Outdoor Projects
-
Quick Ways to Update Front Door
How to Update Front Door without Paint Nothing makes you think about the status of your front door like the holidays! Even if your family rarely uses it, it seems the front door gets a lot of action with holidays guests (and packages) coming and going. So I came up with a few ways to update your front door without painting it, which can be a full-day project if you include drying time! And who has time for that this time of year?!
-
DIY Gates for Deck Stairs
How to Build Gates for a Wood Deck If you have little ones roaming around, you know the feeling when you see them head towards the stairs! For inside stairs you can buy a pre-made gate in a color that suits your house. But what do you do about outdoor stairs like those on a deck? You build some yourself! Materials I took this picture with every intention of building these gates with some leftover wood I had on hand, but that changed half way through the project. (And yes, my old, blue Ryobi saw is still going strong!)
-
Curb Appeal Update 2018
How Our Yard is Looking One Year After Updates About a year ago I shared how to make vinyl shutters look brand new. It was supposed to be a series of ‘curb appeal’ posts about small things we did in our front yard. But best laid plans…? Old Plants One of those small things was updating the plants in the front beds. We originally planted gardenias there. And slowly over the 6 years they were there, they lost their leaves and didn’t look very healthy. After treating them for bugs and fertilizing them, I did a little research and learned that afternoon sun is basically just bad for gardenias. Hmm..that’s…
-
“Treeing-Up” Bushes
A fun, and easy, way to prune bushes I’ve always referred to the process of pruning a bush to look like a tree as “treeing it up”. But upon searching that term on the interwebs, I apparently made that up. The most-returned result referenced a dog driving a raccoon or other animal up into a tree. So pretty close! 🙂 We had this overgrown Loropetalum bushy tree in the front yard. It was like bedhead-crazy with limbs sticking out in all directions. After Brandon attacked it with our hedge trimmers, it looked like this:
-
Easy, Fast, and Cheap Extension Cord Repair
How to Repair an Extension Cord Yourself It costs less than $4 to repair an extension cord if it’s accidentally cut during use! And it doesn’t require any special tools or skills. Replacement part If the damage on your cord is nearest the female end, like mine, the part is readily available in the electrical aisle. The one I got was $3.29. (The male end replacement part is even cheaper!) Prepare Cord Obviously, make sure the cord isn’t plugged in first. Then cut through the cord right past the damaged area.
-
Creating Zones for Garage Storage
How to Create Zones for an Organized Garage It’s really starting to feel like summer in Alabama! And summer means yard work, kids home from school, and maybe pool gear all over the place! So I thought it was the perfect time to share some tips from a recent episode of Today’s Homeowner about organizing your garage! Set Priorities As with any organization project, it is essential to take inventory of what you have and what your needs are as far as storage goes. What do you use most often? It needs to be easily accessible at all times. What is stored for seasonal use, i.e. Christmas or summer camping?…
-
How to Make Your Own Picnic Table for Kids
Build an Outdoor Table for Toddlers and Preschoolers Building a picnic table sized for kids is easy and quick! Plus it’s so adorable! I’d say this would be a great project for a beginner DIY-er since minimal power tools are needed. Materials (4) 1″x6″x8′ pressure-treated wood (1) 2″x4″x10′ pressure-treated wood tape measure* speed square* miter saw* drill/driver* sander* w/ 220-grit sandpaper jigsaw*, optional 2″ exterior wood screws level* exterior wood glue* round object, like a spray paint can, optional exterior wood sealer* Cut List 1x6s (6) 35 inches long (4) 25 inches long 2x4s (2) 30 inches long (2) 21 inches long Step 1 First, measure, mark and cut everything…
-
Building with Community
If you subscribe to my newsletter, then you know way back in October (seems like so long ago!) I traveled to Tulsa, OK for an episode of Today’s Homeowner. And the episode is airing this weekend!! (You can check your local listings here to see when it airs in your area!) But since I’m super excited about this project, I wanted to give you, my readers, a preview of what Dad and I did in the episode! We joined forces with the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa to makeover a patio for a great cause! This is the backyard area of Manna House, a residential community primarily for young…
-
Updating Faded Vinyl Shutters
A cheap and quick way to make vinyl shutters look brand new and improve your home’s curb appeal It’s been a little over 5 years since I updated the siding, windows, and landscaping at our house. And since then not much maintenance has happened in the front yard. Besides our weekly mowing, I’ve restained and sealed the handrails, painted the porch floor, built a planter box, and that’s about it. In addition to a little neglect, our house faces south and gets the brunt of the sun all. day. long. So there are a few things that are looking a little old, sad, and rundown. One of those things are…
