with candles, votives and real pictures!

I plan to eventually do the same thing in the other corner. For now, that corner belongs to Bella and her things. What do you think? Leave me a comment or send me an email!

Spring Cleaning FEVAH!

2013-03-01T17:56:00.001-05:00

There is a (slight) warmth in the air that can only mean one thing: Spring is coming. For me, this means spring cleaning. Why? Because I'm in a winter funk and I MUST find something to bring me out of it. I swear, there hasn't been a sunny day in weeks.

I'm starting to brainstorm and plan out my things to tackle in the next few coming months. There are a few things I've put off and some older projects that I did before I started the blog. I hope to have a full slate of items to keep me (and you) occupied and active.

What are your plans for spring? Have anything awesome planned? Or are you just dreaming of when you can go outside without a sweatshirt?

Mini-Project: Shoe Drying Tray

2013-02-24T15:41:00.000-05:00

I've stone-filled shoe trays on Pinterest before and thanks to the endless rain we've gotten over the past 2 weeks, I thought it might be time to give it a try! My shoes have been wet, muddy and grassy but I was getting tired of leaving them in the entryway on the rug. So, when I was at the store buying cheap runner rugs for the office, I spotted this shoe tray:

That reminded me of the few pins I've seen with this type of setup. This was $4.97 and should have room for 3 pairs of shoes. I went over to check out the rocks in the crafts section, but MAN were they expensive. As in $5 for 2lbs of smooth river rocks. Over to Dollar Tree, I went. Sure enough, after some riffling through their decorative rock area, I found the large river rocks that I was looking for. I wanted the multi-color version. Now, I will tell you that I also got a small pouch of rocks from Lowes because they had more unique and eye-catching colors. However, I only used 1 of those (also $5) and mixed it in with the rest of the Dollar Tree version. $.50 per 1 pound of rocks is cheaper than $1 per pound of rocks.

I had to go back and get more since I wasn't sure how much it required. I ended up using 22lbs of river rocks from Dollar Tree and 5lbs of river rock from Lowes, so 27lbs total. It would have been easier if they had large bags, but it's just not something I felt like searching for in the middle of winter. The total bill for the stones was $16, so nothing terrible. So, for a total of $21, I now have this beauty!

Now, if only I could figure out how to get the dog to wipe her filthy paws on the rug!

Let me know what you think! Have you tried this? Have you figured out how to get your dog to wipe their paws? Share!

Not-SO-DIY Fence and Misadventures

2013-02-23T17:58:00.000-05:00

As a followup on my 'Know when to hire, when to DIY' post, I thought I'd at least show off the wonderful fence that now adorns my yard. Even though someone else was doing the project, it wasn't without at least 1 hiccup.

But before I get to the 'After' picture, I want to share some tidbits that I learned. I did my homework with selecting a contractor. There are quite a few fence companies in the area and I wanted to make sure I didn't jump at the first person that came out for a quote. So, I used the linear footage information from the a single quote I got 2 years ago to get quotes from everyone else. I had everyone quote the exact same linear footage, layout and fence material so I could compare apples to apples. What I found was really interesting! The prices had about a $500-$600 range for an entry type of vinyl fencing. I don't always recommend going with the lowest price. Sometimes it's for lower quality materials, sometimes it doesn't include important items and sometimes the company may not be very reputable. Do your research. What I learned about the lowest bid was that they sourced their materials from another fence company (their quote was higher by about $200) and they were reputable.

Also, trust your instincts. One company lost any chance at my business because I didn't like their salesman. Scoffing at my concerns isn't a great way to get my business. If their salesman was like that, I can only image what the installers were like.

After I selected the company, got a full, on-site quote, I ended up selecting another fence style that was the next step up in price. I don't like thin pickets. Don't install something you hate that's permanent. Because, guess what? It's permanent. Or really expensive to change.

Side Note: If you live in the Delaware area and are looking for a fence, check out ABC Fencing. They're the contractor I picked and couldn't be happier! I didn't get anything to plug them, they just did a great job!

Misadventure #1 HOA, Land Owner, Survey, Building Permits, oh my.

I have the joy of living in a development with an HOA. HOA's can be notoriously slow and a pain. So, I made sure to mention in my letter to the HOA Architectural Review committee that this was a Safety Issue due to a loose dog attacking mine on my property. I politely told them I was requesting a timely review and approval. I also included a copy of the contract, a picture of the style of fence and a copy of the survey of my property with the fenceline drawn in. To my great surprise, I received a voicemail 3 days later giving me a verbal approval!

After forward to getting my building permit. For this contractor, I was required to get the building permit. No big deal, but the timing was.... bad. I went on Thursday and was told I'd get a call on Friday to pick it up. I didn't remember that Monday was a holiday and they were going to install on Tuesday.

It was Tuesday morning and the contractor was here. I didn't have a permit. Luckily, I was at the town office 3 minutes after they opened. Remember, don't be mean to people you're trying to get something from. You're just shooting yourself in the foot. I managed to get verbal approval to go ahead with the work. As I left the office, I got a call from the contractor saying they were waiting to start digging a hole before I got the permit.

As it turns out, Miss Utility (the utility marking service in our area) marked the gas line as directly under a fence post. My installer had to hand dig a hole he wasn't planning to and the ground was almost too frozen. It was a fun morning.

However, I now have a completely installed fence that looks awesome! Bella is loving it and I'm loving everything except the muddy paw prints she's been tracking in all the way through the office and entryway.

The day they delivered the materials was the last sunny day we've had for the past 2 weeks.

Creeper-mode was the only way I could take progress pictures. I have no regrets.

This picture shows the exact reason I didn't do this myself. See that pig piece of equipment? I don't have it. And I'd probably end up putting the hole in the wrong place.

And it's finally done!

Bella, giving her sniff of approval.

Let me know what you think! Leave me a comment or send me an email!

Mini-Project: Serving Tray

2013-02-16T19:29:00.002-05:00

I was cleaning up my ottoman a week ago and as I was cleaning the tray on it, I had a moment of genius. This cheap tray, which I've had for 3+ years, could get a new lease on life! First of all, it just doesn't match anything.

I got this lovely tray at Ikea for about $8 because I got tired of not having a place to set my drink. Now, it's time to bring it into the style of the rest of my home. I have dark wood all over. Luckily, my brilliant idea was that I already had the gel stain (leftover from my oak vanity makeover) to transform it!

The first step was to inspect it and get a handle on how I could possibly disassemble it. Since it's simply made, there were 4 screws on each end holding it together.

So I figured, 'Hey! I can always put it back together if it doesn't actually come apart' and went on with it.

It turns out that it comes apart very easily and it was a solid tray underneath that was in a channel.

Just like staining the vanity, I needed to give this a light sanding to get some of the glossy coat off. I won this sandpaper from 3M DIY a few months ago and have been waiting for an excuse to use it!

I used 180 fine because it was the finest grit I had. I wiped it all off with a damp paper towel, let it dry and started on the first coat of stain. I didn't have rubber gloves, so I chose to use a foam brush to apply it.

Misadventure #1: Don't use a foam brush. Especially not a cheap one. Granted, this ended up turning out just fine, but if you're going to be looking at a particular piece closely, use a sock to apply it like I did on my vanity. It coats without leaving large brush strokes and it's easier.

I decided to do this on the dining room table, but at least I was smart enough to put the drop cloth down first. I ended up using bowls as my stands. Sometimes, you just have to make due!

After 3 coats of stain (with dry time in between), I coated it with a single coat of gel poly. Because I didn't want the glossy shine to have strokes, I used a sock. I'm definitely glad I did. I eventually plan to redo the bottom of the tray, but for now, I'm quite, quite happy with the results!

Now it looks classier and like I paid much more than I did. By using something I already had, I saved myself $30 for a new tray!

Have you found ways to do simple transformations of things around your house? Share them with me via email or leave a comment below!

Back to Basics Series

2013-02-09T20:36:00.000-05:00

I have found that sometimes DIY projects aren't as difficult as they seem. Knowing some basic skills make things go much more smoothly. The only problem is...some people skip over the steps in doing the basic tasks for a project. I know I'm guilty of that too, so I wanted to go allll the way back to some basic skills that come in handy. If I can do it, I'm sure anyone can do it. Some of these I've picked up from my parents along the years, some of them I figured out on my own and some of them I created my own method.

So what basic skills would you like to see explained? How to hammer in a nail? How to use a screw gun? How to drill a basic hole? Let me know! If I know how to do it, I'll show you. Send your ideas to me or leave a comment!

Know When To DIY and When to Hire

2013-02-09T18:08:00.003-05:00

It's been a crazy few weeks. I went on a work/vacation trip for 9 days to escape the cold weather and had such a relaxing and productive trip! But before that, there was.... an incident.

A dog got loose in the neighborhood and promptly ran over to my yard and started fighting with my dog. My dog is always on a leash and this was almost a disadvantage. Luckily, my dog was perfectly fine, but it brought back a major homeowner decision back to the surface: a fence. I've wanted a fence in my yard since I moved in. Living in a subdivision with an HOA, I knew a chain fence wasn't going to cut it.

Now, the decision about the fencing was not only a convenience decision, it was a safety concern. Do I want to be able to just let my dog out the door without having to bundle up? I would love that! Do I want a place for her to run around? Yes! Do I want to take the chance of the next dog fight ending without injuries? Heck No. Do I want to take the chance of the next dog fight ending with a dog attacking me? HECK NO. I've been bitten before and the amount of damage that can be done in seconds is alarming.

The style I decided to go with!

This whole decision took me back into the realm of DIY. Was this something I could do myself, with some help? After only a moment of thinking, the answer was a resounding no. See, there are some factors you should take into account when deciding whether to DIY or hire someone:

Skills required - Will this require skills that are far outside your realm of knowledge? Think along the lines of major electrical, plumbing or HVAC work. Outside, do you have the skills to use the tools to dig the proper holes for a fence? Can you make them straight?
Cost difference - Will doing something yourself save you money or provide you with a higher quality product than if you hired someone to do? Why do a project if it's going to cost you more money AND look worse than hiring a profession? I think that's just silly and a waste of time.
Convenience - I believe that paying for convenience is sometimes worth it. If there is only a small price difference and it's going to be very convenient for someone else to use their time and expertise.... it is probably worth the extra money. This factor is different for every person. We all know we have things we hate doing and would rather pay someone else to do, no matter the cost.

When I was thinking about getting a fence put in, I used these to help determine how I would go about it:

Skills required - I have never dug a fence post, I have never mixed concrete and I've never installed a fence. I don't even have many people that would be able to help me with anything like that. I had a friend offer her family services, but after I looked at the 2nd factor, it wasn't worth it.
Cost difference - After pricing materials, I realized that materials were the largest part of the price of getting a fence installed. After getting quotes from numerous local companies and pricing out the materials separately, it was easy to see that I wouldn't be saving much money by doing the labor myself. If I had help, I would definitely want to give them money, but I wouldn't be saving much money.
Convenience - I'm not going to save money. It would take at least 2 full days of work to put the fence in myself... if I knew what I was doing. I'm not a big manual labor person, I have too many injuries for that!

The decision was easy. I selected a contractor and it should be installed in a few weeks once everything is in line. I'll be on a super strict budget over the next few months and this probably lead to more DIY projects around the house! But the safety of my dog and I as well as my family and friends is top priority and completely worth the cost.

My Dream Guest Bedroom

2013-01-14T21:42:00.001-05:00

I'm going to venture in a different DIY direction with this post. This time, it's DIY decorating. I find decorating a smidge easier than doing things around the house, but it's still a challenge. I'm a very logical person and I have trouble seeing the big picture and end result sometimes. That doesn't stop me from dreaming though!

My lovely home came with 3 bedrooms, one more than I needed. I use one for storage and I hope to use the other as a guest bedroom some day. Considering I'm starting from scratch, it's going to take a while. So, to start off on the right foot, I've been collecting inspiration to help guide me to a beautiful end result.

When I think of a guest bedroom, I think of a few key words: comfortable, clean, classic, and relaxing. I don't want a room where someone is afraid to climb into bed. A guest bedroom is supposed to be a home away from home! I would also like to use a teal/aquamarine/blue color in the room as I can't include that color in my own guest bedroom. So here are a few inspiration bedrooms:

I love the upholstered headboard look as well as the color combinations in these pictures. Texture and a mix of patterns creates interest but using the right materials, I think I can make it comfortable. I think the colors are calming as well. I would be more than happy to stay in any of these rooms!

Once I gathered the big picture, I attempted to start looking at the details. I knew that I wanted to do an upholstered bed and started off in search of a fabric. I came across this beauty and knew it would give me the look I wanted:

It has all the colors I want to include and a classic pattern that gives a luxury look. From there, I've gathered a few pieces to continue the look! Some of these I have purchased, some are just inspiration.

(From blog: I'm Busy Procrastinating)

I want to have pops of color in the pillows and accessories. The headboard is going to be large and include pattern and color, so I want the other pieces to have more texture and pattern. This is all still a big work in process! It would probably go a lot quicker if I had furniture, but that's neither here nor there!

Do you have any ideas to share? Have you been dreaming about your guest bedroom too? Feel free to leave a comment and let me know!

Thinking Outside the Shower

2013-01-12T21:47:00.000-05:00

This is going to be a short post, but sometimes complicated problems can have simply, easy solutions... if you think outside the box. When you move into a new house, the last thing you think about is 'Will my shower caddy fit in this shower?' I quickly realized that this was the case in the master shower. Not only would my hanging shower caddy not fit..... none would fit.

See that really short shower arm? It only sticks out 1" from the wall before it curves downward. See that white shower? It sticks out from the wall 1.5". See the issue? There's no room to hang ANYTHING.

I tried and researched everything. I even tried to get a stick-on caddy to the wall! They fell off after a week, thanks to the texture on the shower insert. I couldn't handle it anymore. It had been 2 years and I needed a shower caddy.

Then, one day, I thought outside of the box. I was looking in the hook section of Lowe's for something else and saw a simple hook.... and it dawned on me. I could put this hook on the opposite wall from the shower head and hang any caddy I wanted. I had seen a particular neat one already that I knew would work great. So, I set forth and conquered.

I made sure to get a hook that stuck out a bit, but would be screwed directly into the wall. It's also very important to screw the hook into a stud. Even with the normal sized bottles, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash..... the weight it adds up.

Here's the final result:

I've discovered an added bonus to having it on the other wall. I haven't any nasty buildup on the bottle or the caddy because it's only getting a small amount of water compared to what it would normally accumulate. If it involves less cleaning and less maintenance, I'm all for it!

Have you come up with some solutions that are outside of the box? Leave a comment and tell me about it!

Closets, Closets Everywhere

2013-01-08T22:14:00.000-05:00

I have a few unfinished projects around the house, but onward and upward! While recovering from the holidays, I realized what a mess my closets had become. I've never been able to put my finger on it, but they've just not been quite right since I moved in.

I have two 6.5' reach-in closets in the master bedroom that should provide plenty of room to hold all of my clothing. I wish that were the case currently but I seem to have encountered a case of the Builder Basic again. They set things up for success, but still managed to be failure!

I told you it was getting bad!

There are full Closetmaid tracks in each closet, but I'm guessing some of the shelves have been either taken or discarded before I purchased the house. The shelves themselves are in great shape, but I have a confession to make: I don't like wire shelves. I would classify it more as a slight hatred, but it's not the wire shelves themselves! I love being able to move them around, I just don't like the fact that there are holes in the shelves. It seems counter intuitive to me!

So, the grand plan is to redo both closets. I can't do this all at once, so this will be a long term project. I want to revamp both closets with a melamine system with regular shelves and hanging rods. In the interim, I decided to find a better layout for my wire shelving system. I scoped out the Closetmaid website and found a lot of their layouts required medium shelves (which I had), long shelves, and short shelves. The missing pieces were short shelves!

After a reconnaissance trip to the store, I purchased 2 foot shelves to go with the ones I already had. After some moving of shelves, I came up with this in closet #1.

Starting to fill it with some of my hanging clothes

I took this time to go through my shoes and some clothes. Don't forget to purge your wardrobe every season change! If you haven't worn it in a year or two, donate it. 10 pairs of shoes, 5 shirts and a purse later, I have a nice pile to donate just from an hour worth of work.

After putting everything back in, I'm quite thrilled with my mini-project! I'm going to test drive this general layout until I decide on a permanent solution to my closet project dilemma. Here's the final result:

(A view behind the door where the long hanging items are hidden)

Have any ideas for me? Have you come up with great ideas or come across a great product for your closet? Let me know!

Bonus picture of my helper

Laundry Room: Part 2.1

2013-01-07T20:06:00.002-05:00

I've officially started work on the laundry area! I've already done some basic planning and found inspiration of what my ideal laundry area would look like in my Project: Laundry Room, Pre-Planning post. I went through a few iterations of ideas, but finally decided that I wanted a single cabinet with open shelving. A little bit open, a little bit closed, the best of both worlds!

So far, this project has went fairly smoothly. It's been quite involved, but each step has been manageable I've had to call in some backup for sawing because.... well, I like my fingers.

Project Prep

Deciding on a final plan and the details was difficult. This is what it looked like before:

It presented some design challenges as well as budget issues. I knew I wanted some closed storage, but that was much more expensive and wouldn't look nearly as awesome. Open shelves are great too, but using just open shelving isn't ideal when you're a messy person (yes, I admit it) and the doors are often left open to the laundry area. So aesthetically pleasing and inexpensive, got it. I found that the local Just Cabinets had the cheapest basic white cabinet for my needs. If it's going to be a utility area, I don't need high end. This allowed me to create a design with the right mix of each storage type.

Maybe I've learned from my previous misadventures already, but I followed my own advice and measured everything twice. I made a drawing of my design (I'll show it further down) on paper and figured out all the measurements. From this, I was able to make a cut list for the shelf material. After asking at the store, I decided to go with particle board since it was going to be painted anyway. DIY Tip: If you want to get your pieces of wood cut quickly and have the best help, go to the store prepared with a full cut list. If you get ambitious and know you can get all of your cuts into a single sheet of wood, make a drawing with the measurements.

Oh yes, and remember to take the thickness of your boards into account when making all your measurements. If you shelf will be 3/4" thick, that needs to be subtracted from the space between the shelves. Not that I've forgotten to do that before....

I decided to go to Lowes on the Saturday morning before Hurricane Sandy hit. Yes, I am a wonderful planner. Even though the store was crazy with other people preparing, I was already prepared and just buying normal project items. The guy in the lumber department was very happy with my cut list and even appreciated my little drawing so he could visualize how he was going to run the sheet through the saw.

I picked up a few other supplies while I was there. I figure that if I'm going to be kind of serious about this DIY stuff, I should make my life a little easier. My lawn chairs are not good saw horses (Misadventure #1) and sanding trim by hand is one thing, but sanding whole boards is another.

Supplies
This project:
3/4" Full Sheet of Particle Board $20.50
Paint $29
Paint Liner (set of 12) $6
Roller brushes
Joint Compound $5.50
Wood Shelf Supports $12

This project and future use:
Sawhorses $32
Power Sander $40
Stud Finder $31

I try to plan things as well as I can. I usually make a list of the major steps so I don't get overzealous. Like putting in a cabinet before painting the whole area. I didn't do that, this time.

Demo!

You would think demolition would be the easiest step. Well, you would be mostly correct, but it wasn't without a stumbling block or two.

I was quite excited to get rid of that stupid wire shelf and the largest shelf supports I've ever seen. It had to come down! I took off the supports, the shelf and was left with these in the wall:

I thought that I could just pull them out by hand. That didn't work. This led to calling my mom while sitting on top of the dryer. This also led to my roommate initially thinking I was odd because I was sitting on top of the dryer, just chilling and talking on the phone. After I persuaded him that I wasn't crazy, he showed my how to remove them! Pliers would have worked, but using the prying end of a hammer was also affective. You ARE supposed to be able to pull them straight out, just not by hand. Crisis averted, I thought I was going to make a big hole.

That still left me with holes in the wall. I wanted a clean surface to paint over, so spackle it is!

After 2 coats of spackle and sanding, I was rid of all memories of the wire shelf! Now time for the layout

Layout

I wouldn't suggest everyone doing this, but I wanted to visualize my layout on the wall. So what better way to do that then to just draw on the wall. The next step is painting, so I had nothing to lose. The paint I used is high quality and covers, but I also picked a marker color that was not extremely dark.

If you look closely, you'll see faint lines where I planned the shelves and cabinet. A cabinet in the upper left with 2 shelves (1 not drawn) to the right and a shelf above the washer and dryer for detergent and supplies. This representation actually came in handy as I realized I couldn't reach the bottom shelf of the cabinet if I put it all the way against the ceiling. I ended up moving the whole top portion of the design down by about 4-6".

Painting

I love transforming areas with paint. The fleshtone beige that was in the laundry area makes me twitch a little, so I knew it had to go. The color of dining room and hallways is a nice, neutral gray/brown/slightly purple color and I happened to have extra paint.

(My favorite cut-in paint holder)

After all the cut-in, the walls were a breeze. Well, except for moving out the washer and dryer, that was not a breeze.

It already looks SO much better, just with a paint color change!

I hope to have the next part and a reveal posted soon, but I'm already really excited with the way this project has turned out. Let me know what you think so far!

I've been neglecting my blog, bad bad bad.

2013-01-01T12:39:00.001-05:00

I know, it's been a while since I posted about my latest project. Or any project for that matter.

I was trying to write an interim post about some older projects, but that just hasn't happened. I've started on the Laundry area, but had to put the completion and finishing touches on hold.

I promise I have a good reason! I had to have surgery and have been recovering. After recovering, I had to catch up at work. Then I had a trip for work. Then I had to catch up at work. Then it was Christmas. And now I'm sick. To appease my guilt on abandoning my blog, I'll try to get a post about the laundry area up ASAP!

And to all those new to my blog, feel free to repin any pictures you see here, but also leave me some feedback! Ask questions, tell me your own stories, or just let me know what you think of my projects and posts!

Kitchen Island: Part 2 and Reveal

2012-10-21T22:39:00.001-04:00

As I said in Part 1, the easy part of building my custom DIY came to an end with the conclusion of Part 1. I finished that portion a few months ago and took a break to figure out the finishing details.

The original plan was to finish it with beadboard and some molding. After some thought, I realized that this would definitely require some straight cutting and intricate painting. I also wasn't sure if that was the look I wanted for the kitchen. In hind sight.... I should have went with the beadboard.

So I started looking for plan b. I had this 3" area with a gap in the cabinets that I had to cover. I found a pin on Pinterest that showed "easy" board and batten molding update and the light went off.

(http://www.sadalewis.com/2012/02/entryway-project-board-batten-detailed-how-to.html)

I wouldn't really have to worry about cutting straight, I could buy planks of wood and be golden. I started onward with my plan and created a drawing. At most home improvement stores, they will cut down wood, so I needed my measurements to be correct. After all, it's not like I could do much sawing at home (except by hand).

Misadventure #1 Measure Twice, Cut Once. But Really, Measure 15 Times, Cut Twice.

After I had made my plan, remade my plan and made the 3rd time the charm, I thought I was ready. Then I learned a startling fact: 1 x 4's are really 3/4" by 3 1/2". 1" x 4" is a 'nominal dimension'. Nominal, I think not. So I changed alllll the dimensions on my drawing again.

Another related issue was figuring out spacing that would cover the gap in cabinets but not be wonky. I divided the section into 3 sections that seemed to work. I finalized all the measurements and created my cut list for my trip to the store.

The gentleman that helped me was very nice and didn't groan when I said I needed 8 - 38 1/8" pieces. I had my top and bottom pieces for the 3 unfinished sides and the vertical boards.

Misadventure #2 I Did Not Nail It.

Now it was time to attach the trim boards. Most trim is held in with nails. I know this. So I got nails as the store. Two different lengths, actually. I started with the bottom board along the back side, which should have been the easiest.

So I put a nail in the center and started it in the board. I'm surprisingly good at hammering nails without hurting myself (but walking is another story). I noticed when I got the first nail all the way in, the board wasn't tight up against the cabinet back. Hmmmm, interesting. My mind said 'Keeping going! MORE NAILS!' So I start on the 2nd nail above the 1st. The board gets farther away from the cabinet back, almost like I'm nailing it backwards.

I'll spare you the next 20 minutes of banging with the hammer, putting numerous nail holes in the board and the cussing. What was happening? The hammering was actually vibrating the cabinets, which was vibrating the nails out of the cabinets. Another evening trip to the store and I had screws. I wasn't lucky enough to be able to use trim screws because they were too long as it would have been easier to fill the holes later.

Misadventure #3 See Misadventure #1, Repeat.

Once I got the bottom boards in place, I started to place the vertical boards along the back. I had measurements and a drawing, I should be set.

I was not set. While putting the 2nd vertical boards in place, I realized it wasn't going to cover the gap with my current measurements. How did this happen? I still don't know. I went back to the plans and recalculated the gap between boards. I got all 4 vertical boards up along the back, stepped back and realized.... the spacing wasn't even. How did this happen? At this point, I'm pretty sure I'm an idiot.

I went back to the plans again and decided to make a radical decision that I'm sure no one will ever notice: The spacing along the back of the island isn't even in all 3 panels, but it's symmetrical. I took the boards back off and started again.

Misadventure #4 See Misadventure #1, #3.

This problem cropped up when I started fitting in the vertical boards. I had measured the island, calculated everything (though apparently not well) and the vertical boards should fit perfectly. If not, I should have room to manuever them around.

I did not have that room. Apparently when you shrink down a woodworking project, things get harder and more precise. A 1/16" longer board required lots of sanding, attempts with the hand saw to only cut it down by 1/16". I'll also spare you the hours spent on this portion and the cussing. I was ready to give up here. Precise measurements would have been a lifesaver.

Now to the part with pictures!

I primed all of the boards before putting them in place to save hassle later. That was a good idea. Definitely prime the boards first. This stuff worked great and covered like a charm, but smelled horrible.

I planned to paint it white, but first things first, I needed to fill the nail holes and gaps between boards.

Misadventure #5 There Is A Time And A Place For Caulk.

I bought Adhesive Caulk thinking that I could kill 2 birds with 1 stone and I even made sure to get a paintable version.

I got the necessary tools and went to town! I squeezed caulk into all the screw holes and scraped off the excess. I noticed it was shrinking into the hole, but figured I'd have to apply more than once. I did the same thing between boards and scraped off any excess.

Then I realized that the caulk shrank quite a bit. So I put on a larger amount above the screw holes, thinking I could just sand down the excess.

I ended up with this. So I started to sand them down and found that caulk is NOT sandable. Another evening trip to the store to get wood filler instead.

Filling screw holes with wood filler is MUCH easier. Get some on the corner of the putty knife.

Press it directly into the hole.

Scrape over it to get off the excess.

Reapply until you have enough in the hole and it's smooth enough to need need a ton of sanding.

Repeat.

Wood filler dried so much better. It didn't shrink and was easily sanded. I sanded between coats to see my progress using 180 grit sand paper blocks and it worked really well.

I ended up doing 2 applications of wood filler with sanding and then it was time to paint! I'm happy to say that the rest of this was smooth sailing. Except almost not having enough paint, but I didn't run out.

I cut in the corners with a 1 1/2" brush first and then rolled the boards and insets with a small roller. I made the first coat thing so it would dry quickly and I could get a 2nd coat on within an hour. Can you tell I was getting impatient by this point?

It looked pretty good after the first coat, but I could still see some dark filled spots, so another thing coat it was.

Without further ado, the finished DIY kitchen island!

It's not perfect, but for my first major DIY project and woodworking adventure, it turned out great. So great, that I've already started to ruin the counter top.

If you can put together furniture, have a good handle on using a tape measure and calculator, then this project is well within reach of any beginner DIYer. That is, as long as you learn from my misadventures.

Kitchen Island: Part 1

2012-10-18T21:34:00.000-04:00

Let me start by saying that this project is (so far) 10 months in the making. It's, by far, the most complicated project I have tackled thus far and it has been..... A Learning Experience.

But before I get into that, I'll start from the beginning! My house has a square kitchen with cabinets along 2 walls. It's very open but it was lacking work space. All the counter space was in the corners or just long enough for a cutting board. I take up the whole counter when I cook, I needed more room to move!

See all that open space in the middle of the room?

After doing my research, I found that you need at least 30-36" on each side of the island between a cabinet or appliance and the island for a walkway. It was suggested to setup boxes or space holders in the area to test the size. What did I do? Build a fort. I wish I had taken a picture, but I was caught up in the moment. 36" on each side? Check!

This also made me realize that I could have a decent size island. A 24" deep by 40"+ wide island to be exact. So I started my searching for kitchen islands and quickly got a dose of reality. A basic, small island starts at $250ish. An island appropriate for my kitchen starts at about $500 and goes WAY on up from there. Of course, the ones I liked were closer to $800 and $1000, which was way too expensive for me.

So I rerouted my research to building an island myself! I found many, many ideas that involved building from scratch but finally stumbled upon and idea that struck a cord. Kitchen islands, at their basic, are base cabinets with a counter top. This intimidated me still, but then I had another epiphany: I am AWESOME at assembly-required furniture. I have an Ikea habit that has required this skillset and I'm not ashamed. At this realization, a plan started to formulate.

First, I found a combination of cabinets that fit the dimensions I needed. I could get a 24" double door base cabinet and a 15" single door cabinet that would combine for a 39" wide base. Then, it came time to get a counter top. Luckily, I knew Ikea makes butcher block counter tops just for this purpose. Their 49" x 25" counter top was only $39 at the time, which made it the most economical choice.

I'd have a bit of overhang, but I could make it work. Or get someone else to saw it off.... details, details. Let the building begin! I apologize for a lack of pictures, I didn't know I'd be telling the whole word about this project, so I only have the pictures I bombarded my family with.

Step 1: Purchase and assemble the cabinets and follow the instructions.

This was a fairly easy step, except for the parts you wouldn't think about. Like having to find someone in Lowes to load the boxes of cabinets into the cart because they're too heavy. And figuring how to load them in the car without hurting yourself, by yourself. Or trying to get the heavy boxes up a flight of stairs.

Step 2: Secure cabinets to each other.

I didn't get a picture of this step, but it's very important. Due to the overhand of the front face on the cabinet, there is a 1/2" gab between the cabinets. Being very creative, we found that wooden yard sticks from lowes just so happen to be 1/4" thick. See where I'm going with this? We cut them in half and stuck them between the cabinets. Then we put a 1" screw through the inside of the cabinet, through the sticks and into the other side. Then repeat near the back of the cabinets to make sure it's really, really secure.

Step 3: Put on the counter top!

I had help on this one since I have a hand injury that limits my ability to lift lots of things and drill in odd spots. The Ikea instructions were pretty clear, just put the counter top on, get it centered and mark the holes in the brackets. I did also follow the prep instructions on the counter top itself with sealing and oiling before putting it on.

Step 4: Handles

This step really put the finishing touches on the front. I picked out some handles from Home Depot that I thought would fit with the kitchen and cabinets. I'm going to do a separate post on how to install cabinet hardware for the DIY-challenged some time soon, I promise!

Phase 1, Complete!

That little overhang looked like a perfect place for the trashcan and keep the walkway clear.

See that ugly gap between the cabinets? That's going to be the start of Part 2. I will warn you, my friends, that this is where all of my luck ends. I will call Part 1 the adventure... and Part 2 the complete misadventure.

Oh My Wreath.

2012-10-15T22:56:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year: the season of seasonal decorations! I will admit it now, I am decorationally challenged. I don't always do well with crafts and it seems to be pretty hit and miss. But I try my best and that's what counts? That's what my mom always told me and I'm sticking to it.

I started with a wreath that I bought from a lovely neighbor who does crafts. I've had it for a year and always thought it needed.... just a little something. I put it back up this past week and that feeling came back.

Here's what I started with:

While I really enjoy the colors and the lack of yellow compared to make wreaths, it just looks anemic. What is a non-crafty person to do? Cheat.

Que the 20% off Michael's coupon and I spotted this:

I also found 2 picks that had the bronze and gold colors I wanted to add. Bling always looks better.

I saw a bald spot on the right side and stuck the large pick in. Looked horrible. So I took it out and bent it to have it fit more with the curve and spread it out so it wasn't completely clustered.

I stuck it back in and success! I took out one of the yellow flowers and put it back in almost the same place just to keep it from getting squished.

Onto the next pick! The 2nd was much smaller, so I found another bare spot and stuck it in! These picks make crafting so darn easy. The final step was to give more oomph to the wreath itself. That's where the garland comes in. I took the garland and weaved it around the front, back and inside of the current wreath. I made sure to put the leaves around the current flowers to give it a layered look.

Voila!

It has more of the deeper red that I prefer and it added more depth to be seen from the street. No glue, scissors or bandages required!

I'm going to try a Christmas wreath from scratch, but for now, I'm quite happy with my semi-homemade upgrade.

P.S. I don't think my table is happy with seasonal decor. Glitter. Everywhere.

Project: Laundry Room, Pre-Part 1

2012-10-11T22:58:00.002-04:00

I've got a few projects that are partially complete in the house, so, of course, it's time to start a new one! Am I the only one that does that? Good, I didn't think so. I was doing laundry yesterday and a light bulb went off in my head, "This is my next project!"

Just a plain, boring closet. I guess at least there's a shelf?

You see, my laundry room is really a closet. A nice closet, but still a closet. And it has a wire shelf. 1 single, lonely, white wire shelf with supports strong enough to hold an army and take up a lot of room in the process.

All the underutilized space! See those shelf supports? How could you miss them, that's at least a foot of space I could use to store other things! And now that I'm looking at it, the lighting is pretty terrible too. There isn't even a light in the closet!

Contrary to the end results you may see, I try to plan my projects. I get inspiration, I research, I plan. Why? Because I am NOT handy. It's the only way I've made it through my kitchen island project (more on that another day). I try to follow somewhat of a process:

Step 1) Get really excited
Step 2) Measure the relevant area in every direction imaginable
Step 3) Spend hours on the internet looking for inspiration
Step 3a) Laugh at almost every picture I see after I realize the cost and skills needed
Step 4) Look at enough pictures to get an idea of what I want... or get frustrated and do my own thing
Step 5) *Important* Break the project down into small sub-projects I know I can accomplish.

Step 1) Complete.

Step 2)

My measurements and very accurate drawing of the area in question

At least it's written down! This gives me an idea of what I can fit into the space, even if I have no clue exactly what's going there.

Step 3)

Here are a few ideas I've compiled to find my vision

I like the open cabinets here, but I know that might require building by hand. Step 3a) Not going to happen.

I like the built-in garment bar idea and should be simple enough to make something like that, but on a smaller scale.

I love, love, love this one. The mix of open area and closed storage is exactly what I'm looking for.

Step 4) Break it down

The most important reason for this DIY project is more storage and better organization in the space. There is minimal storage throughout the house and I'd like a place to put my detergent that isn't way above my head.

I know that cabinets can be purchased at a local big box store and put together with only minor injuries. I've never put together wall cabinets, but hey, there's a first time for everything! I'm not quite sure how to achieve the open storage portion yet, but I'll find something. Building it by hand can be complicated, especially if I ever want to open the door again. Maybe I'm on to something....

As always, if you have inspiration to share, let me know!

Bathroom Vanity Oakness Makeover

2012-10-10T18:16:00.001-04:00

One of the many, MANY things that has bugged me in this house since the beginning has been the bathrooms. Not only is there minimal storage, they don't even match each other! There's absolutely no sense of style, unless drab and oak is considered a style. This wasn't my very first project in the master bathroom, but it has been the largest transformation to date.

Let's me introduce you to my bathroom:

As you can see in the 2nd picture, we've got a variety of color bases going on here. The floor is a mixture of grayish cream, the vanity top is cream with gray* swirls in it and the cabinet is yellow/honey oak. Really, builder? Really?? Yellow, cream, gray and honey oak just don't go well together.

This project started with lots of research. How much does a vanity top cost? How much does a replacement cabinet cost? As it turns out, more than I want to spend. When I thought about actually trying to replace a cabinet, the realization that it involved plumbing, tearing something out and caulk was enough for me to put the definite NO stamp on that idea. I like paying my student loans more than I would like a new cabinet and vanity anyway.

Then I found it. http://www.monicawantsit.com/2012/02/staining-oak-cabinets-espresso-color.html

Thanks to Pinterest, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. After reading her tutorial, I thought 'This is just finger painting in the lines!' There's no need to reinvent the tutorial since she did a great job explaining the process. Instead, I'll give you my tips and lovely results!

First, buy the stain she recommends. It's worth it. Buy the gel coat too, it's also worth it and cheap. I didn't bother with using a foam brush though because I really liked finger painting. Tip #1 (which resulted in Misadventure #2) Either label the cabinet door position or leave the hardware on the cabinet. When I put mine back on, it took quite a bit of adjusting to get the doors to lineup and it's still not lined up well.

Another real life lesson: Use a double-glove system. You'll thank me later. But can you see how awesome it looked after the very first coat? The tutorial says to not be afraid of being streaky and I agree, just go to town on it! Try not to let it get too gunky in the corners, but it's pretty foolproof. Just ask this fool.

Misadventure #1: The sink panel.

I thought, like most cabinets, taking out this panel would be easy. So, I get under the sink and try to rotate the odd pieces that hold it to the cabinet. No movement. I realize it's held on both sides, the top AND bottom. Crap. I just so happen to have a set of 2nd hands at the house this time and called for reinforcements. Still no luck. Then it hit me: The builder stapled the panel to the cabinet and clips. STAPLED. Who does that? These guys. So I had to end up staining it in place, trying to get enough into the edges so there wasn't view-able honey oak.

The second coat looked even better, though still had some light spots. I ended up using a new sock for ever coat since they had dried in between.

The 3rd coat was magic. Pure magic. It filled in all the gaps of stain and looked woooonderful! While I waited for it to dry for a few days, I took the time to pick out cabinet hardware. You don't stain a masterpiece and then leave it without pulls to keep the finish!

Awesome DIY Tip #2: Lowes and Home Depot are good about returns. Don't know what cabinet pulls or knobs you want? GET THEM ALL. And do like I did, put them in place, take lots of pictures, send them to your friends, family and coworkers and ask their opinions on this very important matter (you probably think I'm joking.... I'm not).

When you're done, take the rest back and get more sets of what you need. After finishing the top coat, I finally got to put the winning set on the drawers. Most home improvement stores sell guides like this that also include the drill bit you need: http://www.lowes.com/pd_273758-81227-AN0201C-G-Q1_4294934474__?productId=3473957&Ntt=liberty&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dliberty&facetInfo=

I would have had no clue where to get a single drill bit had it not been in the set. Tip #3 This same drill bit can be used for many, many things around the house as anchoring things in drywall also use this same size bit.

To place the pulls, just take your time in measuring, mark at the center of the drawer and use the guide to mark the holes for drilling. Using the drill bit was also very simple in this case: make sure the drill is straight up and down and use a small bit of pressure to get all the way through the drawer face. A few of my holes weren't exactly straight, but they ended up working just fine.

Without further ado, here's the final result!

Overall, this was a good starter project. If you take the cabinet hardware aspect out of it, you don't even need power tools. If you can finger paint, you can do this, I promise. The end result is WELL worth it. I didn't have to replace the cabinet or top and I got a completely different look. A modern look, none the less. One of these days this house may have some style!

PS I know there aren't any knobs on, see Tip #1. I didn't want to put them on until I knew they were lined up.

*Yes, gray swirls. There are 3 bathrooms in this house, all with the same grayish floor and oak cabinets, yet the other have brown swirls. Why this one has gray, I will never know.

Allow me to introduce myself

2012-10-09T23:15:00.002-04:00

Wow, here we are! If you're anything like me, you read lots of blogs about home decorating, DIY projects and arts and crafts while thinking "Really? You find that easy? HA! I'm definitely not that handy." I have no helper on standby, no DH behind the scenes... it's all me! (and the dog)

Some back story: I've owned my builder-basic townhouse for 2 years. I've done some small touches to make this place feel more like home, but it's not quite there yet. Within the last year, I've been bitten by the DIY bug. This was probably preceded by the "I'm not made of money" sickness and a dose of reality. I'm tired of the builder drab and lack of character!

There's just one problem: I'm not allowed to use a saw.

Ok, ok, that's a big of an exaggeration, but it's not far from the truth. I've fallen down the stairs, walked into doorways and stubbed my toe more times than I can count. When I received a Ryobi tool giftset for Christmas 2011, it included a drill/screw gun, flashlight, vacuum and a circular saw. The first reaction of my friend? "Is your health insurance current? If you ever need anything cut, just give me a call, I'll come help!" Not so confident, right?

So, I've been plugging away at a few projects around the house and have a list that I keep adding to with a vengeance. In the process I've learned a few things. #1, I'm not very handy. #2, Houses don't come with instruction manuals and #3, Most blogs are not done with the DIY-Challenged in mind.

That's where I come in. I'm going to bring you my very own Misadventures in DIY, attempting to make my house look great in the process and attempting to be handy.