Lifestyle blog
I was on the market for an advent calendar this year for our 5 year old and nothing was standing out to me. Either she already had something similar or it was just more stuff she didn’t need. So, after a quick trip to Home Hardware we headed into our shop and decided this year we would create our own customizable calendar!
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This summer we built an outdoor fire pit area in our backyard and it has easily become one of our favourite spots to gather and relax. I’ve always loved the ambiance string lights provide outside and I wanted to find a way to incorporate them around our fire pit. After a little bit of designing, we came up with our version of these DIY planter boxes with poles to hang the lights from. This might be one of my favourite DIYs yet!
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Summer is finally here and this year we decided it would be fun to get our daughter a sandbox. We wanted something that was elevated off of the ground and easy for multiple kids or adults to sit at. After deciding we would build something we headed over to Home Hardware where we picked up all of the supplies we needed. It took a little bit of trial and error but we ended up creating the cutest little sandbox table! Our daughter absolutely loves it, and we enjoy being able to sit next to her and join in on the playtime. Today, I’m sharing how you can recreate this project. Let’s get started! Here’s How we created our Sandbox Table!
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Last year we began gardening and it was such a fun experience for our family! We built 4’x8’ garden beds and our vegetables thrived! However, we were not so lucky with everything else we planted in the soil outside of the beds, so this year we decided to build two more. We love how the garden beds keep many of the weeds out, deter our pets, look appealing and are much easier on our backs while working.
Garden beds can be very versatile to suit your needs but Here’s How we created our 4’x8’ garden boxes! All of the products used for this project can be found at your local Home Hardware store.
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It’s Springtime and that often brings the urge to clean and get organized. Here’s How you can elevate your pantry and calm the clutter with these 6 simple steps!
1. Replace wire shelving with wood
Wire shelving can be difficult to store food on and clean when there’s a mishap. 3/4” birch plywood is a great alternative because not only is it functional but also aesthetically pleasing. Start by measuring your space to determine the size of shelves you require. Using a circular saw cut your shelves out of a sheet of plywood. Create a ledge for each shelf to rest around the perimeter of your pantry using 3/4” plywood cut into 2” strips. Attach the ledges into the wall studs with 3″ screws and apply wood glue to the top of the ledge. Rest your shelf on the glue and pin nail it to the ledge. Alternatively Home Hardware also has a variety of shelving brackets if you prefer that style over a ledge. Because plywood has an unfinished edge this pre-glued veneer edging works great to give a finished-looking result. Complete by painting the edging if you have painted your shelves. The paint used in this project is Beauti-Tone’s Powdered Donuts (WB024-0) in Designer Series Matte. Many people have asked about the fun pop of colour on the door and it is called Miniature Posy (A8-6-0118-0) in Beauti-Tone Designer Series Matte!
2. Storage baskets
Organizing the food in your pantry into categories can help create a cohesive space. Storage baskets are a great solution to help you visualize these categories. Start by grouping similar foods together. Some common categories might include baking, dinner, snacks, canned goods, drinks, cereals, overstock items, grains and produce. Once you have your categories created, you can then utilize storage baskets to keep them organized and easy to access. These clear KIS baskets come in two sizes and work great because they are clear and you can easily see your products.
Wood crates are another stylish storage solution. These low-profile crates from Home Hardware are super functional for those larger items or smaller bulk items like juice and pop while still providing easy access.
3. Rubbermaid containers
Some of your food categories may not be ideal in a storage bin and these Rubbermaid containers are the perfect alternative. These clear containers keep food fresh and provide excellent visibility to keep track of how much food you have left in them. Pastas, grains, cereals, and baking goods are some categories where Rubbermaid containers will work fantastically.
4. Recycling
The pantry can be a great place to hide your bottles and recycle! These Sterilite touch top bins are sleek, compact, and open up easily with the press of a button on the top. If you’re looking for a place to hide recycle bins the pantry might be the solution!
5. Labels
Need I say more?! Labels always give that extra wow factor in a pantry but also make things so much easier when you are trying to find something. Consider using dissolvable canning labels, chalkboard labels, or making your own.
6. Tiered Shelves for Cans
Canned goods can be tricky to keep organized if you have a large stockpile. One way to simplify this is by creating a step or tiered shelf so that you can easily see the cans in the back. For this simple project, 2×4’s were used to create the steps. Whether you are using a tiered shelf or not be sure to group the cans into smaller sections (for example soups, beans, etc.) before placing them in the pantry.
And there you have it! 6 ways to organize your pantry! If this inspired you to tackle your pantry or get started on a spring project of your own be sure to check out your local Home Hardware to find these products and others. They have the expertise and know-how to help you along the way.
Happy organizing!
Today I’m sharing how you can create two different styles of bathroom ladders that go above your toilet. They’re not only aesthetically pleasing but are also functional with all the extra storage! The first style is more traditional with a bit of a dowel twist, while the second is more minimalistic and really suits the current boho trends.
All of our products used in this blog are from our friends over at Home Hardware! A big thank you goes out to them for sponsoring this post. They are our absolute favourite store when it comes to products and expertise!
Let’s get started! Here’s How we created a traditional bathroom ladder.
Traditional Bathroom Ladder
Materials:
2- 2″ x 3″ x 8′ Spruce
1- 1″ x 10″ x 8’ Spruce (used for top and lower shelf)
1- 1″ x 6″ x 6’ Spruce (used for middle shelf)
Dowel 7/8” x 4’
Wood Glue
Pin Nails
1 1/2” Screws
Minwax Pickled Oak Alkyd Stain
Minwax Alkyd Wood Conditioner Pre-Stain
Cut List:
Legs: 2” x3” x 8’ cut to 6’
Top of leg post angle: 7/8” on the end grain and 5 1/4″ down
Bottom of leg post angle: 1/2” in down to nothing (bottom of post)
Using the 1″ x 6″ x 6′ make the following cuts:
Bottom of middle shelf: 22 1/2”
Sides of middle shelf: 2- 2 5/8” x 6 1/4”
Back of middle shelf: 2 5/8” x 22 1/2”
Using the 1” x 10” x 8’ cut to:
Bottom of lower shelf: 1” x 8” x 22 1/2”
Sides of lower shelf: 2- 2 5/8″ x 8”
Back of lower shelf: 2 5/8″ x 22 1/2”
Left overs from the 1″ x 10″ x 8′ cut to:
Bottom of top shelf: 1” x 4” x 22 1/2”
Sides of top shelf: 2 – 2 5/8” x 4 1/4”
Back of top shelf: 2 5/8” x 22 1/2”
Dowel cut to: 26 1/8”
After making all of the cuts we sanded the wood.
The sides of the shelves were rounded over using a sander. We achieved this by drawing a radius on the corner using a circular shape we found but this can also be done freehand or with a paper template.
First, we glued the back of the shelves onto the bottom and secured with pin nails.
Next, we added the sides of the shelves and pin nailed.
Once the shelves were built we leaned the legs up against the wall and started by attaching the lower shelf 40” from the ground. We made sure it was level and used a counter sink bit to predrill the sides of the shelves to the legs. We secured using a 1 1/2” screw and used 2 screws per side to prevent rotation. Tip: If you are able to attach a piece of wood to the wall to help support the bottom shelf while drilling it is very helpful.
We used a 8” cut off as a spacer for the next shelves measuring from the top of the back piece to the bottom of the shelf above and repeated the steps.
After the shelves were assembled it was time to add the dowel.
35” from the bottom of the legs we used a 7/8” forstner bit to drill through the sides. On one leg we drilled completely through and on the other leg we drilled only 1/2” for the dowel to rest. Check your bathroom to see which leg would be easier to pull the dowel out from as there may be a vanity or wall in the way.
Initially I had planned on using a darker stain but ultimately decided to use Minwax in the shade Pickled Oak. I’m loving natural woods lately and this shade was just the perfect touch to take some of the yellowness out of the spruce. Before staining we always apply Minwax Alkyd Wood Conditioner Pre-Stain. If you are looking for a darker shade my go to is always Minwax Special Walnut! I think it’s the perfect medium-brown!
While this ladder is freestanding we like to secure it to the wall. To do that we simply add a screw to each side of the back of one of the shelves.
That’s it! I absolutely LOVE this ladder so much and the toilet paper dowel storage was such a fun addition.
Now for a more minimalist approach Here’s How we created our boho bathroom ladder.
Boho Bathroom Ladder
Materials:
2 – 1 3/8” x 6’ Dowels (used for the legs)
1 – 7/8” x 6’ Dowels (used for the rods)
Wood Glue
Minwax Pickled Oak Alkyd Stain
Minwax Alkyd Wood Conditioner Pre-Stain
Cut List
Using the 7/8” x 6’ cut to 15 1/4”, 17 1/4” and 19 1/4”
We cut the painted ends off of our 1 3/8″ x 6′ dowel legs
Using a 7/8” forstner bit we started by drilling holes 5/8″ into the legs for the rods to sit. We used clamps to secure the dowels to make it easier to drill.
The first holes were drilled parallel on each leg 41” from the bottom.
Each of the corresponding holes above were spaced 12” apart.
We used wood glue to attach them and clamps to secure. Be sure to do a dry fit before this step.
We opted to keep the wood as natural as possible and used Minwax Alkyd Wood Conditioner and Pickled Oak again.
I really love the minimalist design of this bathroom ladder and how functional it is. It’s a great alternative for towel storage!
I hope you’ve enjoyed these projects and have fun creating them in your own home! Be sure to head into your local Home Hardware store to get started on this or any other projects you may have in mind. They never cease to amaze me when it comes to their selection and helpful staff :).
Winter is in full swing here and we are always trying to find new ways to stay active and embrace the outdoors. Today I will be sharing a few activities that are fun for the kids! A big thank you goes out to Home Hardware for partnering with us and supplying all the wonderful products we used!…
Christmas is officially upon us and I’ve been feeling extra inspired to create some fun holiday projects! We headed to our local Home Hardware to grab all the materials we needed and before we knew it our house had turned into Santa’s little workshop. Not only do these simple projects make great decor, but also perfect gifts for your friends & family 🙂
If you want to add a little festive DIY touch to your home, Here’s How we created some simple holiday projects!…
I recently ventured outside of my comfort zone to explore painting with more colour, and I’m so glad I did! Interior colour blocking has been super trendy and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. I love this trend because it allows you to embrace your creativity, explore colours/shapes, and create something totally unique if you choose!
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Give me any excuse to partake in Fall or Halloween related activities and I’m here for it! I’ve teamed up with Home Hardware to bring you these DIY Pallet Pumpkins. It’s fun for the kids too!
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