Marble Floor Tile – Add luxury and beauty to your Home

Marble has always screamed elegance and fancy to me. I always dreamed of one day having a marble kitchen island top! Though I fear in our household it would be hard for us to upkeep I had a friend tell me were already living with hard to upkeep counters. She was right! Our butcher lock counters are durable and lovely however they stain very easily and we really must baby sit them a bit! Read the rest of the post »

7 Best Ways to Increase Home Value

Increasing the value of your home doesn’t actually have to be costly. Sweat equity in this case can go a LONG way actually. Just keeping the yard neat, picked up and trimmed can give an awesome first impression. A coat of paint can give a fresh new look to almost any space and the impression that a home was well taken care of which is huge for potential buyers. Read the rest of the post »

Make House Chores Easier With These 5 Useful Tips

Our every day chores Lodi and I tackle on a first come first serve basis: feed the animals, fill the bird feeders, wash the laundry / dishes and put away etc. But the weekly chores definitely get divvied up on what bothers us personally the most. Lodi vacuums and mops the whole house like once a week because he just can’t STAND dirty floors. I can’t handle clutter so I’m the one that’s getting everything in its place, put away and wiped down / dusted. The combination of the two means we have a minimalist house that gives us both peace. Chores are a lot easier when there aren’t a lot of them – keep on it every day and the task is easy, quick and small. Read the rest of the post »

6 Crucial Tips That Every Novice DIYer Couple Needs to Know

I never really had a partner here as a diy chick until I met Lodi and, let me tell you, it is a tremendous game changer. It also took a lot of getting used to! You don’t realize what kind of control freak you become until someone steps in to start helping and doing things around the house to. Lodi is such a tremendous worker that I’m going to have to start working out to make up for all the things that he’s doing that I no longer have too! Read the rest of the post »

9 Tips On How To Prep Your Backyard For Summer

OMG I am so excited to finally start seeing our backyard again! Literally one week again today we got over a FOOT of snow! But, its finally happening, the snow is melting and spring is literally on its way. I can’t wait to get out to our yard again and our new lower fire pit for grilled suppers and just plain old relaxing in the sun. Not to mention, I’m just a few weeks away from planting our garden which you guys know is one of my big life joys. Read the rest of the post »

Why You Should Start Your Own Garden

Oh how I’m looking forward to our vegetable garden. Currently I’m watching the “winter storm of the century” just beginning out my window with the promise of at least a foot of snow. UGH. Last summer I grew garden lettuce for the first time and (no joke) I ate lunch out of the garden at least two months strait! Admittedly I did get a little tired of lettuce lol but that did mean our little garden paid for itself many many times over! I can’t wait for dirt and lettuce and gardening again! Read the rest of the post »

The most beautiful Dahlia Bulbs to grow in your garden

Aw Dahlias! I’ve always wanted to grow them here at Grandma’s house but admittedly I’ve always been quite intimated by non-perennial flowers. Maybe I’m just lazy lol but I never looked forward to the idea of having to dig up all of my flower bulbs every fall and replant them every spring. I figured I’d stick with my peonies and lilies. But dahlias are such a lovely romantic flower maybe I might have to consider purchasing some dahlia bulbs this spring! Read the rest of the post »

Quick Tricks To Make Your Windows Look Bigger

Especially in older homes windows are often a commodity and making them look bigger can also make a space feel and look bigger. Lighter color curtains, curtains that expand beyond the windows or curtains that even span from ceiling to floor can really make a huge difference in the light of a room. Also curtains can balance out a window if it happens to not be exactly centered in a room too, making a space make more sense and it also gives the look of a bigger windows as well. Read the rest of the post »

5 Ways To Increase Home Security

Home security when you live out in the sticks like we do is a bit different then I think most people think about it when they consider how to make sure their home is safe. Around here we need to safe guard our homes from wild animals such as bear and even coyotes and cougers. The best home defense in our case is actually a dog! And though our senior little service dog Annie isn’t exactly a threat to anyone her big bark has scared off plenty of creatures that didn’t belong here. Read the rest of the post »

Elevate Your Entrance Hall With the Perfect Front Door

Our front doors are literally the first impression we get of our homes and I feel like people have been having a lot more fun with color over the last years then they ever have before. I love our front door and front screen door unfortunately though what I love about them is the problem. They’re really old! The screen door is on its last days the beautiful front door let’s in a lot of draft all winter long. Unfortunately to replace them we will have to have them custom made to fit the house which will cost a lot so… Someday we will have a new front door! Read the rest of the post »

Create Breathtaking Exterior Aesthetics – Home Renovations

As a kid I really didn’t appreciate how much I could appreciate having a beautiful exterior and outdoor space in our homes. Perhaps because I live so far north and end up trapped inside for a good four months every winter, it means I really appreciate our outside space just that much more. Our upper deck gives us another 700 square feet of living area and our new lower deck even more than that! Read the rest of the post »

Brush Away That Overwhelming Feeling To Complete House Tasks

Overwhelming could almost be the dictionary word with the description on how to describe any kind of house renovation lol. Just getting regular house tasks and chores done with no additional work done on the house can feel almost impossible. I’ve found for me to keep from getting overwhelmed I end up making a lot of lists breaking down every project into small, manageable, pieces. It means I am often crossing things off the list and the entire project feels a lot more doable. Read the rest of the post »

Exploring Different Styles for Decorating a Bedroom

Our bedrooms can be both practical but still lovely, decorating our bedroom last year was so much fun! I got to bring us both into the room and add a lot more fun and color. I really set down what I thought other people would like and strove, instead, to give us a space that WE loved because, frankly, we’re the only people who use our bedroom! A big quilt I got for a steel on Amazon and some really wonderful sheets were just the start of the transformation. Read the rest of the post »

Beat the Heat While Growing Your Garden!

With the next looming snow storm before us (and lows in the negative digits!) it sure is lovely to think about our vegetable and flower gardens. This is the time of year I think everyone who lives with a long winter starts really dreaming of spring and green and growing things. One year we had such extreme heat all of us gardeners had to learn when NOT to water because if its too hot you can hurt you’re plants by steaming them lol! Read the rest of the post »

How to Create a More Relaxing Home Environment

Our homes should be the place where, even after a terrible day, we can relax, unwind and heal. Relaxing is pretty much number one in my opinion when I think of what my home should offer me. Its easy to let a home feel like stress though. Letting it become cluttered or dirty is so easy to do especially after working all day. Oftentimes I’ll come home from work and just give myself a minute. Ignore the dirty dishes, the empty bird feeders, the piling up laundry and just take a moment to breathe and recharge before tackling the household chores. Read the rest of the post »

7 Simple Tips for Trash Disposal

Living out in the sticks where we are we don’t have a whole lot of options when it comes to trash disposal. I remember a lot of people burned when I was a kid (including my family) but I’m not even sure if that’s legal now. Of course there is always the ability to “rent” trash cans with a local removal service but that’s pretty expensive. I simply drive it into town and drop it at our local dump a couple times a week. I would love to get into composting but we’ve never had enough leftover to really start that and those scraps that we do have the squirrels and bunnies just love them!
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Best Mower and Lawn Care Tool: A Guide for Your Yard

Wow I cant wait to sit outside on my deck and watch Lodi maintain our lawn this summer lol. It is no secret that after mowing a golf course for ten years I really LOATHE the idea of getting back on a mower. Fortunately Lodi loves it! He has done so much for our yard over the years but he couldn’t have done it without countless really amazing tools. Read the rest of the post »

4 DIY Energy Saving Projects To Start The New Year

With winter here, and bills going through the roof because of the incredible cold we see here in Minnesota, its always a time when we start thinking of ways to save more energy. There are more inexpensive things that we can do just to help with the cold. Even really good energy saving windows we can cover with plastic to give us a whole other extra wind break. We still use our electric heat even though our pellet stove does the bulk of our home heating. With that in mind though I always add an extra layer before turning it up! Read the rest of the post »

Useful Guide to Preventative Maintenance To Save You Thousands

I remember reading a forum once about the craziest things auto shops had ever seen. Apparently there are way more people out there than you would think that have no idea that the oil in their car needs to be changed from time to time… Crazy. Maintenance on our homes is the same way. Want something to last? You have to take care of it and one of the biggest things I’ve found that most people skip are filters. Almost every appliance we’ve got in our homes has them and they NEED to be cleaned periodically! Read the rest of the post »

9 Home Upgrades and Improvements That Pay Off

There are so many fun and incredible upgrades and improvements we can do to our homes and, oftentimes, for not a huge amount of money! Something we’re really looking forward to this winter / spring is replacing our countertops. We’re going to buy butcher block because its very inexpensive but, even better, it is exactly what we want in our home! Read the rest of the post »

Exterior Tour: Ways To Make Your Home Stand Out

As the old saying goes that a home is never finished I absolutely feel that way for sure about the exterior lol. We’ve come a long way though what was an unfinished looking garage is not only finally complete now but is sporting a fancy third stall as well. I have to contribute the majority of it all to Lodi coming into my life though as I admit to often being a bit intimidated by ladder work which so often seems to be the only way to work on the outside of our house! Read the rest of the post »

7 Things to Do When Planning Your Dream Home

Planning a dream home has got to be up there of the top ten most exciting things in our adult lives. After you’ve lived (and struggled with the flaws) of a few homes you start even unconsciously getting ideas right away. More closet space? Absolutely! Lights in all of the closets because there can never be enough light? For real! An almost stupid amount of extra outlets and not in the middle of rooms where most furniture goes? Heck right! It is amazing what even small details in our homes can improve our lives so much. Read the rest of the post »

Innovative Ways to Upgrade Your Home

We’ve come a very LONG way in a very short time when it comes to saving energy and upgrading our homes around that idea. Insulation alone has changed dramatically over the past twenty years and I never once regretted spending a large chunk of my budget on spray foam insulation for this entire house. New windows are about 1000% more efficient now than they were twenty years ago as well and don’t even compare to windows from fifty years ago. Read the rest of the post »

Water cooler or water filter – which is the best way to go

Living this far outside of town for us means that we all have grown accustomed to living with a well meaning a lot of choose to put a main house water filter in. Sometimes its just a softening system but a lot of people do whole house filtration systems now. Some of them are designed to remove heavy metals, iron, calcium etc. I also know of a couple of people who weren’t able to get safe water to drink out of their wells and getting a water cooler turned into an awesome option for them! Read the rest of the post »

Improve The Aesthetic Of Your Garden Space

With winter approaching I am already missing our outdoor spaces and garden. It got dark at 5pm last night and me and Lodi just cuddled up on the couch together. In July we would have another six hours of daylight and would be hard pressed to go inside until 10:00pm on a nice night. It is what it is though when living this far north and, goodness knows, we have lots of indoor projects to keep us occupied this winter! Read the rest of the post »

How to Add Some Grandeur Feel to Your Bedroom

I think when people consider trying to create a graneur feel for their bedroom they automatically think its going to cost a lot. But I don’t think that needs to be the case at all! We just finished our own bedroom makeover and much of it was very inexpensive little tweaks. Things like hooks for our robes, a change up to our windows and new sheets cost very little but improved our bedroom so much! Read the rest of the post »

Promoting Your Own Mental Health

I feel its really common nowadays for us to take a day off of work to literally WORK on something else. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve taken a day off (and my coworkers too) just to get caught up on chores at home! Having this blog too means I pretty much use all of my vacation time and days off from my day job to work on this blog / projects on the house. Its almost impossible nowadays to do much more than work 40 hours a week, keep caught up on house chores, do anything else and manage to enjoy some free time too! Every now and again, simply for our own sanity, I think we all need to take a day off and give ourselves permission to do absolutely NOTHING. Read the rest of the post »

3 Reasons Your Home Needs Home Insurance

If you have a mortgage no bank will allow you to go without home insurance but, regardless, I can’t imagine forgoing it as disasters (both big and small) happen all the darn time. We got lucky this summer and only suffered a little bit of bent siding when we lost multiple trees over the course of the year. Read the rest of the post »

4 Tips For Redecorating Your Home On A Budget

I saw a fun tip from another blogger once when she was bored with her living room and wanted to do some redecorating. Instead of heading to the store first she headed to the rest of her house to go “shopping” at home! Moving furniture around, swapping lamps etc. can be a fun way to redecorate for free! Read the rest of the post »

What is giclee-printing and why you should give it a try

I had never head of giclee-printing before. Wow I wish we I had this option back in the day when I was working as a professional art photographer. Taking pictures of artwork was always a tricky business to get anything truly accurate to the print itself let alone getting it to print well. I’ll have to remember this option in the future though! Read the rest of the post »

Construction Draw Inspections and Why Are They Important?

I’ve never been in a situation that required draw inspections HOWEVER I’ve heard from several homeowners just how much they appreciated them though their contractors maybe didn’t necessarily quite as much. Inspections really ARE for the benefit and safety of the homeowner and having a bank insist on them would be ideal. Read the rest of the post »

6 Great Ideas That Make Life Easier at Home

Making life at home easier is pretty much one of my all time goals all of the time lol. Our house should work FOR us and make whatever we might be needing to get done that day easier no matter what! Just doing some purging, tackling closets and working on organization costs nothing but can go a long way in making our lives a lot saner! Read the rest of the post »

4 Home Renovation Ideas to Put the Spring Back in Your House’s Step

There are some wonderful ideas and resources out there for even the novice DIYer to give their whole home a face lift. All of the ideas generally start with paint as it is inexpensive, can make a MASSIVE difference, and just about anyone can get the hang of painting pretty quickly. Its also a petty easy thing to change if we happen to end up with a color in a room that doesn’t live up to our expectations! Read the rest of the post »

Top Tips for Building Equity in a Home

When it comes to equity in our homes and properties it actually benefits us greatly regardless on whether or not we’re planning on selling. For one thing it looks amazing on paper as the more what we own is worth (and the less we owe) the more appealing we are to lenders in the event that we may wish to borrow against said equity. Also it increases our credit scores as well! Read the rest of the post »

Simple Steps For Your Most Seamless House Move Yet

I think some people may not be entirely bothered by the stress of moving but I think the majority of us look back at it as something we NEVER want to do again if we can help it lol. Of course for most of us that is simply not going to be possible throughout our lifetimes. In fact most adults move over eleven times! I lived between two homes once but, all in, I’ve only ever actually moved twice to which I am very grateful for. This is our “forever” home as Lodi and I have no intention of going anywhere until well after retirement something we are both very relieved by. Read the rest of the post »

How to Get Your Home Ready for Sale

I find the criteria for getting a house ready for sale is actually my criteria for getting a house ready to live in lol. I can’t handle clutter in any way and Lodi is a clean freak for our place tends to be pretty clean and sparse – not always of course but we try hard! I’ve always found it to be such a tragedy that when folks get their houses ready for sale is when they finally get them really nice and do all the renovations, cleaning, decluttering etc. that they’ve been meaning to get to FOR THEMSELVES for years. Read the rest of the post »

4 Ways To Care For Your Things: Guide To Proper Maintenance

There is probably no better way to describe “frugal” than a person who knows how to take very very good care of what they already possess. Proper maintenance can give you a car that lasts ten years as opposed to a car that could break down within only a couple of years. Of course that’s true of just about everything! Even our relationships! If you take of things, they last! Read the rest of the post »

How to Prepare Your Home For a Natural Disaster

We live far enough north in the United states where a legitimate natural disaster is actually kind of rare. However, even here, it does happen and even this summer we saw 90 mile an hour straight line winds which is pretty serious! I never thought we would be in line for a wild fire either but just a few years ago we had pass by within just a couple of miles of our house. One thing I’ve always done is keep nothing on our computers or phones but have all of our pictures and important documents out on cloud servers instead. Besides that our passports, birth certificates etc. we keep in a safe so if some terrible did happen, we ‘re prepared! Read the rest of the post »

How to Design Your Backyard Into a Perfect Summer Hangout Spot

Getting the most of our outdoor space might be even more important to us here in north country because we’re stuck inside for six months out of year due to severe winter whether. Creating a great hangout spot in our backyard was (and will always be) a huge priority for us. Every year our backyard (and really our entire outdoor spaces) just keeps getting better and better. We absolutely adore our new lower pea gravel deck and spend a ton of time out there! Read the rest of the post »

How To Make The Most of Your Windows

They’ve come a really long way with windows over the last hundred years. I still have a few of the original windows from this house stashed to use in future projects but few of them lasted uninstallation due to them being so brittle. Nowadays windows are very thick and much safer to handle. New windows are an awesome investment for a home that is always a sure bet. Read the rest of the post »

Comprehensive Guide to Reducing Stress & Anxiety As a Professional

Stress and anxiety were at an all time high over the last few years and its really understandable. It was a rough one to put it lightly lol. I think we all learned in our own ways on how better to take one day at a time and to almost totally turn off the news. Not allowing outside factors, things we cannot change or control, to stress us out to the put of a break down. I don’t know how many times I told my dad to stop watching the news because I was worried about his heart! Read the rest of the post »

6 Reasons to Consider Popcorn Ceiling Removal

Ah the dreaded popcorn ceilings. I once spent an ungodly amount of hours removing popcorn from all the ceilings in a home I used to own. Messy. Awful. Experience. It was worth it though in the end as it absolutely improved the look of the whole home. I’m sure it won’t surprise anyone whose dealt with them though that we don’t have a single ceiling in this home that’s sheet rock lol. We opted for beadboard ceiling throughout and I remain totally in love with them! Read the rest of the post »

5 Tips for Better Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality is extremely important to our health. Many of us don’t even realize how much a home can cause allergies etc. Even cause us to sleep badly. We combat that by using either all natural cleaners or, almost exclusively just a combination of white vinegar and water for almost all of our cleaning needs. We also make our own dishwasher and laundry detergents which is huge for me as I have very sensitive skin. Plants also help keep the air in our home clean. Read the rest of the post »

Make your Bedroom Feel Extra Cozy and Warm with These Top Tips

A cozy space that makes a person want to burrow into it is absolutely what a bedroom should first offer us. Good bedding, sheets and big blankets are a great place to start but number one should be a good bed and pillow too! Outside noise and light blockers can be really important for some people to be able to get a good night’s sleep. We always have a fan running to help block out outside noise but there are many things a person can do to improve the cozy factor in a room! Read the rest of the post »

Get Inspired By Interior Styles from Around the World

I love how over the years social media and the internet have brought such gorgeous diversity and interior styles from around the globe right into our homes. Whenever I’m in a store that has hand painted Moroccan tiles I just HAVE to go and drool over them. Such color and talent – such beauty! I love the warmth of Italian interior styles as well – terracotta and sunlight is what it feels like to me and definitely influenced my buttery color choice in our living room! Read the rest of the post »

6 Challenges of Moving to a New State

Moving to a new home, let alone a new state, presents enormous challenges all on its own! I swore once I finally settled in here it would be my last move for many many years and Lodi said the same once we got him settled, finished the basement, and were able to fit all we owned cohesively together. Moving is just, plain an simple, a huge stressful headache that is often not something that can be done slowly but, somehow, always in a rush! Read the rest of the post »

Choosing A House That Aids Your Health

We don’t always necessarily think of our homes as being “healthy” for us but certainly it should be at the top of our priority list. I know living by a school would have me go postal but, on the other hand, if I had kids in said school that could be a lot of convenience thus making it a much healthier place for us to live. There are many things I would sacrifice to live for our health and that, obviously, includes convenience and location. For me its the perfect location but living out in the sticks is certainly not for everyone! Read the rest of the post »

9 Ways to a More Cost-Effective and Sustainable Life

Living a sustainable life has always been on my mind especially since I moved in here at Grandma’s house. Living in northern MN I never had any notion that I wouldn’t do all I could to support our local wildlife and nature. We live here in THEIR woods not the other way around in my opinion. Being a DIYer too really lends to a more sustainable lifestyle as we’re all about building, reusing, fixing and /or buying used whereas buying something new is always a last resort. Striving to be sustainable is alwso an amazing money saver in just about every way too – awesome perk! Read the rest of the post »

5 Ways to Prepare Your Landscape for Summer

We’re finally gearing up here for actual summer – nearly a month later with how crazy our weather has been! But this week its looking like we can finally get out in the yard and prepare our landscape for summer! Lodi already got our side by side and riding lawn mower in for all the maintenance they require for another year here of fun and yard maintenance. I got our magnetic screen doors installed and put away our electric waterer, replacing it with a bird bath with a solar fountain. There is a ton to do, as always, but we are so looking forward to it! Read the rest of the post »

How To Take Better Care Of Your Deck

Deck care and maintenance are a big part of making a big investment last as long as possible. Up here in northern MN we’re lucky to get ten years out of a deck even if its treated wood for outdoors. Once our own deck really starts to decay we’ll be replacing it with composite so we don’t have to worry about it near so much though that material is VERY expensive. In the meantime we do what we can to keep ours lasting as long as possible. We keep it swept and don’t use rugs or, if we do, we don’t leave them on the deck very long. Read the rest of the post »

Your Garden Deserves To Be The Best It Can Be

Summertime means for me that I can finally get back to my garden again! Every year I look forward to it and every year I understand more and more my Grandma who still kept a garden even when her health began to fade. The sanctuary that is our gardens is such an important healing place for me from spring until fall. I feel like I’m just a better person when I’m gardening! Read the rest of the post »

10 Tips To Remember When Buying Property

I’ve always wanted to buy a little more property. Not necessarily here attached to our current property but I always had an image of a wild little lake lot an hour or two north of here with little to no neighbors. Just a little spot I could mow down, maybe build a little outhouse on. And build a lean-to to put my tent and firewood under. Just an escape. I might have that little spot on my hopes for a LONG time considering the cost of property right now but I’ll always keep a look out! Read the rest of the post »

How to Beat Fatigue and Stay Energized All Day Long

I’ve read the joke on Facebook what must be a thousand times, “Now that I’m adult I am absolutely appalled by how many naps I passed up as a kid,” SO TRUE! My family has always been notoriously bad sleepers and not morning people at all but fatigue isn’t always physical. Sometimes we’re emotionally drained too. Day to day stress can cause enormous fatigue and eventually health problems as well. It is so important we eek out some time for ourselves in a place of peace so we can rest and heal every day. Read the rest of the post »

Home Renovation Projects You Can Do This Summer

Well after a full plate for us last summer with a garage addition, three concrete pours and an entire brand new lower pea gravel deck install, I am excited to say we have less projects this summer! To be fair though our plates do included GETTING MARRIED OMG and also a big reception out here later this summer so I think its safe to say our plates are quite full without including other huge summer projects! Read the rest of the post »

5 Tips to Reduce Allergens In Your Home

5 Tips to Reduce Allergens In Your Home. Though I know many people who suffer from seasonal allergies Lodi and I are both lucky to have never had much trouble. However, I do have major sensitive skin and will admit, since I switched long ago to homemade or all natural cleaners that just walking down the cleaning aisle at the grocery store will make my eyes water. I’ve had sensitive skin my whole life and it was what led me to making my own laundry soup and eventually just making my own everything because it saves so much money!
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4 Ways to Organize a Minimalist Space in Your Home

This spring for me has been ALL about organize and purge! Keeping a minimalist and yet also being able to organize it can be a challenge in and of itself honestly. Minimalizing means to keep less stuff however, we still all have and need quite a bit of said stuff. (And there is nothing wrong with keeping some things just because we love them.) I still think we can live a wonderfully minimalized lifetime and still keep things and stuff organized without adding any clutter!
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5 Bedroom Decoration Tips to Consider

5 Bedroom Decoration Tips to Consider. As far as decoration goes I think we primarily focus our time and energy on the more “public” spaces of our homes and tend to neglect those often not seen by others. Such as, our bedrooms. But neglecting our bedrooms I think its a huge mistake for our personal health and happiness. The current ongoing project here is our own master suite and I am just so thrilled we finally had to time to tackle it and make it our own safe haven this winter! Read the rest of the post »

How to Make your Home Look Better without Spending Much Money

Making a home look better and even overall just FEEL better doesn’t have to cost much or anything at all really! Sometimes we need to just pull all of the furniture out of a room, clean it top to bottom, and then change things up a bit by exchanging the furniture, pictures and art with others from around our homes. I read somewhere that they call us, “shopping at home” because we’re literally going around and grabbing things from other rooms. Just some rearranging can make a huge difference because, sometimes, we just need a little bit of a change! Read the rest of the post »

How to Minimize Your Air Conditioning Costs This Summer

Living this far north in the United states generally means we don’t have to worry TOO much about air conditioning. We’ve got a couple of “cool” things going for us at Grandma’s house. a DEEP very old basement that never gets above 60 degrees and massive tree cover that helps shade the house. Last year was a completely out of the ordinary summer where we didn’t just put in the big old window air conditioning unit in the dining room but also bought a smaller one for our master bedroom. Fingers crossed we don’t see insane heat like that again! Read the rest of the post »

9 Do’s And Don’ts Of Donating Items To Charity

We’ve got a couple of great places for donating in our small town. One of them is the local animal shelter that holds a HUGE garage sale twice a year of all of the donations from locals. Its an absolutely wonderful way to contribute especially when contributing cash isn’t an option. Another thing I always urge people is to contribute by signing up for smile.amazon.com – every purchase you make Amazon gives a donation to your selected charity. Read the rest of the post »

7 Tips To Fight Off Dark Rooms

Honestly I feel like our whole house is a north facing room lol Of course that’s not true or even possible but with our incredible amount of beautiful towering trees around us it does mean much of our house is dark. I adore our trees. I hate that we don’t get a lot of light in our home. One thing that has helped me besides paint, light etc. is also changing up my thinking about it too. Dark can mean cramped and cave-like but it can also mean snug and cozy! Read the rest of the post »

Helpful Hacks For Decluttering

Lodi and I have very complimentary OCD traits. He’s all about keeping things clean and neat and I’m all about decluttering, purging and making a place for everything and getting everything into its place. They are most definitely not the same lol Lodi is happy if the pens on the counter are clean and lined up – I’m furious that the pens are on the counter at all and not where we keep our pens. They do compliment each other very well though as neither one of us can stand disorganization and whereas he can’t stand the floors being dirty on the other hand I can’t stand the bathrooms being grimy. It ends up that I think we’re both living in a far neater home than we had ever expected as adults! Read the rest of the post »

How To Pick The Ideal Gifts For Your Friends

Picking good gifts for people I find is a lot more enjoyable than receiving gifts now that I’m a little older. One thing that’s helped me a lot is the Idea lists part of Amazon. There are really only two holidays for gift exchanges in my family which is birthdays and xmas so, throughout the year, I drop gift ideas on their lists on my Amazon account so I don’t forget! Its made me a far better gift giver! Read the rest of the post »

10 Backyard Renovation Tips that Will Make Your Jaw Drop

Aw the backyard, basically my favorite place in the world when the weather is nice. Our old barn is still guarding our home though her roof caved in a couple of years back. We still love her though and the view she provides of olden times. We did a lot to our backyard last year, putting in a new lower deck and new fire pit that I am absolutely DYING to get out and enjoy once we finally lose all of this snow! Read the rest of the post »

3 Simple Preparations To Make Before Renovating Your Home

Renovating a house is both terrifying, thrilling and, can be, SO MUCH WORK. I have found though there is almost no work more worth it or that I enjoy more. I always commented on what a shame I think it is when I hear folks fix up their homes and make them nice just to sell them! Shouldn’t we be making our homes nice for us? And just a little renovating can make a HUGE difference! Read the rest of the post »

3 Tips For Moving Quickly

I feel very very fortunate that the last time Lodi and I both moved will very likely be one of the last times we ever move in our lives. Moving is such an enormous job! When I mom moved house we rented a Uhaul even though she was only moving one mile down the road. It saved us countless trips and was completely worth the money. At the time I was in the middle of working on this house
and living with her so the majority of my stuff just went into the garage at the time. Read the rest of the post »

The Benefits of Using Ducted Air Conditioning in Your Home

Depending on tree cover and insulation where we live air conditioning is now always necessary. I lived here for years having only to suffer through a hand full of days in the summers when the rest of the time a fan and some windows open would do the trick. However, last year was our breaking point. Not only did we have to put our big old air conditioner in we also bought another, smaller one, for our second floor. My gosh would ducted air conditioning have been welcome last year – so hope we don’t see another blistering summer like that one again! Read the rest of the post »

How to Create a Charming Outdoor Seating Area

We have several little nooks and crannies that give us a wonderful outdoor seating area here at Grandma’s house. Though we have a ton of outdoor space, not just as decks, but throughout the farm, I try to create cozy places to sit for just a couple of people. Comfy chairs, maybe a place to put up our feet and a spot to set a drink are mandatory. As for me, its also really important that the seating area gets some sunshine at least part of the day too! Read the rest of the post »

Tips for Soundproofing Your Bedroom

Its interesting what we all get used to when it comes to sound while we sleep. Once I owned a house in town and for months the road noise and sound of the train woke me up at night. But, eventually, it got so I had trouble sleeping without it! Now, back out in the country, I can’t imagine trying to get back to sleeping with so much noise again. Soundproofing this home started with spray foam insulation and it provided a wonderfully quiet place to sleep upstairs for us. But there are a lot of other things that can be done for a quiet space! Read the rest of the post »

3 Easy Ways to Unclog Your Shower Drain

Shower drains are notorious for getting clogged up with hair and, having very long hair myself, I’ve dealt with it many times. They make little “hair catchers” just to help with this situation but oftentimes they only help so much and eventually the drain needs to be completely cleaned out. Its an icky job but there are other options besides the old coat hanger technique. Read the rest of the post »

5 Ideas for a Sustainable Approach to a DIY Home Makeover

Doing just about anything in a sustainable way these days has become easier and easier by the year. In fact, I think its just an awesome truth now that we’ve all adopted and are moving forward in a greener and more sustainable way of thinking. Reuse, refinish, upcycle and DIY instead of buying new is totally our way of life here and I love that we’re all starting to adopt that mind set. If, for no other reason, than to save a lot of money along the way! Read the rest of the post »

The Easiest Way to Repair Furniture and Add New Life to Your Home

It often doesn’t take very much time (or money) to repair a piece of furniture that often times would have otherwise been discarded. I’m a bit of a purest so I do tend to take the road less traveled and the much harder route when repairing furniture myself. Though, honestly, even the way I’ve gone in the past doing a full stripping, standing, staining and sealing to save an old piece, is still a very doable project for just about anyone. However, oftentimes, a coat of paint and a good sealer is all that’s required to bring new life to what otherwise would be a wore out piece! Read the rest of the post »

The Importance of Sleep: How Getting Enough Can Benefit Your Health

This is not the first nor will it be the last post I share about how important sleep is. I’ve been surrounded my entire life by people who were either unable to sleep, were terrible sleepers or simply didn’t have time to sleep and it has proven over and over again to be absolutely horrible for their health. I come by being terrible at sleep straight up genetically – everyone on my dad’s side of the family has trouble sleeping. Combine that with numerous sports injuries and to say I’m basically obsessed with finding a way to sleep well every night is an understatement! Read the rest of the post »

Seven Ways To Flood-Proof Your House

Generally where we live here in northern Minnesota dealing wit ha flood situation is the last possible problem we could have. HOWEVER, every great now and again, we see so much snow in the winter and such a freak warm up that all several feet of it melts at once. Leaving most of our basements with water in them no matter what we do! This is something I’m rather concerned about this year actually. We have at least four feet of snow on the ground and in no less than four days a high tempt of over forty degrees! Read the rest of the post »

Businesses You Can Start from Home

My mom has owned her own business my entire life so the idea of “doing it yourself” has certainly not been a foreign concept to me. But I think this really came to the for front for a lot of americans due to covid. People starting side hustles, figuring out how to work from own and starting their businesses I bet is up by a lot! My dream, ever since I started this blog, was for someday become a full time stay at home blogger. Every year I get closer to that mile stone and wow how exciting is that?! Read the rest of the post »

3 Tips to Create a Dedicated Hot Drink Brewing Station in Your Home

We are definite coffee drinkers in our family and a special station just for drinks (especially coffee) has always been on our wishlist. Currently we have a spot on our countertop but, I admit, I’ve always wanted to convert our old hutch (somehow) to a fabulous little brewing station! We have a kuerig and pot brewer and I often use the reusable keurig cups because k cups can be so bad for the environment! Read the rest of the post »

What You Need to Look for in a Coffee Machine

We have a little kuerig / pot coffee machine that we use DAILY. Anyone who knows me also knows that I run on coffee lol. I love it! And I even consider myself a “real” coffee drinker because I absolutely prefer it black. I cant stand sugar or cream in my coffee though I certainly wouldn’t turn my nose up to a lovely vanilla cappuccino. Lodi, the sweetheart that he is, gets me a cup ready to brew every morning before he heads to work so I have something wonderful to look forward to! Read the rest of the post »

Fixing Leaks Around The Home

Leaks are probably one of the biggest most damaging deals when it comes to being a homeowner. Hidden leaks behind vanities, behind walls etc. can literally cause thousands of dollars worth of damage before its even discovered. A couple of years ago (and maybe this year too) we had such an ice damn up on our roof from months of sever weather that, when it all melted at once, actually caused a leak in our workshop. Of course I initially panicked but, fortunately in that case, it was just the force of all that ice and snow and not something permanent – nor did it cause any permanent damage. Read the rest of the post »

Extravagant Home Upgrades That Make You Feel like a Millionaire

One wonderful thing about us Do-It-Yourself’s is that we can often afford far nicer upgrades to our homes because we can do the work ourselves. Right now over HALF (at least) of the cost of home improvement projects comes from labor and carpenter fees. A  good example for us here at Grandma’s house is my favorite upgrade ever: Our double slipper bathtub. It makes me feel so special and spoiled every day I see it and every time we get to enjoy it. Read the rest of the post »

3 Areas to Place Your Desk Lamp for Optimal Lighting

Indirect lighting is really important for anyone who does a lot of work on a computer screen to help avoid eye fatigue etc. I love my little desk lamp that we keep by my computer, it helps gives my eyes a break and lets me turn the brightness down on my monitor. It makes a HUGE difference. Not just the lamp itself though but soft glow bulbs can help a lot as well. There’s a lot more options out there these days!

Read the rest of the post »

Avoiding Burnout When Working on a Big Project

Some projects just feel endless and sometimes it seems like no matter what you do something is going to go wrong making it extremely hard to stay motivated. Our garage addition this summer took over 7 months because of countless set backs and unforeseeable difficulties. We were fully into burnout. In fact, I would say, we were BEYOND burnout. My tip for staying motivated is pretty terrible actually – just keep working on it. We all have a tract record of getting things done and getting through tough times. I remind myself to put my head down, put my boots on and just proceed. Even if it is just one tiny little step at a time it is still progress and the project will eventually get done.

Read the rest of the post »

3 Home Repairs You Should Leave to a Professional

As you guys know we’re pretty hard core around here but there are some things (such as repairs) that I will always leave to the professionals. Sometimes its not because we can’t handle it sometimes it is, honestly, because we don’t WANT to lol. In the case of installing our new garage door I just held up my hands and opted right on out of that one. Those things can not only be dangerous but can also be VERY difficult to get right. Read the rest of the post »

Keep Your Furnace In Great Condition: Tips for Tune-Ups and Maintenance

When you live this far north and regularly see -40 degrees in the winter time there is almost nothing more important than making absolutely certain that your furnace is in good shape! My mom got into the habit when we were kids of keeping a dry erase board by the front door. On it was all the basic annual / yearly and / or monthly maintenance or chores that had to be completed. That included the furnace and propane tanks etc. Every single one of them included a date and check mark beside it. If it needs maintenance she erases the date until she gets it done. So impressive and so organized! Read the rest of the post »

4 Home Renovations to Take on Before Selling

I’ve always thought it was kind of sad that we tend to make our home’s the nicest and do the best renovations right before we sell it lol and not for ourselves when we’re living there! Regardless though there are a few things and renovations that we can do that certainly improves the value and marketability of our homes! Read the rest of the post »

A Buying Guide of portable LED work Light Power Bank in 2021

Wow how far we’ve come just in the last few years when it comes to lighting and LED work lights. I remember putting up terrible (though very expensive) work lights when renovating this house. They were extremely HOT and didn’t last long to the point where I just gave up and purchase a little lamp for my head and I literally did half the work in this house like that. Me with a flashlight on my head lol. LEDs have come so far now even I put a blog post all about the ones I purchased for our garage. Lodi even put one in the basement to do a project when he needed decent light. Read the rest of the post »

A Beginner’s Guide to Model Building

Wow this post took me WAY back to my childhood. You probably won’t be surprised that though I didn’t quite dip into full model building as a child I was still absolutely a builder! From Legos to Lincoln logs I was not your normal girl lol. This post intrigues me though and I wonder if I have the time to perhaps look into it! It certainly sounds and looks like a lot of fun 🙂 Read the rest of the post »

Common Roofing Problems

Roofing problems simply comes with the territory of being a homeowner. Even a small leak can cause ENORMOUS amount of damage which is why I had all of the singles replaced that needed it (by professional) when I first started work on Grandma’s house. Since then though, knowing someday all shingles will need to be replaced, Lodi and I will probably cover the entire roof with steel ourselves. Unfortunately there is one draw back to steel though. Everyone I know who has a steel roof really struggles with their cell phone signal when inside. That’s a bummer but I believe a maintenance free roof would be totally work it! Read the rest of the post »

Home Accessories You Should Never DIY for Luxury and Style

Home accessories are one of the best parts of decorating and designing rooms! I don’t totally agree with everything on this list but after trying to DIY more than one lampshade and, considering how inexpensive they are, I resoundingly agree with that one! Mirrors can be very expensive but very difficult to literally DIY ourselves. Blankets can be made of course but I am reminded of the insanely soft throw that Lodi purchased for me for Xmas and I just have no idea how it would even be possible to DIY such a wonderful accessory! Read the rest of the post »

12 Home Improvement Chores For 2022

Home chores don’t always have to feel like a chore! There is something about the new year that always gets me motivated and excited again for improvements on our property and in our home. As the year wanes everything does begin to feel a bit like a chore but, one thing about our long winters, by the time spring comes around I am totally excited and ready to go again! Read the rest of the post »

Buying Furniture vs Building Your Own: Things To Consider

Many of you know I’ve built quite a bit of our furniture here and there around Grandma’s house. Especially (mostly) outside as outdoor furniture is very expensive and I happened to have material left over from when I built our deck. I put in a full wrap around bench, a table, two end tables, a coffee table and two sun loungers all of which have served us well for years. Beyond that though the few pieces I have purchased for the home generally came from thrift stores etc. and I was able to fully refinish them (or modify them) to get what we wanted which is a great option if building your own furniture isn’t something you wish to tackle. Read the rest of the post »

Flooring Options to Boost Your Home Value

There is just an incredible amount of flooring options out there these days. I helped my boss pick out a linoleum for a little renovation they did at my day job. I was stunned at the quality and beauty of what we saw. Oftentimes its mistaken for real tile even though it was just sheet vinyl. Very impressive! I our home we have almost nothing but wood floors throughout and I wouldn’t have it any other way! Read the rest of the post »

5 Ways To Make Your Home More Personal

Bringing our own character and personal details into our homes can be so much fun! I’ve maintained consistently with Grandma’s house that its possible for our homes to reflect us while also still remaining true to the home we’re living in. In our case a 100 year old farmhouse is the palette we had to start with and its very important to me that somehow I find a way to make it our own but remain true to it. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a custom home for us with all of our character shining bright! Read the rest of the post »

4 Fresh Ways to Remodel and Recreate Your Bedroom

I’m so excited to to start working on our second floor now to recreate our own bedroom! There are many small things that can make a huge difference in a space. New bedding, a fresh coat of paint, maybe some new curtains and accessories. I love going “shopping” in our house and switching things around – makes for a free refresh of a space! I think our bedrooms, above all of the rooms in our homes. A good nights sleep is mandatory for our health and well being and that starts with a personal space that totally caters to each of us. Read the rest of the post »

Top Mold Growth Prevention Tips

Mold prevention is very important when it comes to maintaining a healthy home. We have little temperature gauges on every floor of our house that also includes a humidity level indicator. (These are the ones I picked up from Amazon.) They work great and their battery life literally lasts for years. Earlier this year our basement hit over 50% humidity so we immediately picked up a dehumidifier from Amazon. Not just to combat mold but damp environments are also really hard on furniture etc. Read the rest of the post »

Professionals Who Should Be Brought on When Planning a Party at Home

This article has me dreaming already of the parties we might have here at our place next summer! It took us dang near all of our decent weather to finally finish our new lower deck and fire pit. Just can’t wait to actually appreciate them and use them. A party might just be in order next spring or summer to celebrate all that we managed to accomplish this year! Read the rest of the post »

Fun Ways To Add Personality To Your Home

A beautiful well designed home is one thing but I really believe it can still be gorgeous but also reflect our personality and characters. Favorite books, paintings, pictures of our families can be a wonderful way to add design and character. I love the idea of “shopping” around our own homes for new and fun things to use as décor pieces! Frankly, I think all the things that we love and keepsakes we’ve held on to through the years should be out so we can enjoy them every day. Read the rest of the post »

How to create patterns to play with your bedroom furniture design

Making a cut out pattern to help with bedroom design. Wow this post really took me back to my childhood! My mom used to purchase drafting paper just so she could do exactly this! She would designate each square a measurement (such as a foot) and then draw out the rooms dimensions and then cut out the furniture so she could move it around the room. I remember watching her and thinking it was so cool and fun! Read the rest of the post »

4 Ideas to Upgrade Your Outdoor Space

Our new lower deck and fire pit area are already my favorite outdoor space that we have and we barely had the chance to enjoy it before the weather turned cold this year! But I look forward to it for many years to come along with out main deck which is pretty much where you’ll always find me when the weather is nice. Especially living in a place that has such long winters I think making sure we have spaces outside to expand our living area when the weather makes it possible is really important. Read the rest of the post »

Get a Modern Farmhouse Look in Your Home

I like to think of our home as having a modern farmhouse look. Personally I am very drawn to clean modern spaces – uncluttered and spacious. I think we’ve still managed to achieve that here without  going overboard and, more importantly, while still remaining true to the heart of a 100 year old farmhouse. Beautiful but comfortable, sleek but in no way pretentious. I really is my very favorite look in interior design. Read the rest of the post »

Is Your Garden Ready For Winter?

Is Your Garden Ready For Winter? Well up here in northern MN its too late in the year to worry about getting our gardens ready for winter lol Winter is here! So, hopefully, we got all we needed done before the weather turned. I certainly had some chores to deal with but, mostly, I did get them all done. I got all our outdoor furniture put up, did a little garden cleaning and prepped our deck so it can be easily shoveled off.  I was thinking I would try to get an overhang built off of the garage above the side door but that just may or may not happen until next year! Read the rest of the post »

How to Transform your Garden

Transform your garden. I love our outdoor areas we’ve created here at our home. We have a great deck and now we also have a new lower deck and fire pit that we put in this past summer. We didn’t get to use it much this year but I really look forward to it next year! One thing that added a ton to it was the café string lighting we added! A garden / back yard can literally add square footage to your home when the weather is nice. Read the rest of the post »

A Guide For Buying Your First Ever Home

Most of you guys probably don’t know that Grandma’s house was not technically my first home. Its complicated but my first home purchase was actually a fixer upper when I was 19. I was young and stupid lol and made the purchase with someone who turned out to not be all that honest or reliable. I got through it though (or ‘out of it’ might be a better way of putting it) before he completely destroyed my credit. It was a hard but good lesson for me and would be my absolute number one tip for first time home buyers. If you’re doing this with some one else… be absolutely sure of them. I would say never do it if their credit isn’t at least as good as yours etc. Read the rest of the post »

DIY Storage Solutions For Tiny Spaces

Though we have all of 2,000 square feet here at Grandma’s house Lodi and I are no strangers to finding storage in tiny spaces. Open floor plans are wonderful but where do you put anything?! One thing we are fortunate to have (and its still in good shape despite being untouched for decades) is an old well house that we plan on tackling soon for wall to wall shelving and storage. That will help us so much for giving us more storage in the rest of our home! Our own tiny bathroom is a good example where I needed to get very creative to give us any kind of storage! Read the rest of the post »

Motivate Yourself With These Top Tips

Figuring out how to motivate yourself can be a real challenge sometimes. I’ve been known to make such a mess that my OCD forces me to complete a project. Whatever works I guess lol I’ve always said though that no matter how long a project lasts and just feels like you can’t get motivated to tackle it to TAKE A BREAK for a little bit. And always remember to keep your eye on the prize which is usually a wonderful feel of accomplishment and generally something you will love for years! Read the rest of the post »

What Causes Stress When Moving Homes?

I’m not sure if I would call moving as stressful as the divorce I once went through but it absolutely is right up there was something I never want to have to do again. Moving to a new location generally includes also having to work full time on top of it which, between that and our daily chores and lives, will put an enormous strain on anyone. And isn’t it just also always feel like when you’re moving there’s this huge deadline hanging over your head and you just can’t move fast enough? Read the rest of the post »

First-Time Home Buyers: 6 Ways to Avoid Getting Ripped Off

First-time home buyers. Buying a house can be scary and daunting especially for the first time. For most of us our homes will be the largest purchase we make in our lifetimes. Still though it will often be a wonderful and gratifying moment for us giving us the feeling of finally “making it”. Purchasing a home requires decent credit and, often, a down payment proving we can truly be responsible adults. But that doesn’t change that it can also be a very scary moment! Read the rest of the post »

Why Gardening Is Good For Your Home And For You

I used to joke that gardening helped keep me out of trouble but, seriously, when its harvest time a couple of times a week and then pickling and preserving etc. Gardening can be a big time consuming job! That being said though I also believe it is one of the best of jobs. Its nourishing for every part of me just like this article says: Mind, body and soul! Having a garden might be a lot of work but the benefits are so many! Read the rest of the post »

Keen To Go Green

I was really pleasantly surprised by how much our lives improved when we decided to “go green” with several areas of our household. My choice to start making all of our household cleaners, laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent were, initially, because of my own allergies. But to find out how much money it saved us too was a double whammy! There are MANY easy ways to go more green in our homes than I think many of us realize! Read the rest of the post »

Three simple tips to vacuum more efficiently around the home

Two things I am just not good at: Vacuuming and mowing the lawn. Fortunately Lodi excels (and even seems to enjoy) both things! I don’t mind vacuuming honestly I’m just not as good at staying on top of our floors as he is. We have different forms of OCD honestly lol I can’t stand dust and clutter and Lodi can’t stand dirty floors so it really works out! We have two vacuum cleaners now a little hand help battery operated one that’s great for the couches and smaller jobs and Lodi got a big one to do all of the floors about once a week. Read the rest of the post »

5 Online Security Tips Your Family Should Know

Security is a huge importance at my day job in IT and server management. We’re not a huge company by any means but we are constantly storing the personal data of hundreds of individuals. With Covid and the push to move so much more of our work online and “non contact” it became an even larger situation than it had been back in 2019. Already with a job in internet security (not to mention this blog and the other websites I host) I was already changing every single password of mine AT LEAST once a month. When I told one of my co workers that she said I was crazy lol but, seriously, no one should have passwords older than a few weeks! Read the rest of the post »

How to Stay Connected to Your Crafting Community Online

Crafting Communities. Finding ways to be social changed a lot for many people over the last couple of years. Though I think many of us have started reaching out more now that things have “loosened” up a bit in the United states I actually can’t see going back to the normal we were used to before quarantine. Its funny but its totally true, many of us realized how often a meeting could have been an email and there’s no going back now! To be able to join a fun and great crafting community and even make life long friends from our living rooms is pretty awesome! Read the rest of the post »

How To Install A Sump Pump

Most of you know that I ran all of the plumbing for this home after I gutted it back in 2014. Though plumbing is pretty basic (water runs downhill we all know that lol) I also really hate it. I much preferred running the electrical over running all the drain, vent and water lines for this home. The sump pump in the basement was a HUGE stresser for me. I had never installed one before and I over thought myself into almost a panic about it. But, just like this article this sump pumps are not complicated and it was amazingly easy when I finally went to install ours! Read the rest of the post »

Who needs a house cleaner?

I think we all deserve a house cleaner lol! I dream of the day where, not only can we afford it, but I’m not so frugal that I would actually give us such a treat as getting our house cleaned once a month. But… currently… I just can’t do it! This article has a wonderful idea / notion of hiring a company to clean a friend / relatives house as a gift. What an amazing gift OMG especially for first time mom’s etc! Read the rest of the post »

5 Easy DIY Tips to Improve Your Home

There are so many easy and fun ways to improve our homes! Paint is a big one that is easy to “fix” if it doesn’t turn out like we hoped. We can replaced or even build our own furniture pretty inexpensively. If it wasn’t an heirloom here than we either built it or picked up up at a thrift store or yard sale! Another great tip to improve our homes really NOT permanently is accessorizing with fun and bold colors! Read the rest of the post »

Four Things To Be Aware Of When Buying A House

The truth is buying a house will be the largest purchase most of us will make in our entire lives. Most younger folks don’t realize that, just because they can afford the base mortgage payment that generally doesn’t include extra costs such as, if you escrow, it then includes your house insurance and your real estate taxes. And, nowadays, a “set” interest rate actually doesn’t exist. Right now over HALF of our mortgage payment doesn’t even go against the principle of the home, that just covers everything else. So there are a lot of things to remember, especially when buying your first house! Not to mention closing costs, it all adds up FAST. Read the rest of the post »

Getting Your Waterside Home Ready for Winter: 5 Top Tips

Getting a waterside home ready for the winter! Though we may live about as far from the ocean as it gets (quite literally in the center of the continent) we are also the land of 10,000 lakes. At least half of my friends and family live on the water! There is a lot of maintenance to a lake (or seaside) home though oftentimes not really considered until you get there. I think its totally worth it though and have always dreamed of one day having a little river cabin! Read the rest of the post »

The 5 Key Risks of DIY Heater Repair

I hate furnaces – you certainly will not find me suggesting that I could repair one! I know that sounds SO bizarre. Just about everyone I know has either an electric or gas furnace. And just about everyone I know has had that furnace “go out” and have to be relit on more than one occasion. And I’ve heard WAY too many horror stories of this happening in the dead of winter… when they were gone on vacation to return to a frozen home with busted pipes. With all that being said we don’t have a furnace lol we have a pellet stove and electric heaters. If the electricity goes out we don’t have heat but that would also be true of most furnaces as well. Even re lighting furnaces makes me nervous so I totally agree with the following article!

Read the rest of the post »

DIY Solutions To Protect Your Home From Water Damage

Water can be one of the fastest most damaging things to a home. Gutters are mandatory in many regions though with our deep eves we haven’t need to add many except for in a few specific places. We’re also fortunate to live on a bit of a hill and, with very sandy soil in our area, water damage is not something we had to be terribly worried about. HOWEVER, living in northern MN, we do need to worry about ice damns on our roof and years when we get a lot of snow the run off from that as well. Read the rest of the post »

How To Make Small Windows Look Bigger

Our house is not at all lacking windows in fact we’re almost lacking wall space because I added so many windows in an attempt to give this dark home as much light as possible. North country Minnesota can almost feel claustrophobic with the amount of pine trees most of us are nestled in. Its a wonderful problem to have and so much of why people love to live here. However, it can leave a home so shaded that you can miss the light. Adding many windows and making them look as large as possible can help a lot! Read the rest of the post »

DIY Mailboxes That Will Make Your Driveway Happy

Mailboxes can be SO much fun! I love all the DIYs I’ve seen on Pinterest over the years. My Grandma had a real thing for loons (our state bird) so, of course, she had herself a loon mailbox! Unfortunately with where we live so far out in the sticks we don’t have many options to be able to really make our mailbox too much fun as it is almost certainly going to be hit by the plow a few times every winter… I did have some fun saving my Grandparents’ old mailbox though and upcycling it into our garden this spring! Read the rest of the post »

Selecting A Living Room Set That Lasts

I couldn’t believe it a couple of years ago when, not only could I afford a new living room set, I could finally for the first time ever, pick a new one out just for myself! I chose Amazon because of the affordability factor and also the drop off factor. I certainly did not have the ability to haul a whole living room sofa in my Honda! It was a great day for me as an “adult” and single gal. Read the rest of the post »

Want To Add A Natural Touch To Your House? Read These Tips!

I love the idea of adding plants to create natural elements and feelings in a home but some of these tips take it even further. Who doesn’t love bay windows? My mom has me currently designing here dream house and one of her absolute MUST haves was a large, east facing, bay window. Inside the bay (that would be flooded with morning light) she’ll be putting a small table to enjoy the morning with her coffee. Read the rest of the post »

Natural Disasters, Save Your Home From The Devastationdisaster,

Fortunately for us up in here in northern MN we don’t have a ton of natural disasters to worry about. Though I will say we’ve had a tornado touch down twice in my life here and a wild fire came within just a couple of miles of home a few years back. I digress, every single year I see this meme one facebook when its about -40 degrees outside, “At least we don’t have a hurricanes!” Yeah, well, – 40 degrees is incredibly deadly too but we build for it because it is what it is and it is absolutely certain we’ll see it every winter! Read the rest of the post »

Roof Maintenance, Home Renovation When You Retire

Whether you’re retired or not the roof is literally the most important thing to maintain in our home. Or, at least in my opinion it is! Without a stable roof and enormous amount of damage can be done from top to bottom in a home. There are many alternatives too if 30 year shingles (and the maintenance) aren’t getting old. Steel has become really popular around here and, honestly, once our own shingles need replacement I think that’s the way we’re go too! Read the rest of the post »

Home Improvement Tips To Spice Up Your Kitchen

I think the kitchen remains one of my favorite rooms in our house. Years ago I built all of the cabinets custom to just our needs and they are a little different for sure, but they offer us an incredible amount of storage! The kitchen build was one of the rooms I was most nervous about in the house and, understandable, as the kitchen is without a doubt the most complication when in comes to renovation! There’s a lot of improvements that can be made though without starting from scratch. Many kitchen can benefit hugely simply from a new coat of paint! Read the rest of the post »

Plumbing Issues to Solve Before a Home Renovation

Aw the dreaded “plumbing issues” I at least knew what I was getting into with our 100 year old farm house. It was a complete gut – all the plumbing had to go. Knowing that helped a lot of course but many home owners begin a renovation to realize the bit off a lot more than they bargained for as opening up the walls reveals leaks, issues etc. Fortunately, though there is always the chance of flooding your house, most plumbing is not all that complicated. Read the rest of the post »

Taking The Stress Out Of Moving Home

Every time I’ve helped someone move I always dove into the kitchen first because I know (we all know) that moving the kitchen is the biggest stress and practically half the house! Just one cabinet at a time, one box at a time and the refrigerator last and I always bring our two biggest coolers because almost NO ONE has enough coolers to handle their entire refrigerator and cooler! The last person I helped move was in the winter and that was awful except, it was great for moving all of their frozen and refrigerator items! Read the rest of the post »

Moving Tips and Tricks Everyone Should Know

I was really fortunate to end up where I’m at at such a young age as I’ve only moved twice. I know many people in their 30s who have moved countless times and wow is moving a stressful, labor intensive, experience. The big move was when my Mom downsized and I was so fortunate to have built my garage at that point so I had a place for all of my own stuff as I was right in the middle of the renovation here at the time and staying with her until I could move in here. Though it was only down the road she made the decision to rent a U-Haul anyway and it was absolutely the best tip I could give anyone. Its worth it to be able to do two or three trips with one big truck instead of countless others in other vehicles. Read the rest of the post »

4 Ways to Modernize Your Home On A Budget

You don’t always think of modern when you hear of an old home even after its been remodeled. However, I really think you can modernize your spaces and still keep all of the old charm. I think I managed that pretty well in our entryway remodel with the bold colors and clean lines. Oftentimes I think decluttering can be an totally free way to add a modern feel to a classic space! Read the rest of the post »

Renovating an Old Home? What You Need to Know About Lead Poisoning

In any older home lead is a serious concern. When we gutted this home I knew we would have to go all of the way to get as much of the old finishes out of here as we could. We protected ourselves with thick gloves, fully covered our bodies and were completely masked when we did it but, still, lead poisoning is a very scary thing that needs to be taken seriously. Read the rest of the post »

Common DIY Home Repair Mistakes To Avoid

One tip I always give DIYers to help them avoid mistakes is to call the experts for some advice. I’ve never once not received great advice just by calling a local professional – they all seem happy to help and, if they can’t help or need to look at it, they’ll be honest about that too. Everything is certainly fixable but to avoid the mistakes in the first place is definitely the goal! Read the rest of the post »

Want to Decorate Your Garden? Use This DIY Wreath Guide

A wreath can really dress up just about anywhere and they can be as complex or as simple as we choose to make them. My favorites are the tulip wreaths we often see on DIY blogs this time of the year – spring is just tulip season and they are one of my favorite flowers. I made pine cone wreaths a few years ago with red bows for Xmas decorations and they still look great all these years later! I also made a wreath for my best friend out of some of her birthday decorations! Read the rest of the post »

5 Ways to Get Your Outdoor Spaces Ready For Summer

This was such a long spring it felt like Lodi and I were getting our outdoor spaces “ready” for summer for weeks! Finally though the weather turned and we were really able to enjoy our outdoor spaces this last weekend. Its time to get moving now for real. Time to plant the garden, ready the flower beds and chop wood for our fire pit. What a perfectly wonderful time of the year! Read the rest of the post »

Walls Feeling a Bit Empty? Here Are Some Great Ways To Decorate!

Large blank walls can be a bit intimidating to decorate that’s for sure! I love the new ideas of using old windows and canvas prints to cover large spans as well as also using unique paint techniques! Here we’ve used everything from old windows to my Grandma’s heirloom quilt to spruce up our living room’s big walls but there are so many other fun and interesting ways to decorate. Read the rest of the post »

Renovating a Home? Here Are 3 Reasons You Need Home Air Filters

Renovating a Home? Here Are 3 Reasons You Need Home Air Filters. Keeping yourself safe from airborne toxins is mandatory while working on DIY and construction projects ESPECIALLY when working with older furniture or in an old home. Living in a Covid-19 world right now where I’m masked the majority of my days it dawned on me why I was having no problem with the masks when so many people I knew just hated them. Its because I’m used to them! I’ve spent months (if not years at this point) of my life all masked up whether it was during the renovation or when I’ve been stripping old furniture etc. it is just SO important to protect ourselves! Read the rest of the post »

How to Make Your Aging Grandmothers Life More Manageable

How to make our aging grandmothers lives more manageable. I am just so impressed with the giant leaps technology has made to keep us safer and to make our lives more convenient. We’ve talked about getting our own selves a Roomba as well as a keypad for the front door. I’ll admit to having locked myself out several times and had to use the doggie door to get back into the house… This all would have helped so much with my own grandparents. Read the rest of the post »

Mistakes You Don’t Want To Make When Moving Into Your Project Property

Before even reading this article my first thought was that the number one mistake you can make with a project property is trying to live there and work on it at the same time. I was right! lol. I attempted to do that once a long time ago with the absolutely WRONG individual and I learned my lesson very expensively and the very hard way. With the right individuals I’m sure it would be a doable task however, living in a place you’re constantly working on makes everything just that much harder. Read the rest of the post »

10 Tips For Improving The Safety Of Your Home

The safety of our homes is paramount to feeling secure and happy in our lives. We work hard. We absolutely need to have a safe haven to retreat to at the end of every day. Making sure our foundation’s are secure so rodents don’t make a highway into our basements is a good place to start besides checking windows and screens annually. Door knobs and locks do get old over time and can use tightening or total replacing etc. Read the rest of the post »

The Practical Approach To Furnishing Your Rooms

I’ve found that furnishing a home comes in three different categories and they each add up to a huge undertaking. Either you don’t have enough furniture, you have too much or, what you do have, doesn’t work! With some creativity though making what you do have work in a DIY fashion is completely doable, affordable and can be really fun. If you don’t have enough furniture you can still apply that same DIY creativity to inexpensive thrift store and salvage yard furniture and get a huge bang for your buck that is PERFECT for you and what you want in your home. Read the rest of the post »

6 Ways You’ve Gone Wrong With Your Garden

I am guilty of doing all of these things wrong in my garden lol! To be fair I’ve only had three REAL vegetable gardens in my life and really only two of them counted (the first one was a disaster until I built myself raised beds and got some control over the situation.) There really are only so many garden “how-tos” you can read though until there is nothing but experience that can teach you how to do properly in your location. I am proud to say, though I am still making terrible mistakes, I am learning! Read the rest of the post »

To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #237)

Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #237. Lodi and I did our annual spring walkabout the property last night. It was just gorgeous outside, nearly 70 degrees! In the few hours we spent “enjoying” the heat we watched the cold front move in. It was kinda creepy! In the span of just a couple of hours the temperature dropped nearly 30 degrees and the wind picked up to the point where we were ready to get our butts inside. We joked about seeing a witch on a bicycle lol The heat wave is returning in just a couple days though. Now, on to the Party! Read the rest of the post »

Master Bath Design Trends & Ideas 2021

Master Bath Design Trends & Ideas 2021. I love that separate bath tubs are becoming more popular again. Giving myself our beautiful double slipper tub (and a room design big enough to accommodate it) made me feel fancy and spoiled! It was not terribly expensive though and I may not use it very often I still just adore it. It literally makes me happy just seeing it every day when I get up in the morning! Read the rest of the post »

Should You Restore Or Replace Old Features In Your Home?

Well when asked whether I would do everything in power to restore something old or replace it I think you guys already know my answer. Back in the day when I remodeled this home it was literally the hardest thing I had ever done in my life. But my dad pegged it when he told me I wasn’t remodeling or renovation… Not really. No – I was restoring. Looking back even if I could have hired the work here out I would not have. I simply would not have trusted anyone to keep all that I did and truly restore this home. Read the rest of the post »

10 Apps To Help You With Your Home Improvement Projects

Well this is a fun list – I didn’t even know about most of these! OMG how these apps could have helped me so much during the renovation. I love how much of technology nowadays is SO geared toward doing things ourselves and empowering us in our own homes. Its wonderful how much of the guess work has been taken out of making decisions. Instead of feeling like we’re going into a new room design on a wing and a prayer, nowadays, apps like these can give us a lot more confidence! Read the rest of the post »

3 Barn Conversion Tips and Ideas

Every once in awhile, when I let my head day dream to impossibilities, I imagine doing a barn conversion on our old barn (back when she was young an strong still) and have a bit of fun thinking of the old hay loft as a giant living space with those incredible wood floors, wore smooth by decades of hay and time. I am usually prompted to these day dreams by running into one of the incredible barn conversion out there on Pinterest. OMG have you seen this one with an entire loft wall converted to glass? Read the rest of the post »

How To Cope With The Stress Of Moving Houses

The stress of moving is something most of us have experienced in our lives and, many times, swore we would never do again lol It is a great time to purge though as there really is nothing like packing up and moving all of your belongings to remind you what you ACTUALLY need and want in your life. There is no doubt though, moving is very stressful with or without a moving company to help. I joked with a friend of mine that we should all be forced to move everything in our homes once a year (whether we’re actually moving or not) just to forced us to stop being pack rats! Read the rest of the post »

DIY Lawn Restoration 101: 5 Tips for Reseeding Your Outdoor Spaces

Lawn restoration: what a wonderful thing to be thinking about in January in northern MN! Though you guys know I’m not a huge fan of “lawns” these same steps will work in overseed your yard with anything you choose. I still dream of someday tipping over our entire backyard and planting dandelions, clover and creeping charlie to remove our grass, eliminate most of our mowing and give all of our visiting critters and insects some much needed nutrition throughout the spring a summer. Here’s to thoughts of spring and summer! Read the rest of the post »

Home Renovation on the Horizon? 7 Budget-Friendly DIY Projects

You guys already know that DIY projects are my absolute fav especially when it comes to furniture! I love taking an old beast that a lot of people would have tossed and transforming it into something magnificent. I think I enjoy it the most because it takes an amazingly small amount of time and resources to do it! Whether getting a home ready to sell or doing it for ourselves (which are both equally important in my opinion we shouldn’t make our homes beautiful just to sell but for ourselves too!) tackling the furniture around our home can be a simple way to really make our homes shine again! Read the rest of the post »

12 DIY Tricks To Effectively Secure Your Home

Our homes should absolutely be the safest and most secure places in our lives. Fortunately we don’t live in a high crime area, we don’t even live in a high people area lol We’re pretty well out there on a little dirt road but we still take caution when it comes to keeping doors locked etc. There is still the possibility of vandalism etc. Owning a dog makes me feel safer even though Annie would happily go home with anyone who offered her treats. She still barks and lets me know if something is going on and I really appreciate that – it helps me feel secure especially when Lodi isn’t home with me. Read the rest of the post »

How Do You Know You Are Buying The Right Home?

I think when it comes to buying the right home location is probably the biggest one that comes to my mind. A home can be changed, renovated, added on to, replaced etc. But no matter how much you love it the one thing that can never change is its location. Being close to family was always important to me and where I grew up in northern MN will really always be the place I hope to be. Read the rest of the post »

How to Create a Reclaimed Barn Wood Accent Wall: A DIY Tutorial

A wood accent wall is definitely becoming more and more popular nowadays. What’s really great is to get the look is now easier than ever! I’ve seen a lot of tutorials online using everything from real wood to vinyl flooring. In our own basement bathroom I used pallet wood and, though it didn’t come out perfect, we still like it a lot! And, because its in our basement, we’re going to keep it because of its uniqueness and character.

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Steps To Help You Regain Control of Your Home’s Landscaping

Landscaping: what a wonderful thing to think about right now that its literally -17 degrees outside! I would LOVE to be weeding my garden right now or planting some flowers! But spring is not so terribly far away for us here and even in this current cold snap no one can deny that Minnesota was really given a wonderfully mild winter so far. Can’t wait to get to landscaping our yard this spring and that’s only a few weeks away! Read the rest of the post »

How To Make Your Home So Comfortable You Never Want To Leave

I think the one most important thing our homes should do for us is give us a comfortable place to relax and unwind. Warm blankets, comfy places to curl up and sit. Great sheets on our beds. Soothing essential oils that remind us we are home and can finally just chill out. It helps so much in this hectic world of ours. Maintaining a clean and tidy home I think is mandatory for this. No one wants to go home and go to “work” after we get off work. But a little picking up and cleaning every day does wonders.

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Cost-Effective Ways To Spruce Up Your Home

Without a doubt the most cost-effective way to spruce up our places is with good old fashioned elbow grease. It doesn’t take much to improve the inside or the outside of a home. Clean it up. Cut the grass. Move some furniture around – get rid of lots of things. A little paint too can do absolute WONDERS to our spaces!
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Move Or Improve? That Is The Question!

Move Or Improve? There’s nothing like something seriously global (such as this current pandemic) to make people realize that life is short and there’s no time like the present to move ahead with something they’ve always wanted to do. I work in real estate and we have never seen houses sell so fast in the history of our company. When it comes to deciding to stay or upgrade I think it always comes down to location – or, at least, it should always come down to location. With enough work almost any home can work as long as the current home owner is just where they want to be. Currently though, this is a seller’s market and if selling your home has ever been a good idea – it is right now! Read the rest of the post »

Home Improvement Projects You Might Think Twice about DIYing

DIY projects are not always for the faint of heart, if I’m straight up not comfortable doing something, even if I SHOULD do it and SHOULD be capable of it, I have no problem calling in a pro. Sometimes calling a professional just to get a quote and a opinion can be all we need to be able to tackle it ourselves. They have a lot more experience then we do and can be really great about giving advice and guidance on projects depending on the situation! Read the rest of the post »

5 DIY Projects to Dress Up Your Home for the Holidays

Holidays are such a fun time to dress our homes! A couple of years ago I set out to make wreaths and ornaments out of pine cones and mason jar lids. It was a lot of fun and we’re still using those ornaments to this day! I’m a bit of a “grinch” actually but with Lodi in my life now I realized I’m looking for to the holidays more than ever before in my life. We don’t have little ones (unless our pupper counts and she totally does) so we’re looking forward to time off for truly adult holidays and I just can’t wait to see his face when opens the gifts I got him! Read the rest of the post »

The Power of Daylight, Energy Efficiency & Comfort to Your Living Room

Daylight is so important for our moods too especially in the winter months! I’ve been working on my mom’s new house plan for her for several years now. The absolute MUST HAVE for her, is East facing windows in her bedroom and in her kitchen and dining room. Her number one request is lots and lots of daylight at dawn flowing into her main rooms. She just loves it. I have countless memories of her curled up in a chair in the morning, having her coffee and basking in the sunshine. I can’t blame her one bit! Daylight is incredibly important for us in so many ways! Read the rest of the post »

5 Ways to Sell Your Old Home Fast

Older homes can be a hard sell to most buyers. Owning an older home myself I honestly don’t blame them but what might scare some people away could be selling points for the right buyer. Updating things such as paint and flooring you can do yourself and increase the value and salability of a new home really inexpensively. I think if you’re planning on selling to try and remember that most folks who are willing to buy an older room love the unique quirks that they come with. Don’t cover up that beautiful old character but, instead, enhance it. Read the rest of the post »

5 Ways to Brighten Up Your Walls

Especially now going into the winter months finding ways to brighten up our walls can really help us get through the dark days of the season! I love our gallery walls in the entryway and that, paired with our soaring crisp white trim and ceilings really makes the space feel airy and bright. Its a great thing to come home to especially now that I’m leaving the house in the dark and not getting home until its dark too! Can’t wait for the short days of winter to finally be over with and we start getting some sunlight back again.
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5 Steps To Take Before Applying For A Mortgage

A home mortgage will be the largest investment a person makes, on average, in their lifetime. There are many critical steps and people involved in order to have a successful closing and it only just starts with applying for a mortgage. Choosing whether to go with a large bank or a home town bank can be a huge decision and that’s just the beginning. I was fortunate to have a lot of people one my side to help me through the entire process when I purchased Grandma’s house! Read the rest of the post »

How to Create a Winter Outdoor Space That’s Fit for the Cold

A winter outdoor space for us here in northern Minnesota is a bit of pipe dream honestly. Once it hits -20 there is no amount of wood you can throw on a bon fire that will make it comfortable to stand outside lol. However, most people don’t have winters like we do! And even our coldest weather is usually only around for 2-3 months. For us a “winter” outdoor space would be consider more of a “three season porch” and that is exactly what I’ve been dreaming about for years! Read the rest of the post »

8 Simple Upgrades to Get You Ready for Cold Weather

I think as Minnesotans its never far from our minds that cold weather is on its way even when its 100 degrees and the middle of July. Certainly its always on my mind. Between making sure I get hay put up for the horses, the countless small things to do around here before winter and making sure we have enough pellets put away for us for the wood stove, I never quite forget that winter is coming. This year we added curtains, a wall, a new door and a new doggie door to combat cold weather! Read the rest of the post »

Signs That You Might Have Rodents in Your Home and What To Do

Living on an old farm and still keeping livestock near a 100 year old home means we still get rodents into the house from time to time. I feel like, at this point, its a damned near impossibility to eliminate the problem completely especially with how hard our winters are. Every single fall the mice get in somehow. A few years back we were in for a whopper of a winter and the rodent problem here in Minnesota brought cat adoption up 20%! As for us, we put out traps in the basement and that takes care of it lol. Read the rest of the post »

Things to Do Before Turning an Inherited House Into Your New Home

Working in real estate I often see inherited homes being put on the market by children (or grand kids) of folks who have often lived in their homes for decades. I was SO fortunate to be able to keep my Grandma’s house as its really not always a feasible thing for the remaining family member who sometimes even live in other states! Inherited homes do come with their own challenges though and often comes with the sometimes enormous task of deciding what to keep and sell etc. Read the rest of the post »

How To Furnish A Large Bedroom

We don’t have a large bedroom though it is plenty big for three dressers two end tables and a king size bed! I have, in the past though, had a very large bedroom for several years and no matter how many times I moved things around in that space it never felt cozy no matter what I did! I know a lot more now than I did then on how to create coziness in large rooms and most of my experiences are listed below in this great article. Looking back on it I think I may have built myself a canopy bed so I could have used the canopies for fabric “walls” to help break the space up… Read the rest of the post »

Updating Your Home this Winter

There’s a relief in getting to winter for me usually. Unlike most years I spent a lot of time working inside this summer. Usually though its wonderful to turn my attention from my property (and garage etc.) and turn my attention inward again. Winter is the perfect time for us northerner’s to tackle our inside work and think about all the updates we can make to our interior. Not to mention a little holiday coziness and decorating as well! Read the rest of the post »

Getting Your Home Ready To Sell

Getting a home ready to sell can be a huge undertaking and can add thousands of dollars worth of collateral to a place. Small projects of just getting the lawn mowed and the place weed wacked can make a huge difference in salability. Just a fresh coat of paint and a thorough cleaning that includes deep cleaning carpets etc. will give your home its best “ready to sell” look when it comes time to put it on the market. Read the rest of the post »

How To Strike The Balance Between A Modern and Traditional Home

I’ve always been a huge fan of modern design which is probably not what you would expect from someone living in a 100 year old farmhouse. The more I’ve immersed myself in the designs that I love the more I’ve realized that if there was any aesthetic that was probably more “me” than anything else it would be Quaker interior design. Its OLD. Its SOLID WOOD. And it is always very minimal and simple. I love it. It makes my OCD of clean lines and absolutely NO clutter very happy! Our own home I believe captures that pretty well but still bringing in our personality and practicality.

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Creating a Hobby Room in a Small Space

Some of us are lucky to have a dedicated space for our hobby room. I’m fortunate that my/our “hobby” can be accommodated by one of our bedrooms in the form of a workshop for all of our tools etc. But it did mean my giving up a dedicated office space. Though I spend a heck of a lot of time on my computer my computer “hobby” certainly didn’t need the space that all of our tools etc. take up! It did mean though I had to carve a small amount of room out of our entryway for a small office space. Read the rest of the post »

10 Ways To Enhance Your Home’s Curb Appeal

Curb appeal can be incredibly costly but it doesn’t always have to be. Whether you plan to sell your home or you want to spruce up your yard there are many both large and small projects you can do yourself. One of the easiest thing that can be done is mowing the lawn, planting some flowers and doing some weed eating! That alone can take a home from looking abandoned to brand new! Read the rest of the post »

5 DIY Ideas to Improve Your Home

There are so many great DIY ideas out there to improve your home from novice remodelers to veteran DIYers there really isn’t any end to what we can do ourselves and save a ton of money along the way. You guys know that literally my favorite thing is coming up with ways to DIY just about any project or situation in my home. I hate paying anyone if I can do it myself lol. Here are five great ideas for projects that can save you money and will also be a lot of fun to accomplish. Read the rest of the post »

From your house to your clothing: how to get things clean

Our grandma’s really did know how to get things clean! Cleaning with just a few basic ingredients they knew how to do it right and taught me the few ingredients I use to this day for making dishwasher soap, laundry detergent, hardwood floor cleaning and all purpose cleaner. I like keeping it simple around here and hate bringing commercial products with hundreds of ingredients that I know nothing about. (If deep cleaning your own home is a bit daunting check out this great resource for finding cleaners near you.) Read the rest of the post »

Why Go For A DIY Kitchen?

I think a DIY Kitchen is a great idea! Kitchens can put a huge blow in a homeowners budget and even doing a few of the parts yourself can save a ton of money! Cabinets can be ordered nowadays and even modified before installing. Specialty cabinet hardware can then be added. A DIY Kitchen can be entirely customized by you for a lot less cost. Read the rest of the post »

Simple Fall Decor Projects That Are Perfect For Autumn

I’m not huge on decorating but I would say if there was ever a time I could really get into it would definitely be fall decor! I just LOVE this time of the year where porches are covered with squash and pumpkins. Hot cocoa and apple cider become one of our favorite after work comforts and the gardens have been put to bed for the winter. Fall decor can be really simple to put together with the purchase of some pumpkins and just a little creativity! Read the rest of the post »

Tips to Prepare Your Concrete Subflooring for New Flooring Installation

Preparing concrete subflooring (especially an OLD concrete subfloor) is not always for the faint of heart. Depending on what was on it to begin with etc. It can require some serious manual labor. We’ve just tackled our basement floors and let me tell you: 100 year old concrete requires some serious time. It will all be worth it in the end though, new flooring can majorly improve a space for not a lot of money! Read the rest of the post »

From Bland To Beautiful: How To Create A Unique Bedroom

I love uniqueness in spaces and a unique bedroom is probably my favorite place to really go for it. What’s really great about our bedrooms is it really is our own PRIVATE space that no one ever has to see except for us. Which means we can tailor it to our total and unique personalities in every way! I’ve got lots of plans for our own bedroom even though it is already beautiful I’m totally ready to make it totally US in every way. Its going to be a unique bedroom with boho touches as well as farmhouse love and a little bit of glam too! Read the rest of the post »

Kitchens Guide – Complete Walk Through To Planning A Stunning Kitchen

I absolutely love kitchens. I have so many memories of me with my aunts, my mom and my grandma’s spending the majority of our time in kitchens. It was always the safest place for me when I was a kid. Even now, to this day, if its been a rough one I always go to my kitchen and start cooking. Making the house smell like Heaven, creating something both nourishing in mind body and soul, is simply one of my favorite ways to cope when things get hard. My own kitchen is absolutely DIY right down to building my own cabinets and counter tops. My sink I pulled out of a shed lol and I love every bit of it!

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7 Green Interior Design Ideas For Your Home

I love that green homes are becoming not just popular now but simply becoming the main stay. I’ve noticed a slow but huge shift in just about every product out there from paints to even lumber to help cut our foot print on the earth down. The awesome shift to DIY and recycling of old pieces makes total sense to me, of course lol. I love how green a home Grandma’s house is, how much I was able to save and recycle is something I am very proud of. Read the rest of the post »

Gorgeous Home Goals: 5 Ways To Bring Your Kitchen Alive

Accessories, plants and even a simple touch lamp brought a lot of life and “home” to our kitchen. I think plants made the biggest difference, nothing like something living to really bring life to a space. I exchanged out a big, ugly shelf above my kitchen sink for two smaller and lighter shelves and it gave us some wonderful and ample space for decorations, storage and things that we love! Read the rest of the post »

5 Great Uses for Your Garden Waste

Garden waste around here all goes to our wonderful visiting critters plus our horses! However, I’ve been really debating on one year starting a compost heap. Lodi and I don’t eat a lot and, goodness knows, when I get behind in the garden even my horses get tired of giant cucumbers lol Read the rest of the post »

Building A Greener Home for the Environment and our Health

One thing I learned when making my home greener and more eco friendly was that it saved me a lot of money along the way too. Which was the biggest surprise honestly. I think we all get sticker shock when it comes to greener or organic options but we can save a fortune and go WAY more green by just making so many products ourselves! Read the rest of the post »

4 Ways To Sell Your Home Fast During Covid-19

Many of you know that my day job is in real estate in a small tourist town in northern Minnesota. I think we are unique in the fact that our business is beyond busy right now as everyone has decided to sell or buy a home here in these unprecedented times. Is it because times like these make us realize what’s really important? Why wait when all of this is going on proving that its time to live RIGHT NOW, while we still can. Regardless, these are some strange times to do anything and selling a home is no different! Read the rest of the post »

Simple budget-friendly tips to transform your backyard

There’s a lot you can do cheaply to really improve your backyard, patio, balcony or deck areas. Check out local listings for outdoor used furniture that might only need a coat of paint to look brand new. I found inexpensive stools online and Lodi and I made a whole bar area on our deck for only a couple hundred dollars! It remains our absolutely favorite date night spot for when we don’t feel like leaving the house. Read the rest of the post »

Choosing the Right Floor Material for Your Home

I was never a big fan of carpet and I always hated tile floors and linoleum was never my jam so it won’t surprise anyone to hear that literally the only flooring in our entire home is wood. The majority of it is original to the home which I either refinished or, those that were already painted, I re-painted. What’s funny though is, now that I’ve lived with hardwoods since 2015, I kinda get why a carpeted room isn’t so bad lol however, now that I discovered that vacuuming (due to this amazing cordless vacuum) is a much better alternative to sweeping I’m loving my floor material choice a lot more again! Read the rest of the post »

How to Upgrade the Quality and Finish of Your Home

How to upgrade and improve your home by yourself with minimal time and effort for future sales or just for a more beautiful home for you! Art, plants and a new paint color on the walls are probably the easiest and least expensive way to start. Beyond that though upgrades like new flooring and built ins can vastly improve your house either for resale or just for you! Read the rest of the post »

8 Ways To Turn Your Bedroom Into Something You’ll Fancy A Lot More

Of all the rooms in this old farmhouse of ours I would definitely say that our master is VERY fancy. It even makes me FEEL fancy. What’s lovely is just how much for very little we can do to improve our bedrooms. new bedding, a new color on the walls, a more temperate way of heating and cooling. Even just a simple fan to help move the air around and drown out static noise can go a very long way in making our bedrooms serve us better. Read the rest of the post »

Preparing Your Home For A Sale

Preparing your home for sale can be an enormous job. I’ve always given this advice first: If you plan on selling your home within the next year than START PACKING NOW. The best step up you can give yourself is to remove everything from your home that you don’t need. A storage unit can help a ton with this and it will also give you a leg up and donating etc. With your excess out of the way preparing your home for sale will be A LOT easier to do! Read the rest of the post »

Simple Ways to Upgrade Your Home

One thing I realized a long while back is how much even some of the simplest projects can upgrade our lives! I remember just adding a little basket to my kitchen sink area for soap and sponges and things and OMG it was so great them not balanced on the back of the sink anymore! It took so little time but it was such a huge upgrade for us at the time. Since then I gave up and put in full on open shelving above the sink but I’ll never forgot what an easy little project once did to upgrade my kitchen life. Read the rest of the post »

How to Maintain Your Septic System Correctly

I wouldn’t trade living out in the country for anything however it definitely has a couple of things to consider that will never be an issue with a town home. A well and a septic tank are the two biggest issues that come to mind. They both will require maintenance over the years and even (expensively) even need to be replaced. Our well isn’t huge and that translates to not a whole lot of water pressure BUMMER and we have two (two?!) septic tanks that came with the house and I used them both when I ran all the plumbing! Read the rest of the post »

Gifts For The Year Ahead – Preparing Your Friends For The New Normal

Our “new normal” is becoming just normal though the way it feels like a Walking Dead episode going into Walmart now I may never get used to it. Honestly I never liked Walmart (or shopping at all) anyway and now I just avoid it – its just so weird. But, on a general basis, I think we are all beginning to just accept how things are and are continuing to live our lives again. Gifts for friends and family is such a great idea – especially for people we can’t see because of what’s going on this world! Read the rest of the post »

10 Tips On Preparing To Move Home

The last time I moved I swore I would never do it again lol. What a TON of work! Isn’t it just so true that none of us have any idea how much crap we have until we have to move it? The last time we moved it was just down the street but we made what turned out to be an awesome decision and rented a large Uhaul truck anyway. What was going to be countless trips in trucks and cars turned into only TWO trips. Totally worth it when we moved!
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Restoration Tips: Handling Insurance Claims for Storm Damaged Roofing

Restoration Tips: Handling Insurance Claims for Storm Damaged Roofing & Siding. It is ironic this post is coming through to Grandma’s House DIY this morning as this afternoon we have some SEVERE weather coming through. I guess we made the news all the way down in Oklahoma for having so many tornadoes touch down last week. Its been pretty crazy! I know this is 2020 but our weather has been INSANE. Hopefully I won’t have to follow the advice in this article and our roofing and everything will get through this undamaged. Read the rest of the post »

Which Kitchen Elements Create The Biggest Effect?

Deciding on where to put a budget in a kitchen can really depend on the effect you’re going for. Paint can go SO FAR in updating cabinets, new appliances can go a long way in making a space feel new and modern, and even adding open shelves in the place of a cabinet can really help open up a space. Our budgets are always finite but so much can be done to create a huge effect in a space!

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The Best Guidance For Young, First Time Homeowners

The Best Guidance For Young, First Time Homeowners. Buying a home for the first time is both incredibly exciting and scary as heck. Its a huge step into adulthood and responsibility but its also the opportunity to finally be truly independent. It takes awhile to really sink in but, eventually, the awesomeness of your own home and being able to do with it what we want, when we want to, is pretty much the greatest moment ever. It deserves some time off to really appreciate it for sure! Read the rest of the post »

Should You Keep or Ditch That Chimney?

As far as chimneys go, and whether or not to ditch or keep, the answer for us will, eventually be, to ditch it. We won’t be using it again and really its just taking up valuable real estate. I did paint ours to make it a little less painful to look at but I really look forward to getting rid of it! For other homes though that might not be the case. Homes where the chimney isn’t in the direct center of the home but on an outside wall may not find a very good reason to get rid of it unless, of course, it needs to be repaired or is somehow causing structure damage to the wall. Read the rest of the post »

Inspiration for a Home That’s Accessible AND Stylish

I’ve said it many times, I firmly believe that a home can work perfectly for whoever lives in it and still be beautiful. But I still believe a home should WORK for you first before beauty though I think both of them can be totally achieved. This is completely true for an accessible home as well, it can be lovely, stylish and work awesomely for everyone in your family and life! Read the rest of the post »

5 Budget-Friendly Tips for a Farmhouse Bedroom

Getting that farmhhouse bedroom can cost a lot nowadays that its become such a popular look but it certainly doesn’t need to! Though, I admit, that hardcore everything painted white farmhouse trend right now is a bit much for me I still think I maintain a pretty healthy dose of farmhouse around here without ever sacrificing modern convenience. I certainly think we can even still be minimalists and still even pull off a farmhouse bedroom. What all farmhouse looks have in common though is probably my favorite thing: They always feel homemade, cozy and comfortable.

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June And July Jobs To Keep The Garden Looking Pristine

June and July in Minnesota is pretty much all about the yard and garden around here. Lodi purchased us a riding lawn mower and attacked this old farm yard with a vengeance. I’m not much of a grass person but I am a garden person! Between our new asparagus bed, new mulch, planted vegetable garden and weeding our perennial flower beds I am in absolute Heaven. Coming up the last Sunday of this month I can’t wait to show you guys our spring photo gallery too! Read the rest of the post »

Bringing The Green Into Your Home

One of my all time favorite projects was adding flower boxes to my master bedroom windows! I needed green so bad that winter because winter would simply NOT END. Seeing those growing happy plants every morning (even knowing it was cold and miserable and snowy outside) really helped me a lot. Since then I’ve added countless plants throughout the house, even had to add a plant table to the entryway because I ended up with too many! But, really, I don’t think “too many” is possible! Read the rest of the post »

6 Easy Steps to Keeping Your Home Clean

Every now and again I run into that Facebook meme that asks which would you rather have? Never have to cook, or clean, or do laundry or go shopping again. The vast majority (including myself) always picks the never having to clean the house again option. My dream is to be wealthy enough someday to hire someone to clean my house but, honestly, no matter how much money is my account I’m probably way too frugal for that! Read the rest of the post »

Key Areas Of Looking After The Exterior Of Your Home

Maintaining the outside of our homes, whether it be the roof, the windows or the siding, is mandatory when it comes to maintenance. It was one of the top things on my to do list last summer and I was scrambling to finish it last fall. The rock my ex had put up on the house was falling off and I knew it was only a matter of time before I saw serious water damage. It wasn’t not the funnest of jobs but knowing my home is dry and safe now is the the biggest relief! Read the rest of the post »

Transforming Your Garage Into An Extra Bedroom

So many of the older homes here have an “addition” that is very clearly an attached garage that was converted into an extra bedroom or living space. Oftentimes a new garage is added to the property to replace the one that was absorbed by the home. Especially if its an attached garage converting it into an extra bedroom can be a really cost effective way of adding more square footage and value to a home. Read the rest of the post »

The Do’s and Don’ts of Picking Out Bedroom Furniture and Decor

There are no definitive rules when it comes to decor and furniture for any room in the house. Every home, every space, and all our families are a little bit different, and we all have different needs from a space. Picking out bedroom furniture and decor is probably my favorite room to have a little fun in. Probably because a bedroom can truly JUST cater to whoever lives in it so, there really are no rules! Unlike the rest of the house that also has to cater to guests! However, a few general guidelines are always important to follow. Read the rest of the post »

The New Rules For Space, Practicality & Comfort In The Home

I guess it would make sense that now that we are spending more time then ever in our home space that design ideas and goals would start to change. I do wonder how many people threw out their sofas and purchased new more comfortable ones now that they’ve spent more time on them than ever?! I’ve always been pretty practical with my spaces. They need to work for the people living in them first and foremost! Read the rest of the post »

Your 8-Step Action Plan to Preventing Water Damage

From mold to rot water damage can be a serious (and sometimes invisible) problem for any homeowner. I ran into a certain amount of it myself while renovating my Grandma’s house. Its vital to keep an eye on your roof, windows, etc. as they all can eventually age to the point of letting water into a home. Read the rest of the post »

Here’s what You Need to Know before you Buy an Older Property

Purchasing an older property SHOULD be daunting in its own way. Most people hugely underestimate the cost, time and effort it takes to bring an older property up to date. What I found with my grandma’s house, despite the blood sweat and the tears, is I would have had it no other way. I didn’t underestimate the cost, but I did understatement the amount of help I would have! But I wouldn’t have had it any other way, in the end, this place I got to make myself and that’s kinda amazing!
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4 Smart Tips for Keeping Your Home In Tip-Top Condition

Keeping a home in “condition” isn’t as simple as it seems. The truth we face as home owners is our homes will “never be finished” which is the most annoying of the advise we’ll get ever. Unfortunately! It does seem to be the case. Fortunately (or unfortunately) its not that we don’t ever finish our homes its just the fact that things literally where out and, sometimes, just no longer work for us. Like me with my once guest bedroom I converted into a workshop, our homes don’t always keep working for us through all of our lives.

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Sleep Deprivation: What It Is And What To Do About It

I guess we all have certain subjects that, for some reason or another, we’re just plain over passionate about. For me that’s sleeping and sleep deprivation. A lot of factors go into it for me, from injuries to insomnia, to sleeping above a TV for most of my childhood that was never turned off, its only now, well into my 30s that I’m actually getting proper sleep for the first time in my life. WE’RE MORE SLEEP DEPRIVED IN THE UNITED STATES THAN WE’VE EVER BEEN AND STUDIES SHOW THAT SCREENS HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH IT. The bedroom is not for work or for play its about rest, healing and sleep and most people’s bedrooms totally fail to give them that. As long as I live there will never be a television in our bedroom or even on the second floor lol.

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Keep Out The Cabin Fever With Decor & DIY

Cabin fever is no joke. I live in northern MN where we remark on it constantly throughout our endless winters so its not a new term to us at all. But that doesn’t mean we’re “used” to this kind of situation. In fact with winter quite over the majority of us are mortified that even though we finally made it to spring we’re still somehow stuck in the house! What else isn’t a joke is that there may be some people out there taking full advantage of being home and getting a lot done some of the rest of us have been paralyzed by the current world situation. I myself have hit quite the wall where motivation left LONG ago. I am working toward getting motivated again however I think any way we can get through these trying times is the RIGHT way, we can worry about the rest when its all over.
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Can’t Go To The Garden Store? Bring It To You Instead!

I think this year people will probably be spending more time in their gardens (and gardening) like never before with or without a garden store available to them. Personally I was already excited about my gardens this year but never more than right now with all of this crazy stuff in the world going on. My own stores are still open (though restricted in how many people can be in them and the times their open etc.) and I’m thinking though I may be weeks away from planting I should probably get over there and get my seeds now! Read the rest of the post »

18 Things To Remember When You Move House

Last time I moved I basically swore I would never do it again lol A move is just SO MUCH more work than usually anticipated. Last time my mom moved she rented a Uhaul even though she was only moving 1/4 of a mile down the road. What would have been dozens of trips with pickups was just ONE TRIP. It was so worth it. Regardless though a move is exciting and always a fun adventure! Read the rest of the post »

How to Fix Your Broken Dishwasher

Dishwashers have always been a bit of a nightmare in my life. Honestly I’ve just never owned one that I liked or seemed to work well lol I took my own here at home a part at one point and omg DISGUSTING. After that I do a maintenance at least once of a month of running it through its heavy cycle with nothing in it but a bowl full of bleach. So far *crosses fingers* it seems to be working! Read the rest of the post »

Why Laminate Flooring Can Be A Great Substitute for Wood Flooring

I absolutely ADORE my 100 year old hardwood floors in my home but they are absolutely not perfect nor totally low maintenance. Laminate wood flooring is an excellent choice that I actually recommend often even though I personally would never trade my real wood floors for anything. Laminate is generally less expensive and almost always A LOT more durable and can be just as pretty! Read the rest of the post »

What Are The Traits Of A Great Property Lender?

Besides finding the right lender for you we also need to take note on exactly what we CAN afford on a month to month basis. A lender (or a credit card company for that matter) might look at your income and be willing to borrow you more many than you’re comfortable paying every month. Being house poor makes absolutely no sense even if you can technically “afford” it you won’t be spending any time there because you’ll be at work barely making the payments. Its generally considered your monthly mortgage payment should never be more than half of your monthly income. Read the rest of the post »

The Maintenance Tasks You Shouldn’t Skip To Have A Truly Healthy Home

If you’re aiming to have a truly healthy home, there are certain maintenance tasks that should never be skipped or overlooked. It is truly amazing how much our homes affect our health not just physically but also mentally. One thing I don’t allow in my home is any sort of chemical or commercial cleaning products. I make everything here from scratch with basic ingredients I know work and I also know are non toxic! Read the rest of the post »

How to Save Money on Monthly Expenses

Most of you know that I can be almost painfully frugal at times but making a few sacrifices now knowing its driving me toward being debt free makes it an easy thing to do. I found that making just about everything I possibly can helps me keep a healthier home, saves me money and, almost always, results in my having a better product in the end anyway. There is really no losing in the situation. For example: buying lunch every day instead of making almost guarantees that I’ll probably be spending more for a product that isn’t as nourishing or good for me anyway. Read the rest of the post »

Three Functional Bathroom Designs That You Can Do Yourself

A functional bathroom design can vastly improve both the experience as well as the resale value of a home. I’ve been dreaming lately of ripping my fiberglass shower out. Not because it doesn’t work but because I have the room for a slightly bigger shower and simply want something better. I have dreams of subway tiled walls, a rain shower head, a teak bench and a penny tile or pebble rock floor! Read the rest of the post »

Key Points to Consider When Renovating a Bathroom

Bathrooms can be a much bigger undertaking than meets the eye. How can such a small space be such a nightmare sometimes when renovating? It happens, my own bathroom on the main floor has always been a thorn in my side. It started with a leak at the faucet so I had to rip the wall open to fix it. From there I’ve simply been ignoring it though it needs some real renovating – a total repaint, some attention to the floors and some kind of innovative storage solutions. It is definitely the room that I’ve procrastinated on the longest lol but any renovating done to bathrooms is totally worth it in the end! Read the rest of the post »

Giving Your Home A Sleek Aesthetic

Between clutter and poor furniture layout a room can literally go from feeling cramped and uncomfortable to feeling bright and airy. Its amazing what a little space planning and adjusting can to do to help a home feel good! Aesthetically even a small home can definitely feel open and very comfortable. I’ve been amazed at how much just some changes of furniture placement has helped my spaces so much! Read the rest of the post »

Creating The Perfect Bathroom

The perfect bathroom for me would be summed up in one word: COMFORT. Most bathrooms I’ve found are not terribly comfortable, they’re strictly for doing business and than leaving the room. My bathroom on the other hand I tried to turn into a space that I want to hang out and chill in. It has seating, books, casual furniture that you would normally find in a living room and not a bathroom. It even has a regular table lamp that provides the most lovely light for soaking in the tub and reading. Read the rest of the post »

5 Different Types of Metal Gates to Suit Your Style and Needs

Metal gates are just so pretty in my opinion though very pricey and have been beyond my budget for a while now. However, I don’t think that’s going to be the case forever and I’ve been eyeing a double swing metal gate to replace the one I built for the East staircase of my deck (pictured below). The wooden gates I built are just fine but, like with wood in any outdoor application, eventually they start to warp and rot. Metal, of course, will never do that so I really look forward to having them someday! Read the rest of the post »

Researching Your Renovation

In my opinion there shouldn’t be anything that could surprise us during a renovation. Research is the ONLY thing that can prepare us not only for the surprises but also on the timeline and what to expect from the very beginning. Of course nothing beats experience but going into your first renovation with open eyes will require research, time and patience. You should be starting out with the utmost confidence that we at least know everything we possibly can without any real world experience. Read the rest of the post »

Tips On Keeping Your Home Clean During A Renovation Project

Keeping a clean home during a renovation feels like an endlessly losing battle. Ideally we wouldn’t have to live in a construction site but, often, that’s just not the case. Protecting the rest of our houses while creating a mess in another room is a job into itself and requires quite a bit of prep and leg work before we can even begin our renovations. The specialist home addition company, Action Builders and others like it, will keep your home clean as they go along. And it can become tedious if you DIY. However, it is ALWAYS worth the effort and can make clean up a breeze! Read the rest of the post »

What You Need to Know About Buying a Property with a Well

There are just some things about living in the country that I never consider to not be standard for everyone. I have never lived in a home that DIDN’T have a well lol To be fair I am way out in the sticks when it comes to distance from any town. I had a new pump installed here before I moved in and learned my well was nearly 100 feet deep! I took a shower in town a couple of years ago at my friends place and just stood there and enjoyed the ridiculous amount of water pressure she had. I told her to appreciate it because it was so totally amazing! Some day I might decide to spurge and straight up spoil myself and have a larger pressure tank installed but, for now, I’m content and have never had any problems with my well here. Read the rest of the post »

Five Popular Home Siding Options

There are SO many siding options out there nowadays it can be a little overwhelming. When I chose my home siding (or really any of my materials) I have always started with the obvious: what can I afford? Which helps break down my options into more manageable amounts. I lvoe how far they’ve come though with vinyl and steel siding. Siding that will practically last forever but still even looks like cedar, stone and wood. Giving the look desired but without all the maintenance and up keep! Read the rest of the post »

Before Selling, How to Improve Your Home In the Winter

Whether you plan on selling your home in the spring or not winter really is the ideal time for inside work to our rooms and houses. I always tuck into winter with a serious to-do list no matter how much I would rather be hibernating! Over the holidays is the worst for me as December for us doesn’t see more than 8 hours of day light a day and getting home when its dark at 5pm really just makes a person want to do absolutely nothing besides curling up under a fuzzy blanket. Regardless though, when January finally rolls around its time to get motivated for some house projects! Read the rest of the post »

Customize Your Home For A Unique Look And Timeless Sustainability

A “custom” home often brings to my mind the idea of something that is brand new and, thus, very expensive and built entirely custom for whoever is paying for it. Of course, that is not always the case. Truly all of our homes are custom as we customize them to ourselves! I am thrilled to see more and more people getting behind customizing the old instead of replacing it and thus getting that awesome custom look and yet still remaining sustainable to the environment! That, in a nut shell, is what I do here at Grandma’s House DIY. Read the rest of the post »

Simple Hacks to Reinvigorate your Home

A few hacks to help reinvigorate your home! I so appreciate how this article points out how important our spaces are to our mental health. Have you ever come home or woken up, looked around and just kind of hated everything? That’s the moment I know its time to purge, declutter and put things away! Especially during the holidays I think we all let our houses “go” a little just for lack of time! I had on of those moments last week, after Christmas, I got home from work and just went, “This has gone on for long enough!” And I tackled my entry, my living room and my kitchen. A couple of hours later and I felt like a load had been taken off of my shoulders! Read the rest of the post »

Basic Ways to Brighten Your Home

There are many lovely and simple ways to brighten a home. Grandma’s house doesn’t get much sun. Its a blessing in the summers as I’ve never needed air conditioning but it does mean I have had to get creative to brighten it up a bit and it also means I only have so many decent hours to photograph it in a day lol I love my home but I do wish I got more sun though I would never give up all of my beautiful pine trees. Painting out all of my trim and ceilings in bright white has helped tremendously in giving my home a bright and light feeling. Read the rest of the post »

5 Christmas Decor Essentials for Your Home This Year

I’m not much for decorating for holidays… I actually think its kind of nuts lol. But, every year so far, when I finally get up my tree I’m always really glad that I did it. There’s just something about it that really does make a person strangely content and happy. It will be me and Lodi’s first Christmas together. One weekend we put up my little tree (our first tree) and it was incredibly special. In true millennial fashion though it also included The Good Place TV show, alcohol, a lot of passionate I love yous mixed with very creative cursing and absolutely no Christmas music whatsoever. Read the rest of the post »

Holiday House Prep: Getting Your Home Ready For Family

I’ll be hosting Xmas here just as I hosted Thanksgiving here this year. It just feels right that Grandma’s house be the place we all gather. Of course prep for me is not just cleaning – I always seem to be in the middle of some kind of construction project I’m hustling to finish before my guests arrive! Read the rest of the post »

Detoxify Your Home and Join the Green Cleaning Trend

Hey guys, today we’ve got a great article from Groom+Style about the benefits of going green with our cleaning and getting those chemicals out of our homes! You guys know that there is literally not a single commercial cleaner that I am still buying in the store because, quite frankly, they’re so easy to make and very cheap too! Make sure and check out the link at the bottom of the article to see it in full and get some great cleaning recipes. Read the rest of the post »

Snow Business: Essential Winter Warmers For Your Home

Snow is on its way, its official, we are getting our first FOR REAL winter storm in Minnesota literally tomorrow. My neck of the woods is looking at two inches at least and another chance of several more inches on Friday. It may be a no-go for many folks who were planning on traveling for Thanksgiving. Seeing family is important but seriously not worth driving in the kind of snow and ice that we often see here this time of the year. As for this girl, not leaving my warm little house is sounding better by the minute! Read the rest of the post »

HVAC: Home Heating & Air Conditioning Myths

Air conditioning has never been a necessary for me here at Grandma’s house. The last myth on this list is that the features of a home don’t have a lot to do with keeping it warm or cool which is, of course, a myth. I have thanked the universe countless times that I paid for the very best insulation on the market in this house which means my home is incredibly efficient. It was probably the best money I spent in the entire renovation besides new windows! Besides that my home is incredibly shaded, it can be 100 degrees outside and my living room has never been above 80 which is totally fine by me. Besides that a fan in a window or two can make a HUGE difference! Read the rest of the post »

Five of the Best Gifts for DIY Lovers

When I first read this article I wondered if I would personally want any of the gifts it suggested because I’m weird and picky as hell. Turns out though I WANT THEM ALL lol. I am that girl that literally has sand paper on her Amazon wishlist and I have had an electric paint sprayer on there countless times only to remove it thinking: Do I really need it though? Yes, I do want it and need it because it is returning to my Amazon wishlist right now! My aunt purchased a magnetic arm band for me last winter to hold screws and nails etc. Its too big for me because I’m little compared to who it was probably “made” for but I absolutely LOVE it. Read the rest of the post »

Tips and Tricks to Help Your Home Sell Faster

I haven’t disclosed this often on the blog but I am actually in the real estate industry for my day job. My entire job is totally dependent on whether or not houses (and property) sell in my area. This summer was a pretty big boom for us. No idea exactly why (I’m sure there are many factors) but homes sold here in the blink of an eye all year. It means this was one of my busier summers and also contributed a little bit to my admittedly looking forward to when everything slows down this winter! Read the rest of the post »

6 DIY Renovations to Make Your Rental Property Move-in Ready

I had always planned on some point either having a airbnb or a rental property in my basement. I worked on my mom’s guest house over a couple of weeks with the idea that she might someday may want to rent it out besides giving guests a place to stay. The idea has never been far from my mind to purchase old properties to restore and then keep as rental homes. Sounds like a ton of fun for someone like me but the risks have held me back so far! Read the rest of the post »

Turn Your Garage Into A Living Space

This post reminds me how badly I STILL need to declutter my garage even after the hours I spent out there working on it this summer. There’s nothing like finishing an unfinished building to make a chick want to just keep purging the crap she’s collected over the years. Though I never plan on my garage becoming a four season living space like this post suggests I still totally plan to rock it in my garage all summer long! (What amazes me though is that there are people even living in my neck of the woods who chose to convert their garages and NOT use them to protect their vehicles in the winter, which is just crazy to me!) Read the rest of the post »

4 Tips to Make Moving Furniture a Breeze

It probably won’t surprise any of you to hear that I’ve moved A LOT of heavy furniture (and other things…) in my life and have totally suffered the consequences. I’m pretty darned little when faced with a dresser that literally weighs more than I do. One thing about doing a certain amount of hauling though is you do get better at it! I’ve learned how to distribute the weight of the object as well as my own and I’ve also learned the vital importance of leverage. I’ve also learned when to call in help because injuring myself is just not something I want to do again! Read the rest of the post »

Going Green: 3 Ways to Make Your Home More Environmentally-Friendly

As most of you know I’m not “going green” I am pretty much “gone green” in my home at least within reason lol I still use plastic bags and paper towels from time to time and I don’t always remember to take my fabric grocery bags into the store with me etc. (To be fair though every plastic bag I bring home I reuse.) As for cleaning products in my home there I went green years upon years ago and I make all of my own hand soap, laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, lotions, all household cleaners etc. In that case it was more because of my sensitive skin but you know one incredibly awesome perk I’ve found with going green? It’s save me a TON of money! Read the rest of the post »

Rain Chains Direct – Sign up for the Giveaway! I LOVE mine!

By some kind of coincidence I had literally just added a rain chain to my Amazon wishlist when I spotted this amazing one from Rain Chains Direct. I made my own gutters years ago using PVC pipe and they work great except this one end where the water comes out was giving my garden beneath it a beating every time it stormed. I thought about adding a down spout but those darned things are just ugly in my opinion. Then I spotted some amazing rain chains online and thought: That might work! Read the rest of the post »

4 Best Ways to Protect Your Home From All Sorts of Dangers

Its important to protect your home. When I was growing up we never locked our doors and I hear that’s true of a lot of country folks. I do lock my doors now but I also have a hidden key somewhere just in case. When I told a friend of mine about my hidden key and the fact that I gave a copy of my house key to everyone I trust in my life he asked me why I even HAVE a hidden key outside. I told him it was for me because I grew up with no locked doors I lock myself out all the damn time lol! Read the rest of the post »

New Windows – 5 Reasons to Buy and Install Them

When I started work here at Grandma’s House it was an absolute certainty in my head that every single window had to be replaced here. Some of them were only about 50 years old (young for my house lol) but the windows up stairs were original so they were 100 years old! New windows are paramount if you want an energy efficient home – whether you’re trying to keep the heat out or the heat in, they’re the first line of defense besides insulation and are VERY important!

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Termite Problems DIY Tips for Controlling Them

Fortunately for us northern Minnesotans termite problems are not an issue. I did find some carpenter ant damage during the renovation and not long ago when I was ripping the stucco off my house. Our seasons are just so harsh we just don’t have insect issues like other places in the country. A good friend of mine down in Florida spends a bundle every year to get their entire home sprayed because its such a problem for them down there! Read the rest of the post »

Tips To Protect Your Exterior During The Fall

Here are some tips on how to protect and prepare your home’s exterior in the fall. Currently I am up to my elbows in attacking my house, literally scrambling to get my new siding up before the weather turns on us. Here in northern MN we experience the worst winters literally in the entire united states so we all take preparing for it VERY seriously. I’ve got pellets on the way for my pellet stove. I’ve begun battening down my hatches, making sure I’m not forgetting anything because there’s nothing like having to fix a window when its -20 degrees outside!

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How To Make The Best Of Winter

Currently we are in the middle of “second summer” which means we’ve seen 80 degrees for a few days in a row. Our forecast is highs in the 50s and rain though so we’re all pretty much certain that this is it for us Minnesotans. Absolutely everyone I know is scrambling to get some outside time in. I’ve been loathe to even go inside when I get home at night. I just head for my deck and soak the heat up while its here. I’ve golfed, sun bathed, rolled around in my yard (for real lol) and am scrambling to also finish my siding. Winter is definitely coming!

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5 Home DIY Safety Tips Everyone Should Know

Safety tips and why its important! It may have a bit to do with growing older, maybe we all just get a certain amount of close calls that finally knock it into our thick skulls that we need to start being more careful. It was quite awhile ago when I started watching myself a little closer. I injured my back badly during the renovation and though I kept right on working it slowed me down considerably. My reason for self preservation may not be for my own health, but to be able to keep working, but that’s good enough! I’ve repeated to myself multiple times that if I get injured here then NOTHING is going to get done! Read the rest of the post »

Implement These Two Important Things in your Home Remodel

Taking on a home remodel or renovation is not only a big decision but can also be a HUGE undertaking. Knowing where you’re going, how you’re going to get there and being able to roll with the punches while still standing on your plan is vital. Looking back, even after planning my own renovation for over a year before I even started, there are still some things I wish I had done differently. But I think that’s the nature of the beast. The one thing that I regret the most is the simple fact that I did not take my time as much as I would have liked. Read the rest of the post »

4 Interesting Decorative Motifs For Your Home

As far as decorative motifs go for my home I guess it can only be described as farmhouse hand me downs lol But I still think I have managed to use what I have well enough to also create a space that is elegant and feels put together. I’ve always loved animal prints though I’ve never really felt like I had a space I could use them in! My entryway became my gallery though and all of my horse prints from when I was a kid finally found a home (I was a bit horse obsessed!) Read the rest of the post »

8 Tips to Hire the Best Residential Insulation Service Providers

As for my house insulation was the largest one purchase I made at over $8,000. Because I own a 100 year old farmhouse I was dealing with a wall depth of only 4 inches. (Newer homes today are normally at least 6 inches.) So I knew I had absolutely no choice but to invest in the highest quality insulation that money could buy. I hired a company and they sprayed in closed cell spray foam and I have never regretted the investment! In my garage however I went with fiber glass and installed it myself! Read the rest of the post »

Cleaning Your Gutters Step by Step

I’ve helped several of my family with their gutters. Around here in northern MN full gutters are a real problem because we live in SERIOUS tree country. My aunt purchased the gutter caps as well as the foam she put inside of them to try to help out the situation. My own home has never had gutters in its entire life until I came around. I actually made my own on one portion of it using PVC pipe – it worked great! Read the rest of the post »

What To Think About To Improve Your Home’s Overall Appeal

Its an amazing thing what even a little paint can do but when it comes to your home’s overall appeal I think the most important thing is that it works perfectly for you first before what anyone else might think. My home is odd. Its a unique. Its a 100 year old farmhouse and nothing could ever change that. I love it but that doesn’t mean it would necessarily appeal to anyone else. Read the rest of the post »

Best Customized Gifts to Give This Season

I’ve made several customized gifts over the years for my friends and family. I think my favorite was my Bestest mom in all the land sign that I created with a stencil and barn wood for mother’s day last year. I also created men’s gift baskets one winter that went over really well. This year I pulled a full on Grandma and have already made over forty quarts of pickles to give away as gifts to my extended family. There really is just something far more special when its customized and created by you for your friends and family. Read the rest of the post »

How to Select The Right Mattress for Your Aging Body

The average American will spend thirty six years in bed so, at least in my opinion, we deserve the right mattress for all that time. I think at this point I’ve lectured everyone I know on how important their bed is! I may only be in my early thirties but I’m also riddled with sports injuries. If I didn’t have a decent bed (and pillow) I would barely be able to walk in the morning and the ensuing migraines would literally make it almost impossible for me to function. When anyone mentions how sore their back is in my company (or how bad their headaches have gotten) my first question is ALWAYS: How old is your mattress? What kind is it? What kind of pillow do you have? Read the rest of the post »

Sensationally Summery Ways to Enhance Your Home Today!

For the first time in my life I have what I think of as “summer sheets” and I have a set of “winter sheets” on my wishlist! I have plenty of sheets, they might be twenty years old but they work fine, but I learned last year that new sheets are an inexpensive way to truly spoil ourselves. I purchased a lovely pair of thin white sheets that are so wonderful in the summer time for making me feel summery! And it does make a difference on how comfortable my bed is too. The temperature in my master is at least ten degrees warmer in the summer than winters so sheets actually do make a big difference!
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3 Must-Do’s to Consider During Your Kitchen Renovation

Kitchen renovations are by far the biggest expense (and stress) during any type of remodel. They also pay off the most though as a kitchen really can make or break a home. A small reno on the kitchen can be just painting out the cabinets and replacing the hardware. That may not cost very much but it is still a HUGE undertaking for most DIYers. I helped my mom paint out her entire kitchen and though it did take forever it was absolutely worth it! Read the rest of the post »

5 Ways DIY Empowers Women

DIY is very empowering that’s for sure! I would probably have to admit that I am at least part way addicted to the feeling of stepping back and looking at a completed project that I did entirely myself. Pulling up to my home and it looking beautiful and complete entirely because of me is an AMAZING thing. Nowadays we’ve all really moved away from doing things ourselves so much so that its created a whole movement of returning to a more sustainable way of life. And you can’t live a sustainable way of life without doing just about everything yourself! Read the rest of the post »

Everything You Need to Know about Baths for Your Bathroom Reno

Bath tubs are definitely making a come back though I don’t think we’ll ever see them quite as common in homes as we once did with the standard tub shower combo that everyone had. Walk in showers are simply safer for everyone involved without the need to step up and over a tub lip and the chance of slipping that that creates. And a bench or seating can always be added to showers if its needed. But the stand alone bath tub is definitely coming back in a big way, I absolutely ADORE mine! Read the rest of the post »

5 Questions to Ask Yourself before a Big Move

I’ve only really moved once in my life as an adult and I kinda felt like: “OK never again if I don’t have to!” Moving is a HUGE job. I know people who have moved a lot in their lives and I really respect them for it! When I moved back home for good ten years ago I could fit everything I wanted to bring back with me in my Corolla. I moved back in my mom and then helped her move to a new home which was a major down size from what she was living in. It was only about a mile away but we still rented a U-Haul and it was a lifesaver! Read the rest of the post »

When To Call In The Experts

Most of the time I tell everyone to just call the experts. I’m always pretty slow to encourage people to do it yourself with their houses like I do. Quite frankly I don’t want to be held responsible if they destroy something or flood their basement etc. Which is why there is a large disclaimer at the bottom of this website. However, the majority of things in a home are not terribly difficult to do. Do your research. If for any reason you are NOT comfortable doing it then don’t! Read the rest of the post »

Crafting and Creativity: Taking up a New Skill

The closest I’ve ever come to “crafting” I guess would be back when my Mom taught me to crochet. I’ve always loved the idea of getting a sewing machine and really learning to sew, but, admittedly, I am truly impaired when it comes to most things that are considered crafts. In fact, I’m kind of the chick that throws anything tedious across the room lol. But, still, as I grow older I can see myself picking up crocheting again someday, I would love to have at least one blanket of my own that I made to hang beside those my Grandma and Mom made! Read the rest of the post »

Live With Less: Tips To Declutter Inside And Outside Your Home

I LOVE to declutter! But I am on both sides of this coin when it comes to a hoarder and a purger. On one hand I can’t stand clutter or “stuff” I even realized this year when I had another dozen garbage bags to haul to the dump that every single thing in my life has a literal expiration date for me. I thought I had cleaned out my garage last fall! Turns out another few months meant another load expired! I’m pretty ruthless – if I don’t use but have moved it more or once – its GONE. On the other hand though when it comes to OLD things, like my Grandparents’ screen doors or all the old furniture I have. Well, let’s just say I won’t be parting with any of it ever!! Read the rest of the post »

DIY Redesigning Your Living Room

OMG you guys I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it here yet but I am SO excited to redesign my living room this fall! I plan on painting it out and redoing the floors (like I did in my entryway because the smoke damage is bad in here too) I also plan on painting the ugly rock on the chimney. Its really one of the last big jobs to take care of the smoke damage and really get my home sparkling again! I also even plan on (drum roll please) a new couch! It seems kinda silly but I’ve never picked out a new couch by myself before and I’m really excited! Read the rest of the post »

Each Type of Property Inspection every Home Buyer should do

I came into my Grandma’s house with my eyes fully wide and open. In the States a 100 year old home, that I knew had not been updated in the 1950s, would require a full gut and total replacement of all electrical and plumbing and, not to mention, new windows, doors and insulation. Pretty much everything. Knowing that though there was simply no reason for me to get an inspection. HOWEVER, I have always always always encouraged an inspection before anyone I knew every purchased a home. Read the rest of the post »

Easy DIY: 5 Advantages of a DIY Security System

I remember the years back when I was growing up and there was never a closed garage door or a locked door in the my childhood home. In fact, when we decided to start locking our doors we gave up on it because we were constantly locking ourselves out. I went through the doggie door several times one summer to get in… Speaking of the dogs though we had a pretty impressive, protective and loud security system in the form of three BIG dogs. And that is totally the type of security system I plan on getting someday! Read the rest of the post »

Top 4 Signs Your Home Has Mice

I think the majority of home owners have dealt with mice in the house from time to time. I live on an old farm so its kind of par for the course. One of the reasons I am so adamant that I need to get that rock off my house and the old stucco beneath it is because I have a bit of a mouse highway into my crawl space and then into my basement. Its not good lol. I keep traps out all of the time and have had several arguments with red squirrels in my house! I’ll get it fixed though and I so look forward to not having to worry about little critters inside again! Read the rest of the post »

Do Or Don’t Wall Mount That TV

As a lot of you know I have a ridiculously huge tv that I never would have purchased for myself. Long story short: it quit working, a family member gave it to me, I looked it up on youtube, did surgery and fixed it. So, now I have this pretty darned incredible television which is kinda funny because though I enjoy tv I actually don’t watch much of it. Though I totally appreciate my bad ass tv when I do! I purchased a wall mount and a friend helped me get it up on the wall. It was a really nerve wracking (and very heavy) so when I realized it was too high I just left it and learned to live with it! Read the rest of the post »

Home Problems, What to do When You Can’t DIY? Here are Your Options

This article got me thinking about the problems I’ve run into here that either A: I couldn’t do or B: I didn’t WANT to do myself. Case and point: My VERY steep roof that needed to be shingled. I hired that one out! Yes, I could have done it but I really really really didn’t want to! The other main thing I hired out here was getting insulation sprayed in. I went with Spray Foam. It was a HUGE cost. If I had purchased fiberglass I would have put it in myself but I deducted that the cost was totally worth what I was getting in the end. No regrets! Read the rest of the post »

You Don’t Have To Move to a New Home To Enjoy More Space

This article makes so many good points! ne of my favorite ideas is probably the most obvious one: Create multi function spaces. Most folks these days hardly use a room JUST for dining anymore. Many times a breakfast nook is plenty and the dining room can be converted to a play room, an office, a doggie day care, whatever you may need! My entryway/office/dining room is a perfect example of a how room can totally serve a ton of different purposes! Read the rest of the post »

Year-Round Revamps for Easier Yard Maintenance

I appreciated this article mentioning the growing movement of grass-free lawns. Someday I plan on hiring a farmer to come in here and turn my entire yard over and disc it for me. On it I plan on planting native white clover and dandelions. I love the idea of a “lawn” that supports local wild life and, not to mention, the idea of a yard that never needs to be mowed! And I know I would be just as happy walking barefoot through clover as I would through grass! Read the rest of the post »

How to Get an Honest Price Out of a Tradesman, Even the Plumber

The first tip in this article is exactly what I would have suggested when it comes to finding someone to do work on your home. Ask your family and friends – do a call out on Facebook etc. Also, don’t be afraid to not hire someone just because you don’t like them, instinct is a REAL thing and its rarely wrong. Interview, make sure and at least see a few different people before making a decision. I’ve had very very little work done to my home except that I’ve done myself but, before I hire anyone, I always know exactly what I want them to do and have a figure in my head of roughly what I think the job is worth. Read the rest of the post »

10 DIY Dorm Room Decor Ideas On a Budget!

It occurred to me that designing a dorm room is not that much different than designing a tiny house. Every single piece must have function and, even better, be multi-functional! I saw an article of a couple of gals that made the news because they had created such a smart and gorgeous dorm room. They brought in really tall bunk beds for either side of the room, they slept on the tops and removed the lower bed. Where the lower bed would have been they each created their own walk in closet beneath where they slept! They hung curtains around the beds both for privacy and to cover their closets.

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Six Ways to Salvage Possessions After Water Damage

When it comes to flooding I’m fortunate to live in a place where the chance of it is basically zero. Even with the several FEET of snow we got dropped on us this last winter most people I know dealt with few problems. Even I had expected to still see some water in my basement when it all melted but that wasn’t the case. I did have an ice damn on my roof that caused dripping into my workshop which was entirely my own fault because I didn’t get the snow off my roof like I should have! Read the rest of the post »

5 Tips to Raise Your House Value

I’ll never forget the real estate crash of 2018, it brought my family absolutely to the brink. Not many of you know but my day job is working for an abstract and title company, it is very dependent on homes selling. All has rcovered since the crash of 2008, but no one has forgotten it. House values remain incredibly important and always will be. I do find it rather tragic though that oftentimes we don’t make our houses nice or “fix” them until we sell. Read the rest of the post »

7 Hacks To Liven Up Your Home When You Are On a Budget

I think its important not just for our homes to be beautiful sanctuaries but also spaces we can have fun with! For a lot of us we’re going to be in our homes for a VERY long time. Sometimes our spaces are lovely and “finished” but, regardless, we need CHANGE. It is more than possible to get bored and tired with even a beautiful space. My favorite thing I’ve done in my house is repurpose furniture in places it was never made for. Such as: my dresser in my entryway! Read the rest of the post »

Renovating An Old House? 5 Common Problems To Keep In Mind

My goodness if a house is considered old when it hits its 30th birthday then mine must be considered ancient! My old farmhouse was built in 1905 so this year she is 104! I knew going into this that no part of the home (electrical or plumbing) had been updated since the 1950s and a portion of the home had not been touched nearly back to when she was built. So, right away, I got power turned off at the house and a couple of outlets installed for me at my pole so I could run lights. Read the rest of the post »

Restoring An Old House: What You Should Know Before You Start

I came into my 100 year old farmhouse with my eyes wide open when it came to what I may (or may not) be facing. I knew it hadn’t been updated since the 50s so immediately in my head I understand that I would be having to gut this old home back to the studs. I knew all of the electrical and plumbing would have to be replaced and I would also need to insulate and replace all of the windows as well. Read the rest of the post »

What to Consider when Selecting Insulation for your Home

By far the largest single purchase I made when renovating my home was $9,000 for spray foam insulation. I think everyone thought I was nuts especially because if I had purchased the bat insulation instead I could have installed it myself. But there were several factors that made my decide on the spray foam and it wasn’t just because it was considered the best in the industry at the time. Read the rest of the post »

How You Can Learn To Remodel A Home

I honestly don’t know if I would have tackled this remodel on my own, like I did, without the internet! I had already learned many lessons from an ex boyfriend (and my own really bad choices) on how NOT to remodel a home but still… A decade ago we couldn’t google a plumbing problem at 4am to find a thousand videos of people before us having had the same problem. I did buy several books of course and I did come into this with eyes pretty much wide open from my past mistakes. Read the rest of the post »

You Needn’t Break Your Back With These Garden Hacks

After that winter you wouldn’t believe my Facebook feed of fellow Minnesotan’s rejoicing that we actually made it to spring! It really felt like it was touch and go there for awhile! But, we did, we made it and I cannot WAIT to get dirty again. I joked with my mom that as soon as I see a patch of dry dirt and grass I’m going roll around in it like my horses! Read the rest of the post »

More Than A Tool Kit: 3 Surprising Items Any DIYer Can’t Do Without

If there was one item I would urge everyone to get it is the one “tool” most people don’t always seem to have when they start doing any DIY projects. Proper boots! I’ve learned the hard way, a few too many times, to always always always wear my work boots no matter how hot it is outside. Because that’s the only time I’ll ever NOT wear my work boots. They don’t need to be fancy, expensive or even steel toed. But you really need to get yourself something tougher then a pair of tennis shoes. Read the rest of the post »

Pro Tips on How to Choose the Best Kitchen Cabinet Online

I’m currently in the middle of tackling my kitchen. I’m SO excited I got so much done this winter! I finished my Workshop, Laundry room and just completed my entryway/dining room a couple of weeks ago. Currently I am just finishing up my kitchen remodel – I cannot WAIT for you guys to see all of the results. This article talks about a great kitchen cabinet and, truly, no kitchen would be a kitchen without some kind of decent cabinet storage! Read the rest of the post »

Top 3 DIY Tips to Hide Ugly Water Heaters and Furnaces

Top 3 DIY Tips to Hide Ugly Water Heaters and Furnaces. Hiding ugliness in our homes is something I think we all spend a lot of time doing. Some of us are fortunate enough to have a small room or closet devoted to the inner workings in our homes. But that’s not always an option, especially in smaller houses. Curtains, doors and even cabinets are all great options.

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Cheap Ways to Upgrade your Furniture

There are many easy and cheap ways to upgrade furniture if its no longer your style. It is no secret that buying something new is basically my last case worse scenario. if I can’t build it or alter a piece that I already have my next step is to head to my salvage yards and thrift stores. People throw away and get rid of such gorgeous old pieces in exchange for something of far lesser quality just because its “new”. Read the rest of the post »

Buying a Fixer Upper: What You Need to Know First

Of course when asked the question, “Should I buy a Fixer Upper?” I’m just a tad bit biased lol. Was my Grandma’s house a ridiculous amount of work? Absolutely. Did I give up bucket loads of blood sweat and tears for this place? Absolutely. Do I have any regrets doing this myself? Not a single one. DIYing a fixer upper can literally give you the home of your dreams but it will be about twice the work and time then you ever initially thought! Read the rest of the post »

3 Things Landlords Need to Look for to Buy a Rental House to Renovate

There are several individuals in my small town (and probably most small towns in the US) that are purchasing small, older homes to renovate and rent. These rental properties serve a few purposes for a community. They offer affordable housing especially for younger folks, often singles or just couples and they’re also offering another shot at life for homes that may not have survived much longer. Often the homes around here that are being purchased as rentals are all, at least 50 years old and some as old as 200. Read the rest of the post »

Helpful Tools and Resources for Landlords

I always had the plan here at Grandma’s house to become a landlord someday. The longer I am here it becomes more and more clear to me that my initial hope to make my basement a rental is definitely the smartest and most economical way forward. I am still year from getting to that point but I will admit a certain amount of apprehension. Read the rest of the post »

Cost-Effective Outdoor Shading Solutions

Disclaimer: We just reached our February snow fall record. That’s right, there’s so much cold stuff in my yard its almost unbelievable. Which is totally why I chose the very tropical pictures in this post because, to be quite frank, I am SO sick of winter! Regardless though, it will pass as it always does and I am typing this WAY past my bedtime on a Thursday because I am officially on day ONE of my six day stay-cation! And even though being somewhere hot and sunny right now does sound wonderful, I would not rather be anywhere else in the whole wide world. Read the rest of the post »

3 Changes That Will Make a HUGE Difference in Your Home

There are many changes we can make to our homes that really will make a huge difference. Some of the changes can be small and simple and yet, make a massive impact. Paint is a good point here, almost any of us can do it and yet, it can entirely change the look and feel of a room. Light fixtures are a great point and people are just beginning to realize that to update our fixtures we actually don’t need to go to anymore expense than a can of spray paint! Read the rest of the post »

What Causes Water Damage Around The Home?

I think this article about water damage is basically every homeowners worst nightmare. Fortunately, with the invention of pex plumbing, burst water pipes are becoming more a thing of the past. Instead of drilling holes through a dozen 100 year old floor joists I, instead, went straight up the wall from my kitchen sink to plumb in my master bathroom sink. Way easier, made way more sense. Too bad I live in Minnesota and its a north wall. Every year, if it gets below negative zero temperatures, the pipes freeze to my master sink. Read the rest of the post »

What’s So Great About A Fixer Upper?

Of course when asked the question “What’s So Great About A Fixer Upper?” I’m just a tad bit biased lol. Was my Grandma’s house a ridiculous amount of work? Absolutely. Did I give up bucket loads of blood sweat and tears for this place? Absolutely. Do I have any regrets doing this myself? Not a single one. This article mentions how DIYing a fixer upper can literally give you the home of your dreams and that is just so incredibly true. Read the rest of the post »

3 Things to Consider Before Fixing Your Roof

During my home renovation there were only two jobs I hired out. Some might call me nuts but when it comes to do it yourself I really am loathe to EVER call anyone to work on my home. But, even for me, every great now and again, my safety (and sometimes sanity) simply comes first. Number one was putting new shingles on Grandma’s House. The second floor is more known as a “half floor” where the roof is built damned near vertical. I don’t mind roof work but that was too much even for me! Read the rest of the post »

Why You Should Install Carpet in Your Home

Though I think we’re still smack dab in the “anti-carpet-beyond-all-reason” stage of decor I also believe carpet will slowly be coming back. Certainly not as far “back” as it used to be with the wall to wall pink shag in bathrooms lol but carpet has REALLY come a long way. Its far more durable, more beautiful and much much greener than it ever used to be. Read the rest of the post »

4 Home Projects That Are Beyond Easy to Do – Do it yourself!

I love that the first project on this list is to clean out your drunk drawers. Have you watched Tidying up with Marie Kondo on Netflix yet? All I can say is I have this outrageous need to fold something!! In all seriousness though she did give me on piece of advice I actually put to use the other night! See I have these two really nice rolling file cabinets that I moved from my office space to out in my Workshop thus FORCING myself to clean them out. Read the rest of the post »

3 Great Benefits of Installing Security Roller Shutters on Your Property

Up until this article honestly I didn’t realize they made shutters like these for anything besides commercial store fronts. With the hurricanes the United States has been hammered with though these make a lot of sense! I know many homeowners in the southern part of the US install and then remove steel covers over their windows and doors when bad weather is on its way but, this would be an amazing option. Read the rest of the post »

A Garden For Guests: Make Your Backyard Suitable For Entertaining

I don’t think its a secret here on the blog how much I adore my deck and just how much time I (and maybe all of us Minnesotan’s) spend outside in the summers. I just love outdoor entertaining and seeing my yard filled with my friends and family is incredibly special for me. From my fire pit to my huge deck (I call it my dance floor) I always have more plans to make it even more functional every year. Read the rest of the post »

Protect Yourself Legally From Uncertainties with a Rental Agreement

I put a lot of thought into rental agreements earlier this year when thinking about my basement. Finding the right renter is something that has literally kept me up nights worrying about it! And my basement is FAR (like years) from even being ready for a renter. But that’s just how I am, I always think about things WAY ahead of time. I am leaning more toward an airbnb rental now as opposed to long term but, on the other hand, if I could find a renter I trusted long term is certainly something I would consider and, in that case, a rental agreement would be KEY. Read the rest of the post »

When To Go DIY & When To Go Pro

I’ve had folks ask me here on the blog (many times) what they should do themselves and what they should hire out. Honestly that’s not really something I can answer as it totally depends on their own experiences and ability. But there are some things you can do yourself without any experience whatsoever and just basic tools. Read the rest of the post »

The Definitive Guide To Household Job To-Do Lists

Back before the blog to-do-lists were a constant in my house. I would have stacks of them devoted to each room and I always had one in hand (not to mention one in my head) every moment I was doing the renovation here. I’ve actually bemoaned myself for throwing them all away! How neat would it have been to have every to do list I completed in the renovation in a box somewhere?! Read the rest of the post »

How To Make Your Home More Healthy

It is no secret on the blog here how health conscious I am about what I allow to come into my home. Basically I am entirely chemical free at this point, I make all my own cleaners including laundry and dishwasher detergent. For real, I just use vinegar for everything and it severs me just fine lol! I also add essential oils all over the place, you can find a bottle (or several) in almost every room of my house. Read the rest of the post »

10 Tips to Ensure a Lively Garden

It isn’t just that there’s snow outside or that we have a high of 8 degrees on Thursday that makes me happy to publish an article about gardening. It is also because I have plans to get back to gardening next year! You guys know that after the divorce (literally almost exactly one year ago) I stripped my life down to the bare essentials and removed excess so that I could focus more on my happiness and healing. My vegetable garden was one of those things, one less worry this last summer. Read the rest of the post »

7 Easy Home Decor Sewing Projects

Every single one of these projects would make a lovely holiday gift for just about anyone. Unfortunately for me just about anything that requires fabric (and my patience) has never gone well as a project in my house lol I have little to no sewing talent whatsoever though I can absolutely put a button on! My aunt on the other hand, back when she was my age, was literally sewing tailored suits for herself! Read the rest of the post »

Top 5 Tips for Decorating Your Pool Area

Oh my gosh can we all just take a moment of silence for those of us (me) in northern MN who woke up to temperatures in the NEGATIVE this morning?! For goodness sakes is it cold even for us right now! And we had literally no fall or spring in 2018 to speak of… Our first snow was in Septemeber and it also snowed in April this year! Ok, rant over, moving on to enjoying the images here of hot days and lounging by a pool! Read the rest of the post »

Nighttime Hacks for Better Sleep

Getting a good nights sleep is something that I absolutely work hard at and cherish. But, for someone who loves sleep and her bed so much, I have a notoriously terrible history of insomnia and night terrors. I have my own nighttime hacks that help get me to sleep faster and stay alseap. First thing is first though: if you are uncomfortable in your bed room getting a good night’s sleep is already an uphill battle. After my divorce I tackled my entire master floor and my bedroom and, for the very first time since I was a kid, my bedroom became a haven. Read the rest of the post »

Bringing More Warmth into Your Home This Winter

Tragically for me (and everyone else whose living in the northern United states right now) we have already been hit hard by winter. This morning I saw the temperature was -2 when I got up and I literally yelled, “FOR REAL!?” This is early, even for us, we didn’t see much of a fall and our first snow was in September this year. We’re all pretty darned crabby actually lol. Read the rest of the post »

3 Ideas For A Sleeker Home Design

One thing I’ve found with my own home and room designs is that there is a huge difference between creating cozy and creating a cluttered space that feels claustrophobic. Step one: surfaces should be kept open and clean giving the space a feeling of openness. Step two: accessories should be kept at a minimum and kept in an orderly fashion. Though my home design is not modern by any means I find those two rules always make my rooms feel sleeker and light. Read the rest of the post »

How To Protect Your Home Against The Elements This Winter

This article just reminded me on the one other big job I really needed to get done before winter. Unfortunately it is now going to have to wait until spring but the rock my ex put on the outside of my house is literally just falling off. Under it the stucco is breaking away and the wood beneath that is rotting. Its not really not good. And its awful I didn’t get there this summer. Read the rest of the post »

Storm Recovery: Advice For Homeowners

Living up here in northern MN we don’t face the problems with storms like many other places in the United States. Our main worry is snow and cold! Every year many homeowners this far north deal with freezing septic and water lines (even right in the middle of town) not to mention ice damns on their roofs ripping their shingles and gutters off. Read the rest of the post »

6 Inexpensive Hacks For Your DIY Baby Shower

How fun! The last baby shower I went to was all farmer themed. The ladies ordered a green frosting cake and then they DIY’d the heck out of the top of it. They added a whole stable yard of pigs and cows as well as a john deer tractor! Behind the tractor they simply scraped off the frosting (it was a chocolate cake) to make it look like the “ground” behind it had been tilled up. They also added large stuffed farm animals into the buffet to make it look like horses were eating the carrots etc. Read the rest of the post »

7 Interior Design Trends to Get Your Home Ready For The Holidays

I am reminded of all the wonderful little plans I have this year for the holidays in Grandma’s House. I actually wasn’t planning on even having a tree (ducks as tomatoes are thrown at her from the crowd) but, of course, I caved! And now I am so excited for not only the tree but all the little decorations and plans I have to make this home holiday ready! Read the rest of the post »

Things You Should Know Before Buying a Water Filter

Water filters are a big thing up here in Minnesota. We are considered one of the more health conscious states but, what most people don’t know, is that we’re also a pretty big farming state as well. Being so close to farmland means that the state is even testing people’s well water for free (including mine) for nitrates etc. Fortunately for me my well water was considered “safe” and also doesn’t include a lot of iron. Which is not true for many of my neighbors. Read the rest of the post »

How to Keep your Garden Clean and Healthy

I loved this article when I saw it in my inbox because right now we officially have an inch of snow on the ground! Yes, everyone is very crabby lol it is so awesome to me that there are folks out there (a lot of them) who are still looking at their beautiful gardens and maintaining them. I’m totally jealous! Read the rest of the post »

Best Wall Décor Ideas for Small Spaces

I don’t normally think of my home as “small” especially now that I’m here alone but my main living space is really just 1,500 square feet. Which is a ton of room for me! But I know other folks would think of my farmhouse as small. I can’t imagine having more space though, right now I feel spoiled with more space then I even need. What makes a huge difference in making spaces look larger is good wall décor. Read the rest of the post »

8 Steps for Finding Your Dream Home

Before Grandma’s house became my forever home I had been searching for a little old farmhouse to buy and renovated myself. The process alone was SO much fun! I loved looking at all the options out there and just imagining what could be done with the homes and the properties. Of course I was always looking at the ugliest houses available lol my dream had always been one day to flip properties. Read the rest of the post »

4 Farmhouse Interior Design Ideas For Your Home

Hey guys, as you know I am ALL about farmhouse interior design around here. I do happen to live in a 100 year old farmhouse so it just comes natural lol. Personally I’ve always LOVED farmhouses so it was simply a matter of time before I ended up in one. My grandparents lived in my old house for over fifty years and the fact that I was able to make this my own home remains one of the real treasures in my life. Read the rest of the post »

How to Baby Proof Your New Kitchen

Did I ever tell you guys that I have eleven nieces and nephews? Whenever anyone asks if I’m planning on having kiddos I always tell them I’m off the hook lol. Whenever I have family gatherings I always spend a certain amount of time scrambling and baby proofing where I can. Especially the kitchen! Read the rest of the post »

5 Signs You Need to Renovate Your Home

As far as realizing you need to renovate my rule of thumb is if it hasn’t been touched since the 1980s you probably need to renovate lol. When I came into Grandma’s house there was no doubt it my mind that this 100 year old farmhouse would require a full gut. From the insulation (or, the lack thereof) to the wiring and plumbing that had not been updated in over 50 years, this home need to be entirely renovated. Read the rest of the post »

Should You Sleep on an Organic Mattress?

Considering how much time we spend in our beds a good mattress should be a serious priority. We spend like 1/3rd of our lives in it! With a family history of back problems I’ve actually never slept on a spring mattress and, every time I have, I’ve regretted it lol I was spoiled as a kid. I had a sleep number bed for YEARS until it finally bit the dust on me. Read the rest of the post »

Top Stove Top Espresso Makers that Every Coffee Lover Should Consider

I admit it: I read this article and my first thought was, “What the heck is a Moka Pot?” Now I know lol and I’m actually really considering buying one. Currently I am making do with a VERY old Kuerig that is literally on its last legs and has been making below average coffee for me for the past six months. I use the little reusable K-cups (which I love) but my maker just isn’t getting the water hot enough any more which is also kinda scary. Read the rest of the post »

Office Design – How I planned out a Functional and Beautiful Space!

One thing I think you guys already know about me is that functionality rules in my household. So, when it came to working on my office design that was totally #1. My office had to FUNCTION and function WELL because I was going to be spending a lot of my time in it. So to me the first thing of course is the desk. I needed something to put my computer on lol Read the rest of the post »

Ways to remodel your kitchen on a budget

What’s wonderful about the age we live in right now is that we can truly update our spaces not just by doing it ourselves but also really inexpensively! My mom’s little place was in dire need of an update, it felt dark, dirty, dingy and basically made me hate every surface. On a wing and a prayer we decided to simply paint EVERYTHING and we than see how we felt about the big things (the floors, counter tops etc.) once the paint dried. Read the rest of the post »

Planning a Bathroom Makeover? Here’s 6 New Trends You Should Try

Giving my bathroom a makeover this spring was one of many steps on my way to reclaiming my space after a divorce. I truly just flew by the seat of my pants, added things that I loved and simply just went for it. I love how my bathroom feels now and can’t believe how just some inexpensive additions made such a huge difference! Read the rest of the post »

6 Lighting Options That Will Transform Your Garden

Its been said many times when it comes to space design that lighting can absolutely transform it like almost nothing else can. And I totally agree! The right lighting can take a stark space and make it feel warm and cozy, it can also take a dark and dreary space and make it feel bright and welcoming. And outside lighting can transform your yard into a whole other living room of your house! Read the rest of the post »

Should You Hire a Professional Home Inspector?

I may be a bit biased when it comes to home inspectors because my brother happens to be one lol but I have encouraged an inspection to every single friend of mine who was considering purchasing a home. Whether you’re new to home ownership, or have a lot of knowledge under your belt, another set of experienced eyes can be really helpful. Read the rest of the post »

5 Stunning Wood Design Ideas For Small Homes

I’ve always been drawn to wood and I think its entirely due to my grandparents’ being wood workers. When they retired from farming and milking their cows they converted their (now my) old barn into a wood workshop. I have so many memories of being out there in the saw dust helping. To this day the smell of stain brings me right back to being with my grandma. Read the rest of the post »