Monthly Archives: April 2012

Closet Organization Weekend

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Hi friends!  We hope you had a great weekend. We sure did – we got a lot of items crossed off our to-do list, while adding a few more.  I know John will want to share his projects later this week so I thought I would share what I did this weekend first.

Are you like me and have multiple to-do lists always going and getting updated? I can bet I have at least three in progress at all times. Usually I have one huge list then break it down by day on a separate piece of paper.  I know with all the great technology out there I could streamline this process, but I REALLY enjoy a handmade list.

For Easter, my cousin gave me this cute mini notepad and refills! You might have thought she bought me gold because I was so excited!  I don’t leave home without this guy anymore.

So back to my list.  Friday night John and I discussed our plans for the weekend and we each made a list.  His list was much longer, but included in my agenda was taking care of the baby (which is the best!!).  While the little one was napping Saturday, I tackled a huge project I had been thinking about for years.  Let’s make that 2 years to be exact.  Ever since we moved into our current home, John’s closet has been a catch all for storage, decorations, old electronics, personal items from childhood, ice skates, shoes, clothes, and a practice bagpipe (my favorite!).  Now, usually I would include a before picture but I was too embarrassed to even take one.  I really love organizing and I cannot believe I left his closet in that shape for as long as I did.  So during her nap I began the project.  I pulled out everything and organized it as “keep,” “trash,” “filing,” “John’s junk,” and “I have no clue.” Buried in all of the junk was the last moving box from two years ago.  I thought I had gotten rid of them all but it seems one had decided to linger.  That box was placed in the “John’s junk” pile since it was filled with his previous dresser’s junk drawer clutter (did u follow that double negative junk adjective?).

After that, I started to put all of the Christmas decorations and trees together in the closet. Before this I had the trees in his closet and my decoration totes in a spare bedroom closet. So now all Christmas decorations are together – weee!  I also moved all of my decorations for other holidays in there too.  They were all organized in totes, but were in different places in the house.  Lastly, I moved my baby storage in there also.  Right now I have three totes of baby gear and clothes I am saving.  I have a tote in progress in my closet for the clothes she fits into now.

Here is the view from the door.

Not bad, right!?  The best part was this project was FREE!  I took a break after completing the project once the baby got up from her nap. John came in from working outside and we tackled the whole “I have no clue” pile.  Most of this stuff was John’s personal items from high school and college and a lot of pictures.  I am sure we could have gotten through all of this stuff quicker, but it was fun looking through old photos and reading old cards from one another.  We also found a few gems of John’s including a bag pipe practice flute, ice skates, a poker chips set that’s never been opened, a fabric map of the family names of Ireland (John’s only about half Irish) and various political yard signs.  These aren’t my favorite items to keep in the house, but John was being so helpful I decided to let him keep it all!  Well, with the exception of the poker chips, those were donated along with clothes and shoes we no longer wear.

We also went through old paperwork and filed what was appropriate – but that’s pretty boring.

I will share my closet redo in a later post!  All in all we tackled a lot of projects and crossed off some more items on our never ending to-do list!

What did you do this weekend?  Do you have a constant to-do list like us?

A List of Woodworking Tools

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My reading interest tends to vary with my energy level.  Some days I want to dive into a deep, multi-page scientific journal entry about the quest to find the Higgs Boson or read the entire Wikipedia page on early church history.  Finishing large articles can be rewarding.  Leaves you feeling like you read a novel.  Other days, I don’t have the time or the energy for that type of reading commitment   On those days, I like reading lists.  Today is one of those days.

I always enjoy listmania on Amazon.com.  I enjoy seeing what other people would buy if they had the time or the money.  I think you can tell a lot about someone by what they want to own as opposed to what they do own.  I should probably start one myself, but I may be tempted to add those items to my shopping cart prematurely.

Since I started renovating, I’ve had a running list of woodworking tools that I believe are necessary to complete most projects the average DIYer/renovator/woodworker would attempt.  This is the bulk of that list.

1.  A Cordless Drill.  You don’t need a cordless lithium ion impact driver like this Makita, but a regular old cordless drill is really a shop necessity.  Corded is OK too, but the cordless is where it’s at.

2.  A Table Saw.  Absolutely necessary.  You can make nearly every cut you’ll need with a table saw.  Doesn’t have to be a Cadillac, but it has to at least run.

jet jointer3.  A Jointer.  What’s a jointer?  Well, after you’ve cut a board on the table saw and let’s say you bought it at Lowes, you have a clean factory edge that hasn’t been cut and you have the edge that went through the blade.  The cut edge almost always will be wavy and won’t be finish quality until it’s been cleaned up.  The jointer is a machine that has a rotating set of knives that will clean that nasty edge up.  You can run boards on edge through it or face down.  It’s generally not for plywood, mainly for hardwood.

4.  A Miter Saw.  You need one.  Big time.  It’s really the only way to cut boards to length (as opposed to the table saw, which cuts boards to width).

5.  A Kreg Jig.  Perfect for assembling cabinets, built-ins, workbenches (wink wink), pretty much anything with a straight edge.  There are a number of different sized kits.  The one pictured is only about $20.  Make sure you get a clamp.  The Kreg system relies on clamps.

6.  A Thickness Planer.  It’s loud and it will save you money.  Most project wood you’re going to use is 1x, which means it’s actually 3/4″ thick.  It’s not cheap.  But if you’re buying it then you’re building something.  Building it yourself is certainly cheaper than buying it already made and it’s absolutely cheaper than having a contractor build it for you.  A thickness planer is the next step in DIYing.  Home improvement stores mark up the wood because it’s ready to go.  You can take it home and cut it, glue it, and paint it.  The type of hardwood (oak, poplar, pine, aspen) that these stores sell is called S4S or Sanded Four Sides.  If you skip the big home improvement warehouses and buy the wood directly from a lumber yard you can save a lot of money… especially on big projects.  Here’s the catch:  the wood from lumber yards isn’t 3/4″ thick (it’s thicker) and it isn’t ready for much of anything.  That’s where the thickness planer comes in.  You can take that rough cut lumber and plane it down to 3/4″ thick.  It’s more work on your end, but it’s worth it.

Here’s a quick video that shows how the jointer and the thickness planer work.

7.  A Shop Vac.  Every item above will create an unbelievable amount of saw dust, especially the table saw and the thickness planer.

8.  A Random Orbital Sander.  Extremely useful.  Can’t finish a woodworking project without it!

Did I miss anything?  If you don’t own any of these items yet, but you still want to eventually tackle some woodworking projects, don’t fret.  There are plenty of quality used equipment on Craigslist and Ebay that have very little use that can be bought for a great price. 

***Full disclosure:  Lisa and I are members of Amazon.com associates.  If you purchase any of the items above, we get a small kickback.  If you’re interested in joining Amazon Associates, go to Affiliate-Program.Amazon.com ***

Finally Getting Started

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Yep, we’re finally getting around to the dining room wainscoting project. There is quite a lot to do with this one, but we’re happy to finally get to it. We’ve got a full weekend of home projects ahead of us for a change and I can’t wait to get cracking!

Here’s a reminder of the general to-do list for the wainscoting:

1. Remove trim (in progress)
2. Decide on layout and sketch on wall (post coming)
3. Obligatory table saw post
4. Move any outlets and add additional one (in progress)
5. Build router table
6. Install stiles and rails
7. Make and install MDF panels
8. Paint

We added Build a Workbench to that list as well.

Last week I pulled a permit from my local township to cover the minor electrical work. I’ll be adding that extra outlet this weekend. It should be a simple task, but you never know. Last night, I started removing some of the existing dining room trim. I don’t feel too bad about removing this chair rail because the builder installed it, unlike the chair rail we added to the vestibule. Ultimately, all of it will get yanked before we start adding the wainscoting.

Here’s how I removed the trim…

1. First, I ran a razor, like my box cuter, along all the caulked seams. You’ll need a very sharp blade, preferably a new one. Go slow.

2. Next, I take a small pry bar and jam it into the bottom seam. The bottom didn’t have any caulk on it, which makes it easier to get the pry bar into.

You can see that the builder didn’t use glue and wrote the piece length on the wall. No glue makes it much easier!!

3. To get the caulk off the wall, I use a spackle knife and scrape it.

So this weekend, we’ll be popping off the rest of the molding. Before the wainscoting goes on, I’ll probably spackle these walls smooth with joint compound.

Can’t wait! How’s your week going? Do you find that it’s incredibly difficult to anything after work?

Some of Lisa’s Favorite Apps

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Hey kids!

Back with my first post in a while and I thought I would share a few of my favorite apps for the iPhone (in no particular order).

…drumroll please…

1. WordPress

This one has to be mentioned first since I am using it right now! It makes writing a post super easy and convenient for a super busy mom (like me!). It’s also great because I can easily upload photos that I take with my iPhone and add to posts.

 

 

2. CROP

This app is really useful to crop and rotate pics taken on the go. I also like the app since it is really simple to use!

 

 

 

3. Instagram

If you have used this app then I bet you agree – its a really cool app! This one takes photos (new or on your camera roll) and puts them through a filter to change the color/exposure of the pic. My favorite filter is “Nashville.”  I almost always use this one for my pictures.

 

 

4. TinyZoo Friends

This is a newbie app for me. I downloaded and I really enjoy playing at nighttime to unwind.  It’s really neat – you get to breed animals, clean the zoo, and earn (pretend) money. I like the challenge of playing without using any real money from my app store. You have to check back periodically to check on your breeding animals and feed and clean their cages.  It sorta reminds me of my Tomagachi way back in the 90′s.

5. Elmo Calls

This is the only app I paid for. Well, I borrow it from my mom! I have an iPhone 3 (aka the dinosaur) and I can’t even download this one. If you have a little one I am sure they would love this. This app basically turns your phone into a phone call from Elmo. It rings and when the kiddo answers, Elmo’s video appears and your little one’s face is on the other side of the video. It’s really cool. I don’t think my description does it justice.

6. All of the Sprout apps!

Our little one loves the Sprout channel and I have all the Sprout apps! They include one for videos and games, a dress Chica app, and a brush Star’s teeth app! They are really great and are helpful for keeping the little ones occupied for a little bit.

 

7. Lullaby Lamb Lite

This one is good for soothing sounds on the go. The music is really relaxing (even for big kids, too) and the lamb jumps over the pillow which is too cute!

 

 

 

8. PBS Kids

This app is awesome! It has a TON of PBS Kids shows including Sesame Street and Dinosaur Train!

 

 

 

Well kids, that’s my two cents for some pretty awesome apps.  Just remember these are only my humble opinion.  I am sure once I post this I will be able to think of a bunch more – so maybe I can write a second post?

Now I want to hear from you – what are some of your favorite apps!?

Remodeling Old Homes #3: My Favorite How-To Books

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I love books.  Not just any books, mind you.  I love How To books.  There is something empowering about a How To book that I find very satisfying.  Consequently, I rarely part with any of the DIY books I’ve collected over the years.  They’re usually filled with so much info that even though I may never re-plumb an entire bathroom or stucco a wall, I can’t bring myself to get rid of them.  Maybe I’ll loan a couple out to some friends or family, that I don’t mind at all, but you won’t see me sell any.  That is unless of course there’s no way I’ll EVER use it for ANY project at ANY point in history… which, is doubtful.

I’m categorizing this post as Remodeling Old Homes simply because they are probably more useful on the whole for people who are renovating, but they are just as applicable to owners of new or already renovated homes that need to make small repairs or major upgrades.

Here’s a list of my favorite How To books…

1.  Reader’s Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual.  This book has EVERYTHING.  Wanna know about what glue to use for each project?  It’s in there.  Repair a faucet?  Yep.  Pour concrete?  Mmm Hmm.  Fix a hole in the Titanic?  You betcha!

2.  Home Improvement 1-2-3.  This book is a little more focused on the home, while the Reader’s Digest is a little more varied.  There’s not as much info in this Home Depot book, but it explains projects nicely and there is still a ton of info in here.  You can pick this one up right at the Home Depot.  I first bought this book immediately after I bought my first home and it was very helpful.

3.  This Black and Decker home wiring guide is the best electrical how to book I’ve read.  It’s a wealth of basic wiring info.  For your average home owner that’s attempting a small project, this book is perfect.  It shows you how to setup circuits in a varying number of situations (single switch, 3-way switches, 4-way, receptacles, etc).  It provides enough general theory that you’ll get a lot out of it.  This book is pretty much how I learned how to wire a house.

4.  Drywalling is hard.  Hanging the wallboards is the easy part.  Getting seamless tape joints takes a lot of practice and experience.  I’m OK at it, I still need some practice.  This book lays out the fundamentals to get you on the right track.  If you’re thinking about tackling a drywall job yourself you can save yourself a lot of money.  Consider reading this book if you don’t have a lot of experience with it.  It’ll save you a lot of aggravation.

5.  Plumbing is another area where you can save some dough if you do it yourself.  I picked up this book because I re-plumbed my first house and I wanted to know where all the supply and drain pipes go relative to one another.  Another really solid Home Depot book.  There is a lot of info on repairing faucets and toilets, which can be helpful.  Toilets I will fix, but if a faucet is leaking or giving me fits, I just replace it.

6.  If you REALLY get into home improvement and DIY projects and you need a kitchen facelift, then consider building your own cabinets.  If you’re intimidated by that whole scenario, start with a small book shelf and see how that goes.  Cabinet construction is not that difficult.  You’re basically making a box.  Read this book before you start.  It goes a little over the top in terms of planning and layout, but the basic theory behind it is excellent.  Nowadays you can plan your cabinet layout and cutsheet in a decent cabinet software program.

I think I have a few more books yet, but I think I’ll save them for another post.  Do you have any quality reference books that you value?