TIPS Archives - Everyday Edits

THIS LIGHT HACK TAKES SECONDS

February 12, 2021

this hack takes seconds to install and makes life a little easier… curious?

Am I the last person on the planet to discover this light hack? It takes seconds, SECONDS, to install and a screwdriver is optional for installation.

Once the sun sets I can’t see anything without lights. I have tripped over more shoes, dogs and tennis balls in a dark hall or staircase.

One day my family is going to find me sprawled out in a hallway with a tennis ball off to the side with Elliott and his side eye.

As a Realtor showing properties after 5 pm in the winter means stumbling to find the entry lights and hoping the lightbulbs in the stairwell work.

LIGHT HACK

Wait until you see this motion-activated light in action. I installed it in our entry hall closet after this closet hack. I made a short video below to demonstrate! Or, you can watch in my youtube channel. I am up to five followers ;0)

DETAILS

Not only does this bright light turn on with movement it also turns off after inactivity.

I found these motion-activated lights at Home Depot across from the cleaning supplies. You can also buy it from your kitchen table here.

I thought what a great idea for cabinets, crawl spaces or entry closets.

It can be installed with a screwdriver (it comes with screws and no drywall anchors needed).

I have since purchased several from Home Depot and was thrilled that if you don’t want a long-term commitment with a motion activate light it includes double-sided tape to install or tiny little screws.

This motion detector light is the coolest thing since light timers. And as a Realtor and home blogger, this is a great option for vacant homes, under kitchen sinks and hall closets.

I am going to purchase these for my sellers to install in closets (buyers always open closets … even if it’s with gloves & bleach wipes this year).

LIGHT HACK VIDEO

Have you seen these motion-activated lights? Where do you use them?

Before you go here is one more fun light hack with tealights.

WEEKLY IDEAS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX

DO THIS BEFORE A FURNITURE DELIVERY

January 5, 2021

do this one thing before a furniture delivery to save you aggravation and/or back pain

Have you ever had a bed delivered with box springs, headboard and footboard? Did you forget to do something before the delivery crew started up the stairs? Let’s just say after the delivery crew left I was attempting a combat crawl under our bed.

Any guesses?

If you made the same mistake you know the answer.

DO THIS BEFORE A FURNITURE DELIVERY

Buy or find, find and install an extension cord before a furniture delivery arrives at your door.

There is not much clearance between the outlet plug and a large, heavy bed frame or 7- foot hutch. I was under the bed breaking a sweat as if I was disabling a glitter bomb just under our new king-size bed and frame and mattress.

THE POWER OF AN EXTENSION CORD

All I had to do was wiggle myself close enough to insert the 2-flat prong extension cord into the outlet that was directly behind the headboard.

Because the bed frame was attached to both the wood side rails and the footboard- the only heavy object moving was me.

I shared a little video below as a reminder.

Now, after have three additional queen-size beds were delivered in as many bedrooms I made sure to install an extension cord (even if I don’t need it in that moment).

You never know when you will have a noise-canceling machine, phone chargers or a mini-fan next to your bed.

Now, I share a friendly reminder with my buyers to buy extension cords before move-in day

As long as there are electricity and heavy furniture there will be a need for an extension cord.

This reminder comes in handy during the holidays if your kids want twinkle lights above their headboards or if you want lighting behind your grandmother’s hutch.

Oh, and this same reminder works if you recently had your floors refinished. The last thing you want your husband to do is to slide a hutch a few inches to the left to fit the lamp into the electrical outlet.

I have a box just for extension cords in my coat closet turned supply closet.

Before you go here is a little video reminder I had fun with.. watch the end where I throw my college-age boys under the bus ;0).

Please pin for later!

Before you go here is another tip for closets and cabinets.

10 Things You Can Clean with Castile Soap

November 12, 2020

Sharing the many uses and things you can clean with a bottle of Castile Soap.

Who knew I judged soap. I thought this particular top of soap was for a different buyer. Someone who pays a lot of money on a product to shower once a week. #nojudgement

It turns out Castile soap is a trend and I do love a cleaning trend.

On a recent trip to HomeGoods, I found a bottle of Dr. Bronner’s brand of Castile soap. With multi-purpose products in demand, I grabbed the last bottle.

And, then on a trip to Costco, I found a 2-pack of Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap. I felt like maybe if it was at Costco and HomeGoods it was something I needed.

Sound familiar?

It turns out this mix of organic oils soap is one of the most versatile cleaners for you and your home.

The peppermint scent is like cleaning with a candy cane in a bottle.

And, with 50 ounces of Castile soap, I needed to clean something.

10 THINGS TO CLEAN WITH CASTILE SOAP

In full disclosure, the bulk of my research consisted of me turning the bottle 180 degrees to read a convenient list on the label.

body wash
facial wash
shampoo
dog wash
all-purpose cleaner
fruits + vegetables cleaner
laundry
all-purpose floor cleaner
spray plants to discourage bugs
laundry
hand soap
dish soap
dog dishes and toys

And, you can dilute this multi-purpose cleaner to extend its reach in your house. There are other brands, I am just sharing this brand because it kept popping up in my shopping carts.

THE HISTORY OF DR. BRONNER’S FAMILY BUSINESS

As I read the label I was curious about the family behind the brand. I decided to study up on the history of this family-owned company

Reading this article about the family business and Emmanuel Bronner reads like a movie script.

I have a few actors in mind.

And, if you follow Everyday Edits you know I love to support Made in the USA products.

10 THINGS YOU CAN CLEAN WITH CASTILE SOAP:

The peppermint smells amazing. I checked out the company online and it turns out they sell other products in the popular peppermint scent.

I plan to add Castile soap to this list.

How do you use Castile soap around your house? Let me know in the comments and I will add the suggestions and the source (you) to my list!

5 Daylight Savings Hacks For the Winter

October 30, 2020

We can thank a guy named George for daylight saving hacks. After all, George proposed the idea of daylight savings in 1895. But adjusting the working hours to end with the sunset has been around for centuries.

daylight-savings-hacks

You can read up on the fun facts about the history and the satirical writings by Benjamin Franklin on the subject of daylight savings.

Or, we could just watch our dogs.

Elliott thinks dinner is earlier than the day before based on the sun’s location as it sets over the Colorado mountain range.

I shared this photo of Elliott on Insta the other day. Just waiting for me to finish up in my office so he could have the early seating option for dinner.

Daylight Savings Hacks

Several of these daylight savings hacks come from my Realtor life. Last year, I had a semi-vacant listing in the middle of the winter. Besides having to shovel the vacant driveway, I wanted the buyers to not have to fumble with the lights when they walked through the front door in November. I wish I had installed a few of these. #ad

daylight-savings-hacks

As we set our clocks back an hour for a glorious “extra” hour on Sunday, here are a few daylight savings hacks I use with my listings (and sellers). And, these same hacks work well in our own homes as the sun descends for the day. These are the shorter days of our lives …until spring.

Daylight Savings Hacks

1.Lighting Add a lamp next to the front door for easy access when you arrive home. The last thing we want in the winter is to have our foot in a walking boot from a misplaced step on a stair tread. True story for me last winter.

2. Timers Lighting plays a big part in how we respond to a space. And, not all homes (or my parents) are prewired for smart technology to light up a house.

My mom always placed timers around the house when we went on vacation. So this tip comes from her.

The good news is an old fashioned timer is an inexpensive way to add light to different rooms at different times of the day.

And, I think additional lighting in the winter just picks up our mood.

Sidenote: I can’t wait to have my Christmas tree set to turn on at the end of the day.

daylight-savings-hacks

Tip: I gave our daughter and her accounting friends’ lamp timers last tax season with their customary late-night schedules.

3. Inexpensive Outdoor Solar Lights Solar pathway lighting comes in a variety of styles and price points. Many can easily be placed (shoved) into the yard (easier before the ground freezes).

Solar pathway lighting works well around the front and back doors.

If you don’t have a front yard solar lights work just as well in a planter by the door. I ordered these lights because they are level with the ground

Arriving home with additional lighting on the porch is great for a home that looks empty from the front of the house.

And, even if many of us are not arriving home after the end of the workday, it is still a warm, cozy feel to see lighting on our porches or paths.

4. Strand of lights

If you are short on sunlight for the solar option you can opt for a strand of lights and tuck them inside a planter. It works year-round and it adds some additional lighting around your front door (or back door) if you have a detached garage.

I hid a strand of lights in this painted glass pumpkin. I shared how I painted glass with these photos.

daylight-savings-hacks

5. Install an Over Lite

I love, love, love this OverLite. It is a motion-activated light that is perfect for closets, cabinets, or ceilings where you do not have a light fixture.

daylight-savings-hacks

The best part is this light can be attached with screws or tape adhesive (both included). #ad

We installed one in our entry closet and I love it! This light is bright and automatically shuts off after so many seconds of no motion.

Sometimes I have to wave my hand above my head to re-activate it, but usually, I am in and out of our hall closet.

This motion activated light works great under a kitchen sink or if you need additional light near the furnace.

This would be great for house guests or grandparents who may not be as familiar with a home’s layout when it is dark.

With daylight savings, this is the perfect time to add a little light in a closet or dimly lit garage.

Enjoy the extra hour of sleep tonight!

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER PAINT & WHY

October 15, 2020

how to store leftover paint in mason or recycled jars

Even with three months at home, I found excuses to not organize the gallon size cans of leftover paint in the garage. But I found time to watch 97 episodes of the Gran Hotel with English subtitles.

But after six months with my husband happily working from home I found a reason to spend a few hours in my garage sorting through the leftover paint.

In the garage, staring back at me I had over a dozen gallon size paint cans and just as many quart size cans.

If my right elbow twinged when I picked up the paint I stored it back on the garage shelf. That meant there was more paint than a jar could hold.

If there was no “give” in the paint can the paint had dried up from a lazy paint lid?

But if there was at less than 1/4 of a can of paint I gave it a proper jar and screwtop lid.

Here is how I store that last 1/8 of a Hale Navy or Kendall Charcoal paint can. You guys some of these jars have stored paint for more years than the paint color was on the walls.

My daughter’s bedroom was pink for a very hot minute.

Can we agree that everything looks better in a mason jar?

Most of my nearly empty cans or plastic containers looked like this when I pulled them out of the garage shelf.

See below for a quick review of how I store leftover paint.

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER PAINT

Round up mason jars or recycled glass jars with lids.

Tip: Use the wide mouth and/or shorter mason jars for touchup paint tasks.

Mason or recycled jars work best for that 1″ of paint at the bottom of the can.
Label the color and finish. I include the paint # too because Home Depot color matches the top brands.
I used these labels and it includes a chalk pen.
Store jars in a cool or temp stable spot. I store my mason jars in this closet.

Tip: I keep a few foam brushes in the closet so I can grab a jar of paint and make a quick touchup.

But a funny thing happened when I transferred the paint into mason jars.

It had nothing to do with paint. It was like when the Grinch realized Christmas wasn’t about packages and bows. Well, neither was the task of how to store leftover paint.

Nope, the best reason was organizing the leftover paint motivated me to clean and tackle those nagging home maintenance tips like the taunting you paint touchups.

Once I sorted through the paint I ended up with empty shelves. Empty!

And, then once I had the leftover paint in mason jars with cute labels it motivated me to tackle those nagging paint touchups. With the leftover paint in jars I no longer postponed touchups because of the thought of sorting thru paint cans and hauling up paint cans for a dozen touchups.

It was liberating!

Mason jars make everything prettier and more manageable. I now keep touch-up paint in mason jars in this closet.

And, for those wondering if that paint “keeps” in a mason jar. The short answer is yes.

HOW TO UPDATE A WREATH IN A MINUTE

October 10, 2020

Who has a wreath habit? Just like dishes from HomeGoods I am a bit of wreath hoarder. My first blog post when I blogged under another name, was a garage sale wreath refresh. But, this wreath update is with a brand new wreath from HomeGoods. I know why would I mess with something new? But it is just the touch I wanted on our new dutch door that leads to the backyard. So here is how to update a wreath in a minute.

ONE MINUTE WREATH UPDATE

Any wreath. In a minute-ish.

It will add a little personality to what is already a beautiful seasonal wreath.

Any guesses? Skip to the comments to guess.

HOW TO UPDATE A WREATH IN A MINUTE

Bells. Bells are my new obsession to add a touch of whimsy to any wreath. My family would call it a touch of something else. #wink

No matter how young or old, bells add a little sassy to a wreath.

Here’s the backstory:

I love bells, chimes and more bells. Bells make a frequent appearance on my interior doors during the holidays. And, then when I refreshed my front door I added a bell.

With the dutch door leading to the back yard and patio, I thought a bell would be a nice little chime when Chloe or Elliott come barreling through their new favorite door.

To begin, I simply pulled the leaves back to expose the grapevine wreath. With my new favorite craft accessory, from a dollar store. They sell this jute-wrapped wire at Hobby Lobby, but I found it a dollar store and thought I would give it a try.

I attached the bells to the wreath. I intentionally offset them to the side. For this closeup, I pulled the branches back, but I usually hide the jute with the leaves.

That’s it! It took about a minute to add the bells. It took longer to hang the wreath because I did not account for the upper half of the door to swish the top of the wreath.

I am on my 2nd nail in the new dutch door.

What do you think? I chose some bells that were not as clangy as the bell on the front door. At this rate, I might end up like the little old lady who hoards wreaths, dishes and bells oh and Bernese Mountain dogs.

Would love a fresh pin!

THE EASIEST WAY TO HANG A FRAME

October 8, 2020

My brain tilts right. A few years ago, my sister and I decided to hang wall art behind my son’s bed. After 40 minutes we had a dozen nail holes in the drywall. We used the “let’s eyeball technique” favored by people like us who are not fans of the more accurate math and measurement technique.

Why do you think we tilted the banner and called it good? I love a banner they are way more forgiving than the frames with all the fancy hardware on the back.

So when I wanted to hang photo frames that had the two mounting brackets on opposite ends of the frame, I started to sweat.

The thought of measuring the width and distance of the frame AND the distance between the brackets and the top of the frame made my head spin.

My instinct is to default to the lean it and leave it technique that I used here.

Here is the easiest way to hang a frame if you turn a frame over and see multiple brackets on opposite ends of the frame.

It is a workaround until I figure out the math. #don’tjudge

I try and buy frames based on the mounting hardware. When the mounting brackets are on opposite sides of the frame it means I will be patching a wall. Trying to hang a level frame usually means a math problem and measuring tape. Now I may go that route with a heavy or really nice piece of artwork. But, for almost every other photo or print, I discovered the easiest way to hang a frame without taking out half the wall with nail holes.

THE EASIEST WAY TO HANG A FRAME

Next time you find yourself with the mounting brackets on opposite sides and you need an easy fix. Try this:

Grab ribbon or twine thin enough to thread through the mounting bracket’s hook.
Cut the length of the ribbon or twine to be able to thread the ribbon through the mounting bracket holes on opposite sides.
By threading the ribbon through both brackets on the back of the frames eliminates the 2nd nail in the drywall. The ribbon becomes the one-stop hanging apparatus. Tip: The professionally framed artwork includes the wire apparatus to accommodate the weight. You can buy the wire mounting hardware, but this is a cheap hack when you want to get this frame on the wall before the next episode of “insert Top 10 Netflix show.”

Before you leave, check out how I repurposed a shipping frame here. It is one of my favorite repurpose projects.

Would love a pin!

How to Repurpose Wood Shutters into Crafts

June 15, 2020

I recently shared our interior before and after paint colors. One of those rooms included our family room. Our minds were blown with the before and after when we removed the shutters. But with the open exposed windows, I found a way to repurpose wood shutters into crafts.

how-to-repurpose-wood-shutters-into-crafts

We sold most of the shutters online but were left with a stack of replacement shutter slats from the previous owner.

The slats are a crafter’s dream because of their horizontal shape and primed and painted (or stained) wood.

Don’t have a stash of shutters or extra slats? These repurpose ideas work for scrap wood too! Or, if you want a more finished wood the balsam wood at Michaels is an easy surface to personalize your own signs for wreaths too.

I repurposed these shutter slats that my husband had already deemed “disposable” into darling signs I use year round in my wreath.

How to Repurpose Wood Shutters

For these wood signs I used my vinyl cutter, but stickers work just as well and everything pops with a coat of paint!

Etsy is a great source for vinyl too! I found this gather vinyl here. Or this alphabet sticker pack from Amazon.

The repurposed shutter slats made their way outside when I made this for our backyard gate. Etsy offers a variety of custom vinyl signs on Etsy for a nominal fee.

The best part of shutter slats is flexibility and unlimited creative use. It became a fun way to create additional signs for other seasons.

Tip: When I painted the first shutter castoff red I lined up a few shutter slats because I knew I could use red paint for the summer, Christmas and Valentine’s Day.

I buy red plates at HomeGoods for the same reason. #wink

I love the idea of repurposing everyday items and objects that may otherwise be tossed. Check out my other upcycle projects here.

Binder Clip Hacks (in a Pinch)

June 8, 2020

As a Realtor, I have learned a few tricks from home stagers and photographers. In fact, photographers are experts on how to make quick changes to capture the best features of a home. Over the years, I found binder clip hacks work great for short term staging help. Or, when you only need a hack to last through a holiday or season.

I didn’t plan on paper binder clips to get me out of a few jams, but binder clips work great in a decor hack pinch. The binder clips have the strength that fights gravity and prying hands.

If only there was a binder clip for my face …

Binder clips are inexpensive and small enough to hide in plain sight to the untrained eye.

I love to use paper binder clips for fabric related projects. They are a quick way to hem, tuck, fold or straighten window treatments.

Binder clips proved to be a huge help during the holidays when I wanted to keep the garland in place on the mantel and tables. It’s so subtle no one ever noticed it and the garland never slipped off the sofa table. They work well with wreaths and arrangments when glue is not enough to keep it all together.

Binder clips work great in floral arrangements too. Do you have stems the same length, but want the variety of height in an arrangement? I used paper clips to adjust these cotton stems I purchased at my favorite online store.

Never underestimate the strength of binder clips. How have you used binder clip hacks in your decor?

Binder clips work on crafts too! I love the tight grip they provide to secure fabric.

If you love a good Hack check out my weekly Sunday hacks! Or, this paper bag hack.

5 Sunday Hacks to Make Monday Easier

January 12, 2020

Monday mornings come all too soon. And, for some of us, the anxiety of Monday creeps into our Sundays. But as teenagers, we dreaded Saturday mornings even more than Sundays as adults. Why? Because Saturday was the day our dad enlisted us to wash the cars and mow the yard. My dad taught us the value of hard work. And the five of us learned the value of negotiation and the barter system to trade tasks. One of us, paid her siblings to do her chores so she could go to the mall with her friends. As an adult, my anxiety moved from Saturdays to Sundays. I did not realize I created Sunday hacks until I noticed my anxiety settled down with a set of 5 Sunday hacks to make my Mondays easier.

My dad would call my Sunday hacks his daily habits. Either way, you want to say it, these Sunday hacks quieted the voices in my head. And, I enjoyed Sundays so much more! Here are 5 Sunday Hacks that allowed me to enjoy and appreciate Sunday evenings.

1. Monday To-Do List

As bloggers and dozens of professions, I think some of us are wired for to-do lists. My husband is not one of us. Did you know if you write a task down on paper, you are more likely to complete that task?

When my to-do list starts to churn in my mind I reserve a few minutes on Sunday to commit the to-do list to paper. I start my Monday with a to-do list and a goal to schedule my appointments and tasks before noon.

2. Check the Printer Paper Tray

If there is one thing that drives me crazy it is when I press print from another room only to discover the “refill paper” error message. Or, I need to print a contract or proof something and the printer stops printing halfway and throws out an “empty tray” error message. I always add printer paper on Sunday so I am set for the week.

We all have one of these daily tasks and to be interrupted is frustrating. For you, it may not be the printer paper tray. Maybe it’s unloading the dishwasher.

3. Dry Cleaning

I discovered door-to-door dry cleaning when I had three small children and lived in Columbus, Ohio. All I had to do was remember to leave the dry cleaning bag on the front porch on Monday mornings. I continue this Sunday Hack to this day.

4. Schedule Workouts/Walks

I find when I commit to workout via an online app or I won’t skip the class. I spend a few minutes on Sunday to block mornings for an hour of exercise or a class over lunch.

Sidenote: I have a Spring Walking playlist and a Christmas/Holiday playlist for the fall and winter walks. Denver’s nickname reminds visitors of our love for high altitude living.

I made this pinnable graphic for songs that push me up the hills in and around our neighborhood.

5.Weather Check

My final Sunday hack is to check the weather for the week. This Sunday hack allows me to pencil in an extra walk with the dogs. And, if I have buyers I set up my showings around the fair-weather days for the week. And, I also plan my “in and out” errands around the weather too. Denver has a history of huge temperature swings so the weather app motivates me to plan my wardrobe and work and social activities.

6. Fuel Up (the Bonus Hack)

My dad taught me this Sunday hack. Fuel up! My dad always made sure we had gas in our tanks and windshield wiper fluid. My blood pressure jumps when I do not have a full tank of gas on Mondays. I get a lot of teasing for filling up my tank when it hits the 1/2 way mark!

Elliott and Chloe on the other side usually tag along for the Puppuccino next door after the gas station.

These are my 5 Sunday hacks before Monday. I can finish these Sunday hacks in under an hour.

And, if you want to tackle the clutter here is my favorite tech hack to stay organized! And, I shared some daylight savings hacks to help you in the fall.

How to Keep Patio Cushions Dry

March 28, 2019

Sharing how to keep outdoor patio cushions dry.

But first, do you remember the scene in Steele Magnolias when M’lynn screams when she realizes Shelby’s brothers have decorated her honeymoon car with …um protection? Well, that’s the same reaction I have when we are minutes from hosting a backyard BBQ and I attempt to plump the outdoor patio cushions only to realize it is a soggy patio cushion. The rain and snow have to go somewhere. And, the cushion just soaks up the rain or snow. After a rainstorm, our backyard looks like a drip-dry station for patio cushions.

And, then on some random day, while taking a kitchen trash bag for the 14th time that week, to the garage can I came up with an effortless way to keep patio cushions dry.

Effortless.

Sometimes the best ideas are based on the premise; do not overthink the solution to a problem.

The solution is simple and most of us have to look no further than under our kitchen sinks.

How to Keep Patio Cushions Dry

Last summer, with a forecast of more than two days of rain, I worried about how to keep my outdoor patio cushions from getting soaking wet. It wasn’t practical to bring them inside for every afternoon thunderstorm.

But, who wants to sit in a soggy patio cushion when the weekend comes around?

And, then inspiration struck when I grabbed a handful of plastic kitchen bags. It turns out plastic trash bags are a great resource to keep the foam cushions dry.

From there I unzipped the pillow covers and tucked the foam cushions into a plastic bag. I tied the bag shut and placed the wrapped foam cushion back in the pillow covers (from Ikea).

Short tutorial.

That’s it! And, it works. The reality is when the rain penetrates the pillow cover the cover dries after a morning of sunshine, but it’s the foam cushion that traps the moisture.

Those wet patio cushions lead to fun stuff like mold spores.

Who wants to sit on a cushion full of mold and mildew?

Thanks for stopping by! Now go cover those patio cushions!

Want to join the Everyday Edits community, click here.

Oh and here is that scene from Steele Magnolias.

Follow the fun, the fails and the everyday edits.

LIGHT HACK

DETAILS

LIGHT HACK VIDEO

DO THIS BEFORE A FURNITURE DELIVERY

THE POWER OF AN EXTENSION CORD

10 THINGS TO CLEAN WITH CASTILE SOAP

THE HISTORY OF DR. BRONNER’S FAMILY BUSINESS

10 THINGS YOU CAN CLEAN WITH CASTILE SOAP:

Daylight Savings Hacks

Daylight Savings Hacks

4. Strand of lights

5. Install an Over Lite

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER PAINT

ONE MINUTE WREATH UPDATE

HOW TO UPDATE A WREATH IN A MINUTE

THE EASIEST WAY TO HANG A FRAME

How to Repurpose Wood Shutters

If only there was a binder clip for my face …

SIGN UP FOR ONE HOUR PROJECTS AT EVERYDAY EDITS

1. Monday To-Do List

2. Check the Printer Paper Tray

3. Dry Cleaning

4. Schedule Workouts/Walks

5.Weather Check

6. Fuel Up (the Bonus Hack)

How to Keep Patio Cushions Dry

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