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DIY Budget Walkway with Screening
Are you considering making a walkway on a budget? For many years now, I have wanted a walkway from my guest apartment #2 to their driveway. I had the path to #1 repaired last year. It was concrete…and very expensive. All of the quotes I got to add a little curved walkway from #2 were beyond my budget at this…
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Chest Freezer Organization With IKEA Bins
Chest freezers are notorious for swallowing food (pardon the pun), never to be seen again…Or until they are way past their expiry dates and transformed into an unrecognizable crystalline substance. How can you organize it so you can easily get what you want and save money by not wasting food? See how I organized mine with IKEA bins. Why would…
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DIY Chalk Painting Furniture Tips
Have you ever tried chalk painting furniture? It can be a time saving method…or not. The main benefit of using it is that sanding and priming the item isn’t required. I have used it for several pieces of furniture and recently transformed an old dresser that was given to me. My new old dresser… I loved the mid-century modern look…
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Car Organization – Assessing Your Needs
Whatever your circumstances, your car organization needs to reflect your lifestyle needs. For many people their car is an extension of their homes. As life goes, things change, so you need to continually reassess what you need. Meisha, a little Maltese terrier & chitzo recently came to live with me. Poo bags and hand sanitizer in center console for easy…
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Beautiful Back Deck Makeover – Part Two – Before & After Decor
Do you like to spend time on your back deck? I hate to admit it, but I spent very little time on my back deck because…well… it wasn’t very inviting. It’s been a long time coming, but the time for my back deck makeover is finally here. I was inspired by my next door neighbors when they rebuilt their deck…
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Budget Front Porch Summer Refresh
Are you looking forward to enjoying your front porch this summer? With my porch looking a little tired and my budget being minimal, I needed a plan. This year I decided I would actually like to use the space for more than just for a pass-through to my front door. Front porch this spring. North side front porch before. South…
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Back Deck Makeover – Part One – Repair & Resurrection
Over the years my back deck started looking very sad with peeling paint. With the cost of lumber and building these days, ripping down the deck and doing a total rebuild were out of the question. So I decided to do it in stages, like I did with my kitchen. The deck floorboards were a priority. Next would be the…
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Exterior House Painting – What You Need to Know
Last year the exterior of my house underwent a transformation with a lot of paint. The year before, I had a few estimates to get it painted but unfortunately ran out of time before it could get done. So, I decided to tackle it myself (with the help of my son). Are you wanting to transform your house exterior? Read…
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Interior Car Detailing – 7 Easy Steps
This spring I will be doing interior car detailing for some family members. I started with my daughter-in-law’s car which is a Ford Flex. It ended up being a lot more work than a regular car because of the extra row of seats and numerous little cubbies. If you are interested in making your vehicle (almost) like new, do a…
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Life Changing Items for New Home Owners
As a new home owner you may wonder what items you will need to care for it. Over the years I have acquired new tools, equipment and gadgets that made caring for my homes so much easier and indeed, life changing. Where do you live and what type of home do you have (freehold, townhome, condominium, etc.)? The answers to…
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What Do You Do With Sentimental Inherited Items?
Are you struggling to decide what to do with a deceased loved ones’ sentimental inherited items? At least once a year I try to go through everything I have in storage and give the spaces a deep clean. Are you like me and find things you forgot you had? Sometimes you may find sentimental things that you haven’t been able…
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Printed Photos – Organizing Your Memories
If you are like me, you may have thousands of photos stored in various places and formats, so organizing them is a challenge. Digital photos on your phone, your cloud saver, your computer and your external hard drive or USB flash drives. Depending on your season in life, you may also have some on CDs, DVDs, or even VHS tapes.…
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Budget-Friendly Linen Closet Organization
Is your linen closet in need of a re-organization on a budget? New items come in and get shoved wherever you can fit them? Old items get forgotten and take up space? Is a mess starting to takeover? My linen closet wasn’t too bad, but I knew there were some things I needed to let go of. I also wanted…
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Organize Your Home to Minimize Cleaning Time
Did you know that having an organized home can minimize your cleaning time? Anyone who knows me, knows that I like a tidy home, but like many people, I don’t like cleaning! I know there are some rare people that actually do. There is also the satisfaction of a job well done at the end, even if you don’t. Laundry…
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My Vacation Cruise Package – Beware of Extra Costs
Have you bought a vacation cruise package? Back in 2019, I received a phone call about a Caribbean cruise package deal. It was for a discounted price and also included a few days stay in a couple of hotel resorts in Florida and the Bahamas. (Of course, they also required me to listen to a timeshare presentation.) Thanks to the…
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10 Things to do to Reset & Have a Great New Year!
The new year is symbolic of a new start and a great time to reset several areas of your life. Here are ten things you need to do to reset for a fabulous new year. Reflect on last year with gratitude… What did you accomplish in the last year? Even if you had a particularly hard year and barely made…
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Make a Vision Board – Clarify Your Goals & Dreams for the New Year
Do you have a vision for how you would like this year to go for you? Whether you make New Year’s Resolutions or sit down and write out your goals for the year, having a clear vision of what you want can help. I love this time of year. It is a time of new beginnings, a chance to reset…
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The Benefits of Travelling with a Friend
Travelling alone can be fun but travelling with a friend also has it’s benefits. On my cruise vacation to the Bahamas and Florida, I went with my long-time friend, Deb. We refer to ourselves as “Thelma and Louise” on our adventures, although we have never robbed or killed anyone, or driven off a cliff. This was our fifth adventure together.…
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Packing in a Knapsack for a Ten Day Trip
For my vacation to Florida & the Bahamas, I packed in a knapsack for a ten-day trip. On my last trip, to British Columbia, I packed with a small carry-on suitcase and knapsack. Although that worked out well, I thought I would challenge myself to go more minimal. It is a lot easier to get around on buses and trains…
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Decorate Your Christmas Tree – Top Ten Designer Tips
For years I have struggled to decorate my Christmas tree to look beautiful and Pinterest worthy. I know it doesn’t really matter in the big scheme of things. There is beauty in all attempts to honor and celebrate this special time of year and I look back fondly on my childhood trees with bright coloured lights and sparkly garlands. I…
