Category: Upcycled Decorating

Budget Friendly Ways to Organize Your Home

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Shop Goodwill for double-duty (and budget friendly) organizing ideas for your home.  Think outside the box!  

Shopping for new boxes, bins, baskets, and Lazy Susan’s is expensive.  However, a budget friendly way to organize your home is through creative Goodwill finds.  Wander around your local Goodwill Store to shop for creative solutions.  Here are 10 double-duty organizing ideas. 

1.  Goodwill is a great place to find used furniture. You might find a beautiful piece but don’t have room for it in your home.  Consider re-purposing the drawers as under-the-bed storage.  Just add wheels for easy access.

2.  My trip to Goodwill in search of storage items turned up mason jars in all shapes and sizes.  Jars are fantastic for storage of dry ingredients and non-perishable items for your pantry.  For instance, use the jars for tea bags or spice packets.  You can also use jars to organize office supplies like paperclips and push pins.

3.  Eyeglass cases serve as a creative way to store things while traveling. Use a vintage case for holding jewelry or earbuds and your phone charger.

4.  With summer being the time for travel, organization is important to make your trip less stressful.  For instance, pill holders can be used for earrings, rings and so on.

5. Many times I see bags of craft supplies at Goodwill, and in those bags are dozens of mismatched buttons.  Try putting your earrings through the holes of the buttons to store them  This will help keep them together.

6.  Cookie jars of all shapes and sizes can be used to store things like nail polish or kids crayons.

7.  When you find a beautiful frame at Goodwill but don’t love the art contained in the frame, consider using the frame for something creative. First, it can easily be painted.  And then, attach several rows of string or ribbon on the back, and use clothes pins to display photos or greeting cards. This could also make a creative family chore / reward chart!

8.  Find an old shutter from a home?  Use it to display cards or mementos.

9.  Is your kids bathroom a place that is in need of serious organization?  A tiered mesh basket (usually used for fruit in a kitchen) makes bath toy organization a breeze.  Hang from the curtain rod.  It keeps toys contained and allows them to dry.

10.  Two-drawer metal file cabinets are a regular find at Goodwill.  These gems have so many uses for organization in your home. Toss a pretty throw, scarf or table cloth over the top and you have an instant end table with hidden storage.  You can also paint it and apply a stencil to give the storage unit a new look   Do a Pinterest search on re-purposing metal cabinets and you will be shocked at all the ideas!

This months guest blogger is Cathy Fairchild from Say Yes to Less.

Get in touch with Cathy at:  http://www.sayyestoless.guru  

https://www.facebook.com/sayyestoless.guru/


Spring Home Project – Easy DIY Terrarium

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Spring Home Project DIY… bringing a little outside inside

Bringing the outside into your home with plants is a great way to (literally) bring some life Into your Spring home projects.  There are a ton of resources available at your local Goodwill to create an amazingly easy DIY terrarium!

With Spring upon us, I have been anxious to test my green thumb.  But at the same time, terrified the temperature changes will result in mass garden casualties! So, this easy DIY Terrarium is an easy indoor plant option.

Not only are terrariums perfect for our unruly weather, they’re also a beautiful option for decorating with thrift store finds. If you like budget friendly home décor options, you’ll love the Easy DIY Terrarium!

Easy as 1-2-3

To get started on your own Easy DIY Terrarium, here is what you will need from your local Goodwill for this project:

  1.   Glass Tray
  2.   Terracotta Pots
  3.   Glass Cloche Domes.  What is a cloche?  Simply put, it is a translucent cover used to protect plants. You can use any clear glass for this project. Be creative! Just be sure the class is tall.  This is key. Your plant needs room to grow. Some things that might work: glass jars, glass bowls, mason jars, or a fish bowl.

Get some potting supplies too. If you’re a plant expert, feel free to set up your terrarium however you’d like. If you’re not sure where to start, check out my full post HERE to see how I “layered” my Easy DIY Terrarium. I also shared a trick for finding house plants for cheap!

Once you have your supplies from Goodwill,  start putting together your Easy DIY Terrarium.

Step 1

It’s super simple. First, get your plants into the terracotta pots.

Step 2

Then, arrange on your tray.

Step 3

Finally, add the domes!

Tips

Tip 1:  Because the covered terrariums create a greenhouse effect, there will be some moisture build up. Which is why I highly suggest the glass tray like I used.  This will create a moisture barrier between your Easy DIY Terrariums and whatever surface you’ll be putting them on.

Tip 2:  When you pick out your supplies at Goodwill, make sure the dome fits over the terracotta pots you use. A couple of mine were a pretty snug fit, and I had to experiment with which dome worked best with each pot.

Tip 3:  Goodwill has a ton of great glassware options that would be perfect for Easy DIY Terrariums! You could also try tall vases for open terrariums, or jars and bottles for a more Boho look.

Tip 4:  This can be a fun project for kids to get involved with. Let your kids help choose the plants, and get their hands dirty potting.  They will love watching something they created grow throughout the Spring and Summer.

 

 

 

 

This month’s guest blogger is Amanda DeVries.  Get in touch with her at This Growing Home or find her on Facebook.

 

8 DIY Vintage Suitcase Projects

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Suitcases are one item that you can always find at Goodwill. With that in mind, today’s post showcases 8 ideas for ways you can use vintage suitcases for your home. Whether you are upcycling the suitcases into new pieces or simply adding them to an empty corner in your home, suitcases can offer both beauty and storage to your home.

When my kids were small, I made a rainy day suitcase that was filled with items from Goodwill, craft supplies, and fun dollar store items that they used to look forward to when we were cooped indoors. I have long been a lover of this sweet item at Goodwill and after you see these ideas, I know you will too!

Add Vintage Details to a Food Table

I do a lot of entertaining and I am always looking for pretty additions to our tables when entertaining. I love this idea from Ruffled on how to incorporate vintage suitcases in a party table display. Not only does it make for a beautiful display with the addition of a few fresh flowers, but it also gives you the chance to stack dishes at different heights and maximize your table while adding an interesting detail. 

Create a Suitcase Side Table

One of my favorite things that I see suitcases being used for is as a furniture piece. Not only does it add a beautiful detail to a room, but it also offers hidden storage within to house random items that might not have a designated space in your home. 
Goodwill can be a wonderful resource both for the base, the suitcase, and any vintage items you might like to display on top. Check out this fun tutorial for a diy vintage side table from A Diamond in the Stuff.

Add Detail to an Empty Corner

Although I am not a big fan of collecting things for my home, one collection I can get behind is one that both adds beautiful detail to a room and also offers storage for my home. You know that corner where you usually put the Christmas tree during the holiday season? That just might be the perfect corner to begin collecting interesting suitcases to stack. I can totally picture these being filled with off-season items like ornaments and holiday decorations that would save us time hunting for items in our basement. Try this fun suitcase collection inspired by Joys of Home in a corner in your house.

Create Unique Shelving in Small Spaces

One thing I am always looking for is shelving because our home did not come equipped with a lot of closet space. I love this idea from Something Created Everyday to create shelving for extra towels in a small bathroom. This is the perfect spot to also tuck away any items you might want to keep on hand for your guests without cluttering up your space and is a fantastic way to use smaller suitcases in your home. 

Add Whimsy to a Mantel

Although I don’t have a fireplace, I have been seeing a lot of homes adding faux mantles to their home and filling them with unique objects. This french gray mantel is a beautiful addition to this home that I spied on Maple & Magnolia. I love the idea of painting vintage suitcases in coordinating colors to add a fun detail to a thrifted faux mantel. Who wouldn’t love this for their home?

Create Creative Craft Storage

If your craft room is anything like my own, you are always looking for ways to store your oodles of craft supplies. I love this idea from Craft & Creativity on utilizing vintage suitcases for craft supplies storage. What a fun and chic solution for your creative space.

Make a Coordinating Set

The possibilities for decorating a suitcase abound and I browsed through millions of options before I happened upon this adorable set from A Beautiful Mess. I love the idea of applying coordinating fabrics vintage suitcases to create an adorable matching set. Wouldn’t these be so cute in a nursery for tucking away baby toys, spare diaper supplies, or spare bedding?

Make a Cozy Pet Bed

Pet beds on the market are pretty ugly, but a vintage suitcase can be transformed into a perfectly coordinated space for your furry friend with just a few supplies. I love the idea of a cozy home out of an old suitcase and since my cat loves to climb in my suitcase when I am packing to leave for my trips, I have a feeling that this project would be a big hit at our house. Get the full diy suitcase pet bed tutorial on Take Courage.

Now hurry over to Goodwill and snag a suitcase for one of these fun projects today! What are your favorite ways to use old suitcases? 

6 Ways to Decorate Your Home for Fall with Goodwill

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This time of year is among my favorite because I just love decorating for the Fall season and for Thanksgiving with my family. Thankfully, decorating for Fall doesn’t need to be expensive at all especially if you have a Goodwill Store. With a few inexpensive tools and some items from our favorite thrift shop, you will have all you need to start decorating your home for Fall.

Here are six fun ways to decorate your home for Fall using some commonly found items from the Goodwill Store! 

Make a Sweater Vase

Vases are readily available at Goodwill and there happen to be dozens upon dozens of sweaters just waiting to adorn those vases. Select a color scheme that goes along with your home and simply glue the sweater fabric to your inexpensive vase. Fill your vase with bare branches from your yard and you have a beautiful and cozy vase to decorate your mantle!

As someone who lacks the sewing gene, I totally love that this craft is a no-sew project! Check out Made From Pinterest for the scoop on this adorable craft.

Add a Fall Touch To Your Door

Making a wreath can be time-consuming and buying a wreath can be expensive. Why not decorate your door beautifully and simply with the top of a rake. I love this adorable rake adornment for the front door dressed simply with a little sprig of Fall branches that you could pick up from the craft shop. You could even spray paint this to match your front step decor. This would also be such a fun way to decorate a shed door! Visit Eclectically Vintage for some beautifully thrifted inspiration!

Make a Cozy Pumpkin Centerpiece

Sweater crafts are all the rage for Fall and I love the idea of creating a centerpiece of pumpkins that have been covered in cozy sweaters for the Fall season. On the StoneGable blog, you can find some fabulous instructions for creating a few cozy pumpkins of your own. I love that they chose this white color scheme for the pumpkins because these could remain out for Winter decor too! Be sure to look for sweaters with interesting cabling schemes and chose sweaters with different textures to really make your pumpkin centerpiece stand out! 

Give Branches a New Lease On Life

While bare branches can be beautiful, it can be fun to spruce them up and adorn them for the Fall season. Yarn is a commonly donated Goodwill item and this year I made my very own little Knitted Leaf centerpiece out of scrap yarns that I had. Leaves can be made out of just about anything though, consider cutting leaves from sweaters or book pages to create your own unique centerpiece and place them in a pretty vase from Goodwill.

Make a Pumpkin From Book Pages

Are you hosting a Thanksgiving dinner this year? Consider making a unique centerpiece out of a book from Goodwill. These book page pumpkins make a beautiful place setting that could later sit on a side table, ledge, or mantle after your dinner is done. Check out Upcycled Treasures for a great tutorial on how to make these for your own Thanksgiving table. Of course, regular readers know that we are BIG fans of book page crafts over here so be sure to check out our fantastic round-up of things to do with old books!

Take a Stand with Your Decorating

Cake stands are so easy to make with just a candlestick holder and a plate. Spray paint them to create a cohesive collection and place these on your buffet table or mantle. Head to the local farmer’s market or grocer to find interesting pumpkins to adorn the top of these stands. Check out this easy tutorial from Dwellings by Devore to get the scoop on how to make these for your own home!

I am wishing you the happiest of Thanksgivings this year! I hope these ideas will help you with decorating your own home for the holidays!