How to Make the Most of your Next Home Improvement Shopping Trip!

Today, I installed the toilet and wall-mounted sink in my half bath and I went to the hardware store 3 times!  3 times in 1 day...  Just imagine how thrilled I was to find that I had bought the wrong sized toilet flange..twice...only to find that the existing flange would have been good enough for the project.  

I came up with this list of tips while I was driving home from Home Depot.  Hopefully it will help you on your next DIY shopping trip.  You, know?  So you don't have to go to the same store 3 times in the span of a couple of hours for the same project?  Your welcome!

1.  Thoroughly research your project before leaving for the store.  This way, you can take all the necessary measurements of the items you need and of the space you have. 

2.  Measure twice, buy once.  Similar to the saying "measure twice, cut once", this saying applies to everyone as well.  I mean, unless you like the practice of returning and exchanging items multiple times in one day or you've mastered the art of "eyeballing it"...

3.  Save your receipt.  Of course, you can return most items at most bigger company stores without a receipt, but it's so much more of a hassle.  Also, I believe some stores have a limit as to how many times you can actually make a return or exchange without a receipt.

4.  Most companies have features on their websites that allow you to locate the item in the store.  I would do this while you are at home to be sure that the store has your item in stock and to decrease the amount of time you have to aimlessly wander around the store looking for what you need.

5.  Bring your tape measure with you (if your project requires any kind of measuring).  This includes making sure the items will fit in your car.  

6.  Take your time.  Examine the items you are buying.  Are there any missing parts?  Are you getting the most bang for your buck?

7.  Ask questions.  The truth is, sometimes when I'm in a home improvement store I feel really self-conscious and shy about being in there.  I'm usually apprehensive about asking questions because I don't want to look like the woman who doesn't know what she's doing.  But you know what?  I'd rather ask a question and have it (hopefully) answered correctly than return to the store 2 more times to exchange items for 1 project, which is way more embarrassing. Trust me.

April Favorites!

Monthly favorites are my favorite!  I love seeing things that people have enjoyed throughout the month so I'm showing you the items I've been diggin' this month!  Woot Woot!

1.  Franco Sarto Flats:  I got the red pair from Nordstroms and the D'Orsay flats from Marshalls.  I've never tried Franco Sarto shoes, but these are definitely comfortable enough for work and play.  For the red pair, I had to get a 6 WIDE due to my bunionettes (TMI? sorry), but the blue pair fit comfortably in the regular width.  I would highly recommend trying these shoes on before purchasing them online, unless you don't mind mailing in returns.

2.  Painted Mason Jars:  I found about 20 mason jars in the attic of my garage (left from the original owners of the house) and decided to paint a few to add some color to my living room. I love the bright colors and the fact that they were $FREE!  I did a little research and dated these jars back to the 1930-1960's.  Knowing that they have probably been sitting in the garage for the past 40+ years makes them feel even more cool!  Weird.  I know.

3.  Craftsman power drill:  I love this baby!  I really do.  My power drill has different attachments for different uses.  My boyfriend got me the drill for Christmas one year and recently got me the sanding attachment when I mentioned I wanted to refinish/paint some furniture.  This drill has been with me throughout all the home improvement projects I've tackled so far and it's still going strong.  I really love him!  <--I meant the drill, but yes, I love my boyfriend too.

4.  Metallic Sharpies: Why didn't I discover these sooner?  I knew metallic Sharpies existed, but I never bought them because I never knew what I would need them for.  Well, during my recent side table makeover I was rub-n-buffing the metal pulls to a gold color, but there were small spots that my fingers couldn't squeeze into.  The gold Sharpie came to my rescue and turned the brassy nobs into sassy gold nobs. I'm also using these markers for a hallway wall art project and the gold and bronze colors are just perfect!

5.  Komelon Self-Lock Tape Measure:  I've never had a real, heavy-duty tape measure before.  I've always had those dinky ones that come free with those simple, pre-filled toolkits you find in a grocery store or discount store.  As you can tell by the name, this tape measure self-locks!  As in, you pull the measuring tape out and it doesn't retract until you push the button at the top.  (I hope this isn't a standard feature of tape measures or I'd be very embarrassed. HAHA!  None of my smaller ones have this feature, which is why I'm so impressed!)  The numbers are also huge for my horrible eyes, the tape measure doesn't bend when its extended more than 4 feet, and it's a bright green!  What more can you ask for from a tape measure?

6.  Foam applicators:  I've only used foam applicators to apply large amounts of paint onto canvas for art projects.  When I was thinking about applying a protective finish for my furniture makeover, I was hesitant to use a paint brush because I didn't want any brush strokes.  While walking through the paint aisle at Home Depot, I came across a pack of foam applicators right next to the brushes.  In my mind, foam applicators don't have bristles, so...it won't leave brush marks right?  Right!  I used these foam applicators to apply the Minwax Polycrylic and there were no brush marks!  Yay!

Office Window Update

My office organizing and unpacking escapades are going as planned and I'm having a lot of fun along the way.  I wanted to take a moment to share the changes I've made to my office window.

This is what my window looked like for 4 months.  Installing blinds on this window was never a top priority for me, but the sheer sheet gave me a false sense of security.  I felt like the window was covered, but the covering was so sheer I knew that if someone stood outside they could see everything (especially if it was dark out and the room was lit up).  To fix this problem I installed Home Decorators Collection 2' Faux Wood Blinds from Home Depot.

Better right?  These blinds came with great instructions so the installation process was a breeze.  I also love that the manufacturers included plastic clip-on valences that help hide the hardware.  I know "plastic clip-on" valences sounds really cheap, but they actually look really nice.  They are a very sturdy plastic and don't look flimsy or cheap at all.  In fact, the blinds are such a great value for the price I want to replace all the blinds in my house with these!

Now that my office window is looking a lot less dingy and I have a lot more privacy, I want to add some curtains for a little pizzazz ya' know?  These are some options I'm considering:

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All the options are bright and colorful with fun patterns!  Aren't they awesome?  They're all really affordable too.

I can't wait to show you which curtains I end up choosing and what my entire office looks like after I'm finally done.