Thriifty Decor Chick

How to pick out tile (in the laundry room!)

Hello all! I’m making little bits of progress on a bunch of rooms right now – it’s decorating ADD at it’s finest. But at least there’s (some) progress, right? I’m SO happy with how our basement laundry room is turning out! It so fun to have a new space to work with, I’m in heaven. And dare I say it – it’s not so bad when I have ROOM to do laundry. Yep, I said it. Anyhoo, I actually picked out the tile for this room months and months ago, I think before the room actually had walls. ;) I had always dreamed of this pretty hexagon tile from Lowes in the space: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-giZiRRAxg0I/UBin5GUjRSI/AAAAAAAAWOo/nIPCfkJo5zg/s1600-h/hexagon%252520tile%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="white hexagon tile" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-__PGCIdOO54/UBin6vfKpAI/AAAAAAAAWOw/sdr4yJ1am0o/hexagon%252520tile_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="white hexagon tile" width="360" /></a> I wanted something a bit different, something that was fun, but wouldn’t break the bank. And this stuff was perfect. (It’s called <a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_302928-74035-SL012OCT26HC1P2_5005562__?productId=3426464&Ntt=american+olean+oct+white+tiles&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Damerican%2Bolean%2Boct%2Bwhite%2Btiles&facetInfo=3">American Olean Sausalito tile</a>.) But as time went on (and it was closer to the time of installing it), I got cold feet. The tile is really thin, and I thought it was supposed to be used only on a backsplash. Even the guys who have been working on the basement were worried about using it. I was so bummed, because I had planned on this stuff for half a year. :) So I did two things – asked some bloggy friends if they had used it, and went to Lowes to find out more about it. The first bit of info I learned was from my friend Cassity at <a href="http://www.remodelaholic.com/">Remodelaholic</a>. She told me that typically tile that is made for wall applications (like a backsplash) is white or cream on the back. Tile that is made for the floor is dark or clay colored on the back. Mine was dark on the back! I had no idea! Good to know, eh? Then Lowe’s guy showed me indicators on the tile box that helped a ton: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-yGdzjGJLBho/UBin8bqsySI/AAAAAAAAWO4/rQY7ymnx3vw/s1600-h/IMG_2342%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img alt="how to pick out tile" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-de8xJaNpGdQ/UBin92ikLwI/AAAAAAAAWPA/JSPmdkbtqkw/IMG_2342_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="how to pick out tile" width="360" /></a> It was a wealth of information! I looked up what the codes mean and found <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOM/Home_Services/Tile_Flooring/Tile_Flooring_Buying_Guide/Docs/ceramic_tile_label_info.pdf">this</a> helpful pdf from Home Depot. First up – the grade for this tile is a one (the highest quality) and you want to use grade one or two for floors, a three for floors. The PEI (stands for Porcelain Enamel Institute) is a three – this indicates the tile’s resistance to abrasion. This one is fine for moderate wear and suitable for home use. The little umbrella icon is for water absorption, which is something you want to think about for a spot like a laundry room! This one falls between low and moderate absorption so it was fine for this space. Finally, one I didn’t even consider but is nice to know – the C.O.F., which is basically the slip factor. My tile was rated at .65, and anything above .60 exceeds ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) guidelines – which means it’s too not slippery. I was honestly surprised to see that my pretty little tile passed every test with flying colors! SOLD! :) Because I have <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2009/08/i-can-tile.html">limited experience</a> with tile, and because the mortar had to be spread as thin as possible to avoid it seeping through all of those grout lines, I didn’t DIY this project. The room had turned into a second storage room over the past few months, so I did clean it out and get the floors cleaned up: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LFTp-lc5UOI/UBin_WTun6I/AAAAAAAAWPI/_u0OwkQ1CSg/s1600-h/IMG_2325%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-YNT9FuqkrNE/UBioA1M5KuI/AAAAAAAAWPQ/MM2W0vXw4_A/IMG_2325_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="" width="320" /></a> I went back and forth on an underlayment in here, since the tile was going directly on cement floors. I talked to about four contractor-type peeps and every single one of them said it wasn’t needed. So I didn’t do it, but I’ll let you know in time if that was a good idea or not. ;) Because I didn’t want to worry about keeping bright white grout lines clean, I used a light gray grout color: <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Oo596u0HNrw/UBioCc5lx1I/AAAAAAAAWPY/JjU1fV73SUo/s1600-h/093994293107xl%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="warm grey sanded grout" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-M93seCbjqSA/UBioFIlXG7I/AAAAAAAAWPg/cU33RdWArHw/093994293107xl_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="warm grey sanded grout" width="400" /></a> This is the product I picked out (from Lowes) and it’s a sanded grout called warm gray. I love it!! One thing to consider – one bag was more than enough for the square footage of this room, but obviously those tiles have more than average grout lines. So we needed two bags of the grout to get ‘er done. I am SO thrilled with the result:<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UW0PPjmnc4o/UBioGrWQ5XI/AAAAAAAAWPo/Ja3l7JhlYXE/s1600-h/IMG_2338%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="white tile gray grout" border="0" height="300" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GOJh87Nhe4Q/UBioIEUV5ZI/AAAAAAAAWPw/6Yv5Iqdnsk8/IMG_2338_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="white tile gray grout" width="450" /></a> The gray grout will be easier to take care of, and I LOVE how it actually shows off the pretty shapes of the tile. They would be lost with white grout! After it was grouted and wiped down, I cleaned it well one more time, let it dry for an hour, and used this sealer the guys recommend: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-75TSWwGFHx4/UBioJ-bE3iI/AAAAAAAAWP4/Eg1xzVL35G0/s1600-h/photo%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="one hour spray grout sealer" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-m3pVGe7b21w/UBioLUtTzgI/AAAAAAAAWQA/Np_SlRKBPvE/photo_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="one hour spray grout sealer" width="340" /></a> Other sealers I’ve used in the past can’t be applied till about three days after the grout is done. This one can be applied after just an hour. It was the easiest sealant I’ve ever used – I just sprayed it down on the tile, working my way across the room. The floor will be super wet when you’re done, so work your way out of the room. Let it sit five to ten minutes then just wipe it clean! I got down on my hands and knees with two rags and wiped as I went through the room. It says you can do a second coat 30 minutes later, but I soaked this floor so I didn’t think it was needed: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Kf1AgxDujT0/UBioM6LoHFI/AAAAAAAAWQI/j6n7yCd72OI/s1600-h/IMG_2332%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="white tile gray grout" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-d2obZTteKhE/UBioOQ3MEPI/AAAAAAAAWQQ/V5cEFJ9OYQc/IMG_2332_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="white tile gray grout" width="320" /></a> Isn’t it pretty? It turned out just as I envisioned. Here’s the after with the tile: <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZI7n6LyfKus/UBioQRHp8EI/AAAAAAAAWRE/kJ6YUsrfBa0/s1600-h/IMG_2328%25255B13%25255D.jpg"><img alt="white tile gray grout hexagon" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PQp1QOpbSIE/UBioRxdeIkI/AAAAAAAAWRI/H7MQnGR5PKI/IMG_2328_thumb%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="white tile gray grout hexagon" width="320" /></a> This room already looks SO much different now! I’ve been busy in here and I can’t wait to show you more! Now I’m psyched to get the bathroom tiled and I think I might try my hand at it. I think. :) I’ve never done floor tile and I’m nervous. I was planning on going light on the floors in there too, but now I’m thinking dark, which I’ll explain soon. This tile cost more than basic ceramic tile, but I thought for the unique look it wasn’t too bad – the whole room was less than $140. I’ve seen this look for WAY more so I’m thrilled with it! Have you tried this pretty hexagon tile in your home? Have you ever tiled a floor? Any tips? P.S. I think I said “grout” 55 times.

How to pick out tile (in the laundry room!)

Hello all! I’m making little bits of progress on a bunch of rooms right now – it’s decorating ADD at it’s finest. But at least there’s (some...

8:53 PM

Laundry room to mud room (Oh yeah)

Hello there! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! We had a great one – I got some DIY time in, some quality kiddo time and even a date with the hubs! And it wasn’t 101 degrees – bonus! :) I’m sharing a before and after today that’s been a loooong time coming. I’m giddy about it. Grinning like mad. Elaine Benes dance happy. It’s not anything Pinterest worthy, but let me tell you…it’s BIG. (To me.) This weekend was momentous – the former laundry/mud room is now just a MUD ROOM. Can I get an AMEN?? I took this picture minutes before the waster and dryer were moved out: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-aCcfnsJPhd4/UBYDhc6GYHI/AAAAAAAAWM8/uwpgljRYcDY/s1600-h/photo%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="yes, this is real" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fWIe9E7qyDs/UBYDj-lesFI/AAAAAAAAWNE/GUc-TOXw6W8/photo_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="yes, this is real" width="360" /></a> It looked like that all. the. time. Every time thought to myself, “Self, are you sure you want to move the washer and dryer downstairs?” I would walk back into this room. Yep, yep I do. I tried. Tried to make it work, tried to keep it organized. It was not within my realm of…well…anything. I couldn’t do it. This room has a long road ahead of it, and all I’ve done so far is move everything that was on the left over to the right (where the washer and dryer were), and it’s made all the difference in the world: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Gy9fAj1Tr68/UBYDl22_48I/AAAAAAAAWNM/U42U59CRTG4/s1600-h/IMG_2347%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xACUma-l9wk/UBYDmFZtWLI/AAAAAAAAWNU/xwfgNj2H89c/IMG_2347_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="325" /></a> You can now see when I painted this room I didn’t bother to move the W/D – I just painted around them. ;) No one could tell. Till now. I also didn’t move them to install the beadboard, so that’s coming soon. For now I moved the shelf up about a foot and took the hooks that were on the long wall on the left and hung them underneath: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-X7J034L_LuI/UBYDmbasB6I/AAAAAAAAWNc/9ABFiE4EWlE/s1600-h/IMG_2350%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="in between mud room" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6XKTBAiCBPo/UBYDm8VE5-I/AAAAAAAAWNk/CpSCugIrgo8/IMG_2350_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="in between mud room" width="320" /></a> My goal was to make this room functional before the Bub starts school in a few weeks. (Kindergarten. Sniff. No, I don’t want to talk about it.) I feel a meeeeellion times more organized already. I feel like we can breath when we walk in and out of our house: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ofLfB78MBEY/UBYDnLvtBUI/AAAAAAAAWNs/KQACBtGSv0k/s1600-h/IMG_2356%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eqf13wfkdcY/UBYDnd2j2zI/AAAAAAAAWN0/zsvBzBjXVf0/IMG_2356_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="320" /></a> Doesn’t it look AMAZING????? OK, I know it’s kind of a mess still, but I have rose-colored-mud-room glasses on and I think it’s stinkin’ beautiful. ;) I am so thrilled to have such a large, open space as a mud room. (It feels HUGE to me now.) I have big plans for this room, of course. Beadboard, paint, new trim (casing, baseboards and crown), maybe new lighting, a bench, coat storage and cabinets and storage up to the ceiling in that cubby area. Oh, and I can take that vinyl down cause it’s not a laundry room anymore: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-N3tJU7o7Nkw/UBYDpYnp6vI/AAAAAAAAWN8/z5Wbg76LFSc/s1600-h/IMG_2351%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="yellow and black laundry room" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nbidxHdlwAU/UBYDpsNPlwI/AAAAAAAAWOE/0UJfJX6ysNw/IMG_2351_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="yellow and black laundry room" width="320" /></a> Booyah. Best day ever!! All weekend we noticed the little things – like we can walk out of the house as a family instead of lining up single file. It’s fantastic. :) I’ve been trying to decide on a wall color for months and I think I found it this weekend. Right now I’m just really excited to put baseboards back in here. See, the little things – it doesn’t take much to make me happy. Do you have a dedicated mud room? Do you love it? If you don’t have one, have you figured out a way to make your main entry more organized? Do tell!   **You can see how I changed out the ugly metal utility doors <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/05/laundry-list.html">here</a> and how I installed the peel and stick tile <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2011/11/hello-all-hope-your-week-is-going-swell.html">here</a>. And if you’d like to see how this room looked after it’s first redo, check out <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2008/10/spray-paint-finger.html">this post</a> from way back when. ;)

Laundry room to mud room (Oh yeah)

Hello there! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! We had a great one – I got some DIY time in, some quality kiddo time and even a date with the...

8:46 PM

Roughing It

This is a little off topic as far as my blog goes.  But at risk of turning you away, I suspect some of you may find this useful!  I hope so anyway. So, we're camping.  And, yes, we have a camper, so I can't really claim to be "at one" with nature.  However, I do, of course, have some thoughts about the whole camping "thang".  Now, I'm not a wimp.  I'm not afraid of snakes, or spiders, or toads...  I just feel that in any event, one should be prepared. You may be saying to yourself  "Oh, no.  Not me, I'll never camp".  But you will.  At some point in your life, you will.  And you want to be prepared. Before you go: -  Fox Urine.   Before you go out on any adventures, be sure to sprinkle or spray around your camper with Fox Urine.  Mice will not set up camp if they smell Fox Urine.  (It smells delightful to humans, so be sure to put a dab behind your ears.) Bounce Dryer Sheets.  Nothing says "comfort", like a camper full of spiders.  Avoid them by storing the camper with the dryer sheets placed liberally throughout. - Pack LOTS of clothes.  Clothes you don't mind never wearing again.  Cuz you will never wear your camping clothes again.  They will be impregnated with campfire smoke and bug spray for life. - Get your pistol permit.  Why? Bears.  Only joking, I would never shoot a bear or anything else, but I guess, if it came down to me or the bear.... To bring: - Pull ups for potty trained toddlers.  No matter how long your toddler has gone without wetting the bed, inevitably they will pee in their sleeping bag, and you won't have a washing machine.  Don't be a Pee Hero, bring pull ups. - Dog.  To make your camping trip complete bring your dog.  They do generally have to be on a leash and/or tied up in campgrounds.  Hours of amusement can be had, endlessly untangling your dog from around a tree or the picnic table. - And don't forget your plastic grocery bags.  Picking up dog poop is always kind of a chore, but why not turn it into a treasure hunt!  Fun! - Clorox wipes.  Trust me, you're gonna want to disinfect the public bathrooms if you're staying at a campground. - Hair straightener.  Just joking!!!  It will either be so hot and humid, or so cold and damp, you will NEVER be able to straighten your hair. - Tweezers.  After several days, your eyebrows will be giant caterpillars on your forehead.  Regardless, you're going to need tweezers to remove ticks.  I don't care how many layers you wear, ticks will find a way to nestle right up to you!  It's quite sweet really. - Hot dogs.  They are the easiest thing to cook over a campfire.  Don't try to expand your cooking repertoire while camping...  There's no need, because your kids will love you for serving them hot dogs for 10 straight days. - Bug spray.  Why is it no matter how much bug spray you have on, and how careful you are to shut the door, you always end up with that pitched "ZzzzzzZzzzzzzzzzz" in your bedroom (or tent) at 3 a.m. ? When you get home: - Apply Calamine Lotion.  Works on poison ivy and bug bites.  It's always fun and easy to spot who just got back from camping!  Their whole body will be covered in pink splotches from the calamine application. - Eat.  By the time you get home, you will have eaten nothing but hot dogs, marshmallows, and beer. You're going to need some vitamins. - Catch up on your DVR'd "Dallas" episodes.  Time to get back to reality! So if you went camping this summer, I hope you had a great time.  I know we will!  Got any tips or tricks for camping?  Let me know!

Roughing It

This is a little off topic as far as my blog goes. But at risk of turning you away, I suspect some of you may find this useful! I hope so ...

2:07 AM

The new laundry chute!

Hey hey! How are YOU? And you? :) I’m back with a project I’m SO SO SO excited about!! You may remember that as a part of our basement finishing process, we decided to move the washer and dryer to the basement. I know, some people think I’m a little cray cray for doing it. I get it. I talked about our reasoning <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/04/case-for-basement-laundry-room.html">here</a>. And let me tell you, I am counting down the DAYS till it gets moved down there. It will be the best. day. ever. Anyhoo, one thing I wanted to do if we were moving the washer and dryer down a level was to install a laundry chute -- we made that part of the “finishing plan.” Laundry chutes are kind of like basements for me – I just think they are the coolest. At first I thought there was no way we could do one in our house, but when we decided to finish the basement, I started to really think about where we could put one. I did some sleuthing for a few weeks – a lot of walking up and down the steps, taking measurements, figuring our where things were. At first I thought we could put a chute down from the floor in our master closet. Then it was the upstairs bathroom linen closet, but I realized a while later that I was waaay off in my measurements. So I sat on it some more and finally figured it out. The idea only came to me because a former decorating client of mine did just the same thing – she had a chute installed in the bottom of a bathroom vanity. And the day I figured out we could do the same, I did a happy happy dance of JOY! JOY! (Name that cartoon.) The start of our laundry chute is at the very right, under the <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/07/show-us-your-bathrooms.html">vanity in our bathroom</a>: <img alt="maple bathroom cabinets" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9tdbjTeNbyU/UATPc_BoMLI/AAAAAAAAV_g/UE6WFozxYjo/IMG_2218_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" title="maple bathroom cabinets" width="320" /> I didn’t get a pic of the inside because I ran out of daylight and our bathroom has horrible lighting. Anyway, that’s where it starts. It goes down through our powder room closet, and then into the basement. Now I thought about doing this myself, but I’ve never cut through floors before (egads!) and didn’t have the tools to do so. I was also scared to death of cutting into something major, like electrical, plumbing, whatever. So I asked the guys who have done all our basement work if they were interested and if they thought they could do it. They were all into it and then came up with a brilliant plan to make it happen. I have to say, these guys have been around a ton over the past seven months and we get along awesome. It was SO fun to see them so excited about this project. They were practically giddy with their idea. And that idea was, instead of framing out a chute and then building it up with walls (that would have to be ultra smooth – metal or sheeting or laminate, but nothing that has any rough edges so it would grab clothes – they were going to use PVC pipe. Like this: <img alt="" src="http://images1.americanlisted.com/nlarge/12_sewer_water_pvc_pipe_c900_c_900_12_inch_50_pipes_7_myakka_city_13731567.jpg" title="" /> Thing is, the original plan I had thought up was going to require them to rebuild our linen closet in the powder room off to the side (long story, but the chute was going to take up a ton of room). This idea made it so they could run it through the closet, build new shelves around it and we’d save the cost of building a new linen closet. The pipe is not cheap – I think it was $20 a foot? So we paid a bit more in materials, but a lot less in labor. Especially since no new closet was needed. We ran into a snag going up in the bathroom upstairs (hit a water pipe) that they had to rework, and then going down, we were too far over into the basement. The clothes would have landed on a cement wall and studs in the basement. But they guys came up with a solution, and that was to get fittings that curved the pipe, so it landed in an open spot into the basement. It was only a few inches over but it was PERFECT: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-26Q7qBpC96Q/UBIQGLET8sI/AAAAAAAAWLA/nDVVaWuiid8/s1600-h/IMG_2316%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="DIY laundry chute" border="0" height="435" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1U3jUdzbXAM/UBIQGgNKItI/AAAAAAAAWLI/WdokszyTugc/IMG_2316_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="DIY laundry chute" width="290" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gypwekThNrw/UBIQG9ZQ3oI/AAAAAAAAWLQ/wPTrXo6X-Mw/s1600-h/IMG_2317%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="laundry chute pvc pipe" border="0" height="435" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Xo07wS1xZII/UBIQHOu7Y8I/AAAAAAAAWLY/XkLI7bkp65c/IMG_2317_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="laundry chute pvc pipe" width="290" /></a> You can see that they were able to rebuild the shelving in there (done the same way I built the <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/02/no-more-wire-shelves-pantry-redo.html">new shelves for the pantry</a>) so I am still able to get necessities into that closet: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hLGr6NuDL1s/UBIQHl_3t0I/AAAAAAAAWLg/iVW0qKPy1lI/s1600-h/IMG_2319%25255B12%25255D.jpg"><img alt="pvc pipe laundry chute" border="0" height="435" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-wW6WMq13ezA/UBIQI99chbI/AAAAAAAAWLo/JZp872kNyLQ/IMG_2319_thumb%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="pvc pipe laundry chute" width="290" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-goHWr-gXdAk/UBIQJRXgD8I/AAAAAAAAWLw/3wIr-C5uZ0c/s1600-h/IMG_2320%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="435" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0H1L-wwwmGc/UBIQJrU9r3I/AAAAAAAAWL4/Pl9UqrVwCh4/IMG_2320_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="" width="290" /></a> I did a bit of a purge, so even though I lost about half of the storage, I still only had to move a couple baskets down to the basement. And eventually we’ll have mud room storage, so I’ll be able to use that if I want to keep the stuff upstairs. I still need to fill holes in the closet walls (from the old wire shelves), paint the wood shelves, and I may even paint the pipe. I wonder if paint would stick? How funny would it be to make it a fun color or something? I think it is hilarious when I open this door now and see this huge sewer pipe. HILARIOUS. It just make me giggle uncontrollably. Seriously. The chute ends in the basement and the guys made a little box with a door: <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HilJtV0Q5Us/UBIQKFYESHI/AAAAAAAAWMA/-1RW4wZDZS4/s1600-h/IMG_2322%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_whmvTshShA/UBIQNMmX2rI/AAAAAAAAWMI/N5GEAovhGAM/IMG_2322_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="" width="320" /></a> I’ll fill the holes, caulk and paint it and you won’t even notice it! They used latches to keep the door secure: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6iSzguP8Vfc/UBIQNU-RpAI/AAAAAAAAWMQ/WZ6dbdnIlRk/s1600-h/IMG_2323%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qY49XEcC7Dk/UBIQN1Pl3pI/AAAAAAAAWMY/QLUN-BPwJk0/IMG_2323_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="" width="450" /></a> And it works! The pipe is wide enough I can send towels or even throw rugs down no problem. The great thing is the inside is a smooth as a babes bottom, so everything sails right through, even with the little angle. Nothing for anything to get caught on! There’s a few things I want to add, just for safety reasons. Some consider laundry chutes to be a safety concern when it comes to fires – if a fire started in the basement, it would have a straight shot upstairs. But from my research online and talking to folks, the same could be said for staircases, so opinions vary on that. To be safe, I’m going to order a fire safe metal door to go in the basement (instead of the wood door). I’m also considering using some of the leftover PVC pipe and extending the chute down a bit more into room, then framing that out, so it’s closer to the floor. If you have young kids, there’s things to think about, obviously. I’ve heard some stories about things and people (??) heading down chutes! Our kiddo is too big to fit in this of course, and he’s just not the type that would try to actually go down the thing. But just to be safe (with smaller kids in the house occasionally) I plan to put a child lock on that bathroom vanity door. The guys made a lid for the chute, and I’m going to install a lock on it so only we can get the lid off. I cannot tell you how WICKED COOL this thing is!! We are just tickled by it. :) It’s got me soooo ready to get that laundry room going – so hopefully I’ll have more to share on that soon!! So did you have a laundry chute growing up? Or have one now? Any fun stories to tell? :) My grandparents have one and I always thought it was just the coolest thing. I would open it up just to look down into the basement every chance I got – just because I could. ;)

The new laundry chute!

Hey hey! How are YOU? And you ? :) I’m back with a project I’m SO SO SO excited about!! You may remember that as a part of our basement fi...

8:51 PM

A Little To-Do List

We're off on another adventure - camping for 10 days!  Before you go thinking I'm all rugged and stuff, we're not exactly roughing it, we have a pretty large camper!  It's not like I'll be cuddling up to a bear at night.  Actually, not having immediate internet access will be about as rough as it gets. In between the shopping and packing for our trip, I've spent a little time thinking about all of the projects I have to finish when we return, and before the  end of summer.  I had great ambitions of having most of this done BEFORE our camping trip...  So I thought I'd at least better make a list, and put it down here, so that I don't lose it!  Kinda like, if my head weren't screwed on... 1.  Paint the kitchen chairs black.  I have 3 kitchen chairs which are in desperate need of an update.  Since my island is a distressed black, I think they would look good painted black too. 2.  Gorilla glue broken stool.  One of the stools in the kitchen is broken.  It's commonly refered to as "the wiggly stool".  Time to fix it once and for all.  (Before someone gets hurt). 3.  Paint both stools black.  The two stools to our kitchen counter need to be black. 4.  Hang up remaining pictures. 5.  Embellish the sheers.  The sheer curtains we put up when we moved in were a temporary fix.  But I love the way they let in the light, so I don't think I'm going to do much, except embellish them, with some cool ribbon, maybe glass beads, and tie backs... before another year goes by!  Here's a picture of what I'd like to do with ribbon or fabric: <img alt="Tied with a Bow" src="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/2009/10/100225486.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" /> 6.  Make a curtain for the back door.  I like some of the ideas at bizbudgetdesigns.com: <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Nx-cUT4Ac9Y/TTjy7SqzgXI/AAAAAAAAAdk/9SGIhdVDE6I/s1600/DoorWin1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Nx-cUT4Ac9Y/TTjy7SqzgXI/AAAAAAAAAdk/9SGIhdVDE6I/s320/DoorWin1.jpg" width="240" /></a> 7.  Fix the tv cabinet.  This is really just another Gorilla Glue job.  Just have to remember to buy the glue - one of these days! I'm sure I'll be adding to this list.  I still have quite a few projects left on my Big To-Do list (above) but I think most of it will be finished by September.  Maybe.  Hopefully.  Probably not.  Oh well, I will try.

A Little To-Do List

We're off on another adventure - camping for 10 days! Before you go thinking I'm all rugged and stuff, we're not exactly roughi...

8:15 AM

Oh, the pain!

Yesterday was a super busy day.  Laundry, gardening, watering, moving stuff around...  While I moved stuff around, (you know, as you do), I somehow managed to "drop" my giant gas grill on my little toe (don't ask).  All I can tell you is, that smarts!  And because of the toe injury, today I'm hobbling around...  kind of taking it easy and sitting on the sofa enjoying the view: <a href="http://www.fyimodularhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0061.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-391" height="199" src="http://www.fyimodularhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0061-300x199.jpg" title="DSC_0061" width="300" /></a> As I sat there and daydreamed, the dog and cat were <del>fighting</del> playing well together, <a href="http://www.fyimodularhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0056.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-394" height="244" src="http://www.fyimodularhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0056-300x244.jpg" title="DSC_0056" width="300" /></a> but I had to sit up a little straighter, to tell them to settle down, and guess what caught my eye and disturbed my zen view! <img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-393" height="199" src="http://www.fyimodularhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0043-300x199.jpg" title="DSC_0043" width="300" /> Darn it!  Big A is out there making me feel guilty for slobbing around!  I guess it's the least I can do to get up and help! So while I get busy permanently staining my fingers black, I thought I'd post some pix of the kids rooms that, at the kids request, we painted bright blue.  I haven't really done much to their rooms yet, and they are still a work in progress, but I like how the blue paint came out! <a href="http://www.fyimodularhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0048.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-395" height="199" src="http://www.fyimodularhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0048-300x199.jpg" title="DSC_0048" width="300" /></a> The above is my teen daughter's room.  She chose the blue/grey/silver theme to copy "The Iconic Boyz" colors.  If you don't have a teen daughter, The Iconic Boyz are a dance group from American Best Dance Crew, and are, apparently, gorgeous! <img alt="" data-height="172" data-width="240" height="172" id="rg_hi" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" width="240" /> They may be a teenage dream, but you can't convince me that any 12 year old has abs like that!   Anyway, I digress....  When she chose the blue, I just bit my tongue.  But now I think it looks okay.  We kept two walls white, which looks a little less, well, blue.  I even found Iconic Boyz grey/silver curtains (ha ha! Shower curtains!) on sale that fit the bill. <a href="http://www.fyimodularhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0049.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-396" height="199" src="http://www.fyimodularhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0049-300x199.jpg" title="DSC_0049" width="300" /></a> Now, my teen son, is a huge Chelsea (soccer team) fan.  And as luck would have it, the blue is the same color as the blue in my daughters room!  Hooray for that little coincidence! <a href="http://www.fyimodularhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_00471.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-398" height="288" src="http://www.fyimodularhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_00471-300x288.jpg" title="DSC_0047" width="300" /></a> (His curtain is a Chelsea flag, hung up with curtain rod clips.) Anyway, there are the blue bedrooms.  Until I get the energy to do something crafty, DIYish, or home improvementy, I'll be out limping around my hubby, pretending to be useful... Update:  Teen daughter informed me, with a huge eye roll, that she no longer likes The Iconic Boyz, and that I am completely out of touch.  She now wants her room yellow.  Again, I'm biting my tongue.  It hurts almost as much as my little toe.

Oh, the pain!

Yesterday was a super busy day. Laundry, gardening, watering, moving stuff around... While I moved stuff around , (you know, as you do), I...

7:58 AM

Stick a fork in it (The basement is done!)

Well, almost. :) Done enough I tell you! Today was the day – the carpet was installed in the basement and we have been so excited about it! I know I’ve said it about every big part of the basement reno, but the carpet made such a HUGE difference. I talked about our plan for the basement flooring back <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/04/lets-talk-basement-flooring.html">here</a> when we had a different carpet picked out. Since then a new one came available that was SO much softer and only $200-something more than our original option. It’s a Mohawk carpet, and the design is called Honored Tradition: <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AxZhbzVAzqU/UA9sgxlggvI/AAAAAAAAWJM/KBCAy-gCIi4/s1600-h/Capture%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Capture" border="0" height="482" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BwN66AyQR_s/UA9shT2SBqI/AAAAAAAAWJU/mtSSazEHakk/Capture_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Capture" width="450" /></a> We went with a lighter carpet with a gray tone to it. I chose this one because our upstairs carpet has a really slight gray undertone and I LOVE it. I brought this sample upstairs to match that color as much as possible – but this one is much grayer (and a bit darker). It has a slight design to it, but in my pics you really don’t notice it. I’m so glad I changed the plan at the last minute cause this is soooo much softer than the first one we had picked out! We upped the thickness of the padding too so it’s super cushy down there. LOVE. And by the way, it is not lost on me that I couldn’t wait to get rid of the carpet on our main level last fall (for the <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2011/10/our-new-house.html">hardwoods after a leak</a>), and now I’m thrilled about carpet. :) We were just so tired of those cold, dusty cement floors. So. tired. Here’s some before and after pics of the basement – it’s come a long way in the past seven months!! Bear with me though because things are still very basic and I kinda just threw toys on the shelves. I spent the whole day putting the room back together. :) Here’s a shot of my craft area before: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Q6xJKuUUuQQ/UA9shtPs4gI/AAAAAAAAWJc/zP6h4tEmDrw/s1600-h/IMG_3307%25255B3%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="267" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-X_s40lH3_pw/UA9skTqOK-I/AAAAAAAAWJk/mKDGEtLkbqE/IMG_3307%25255B3%25255D_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="" width="400" /></a> And that same spot now: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4y_RSvoNu-0/UA9sk9jukMI/AAAAAAAAWJs/FhtfoeuisGY/s1600-h/IMG_2304%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Mohawk carpet honored tradition" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fnSjBW4SU9I/UA9slEELhiI/AAAAAAAAWJ0/umfgjjbEPrg/IMG_2304_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Mohawk carpet honored tradition" width="339" /></a> Little different, eh? :) OH my goodness, I am so thrilled!! Those who are super observant will notices my <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/02/diy-craft-table.html">DIY craft table</a> got moved. I changed things up a bit, and I love it so far. I’ll talk more about that soon! This was a shot of the basement last year, into what is now the family room area: <img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DaHTIiFPmuY/TxjudkXOvHI/AAAAAAAASDE/E8lxr08-xms/image_thumb%25255B21%25255D.png?imgmax=800" title="" width="450" /> This is that same spot now: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qQ4rMyC4r7A/UA9slaf_iSI/AAAAAAAAWJ8/HqpRjMau-vM/s1600-h/IMG_2308%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="basement carpet " border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EZHWUAgCCes/UA9sl8sCrzI/AAAAAAAAWKE/e3u1WBXvL6I/IMG_2308_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="basement carpet " width="372" /></a> One of my favorite parts of having a finished basement? Getting rid of all those random rugs and carpet remnants. I think we had eight of them down there and they were so gross from the drywall dust! The Bub’s toys used to line the “wall” of our storage area: <img alt="plastic shelving" border="0" height="267" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TW8KgHZOVHI/AAAAAAAAMZo/m9PXYkiUP5Q/IMG_3324_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" title="plastic shelving" width="400" /> And now that area (to the right) has an actual door and walls. ;) Best. things. ever.: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6DZe0TdxGFs/UA9smLXQBYI/AAAAAAAAWKM/4gLow9-SXGU/s1600-h/IMG_2311%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Mohawk carpet honored tradition" border="0" height="300" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ViMP81db0y0/UA9smR4o44I/AAAAAAAAWKU/4izShAxOnnY/IMG_2311_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Mohawk carpet honored tradition" width="450" /></a> I got rid of so much stuff, there’s not many places to sit down there. :) We have a solution for that, but we have to figure out if we can get it down the basement steps first. (Crossing fingers.) This was a picture of the length of the basement before, and it shows how how far back it goes: <img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TW8KjV0zWEI/AAAAAAAAMaI/uuVNjuUhHLU/IMG_3318_thumb%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" title="" width="320" /> That area is segmented into rooms now – most of which are still awaiting finishing. :) <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dgXo8fUF6bE/UA9sm8ucleI/AAAAAAAAWKc/NyEmbMGtxko/s1600-h/IMG_2315%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Mohawk carpet honored tradition" border="0" height="300" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bZEzue2ZNWk/UA9snN8QaXI/AAAAAAAAWKk/DVCYDOq7VcY/IMG_2315_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Mohawk carpet honored tradition" width="450" /></a> Those doors still need to be painted – I’m going dark! Here’s another photo of the opposite direction: <img alt="basement play area" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/TW8KqLSatxI/AAAAAAAAMbQ/4lyUPuiHqCA/IMG_3331_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" title="basement play area" width="320" /> And how it looks today: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-R5n5Ccb0TKI/UA9snnI6qaI/AAAAAAAAWKs/P5kxThLkCDU/s1600-h/IMG_2313%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Mohawk carpet honored tradition" border="0" height="300" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cRgxh-mK8Ws/UA9sn3K5dZI/AAAAAAAAWK0/PfwDMQhlubw/IMG_2313_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Mohawk carpet honored tradition" width="450" /></a> It keeps striking me that the space looks so much bigger with walls, ceilings and flooring. You would think they would make it feel smaller? But I think it feels massive now! Of course that will change as we fill it back up with items, but I do want the family room to feel cozy and warm so I’m good with that. I can’t believe it’s (pretty much) done!! There’s still a very long to do list. Lots of painting yet to do, tiling two rooms, moving the washer and dryer, lighting in the laundry and bathroom, a sink, toilet, trim work…and I haven’t even started all the fun decorating projects I have planned for this space. I cannot wait to have some fun with it instead of constant DIY projects. ;) Once I compile all the receipts I’ll do a final post about the whole basement finishing process and how the costs came out. And there’s one final BIG project that we’re working on this week that I can’t wait to show you! So what do you think? Big changes huh?? It feels like forever since we started but it’s only been about seven months. I think it will be a good nine or ten months before it’s completely finished, but having dust-free, cushy flooring underfoot feels like the final frontier. I have been fighting the urge to roll around on it all day. ;)

Stick a fork in it (The basement is done!)

Well, almost. :) Done enough I tell you! Today was the day – the carpet was installed in the basement and we have been so excited about it!...

8:48 PM

Here's your towel, get out of the dishwasher.

Hello there!  This morning I was thinking about my appliances.  I know, things aren't very exciting in my life right now! When you build your modular home, one of the things you are going to pick out is an appliance package, assuming you don't have appliances you want to move with you. We happened to have all stainless steel appliances that we were going to move with us. However, Ritz-Craft, the builder of our home, offered such a good deal on the new appliances, we couldn't pass it up. Our stainless appliances were beautiful. But quite frankly, although we loved the look of the stainless, it took a lot of work to keep it looking good.  For the majority of the time they looked more like a cloudy mirror with finger prints and dog nose smears all over them.  If anything dried on it (like a lil blob of ketchup), I had to channel the strength of the Incredible Hulk to get it off.  I know some people swear by stainless, and that it's easy to clean.  Maybe, but did they have 5 kids and a dog? Plus, because we could sell the old house with appliances included, it was better for our asking price. Anyway, in the end, I'm glad we went with the package offered to us - in black - easier to clean, and doesn't show the grime and slime as much!  Plus the black matches the paint of our distressed black kitchen island.  It's a win-win! Now, as you may have guessed, I am no expert on kitchen appliances, but I do have a couple of thoughts on picking them out (which probably will not land me a job in the appliance section of Home Depot): Dishwasher:  They have all kinds of upgraded dishwashers now.  I'm pretty sure I saw an expensive model that had a "warm bath" setting for the kids, and a button that said: "steam lobsters to perfection".  However, our dishwasher is the no bells and whistles kind.  It may not have clever settings, but it gets the job done well, and FAST.  I mean like 30 minutes and it's done.  Plus, no pre-rinsing, and it gets pots and pans and casserole dishes clean.  (Disclaimer:  it will not get peanut butter off a knife, no matter what. But I'm pretty sure that's not just me. That makes me think... if the dishwasher can't get rid of PB, then how does your stomach?) Refrigerator/Freezer.  We have the side by side frige/freezer.  When we moved in we thought we'd never have enough room in the refrigerator.  After all, we have a house full.  BUT, upon deep reflection, I realize it's not to bad.  The shelves in the doors are wide and hold all of my condiments.  (I'm not talking ketchup and mustard and a bottle of dressing.  I'm talking I have a lil problem with buying every condiment known in the Western World.  See: <a href="http://www.fyimodularhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0052.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-388" height="300" src="http://www.fyimodularhomes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0052-199x300.jpg" title="DSC_0052" width="199" /></a> (And that's only 3 of 6 shelves.) Also, the shelves in the fridge are deep, so you can pack a lot of food and drinks.  A 12 pack of <del>beer</del> soda fits right in there. The freezer, however, is another story.  I admit, I don't have a lot of extra room.  We buy a lot of meat in bulk, but luckily (is that a word?), we do have an extra upright freezer in the basement where I keep club packs of meat, pizza, etc.  Just something to think about if you tend to need a big freezer, you may want to consider a different style. Oven.  Here's my thought.  Big fancy ovens like this from dreamstoves.com <img alt="" height="581" id="il_fi" src="http://www.hewnandhammered.com/photos/uncategorized/55__1red_.jpg" width="528" /> look super cool!  And I want one!  But I can't afford one.  And, unless you can afford it, why spend extra, cuz in general how much do you need?  I mean, I was a caterer, and I managed just fine with a plain old oven!  I'd set the temp, pre-heat, put the food in, and cook.  Presto!  The best thing about my current oven is that it pre-heats really fast, so that's handy, and makes me happy. Stove top.  I have a large enough stove top.  But for holidays and big parties, I would like 6 burners - maybe some day. Microwave.  Well this is where we ended up with the king tut of microwaves.  It can do almost everything.  It bakes and roasts, has convection (whatever that is), and you can put metal in it.  It also has the following buttons:  steam, simmer, kids meals, baked potato, filet mignon with a red wine sauce (just joking on the filet) ....  Whatever.  I just use it to heat stuff up, mainly my coffee! So there you have my expert opinion on  kitchen appliances.  Sears and Home Depot, if you're reading this, I'm sorry - I would make a terrible sales person! Oh, one more thing: you should buy appliances with energy star - for the planet, and for you and your wallet!  For more info, go <a href=" http://blog.epa.gov/energystar/">here</a>. And, and one last thing (really!), please check out Ritz-Craft and the appliance packages they offer <a href="http://www.ritz-craft.com/options/appliance-guide-literature/page.aspx?id=1426">here</a>.  While you're on their website, check out the rest of their info!  (I love my new home and want to give credit, where credit is due!)

Here's your towel, get out of the dishwasher.

Hello there! This morning I was thinking about my appliances. I know, things aren't very exciting in my life right now! When you build...

3:28 AM

Trash it for cash

My kids are away on vacation, and although I miss them terribly, I'm taking this opportunity to clean out the basement.  When we moved into our new house, we brought with us <del>a hundred</del>  a few boxes of toys, electronics, books, etc., that never got unpacked, and now sit taking up half of our new basement.  Turning that clutter to cash is something I should have done long before we moved.  Ya think?!  So I'm posting about it here, in case you are less scatterbrained than me, and do things in the right order. However before I tackle sorting through the boxes, I've been doing some research on how to possibly make some cash on these things, before we make a trip to the dump.  In looking around I realize lots of the toys are just outgrown, not broken.  We have billions of electronics that have either been upgraded, or duplicated.  Old snowsuits, boots, etc.  You get my drift. I have had garage sales, and they take a lot of work, so with too much on my plate at the moment, I'm not doing that again!  At least not this year... So here are a few ideas I've seen: Electronics.  NextWorth.com and Gazelle.com buy back old cell phones, cameras and laptops in stores such as Target and Radio Shack.  The stores usually give you a store credit.  I personally looooove Target, so credit would work for me!  Alternatively, you can go to buymytronics.com or sellcell.com for estimates if you prefer cash.  Just log on to get an estimate. CDs and DVDs.  Musical tastes change and we have lots of duplicate DVDs.  Not to mention, we don't really use either anymore, since we all have ipods or netflix!  Try secondspin.com and see what kind of prices you can get for your used (or unused) CDs and DVDs. Appliances. If they still work, washers, dryers and refrigerators can be sold on craigslist.org. I like craigslist because, unlike ebay, you can usually arrange for someone to pick up the appliance too, so its saves you any hassle. Furniture. Same with appliances, if they're in fairly decent condition, you'd be surprised at how fast you can sell furniture on craigslist. Clothes.  Contact a local consignment shop.  You can sometimes earn up to 60% of what the shop makes on your cast-offs. Books.  A used bookstore will pay up to 1$ per paperback if it's in good condition.  Over the years, we have collected tons of paperbacks which now sit in various boxes in the basement. Toys. You can sell larger toys separately, or group similar smaller toys.  Just list them on craigslist.  However, as all Moms know, this is has to be a covert operation!  Kids never want to get rid of any of their stuff, no matter how old it is, or how long it's gone unused.  Thus, I'm doing this clean-out while my kids are away!  Is that mean? Maybe, but it's either that or we are going to end up featured on "Hoarders" in a couple of years. Of course your going to want to make sure anything you sell is clean, and looks as presentable as possible.  We sold some wicker chairs which had been used as a scratching post by our darling kitty, and that were dusty from a year in a storage bin.  But, one mans trash is another mans treasure.  All we did was hose them off and give them a quick coat of polyurethane to cover some of the scratches.  They sold on craigslist after 3 days. So I'm going to try my hand at selling some things, and whatever is leftover, depending on it's condition, will either be donated to The Salvation Army or taken to the dump. I'll keep you posted on my progress - and whether I make enough money to either a.) go on a cruise,  b.) go out to dinner, or c.) buy a cup of coffee... If anyone has any other good sites or stores that turn clutter to cash, please let me know!

Trash it for cash

My kids are away on vacation, and although I miss them terribly, I'm taking this opportunity to clean out the basement. When we moved i...

4:43 AM

Chip It! (And the powder room plan)

Soooo…remember that <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/04/my-to-do-list.html">loooong list</a> I made weeks and weeks and WEEKS ago? Well, it’s still not done. Mostly done, kinda. But not done. I did get some big things off the list, and one of them was the powder room that’s been in shambles for well over a year now. Shambles my peeps. A YEAR. Year and a half now? I thought it was less, but no. A good 18 months. It started out like this: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HgYzuxciBbA/UAi0V2wtBZI/AAAAAAAAWEE/koAsPs-xH0I/s1600-h/image_thumb293.png"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Fv_cf7_kNqk/UAi0WQ_hdCI/AAAAAAAAWEM/Sq5gFsXw2Zc/image_thumb29_thumb1.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="" width="320" /></a> It was fine for a while, but geesh, it was SO dark. And brown. With more brown. And then one day I could not handle it anymore. The trim in here was never done to my liking (more on that in another post), and I was just SO OVER the chocolate brown. So I decided to take the trim down and paint it. And I got as far as the ceiling: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ucf7tfpeOcU/UAi0WyaJ_nI/AAAAAAAAWEU/Sqp5DXcV1SU/s1600-h/IMG_6177_thumb13.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-m0ffdxGgIAk/UAi0XFP3xlI/AAAAAAAAWEc/cPqbhX-ToZc/IMG_6177_thumb1_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="" width="320" /></a> It’s sat like this (notice the fan cover missing?), with meeeellions of holes in the walls, random stencils and curiously enough, those chocolate brown walls I couldn’t stand anymore (hmmm), for about six months. This is because I came up with about 50 other things I want to do in this little room…so I kept putting it off. Then last fall I was having a party and freaked out and slapped a coat of paint on the walls. And by “slap0 a coat,” I mean no cutting in, brown bleeding through, painted around the mirror and didn’t even take it down, “slap.” <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ql03eG942aM/UAi0XQoPJtI/AAAAAAAAWEk/19sAwI5-19w/s1600-h/IMG_17494.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="412" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9TLrRhd6mk8/UAi0XtmCacI/AAAAAAAAWEs/4Ts7_8KaxOQ/IMG_1749_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="" width="300" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-63BeCG6kmig/UAi0YJDCq0I/AAAAAAAAWE0/8FKUc3wQiLg/s1600-h/IMG_17504.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="420" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-JvjoFC9pZdQ/UAi0YXLwQOI/AAAAAAAAWE8/AFbp1uOVV8A/IMG_1750_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="" width="280" /></a>  And I thought that was better than the dark brown??? Oh my. I liked this look so much, it stayed like this for nine more months. Did I say this room has been a mess for 18 months? I meant two years. Anyway,  a couple weeks ago we had another party and I was SO fed up, I finally cut in and then took the mirror down and finished the first coat I started eons ago: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iYA_A2C_3xA/UAi0Yunm8VI/AAAAAAAAWFE/2O0uN0kAAR0/s1600-h/IMG_19006.jpg"><img alt="blue powder room" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XqKTOinJEw4/UAi0aSWntXI/AAAAAAAAWFM/iaxOiCJKCX4/IMG_1900_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="blue powder room" width="286" /></a> I didn’t even do the second coat though, because as I was painting I was deciding I didn’t want to keep it this color. That’s what it’s like living with me people…aren’t you glad you don’t have to? :) I mean really, it’s been two years, it’s time for a change. Yes, I’m serious. I am moving to gray/blue tones in the rest of the house and I want this little room to be FUN. So I found my inspiration for the FUN – a painting the Bub painted for me for Mother’s Day: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7m6z-sCmTDI/UAi0atlOZHI/AAAAAAAAWFU/AiFv5WM6YT4/s1600-h/IMG_19023.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="397" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ot1S47wJWUY/UAi0bRhw52I/AAAAAAAAWFY/atQBqsuF0sc/IMG_1902_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="" width="400" /></a> I know, it’s brilliant. I know. I love the colors in the painting, and I am determined to use at least a couple of them. Bear with me – it’s going to be good. (In my head it is.) There’s lots more going on in here I’ll tell you about soon, but for now I need to figure out the perfect paint color. That’s where Sherwin Williams comes in. They wrote me about their new <a href="http://letschipit.com/">Chip It tool</a> and I tried it out and was HOOKED. This thing is fun fun FUN!! To use it on your computer, just drag this little button to the tool bar (on my computer it’s the area right next to the box for web addresses):  <a href="<a id="tool-link" title="Chip It!" onclick="alert(&#39;Drag this button to the bookmarks bar&#39;); return false;" href="javascript:void ((function(){if(!window.swActive){window.swActive=true;window.swRoot=&quot;http://letschipit.com:80/&quot;;window.swChipRoot=&quot;http://chips.letschipit.com/&quot;;window.swfc=&quot;http://chipcards.letschipit.com/&quot;;var a=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);a.setAttribute(&quot;type&quot;,&quot;text/javascript&quot;);a.setAttribute(&quot;charset&quot;,&quot;UTF-8&quot;);a.setAttribute(&quot;src&quot;,&quot;http://letschipit.com:80/bookmarklet/src.js?r=&quot;+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(a)}})());">Chip It!</a> "><img alt="Chip_It" border="0" height="29" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-byEn1uGDPLs/UAi1EO8sagI/AAAAAAAAWGU/y5V1SRaJg0s/Chip_It%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Chip_It" width="79" /></a> It’s a lot like the Pin It button for Pinterest – it takes two seconds. And then wherever you are online and find a photo you love and are inspired by, you can click that little button and “paint chip” it. They’ll give you five to 10 Sherwin Williams paint colors pulled from the photo. How cool is that? IT’S AWESOME. You can upload personal pics, like I did using a photo from our <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/07/back-from-break.html">recent vacation</a>: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-if-Fug2II-c/UAi0bk5lY9I/AAAAAAAAWFg/c5CjPaIVeec/s1600-h/chipit24.jpg"><img alt="purple sunset" border="0" height="309" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-USVsd3MNjxc/UAi0cGGPi4I/AAAAAAAAWFs/EmQB49ZX_j8/chipit2_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="purple sunset" width="550" /></a> Or you can just use any photo you find while surfing the Net. This is one I found on Pinterest, and loved because of the colors specifically. The Chip It tool does all the work for you: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PwxJVOqQTSE/UAi0cVJ3MKI/AAAAAAAAWF0/BKG6oK6IbsQ/s1600-h/chipit36.jpg"><img alt="orange, blue, green playroom" border="0" height="340" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-V1UBUx8mlQg/UAi0c6qgqqI/AAAAAAAAWF8/Rf82z5adrpQ/chipit3_thumb8.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="orange, blue, green playroom" width="500" /></a> I love the Navel, Parakeet and Lagoon colors! I have had SW paint decks for years, and I’ve never seen those colors once – funny how you don’t see how well colors work until they are next to each other. I absolutely LOVE them together! So I used a photo of my son’s <strike>Picasso-like talent</strike> art to Chip It again – and it pulled out a perfect reddish pink color: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CGowC_tfOCw/UAi0dHecumI/AAAAAAAAWGE/HFsmi312uZo/s1600-h/chipit4.jpg"><img alt="Sherwin Williams chip it" border="0" height="381" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FqHyiZ9o7iY/UAi0duPs0AI/AAAAAAAAWGM/r_vkrsmZTcU/chipit_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="Sherwin Williams chip it" width="500" /></a> It’s the Fireworks color and it’s not too red, not too pink (this is a room the hubby and kiddo use after all). I’ll have to take a look at in the room to see how it works, but I thought the Chip It pulled some really pretty colors from the art. Isn’t that fun? I’ve been using this tool for a few weeks now and am so excited to keep going – it will be PERFECT to use while surfing Pinterest. Can you imagine?! So, do you think I’m crazy for the blue/reddish idea? I swear it will come together…I’m willing to place bets. ;) At this point, I’m just happy that after three years I have a bathroom that has a fan cover and looks presentable, at least at first glance. Don’t look too close, please. I’ll update you soon on the rest of the plan for this room! I’m REALLY excited about it! :)

Chip It! (And the powder room plan)

Soooo…remember that loooong list I made weeks and weeks and WEEKS ago? Well, it’s still not done. Mostly done, kinda. But not done. I did g...

6:29 PM