It's the Small Things

It's super rare that we don't have some project in the works.  And even if something isn't physically in process, there are at least 10 floating around each our minds.  Sometimes those are the same but not always.  We have one bigger project taking up garage space right now with another 3 woodworking projects to follow.  Then there are two gallery walls I am working (somewhat slowly) on, a room that needs painted, our closet I want to redo, and some bigger home maintenance things that still need to happen this summer.

So, in the midst of getting through a variety of bigger projects (bigger being a relative term, basically bigger than these), it's nice to enjoy some smaller ones that can be done in a tiny amount of time, with little money, effort, or paint.  While bigger projects can mean bigger changes to our lives, the mood lifting payoff, considering the dollar and time, for these little ones are much bigger.  Little things that can make me smile, make my day a little brighter (since I spend many more hours at home than Matt, also, I generally care more than he does about making things pretty).


Instagram Collage
First up was adding an Instagram collage to the kitchen.  I had been thinking about doing this for a bit and it took me time to figure out where it would work. 

My Instagram is rarely people and is mostly scenes, flowers, etc. or related to whatever blog post is going up that day.  I enjoy looking back at my old pictures and wanted somewhere I could display them, rotating them for the seasons.  I bought a bunch of frames from Target when they were on sale and ordered 4x4 prints from Snapfish.  I hung them with Command picture strips to make sure they wouldn't fall if the door was shut too hard (which has worked).  I've had these up long enough that I've already changed them from spring to summer with more pictures printed for fall and winter. 

This is definitely a nice little boost of color and happiness to the kitchen.  I like seeing (more) old pictures and being reminded of happy times.  The hardest part of this project was making the time to fill the old picture holes and paint them...something that took about 5 minutes of hands on time but took me 3 months to get to...


Toilet Basket
This makes me way more excited than a basket on top of the toilet should.  I've had various things on the back of the toilet since we finished the remodel about two years ago.  But Luke broke one thing and then nothing really happened after that.  Then I realized a basket could hold it all together and keep things safer from a very active 3 year old.  So a few weeks of sale stalking on Target (like I mentioned here) and this basket was ours.   I'm still working on the styling...I think I need something in front of the lotion but not sure what...leaning towards a candle but the one that I've used in here before is too short...so nothing has happened yet. 

I pulled colored mason jars (my favorite kind) from the basement and filled with white washcloths from the bathroom drawer.  The pot and fake plant are both recent IKEA purchases (my first trip is almost two years!).  I like that the basket adds some natural texture and color to our very white and grey bathroom while the fake plant had some fake life.  And I love the green of the plant with the blue pot.  It's a pretty small thing but it makes me happy.  Making our lives a little prettier.

Grown-Up Hangers
I've seen this mentioned on many home decor blogs - using all matching hangers help your closet look more cohesive.  I brushed it off but then decided, we are 30-somethings...we can have nicer hangers than plastic store ones and others from the dry cleaners (which I don't really know how we owned so many of...we've taken exactly one thing to the dry cleaner in our entire marriage and that was my wedding dress).

So on that same IKEA trip I picked up 4 packs of 8 hangers.  The start of switching them over.  I was maybe a little too excited about switching them out in the closet?  I greatly enjoyed doing this even though...it's hangers.  It's not that exciting but it did convince me that this expense is worth it.  I split them - 16 for each Matt and I.  We're not even half way there but it's a start.

I especially liked how they looked with Matt's dress shirts (where all of his went).  They hang a lot more uniformly than my dresses! 

With this switch I was able to get rid of all our dry cleaner, thin metal, and plastic store hangers so it's progress!  We still have plenty of the plastic hangers in a variety of colors that we've purchased but it's already looking much better.  And spending more than 50 cents for each hanger might help us keep our closets pared down a little more! (Matt has 16 dress shirts when he only wears them maybe...10 times a year? Maybe.  I'm trying to work on him narrowing those down...)

Hawaii Workout Pictures
This project cost me no money and I had been planning on doing it for years, even having the pictures sitting on the basement tv table for at least 2 years.  It was long overdue.  These are all pages torn from the ABC Store Oahu and Maui calendars that I used to buy.  I tore out my favorite pictures during my last basement cleanout and then the pictures sat.

There is a big piece of white cardboard (seen here) hanging behind this tv because, with the stairs on the other side and plaster walls, we had to keep dust out of the tv.  I decided I could hang up one picture every morning after my shred workout.  I started at the end of June and it's now full.  It's a really small project but adds to much color to the basement.  And it's a good distraction from whatever torture I am inflicting on myself at the moment.  All for free!

And that's it!  Four small projects that have made my days a little bit brighter.  Sometimes it really is the little things.  What about you?  Any small projects that have added something to your days?  Anyone else hoarding calendar pictures from ~9 years ago?  Dry cleaner hangers you aren't sure how you own?  (Now I'm off to add a 6th coat of a paint to the project in the garage...)