Cleaning the Fridge // DIY Kids Magnet Organization

Ever have a pet peeve that is pretty ridiculous? But then again, isn't that exactly what pet peeves are?  Something very inconsequential that no matter how much you tell yourself that it really isn't a big deal it still seems to drive you bat shit crazy.  I have quite a few - probably more than any person should have.

Our fridge has been covered with little alphabet and farm animal magnets ever since our little man could crawl.  And by covered, I mean COVERED - the front and side.  They fall off or are thrown on the floor during one of Luke's godzilla-esque rampages.  And.It.Drives.Me.Nuts.  Instead of just saying forget it and donating them to another household I've suffered through for the sake of my kid's entertainment.  Not anymore, folks.

Here Comes The Rain Again

This past summer sure was lovely, wasn't it?  Well, at least for those of us in the PacNW coast.  We had lots and lots of sunshine.  No joke, there were weeks upon weeks of it straight into the beginning of October.  For anyone that lives in a place with a rainy fall, winter and spring - it's like crack.  We can't get enough of it.

Unfortunately for some of my plants - they didn't quite feel the same way.  Remember those pretty azaleas I planted back in April?

In a Laguna Beach flashback, they're done-zo.  I guess you have to water your plants for them to make it through the summer.  Who knew?  Poor little guys.  So with the indian summer coming to a close - I put in some work getting the yard ready for the rain.  First, I ran around picking up all the toys and outdoor furniture and stored them in our shed.  Then, I pulled all the potted plants indoors.

Can You Smell That Smell - Homemade Room Spray

Febreeze, move on over - there's a new, healthier girl in town and folks, she's easy.  If you can shake it - you can make it. 

You'll need:

• 2 cups distilled warm water
• 2-3 drops essential oil
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Spray bottle

First take some distilled water - you can either purchase some at the store, make your own or try the lazy girl's version (like me!) and just use cooled boiled water - pour it into the spray bottle and mix in the rest of the ingredients.  I've used lavender essential oil, but you could use whatever fragrance your little heart (or nose) desires.  Give it a good ol' shake and freshen your room or furniture items with a little spritz.

That Dang Hemnes Dresser

As I mentioned back in this post our well-built black bedroom furniture got the boot for the white Ikea Hemnes furniture when we needed to lighten things up.  But my dear Hemnes dresser couldn't hold up to my collection of clothes. 

I kept fixing the dresser only to have it burst open in a "you can't fix me, you can't fix me" taunt.  Even putting a few more nails into it did nothing to help.  Finally fed up with simply putting the dresser back together, I decided to fix this dresser once and for all. 

Open Shelving Gets A Trim

Remember that open shelving we installed awhile back?  We made the 4-foot long shelves from the Ikea Valter brackets and simple 1x12 white wood boards.  I love our open shelving.  It's freed up cabinet space where we used to house our plates and bowls and cleared up counter space where our glass jarred food staples used to hang out.  But what I'm not too fond of are the thin boards and the unfinished edges of each shelf.

While the boys (the hubs, my dad and my brother) were hard at work on the mudroom and while we had all the tools out, I garnered some motivation (and possibly guilt over being the only one not doing anything) and decided to finally get these shelves up to par with a quick little fix.  I pulled out a couple 1x2s from our stash to update each shelf with mitered trim.  The 45 degree miter cuts were incredibly simple thanks to the use of a chop saw, but they could also be cut using a miter box and hand saw.  I cut three trim pieces for each shelf and left the back of each trim-free since they wouldn't be seen.