Feeds:
Posts
Comments

why i love facebook

May 30, 2012 by Lindsey T

Facebook is this world where whether you care or not, or want to know or not, you’re going to learn about someone’s kid not napping or misbehaving or being potty trained or having a fever. Or your going to have the people who post photo after photo of themselves. Or you’ll get the animal lovers who post pictures of their dog in every place possible.

Or you get the chronic complainers, which let’s face it your life probably isn’t that bad. And frankly you’re in control of it so make changes if you’re unhappy! Or you have the people who chronicle every moment of everyday. So while these people and status updates might drive me (and others!) insane, it’s also this giant fascinating virtual world that I love and I’ll tell you why.

It started when I read the book Socialnomics two summers ago. After reading it I started to realize the benefits of social media and how it can simplify your life, allow you to be productive all while staying in touch with family and friends.

A few ways Facebook has simplified my life…

We were having issues with our landlord and lack of support/upkeep on things. Instead of spending a ton of my time researching renter’s right in Massachusetts I wrote a status update on Facebook with some questions to which about 13 people replied. Within about 20 minutes I had all the information I needed and within 3 days we had all the issues taken care of in the house.

You might remember just a few weeks ago when I needed the boot. Well, again, a Facebook status asking if anyone had one resulted in a family member (3rd or 4th cousin or something) replying that she worked for a medical supply company. Within a day I had that boot on my foot.

With all the couponing I do I get a lot of products and supplies for free or incredibly cheap. While we’re transitioning over to all either homemade products or organics to lessen the amount of toxins in our home and lives I still can’t pass up couponing for traditional products because they can always be donated.

I had a huge haul that was overtaking the closet so I posted asking if anyone knew a great place to donate. A college classmate responded within minutes and within the same week I had donated a great load of stuff to the organization she worked for.

There are so many more reasons too. I love the articles people post, learning that old classmates got married or had a baby. Engagements and birthdays and photos of growing children. So although there can be an incredibly annoying side to it, there’s also this incredible virtual world that has changed the way people live their lives. And that’s pretty cool!

What about you…what do you love or hate about Facebook?

Posted in Books to Read, Frugal Living, Things I Like | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

may pinterest project: diy pelmet boxes

May 22, 2012 by Lindsey T

I’ve been wanting to make some pelmet boxes for a while now and I’ve had the supplies ready to go. Well, over the weekend I finally got around to it. They’re so easy to make and very inexpensive too. I’ve been looking at different styles on Pinterest and finally decided to do the easiest one possible.

I used a cardboard box (instead of foam board), a stapler, a staple gun and burlap for mine. I also used a rotary cutter (or scissors are fine), and a yard stick. I had everything except the burlap which I purchased 3 yards of at Joann Fabrics, with a coupon, for less than $6.

Quite simply I just made it up as I went. But, I also read a few of the different tutorials too. It was as simple as measuring the window, marking the box and cutting it. I added about three extra inches to each side and scored a line, so that the cardboard would fold easily and be able to secure to the window frame.

I cut my burlap about two inches larger on all sides of my cardboard so I could wrap it like a present.

And that’s just what I did. I wrapped it and using a normal desk stapler I stapled it all around. I stapled it like the way you’d staple something onto a cork board, by opening up the stapler, not the way you’d staple two pieces of paper together. Get it?

After that I used the hot glue gun to touch up any spots that were being rowdy; mostly on the corners.

Then, where I had scored the ends, I bent it gently to get it to square off so I’d be able to secure it to the window trim.

I called in the muscles to staple it to the window. Al got to work, reminding me about how he hates that burlap sheds. But in the end we were both pleasantly surprised.

I had this feeling that this cardboard box window treatment was going to look like, well, a cardboard box. But it didn’t! I hate drapes with a deep passion so I think this is a great alternative. And for two windows it was less than $6. Can’t beat that.

How do you guys dress your windows? Do you love drapes? Or maybe you just use shades or blinds? A side note on the photos…there is SO little natural light in our house. For the past 15 months I’ve taken more photos trying to figure out the best way to take photos in this house and I’ve reached a point where I’m almost giving up. So I apologize that the photos are dark!

Posted in Pinterest Project, Simple Decor, Windows Galore | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

indoor house plants

May 16, 2012 by Lindsey T

In the past few years I’ve been asked quite a few times about the plants we have in our house. I think I’ve never talked about them because I don’t really know a whole lot about them except for 1. they look pretty and I love the natural greenery indoors and 2. many of them are air purifying plants, meaning they improve the air quality in the house.

We have them scattered around in all the rooms including a few other flowering plants.

And every so often I have a bouquet of flowers in the house. I usually split up the bouquet into a few vases and put them in different rooms. This particular bouquet my dear Alton bought me last week because of what I’ve been going through with my foot.

Since I can’t move around very well I never got around to splitting it so it’s looking pretty nice and full in the kitchen…in a tall beer glass!

Many of the plants we adopted from my father-in-laws house and we grabbed a few at Home Depot.

Al definitely has way more of a green thumb than I do.

Any plants in the house that are dying are because of me, the thriving ones are because of him. This one for instance was my doing, we’re still trying to save it…

I love having plants around. They add such a nice green touch and they’re working hard on the air quality when you didn’t even know it. Do you guys have any particular plants in your homes? For more info on air purifying plants go here. They have no clue who I am, just have good info about the plants!

Posted in Cleaning Products, Green Living, Health & Fitness, Household Helpers | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

reusing shoe boxes

May 14, 2012 by Lindsey T

I love to organize. That’s nothing new and nothing you didn’t already know. What I don’t like is spending money on pricey bins, baskets and containers. If I’m going to spend money on them I try to only buy them if they’re going to be seen or they have some functionality that is convenient to us.

Pretty much though, behind closed doors, I try to reuse shoe boxes for most organizing. They’re the perfect size and are typically pretty sturdy cardboard.

I use them in the freezer to organize foods. Vegetables in one, fruits in the other. I use them in the bathroom cabinet.

First aid supplies in one, medicines and miscellaneous items in the other.

I use them in closets to corral extra toiletries and travel sizes items.

Shoe boxes are also great sized boxes to wrap gifts in. Of course, take out the paper and that stay fresh packet thing first. I’ve also found a great Pinterest Project, that involves shoe boxes, that I hope to work on soon.

Overall they’re great for a lot of things other than storing shoes. I’d love to know if you use shoe boxes for anything. Storage? Organizing? Wrapping?

Posted in Closet Organization, Frugal Living, Green Living, Household Helpers, Office Organization, Small Spaces, Storage & Organization | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

sidelined

May 8, 2012 by Lindsey T

Yep, that’s right. I’m booted up and sidelined for a while. I have what we believe to be a fractured metatarsal, which is the bone on the bottom of the foot. In other words, the world’s most annoying place to have an injury.

So for the next few days I’m sitting back and chilling out. Which is really hard for me, as Al has witnessed over the past few days. I’m incapable of sitting still. Maybe I’ll take up knitting?

Anyway, I’ll be back in business next week hopefully. For now, don’t take your feet for granted!

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

a new media console

May 4, 2012 by Lindsey T

After we put all the hard work into our curbside find I finally was able to get it into place. We let it sit over night, probably for about 30 hours total, before putting it all together. First I had to replace the knobs that were on it. I had a few of these striped knobs, from Hobby Lobby, that have been waiting to be used. I love them with this piece. They add just enough of a fun pop to the neutral piece.

We decided to use the piece as a console type stand under our television. The TV is on the wall so we needed somewhere to stash the cable box, modem and blu-ray.

I was able to combine two piece of storage into one with this perfect find. Originally we had this piece working as home base for the cable box and we had this piece housing games, DVD’s and blankets. And then I had a basket on the bookshelf stashing extra batteries, flashlights, etc.

Now, everything fits in this one piece. Batteries, flashlights, extra remotes in the drawer; games & DVD’s in the cabinet and everything else placed on top.

I’m thrilled with it. And just by removing the chest that was stashing things it seems like there’s lots more open space in the room. The total cost of the whole project was just under $4 — only paid for the can of primer. Everything else was either free or already owned. Ahhh gotta love the curbside finds!

Posted in Antique Finds, Furniture Upcycles, Small Spaces, Storage & Organization | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

a curbside find i never knew i needed

May 2, 2012 by Lindsey T

Back in March, when my cousin came home from overseas, we headed out to the store to pick up some poster board so I could make big colorful signs to welcome him home. It was almost 9 pm and pitch black when my dear husband eye spied and amazing piece of furniture on the curb, just a few houses down from ours. There was another lady in her Volvo approaching the same piece so we had to act quick. He jumped out, gave it the once over and threw it in the back of the car. FREE. My favorite word in the whole world.

Let me tell ya though, this thing was in rough shape. But just the type of rough shape that I like. That’s some sort of oil stain on the top and I had to clean it, like scrub clean the whole thing, at least three times.

And there was definitely still some dirt that we just painted over and pretended it wasn’t happening. We both got splinters from this project too. Goes to show it was a good one. Al may or may not still have some wood in his hand.

After we really scrubbed it down, we sanded it. Kind of lightly, but very thoroughly. I also went around and made sure that it was all smooth and there were no more slivers sticking up.

I decided to go for a spray primer just to simplify the process. Though, more and more I’m leaning towards spray primer. It’s just so easy and clean and easy. We used a Rustoleum brand primer.

Al primed the whole thing and I made him wear a mask. That’s my new thing, mask wearing while spray painting. He fought me on it but I won. He primed and we let it sit for a bit before painting.

The paint was a free sample can that I got at an Ace Hardware. Whenever I have a free sample of paint I always go get it before it expires. I’ll usually get it in a neutral color because I know I can always use it for something. This one was Benjamin Moore’s Silver Half Dollar. Only problem with the samples is that it’s always a flat base, so I might add some sort of gloss to this when it’s done.

He gave it two nice smooth coats of paint, letting it dry in between and now I’m just letting it set for a bit before adding better knobs and putting it into place. I’m thrilled with the way it turned out and it’s going to be perfect in our living room.

And in case you were wondering, when we went to the store to get poster board they had none. So I used a card board box and the backside of wrapping paper for posters instead. But, I wasn’t even annoyed at the lack of poster board because all I could think of was my sweet piece of free furniture in my trunk!

Posted in Antique Finds, Furniture Upcycles, Storage & Organization | Tagged , , | 5 Comments »

Older Posts »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 49 other followers