Back Yard Upgrade: Catering Cart Makeover

This weekend here in Arizona we are under an Extreme Heat Advisory.  That means 110 degrees and higher for several days.  Having a swimming pool is critical in our attempt to stay cool.  Going in to this summer, we knew we wanted to make a few additions to our back yard to make it more usable for our family and for parties.

Our objectives for the back yard are as follows:

1. Storage/Bar Area
2. Comfortable and more seating
3. More table space
4. Create a purpose for west side of yard (currently a dirt patch, this will be next summer's project - need to save $$$)

Today I am very excited to share the results of our first objective - creating a storage/bar area.

For the past 6 months, we have been on the hunt for a piece of furniture to make over.  The piece needed to provide storage for towels, sunscreen, pool toys/goggles, etc.  It also needed to have a surface to be used like a buffet for drinks and snacks when we are out back.  We really thought we were looking for a dresser or buffet similar to the buffet we found for our living room.

Then one day, we were at one of our favorite salvage shops and came across this beauty...

Yep, an old beat up catering cart that reminded us of those that are used by the airlines.  It was sitting just outside the dumpster.  Had we not rescued this gem, it was going to the junk yard!  Nooooo!  We knew it was just what we were looking for - a conversation piece, a piece we could bring back to life and make our own.

This dirty, faded, sun worn, dried out, rusty cart with missing doors was a bit of a challenge.  It took a few attempts to take it all apart.  We broke a few bolts in the process but got it apart with the help of a blow torch to loosen a few rusty pieces.  After a lengthy pressure washing we were ready to go.

Since we immediately thought airline beverage cart when we saw it, we decided to go that route with an aviation color scheme.  We chose a dark blue for the shell - painting both inside and out.  We kept the metal pieces as is for an industrial feel.  We gave them a good clean and buff and reattached them with new hardware. 

We removed the broken door hardware.  With no doors on the piece we decided to create a simple roll-up dust cover for the front of the unit.  I went to my fabric stash and found the perfect orange and white awning striped outdoor fabric.  I love how the orange played off the blue. I sewed a simple curtain with pockets at the top and bottom.  Through the top pocket we placed a metal strip.  We bolted the curtain to the top of the piece.  The bottom pocket has a piece of dowel to add some weight and structure for when we roll up the cover.

 I added a couple of ribbons to hold the cover up when we were using the cart.  I plan to add a couple of pieces of Velcro along the sides of the cart to help hold the cover in place when not in use as the wind catches it and blows it around.

We created a few adjustable shelves for the unit.  I then hit the dollar store and found the perfect baskets and tubs to store items on the cart.  I was so excited to find our colors. 

 The best part about this piece is that we rescued this forlorn cart and turned it in to an amazing gem.

I'll be back next week with part 2 of our back yard update.

Master Closet Makeover

There are a ton of changes going on at our house right now.  It sort of feels like we have hit the home improvement lottery!  We didn't but that doesn't stop me from grinning from ear to ear on the big and small changes.

One area that has proven to be a "big project on a small budget" has been a DIY makeover of our master closet.  I am so excited to finally share it with you.

 

THE PROBLEM:
First off, we are blessed with a nice large walk-in closet.  It is more than adequate to house our clothes.  Yet, it just didn't seem to function for us.  There was an excessive amount of hanging space, inefficient shelves that did not serve our need for folded clothing storage and it was dark and messy. Okay, the messy part is all on us, but that was because it just didn't meet our needs.  Half of our clothes was in the bedroom in dressers and half was located in the closet.  We really needed it all in one space.

So here were our issues:

The end of our closet had a large built in shelving unit.  This unit had deep shelves that were spaced very far apart which made stacking items impossible as they would tumble over if you stacked too high.  We did have 2 large, shallow baskets that were great but there was still a lot of unusable space between the shelves.

Behind the door to the closet was an area over 6' long that offered some additional hanging storage.  The previous owners had placed the shoe rack on the wall as well.  As you can see, we had shoes on the rack, on a rack on the floor and in hanging storage.  We really do not have that many pairs of shoes but they seemed to take up a lot of real estate in the closet.  Actually, after going through the shoes, we have been able to take out nearly half of them that we rarely if ever wear anymore.

The end of the closet opposite the shelving was yet more hanging storage and as you can see, we really didn't use it.  This area is where we tried to create some accessory storage with hats and scarves on hanger and a plastic drawer unit.  Such wasted space.

THE SOLUTION:

Area #1:  Hanging Storage

I think we all dream of having the fancy closet systems and while they have become more affordable, they are still crazy expensive.  As we looked at our closet, we determined that the back wall of hanging storage was more than adequate for our hanging clothes.  There was no reason to take out the existing hanging storage, only to replace it with "fancy" hanging storage.

That being said, this area still needed a little work.  The weight of our clothes and the storage up above was causing the shelving to pull away from the wall.  We realized that the supports were not secured into the studs. We fixed this problem by adding screws through the header board into the studs every 16" or so.  Additionally, we added one more bar support to the upper bar since it seemed to be sagging a bit.  The upper bar was a single rod and the supports appeared to be a bit too far apart.  The lower bar is a series of smaller bars so we didn't have the sagging problem.

To improve the aesthetics of the closet, we decided to spray paint the supports using a brushed nickel spray paint. 

Area #2:  Folded Storage

Since we determined that we really did not need any additional hanging storage, we pulled out the hanging rods on the wall behind the closet door.  We also took down the shoe storage from the wall.  This area was just the right size to put 2 Malm dressers from Ikea as well as 2 smaller Closetmaid drawer units I found on clearance at Target.

These two units are perfect for our folded items such as t-shirts, shorts, pajamas and swimwear.  The smaller unit and the small top drawers of the Malm dressers are just right for socks, underwear and other small accessories.

We decided to go with a white laminate finish on these items for two reasons.  First, the white brings some brightness to this small space.  Secondly, we have been able to easily mix and match different storage solutions from Ikea, Target and other big box stores.

Area #3:  Shoe Storage

 

I am loving our new shoe storage.  I picked up two large Closetmaid Shoe Cubicles from Target.  They are perfect for us.  The individual cubicles work well for our shoes.  Larger shoes and items we don't wear as often are placed on the top and side of the unit.  I like that there is still room on the edge of the dresser if needed.

Area #4:  Dressing Area

We found an awesome long mirror at Home Goods which is great for getting ready in the morning.  I love it's size.  It was hung at the end of the closet where the shelving unit was previously installed.

I would like to add a small bench somewhere in the closet so that we have a place to sit to put on a pair of socks or shoes.  This will likely be placed on the wall opposite the mirror.

Area #5:  Lighting & Flooring

As stated above, our closet is essentially becoming our dressing area.  In order for this to function properly we needed to address the lighting which often felt too dim.  We removed the old dome lights and replaced them with a bright 3-bulb halogen light.  We have a similar fixture in our kitchen.  what we liked about these lights is that it allows us to focus the lights on specific areas within the closet.

As part of our larger flooring project (more information on this will be shared in the weeks to come), we pulled up the dirty old carpet in the closet.  We replaced this with the same wood flooring we are putting throughout our house.  The wood offers a clean and surprisingly soft surface for getting ready. 

Area #6:  Te Be Continued...

Just to the left of the door, opposite the mirror we again removed the hanging storage rods.  Right now this area houses our laundry bin.  Ultimately, this area will become our accessory storage area.  We are still trying to determine what this will be like.  I think we need to live with the space for a while to figure out exactly what our needs are for this area.



We are so happy with this newly remodeled area of our home.  I love when a few simple changes make things so much easier.  The bonus of this project is that in true spring cleaning fashion, we have tried to simplify our wardrobe and what is taking up space in our closet and our life.

linked up at ... skip to my lou, sugar bee crafts, today's creative blog, funky polkadot giraffe, not just a housewife, madigan made,52 mantels, {i love} my disorganized life, house of hepworths,  chic on a shoestring

24 Projects on the To Do List

Last year one of my favorite bloggers - Allison at House of Hepworths - published a list of 24 Projects I Should Have Finished By Now!  She may think she is alone, but I think we ALL have a list like this.  I know that we do...

Now, this white board in our office is part "To Do List" and part "Dream Board".  A few of the items on there, like new furniture, hardwood floors and redo backyard/pool area are definitely long-term goals that will involve a fair amount of money saving and planning.  But if we also know that with hard work, these visions for our future will come true!

But back to the here and now.  Like Allison, we have a more realistic to do list that is filled with  projects that need to get done - sooner than later.  Some of the items are general maintenance, some of the items are unfinished projects, some are simple decor solutions that just need to be started (and completed) and most of the projects will help us reach our home goals for 2012.

So here is OUR Project List!  And like Allison, we are giving ourselves a deadline.  Let's see how many of these projects we can knock off our list by April 15th, 2012.  Tax day!  I know, kind of a sick joke but maybe it will make us feel better when Uncle Sam comes a knocking!

{ Project #1 }

Complete Organization of Home Office/Craft Room

This project has been on the list ever since we moved in and while I started last week with great enthusiasm, I have slowed to a halt.  I have mostly completed the craft supplies and now we need to finish sorting through the office supplies and finding a home for everything.

{ Project #2 }

Replace popped light switches {DONE}
One of the "issues" we had to deal with when we bought a foreclosure was minor repairs caused by upset home owners.  One of these projects was popped light switches.  We bought a contractors pack of new switches and while we replaced most of them, we missed a couple (either that or a couple of them have started show the wear and tear).  Simple project, we have everything on hand,  just need to finish it!

{ Project #3 }

Touch up paint in all rooms
We painted EVERY room in our home when we bought it at the end of 2010.  A little over a year later, there are the inevitable nicks and scratches.  Need to pull out each color and touch up each and every room.

{ Project #4 }

Decide on artwork for above the fireplace 
We have a friend whose husband is an amazing photographer.  We just need to decide on one of the photos, get the file, order the picture and get it framed.  Seems easy enough, well except for the picking a photo part - they are all so amazing.  This spot is screaming for a beautiful piece of art.

{ Project #5 }

Level the A/C unit
When we had our house painted this summer, our contractor let us know that due to erosion, our A/C unit was not level which is why it makes so much noise (vibrating) when it is running.  This unit sits outside our bedroom and is loud.  All we need to do is go out and re-level it.  Easy peasy!

{ Project #6 }

Elastek the flat parts of the roof
In Arizona, homes often have flat roofs.  Ours has a combination of a flat roof and a slanted tile roof.  Due to the intense sun, it is critical to re-seal the roof every few years.  We fixed a couple of "leaks" earlier this year when we noticed a wet spot in our front room but we really need to go in and put a coat of Elastek (a rubber sealant) on the entire surface.

{ Project #7 }

Repair and repaint ceiling in front room {DONE}
Last summer we had a water leak in the front room due to some drainage issues on the roof.  My awesome husband repaired the roof but we waited to do the interior repair.  While it doesn't rain here often, it has enough to know that the leak is fixed.  Now to fix the ceiling, add texture and paint.

{ Project #8 }

Recover Dining Chairs
Our dining room chairs are beyond nasty.  They are in desperate need of new coverings.  Two kids have done quite a number on them.  Between food stains and snags caused by Velcro shoes - let's just say, it is time for some style.  I even have the fabric (2 different ones as a matter of fact).  Now to just get it done.

{ Project #9 }

Donate big items taking up space in garage.
We have this awesome "extra" single stall garage connected to our house.  It is perfect for storage in Arizona since we do not have basements or attics.  HOWEVER, it becomes a dumping ground where stuff we need to get rid of goes to hide.  We don't go in this garage will often so it is easy to forget what is in there.  The old electronics and boxes have been there for over a year now.  We meant to get them donated in 2010 for the tax receipt but didn't get it done.  So we knew we would get it done in 2011.  Guess what, it is 2012 - it is all still there and there is even more.  Get it done!

{ Project #10 }

Hang ceiling rack in small garage
In our old house, my Dad helped us build an awesome overhead garage organizer using angle iron and 2x4s.  It was great for those items that are rarely if ever used but need a home such as skis, scuba gear, extra carpet, etc.  We later purchased a 2nd smaller one from Costco.  It sat in the garage at our old house for several years and now sits in this garage.  Time to get it installed and get the garage organized.

{ Project #11 }

Organize garage
We recently added some great garage cabinets from my husband's parents as well as having the above ceiling rack.  Now we need to find a home for everything in our two garages.  My daughter and I both got bikes for Christmas but our bikes need a home!  I am tired of climbing over stuff to find the one thing I want, way in the back.

{ Project #12 }

Move daughter's clothes to her room. {DONE}
In our last house, we had my daughter's dresser inside her closet and it was awesome.  However our closets are slightly smaller here and the dresser drawers wouldn't open since the doors are in the way.  Ultimately we would like to put a whole closet system in both of the kids closets.  Right now our daughter's dresser is in the guest room next door since she already had a lot of furniture in her room.  Well, my Mom is coming to stay with us for a month and we decided we didn't need to invade her space each day to get clothes so we are going to trade some furniture around.

{ Project #13 }

Secure slide out shelf in liquor cabinet {DONE}
I know how this one sounds and honestly, we are not big drinkers but we do keep some bottles around for parties and entertaining.  My Dad suggested we move one of the slide-out shelves in a small cupboard to the bottom to allow for the taller bottles to fit.  This worked great and the pull out shelf makes it much easier to find what we are looking for.  Unfortunately, I took the shelf out but never got it secured.  So it sits on the bottom of the cabinet. It is likely a 10 minute project that has taken a year and a half to complete!

{ Project #14 }

Find plants or other filler for the pots out front
I found these awesome planters on deep clearance at Target last year.  I love them.  The problem is, our house is south facing in the hot Arizona sun. Last fall I put mums in them and despite watering them daily, they were completely fried by two weeks later. I need to go to the nursery to see what they suggest as "gardening" in Arizona is an art and finding xeriscape plants is critical.  Xeriscaping is gardening and landscaping with native plants that minimize the need for supplemental watering.  I am not good at "watering", especially when it needs to be done more than once a day so Xeriscaping is my answer.

{ Project #15 }

Window treatments for my daughter's room {DONE}
We completed awesome window treatments for my son last year and I love them.  My daughter has been bugging for curtains too.  Guess we need to head to SAS Fabric (our favorite discount fabric store) and find a fun, girly fabric to make her curtains.  There have been some awesome tutorials lately so it should be a quick project once we decide on a fabric.

{ Project #16 }

Finish the grommets on my son's curtains {DONE}
As mentioned above, I made curtains for my son's room last year and they are great.  We used these great snap together grommets.  They are really cool but can be quite stubborn to snap together.  I was so excited to hang them up, I left a couple of the grommets off.  Time to finish this project once and for all.

{ Project #17}

Replace trash and recycle bin in kitchen {DONE}
We are big on recycling in our house so we keep a small bin in the kitchen to separate our trash immediately.  The reality is, we generally have more (or at least as much) recycling as we do trash - and probably would have more if we had a bigger container.  I have been looking for a slim can that we could use side by side in the kitchen so that this area not only looks good but is more functional.

{ Project #18 }

Window treatments in living and dining area
Having a big open concept area with 2-story ceilings is awesome.  However, it can also be very loud with so many hard surfaces.  The north facing wall of the room is largely windows.  Since they are north facing, we generally don't have to worry about blocking sun so the window coverings would largely be decorative.  However that function is critical in providing some sound muffling and of course decorative appeal.  Again, need to SAS and find some awesome fabric to make some simple drapes for this window.

{ Project #19 }

Window treatments in master bedroom
We have lots of windows in our master bedroom as well.  I love the light it brings in, however not so much at 5am.  Some beautiful decorative drapes would be awesome.  I would love for these to be lined to offer better light control as well as offering some style and charm to our room.

{ Project #20 }

Shelving/Storage in front hall closet
We have a great coat closet near our front door.  The thing is, we live in Arizona and rarely wear coats.  This closet has deep insets to each side which makes the closet perfect for storage.  I would like to add a couple of shelves to offer better storage.  Should be a quick and easy project, just need to do it!

{ Project #21 }

Laundry basket organizer for laundry room
I redid the laundry room last year and I love it.  However, we don't have a great place to store the laundry baskets.  Additionally, there is this space to the right of the freezer that becomes a catch-all pile of stuff that doesn't seem to have a home.  I want to build a simple storage unit that holds 3 or 4 laundry baskets for both storage and function.

{ Project #22 }

Redo lamp for guest bedroom {DONE}
A few months ago my husband stopped at my favorite Goodwill store on 50% Saturday.  He had never been there so this was an experience.  I think he is slowly catching on to the idea of thrifting and making stuff new again.  He picked up this small lamp which will be great in our guest room.  Quick coat of spray paint, a nice shade and it is perfect.

{ Project #23 }

Hang up Dad's tools in garage
My wonderful Dad passed away almost 2 years ago now.  He was an amazing woodworker and all around handy man.  We rarely hired someone to fix anything, Dad and my brothers would take care of it.  When Mom asked us what she should do with all of Dad's tools I spoke up and said I wanted a couple of items to hang in my garage as a reminder of his hard work and determination.  I didn't care if it actually still worked, I wanted it for sentimental and decorative reasons.  I mean, really, why shouldn't I decorate my garage!

{ Project #24 }

Replace Light Bulb in Oven {DONE}
Remember a few weeks ago when we had to replace the glass on the front of our oven?  Well, while we were at it we should have replaced the light bulb too but we forgot.  It burned out a week or so before Christmas and we keep forgetting to pick one up.  It should be a quick job but why is it that those are the projects that take forever to complete.

{31 Days to a Functional Kitchen} Day 4: Kitchen Sink Tray

My in laws recently purchased a home in our neighborhood.  Living in a tract home community, I love to go into homes in my neighborhood to see what other people have done to customize and personalize the builder-grade features of our houses.  One of the things that I was instantly jealous of was the tip out tray by the kitchen sink to store sponges, scrapers, brushes, etc.

For my birthday this year, I asked for Kitchen Sink Tray kit!  Yeah!  I couldn't wait to get it installed.  These kits can be found for under $20 and are a wonderful way to hide the ugly essentials to keep your kitchen clean.

As soon as the kids headed off to school, I pulled out my tools (a screw driver and a drill) and got to work.  It was super easy to install as long as you follow the directions and take care to do the measuring. 

The hardest part - removing the false front.  I could feel the clips on the back of the board but with the size of the sink, they were difficult to reach and even see.  I struggled for a while trying to unscrew the clip.  Come to find out, it was a tension clip and all I had to do was pull really hard on the wood front and it popped right off.  Then I simply unscrewed the clips.

Before I knew it, I had it installed and I could get rid of the grimy little bowl that sat by the sink. 

Now, when I need my scraper, dish brush, stopper or even a magic eraser, I simply tilt down the sink front and grab the right tool.  When I am done, I can tuck them neatly away and no one is the wiser.

Simply solution for function and style!  I love it!

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY...

Our homes are filled with wasted opportunities for storage and
function.  Utilizing a previously "decorative" finish in the
kitchen turned in to found space.

Assignment:  Look around your kitchen for wasted opportunities. 
Make a list and think about how you can find new places for
storage and function.