5 Random things I’ve been up to around the house

How’s your summer going? I cannot wait for it to end, particularly this heat July was brutal here all over 110 degrees and I was here for all of it!

1 – I’ve been purging

It’s like what we do in the summer when we’re stick inside. I wouldn’t call it decluttering as my house isn’t cluttered or pouring out of containers, not that I haven’t been there before. I called my friend to pick up my “junk” and she said, “Where is this coming from?” and I said, “I don’t know, I am just embarrassed,” and we had a good laugh. 

When I look at everything it’s the same stuff, thrifted or antique items I think one day I will gift to someone or I might use. Well, it piles up and then I send a photo to someone I think might like it because it’s not fitting in my house and well, it’s not an interest to my friend! What have I learned from my purges?

  1. I need to just stop planning for “one day” even though it has rewarded me in the past, right now is not the time.
  2. Stop buying trinkets, vases, small things.
  3. Remove dated picture frames to update a space.
  4. The collecting has to stop. My collections are now full – royalty and Wedgwood.

Thankfully my purchases have been $30-$35 each and from organizations that need the money. Hopefully better buying decisions next time!

I have also been listening to The Next Millionaire Next Door (sequel to The Millionaire Next Door) on audiobook and loving it. I highly recommend it and not listening to it once but a few times.

2 – PLANNING FOR CUSTOM CURTAINS

I mentioned getting custom curtains done that separates the garden room to the dining room/rest of the house. Ceiling to floor. I had inquired with The Shade Store and it was limited in what I wanted custom so I waited a few months.

I found another company that a can really do custom! Hoping to get this in just in time for my parents to see when they come out in October and also before the holiday parties!

kravet
I used command strips on hooks to hang it where it would go to observe the colors. This is so helpful to be temporary but also hang it in the right lighting. My walls are Sherwin Williams Origami Owl and room faces south.

3 – Wallpapered Benjamin’s Closet

Benjamin took over my old small walk in/reach in closet and the wallpaper was still there… well I decide to just wallpaper over it with another temporary wallpaper. 

I found this sailboat nautical blueprint style wallpaper on Home Depot. It’s called NextWall Yacht Club Coastal Blue Abstract Vinyl Peel & Stick Wallpaper Roll.

When I die someone is going to through my house when there’s an estate sale and laugh at all the wallpaper I have including in closets! ha!

 

4 – We redid our side gate entry path

Benjamin is very fancy – he loves to upgrade it’s not me I swear. I upgrade the inside of the house and the details, but he notices outside and I love it!

So he hated the black pavers which we never really asked for, I had wanted black brick but our guy said they didn’t exist.

After two years Benjamin just hated it and said it was time to rip it out and replace it with brick — he loves brick.

herringbone path garden gate black garden gate Dunn edwards black magic

The path is wider and that’s wonderful! So now we need some landscape lighting for the front.

5 – I thought I wanted to repaint the gate

If you give a mouse a cookie…she’s gonna want to paint the side gate. So I ordered a stack of Samplize samples (remember when I was the model?) then I was overwhelmed and I thought I’d give up. 

Then a lot of DMs through Instagram telling me to leave it black. I think I got so into my head of being over black ands white homes — yes mine is but with red brick, but I’m talking about the homes that really shouldn’t be black and white that I wanted something different. Then I was reminded my home is timeless with the red brick in black and white. So, we leave it after $50 of paint samples, but at least I saved myself a few hours of work.

I want to plan for Christmas already, however, I have my birthday party again this fall! I wasn’t planning on doing another party buuuuuut I had a new idea and then suddenly I just decided why the heck not, life is short. Celebrate it with some of your favorite people and November will be a great time of the year when the weather is nice to be outside! 

Subscribe

Receive updates and my hostess checklist

One email sent per week.

Diana Elizabeth Steffen setting the table for her annual garden party

SIGN UP FOR UPDATES

Never miss a post!
Get my hostess checklist in your inbox!

One email sent a week, I don't like too many emails either. Read our privacy policy.

Diana Elizabeth is an author, photographer, and obsessive thrift shopper. You can typically find her in the garden wrist deep in dirt, at a local estate sale or planning her next creative themed party. She continues to blog weekly.

POST COMMENT

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *