How to Upgrade Your New Living Room Space on a Budget

 

When it comes to redesigning the home, most homeowners will want to start with the living room. This is one of the most utilized areas in the house serving as a lounge area for members of the household, an entertainment area for guests, and a play area for kids. It’s no wonder then why we often spend thousands of dollars trying to beautify this area.

If you’ve been meaning to do the same for yours but don’t want to spend a lot, here are smart tips to help you upgrade your living room on a budget.

1. Repaint the walls

Repainting your walls can make a drastic difference in how your living room looks. But, be careful in choosing a color. Evaluate your current space first and see what hues will work best with your decor. You’ll want to compare it with today’s popular colors for interior design as trends are always changing.

It can be a huge commitment to change the color of your walls so don’t hesitate to ask for paint swatches at the hardware store. Maybe even try on colors on a patch of your living room wall so you get a good idea of how it will look like.

2. Replace your old sofa

Your sofa is one of the biggest items in the living room, and it could very well be affecting the appearance of the whole place. If it’s looking old and worn out, it’s time to replace it with a new one. Consider getting a sectional sofa for the whole family as not only is it multipurpose, it also saves you a lot of space. Sectionals can be taken apart with one portion that can be used as a footrest, a table, or even a floating seat for extra guests.

3. Add a large mirror

In the age of social media, who doesn’t want an opportunity to get a selfie in front of a giant mirror? Vanity aside, a large mirror is another great way to upgrade your living room as it creates the illusion of a bigger space. If placed correctly, it can reflect light from the outside bringing more natural light in this area. 

Don’t just get a plain mirror. Since it will be placed in your living room, you’ll want something stylish. There are ones that come with ornate and whimsical frames. If you want the space to look more streamlined, a mirror with simple lines will also do. 

4. Bring in a statement rug

The right sized rug can elevate the feel of your space, making all the furniture look pulled in together. But you don’t want to just get the right size, you want one that will make a statement. There are plenty of patterns and designs you can find in the market from geometric patterns to abstract shapes. Take your time in choosing one here since this will greatly affect how the space looks. 

If you’re overwhelmed by the choices, start by looking at your current decor. The rug can be a supporting element to your already existing decor. Next, you’ll want to think of color. Pops of color are encouraged as this can really freshen up your space, giving it a new feel. Like paint, color trends come and go so do your research on the hottest shades of the moment.

5. Rearrange your furniture

Instead of buying new decor, you may just need to rearrange your existing furniture to upgrade the room’s look. It’s no easy task to move heavy furniture around so consider using a room layout apps that allow you to play with the arrangement of your furniture virtually. The goal is to create more space and allow for easy navigation. You’ll love being in your living room more when you’re able to do this. 

What area of your living room needs changing the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

6 Steps for Making Your Own Clothes

 When it comes to finding a new crafting hobby, trying your hand at making your own clothes can be a very rewarding experience. Not only does it keep the hands busy and allow you to explore a fun new hobby, but it also means that you have something great to wear at the end of it!

If you’re interested in exploring your unique style and adding to your wardrobe with homemade additions, here are six steps to making your own clothes from the comfort of your home.

Step 1: Set Up Your Space

You are going to need the right space to set up your sewing station, and also be able to keep all your necessary equipment, like threads and fabric, stored safely. You may want to use a spare room or perhaps set up a craft station somewhere in your home: the more natural light, the better.

Step 2: Find the Perfect Sewing Patterns

It’s important to remember that you’re going to need to practice with beginner patterns first. Although you may have dreams of bigger and more complicated outfits, you should try working with beginner items first to learn the skill. Researching and finding beginner sewing patterns is the best way to introduce yourself to this craft and begin to make easy items.

Step 3: Choose Your Machine and Supplies

One of the essential tools that you’re going to need on your clothes-making journey is a reliable sewing machine. This needs to be set up at a sewing station where you can comfortably sit and be able to move your fabric around the way you need it. While basic sewing machines may do the job, you may need to upgrade over time when trying out more complicated patterns. You can find sewing machines and supplies with retailers like GoldStar Tool.

Step 4: Match Your Fabric with a Pattern You Want to Try

It’s a great idea to choose a pattern before you choose your fabric. That way, you can get the best beginner advice regarding which fabric works better with specific patterns, as some may be more suitable than others.

When choosing your first pattern, it’s a good idea to choose a very basic pattern as opposed to the garment you most want to try if it’s too complicated.

Step 5: Get Expert Advice

The more research that you do when it comes to sewing, the better. You can source advice online, watching sewing tutorials, or even ask for advice in person at trusted craft stores or fabric shops. The more advice and information you can gather, the better equipped you will be.  

Step 6: Keep Practicing

Keep practicing with basic sewing patterns until you feel more confident, and then try various patterns and garments to get used to sewing a variety of different clothes. Also, try to practice with different fabric types so that you can get used to the demands of different kinds.

What matters most is have fun with it, experiment, and explore your style!

A shortcut to food processors

 Love it or hate it, there is always a way to make the process of cooking a bit easier. And if it’s easier, it’s more exciting, and if it’s more exciting, you’ll do it more often. And if you do it more often, you want it to be easier – see where I’m heading? But what kitchen partner can you commandeer to do all of this? The food processor. Of course! Once you get the hang of it, this handy gadget can improve your life in many ways.

Can’t I just use my juicer?

Absolutely not! A food processor has a completely way of operating than a juicer does, and they are not interchangeable. A juicer splits the solid and liquid components of the food, and releases the juice away from the solid part. A food processor combines the sum total of what you put in it, with no actual waste components; nothing is discarded – it is simply the consistency and degree of mixing that will vary, depending on how you process the food, and for how long.

What about a blender?

Still no. While a blender alters the consistency of foods, the result will only ever be an emulsified combination of whatever you put in there. With a food processor, you have more control over the consistency of the end result, including the distribution of wet and dry.

Making all food fast

Have I mentioned that it’s quick? Man, a food processor is quick! Not only that, it is also fast. You know what it’s like chopping individual vegetables for a so up or salad – it takes forever and a day! Not to mention the physiological aspects of chopping things like onions and shallots – great if you like crying, pretty painful if you don’t. The speed with which a food processor can handle the chopping process removes that consideration from the equation completely.

Which one should I choose?

Although there are many options available out there, the best way to pick the right machine for you is to focus on what you want and need it to do. Buying a decent food processor on a budget is completely possible, but do your homework before committing. From making salads to soups, puddings and purees, a food processor is a guaranteed way of stretching your culinary prowess to new levels. The versatility of this handy little tool goes a long way, and is a great way of injecting some variety into how you cook.

How to pick the right food processor for your needs

All aspects of the appliance, from the power output to the actual performance, all contribute to and can be the swaying factor regarding the overall purchase decision. Right from the beginning, make sure that you understand how strong and durable the blades are, what the operating speeds are, and what extra features it has. The more you know about the machine before you buy it, the better spent your money will be at

the end of the day.

No Tricks Just Treats This Halloween

 Halloween is so close that the kids can almost taste all of that sweet candy they hope to come home with! I knew there would be no better time than now to share some of my favorite Halloween finds from the season with you!

Everything has been out of sorts this year, from the great toilet paper shortage that might keep your house from being TP'ed this season, to the widespread sickness and too much political pressure surrounding the election. This year is the time to go all out with costumes, decorations and treats! Personally, we are going to keep the tricks at a minimum, life has been tricky enough for everyone!

Samples have been provided. Affiliate links may be used.

To kick things off, no matter how last minute it is you can count on Gourmet Gift Baskets to send a great gift to your house, or a special friend. We love the Eat, Drink and Be Scary Bucket of Beer. It has something for everyone in it. A 6 pack of seasonal brews for the adults and a variety of great goodies for the kids. I love the black cauldron style bucket the treats and sips are shipped in. Plus, you can get this at your door in like 2 days time! For under $70, which is nothing to say Boo too!

If you want to bake something wonderful with the kids to share, I highly recommend the pumpkin chocolate chip cookie mix from Lehi Mills. This mix is easy to whip up and creates a really flavorful cookie that the whole family will love. This is a perfect solution for busy families that want to make some memories on a $5 budget.

If your kids aren't going to be doing as much trick or treating this year, why not treat them to some one of a kind zombie fun that will keep going long after Halloween has ended with World of Zombies. Not only are they fun loving toys, but they also have webisodes that kids will love. These are perfectly creepy yet friendly enough for kids of all ages to enjoy. Check out the toys and the show on the World of Zombies site.

Are you looking to make Halloween a little sweeter for the kids, get the bulk packs of Welch's Fruit Snacks for Halloween. You can 110 pouches of tasty fruity treats to hand out to all of the kids in the neighborhood. These are also ideal for families with multiple kids who need to take a treat to school for a classroom party. Order this multi flavor pack in bulk on Amazon for easy treating all season long!

This year, the costumes need to steal the show! Kids have already sacrificed so much this year, that we can't ask them to skip an epic costume! The Ultimate Party Super Store has some incredible option like this Hungry Howler Wolf-man costume for tweens. Retailing at under $30 this is an awesome and toasty costume for kids.

The Ultimate Party Superstore has a ton of options for kids of all interests and age levels. My daughter loves this Justice League Superman costume for girls. I love that they include the girls in the superhero fun! Get this one for under $42.

Gamer girls will delight in the Princess Peach costume. It is so cute for smaller girls and is super affordable at about $25. If you order now you can get the best costumes delivered to your door in time for Halloween!

My kids are both learning from home this year, so I am always looking for ways to sneak a little education into the day when they least expect it. (Hello Xtra Math App...) to keep things interesting and engaging, The Gross Anatomy set from Thames and Kosmos makes learning about the human body a squishy and squealy fun event! Order this fun set for $20.

Aaron's Thinking Putty is the best way to spread glow in the dark fun this year on a budget. For $3 you can get a can of really engaging can of mini thinking putty. This is a great treat to share with kids of all ages.  My kids are big Ghost Busters fans, so the Ectoplasm thinking putty was right up their alley!

If you aren't taking the kids trick or treating for safety this year, why not treat them to a fun camping set from Magformers? These are so much fun to play with and this set is under $40. It will keep the kids entertained all fall long! Grab it at Target for a fun treat the kids will love.

You can find more Halloween fun here:

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DIY Pallet Halloween Tree

 I have developed a serious affection for pallet projects. I love how many ways you can re-purpose them! I came up with this easy DIY Pallet Halloween Tree using materials I had a home. 

This is such an easy last minute DIY project to add a little creepy decor to your or yard. You can use the things you have around the house to come up with something creep-tastic! I am already planning ahead to next year and how I will make this cuter with clearance Halloween goodies!

Supplies used:

A few pallet boards

A hand saw and or a circular saw

E6000 glue

Halloween ribbon

Halloween trinkets

Black paint

Directions:

Saw down your pallet boards so that you can form a tree shape. I used a 1", 3",  6",  8",  10" boards and a 18" board for the back.

Paint your boards black, allow to dry.

Glue your short boards to the longest board, black side out.

Place something heavy or use a vice to secure the boards to the wood and allow to cure and dry.

Now, you can start decorating!

I glued Halloween ribbon to the tree and then placed the "ornaments". I used bugs, spiders and creepy eyes as decorations.

Allow to dry again and place it in the yard or in the house.

You can find all of my Halloween crafts here.

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