I’m not sure what to call this room. When we first moved in it was just the unused, empty bedroom, until 2020 came and it became a temporary home office, then it turned into all things storage, and now it’s a guest room but like — we don’t really ever have guests. So, I guess I’ll call it the “daybed bedroom” because…

We recently ripped out all of our home office built-ins to construct a big, beautiful arch. Before you hate us for taking out dreamy built-ins, please know that these cabinets were glorified storage space for all the someday items that I “needed” to keep but never actually used. The space served next to no purpose and so, it was a catch-all. Plus, ripping out the cabinets gave us just enough square footage to finally fit a full-sized bed in here.

I decided on an arch solely for aesthetics. It won’t serve any purpose other than to be really, really pretty.

Having a cozy, atmospheric backyard has always been a dream of mine. You know the ones I’m talking about. The ones with the cozy couches, decorative pillows, flickering candles, ambient lighting, and flower-drenched pergolas. Yeah, that type. 

That type takes the two things we don’t have a lot of: money and time. 

Here’s how I’ve upgraded our backyard space on a tight budget.

You know how everyone says the last mile of any race is always the hardest? Well, it’s the same for house projects. The last big checklist is always the most difficult to complete. So no, we may not have cabinet doors or door faces yet but we can still get to ORGANIZING! Read on to see all of our kitchen organizing must-haves.

Mother’s Day is right around the corner and we need to start shopping and making for our favorite ladies! Before exploring some of my absolute favorite items, here’s what you need to know - Moms like thought. We are constantly thinking of everything and everyone - usually before ourselves. So this time of year is perfect to show that you, too, also think about her. I’ve rounded up ideas for all price points and budgets. There are DIY ideas, kid crafts, and all kinds of products. This is for all the moms in your life - your wife, child’s mama, own mother, mother-in-law, dog mama, and so on.

You’ve heard the saying “your bedroom should be a sanctuary” but you also know that sanctuaries - whatever that be to you - cost money. I wanted to give our bedroom a little refresh without spending a fortune. We’d love new furniture but it isn’t in the cards right now so here’s how I made a few quick and budget-friendly changes to make the space feel entirely new.

The new trend taking over social media is all about having a “Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, and Anthropologie taste” while being on an “Amazon, Walmart, and Target budget” but can I just say - those last three options can be expensive, too!

To really save money, doing it yourself can be best and this DIY designer-dupe mirror is beyond good. Can you even believe that I made this mirror with only FOUR total materials? Insane.

I just finished painting our kitchen island (for the second time) and I love it! Many were shocked that I wasn’t spraying it. I simply hand-painted and rolled it. While I fully recognize the many benefits of paint sprayers, they aren’t always appropriate for every project.

There is something so magical about a gallery wall. There are just so many possibilities to be had with them! And honestly, if you shop right, you can cover an incredible amount of space with little financial investment.

My best kept trick for a simple but impactful gallery wall is — buy bigger but fewer.

I’ve found that larger frames (11x14 minimum) make for the best gallery walls. When I’ve used smaller in the past, they end up looking busy, cluttered, and jumbled. The smaller frames don’t quite give that impactful, statement gallery wall vibe.

Read more to see some of my favorite, budget-find frames —

So, have you seen all the post about Easter basket “fillers”? If you’re anything like me, you’re pretty sick of them, too. I hate the entire idea of “fillers”. If you’re using “fillers”, you’re most likely stuffing a basket full of items your kids will never use.

Here are some “fillers” you won’t be tossing in the garbage next month —

For the past few years, I have been capturing our birthdays, major holidays, and other annual celebrations with our polaroid camera. It’s fun to look back and see how much has changed through the lens of a small little image.

I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to display all the little photos for a little while now. I love some of the pinboard options found online but I couldn’t justify the price. Some companies make just 3 foot boards for over $200. That’s a no for me. Rather than buying one, I decided to make one (or four - woops!)

Here is how you can make 8+ feet of pinboard for under $100 with just 4 required materials

Buddy was our surprise baby! We didn’t find out the gender during the 8 week blood testing and held off through the anatomy scan. We got tempted into finding out with our little girl but truthfully, I knew he was a boy by intuition, instinct, or whatever you’d like to call it. I felt like I just didn’t need the confirmation. Honestly, I wasn’t even that surprised on the day he was born. It was still absolutely and purely magical though.

The room really fit him at first. He was a quiet, easy going little baby. Buddy just turned two and he’s definitely outgrown the whole feel of this space. He’s the spunkiest and goofiest little squirt. So, his sweet, innocent nursery room started to feel stark and sterile.

Plants are a staple in my house. I probably have anywhere from 6-12 in every room and I’m quite frankly obsessed. It hasn’t always been this way though.

I started off by keeping one single golden pothos alive in 2017. After buying our second home, the plant bug struck me hard and it’s been quite

Really, what I’m trying to say is that you can start today. I often hear people say that they don’t have a green thumb and they kill everything they buy. I don’t believe that, though. There are a few simple rules to follow (or a few simpler plants to buy) to keep your life green, oxygenated, and beautiful. Here’s how I turned my home from plant scares into a plant sanctuary.

So you have a space that you know you want (or need) to decorate but you just don’t know where to begin. Whether it is a console table, fireplace mantel, or open shelf - I have the tricks for you!

In this post, I’ll review 3 of my must-dos when decorating a console table, mantel, or open shelf. I’ve also included a bonus that wasn’t listed on my Instagram.

Here’s where I want you to begin though — First and foremost, shop your home. I promise you’ll find treasures you forgot you ever had. You may have gems hidden away in closets that rarely get opened or your favorite pieces that you’d like to bring forward. There is so much power in simply changing up the room, direction, or placement of an item.

There is one thing you should know about me: I’m on a lighting kick. I’m making it my mission to transform our home into an accent lighting space only. No overhead lights allowed.

While I, personally, want to add lamps to nearly every corner of my home, my budget says otherwise. So here’s what I’ve been using —

We’ve been in our home since December 2020 and this dining room has seen 3 very distinct iterations. Over the past few years, I’ve come to realize that some of my biggest design mistakes come from rushing. I often want a change so I do the first thing that is easiest, cheapest, or quickest. More often than not, these are never the options you want to be led by.

After redoing this room (the first time) I immediately knew it wasn’t right. Accepting my own mistake, I mustered up the courage to tell Zack what I was really thinking and what I truly wanted — and that’s our beautiful banquette seating.

My parents are the two most deserving people in the world. They are totally “those” parents. The ones everyone wanted to be around in high school, everyone expects to fix life’s problems in their early 20s, and everyone continuously leans on throughout their entire adulthood.

My mom has wanted to redo her bedroom for years. Somehow, in that time, they’ve helped us remodel two homes, provided our kids with a playroom of their own in their house, and had their hands on so many other projects. Yet, their room never got done.

When my mom finally started expressing that she wanted to redo her room (again), I jumped at the opportunity. I walked into her room and started painting that afternoon so there was no going back!

If there is one thing that going broke taught me, it’s that new isn’t always better. It often isn’t, ever. My 2017 self would be horrified by how frequently I use Facebook Marketplace. But hey - we can learn, change, and do better.

After saving, learning the darn value of a dollar, and buying our second home, I’ve drastically changed how I go about purchasing decor.

I no longer shop for seasonal decor items and have hit up more antique places than I can count. My all-time favorite is a local place called “The Junk Shop”. The name says it all.

There simply isn’t a way to cozy up a home more than adding vintage. Some vintage isn’t as well taken care of as other pieces though.

Zack and I are in the phase of life where we have an engagement party, wedding, baby shower, or first birthday party to go to just about every month. Hello 30s! Invitations pile up but I don’t have the heart to just throw them away. Here’s what I do with them —