Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Add Space To Your Master Closet

It always seems like we need more space! Cleaning up and clearing out once in a while helps, but sometimes you just need to add some space. 
 I had an otherwise unused wall and put some simple baskets on some tracks you can find at your local hardware store. 
This photo of my simple tracks and baskets is one of my most pinned photos and the post it's in: 
I get quite a few questions as to how these baskets were actually put up and so I'm going to show you all the details. 

It's pretty easy and doesn't cost a lot to add storage space to your master closet. You can add lots of storage space by installing a double track system and either putting shelves or baskets on the tracks.
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First off, what I keep in the baskets changes seasonally. The bottom basket is filled with tank tops, which I wear both in summer and winter. 
baskets, master closet, organization, storage shelves, add space to your closet


One basket holds my sleep shorts and sleep pants. Another basket holds t shirts and the last one holds tops I wear while gardening or painting. Baskets would be great for under garments, ties, hats, scarves or whatever else you have need to store in your closet. 
baskets, master closet, organization, storage shelves, add space to your closet


This is how it looks if the baskets are taken off. No need for shelves because the baskets  sit directly on the brackets.
baskets, master closet, organization, storage shelves, add space to your closet


The tracks are just screwed into the wall and the brackets are adjustable and can be moved up or down.  
baskets, master closet, organization, storage shelves, add space to your closet, closet brackets

Here's a closeup of the double track bracket.  The photo isn't upside down, the label is. lol...still haven't taken a few of these off. 
track bracket, baskets, master closet, organization, storage shelves, add space to your closet

track bracket, baskets, master closet, organization, storage shelves, add space to your closet



You can find the tracks and the double track brackets at Lowe's or Home Depot.  The tracks come in different lengths, depending on how much space you have. I found the baskets at HomeGoods several years ago, but I've seen similar ones at Target recently. 

There you have it...a relatively inexpensive way to add more storage space in a closet.
This project can be finished in one afternoon. 

If you'd like to see more of my master closet, you can click HERE.

Pam

Disclaimer: The above post is how we added space to our closet. I don't take any responsibility for any errors or results obtained from using this information. When using power tools, use safety equipment.

Monday, April 22, 2013

How To Make A Framed Chalkboard From A Mirror

Do you ever need a vacation after you take a vacation?
Mr. Fanatic took last week off  to do projects around the house and he now needs a vacation.

A RELAXING vacation.

Spreading 23 + yards of mulch is hard work.
(That's about 621 bags for those of you who get bags of mulch.) So thankful our daughter helped us.

As if that weren't enough, Mr. F picked up a couple of yards of cypress chips for our path, then several yards of composted horse manure for our organic raised beds. 
In addition to the mulch, chips and compost, Mr. F finished installing our gas cooktop and helped me with an easy project that's been on my project list for several months. 


chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft




I found this mirror on Craigslist awhile back and it's been so long I can't remember what I paid for it. I'm pretty sure it was $55 or $65.
chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft

First thing you need to do if you want to transform a mirror to a framed chalkboard is to take off the hanger...
chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft

...and all the staples in the backing.
chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft

The mirror was held in by some spacers which we took out. 
chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft


chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft

We bought a full 4'x8' sheet of hardboard for $13.47 at Lowe's and had them cut it into pieces. 
chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft


The surface was roughed up with a sanding block and then primed with Zinser. 
chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft


I decided to buy a quart of chalkboard paint in a can rather than chalkboard paint in a spray can. Sometimes spray paint can be a little tricky with coverage. 
chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft

After putting the first coat of chalkboard paint, I knew I would need several more to get good coverage. 
chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft


After a few more coats (for a total of 4), the board looked perfect. 
chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft


After drying overnight, the board was chalked...
chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft


...then  wiped off.
chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft


I put two 3/16" boards in the frame so that I wouldn't have the spacers in between the painted board and the  backing. 
chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft

All finished!
chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft

Now, all I need to do is write a great quote on it.
Framed Chalkboard,chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft


chalk board, make a chalkboard from a mirror, cottage, cottage style, farmhouse, farmhouse style, diyDesignFanatic.com, craft

I've since painted the frame with chalk paint, but left a little of the gold showing through You can find how I did that HERE

Pam

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Cooking With Gas

I don't know why we didn't do this sooner because we have wanted a gas cooktop or stove since we moved into our first home back in June of 1990.
In that house there was a double oven stove with 

electric coils.

We made do.
When we built our current home, the builder we didn't want to pay for the upgrade to gas because no one cooked with gas in our area. 


So we "upgraded" to one of those new fangled flat top electric cooktops that were so popular when we bought our new house. 

Cooking on it was worse than electric coils.

I remember cooking rice for the first time on it as I always did, in a large frying pan.
What I found out is that nothing cooks in the pan that isn't directly above the burner. 
So we lived with it because you can't replace a perfectly good 
(and new) cooktop

So we waited 12 years and finally bought a gas cooktop last September. 
Installing it finally made it to the top of the project list.
Was excited even when the old cooktop was removed. 

See the junction box on the right side of the cabinet?
That box got in the way every time I put a frying pan away. 


Well, Mr. Fanatic fixed that problem and recessed the junction box and installed a gas line and a new outlet to power the igniter. 

Mr. F cooked venison tacos for the first meal cooked on our gas cooktop.
He was amazed at how awesome it was.
We both wondered why we had waited so long to change over to gas.

Isn't it purdy?


I look forward to many more meals cooked on it by Mr. F
 ; )

What project have you been waiting a long time to do?


PS: always install appliances according to the installation directions and hire a professional if you are not trained in installing gas appliances. Also, always follow your county's guidelines regarding permits. 

Friday, April 12, 2013

Spring Projects

How are your Spring Projects list going?
Do you have a list or do you just wing it?

I'm a list maker, so I definitely have one 

and since Mr. Fanatic is taking a week off next week...

First off on our list is mulching our garden beds and putting down some fresh cypress chips on our path.
We thought we would have a couple of truck loads delivered and hire a few teenagers to spread the mulch, but the affordable place where we get it at doesn't deliver anymore, so we will have to spread it ourselves, a trailer full (4 1/2 yards) at a time. We need a total of 22 yards of mulch for all the beds, plus about 2 yards of chips for the path. 

Anyone want to come and help?




Next up on the project list is painting my little blue playhouse. (it was mine when I was 5 years old and yes, we brought it with us all the way from SoCal when we moved) 
Mr. Fanatic made a new base for the playhouse when he moved it from another place in the yard last year and we've never gotten around to painting it. Its just one of those things that bugs me every time I walk by it. 
Do you ever do that...?

This year we definitely need to refresh the deck. The last time I painted it was in 2010. The white rails don't need painting, but they could use a bath with a little bleach. I think we'll be changing the color of the floor to gray.


*******************************************

The project that I'm really looking forward to Mr. Fanatic doing is installing our new gas cooktop. 
The left photo shows what we currently have and the right photo is the new one. Mr. F has already done most of the work and will hopefully have it installed next week. We haven't had gas since we rented a home after we first were married. (we've been married almost 27 years)
I am sooooo excited!

Well, that's my short list and would be ecstatic if we got all of that finished. 
I also have several other things on my running list that will be done over the course of the next several months and have a few that I know won't be done for awhile.  Stuff comes up that is more pressing and moves things down on the list.  

That's just the way it is. 


I'm hoping I will have a lot of before and afters to show you after next week.

What's on your Spring Projects short list?

Pam