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The Messy Table

Emily — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:01:06 +0000

Written by contributor Emily Walker of Remodeling This Life.

My kitchen table was given to me by my parents. It’s the same kitchen table that I ate dinner at every night when I grew up. My parents, brother and I each had our own spot at the table.

I have many memories of the meals we ate, the stories we shared, and things we did at that table. I remember sitting around that table making Christmas cookies each year. I remember the year my cousins came over, and we all made gingerbread houses together at that table. I remember getting sick at that table, laughing at that table, and crying at that table.

And today, it’s that same table where my kids are making memories—sharing meals with us, telling stories about their days, laughing, crying, getting sick, making cookies, doing craft projects.

After all these years, the table is not as pretty as it used to be. There are specks of glitter crusted to it that will only come out the day we decide to sand it down and refinish it. There’s glue stuck to it. There’s stray paint from craft projects and home renovations.

These days, it’s usually covered with a tablecloth because I’m embarrassed for anyone to see the state of my table. But the other day, when I took off the tablecloth to put it in the wash, I sat at the table—bare, dinged, glittered, glued, messy—and remembered each of the stories behind the messes.

I saw the green paint that strayed from my son’s first painting project. I saw the glitter and sparkles from the first Christmas craft my daughter and I did a few years ago. I saw the lines in the wood where the pencil was pushed too hard during homework time.

How could I cover up these things, as though they’re things to be ashamed of?

My table is not perfect, but it has done the job it was meant to do very well. Life has been lived at it. Lessons have been learned at it. Memories have been made for decades, right there at that table.

It tells the story of lives being lived, not life missed out on in the name of perfection. The same way that marks on the walls, scuffs on the floor, toys on the table, and dishes in the sink prove that the places we live are for just that—living. Not perfection.

photo by remodelingthislife

This time of year, I spend a lot of time thinking about the things we have, and I want to instill that same appreciation in my kids. We talk about the Christmas season being about more than what we’re going to get on the 25th. I think about families that don’t have any table to sit at, surrounded by family and full of good food.

Our messy table reminds me of all we have, especially during a time that could be too busy or full of consumerism to notice. The messy table reminds me to slow down and keep making memories with my family. To keep making messes as part of our living.

The Messy Table is this home’s silent reminder that it is well-loved and well-lived.

Do you have a “messy table” in your home?

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Find contentment in unexpected places

Emily — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:01:11 +0000

By contributor Emily Walker of Remodeling This Life.

It was over five years ago now that my family bought the falling apart fixer-upper that is no longer falling apart and we still call home today. When we signed the dotted line that day, I had grand visions of future happiness because of this house. Once we fixed it up and sold it, we could go buy the house I really wanted in a nicer neighborhood, with a bigger yard, a screen porch, and garage. Then I’d be happy.

Does this sound familiar?

Someday, when things are a little bit better. As soon as I have that, accomplish something else, live there…then I’ll be happy.

Life doesn’t always go as planned and sometimes, right where we are is where we find we’re truly content.

I found myself in a home with few closets, no pantry, no attic, no basement and no garage. This meant that I didn’t room to stash stuff I wasn’t using. Everything in our home had to be functional, or we got rid of it. I couldn’t buy new things just because I liked them, without a care for where it would actually go.

Slowly, as years went by and we renovated our house as the monthly budget allowed, I learned to be happy with what I had, knowing that inside these walls was everything I needed.

Something about washing dishes in the bathroom sink when the kitchen was gutted, sleeping on a bed in the living room while the bedrooms were renovated, and taking showers in the backyard with a hose while the shower got tiled made me realize how lucky I was to have what I did.

I no longer wanted three bathrooms—who wants to clean them, anyway? I no longer wanted a great room or a screen porch for the joyous family time I envisioned in such expansive spaces. The little living room we had was all I needed for ticklefests and movie nights with my family.

Photo from Remodeling This Life

And the kitchen is a place to make the food that brings us together each day, no matter what it looks like. I found myself being completely happy, right where I was.

There is no secret formula for finding contentment, but going without certainly helps. It’s not always easy to appreciate what is always right there in front of us. It becomes so part of the ordinariness of our days that it’s hard now to remember the days before when things weren’t as good.

But when I close my eyes at night in my new bedroom, or when I take a long, hot bath in the new bathtub, or when I stack my dishes into the dishwasher, I can remember when it wasn’t like that, and I’m happy for what is, in all of its unexpected, small everydayness.

How can we not be happy just to have what we have? To know that having a home, food to cook, and family to spend our days with are such blessings?

When I let go of the idea of someday happiness, I found it in everything around me. I didn’t need a bigger house to be happy, and I certainly didn’t need something prettier on my walls, or nicer bedding, or fancier gadgets in the kitchen. There are things that make our lives easier or prettier, but I learned that none of those external things was going to make my life better.

Beautiful, happy moments happen in big houses, small houses, fixed-up houses, and outdated houses. They take place in itty-bitty studio apartments, and they take place in homes we own or spaces we rent. The beautiful moments, the contentment with what we have comes from within, not from the walls around us.

How are you grateful today for your home?

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Grateful for Home

Tsh — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 05:30:02 +0000

Today I’m over at (in)courage, revealing a smattering of photos from our new home in Oregon. And as I quietly think during the unwrapping of plates and breaking down of cardboard boxes, I’m also sharing a few thoughts about what home actually means. From the post:

“Where are you most at home? Is it in your home?

“I’ve thought a lot about this over the years, as my family and I have lived and traveled all over the world. And this summer, we moved yet again. This time, to a brand new town. …

“Nesting is in my blood, and I love making a home for my family. But I’m pretty sure there’s a home waiting for me that’s complete with a wraparound porch and a working stone fireplace, and it’s situated near crystal clear waters on a sapphire street — because it’s not going to happen here.”

Head here to read the rest and to interact in the comments.

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Establish Routines For A Simple Home

Emily — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 05:01:48 +0000

Written by home columnist Emily Walker of Remodeling This Life.

The new year is here, and with it comes the end of a nice break for most of us. As much as I enjoyed the lazy mornings and fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants days of the holidays, I was really looking forward to getting back into the regular routine.

Something about a new year sparks in me a desire to establish more order and intention in all that I do, so when back-to-school and the new year came together, it was perfect timing for establishing some new, old routines to keep home life simple and days running smoothly.

I tend to dislike schedules but thrive on routine. A routine makes everyone in my household happier, everything runs more smoothly, it establishes reasonable expectations, and it makes for a saner home.

Here are some basic routines that help keep our house tidy and the people smiling around here.

Work It In

Photo by Remodeling This Life

Having tasks that flow together while living life is an essential part of a simpler home. Rather than saving up for an entire task that takes huge chunks of time, where nothing is ultimately done except cleaning messes or taking care of overwhelming piles of papers, dealing with it “as you go” and making it a part of the daily routine will ultimately free up more time to get to the heart of living. Having a simpler home makes it possible to enjoy the everyday ordinary moments more.

Start The Morning Right

Photo by Centsational Girl

A basic morning routine is key to starting any day off right. Here’s a great article about jump starting your day with a simple, five minute routine.

In the morning, I throw in a load of laundry in while coffee brews. You can empty the dishwasher so it’s available to load dishes as the day goes on so they don’t pile up. Make beds first thing after getting up — nothing makes a room look tidier than a made bed, and an unmade bed can make a tidy room look messy.

There’s nothing like having it all done, waiting for when you crawl under the covers at night after a long day. Remember the power of ten minutes. Small, simple, short routines that are built into the day make all the difference.

End The Day Right

Photo by Remodeling This Life

A routine establishes expectations. This is especially helpful for kids, and for mine, the evening is the most important time for a routine. My kids know that after dinner, it’s play time, then bath, put on jammies, brush teeth, and read books.

We don’t follow the clock as much as we follow the routine. They know what’s coming next and they expect it, so it all runs much more smoothly than if we had to chase them around screaming every night that they had to stop playing their game at a certain time and get in bed. The routine helps all of us relax and unwind.

I discovered a while ago that the key to starting each day right was ending each day right. By ending the day with cleaning the kitchen, putting away toys, planning or packing lunches, mornings became easier.

Evening is when it works best for me to fold laundry. I fold and put away at the same time, and I lay out clean clothes for school the next day. No searching for socks when we’re supposed to be out the door.

The key is finding what small things work at what times, and then adapting them to the everyday.

In each and every task and routine, think of making things good enough. Not perfect. Keep things manageable so that you can find what you need when you need it, have someone drop by unannounced without having a panic attack, and enjoy the truly important moments of each and every day along the way.

What simple routines are part of your day-to-day that help keep your home running more smoothly?

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Quick and Easy Holiday Decorating Ideas

Emily — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 05:01:32 +0000

Written by home columnist Emily Walker of Remodeling This Life.

This time of year can get overwhelming fast. Before the turkey has even settled in our stomachs, it’s time to plan putting up the Christmas tree or getting ready to race into stores for Black Friday sales. I personally end up feeling like the entire reason for the season gets lost in the chaos of sales and decorations.

I love to put up simple decorations that honor the season and provide a daily reminder of what the true magic is this time of year, rather than ones that attempt to take center stage.

Here are some ideas for keeping it simple with some quick and easy holiday decorations.

Epsom salt candles

Photo by Remodeling This Life

Last year, I did a quick and easy project with my then five-year-old daughter by making shimmer candles. We took basic candles and glittered them up for a festive holiday feel. This project takes less than five minutes.

A simple wreath

Photo by Sarah Bohl Designs

I love a simple and beautiful wreath like this. A wreath is such a classic way to bring in the holiday spirit. There are a million and one ways to jazz up a wreath, but the most important thing about a wreath is to remember what it represents: the real nature of unending love.

String it up

Photo by Remodeling This Life

One of the quickest projects I did last holiday season was to string up some twine in my kitchen window, and then cut out stocking shapes from burlap and clipped them up. This year, my daughter wants to string up snowflake cut-outs. Anything would do — you could do anything from paper ornaments to cookie cutters.

Fill your jars

Photo by The Inspired Room

These jingle bell jars are so cute, and there are so many other ways to use jars this time of year, too. Fill them with ornaments, pine cones, bells, beads or anything else you might have on hand that can become instantly festive.

Are you keeping your holiday decorations simple this year? What are some ideas you can share with the rest of us?

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Plan Your Peaceful Christmas: Maintaining Your Home During the Holidays

Mandi — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 05:01:50 +0000

On Wednesday, Tsh talked about “guest-ifying” your home now, before the holidays are in full swing. Cleaning, decluttering and preparing for guests ahead of time is an important step, but once you clean and declutter, then what?

If you have young children, things probably won’t stay neat and tidy for very long on their own, and none of us want to spend the holiday season cleaning and organizing rather than baking, visiting friends and family and enjoying all that it has to offer!

I often get asked how we keep our home neat with four little ones. The key is that we literally clean up every single night before bed. We put things back where they belong, wipe down the counters and vacuum/mop any areas that need it. Because we do this as a family, it’s relatively painless and means that we wake up with a clean slate every day.

Here are some more tips to help you maintain your home and keep up with the household chores without sacrificing time with the people you love.

Kitchen

Keep a pantry inventory to keep track of items your need to replenish.

Plan your menus so you’re not buying extras you won’t use.

Clean out your fridge each week before you go grocery shopping and wipe down the shelves as you do.

Line the bottom of your oven with foil to catch drips and spills.

Clean up stove spills/boil-overs right away so they don’t build up or harden.

Get into a habit of running your dishwasher regularly and emptying it right away so that your dirty dishes don’t pile up in the sink. Or wash the dishes by hand.

Rotate your pantry stockpile regularly.

Use glass storage containers. They’re healthier AND you can see what’s in them.

Kids’ Toys

Photo from Deal Seeking Mom

Follow the one toy in, one toy out rule and give away a toy each time a new one is received.

Clean up every day and put toys away by set so that the mess doesn’t build up over time.

Rotate toys every 1-2 months rather than having them all available all the time.

Request clutter-free gifts like craft supplies, experiences and books (you’ll never convince me that children’s books are clutter!).

Give kids regular age-appropriate chores and have them help maintain their areas.

Bathroom

Limit the number of bath toys in the tub at a time.

Wipe down the sink every day. We use my husband’s towel from his shower (he’s supposed to be clean when he gets out, right?) or you could keep rags under the sink to use.

Keep a written inventory of medicine so you don’t find out you’re out of ibuprofen at 1 o’clock in the morning with a feverish kid.

Clean the bathroom while bathing your kids.

And More

Photo from Decorating Your Way

Don’t use your master bedroom as a catch all.

Don’t let flat surfaces accumulate stuff; find a home for it.

Think twice before putting something in storage — do you really need to keep it? Is it worth the cost of storing it, the time you’ll have to invest to take care of it and the space you’re giving up?

Follow the touch-it-once rule — if you pick something up, find a home for it right away rather than setting it down to be taken care of later.

When you take something out of storage, be sure to put it back in the correctly labeled box when you’re done.

Store your regular decor in your holiday boxes so they’ll be easy to find when it’s time to pack the seasonal/holiday decor away.

By looking for little ways to maintain your home every day, you’ll cut down on the company-is-coming panic and have more time for the things that really matter!

This post was brought to you by Cozi, an online calendar that families can share to make sure everyone is on the same page! Manage your calendar, shopping lists, to-do lists and even family memories from anywhere. Enter to win a $100 Amazon gift card by submitting a tip to Cozi’s Best Household Tips contest!

How do you maintain your home during busy seasons, especially when you might have more guests than usual?

http://www.becomingminimalist.com/2010/11/01/why-i-stopped-using-a-dishwasher/

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Plan Your Peaceful Christmas: Guest-ify Your Home

Tsh — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:01:51 +0000

Are you having house guests for the upcoming holidays? ‘Tis the season for crowds, and while you might not be ready for handling your relationship with the in-laws, you still need to prepare your home.

With Christmas six weeks away, it might seem like you’ve got all kinds of time to fortify your abode — but if your family is like mine, November and December are when the calendar gets crazy busy.

Why not take some time now, before the chaos arrives on your doorstop?

Similar to part two of my book (head to the bottom of this page to scroll through some pages in advance), I like to take my house prep process room-by-room. Here are a few ideas for the house hot spots that are especially trafficked by guests.

The Living Room

I love looking at photos of the house built by contributor Mandi of Your Way

If you’ve got small living quarters, like my family, then you might only have a pull-out sofa bed to offer guests. Don’t apologize for this — just make it work well. It will need to serve as both Command Central for your holiday season and as a bedroom for your out-of-towners.

• Declutter, declutter, declutter. Now’s a great time to go through this central room and box up your unused and unloved books, magazines, and movies.

• Surfaces are at a premium when you’ve got guests with their own luggage. Box up any tchotchkies that don’t really serve a purpose. Leave room for a little festive decor, but that’s it. You might find, at the end of the holidays, that you like your newfound less-is-more look.

• Check your sofa bed. Is it clean? Make sure now that it’s sleep-able, before you say ‘yes’ to your guests.

• Prepare the little things that make it easier to keep this central spot cozy for your visitors — make extra coasters (I like these and these), or keep a stack of blankets in the corner.

The Bathroom

This will be one of the most heavily-trodden spots in your home while you have guests. A little goes a long way to make this spot more useful.

Photo from Apartment Therapy

• Make towels insanely easy to find. Ever stayed in a place and you feel squeamish having to look through cabinets to find what you need? Make it simple on your guests.

• Clean out drawers and cabinets, and leave empty shelves for upcoming guests. Take this time now to declutter and organize. As I mention in my book, you probably don’t need most of the stuff hiding under your bathroom counters.

• Before you throw out all your hotel sample leftovers, save a few of the best and assemble a little basket of oops-did-you-forget-this?-well-here-you-go items.

• Make toilet paper easy to find, too. That’s never fun to hunt for, especially in someone else’s house.

• If your kids’ bathroom will double as the guests’, declutter the bath toys, so that there’s ledge room in the tub. Just a few are fine.

The Guest Bedroom

If you’re blessed to have a bedroom dedicated solely to occupy guests, then you’ve got more room than us right now. But when we lived overseas, our kids’ playroom doubled as a guest bedroom, and we loved having tons of visitors sleep in that room (we had almost 30 guests in 2008!).

Photo by Sherry & John of Young House Love

Here are some things that take a guest room from good to great:

• Provide an empty spot to open and store suitcases and bags. Declutter your surfaces.

• Neatly pile extra blankets, pillows, and towels in an easy-to-spot location.

• Give your guests something to read before falling asleep. Short stories and magazines are great, as are easy-to-read, practical books.

• Lighting. Give your guests a light they can turn off from the bed. If you’ve got the room, set this on a nightstand (also good for the reading material). I find it challenging to go without these things in a guest room.

The Rest of the House

There are a few more spots in the house you could prepare now for house guests.

Photo by Heidi of Mt. Hope Chronicles

• If extra kids will be bunking with your own, start now on those rooms. Make a goal of packing up half their toys so that room cleaning is easier. You can always switch out the toys after the holidays are over. Or, if the toys aren’t missed, you can donate them to your neighborhood thrift store.

• Toss out expired food staples in your pantry, and make room for food your guests might want to bring.

• Make basic ingredients easy to find. Holiday guests enjoy helping you cook, and it’s easier when they don’t have to go on a man hunt to find the flour. You’ll appreciate it after the holidays, too.

• Buy a few basics your guests might appreciate it, even if you don’t use them normally. My husband and I both drink our coffee black and prefer unsweet tea, so we always forget to have sugar and creamer around for company. If you don’t drink coffee, buy a small bag to keep around for guests.

• Pack up any clothes you’re not wearing this season, so that you can provide closet space for your guest’s clothing. Or, get rid of any clothes you’re not wearing at all and add them to the thrift store pile (my book has a good list of the essential clothing pieces for both men and women).

It might feel early to do all this house prep for the holidays, but you’ll be thanking yourself when you don’t have to run around doing this right before you head to the airport and pick your guests up.

Next month, I’ll talk more about how to mentally and emotionally prepare for an influx of visitors in your home.

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Are you expecting guests? Where will they sleep? What’s one area in your house you could tackle this week to make it more inviting for your upcoming visitors?

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Does Your House Attitude Need a Paint Job?

Emily — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 05:01:53 +0000

I have had a bad attitude about my house lately. In the midst of yet another home renovation project, a little too much drywall dust flying and too many unfinished little projects have left me feeling like our house just isn’t good enough.

Mostly, this happens when I am having people over. I start to feel like it’s not good enough for company. I worry what they’ll think of my rooms with no baseboards and rooms closed off for construction. I get too caught up in my furniture looking a little too much like little messy kids live here.

My husband informed me the other day that my house attitude needs a paint job.

Ask almost anyone and they’ll tell you that the quickest, easiest, least expensive way to refresh a room is to paint it. A gallon of a color that makes you smile can make all the difference. I thought about this and how something as simple and changing my attitude with a smile and a touch of grace could change how I feel about my home completely – just like a fresh coat of paint.

I talk to so many people who feel their home is inadequate, especially when it comes to entertaining and inviting guests into the space they call home.

There is no reason we should be ashamed to invite acquaintances, friends, or extended family into a home that is good enough for us and our immediate family to live in each and every day.

Here are some ideas for changing your attitude about your home.

Your Home Is What You Make It

Every time you invite people over, what they see of your home is what you show them. It’s not about beautiful decorations, elaborate finishings or huge great rooms.

A home is about love, friendship, and comfort. Any home can provide those things – big or small, decorated or not.

Photo by Remodeling This Life

No One Is As Critical As You Are

We can be our own worst critics, can’t we? Extend yourself the grace and love and appreciation that your friends and family do to you. They aren’t there to look around and see what you don’t have. They are there for you, and aren’t paying attention to all the little things you notice.

Make a List

Nothing will make you feel better about what your home does have to offer than to make a list of all of the things you love about your space. It doesn’t have to be about the structure of your home; what’s inside it is what matters.

Provide a place to sit (even if it’s the floor!) and a smile. Your company is more valuable than any couch you can buy in a store.

What do you do to try to get over my-house-isn’t-good-enough-itis?

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Reset a Room: Simplify Your Space with a Fresh Pair of Eyes

Emily — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:01:28 +0000

This past weekend, my husband and I repainted our living room. A few years of kids running around and putting scuffs and dings on the walls, not to mention one major home improvement project, made this painting a necessity.

To ease my mind about taking care of the furniture during the process, we moved almost everything right out of the room. We removed mirrors, shelves, photos off the walls, and books off of the shelves, and then moved almost all of the furniture out of the room.

It was then that I decided this was the best time ever to really simplify the space — I was going to reset the room, declutter, and start with a clean slate.

From my experience, here’s how to quickly and easily simplify your space by resetting a room.

Part One: Take Everything Out

Sometimes, organizing and decluttering feels like a losing battle because I find myself shuffling things around instead of actually removing things that I just don’t need, use, or love anymore. They stay because they are there.

When you remove everything from the room, you’ll see how open and free the space feels. You’ll therefore be much pickier about what you choose to put back in.

As I moved things out of my living room, I noticed that some stuff didn’t really belong, but over time they had somehow blended in with the space. Once you’ve removed everything from the room, it’s easy to see what to put back – only the things you need, use, and love.

Photo by Remodeling This Life

Part Two: Put Stuff Back

By starting over with a blank slate, you can better visualize your space. It’s hard to see where to move a chair, table, couch or photo when there is already stuff everywhere.

Picture how you want to walk into the room, what you want to see, and very importantly, what you don’t want to see. When I reset my room, I deleted about 20 percent of what was there. There were knickknacks from shelves, books that were outdated and untouched, and accessories that just weren’t working in the space. They were things that just didn’t belong.

As you add things back into your space, go slowly. Let the space breathe. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in simplifying my spaces is that open space is okay. Less is more.

Questions to ask yourself before you add things back:

Do I love it?
Does it work in the space?
Do I use it?

It’s easy to declutter and say goodbye to things when you’re looking at them in a box, armed with a donation bag next to you and a beautiful open space in front of you. The choice is easy. Keep what you need and love, get rid of what you don’t.

A note from Tsh: Reading Emily’s post here reminds me a lot of what I wrote in my e-book, Spring Cleaning for Normal People. Yes, this is a shameless plug. But I did want you to know — especially you newer Simple Mom readers — that if you’re interested in a step-by-step process that leads you through this exact process that Emily describes, well then, I know of a little handy-dandy guide. The e-book encourages you to ask questions about all your stuff based on the famous quote by 19th century architect William Morris: “Have nothing in your homes that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” And then gives you the kick in the pants to do the things you need to do. Head here to learn more about it.

Do you have tips or tricks for streamlining and simplifying the spaces in your home? Please share in the comments!

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12 Ideas for Frugal Artwork

Tsh — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:01:28 +0000

Having moved countless times in the past decade, I’ve grown to appreciate a minimalist look to the decor in my home. The stuff we’ve chosen to keep and hang on our walls is stuff we truly love.

There are so many great choices for art, there’s no need to default to cookie cutter motel room-style art. An added bonus? So much of it can be done frugally.

Here’s a peek at some of the art in our home (and art from our previous apartment overseas), along with some very cool ideas from others around the blogosphere.

1. Letter wall

Our last name begins with O, which is an easy letter to find on the cheap (think oval-shaped frames). But it’s still not too difficult to find just about any letter in unexpected places.

Photo by Kyle Oxenreider

Most of our Os were found in random shops here and there. Craft shops sell some you can easily paint or decoupage; you can also print a large-sized letter in a nifty font and frame the page. Several of the smaller letters on our wall are actually Christmas ornaments, and most recently, I found several at Urban Outfitters.

2. Circle art

A few years ago I used this idea from Heidi at Mt. Hope Chronicles – it’s a simple canvas decoupaged with scrapbook paper circles. This one hung in our previous master bedroom:

And this one was in our kids’ playroom:

We had to leave them with friends because they just don’t pack well for an international flight, but I plan to make more circle art wherever we land next. It’s an easy way to pack a punch of color, and it’s fun to make, too.

3. Fabric on canvas

Squares of fabric are also an easy way to add color to a wall. Simply stretch a piece of fabric onto a canvas (or simple wood frame) and voila — instant art on the cheap.

Photo by Kyle Oxenreider

These are fat quarters from my local fabric store, stretched (and masking taped!) on to square wood frames found at Goodwill for $.75 each.

4. Children’s book prints

Photo by Kyle Oxenreider

Kids’ books have the best art. The best. And since I can’t bear to tear pages out of our beloved library, I simply scanned some of our favorite books and printed them on high-quality photo paper.

Photo by Kyle Oxenreider

I then spray painted a collection of thrift store frames in blue, yellow, and red for original, meaningful art for our kids’ bedroom.

5. Blankets and quilts

About a year ago I had fabric scraps and cloth napkins that I couldn’t bear to part with, but they didn’t really have a specific project destiny. So I quickly stitched them together, backed it with a simple sheet, and sewed ribbon loops on top.

It hung on our kids’ bedroom wall, but they were allowed to play with it anytime they needed a fort or flag. When they were done, they just hung it back up.

6. An original painting (signed by the artist, I’m sure)

Photo by Meredith

I love love love this idea from Meredith at Like Merchant Ships. She purchased an inexpensive, oversized painting off Craigslist, then had her daughter go to town with paint.

It works well because Meredith first painted a blank slate of white over the original, and because it’s so huge – it makes such a modern yet sentimental statement.

7. Plates

Photo by The Nester

Nester at Nesting Place wrote awhile back here about using plates to decorate your home. Mismatched plates are abundant finds at thrift stores, and put together as a collage, they can look classic, modern, vintage, or funky.

Plate hangers are easily found at craft stores like Michael’s and Hobby Lobby.

8. Embroidery hoops

Photo by Amanda Soule

Amanda at Soule Mama, handmade genius, has some of her family’s embroidery projects and simple fabric swatches hanging on her walls with simple hoops serving as the frame. Original and frugal.

9. Framed scrapbook paper

In our previous apartment we displayed scrapbook paper in simple frames from Ikea (also shown in the top photo). You can also use wrapping paper or wallpaper and achieve the same look.

10. Wall dots

Photo by Jessica Levitt

I bought the cake circles for this when I first saw it on Jessica Levitt’s blog, but never got around to creating it (moving overseas and having a baby will do that to you). If you have a needle and thread, fabric scraps or fat quarters, and cardboard, you can easily make these wall dots!

Instant color, and easy change for seasons and moods. Love it.

11. Travel and concert souvenirs

Photo by Sharilyn

Instead of celebrating a great concert or memorable vacation with a t-shirt or side table tchotchke, why not buy art? You can find the coolest concert posters, maps, travel advertising, and city logos in unexpected places. Check flea markets and thrift stores on your travels, or check online at one of your favorite musicians’ website for promotional materials.

Last week, Sharilyn at Lovely Design gave a tour of her walls, and she has one of the most amazing, personal poster collections I’ve seen. Check it out and be inspired.

12. Your kids’ scribbles

Yep, those daily productions from crayons, marker, and paint can become sweet little works of art with the right display. Frame them in inexpensive frames and hang them at kids’ eye level, and you’ve got a gallery they can show off.

Rotate their art every few weeks to keep things mixed and to display their artistic progress (read about more ideas on what to do with that plethora of kids’ art).

13. Support artists and buy their art

Art by John W. Golden

Yes, original paintings are expensive. Prints of paintings are not. You can find some high-quality, low price artwork and photography on Etsy — some of my favorites are:

Sarah Jane Designs
Orange Studio
The Wheatfield
John W. Golden (he’s got a BOGO sale going on right now)
Fall Down Tree
Cabbages and Kings
Belle and Boo

I also really like the posters at The Poster List. Good prices, too.

So there’s really no excuse for run-of-the-mill artwork hanging in your home — the options are endless.

What’s your favorite frugal, original way to spice up the walls in your home?

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12 Ideas for Frugal Artwork is a post from Simple Mom

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