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How to Make Cheap Christmas Garland Look Expensive

The foyer in our house is very grand with vaulted ceilings and a winding staircase. It was one of my favorite features of our home when we first walked through it and I immediately envisioned it decked out for the holidays. Brand new garland from the store can cost a fortune, so this year I found creative ways to hang garland on the stairs for less than $20.

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How to Recover a Chair Cushion without Sewing!

Welcome back to week 5 of the One Room Challenge! This week I have continued to upcycle second-hand furniture to fit within the design of my daughters’ vintage-inspired bedroom makeover. Last week I painted the vanity/desk from my MIL blue and it looks really beautiful against the warm pink walls. This week I recovered a bentwood chair found at an estate sale to fit within the bedroom design. I also tackled a quick paint project on the existing nightstand to balance the other side of the room.

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Painting the Walls Pink | ORC Week 2

Welcome back to week 2 of the Fall One Room Challenge! This week I chose the paint color and focused on painting the walls the perfect shade of pink. Check out the design plans for my vintage-inspired girls’ bedroom in the Week 1 blog post. Here is a reminder of what my daughter’s bedroom looked like when we first moved into the home two years ago.

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Eclectic MCM Living Room Makeover Reveal

We have made it to the MCM living room reveal and I am so happy with the finished product. Our living room is the first area that you see when you come into our home and I am really excited to have a finished space that reflects who we are. Over these last 8 weeks, I have bought a few new items for the room, reused materials that we already owned, and finally put some of my thrifted items on display.

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How to Lay Brick Border Garden Edging | Easy DIY

If you’re looking for a simple and cost-effective way to add some visual interest to your garden, consider using bricks as edging. Not only do they provide a clean and classic look, but they also help to define garden beds and prevent grass and weeds from encroaching on your plants. Here’s how to do it right.

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DIY Projects in the Living Room | ORC Week 5

This week of the One Room Challenge is all about budget-saving DIY projects for the living room. I have always been thrifty when it comes to decorating and this makeover is no different. The saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” definitely applies to me and I get such a rush out of creating something beautiful out of items that were discarded by others.

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Filling Your Walls with Unique Artwork | ORC Week 4

Filling the walls in a large room can be a little challenging for me. My goal is always to hang unique artwork that is interesting and doesn’t break the bank. Whatever I hang on our walls, I want it to feel like our family. For week 4 of the One Room Challenge, I am going to share some of the artwork I will be hanging in our living room and where I find them.

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The Best Supplies for Painting Interior Spaces

When it comes to painting projects in my home, I always choose to paint myself instead of hiring it out. The cost of labor adds up quickly and I prefer to use that money in other areas of our home. Today I am sharing the best paint supplies I prefer when painting interior spaces in our house.

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How to Install a Vertical Shiplap Wall | Easy DIY

Our mudroom makeover is complete and I am excited to share how we installed the tongue and groove plank wall in this room. I chose this wall treatment because it worked well with the cottage architectural style of our home. This project is definitely doable for beginners and is affordable too.

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Upgrade Your Home on a Budget with These Clever IKEA Furniture Hacks

Have you ever tried one of the popular IKEA hacks found on Pinterest? There are so many incredible DIY projects using IKEA furniture and I am always completely blown away by the transformations! I have tried out a few of my own and am so pleased with the results. I have pulled together some of the best IKEA furniture hacks to try at home.

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Exciting Dark Blue Bedroom Reveal | ORC

The master bedroom reveal is here and it looks nothing like it did a few months ago! I love these 6-week challenges so much because they really push me to complete the projects in one single space. I often find myself bouncing around from project to project around the house, but when I really focus on one area, it is so worth it in the end.

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Master Bedroom Final Details | ORC Week 5

For week 5 of the Better Homes & Gardens One Room Challenge, I focused on the design details. I have all of the furniture purchased and in place and I was excited to add our personality to the space. After living in our home for just over a year, we had identified the key areas that lacked function in our room.

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Updating Our IKEA Hemnes Dresser | ORC Week 4

In my week 2 update, I shared that I had purchased a pricey new dresser only to discover that it was way too small for our clothing storage needs. IKEA furniture has always held up extremely well in our home, especially the dresser units, so I decided to keep our current dresser but add some detailing.

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Fun Kids Activities in Toledo | Best Places

As school starts up again, many of our kids have to remain at home due to the COVID outbreak. When my son isn’t virtually learning online, I have tried to get him outside to explore new places around town. I have created a full list of kid-friendly places to enjoy around Toledo for any parent who needs to find an activity outside of the home!

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Simple DIY Grout Cleaner with 4 Ingredients

The most effective way to whiten your tile grout is with a simple homemade grout cleaner made of 4 ingredients. If your tile floors were installed with white grout, there is a good chance that it is stained with dirt. Using household products that are usually stocked in your kitchen, you can whiten your tile grout without any chemicals!

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DIY Plans to Update Our Retro Master Bathroom

If you own a home built in the 50s or 60s, there is a good chance you have at least one retro bathroom.

Our home was built in the late ’60s and we have 3 original bathrooms! This month I am excited to tackle a budget-friendly makeover to our master bathroom! My goal is to highlight the charming aspects of our bathroom while adding more function for our family’s needs today. After living with this bathroom for the last year, I have identified a handful of quick fixes that will modernize the space and add efficiency.

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How to Spray Paint a Lamp Base | Easy DIY

Today I am sharing how to update a lamp base with spray paint.
I love the challenge of updating a space on a budget. Along with saving money, I enjoy finding new ways to use items that I already own.

This is exactly what I did when I needed a lamp for Thomas’ modern bedroom makeover. The original lamp was nice with a chrome finish, but I really wanted a black lamp in the reading nook.

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Advice When Considering a Real Estate License

It is not uncommon to hear someone talk about wanting to get their real estate license. While it is true that anyone can buy the real estate course and take the test, becoming a successful real estate agent takes a lot of work.
Today I am answering common questions about getting a real estate license and sharing my personal experience. I was definitely naive when I first signed up for the course and have learned a lot of lessons during my first few years as a realtor.

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How to Make a Basement Bedroom Legal

The first project at our third flip house was to build a legal bedroom in the basement with an attached bathroom. I was pregnant with our second child and we made the decision to hire an au pair once our daughter arrived. Not only did the cultural aspect of this experience excite us, but it made more sense financially in terms of childcare in Denver. The basement was a blank canvas that was perfect for creating a guest suite for our au pair, Maria.

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Why Hire Professional Real Estate Photographer

As a licensed realtor with Danberry in NW Ohio, I know the importance of high-quality images to sell a home. In fact, I included professional photography in my services as a listing agent because it is so important. I spoke with Mary Wyar, a professional real estate photographer, to discuss why you should hire a professional photographer to sell your home. I have summarized her insights into the top five most important reasons to have professional photos taken of your home.

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10+ Expert Home Staging Tips for a Successful Open House

Today I am sharing my 10 simple home staging tips to sell your house fast!ย  As a licensed real estate agent and investor, I absolutely LOVE this part of selling a home! With these tips, I know you will maximize the value of your home and stand out from the competition.

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The Best Tips When Planning Home Renovation Projects

When you buy a fixer-upper, it is imperative that you prioritize and plan your home renovation projects! Renovating a home can be overwhelming and I have learned quite a bit living through renovations these last 10 years. Today I am sharing my tips for how Chris and I plan our home renovation projects and prioritize each one.

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Affordable Laundry Room Design Ideas & Plans

The first big project in 2020 will be my laundry room! I am excited to take you through my laundry room design plans today and give you a tour of the current space. The plan is to incorporate big design into this space on a little budget! I am looking forward to this project because I love to get thrifty and creative in with home renovation projects. My goal is to spend under $300 for this entire makeover.

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Laundry Room Design Ideas and Inspiration

Laundry rooms are one of my favorite DIY projects because they are often overlooked and left as boring and uninspiring spaces. My first big project of 2020 is to tackle our dated laundry room. I have gathered a few of my favorite laundry room design ideas that are inspiring me for this budget-friendly project.

It is so refreshing to do a not-so-fun task like laundry in a beautiful space. While kitchens and bathrooms often sell the home, I believe that beautiful laundry rooms seal the deal.

Let’s get started!

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The Best LED Light Bulbs for Your Home

LED light bulbs are the easiest and quickest way to make your home more energy-efficient. If you haven’t made the switch to LEDs yet, add this to your 2020 New Year’s resolution list right now! LED light bulbs have become much more affordable than they used to be and there are numerous benefits to making the switch from old CFL bulbs.

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Joining a Real Estate Team | Is it Right For You?

Joining a real estate team or becoming an independent agent is a big decision! When I became a realtor 1.5 years ago, I started as an independent agent at a brokerage. I recently joined the Rigali Group with Danberry Realty and am loving the benefits of working on a real estate team. Today I am sharing my tips on what to consider when deciding to join a real estate group.

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Ideas To Create An Organized & Functional Kitchen

Today I am sharing my favorite functional kitchen ideas to maximize efficiency and organization! When a kitchen is organized well, valuable time is given back to the homeowner. In the last 10 years, I have moved 8 times and have learned a thing or two about efficiently organizing my kitchen.

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How to Choose the Best Paint Sheen

Choosing the right paint sheen for your project is almost as important as getting the right paint color – ALMOST. Choosing the right paint sheen for your project is almost as important as getting the right paint color – ALMOST. ๐Ÿ™‚ Paint comes in a variety of sheens ranging from no shine at all to very shiny paint. As a general rule of thumb, you want your walls to blend into the design of your space. When you apply a sheen that is not appropriate for the space, it can be quite distracting to the eye. Today I am breaking down how to choose the appropriate paint sheen for your next paint project!

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5 Simple Tips For Beginners Starting a Blog

for all beginner bloggers so they can avoid my mistakes. Starting a blog is hard and scary. For most people starting out, you have to learn an entirely new skill to create your own website. Along with learning this new skill, you have to be vulnerable and open when writing about your experiences. Learning to tell a story in your own voice is harder than it looks!

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