One of my goals for January was to get organized! Eek! I figured I better hurry up and seize the day, so I headed to Lowes to pick up a few things. I don’t usually think of Lowes as a place to shop for decorative storage baskets, but they definitely have some lovely options that put the “fun” back into functional!

I especially liked the look of these galvanized locker baskets and thought they’d look uber cute in my boys’ bedroom. Obviously everyone else at my Lowes liked them too because they were almost sold out.

And although I am so not a fan of the wire rack closet organizers, I was pleased to see that Lowes offers some fun slide-out basket storage and custom add-ons. If you’re stuck with wire racks, this would definitely be the way to go.

Ooooo, the wood closet organizers are so pretty. I wish I would have splurged on some when we remodeled our home!

Okay, okay, enough browsing! Time to get focused and get what I need to get organized!

Well, I’m pleased to say that I made it out of there with some very practical purchases including a black storage unit, a pegboard organizer kit and accessories, and a shoe organizer. Let me show you some before’s and after’s!

If you’re a home blogger, you might have an armoire full of accessories that looks something like this. This would definitely be a “before”.

I could barely open the cabinet without something falling on me and the drawers were filled to the gills. This “system” of mine was clearly not working. I set up an inexpensive Lowes storage shelf in the basement and loaded it full with accessories. Sigh. Much better! Now I can “shop the house” without fear of being attacked by a falling pillar candle.

Next, I tackled two of my pegboards. I have a craft closet and a craft room that needed some serious organization help! Here is the before of my sad, sad craft closet:

And after hanging all of my pegboard accessories, here is the happier after! Do you know how thrilled I am to be able to locate a hammer, screwdriver, and measuring tape at a moment’s notice? Heaven I tell you!

Then, I headed up to my craft room to put some final touches on the pegboard. It was in pretty good shape but needed a few more pegboard accessories. Here is the beautiful after!

The pegboard baskets are wonderful to hold my paint supplies, textures, and mediums and the jar holders are brilliant for small item storage!

And finally, here is my embarrassing shoe storage before.

….and it continues in a big ‘ol mess over here…

I purchased a cube organizer for my shoes and although it was a bit of a challenge to assemble out of the box, it was so worth it! I am thrilled with the more organized after! Why didn’t I do this ages ago?

If you’re looking for more creative tips on organization, I recommend visiting the Lowes Creative Ideas page! Follow Lowes on their Creative Ideas Facebook page too!

So how about you? Has the organization nesting bug bit you this month? Well, if not, maybe this will help! Lowes wants YOU to be able to put the fun back into functional too! To help you get your home organized Lowes is offering a $100 giftcard to one lucky recipient to spend at your local Lowes store. All you have to do is follow the direction in the widget below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dis­clo­sure: I am a mem­ber of the Lowe’s Cre­ative Ideas Cre­ators & Influ­encers Net­work and received a Lowes gift card to com­plete this project. All opin­ions and expe­ri­ences are my own.

Wallpaper has made a strong comeback, and I have to admit I’m falling for it. I love the look of wallpapered walls, cabinets, dressers, doors, etc. but the commitment of wallpaper still scares me. Our first home was covered in 100 years worth of layers (upon layers) of wallpaper that I personally had to strip. I NEVER want to go through that again!

(via House to Home)

If you want the look of wallpaper, without the fuss of stenciling, or the permanency of pasted paper, then check out this fantastic tutorial by How About Orange! She demonstrates how to use cornstarch paste to hang fabric (preferably bed sheets or other thin fabric) to create “fabric wallpaper” that adheres well but is removable.

via How About Orange

I have a sad dresser in my master closet and I think it would be fun to use this technique and create something crazy like this!

source

How about you? Have you embraced wallpaper again?

This mantel was a lot of fun to put together! I made the pallet sign from some old boards that were nicely weathered on the side of my house. I sanded them down, cut them with my jigsaw, and nailed them together by hand. One of the boards conveniently had a knot hole in the center, so I placed that board at the top of my sign for hanging. The LOVE letters were cut on my Silhouette and adhered to the sign with removable stenciling spray. I’m not sure what I want to paint on my sign permanently, so I wanted to be sure I could remove the letters in the future if I choose to.

One of my favorite elements of this mantel is the little heart in the lemon that I carved with my zester. Isn’t it cute? The frame is from Target dollar spot, and I printed off a simple quote to honor all of the “sunshines” in my life. The flowers are primrose and were also a steal at the grocery store!  I replanted them into some terra cotta flower pots. Originally the pots were very orange, so I rubbed them with Annie Sloan’s Dark Wax to match the pots of the Pottery Barn Outlet lemon trees. It worked like a charm!

The white corbels were previously a dark cherry color until I attacked them today with some white chalk paint. I have hung onto these corbels for thirteen years and have never used them! It was time to give them a purpose. I think they are happier white, distressed, and holding some lemons.

Ah…sunshine! Seriously the only thing I like about winter is that the sun is low enough to actually peek through my front window for one hour each day. Living in a cave year round, I really relish that hour!

And here is one final full length shot for you! I dare say I love it !

And now I’m so excited to see your Valentine’s Mantels! Remember that any shelf, bookshelf, buffet top, piano top, flat surface, etc. counts as a “mantel”. (And…pssst. Just a little FYI. BHG.com has often been known to stop by these parties looking for potential mantels to feature!)

I want everyone to be able to join in the fun so please link back with a text link or copy and paste the entire code from the button below. (If you’re new to link parties and are wondering how to link up, click here for an excellent tutorial that will take you step by step through the process.)

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Welcome to Tutorials & Tips! Just a reminder that the Valentine’s Mantel Link Party is on Thursday so save your mantels until then!

Party Rules

• Any tip or tutorial is welcome! Decorating, holiday ideas, room makeovers, cleaning tips, recipes, crafts, and sewing all count.
• Keep content fresh! Please do not link the same projects week after week. I will delete posts that you’ve linked up here several weeks in a row.
• If your post has been featured in a Tutes & Tips Not to Miss, please do NOT link it up again.
• Link back. I only feature those who link back to me within your post.

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I’m excited to see what you’ve been up to this week!

Today we’re going to play a little game of dinnerware doppelganger. (If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a doppelganger refers to any double or look-alike of a person.) I want to show you how I consistently find catalog look-alike dishes, for much, much less than the original price. If you keep your eyes open while shopping, you too will undoubtedly score some doppelganger dinerware! Let me show you some recent items I’ve scored.

This weekend as I was browsing through my Ballard Designs catalog, I couldn’t help but smile when I came across this:

In case you can’t see the fine print…Bee Glassware wine glasses $45 for a set of 4. I smugly walked over to Matt and pointed to the catalog picture, “Do these look familiar babe? Just look at that price!” I quickly grabbed one of my glasses, still bearing it’s price tag (man those things are hard to remove), and thrusted it excitedly in his face. “Booyah!”

In case you can’t see that not-so-fine print, it says $1.99 per glass! That is $8 for a set of four! I found these bee glasses a few months ago at a store called the Christmas Tree Shop and knew they looked familiar. More importantly, I thought they were adorable and would be fun to drink iced tea from. At $2 a glass, I splurged and picked up 6. Although they are not perfect and one of the glasses has a slight bubble in the glass, they are adorable. If you’re willing to give up perfectionism, for goodenoughism, then a bunch of affordable pretties can be yours!

Okay, let’s move on to Exhibit B. I had been in search of some pretty white dishes for a few months, and I knew what I wanted to spend on them….less than $100 for an entire set. I had looked at some thrift stores, some discount stores, and my beloved Christmas Tree Shop, but nothing was doing it for me. I really liked the Emma plates by Pottery Barn and wanted something similar to those.

Then Chris posted these gorgeous Dollar Tree plates (yes….DOLLAR TREE!) and I about died! They look almost identical to the Pottery Barn dishes. Unfortunately NONE of my Dollar Trees carry these plates; however, I’m told that some carry the dinner plates, salad plates, mugs, and bowls. Lucky you if you find them!

Just a Girl

I was determined to find something similar and then came across these plates at Walmart. Yep. Walmart! I bought two boxes  of these dishes and I love them! They are called the Canopy Collection Beaded Porcelain and currently run $39.96 for a set of 16. Tip: Order them site to store to save on shipping.

And here is Pottery Barn’s Emma Dinnerware Collection, on sale for $142. Pretty similar, eh?

pottery barn emma dinnerware

Let’s move on to Exhibit C. The look alike Crate & Barrel pitcher! I found this pitcher at the Christmas Tree Shop and I honestly can’t remember what I paid but I think it was less than $10. I’ve always admired the one from Crate & Barrel and this pitcher is practically identical!

The Crate & Barrel version runs $26.95 which really isn’t that bad for a pitcher, but why pay more if you don’t have to?

ona pitcher crate and barrel

And lastly, I have Gina from The Shabby Creek Cottage to thank for my William Sonoma doppelganer single serve trifle dishes. Gina wrote how she found these adorable trifle dishes at the Williams Sonoma outlet only later to find the EXACT same ones at Walmart for less. We use these little bowls every day for yogurts, cereal, ice cream, sauces, and even small flower arrangements. Love them!

Okay, so let’s break it down cliff notes style:

It just goes to show that if you are observant and determined you can find the look you want for less! How about you? Do you have any doppelganger dinnerware scores or tips to share?

Happy weekend everyone! This morning I awoke to six inches of snow and two very excited little boys. While the boys played in the snow, and Matt shoveled the snow, I stayed out of the snow and browsed your fantastic tutes and tips! Here are some that caught my eye this week:

How to Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets Like a Pro by Evolution of Style. (This is a fantastic, in-depth tutorial!)

Transforming Cabinets with Paint by Old Town Home.

Updating Kitchen Cabinets with Crown Molding by Girl in Air.

Sewing & Craft Room Tour by Being Brook.

Mudroom Makeover by At Home with K.

Subway Art Dresser by Cheltenham Road.

Drum Shade Chandelier Tutorial by At the Picket Fence.

Filing Trunk DIY Project by PB&J.

DIY Photo Canvas Art by Blissfully Ever After.

Family Room Mantel by It’s Overflowing.

Pallet Wood Wall Art by The Space Between.

DIY Fabric Wall Decals by Positively Splendid.

Love Notes Pillow by Days of Chalk and Chocolate.

Bed Sheet Valentine’s Game by The Real Housewives of Bucks County. (My husband would LOVE it if I made something like this for him . Too cute!)

How to Create a Custom Navigation Bar in Blogger by Living, Laughing, & Loving.

How to Add a Pin It Button to Blog Posts in Blogger by Karen At Home.

Photoshop Glitter Masking Tutorial by Createlive.

Smores Bars Recipe by I’m Not a Trophy Wife.

Chocolate Cherry Whoopie Pie Recipe by Gallamore West.

Cinnamon Nuggets Recipe by Raising Oranges.

Thanks to everyone who linked up this week! You all are amazing!

I am in the midst of reorganizing our master closet and am drowning in shoes. I have a few shoe organizers but none that are working well for me. I came across this ingenious idea for organizing your high heels using decorative crown molding!

Living in a Nut Shell

(You have to scroll down to find the post “Rack ‘Em Up. It wouldn’t let me grab the post url.)

And here is another slightly more substantial version of the same idea.

Found via Pinterest with main source unknown. Uploaded by user.

Since there is no post to accompany the pin, I’ll share the comment: “Total Cost $20 AMAZING! You will need an 8′ base pine base molding and  an 8′ crown molding plus white spray paint. Wood glue the crown onto the base molding, use a finish nail to hold in place while drying, spray paint white. To install, use two wood screws and screw in to wall studs. Viola!” Sounds easy enough and looks cute to boot! Now I just need to find the space in my closet to implement this idea! How do you organize your shoes in your closet?

***If you’re looking for the Valentine’s Mantel Link Party, please click here to link up!***

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and I want to make sure you have a place to show off all of those gorgeous mantels! If you haven’t completed your mantel yet, I would love to see you think outside the box this year.

source

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So get those Valentine’s mantels ready and be ready to party on Thursday, January 26th! Spread the word!

I originally shared this article over at Homes.com but I wanted to share it over here on A to Z as well!

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It is often said that kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. With that in mind, many searching homes for sale might be tempted to pass by those with outdated bathrooms and kitchens. Well pass by them no more! Today I am going to show you how to update a bathroom with a bare-bones-budget of $350 or less. I will also show you what your bathroom can become as time and money allow you to accessorize. Remember that decorating should always be viewed as a process rather than a one-time event!

Erin from the blog His & Hers decided that her outdated bathroom was for the birds . Using painter’s tape, a $12.50 second-hand mirror, applesauce jar “sconces”, and a new vanity, Erin and her husband created this gorgeous retreat!

Let’s see if we can create something similar! I searched the web and found some pictures that inspired the same tone and feel as Erin’s bathroom makeover. Tip: Before starting a renovation, it is imperative to find pictures that inspire you. Inspiration photos will help focus your project and help you decide on a color palette.

1/2/3/4

With my color palette and design plan in place, I created a mood board implementing our bare-bones budget. Our budget doesn’t include the cost of a handy man/woman because you can do this yourself! There are several fantastic blog tutorials which will teach you step by step how to paint stripes on the wall. If you get in a bind and need help with plumbing or electric, ask your handy friends to help you out. Many friends are willing to help for the price of dinner and drinks on you .

• Ikea Ung Drill Mirror                                                                                        $39.99
• Lowes Magick Woods Vanity  (prices vary by location)                        $149.99
• Sconces (prices vary by location)                                                                 $120.00
• Paint                                                                                                                      $40.00

Total = $349.98

Our bare-bones bathroom is fresh, chic, updated and ready to sell or just enjoy. If and when the budget allows, here is what our space can look like all dolled up!

Aren’t accessories fantastic? With just a few fun accents you can emphasize the personality of your space.

So next time you are browsing the home listings and are tempted to nix that home with the passe bathroom, I hope you will remember this post! With a little creativity and some elbow grease, you can have a beautiful home on a budget!

My sister Kim called me this morning and woke me up to ask if I’d seen Carrie’s stenciled floors. Wow, you know a post must be good if your sister is calling to tell you about it! Carrie from Lovely Etc. has indeed truly outdone herself! Go check out her gorgeous tutorial on how to do stenciling directly onto your plywood sub-flooring. Amazing! I’m trying to figure out if I could do this in our upstairs hallway.