Get Home Ideas from Twitter

Get on board with Twitter to get ideas for your home. Although at first you might find Twitter to be overwhelming, there really is so much to learn when you use Twitter Search and "follow" interesting "tweeple".

What is Twitter? Wikipedia defines Twitter as, "a social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users' updates known as tweets". After you signup for a free account, you can "follow" people who you find interesting.

Some "tweeple" you might find interesting from a home decorating/home improvement standpoint are:

Decor8tor (me!) Basic home decorating tips that anyone can do. Particularly likes trash to treasure ideas.
HomeSavvi Simplify the complex process of home remodeling.
UrbanDecorSue Covets beautiful things & lives in the "Sin of Furniture" always searching for fabulous finds & the cultural creatives who make them.
EnterpriseWood Home improvement specialists: flooring, paneling, trim, decking, fireplace mantels, log railings.
tobifairley Says she is a mom, blogger and award-winning luxury interior designer.
Organizingmama Helpful home and office organizing tips

Kitchen Redesign - Just Say Yes!

People always joke about how during parties, people congregate in the kitchen. But that was not always true at our house...until we did a kitchen remodel. Now our kitchen truly is the nucleus of our home.

I adore the top of the line kitchens I see on hgtv shows. We remodeled our kitchen on a budget, but it still is wonderful.

The key to the success of our kitchen remodel was the kitchen design center we selected to help us design the new layout and select the new cupboards and counter tops. A designer came to our house, and then created a computerized view of their suggested layout. Together, we made little tweaks, and it was really a painless experience.

Truth be told, I don't really care for cooking. However, having a kitchen that is functional and stylish has brought out a little bit of "Rachel Rae" in me.

Bi-Fold Closet Doors: Boring to Fun!

Although I am an artistically-challenged person, I did paint the sports theme design on these bi-fold closet doors. You, too, can easily take your boring closet doors from drab to creative with just a little paint.

Begin by finding a desirable design from a magazine, website or another resource. Make it easy on yourself and select a design that is either cartoonish (like mine) so it doesn't need to be exact, or an image you can trace using a projector. Take the doors down and put them on a flat work surface, and go to work! Don't over think it, just do it.

To add both dimension and function, I added real lockers on each side of the closet. The lockers were a rummage sale find, and I simply painted them to match.

On a side note, to continue my sports theme, I also painted a basketball backboard on the wall. A nerf basketball hoop completed the design which again added both function and design. The theme words going around the backboard are simply letter stickers.

Don't Throw Scrap Wood Molding Away!

Oh, the joy of finding a good use for something otherwise doomed for the landfill (or burn pile). After adding crown molding to our bathroom, my husband was about to toss the leftover scraps into the fireplace. I saved the molding just in time, and now I have a new mantel display or table centerpiece.

Although I cannot take construction credit, I can say my husband said it was a very easy project. He simply mitered the edges of the crown molding, and nailed them together in the rectangular shape. A bottom piece of scrap wood was added, and the whole thing was painted. Added candles and..wa la! Inexpensive yet stylish. Exact measurements are not important, just use what you have!

Personally, this candle holder is better than anything I can buy because my husband made it. It's not only stylish, but it has a story behind it. This decorative tray is a perfect finishing touch for a fireplace mantel, centerpiece for a dining able, or accent on a bedroom dresser. Although currently I have dried moss in between the candles, alternatives include stones, beach shells, mini pine cones or mini Christmas tree bulbs for the holidays.

Do you have scrap wood leftover from a home project? Think a little creatively and come up with something new and useful for your home. Think Trash To Treasure!

Room Makeover

I've got great hardwood flooring in my great room, but there are several other features I'd love to have redone to match the beauty of the flooring. Maybe I'll win the Kimberly Clark makeover contest, or maybe you will! Imagine the world of blog posts that would come with $25,000 in home improvements!

Kimberly Clark has teamed up with Thom Felicia and the View to giveaway $25,000 to 16 winners to makeover your space at www.roomadaygiveaway.com!

Head over to www.roomadaygiveaway.com and may luck be with you!

Fix the Clutter!

A clutter-free home brings peace to your space and mind. It can be hard to get started, so just be brave and jump into the 1st closet. It's not that hard if you take it in small steps, and you'll immediately feel the joy that comes with organization. Once you declutter, be sure to make changes to your routine to avoid finding yourself in a cluttered mess again. Decluttering is a worth-while challenge.

I found the article titled Fix the top 6 causes of clutter on CNN.com, and thought it had excellent fixes for the following "obstacles" you might find when decluttering:

• 'If I get rid of this wedding vase, I'll feel guilty'
• 'But I might need seven sleeping bags one day'
• 'I think this brooch/chair/ugly knickknack might be valuable again'
• 'If I put the bills away, I'll never pay them on time'
• 'I want this chartreuse muumuu to go to a good home'
• 'I want to declutter, but I can't get motivated'

Is Your Home Eco-Friendly?

Using eco-friendly products in our homes and daily lives has become a priority for many people. We have become more aware of how products can harm our environment AND our health. Here are a few simple ideas of how you can incorporate a more "green" way of life into your home.

• Purchase products that are made from recycled materials. Everything from bird feeders to duct tape made of recycled materials are readily available. Check the labels for the eco-friendly seal.

• Green cleaning products reduce the negative impact on the environment by decreasing air pollution, water pollution and ozone depletion.

• Green practices also include diligent recycling. Think about the impact just in your community if every household throws away just 1 plastic container per week because they don't feel like cleaning it out. Take the extra minute it might require.

• Reduce the use of products requiring disposal. Although plastic baggies are convenient for bag lunches, is it really that hard to use reusable plastic containers? Also, many laundry detergents are now available in a concentrate that don't require as large of a plastic container.

• When remodeling your home, use eco-friendly products such as carpeting made of recycled plastic bottles. Another very eco-friendly flooring choice is reclaimed wood flooring. It is made from wood that was salvaged rather than tossed into a landfill, plus it makes a beautiful, unique floor for your home.

• If you have household items or clothing that you no longer want, donate them to your local thrift store. Not only will you keep those items out of the landfill, but you will also help out a local charity. Remember, one person's trash is another person's treasure!
  

Everything you can do to REDUCE, REUSE and RECYCLE will help our environment.