All week, we’ve been talking about and recapping our big Disney World trip. So far, we’ve done a day-by-day review of how the trip went, and then I shared some of our biggest tips, tricks, and lessons learned. Today, I’m answering one of the most commonly asked questions – what did we wear/bring/use while we were there?!

There is often a lot of planning (and stressing) that goes into planning what to pack for Disney World. But, if you remember that you know your family best and what you’ll use (and won’t use), it can take a lot of the stress out of it! Today I’m sharing what ended up being essential for us.

First up, here’s a big ol’ roundup of a bunch of the shirts we bought for Disney. Of course you absolutely don’t have to buy an entirely new wardrobe for your Disney trip, but it was so fun to have these special outfits to wear each day, and it really helped us be even more immersed in the experience. It’s silly, but I was glad we had a ton of Disney shirts to wear all week long!

Disney World Shirts for the Family

• A Goofy Movie 90’s Style Shirt
• Tie Dye Mickey Shirt
• Classic Mickey Shirt
• Vintage-Style The Little Mermaid Shirt
• Mickey Tropical Shirt
• Mickey & Minnie Retro Shirt
• The Black Pearl Tee
• Lion King Shorts Outfit
• Retro Star Wars Shirt
• Queen of Naps T-Shirt
• Ice Harvesting Shirt
• Classic Lion King Tee
• A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes Tank
• Leopard Print Minnie Mouse Shirt
• Donald & Mickey Fist Bump Shirt

The Shoes We Wore

Everyone knows you walk a LOT at Disney World (we averaged 15,000+ steps!). So, needless to say, shoes are important.

Thankfully, I’m very familiar with what shoes work best for my feet. Running marathons will do that to you. Here’s what I did for my shoes:

• I alternated between my Adidas Duramo running shoes and my Adidas Cloudfoam sneakers (with this insert added). I also brought a pair of Tevas sandals and switched over to those if my shoes got wet. Brooks are also a great option for Disney!
• For the boys, they alternated between their daily school tennis shoes and a pair of Crocs (with socks, always!). Of course, the Crocs had their favorite Disney Crocs charms added. We packed an extra pair of socks each day in case they needed a new pair. There’s something about a fresh pair of socks that can work wonders for tired feet!

My Disney Outfit Must-Haves

I found that for me, the perfect combo at Disney was a t-shirt or tank with either biker shorts or a tennis skirt. It was comfortable, flattering, and not too hot. I packed a few different options for bottoms (including jean shorts and other athletic shorts), but in the end I think I would have been happiest if I would have just brought biker shorts, tennis skirts, and maybe an athletic dress or two!

Here are some of my essentials:

• Biker Shorts
• Tennis Skirt
• Tennis Dress

What We Brought Into the Parks

Now, let’s chat about our day-to-day must-haves in the parks. We rented a stroller (we used Kingdom Strollers, and had a great experience!), and it was a total life-saver. We joked that we’ll continue to rent a stroller even when the kids have fully outgrown it, just because it’s so convenient to always have a place to stash stuff!

Here’s what we brought into the parks every single day:

• Our water bottles (these were a 10/10!)
• Ponchos
• Cooling towels (the kids loved having these and it really cut down on complaining!)
• A few snacks (goldfish, cheez-its, and Nature Valley bars)
• Liquid IV (I made everyone have one each day to stay hydrated. The boys split one pouch and Corey and I had our own)
• I used my fanny pack every day and it was so handy. I was able to leave it on for the vast majority of the rides, and it kept things like my phone, sunglasses, and credit cards within easy reach.
• We brought a portable phone charger each day, but we never actually needed it. Our phones did just fine, even with tons of photo taking and booking Lightning Lanes. It’s probably still a good idea to have a charger on hand just in case, but this wasn’t as essential as I thought it would be!
• And finally, we always brought an extra pair of socks, in case our feet got wet. Because there’s nothing worse than walking around with soggy socks!

Other Things to Pack

Finally, my other biggest tip is to buy a few things ahead of time to save a little money. For example – Mickey ears! You might think you don’t want any ears, but there’s something so fun about a place where almost every adult is happily donning a silly headband with mouse ears. Just go with it, you’ll be glad you did!

Ears in the parks tend to run about $35 – the quality is great, but the price hurts a little. I bought ears for all of us ahead of time, and was so glad I did! I saved a ton, and they worked great for us.

• Here are the ears I wore most of the time.
• I also had these Alice in Wonderland ears.
• Jackson wore Sorcerer Mickey Ears
• And Grant loved these plain ones, along with these Goofy ears.
• I also had a set of these Minnie Hair Scrunchies – they were perfect for when I didn’t want to wear a headband!

For our next trip, I’m seriously eyeing this adorable hat. I almost bought it for this trip and decided not to…and I definitely wished I had it!

Oh, and a bonus tip? These Mouse Silhouette Earrings made me smile every morning when I put them on!

Here are a few other things we brought along that were really helpful:

• I grabbed these plastic pieces for our Magic Bands to help hold them on. I had heard they are easy to lose, and I was right. Even with these I managed to lose mine, but everyone else’s stayed on nice and tight all week long!
• We also grabbed this Mickey stuffed animal and this Donald Duck stuffed animal for the boys to surprise them on our way to the airport. It was a fun way to kick off the trip and Grant brought Mickey everywhere we went all week long!
• This cosmetics bag was a game-changer for me with packing. It holds so much, and I just hung it in the bathroom – it gave me super easy access to everything I needed!

And finally, let’s talk about…

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Outfits

We hit up Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party on our last night there, and we spent a lot of time planning super simple (and comfortable) costumes that wouldn’t be too hot! We loved how it turned out, and we were (mostly) all really comfortable. Corey’s shirt ended up being really hot – the design was so big it kind of turned the shirt into a sauna. Whoops!

| Goofy Outfit & Goofy Hat | Red Polka Dot Dress & Minnie Ears | Donald Duck Costume Shirt

And that’s it! All of our Disney essentials. I know we were first-timers for this trip, but we truly felt like we nailed it our first time around. We’ve already got next year’s trip booked and I’m counting down the minutes until we can go back!

The post What We Packed for Disney World appeared first on Love & Renovations.

Disney World is my new favorite place in the world. It’s also a pretty complicated place to visit. You might think you can just book a trip and be done with it, but there’s so much to do and see there that if you don’t plan ahead, you might end up with a really frustrating and exhausting experience.

I know of tons of people who have visited Disney World without properly preparing ahead of time, and many people who went without a plan came home thinking it wasn’t worth the cost. But if you know Disney World well, do your research, and make a plan? The experience is absolutely incredible.

I did a ton (and I mean a TON) of research beforehand, so I felt really prepared for our trip. I was so grateful for the time I put into it, because it made a huge difference in how much we were able to get done. We did everything we wanted to and then some, and I give myself a lot of credit for that, because I knew the parks inside and out before we even stepped foot in one!

So, today, I’m rounding up a bunch of the questions y’all asked me over on Instagram, along with the lessons we learned the hard way, and giving you all of my best tips for doing Disney World with as little stress as possible!

General Disney World Tips & Tricks

• Plan your park days strategically. Over the last few months, Magic Kingdom has actually been busiest on Mondays and quieter on weekends. That may change in future months, but it’s been the pattern for a while now. Epcot, on the other hand, will be packed on weekends, thanks to locals coming to Food & Wine Festival (and all the other festivals they have throughout the year).
• Have a plan, and have a back up plan! Even if you don’t know the details of every single ride, you should know what rides at each park are harder to get on, and how you’re gonna make it on them. Rides will shut down, and if you don’t know where to pivot to, it can cost hours of your day.
• Have a plan for souvenirs for the kids. We told our kids they could pick out one souvenir per park, and that was it. It cut down a lot on asking for random things (like bubble wands or balloons), because they knew they had to choose one thing. They did spend a lot of time asking to go to the shops and focusing on the stuff rather than the experience, though, so we may adjust our approach next time.
• That being said, it’s the dream vacation so don’t be afraid to give in a little. Corey became obsessed with popcorn buckets and drink sippers and we came home with two popcorn buckets and four new sippers. They make him SO HAPPY, so I can’t complain, haha.
• You can bring snacks and water into the parks, and you should! We had a Walmart delivery to our room on our first day, and we bought simple breakfast stuff for the kids, protein bars for me, a few snacks, and bottles of water. It was so nice to have some quick snacks to hand the kids if they needed something and Corey and I weren’t hungry, and having everyone eat breakfast in the room before we left saved a ton of time.
• Bring a refillable water bottle, and fill it up all day! We had everyone drink a Liquid IV first thing in the morning to help with hydration, and we made sure to keep our water bottles full. Most quick service restaurants will give you cups of water for free that you can use, some have water stations set up. We also brought out water bottles into our lunch reservation every day and asked our waiter to fill them up for us. They were always happy to, and it was a simple way to get some fresh cold water!
• Don’t forget to slow down and watch for magic. We saw so many fun character interactions, watched a custodian draw Donald Duck with water on the sidewalk, and saw a few mini street shows just because we weren’t in a rush. There’s magic happening all around you at Disney, don’t miss it.
• Character meals are SO FUN, and we think it’s worth it to have 1-2 per trip. More than that might feel like overkill, though. Especially because they’re pricey. You can see characters all over the parks for free if you’re willing to wait in line for a few minutes.

Now, let’s get into specific tips and thoughts for each park. Some of these are super subjective (especially our opinions on rides, attractions, and food), so take it with a grain of salt.

Magic Kingdom:

• Watch the parade from Frontierland, near Country Bear Jamboree. It’s far less crowded, and since it starts there, you’ll be done watching before it even hits the main hub!
• Keep an eye on Magic Carpets right at park open if you want the chance to ride with Aladdin and Jasmine. We saw them over there both days! I believe Alice and the Mad Hatter ride the teacups on occasion too, but we missed that.
• The spring roll cart gets hyped up FOR A REASON. Buy one (or tw0) of each type. You won’t regret it.
• It’s worth it to buy the Individual Lightning Lane for Tron. It saves at least an hour in line for the virtual queue, and it’s a ride worth doing if you like roller coasters
• Carousel of Progress and Peoplemover are highly underrated. We sang that dang song from Carousel alllll week long, and Corey and I could have stayed on Peoplemover half the day.
• Hot take: Seven Dwarves Mine Train is overrated! We ended up buying an individual Lightning Lane to ride it and were so underwhelmed after all the hype. Big Thunder Mountain is better.
• It’s not a day in Magic Kingdom if you don’t eat something shaped like Mickey. The ice cream sandwiches are my personal fave, but the ice cream bars are good too, and the pretzels are objectively terrible but iconic and a must-try.
• Stop by the Lunching Pad in Tomorrowland for a frozen coke. It’s the perfect way to cool off and get a little sugar boost!

Hollywood Studios:

• Genie+ is non-negotiable here. There are almost no rides without consistently significant wait times. Just trust me, it’s worth it.
• Don’t listen to the haters on Sci-Fi Drive In. It’s delicious, and we kind of loved the break from talking – with the sci fi movie clips playing we just sat back and enjoyed the show.
• Baseline Tap House is the perfect snack stop. Get the pretzel and the charcuterie board and share it amongst your party. It’s a 10/10.
• Sitting in the front for Tower of Terror makes the ride 100% better, but also way scarier. It freaked Grant out, so keep that in mind if you have littles!
• Toy Story Land is a mad house. It wasn’t that crowded in the park as a whole, but it was body to body over there. Just prepare yourself for the chaos if you have little ones who are going to want to spend a lot of time in that part of the park.

Epcot

• Skip a dining reservation here and just SNACK! If you see a booth that looks interesting, stop and grab a bite. It was so fun to just snack our way around the world, and we never went hungry.
• Get the Individual Lightning Lane for Guardians if you can swing it. Saves a ton of time in line, and also frees you up to ride twice if you want to (you probably will).
• If you have any claustrophoia, stay far (far!) away from Mission Space. Just trust me on this one.
• Remy’s is incredible, don’t skip it.
• If you are doing early entry or rope drop, enter from the International Gateway, not the front of the park. There are far fewer crowds, and you’re right next to Remy’s!

Animal Kingdom

• Flight of Passage is fine but doesn’t stand up to a lot of the other rides at Disney World. I wouldn’t wait in a long line or buy an Individual Lightning Lane for it.
• We loved (loved!) Expedition Everest.
• Tusker House was a 10/10 for breakfast buffet – don’t skip the chicken and rice. It was my favorite part of the meal.
• Hang by the water if you have a break and watch for a raft with characters to float by! They come by really frequently, and it’s so fun.

Genie+ & Lightning Lanes

Genie+ confuses a lot of people, so let me give you a super simple overview. Genie+ is the name for Disney World’s skip-the-line service. It ranges from about $15-$25 per person per park, depending on the day it is and the park you’re visiting. With Genie+, you’re able to purchase Lightning Lanes for most rides at the parks, which means you can scan in at the front of the ride and go down a different section of the queue, skipping most of the line. We never waited more than 5-10 minutes using a Lightning Lane, even if the posted wait time was 120 minutes!

We found that Genie+ was 100% worth the money and then some. We agreed that we will never not buy it. It’s just a line item in our budget and considered non-negotiable for us at every single park.

Here are some details on how it works:

If you’re staying at a Disney World resort, you can book your first Lightning Lane beginning at 7:00 AM. You should go into each day knowing what your first one will be, because some are super competitive. For example, on our Hollywood Studios day, the best available time I could get for Slinky Dog Dash was 12:45, and I did it right at 7:00!

After your first Lightning Lane, you can book your next one either…

• When you tap in at the beginning of the line, OR
• When two hours have passed (note: this doesn’t start until park open. So if you book your first Lightning Lane and it’s for later in the day, your two hours won’t start until the park opens, NOT at 7:00 when you book it.)

Because of the two hour rule, it’s really advantageous to book Lightning Lanes as close to the current time as you can. Sometimes it’s not possible, but I found our most efficient days where when I was able to book Lightning Lanes within the next 20 minutes of when I was scheduling it!

I learned A LOT from watching this specific YouTube video. If you’re going and planning to use Genie+, I highly recommend watching it. His “Genie Slots” method saved us multiple times and even helped me score a few Lightning Lanes after they had been booked up for the day!

A few other tips:

• As we walked into the queue on rides, I’d have my phone out and ready to book the next one. I spent very little time with my face in my phone – it was really quick and easy!
• To make this easier, keep your Tip Board updated with rides that are close to you! This is explained in the video I linked above, and this strategy worked so well for us.
• Some rides have two tap-in areas, so if you tap in once and you can’t book a Lightning Lane, just wait for the next one.
• Remember you can only use Genie+ one each ride once per day. So if you happen upon a short wait that you don’t mind waiting in, it might be worth it to stand in the regular queue and save your Lightning Lane for later.
• Some character meet & greets offer Lightning Lanes, and it’s SO WORTH IT to use them!
• Some rides aren’t on Genie+ and instead offer what’s called an Individual Lightning Lane. You have to pay for it separately and it’s anywhere from $10-$20 per person. We found it to be worth it for some rides (Guardians and Tron), but not others (I’m looking at you, Seven Dwarves).
• Genie+ slots will fill up for the day. If you notice a specific ride is showing a return time that’s really late in the day, that means it’s probably close to selling out.
• You have one hour to get to your Lightning Lane when your return window starts, but at most rides they’re nice about letting you go even if you’re late (NOT on Tron, though!). You can also modify your Lightning Lanes if something comes up.

Caribbean Beach Resort

We heard a lot of mixed reviews about this resort before going to the parks, so we weren’t fully sure what to expect. But, we ended up absolutely LOVING it, and plan to stay here again and again. Here are a few tips and thoughts:

• You have to eat dinner at Sebastian’s. I’d even come here for dinner if I wasn’t staying here! It’s so incredibly delicious, and comparatively affordable.
• You can see the Epcot fireworks from the pool, a lot of rooms, and the bridge that leads to the island on the lake.
• If you’re in the lobby midday, you might see some surprise characters!
• The food is all so so so good. The Cuban sandwich at Centertown Market, the chicken bowl at Centertown, the charcuterie board at Banana Cabana…all incredible.
• If you are requesting a location, we found Jamaica to be absolutely PERFECT. It was a quick walk across Caribbean Cay to get to the main pool and restaurants, and we had a bus stop and the main skyliner hub within a 5 minute walk. We were in building 46 and will request it again next time, too!
• The 5th sleeper room is so nice if you have multiple kids. Ours technically can share a bed, but it was totally worth the upgrade to let them each have their own.

Transportation

When you’re deciding what resort to stay at, know that transportation plays a HUGE part in how convenient it is to get to the parks. We only have experience with the skyliner and buses, since that’s what was available at our resort, but the convenience of the skyliner couldn’t be beat!

Here are some tips we learned:

• Keep an eye on the bus schedule for your resort, so you don’t show up to the stop right after a bus leaves. We learned this one the hard way!
• The skyliner doesn’t have to just be used for getting to parks. We used it to visit Art of Animation and the Boardwalk area. It’s basically a ride in itself!
• Same goes for the boats over in the Boardwalk. We used one just to ride from one side to the other just for fun!
• Minnie Vans are totally worth it if you can swing it, especially when leaving Magic Kingdom if your only option is the bus. It’s pricey, but at the end of a long day it’s so nice.
• We used Away We Go for transport from the airport to our hotel and back. It was definitely more expensive than taking a bus or an Uber, but I loved the reliability and having the scheduled pickup time, and it was zero stress.

Whew. That’s a lot of tips! It honestly only kind of scratches the surface of everything you can know about Disney World, though. If you want to do some more research, I suggest:

• Following Ear Scouts on YouTube. He shares SO MANY really helpful tips and I learned a ton from him. I recommend all of his videos on early entry, park day guides, etc.
• I love Disney Tourist Blog as well, and found myself reading and re-reading his guides to early entry, his 1-day itineraries for each park, and his restaurant reviews.
• And finally, if you want a really fun YouTube channel to follow along, the kids and I LOVE All Ears! They share great tips and tricks but always in a really unique and funny way. We love watching their challenges and games, and their videos were such a great way to hype ourselves up for the trip.

And that’s that! If you have any questions about our experience or other tips and tricks, drop ’em in the comments! And, if you want to get caught up on our trip recap, just click here!

The post What We Learned On Our First Trip to Disney World appeared first on Love & Renovations.

We just recently got back from our first EVER family trip to Disney World, and I’m here to give you all of the details of that incredible trip.

I’ve been dreaming of going to Disney World for as long as I can remember. It’s been my number one vacation destination since I was a kid, and Corey and I have been talking for years about making it happen. We finally decided to go for it this year, and we had the most incredible time!

I’ve got a few posts lined up recapping things for you – today I’m sharing what we did, what we loved, and just a general overview of our trip. On Wednesday, I’ll have some of our tips, tricks, and lessons learned, and then on Friday you can find all of our must-have travel products and all the cute outfits we wore!

Before I dive in, I’ll answer the number one question I got from my Instagram audience: what about school?!

The simple answer? They kids missed school for 6 days.

I’m a huge believer in the power of travel and how good a family vacation is for everyone (kids and parents included). I have absolutely no issue with my kids missing some school to make a family trip happen. It’s so much more affordable (and pleasant) to travel during the school year, and my kids will probably always miss a week or so of school for family vacations, as long as we can afford to keep doing it.

Thankfully, both kids’ teachers also agree that travel is important and valuable, and were totally supportive of the trip. Not that their opinion would have changed our plans, but it was nice to have them on board! I just touched base with each teacher before we left and asked what we could do to make sure the kids didn’t fall too far behind. Jackson did some homework on the airplane, and we did some extra reading with Grant. Other than that, we enjoyed ourselves and ignored all responsibility for 8 full days.

And it was totally worth it.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get into the recap!

Day One: Travel Day + Arrival

We woke up extra early to head to Orlando on Wednesday, September 6th. It was 100% worth it to have an early flight (8:30 AM), because we were at our hotel in time for lunch and got to enjoy the day there.

We stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort (more on that later this week), and found it was the perfect place for us. We loved the vibe, the food was incredible, and the pool was great. The skyliner was the absolute most convenient way to get around, and we are planning to stay here again next year (yes, next September’s trip is already booked!).

We got settled in our room and then popped over to Disney Springs to explore a bit. It was fun but definitely not a must-do for us. It’s basically just a giant outdoor shopping mall, and we did plenty of shopping at Disney World itself. Although, the LEGO store was really great!

Once we got back to the resort we hit up the pool for a really quick swim, then had dinner at Sebastian’s Bistro. It was one of our favorite meals of the entire trip, and we officially declared it a first-night-of-vacation tradition.

After dinner, we got everyone settled in bed nice and early because we had a biiiiig day ahead of us.

Day Two: Magic Kingdom

I can’t even describe the intense emotions and excitement I had as we made our way towards Magic Kingdom. The first time I saw the castle, I cried (and it wasn’t nearly the first or last time I cried on this trip!).

We had booked Jungle Cruise for our first Lightning Lane of the day, but it wasn’t until 9:00 and we were eligible for Early Entry since we were staying on property. So, we headed over to Tomorrowland to ride Space Mountain…only, it was down. We didn’t have a backup plan (lesson number one: always have a backup plan!), so we ended up just riding a couple of other other rides in that area before heading over for our first Lightning Lane when the park officially opened.

We did a really great job this day of getting everything in that we wanted to. We rode all of the rides but one (Seven Dwarves Mine Train, which we’ll get to in a second), and watched most of the shows too. We also didn’t do a ton of bouncing from one end of the park to another – I booked Lightning Lanes based on where we were in the park, and it was way easier than I expected to make it all line up nicely!

We paused midway through the day for lunch with Winnie the Pooh and friends at Crystal Palace – it was a ton of fun, but we agreed that we might do breakfast if we did it again. The food wasn’t really anything special, and breakfast is a bit cheaper. The kids loved every second of hanging out with the Hundred Acre Woods gang, though, so it was worth it!

We met a few characters, saw a ton from afar (including watching Aladdin and Jasmine hop on Flying Carpets first thing in the morning!), and generally had a wonderful day.

We stayed through the fireworks show and watched it from the hub in front of the castle. It was great to have such a good view for our first fireworks experience, but we all agreed that in the future we’ll sacrifice the view for a less crowded viewing spot.

After fireworks, our original plan had been to hop over to Seven Dwarves Mine Train (since it posts crazy lines all day and isn’t available for a Lightning Lane unless you buy it separately), but we hadn’t been able to ride Space Mountain yet, which was Jackson’s #1 ride to try. So, we headed over to Tomorrowland instead and that ended up being all we had time for before park closing.

We didn’t leave the park until a bit after it closed, and the bus situation was overwhelming, to say the least. There were a ton of people waiting and it didn’t feel like there were quite enough buses. When we finally got on one, we had three (count them, three!) screaming babies with us. It wasn’t anyone’s fault but it certainly wasn’t the ideal way to end the night. We agreed that next time we were in Magic Kingdom, we’d just spring for a Minnie Van to get back to the room, because we didn’t want to do that again.

Favorite rides and attractions:

• Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean (Amanda)
• Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise (Corey)
• Space Mountain and Mickey’s Philharmagic (Jackson)
• Under the Sea and Big Thunder Mountain (Grant)

Day Three: Hollywood Studios

Other than Magic Kingdom, this was the day I was looking forward to the most. Tower of Terror has been the ride that defined Disney for me since I was a child, thanks to a trip my cousin took when I was about 7 and how she raved about it. So, needless to say, I had big feelings heading here!

We started the day off in the Star Wars area and rode Rise of the Resistance for our first ride. I didn’t expect to be half as blown away by it as I was. Corey and the kids love Star Wars but I don’t have any particular attachment to it. But, this ride was INCREDIBLE. It was one of the top rides of the entire trip for all of us!

After we got off of Rise, we were able to also fit in the other ride in that area (Smuggler’s Run) and explore the rest of Galaxy’s Edge before the park even opened.

We had lunch that day at Sci-Fi Drive In. I wasn’t sure what to expect because I’ve heard wildly mixed reviews, but we loved it. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was so fun, and it was one of the cheapest meals we had during our entire stay. Plus, it was so nice to spend an hour or so in a so-air-conditioned-it’s-actually-cold restaurant when it was so hot outside. We’ll 100% be back.

We rode every ride here except Rockin’ Roller Coaster (which was intentional, we knew I was the only one who would like it), watched several shows, met some characters, and stayed for Fantasmic! The show was incredible and so much less stressful than the night before. We arrived about 15 minutes before the show started and managed to get a great seat in an area that’s blocked off until right before the show starts.

Leaving the park was also much (MUCH!) less crowded and intense, and thankfully we got to ride the skyliner back to our resort. We went from the stadium in Hollywood Studios to our hotel room in about 20 minutes with zero stress.

Favorite rides and attractions:

• Tower of Terror and Rise of the Resistance (Amanda)
• Rise of the Resistance and Slinky Dog Dash (Corey)
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (Jackson)
• Tower of Terror (Grant)

Day Four: Rest!

We intentionally made absolutely zero plans on our resort day, because we wanted to be able to be as flexible as possible depending on what the kids needed. Our kids usually go to bed early, so we were asking a lot of them this week! Thankfully, everyone was doing great – I think there’s something in the air at Disney that just puts an extra pep in your step no matter how little sleep you’ve gotten.

We stayed in the room and watched TV and rested for most of the morning, and then ventured out to explore a little. We wanted to check out some of the nearby resorts to make sure that there wasn’t something we really wanted to try on our next trip. We started at Riviera (which is right next to Caribbean Beach), and we walked around outside for a bit and let the kids play some of the lawn games. Afterwards, we had lunch at the Banana Cabana on property at our resort. It was incredibly tasty (as was everything we ate at Caribbean Beach!).

After we finished, we hit up the pool for a while and then went to explore some other resorts. We took the skyliner over to the Boardwalk area and walked through what we could of all the resorts in that area. We grabbed ice cream at Beaches & Cream, poked our head into some of the Boardwalk shops, and then ended up back at Disney Springs because we wanted to let the kids pick out a shirt and a hat to commemorate the trip.

We grabbed dinner at the quick service restaurant at our resort (pizza for the kids, a chicken bowl for me (SO GOOD) and the mixed grill platter for Corey), and then went to the pool one more time before calling it a night.

Day Five: Epcot

I was really excited for Epcot as a few of my favorite characters would be there, and I was really pumped to try some Food & Wine Festival snacks!

We started off during Early Entry with Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and it was one of the top rides of our entire trip. It was SO FUN and we couldn’t believe how immersive it was. Afterwards, we planned to dash over to Frozen to squeeze it in before the park officially opened, but it was down.

We pivoted and went over to Test Track – it was our first Lightning Lane of the day, but we knew the kids would love it, so we rope dropped it and then rode it again immediately with our Lightning Lane.

We spent a lot of this day just wandering, snacking, and taking in the sights. After we rode Test Track and Spaceship Earth, we had a paid Lightning Lane for Guardians (Grant was JUST tall enough), and so we rode that – it was a great ride! Afterwards, we dove into the World Showcase and did the loop, just poking our heads into shops and grabbing snacks as we saw ones we liked.

By the time we made it over to Norway, Frozen was back up so we used the Lightning Lane we had booked earlier in the day to skip the (overwhelmingly long) line. When we got out, the line to meet Anna and Elsa had dropped to just 20 minutes, so we did that before moving on.

After we finished exploring the World Showcase area, we went back up to the front of the park to finish out the other rides. We all agreed that Epcot was great, but maybe doesn’t have to be a full-day park for us at this particular stage. The kids didn’t have a ton of interest in exploring the countries outside of peeking in the shops, and there were only a handful of rides here that we’d have to do every time we come.

I will say, though, Epcot really surprised us with the character interactions. There were characters everywhere we looked, and even some great surprise ones over in the American pavilion. We saw Geppetto dancing with a little boy dressed like Pinnochio, Baloo from Jungle Book took a quick nap with Grant when he saw me hanging out with him sleeping in the stroller, and we waited less than 10 minutes each to meet Minnie and Daisy.

We wrapped up around 8:00 that evening and decided to head back to the hotel to get a good night’s rest. The park was really crowded (it was a Sunday), so we didn’t want to fight the crowds for fireworks – especially since we could see them from our hotel if we wanted to!

Favorite Rides and Attractions:

• Remy’s and Guardians (all of us!)

Day Six: Magic Kingdom Part Two

I was so happy we planned two days at Magic Kingdom, because I couldn’t want to go back. We made a plan to get there for Early Entry and ride Seven Dwarves Mine Train, since it was the only ride we hadn’t been on yet.

But, guess what? It was down!

We made a really quick decision to pivot over to Peter Pan, and we were so grateful we were fast about it because we pretty much walked right on. By the time we got off the ride, it was up to a 70 minute wait, and Space Mountain was now also down, so the line only grew longer.

We weren’t quite as efficient with our Lightning Lanes this day and did a little more bouncing around. We had a list of things everyone wanted to be sure to experience again, so we just focused on getting it all done.

We had lunch at Skipper’s Canteen – it was so, so delicious! The environment was so fun, too, and I think we’ll definitely be back to that one.

We rode a bunch of our favorite rides (many of them twice) throughout the day, had a ton of snacks, and caught the second parade right in front of the castle just minutes before it started.

The one big show we had missed the first time around was Enchanted Tales with Belle, and I dragged my family over there and made them wait in probably the longest line of the day to do it (because I waited too long and the Lightning Lanes sold out). They were all annoyed with me until we got in there and experienced it. Both boys got to be a part of the story and it was one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen. Corey and I were both so glad we did it!

As we were prepping to go find a good spot for fireworks, it started to lightning and thunder quite a bit. They announced that they’d be delaying the show, and then the skies opened up. There hadn’t been rain the forecast all week and it had been totally dry, so this was the ONE DAY I didn’t pack our ponchos. Of course.

It was so close to park close and the rain was so intense that we decided to go ahead and leave. We were going to book a Minnie Van (remember, no more buses after MK!), but I misread the app and thought it would take 45 minutes for them to get there. So we decided to brave the bus again.

Big mistake. Huge!

We waited about an hour to finally get on a bus, and we were all soaked to the bone from the walk over there. Poor Jackson was scared (the thunder was so loud!) and tired and miserable. And we looked at each other and made each other swear that we really truly would never again take the bus home from Magic Kingdom. For real for real. Minnie Vans are now an official line item in our Disney budget.

But, in the end, we made it home safely and got all warm and settled in bed, and that’s all that matters!

Day Seven: Animal Kingdom + Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Our last day was a big one – we planned to hit up Animal Kingdom until mid-afternoon, and then bounce over to Magic Kingdom for the Halloween Party!

We started off in Pandora to ride Flight of Passage. We got there for early entry about 15 minutes later than we had hoped (but still within minutes of it actually starting), and Jackson and I ended up waiting about an hour (!!!) to ride it while Corey and Grant waited for us (since Grant isn’t tall enough, we were using Rider Swap). All told, we weren’t done with the ride until a few minutes before 10:00.

It was a cool ride, but absolutely not worth that kind of a wait. We learned the hard lesson that since that’s pretty much the only big, super popular ride at Animal Kingdom, it can be really competitive to get into without just paying for an individual Lightning Lane. Next time, we’ll either get there even earlier or just skip it and rope drop something else.

We had breakfast with Mickey & friends at Tusker House. The food was so so great and the character interactions were top notch. We loved it and I think we would go back for sure!

We managed to ride every ride in Animal Kingdom by about 3:00 – we would have been done a lot earlier if we hadn’t spent sooo much time dealing with Flight of Passage. We didn’t get to watch any shows here, which was a bummer, but we love that we have something to look forward to next time!

We headed back to our room for a few minutes to cool off and change before heading to the Halloween Party!

The party was a total blast, and we’ll definitely be doing it again next year. We rode a bunch of rides with minimal wait times, saw the (incredible, epic, so, so good) parade, and got an unbelievably good fireworks spot. We watched the 9:15 parade over in Frontierland and then just followed the parade over to the castle. It dropped us right in front of the castle with a perfect view and not too many people around us.

The fireworks show was so great, I don’t really even have the words. Grant had poured every last ounce of his energy into cheering for the parade, so he was asleep before we even made it over to the castle. I tried to wake him up to see the fireworks and the giant Jack Skellington puppet, but he was out like a light, so the rest of us enjoyed it without him.

There was a ton of lightning happening all throughout the show, and they had moved the fireworks up by about 20 minutes to avoid having to cancel them, so we sadly decided to leave after fireworks. We knew poor Jackson couldn’t handle another downpour, and Grant wasn’t gonna wake up to enjoy anything else anyways. It ended up not raining and I was really sad to have missed the Hocus Pocus show, but there’s always next year!

Favorite Animal Kingdom Rides & Attractions:

• Expedition Everest (Amanda, Corey, & Jackson)
• Dinosaur (Grant – but only because he wasn’t tall enough for Everest!)

Day Eight: Travel Day + (Surprise) Hollywood Studios Part Two!

And that brings us to the last day of our trip!

Corey surprised us midway through the week by adding on one more day of tickets. Grant had spent all week crying every time we saw Tower of Terror in the distance because he loved it so much and wanted to ride it again, and Jackson couldn’t stop talking about Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.

We packed up all of our stuff and dropped it off with bell services, then headed back to Hollywood Studios on the skyliner – we made it for early entry with a plan to knock out a bunch of stuff and then head back to the hotel. But, Hollywood Studios had other plans for us. Both Rise of the Resistance and Mickey & Minnie’s were down for several hours in the morning. We managed to quickly pivot and ride Tower of Terror for early entry, then right at 9 we headed over to meet Darth Vader, because Grant had been so bummed that the wait was too long to meet him last time we were there.

We didn’t get Genie+ this day since we’d only be here for a short time, and we feeeeelt the difference! We had to wait for about 45 minutes to ride Mickey & Minnie’s when it finally opened, and the boys waited about 25 minutes to ride Smuggler’s Run again. I hopped on Rockin’ Roller coaster at the beginning of the day by myself (it was a walk-on!), and we all watched the Frozen sing-a-long since we missed it our first day.

It was overall a really great experience, but we all agreed that going to a park the day we head home is maaaaybe a bit too much! We made it back to our hotel a couple of hours before we were being picked up to go home, and we hung out in the lobby, got a surprise visit from Chip, Dale, and Daisy, and grabbed one last lunch at the resort before we headed home!

I can’t find the words to fully emphasize how wonderful this trip was. We had the best time, and it truly felt like a dream come true. We booked our next trip (for September 2024) within 24 hours of getting home, and we can’t wait to go back!

If you want some of our tips, tricks, and lessons learned, be sure to check back later this week because I have a big ol’ post planned with a TON of what we learned along the way!

The post Our (First Ever!) Disney World Vacation Recap appeared first on Love & Renovations.

Almost three and a half years ago, when we bought this home, we purchased an IKEA KIVIK sectional for our living room. It was a sofa we were already familiar with and knew we’d love, but it has continued to delight us with how great it is for our family! I figured it was high time I gave you an updated IKEA KIVIK review, now that it’s been used and abused for a few years.

Let’s just hop right to it, shall we?

Why the IKEA KIVIK?

If you’ve been around for a while, you might remember that Corey and I are big fans of IKEA couches. We had a KARLSTAD sectional in our living room for 6 years in our first house (and only sold it because we couldn’t fit it in our second house), and after having a Crate & Barrel sofa in our second home, we’ve gone back to trusty old IKEA.

What keeps bringing us back to IKEA sofas? A few things…

• They’re incredibly affordable, especially when you get into the world of sectionals. Plus, the quality for the price you’re paying is absolutely unmatched anywhere else.
• They’re comfortable, and only get more comfy cozy with time.
• The cushion covers are almost always washable. In your washing machine! At home! And, I’m not just talking about the cushion covers. You can remove the whole shebang if you need to, and it’s all machine washable. That’s a huge plus for us, and it really makes me worry a lot less about the general messes that come with life. I wasn’t even nervous about it being a light color, because I knew it would hold up great over time.
• And finally, they’re durable and can really stand up to the chaos of a family with young kids. We found out from our first time owning one that they hold up great to kids, dogs, messes, and just life in general. The sofa in our first home looked pretty fantastic after 6 years of chaos. That’s including two large dogs who slept on it all the time! Plus, it only got more and more comfortable over time.

In the end, it just felt right to go with an IKEA sofa again – we knew we could trust it to last!

When we were first shopping for a sofa, we debated for a long time about which IKEA sectional would be right for us. We narrowed it down to the VIMLE sofa (which doesn’t seem to be available anymore) or the KIVIK.

In the end, we couldn’t get over how much we love the modern lines and chunky arms on the KIVIK. So, that’s what we went with (and we’re so glad we did!). We actually had a KIVIK sofa in our first home for a few years when we used our garage as a media room. It was nice to know ahead of time that we’d be happy with the comfort level and style of it.

So, let’s dive right in to the details on our IKEA KIVIK sofa, why we love it, and how it’s working for us in this house.

IKEA Kivik Sofa Review

The IKEA KIVIK series comes in a lot of different configurations and with lots of different options. They also have a really handy tool on their website that allows you to design the perfect sofa for your space. So, you can play around with different styles before you make your purchase.

Which KIVIK Did We Get?

We got the 5 seater corner sectional in Hillared Beige. It looks like our exact fabric isn’t available any longer, but the Tresund Light Beige looks to be more or less the same. The fabric is a polyester and cotton blend, and it’s really durable and easy to clean.

I’ll also note – it’s called a 5-seat sofa, but it can fit than 5 adults. Depending on how comfortable you are sitting close to your friends and family, it’s easy to fit 6-7 adults, plus a kid or two. We regularly jam a ton of people onto this sofa without issue.

What Are the Other Options?

Here’s a rundown of the other readily available KIVIK sofa styles and sizes:

• A regular 3-seat sofa
• Loveseat
• Sofa with chaise
• 4-seat corner sectional (available with or without a chaise)
• 5-seat corner sectional (available with or without a chaise)
• 6-seat U-shaped sectional
• 1-seat sleeper sofa
• Standalone chaise

And, of course, since you can customize what you want, there are about a million other combinations you could go with. They even have a matching ottoman with storage!

A Few Features We Love

Let’s touch on some of the features of the IKEA KIVIK that really make it the right choice for us.

• We sat in just about every sofa in the IKEA showroom when we were shopping. We found that the KIVIK was our favorite in terms of comfort. The seat depth is perfect for lounging!
• We love the low armrests that are nice and wide. They’re flat so it’s easy to set a drink or a plate there if you’re eating on the couch. Our dogs even like to nap on them! Plus, if you prop a throw pillow up on them to lay down, it basically feels like a bed. The coziest!
• There are great color and texture options for the cushion covers! We love the thicker weave of the fabric slipcovers, and while they don’t have quite as many options today as they did back then, we loved the colors. Our cream sofa is exactly the color we were looking for, and the fabric is durable enough that we don’t have to worry.
• And, again, the price point is hard to beat! It feels like a high end sofa, but the price range is from $1,500-$1,600 for our exact sofa, depending on which fabric you choose.
• We initially worried a little about back support with the back cushions. They look pretty low and Corey was worried they wouldn’t be optimal for relaxation while watching television. But, they’re really the perfect height!

Is it Hard to Assemble?

If you’ve ever bought an IKEA couch, you’ll know that it does not come pre-assembled like many sofas do. As with most stuff from IKEA, you get to do it aaaaall yourself.

I took care of the vast majority of the sofa assembly by myself on moving day. The only thing I wasn’t able to do on my own was connect the sectional pieces. It’s really a two-person job. It wasn’t a fast process – it took several hour. But, overall I’d say it wasn’t terribly difficult. And for me, it’s worth it to assemble it myself when I’m paying such a great price for such a big sectional!

Is the IKEA KIVIK Comfortable?

We find it very comfortable, yes!

As with most couches, when it first comes out of the box it will be on the firm side – it’ll take a few weeks for things to soften up and get really cozy. But, we spend a lot of time lounging on this couch and have absolutely zero complaints. The cushions are all made with memory foam so it quickly adapts to your body and is very supportive. There have been many nights that I’ve almost ended up just sleeping there because I was too comfortable to move!

I love that we can easily fit 6 (or more) grown adults on our sofa and no one feels squished. I love that the arms are nice and low and wide so people can comfortable rest an arm, a head, or even a drink on it.

Is It Easy to Clean?

Yes, yes, yes!!!!

A small part of me started to hesitate about getting a light-colored sofa, but I knew that our last IKEA KIVIK held up really well so I figured it would be fine. Thankfully, I was right. This sofa has seen so many spills, dog pee accidents, crumbs, dog hair, and about a zillion other things. It always cleans right up!

I have good luck using Folex to remove most small stains. Then, once every couple of months I pull the cushions covers off and toss them in the washer! The kids love couch washing day because the seat cushions get tossed all over the living room and they turn it into their own set of Ninja Warrior.

I’ve never pulled the cover from the back and arms to wash them, but there is one spot on one of the arms that’s been bothering me, and it might be time to finally tackle it! It’s a simple process – just need to pull the sectional pieces apart and un-velcro it!

Will it Hold Up Over Time?

We’ve only had this particular couch for three years now, but based on our past experience with IKEA sofas, I feel really confident giving a resounding yes.

The interior of the sofa is well-constructed and very solid, and while not all IKEA products are known for their durability, their sofas are generally very well-reviewed and tend to hold up extremely well over long periods of time.

Our KARLSTAD sectional looked like a practically brand new sofa when we moved and sold it, and we had it for 6 years. This one is three years in and it really still looks like it could be a new couch too!

Our first KIVIK sofa saw tons of use and abuse in our media room – there were movie nights, video game marathons, and even a pee accident or two, and we loved it enough to come back to it all these years later.

The Bottom Line

I think it’s clear that this IKEA sofa review is a positive one. In our experience, we’ve found IKEA sofas to be of really good quality, they are comfortable, easy to clean, and durable. Plus, all of their sofas come with a 10-year warranty, which should give some peace of mind when you’re shopping!

I have zero complaints about our sofa, and I’d buy it again in a heartbeat!

The post My IKEA KIVIK Sofa Review {After 3+ Years} appeared first on Love & Renovations.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know I’ve been ready for spooky season for weeks. Like..weeks. I started obsessing over Halloween in early August. So, it should come as no surprise to you that I’ve been collecting and trying on the best Halloween graphic tees to get you all ready for the season.

I do the hard work and research so you don’t have to. You’re welcome.

I used to not be a huge Halloween person. I’ve always loved fall but Halloween never felt like anything special until recently. In the last few years, I’ve really leaned into my kids love for Halloween and I’ve quickly found that I love it. Like, anticipate it with a similar level I do the Christmas season. It’s just so fun and whimsical and spooky and wonderful.

So, it’s only natural that I’d combine my love for Halloween with one of the other big loves of my life: graphic tees. I ordered a bunch of my favorites to try on for you. I didn’t keep them all – only my very favorites. But, I wanted to check out the quality and fit for you, and today I’m rounding up the best of the best.

So, if you want to be a little nerdy like me and just leeeeeean right on in to the Halloween excitement, come sit with me. Let’s do it.

My Favorite Halloween Graphic Tees

1. No Diggity Tee
2. Cat Ghost Tee
3. Mickey Halloween Sweatshirt
4. Camp Crystal Lake Tee
5. Spooky Season Sweatshirt
6. Squad Hocus Pocus Shirt
7. Let’s Go Ghouls Shirt
8. Sanderson Brewing Co. Shirt
9. Never Better Sweatshirt
10. Ghost Heart Sweatshirt
11. Hocus Pocus Tee
12. Dancing Skeletons Tee

I ordered and tried on 7 of these tees and sweatshirts, and I really wanted to keep aaaaall of them. In the end, I kept three new ones. And I already have the Squad shirt. So, I think it’s safe to say I’ve got a solid Halloween wardrobe now.

But, you know, I could always use more. That Mickey sweatshirt is definitely calling my name.

So, what did I keep? The Never Better sweatshirt, the Camp Crystal Lake tee (!!!), and the Hocus Pocus tee.

I really (really!) wanted to keep the Spooky Season sweatshirt too (it’s embroidered!), but I knew I wouldn’t get much chance to wear it. It doesn’t get reliably cool here until after Halloween, so there will probably be years it’s never cool enough to wear it during spooky season. The skeleton sweatshirt, however? I’ll wear that all year long!

I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am that October is finally almost here and no one will side-eye me when I talk Halloween. Consider this post a peek at my official uniform for the next few weeks, ’cause I can pretty much guarantee you it’s all you’ll see me in for a while!

Do you have a Halloween wardrobe, too? Or, are you ready to start one?!

The post The Cutest Halloween Graphic Tees appeared first on Love & Renovations.

Every year when this time rolls around, I get (more than) a little giddy. Friends, we’ve reached the “ber” months! The best months of the year are about to start! I’m beside myself with excitement and counting down the minutes until September 1st. We leave for our big Disney World trip in a week (!!!). September has my birthday, a bunch of other special-to-me birthdays, the start of college football season, and sloooowly cooling weather. It’s the best, and you’ll have to excuse me if I get a little overly dramatic about my love for this time of year!

But, it’s not September yet. First up, we’ve gotta chat August. This month was incredibly hectic and full of both joy and lots of bittersweet moments. Summer wrapped up and the boys started school. I officially have two elementary school kiddos and I’m still not quite sure how to emotionally process that. We had lots of hot weather and mostly hid inside as much as we could this month, but we managed to have a little fun too. Let’s review it!

Moments + Memories

• Jackson’s “Yes Day” was a ton of fun! We went to see Haunted Mansion, the boys got pedicures, and we just soaked up all the fun time focusing on the things Jackson loves. These yes days have become probably my most cherished summer tradition. I always look forward to seeing what each boy will request, and it feels so great to get to spend an entire day showering them with love and yeses!
• Corey and I started building LEGO sets together for our game room shelving, and it’s been so fun. I find that sitting down to work on a set is so meditative and calming, and when I’m feeling anxious it always calms me down a bit. We’re almost done with our Hocus Pocus set (just need to add our light kit), and I can’t waiiiiiit to get it on display!
• I spent lots of time this month working on stuff for PTA for the boys school. I talk about this here on occasion, but I can’t overstate how grateful I am to be able to help out with that sort of stuff. I love being involved on campus and being able to know my kids teachers, the staff, and the admin. Plus, there’s nothing quite like getting a midday hug from my boys when I’m up there working!
• I took my best friend to see Barbie, and let me tell you, that movie in general was such a highlight of my summer. I can’t properly find the words to really express what that movie means to me, but I get emotional every time I think about it. I just felt so seen by that movie in a way that no other movie has done for me, and I could watch it again and again. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also absolutely hilarious!
• A huge highlight of our month was Grant starting KINDERGARTEN! There’s been lots of adjusting to the new schedule (poor buddy is exhausted), but he loves it and we love the extra time we now have to work!
• And of course, Grant’s birthday! We celebrated him this past weekend and had the best time. I just can’t believe my Tiny Destroyer is five already. Where did the time go?!

Books + Media

Here’s a rundown of what I read this month:

• Final Girls by Riley Sager – I’ve been slowly working my way through all of Riley Sager’s books, and I’ve yet to find one I don’t absolutely love. They’re all surprising and captivating and thrilling and keep me on the edge of my seat. I got my dad into his books as well this month, and I’m always so excited when someone I love enjoys a book I recommend!
• The Duke and I by Julia Quinn – I waited what felt like forever for this one from the library, and I was excited to read it. It follows very much the same storyline as season 1 of Bridgerton, so it wasn’t anything unexpected but it was a cute and easy read! I found that the dynamic between Daphne and Simon was even more frustrating in the book than it was on the show, but I enjoyed it and it was a good not-too-heavy book!
• A Court of Mist & Fury by Sarah J Maas – I’ve been re-reading this series for the last few months! This one took me longer than the others to get through – partially because it’s just so dang long, but it’s also so much heavier than the others. I find the story so captivating, though, no matter how many times I re-read it. I always find some new detail I didn’t notice before, and it never ever gets old.
• It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han – I’ll admit, I didn’t enjoy this one nearly as much as the first! I wanted to read it before watching the second season of the show, and I’m glad I did, but I found parts of it hard to get through. I’m going to read the third one just because I’ve come this far, but I definitely don’t see the hype of this series quite as much as many seem to!
• The Circle by Dave Eggers – I’ll be thinking about this book for a long, long time. I told Corey as I was reading it that it kind of made me want to delete all of my social media accounts! It’s haunting and maddening and absolutely fascinating. I found parts of it incredibly unrealistic (how was no one more concerned about this whole situation?!), but I really enjoyed it. We watched the movie after I finished reading it, and while it definitely could have been better, there were so many great actors in it and we both really enjoyed it. I didn’t originally realize it had sequel, so I’ll definitely be reading that soon, too.
• Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson – I didn’t find this book particularly compelling, but it was cute and light and an enjoyable read. It was honestly perfect for this month when things were feeling really chaotic and I just needed to shut my brain off for a bit at the end of the day.
• A Court of Frost & Starlight by Sarah J Maas – I wrapped up the month by re-reading the fourth ACOTAR book, because I needed something light and comforting and this is exactly that. This one is much shorter than the rest, so I flew through it and it brought me so much joy.

In terms of television and movies, this month I started watching Suits (I’m only on season one and so far I don’t get the hype – do I keep going?!). Corey and I finally finished both Black Mirror and Jury Duty and we had a movie night to watch both Air and Cocaine Bear (both are SO GOOD). I didn’t watch a ton of television this month, though. Mostly, I turned on Disney World YouTube videos in the background while I worked, because that’s all I can think about anymore.

Games

We didn’t play a ton of games this month – I feel like by the end of summer we were all so exhausted and ready for school to start that we didn’t have it in us to do much of anything! But, we did play a few…

• The boys are still on a big Mouse Trap kick, so we played that with my mom one day when they were over hanging out.
• We also played When I Dream with my parents. Jackson really loves it, and it’s a really easy one to teach other people!
• Grant’s current favorite game is Uno and has been playing it basically every chance he can get.
• We tried out Animated one night after school, and we all really loved it! It’s such a unique game and concept, the art is incredible and we just loved the theme overall. We’ll play it again and again.
• And, at Grant’s birthday party one of his specific requests was to have a Mario Kart tournament! So, we of course made a big ol’ bracket and made a whole huge deal of it. It was a blast!

Products

• My candle warming lamp is easily my favorite purchase of the month. I turn it on every day when I start working and leave it on until dinner time. My candle has barely burned off any wax, the house smells amazing, and it brings me so much joy.
• I tried out a tennis skirt this month for the first time. I was super skeptical of it, but I honestly could wear it every day! I feel so cute in it, it’s incredibly comfortable, and it looks good with almost anything. Why didn’t I try this sooner?!
• I got a few new things for the fall and Halloween season, and one of them is this adorable Halloween puzzle. I can’t wait to put it together and frame it on the picture ledge!
• Faux stems are my favorite way to change up decor in my house seasonally, and I got a few new ones for fall this year. These faux maple leaves are probably the best ones I got, followed by these cuties.

And that’s August! Time to head into the best months of the year – the BER months!

What Brought Me Joy In…

• January
• February
• March
• April
• May
• June
• July
• Click here to see all the products that have brought me joy in 2023

The post What Brought Me Joy in August appeared first on Love & Renovations.

I don’t even think it needs to officially be said that fall is my favorite season. Honestly, it’s the only season worth being counted as a favorite if you ask me. Fall is full of magic and wonder and spooky things and anticipation and it’s just the actual best.

There’s something that feels almost sacred to me about the ritual of putting away my bright summer blooms and pulling out the autumn decor. It indicates that the best time of the year has arrived and I’ll basically on cloud 9 from now until January. Because the only thing better than fall is the Christmas season!

Don’t worry, we’re not talking about Christmas yet, I promise. It’s only August. I’m not that crazy.

Mini Pumpkins (Similar) | White Dish (Similar) | Faux Stems | Fall Wreath | Wicker Tray

But, I am just crazy enough to have my house fully decorated and ready for fall. It might still be hitting 100+ degrees every day here in Austin, but I’m determined to manifest fall vibes in my home at the very least. Maybe the weather will get the hint eventually, maybe not. If I’ve learned anything being a Texan, it’s that you can’t wait on the weather to celebrate fall. You have to just decide it’s fall and let the weather do its own thing. Otherwise, you may only get one or two days of fall.

So, let me have my joy, ok? The kids are in school, we’re mere days away from the beginning of September…it’s fall!

When it comes to decorating my home for fall, it honestly feels natural. I always say I feel like my home and my personal style was created for fall. The dark, moody colors. Textures all over the place. Lots of wood tones.

Basically, my house was designed around fall and it just has to deal with the rest of the seasons. Fall is when we’re truly at home.

Faux Maple Leaves | Disco Ball Planter | Long Wood Cutting Board | Black Marble Board | White Marble Board | All Other Boards

Since my home feels like to me almost year-round, I find I don’t need to do a ton to really amp things up when late August rolls around. Some faux stems here and there, a few pumpkins sprinkled in for good measure, and a good fall candle. That’s all you really need!

This year, I added some new faux fall stems to my collection – largely because I must have packed away some of my fall stuff with some Christmas decor and I now can’t find it. I’m sure it’ll turn up come November, but for now? It was a great excuse to go shopping.

Here are my top tips when it comes to decorating your home for fall:

• Utilize faux stems. They go a long way and there’s nothing simpler than plopping some pretty fake leaves in a vase.
• Use pumpkins – but sparingly. I always (always!) use some pumpkins in my home this time of year. But, it starts to feel a little cheesy to me if I use them too much. So, I sprinkle them around the house in small places where they don’t feel too in-your-face and they add the perfect subtle touch.
• Swap out textiles. Change the blanket on your bed to something a little thicker. Swap out the throw on the sofa for something a little darker with more texture. I even love to add in a new throw pillow or two! Think fall colors, thick texture, and cozy vibes. It works every time.
• Don’t forget the smells. I could spend all day decorating my home for fall but it doesn’t really feel like it’s fall until my house is filled with those cozy autumn scents. I’ve had this candle going in my candle warming lamp basically nonstop all week and my house has never felt cozier.
• Get crafty! And, of course, have some fun with it! I added my paper bag leaf garland to the entry and it instantly took it up to a whole new level. Plus, what’s more fall-like than getting cozy and crafty?! Nothing. Absolutely nothing, I tell you.

Pedestal | Faux Stems | Wood Tray | Glass Cloche

It doesn’t take much to create a fall vibe in your house. I’m still going in mine (there are still quite a few fall projects up my sleeve, and I haven’t even gotten started outside yet!), but things are starting to feel really great around here.

The post Fall Touches Around Our Home appeared first on Love & Renovations.

One of my favorite super simple ways to change up the decor in my home seasonally is by swapping out my faux stems! I might have a lot of real plants in my house, but I don’t shy away from some beautiful fake flowers in the spring and summer. Fall is no different – in fact, faux fall stems are actually my FAVORITE! Because fall is my favorite. It’s the best season around. By a long shot.

You can’t convince me otherwise.

I’ve been talking about fall for weeks now over on Instagram, but now that it’s officially September I wanted to celebrate by sharing some of my favorite faux fall stems!

Over the years, I’ve bought more faux stems and greenery for fall than I have any other season. Partially because it’s my favorite season to shop for, but also because it can be hard to find good ones! I’ve bought from tons of different places, tried different styles, and I’m finally learning what really works for me and what I love the most.

I recently bought a whole bunch of new faux fall stems on Amazon to try out for you so I can share my favorites. And today, I’m bringing you the best of the best!

How I use Faux Stems in My House

Let’s start with a quick rundown of how I like to use these in my house. The short answer is – I use them everywhere! I have a few different vases sprinkled throughout my house and I’m always swapping out the stems in them seasonally.

I like to use a mix of bigger, more impactful stems and smaller ones that feel more subtle. I have a giant vase in our dining room window seat that always houses some really big and bold stems. There’s a couple of small vases in my dining room and kitchen that hold some subtle flowers. I hang a basket on the peg rail in our entry and let some faux greenery spill out of it.

You get the idea. You can use faux fall stems just about anywhere in your home.

And, I don’t know about you, but making my house feel a little more like fall is always really really exciting!

Let’s get to the goods, shall we?

The Best Faux Fall Stems on Amazon

A note: Many of these come in more than one color! The “Baby’s Breath” one, in particular, comes in SO MANY options! So, be sure to click into any that you’re interested in to see if they come in other colors or styles.

1. 35″ Faux Eucalyptus Leaves
2. 21″ Faux Fall Stems
3. Yellow 32″ Faux Maple Leaves
4. 15″ Faux Wheat
5. 20″ Faux Baby’s Breath
6. 27″ Faux Eucalyptus Stem
7. 26″ Faux Fall Stem
8. 35″ Red Faux Maple Leaves
9. 38″ Twigs with Fall Leaves
10. Pampas Grass Set
11. 43″ Faux Nandina

Happy shopping! I can’t wait to hear which ones you try out…and if you’re as excited about fall as I am, be sure to stay tuned. I’ve got a lot planned for you this season.

The post The Best Faux Fall Stems appeared first on Love & Renovations.

Last year during the holiday season, I created what quickly became my new favorite holiday decoration – the paper bag snowflake garland. It made such an impact and made me smile every single day that it was up. Well, this past weekend as I was starting to decorate my home for fall I wondered if there was a way I could recreate the magic for the autumn season…and the paper bag leaf garland was born!

Literally anyone can do this project. It is so easy and all you need are some brown paper bags, scissors, and tape. That’s it! It took me a couple of hours spread out over the course of a Sunday afternoon to do this. It was so low-stress and fun, and I think it’s definitely going to become a yearly fall decoration around here.

Ready for the simplest tutorial of your life? Here we go!

How to Make a DIY Paper Bag Leaf Garland

Gather Your Materials

You’ll need…

• Paper bags (I’d estimate I used around 20-25 for a garland this size)
• Scissors
• Tape

That’s all you need! You could get fancy and string it up on some wire or actual ribbon, but I found that individually placing each leaf gave me more control over the finished product.

Cut Out Your Leaves

You’ll start by cutting out a whole bunch of leaves. I was able to get two large leaves and four smaller leaves from each paper bag. That worked really well for me, but of course you can always play around with the sizing of your leaves!

I stuck with a super simple shape for my leaves. At first, I spent a lot of time cutting out a more intricate leaf pattern, but I quickly realized that it would take forever. I also tested a few of the more complex leaves and realized that with all the curves and angles the effect wasn’t as good as a really simple shape was. Your mileage may vary, of course, so feel free to get creative!

I cut one big leaf from each of the big sides of the paper bags, and then two leaves from both of the smaller sides. I left the bottom of the bag, because with all the folds and seams it just didn’t look quite right.

As I cut the leaves, I took a second to fold them in half to create a seam down the middle. The smaller leaves had that naturally thanks to the folds in the bags, but adding a seam to the big leaves made them look a lot more realistic!

You could also crinkle up the leaves for a more aged effect. I tried that on a few and didn’t love the look for my particular garland, but it’s an option!

Hang Them Up!

Now, it’s time to choose your location and hang ’em up! This would be really gorgeous across a mantel if you don’t have a big long space in your entry like mine!

I just used regular old tape to attach mine to the wall. I worked on sections that were about 2-feet long at a time and I started with the big leaves, then filled in the smaller ones. There’s no real rhyme or reason to how to do this – just do what looks right and don’t be afraid to play around. I liked to layer mine a bit so the garland looks more full, and I made sure to have the leaves going in a variety of directions so it flows nicely.

And then…that’s it!

Hat | Beads | Purse | Hanging Wood Tray | Art | Straw Bag | Faux Leaves | Peg Rail Tutorial

It’s probably the cheapest and easiest fall DIY I’ve ever shared soooo you’re welcome. And it makes a huge impact in our entry, just like the snowflake one did! I smile every time I see it, and that’s what it’s all about, right?!

The post The Easiest Paper Bag Leaf Garland appeared first on Love & Renovations.

Looking for some spray painting tips and tricks? I’ve got you covered with this detailed guide on everything you need to know about how to spray paint.

I have a special place in my heart for spray paint because, like many people, it was my first love when it comes to DIY. I’m not sure what was in the water back in the mid-2000’s when I discovered it, but as soon as I put that first can of spray paint in my hand, nothing was safe.

I’ve spray painted lamps, I’ve spray painted furniture, I’ve spray painted accessories and frames and and and… Basically, if it sat still for long enough it was likely to end up painted.

Spray painting is a great beginner’s project. But, like anything, there are some important techniques and rules you should know if you really want your project to turn out well. And that’s what I’m here for today! I’m going to dump all of my spray painting knowledge on you. You’re welcome.

What is Spray Paint?

Let’s start with the very basics. What’s so special about spray paint, anyways? Simply put, spray paint is regular ol’ paint that has been put in an aerosol can. It’s affordable, easy to use, and doesn’t leave brush strokes or runs (when used properly).

You can purchase spray primer, spray sealer, spray paint…just about anything can come in an aerosol can these days! And, with the proper technique, it’s a perfect tool for painting all sorts of things.

What is the Best Brand of Spray Paint?

I’ll be honest – I’m a little biased here. I have always always always reached for Rust-Oleum spray paint for just about every spray painting project. Ever. I’ve been lucky enough to work with the brand a number of times for my blog, and they’ve never let me down.

But, there’s a reason they reached that status in my mind – they’re the best spray paint around! I promise I’m not just telling you this because I work with them – Rust-Oleum is by far the most superior spray paint brand.

Why is Rust-Oleum so awesome? Because of every spray paint brand I’ve ever tried (which is a lot – remember I used to be a spray paint addict!), their spray paint gives the most consistent and durable results, the best finish, has the fewest issues, and the best color options.

So, for this post, we’ll be focusing largely on the specific lines of paint from Rust-Oleum, because if you ask me that’s who you should be using. But, you’ll find that the tips and tricks can be applied to any brand!

Choosing Your Spray Paint

You may have noticed that within every brand of spray paint there are several different lines of paint. It can be incredibly overwhelming to know where to even start, so allow me to be your guide.

Rust-Oleum has several different lines of spray paint – I’m going to break down the differences of three of them here:

How to Prep Before Spray Painting

Once you’ve chosen the best paint for your project, you’re ready to begin prep work. This will vary depending on the material of the project you’re painting.

Here are a few tips and tricks for various materials you might want to work with.

TIPS FOR SPRAY PAINTING WOOD

• It’s always a good idea to sand wood projects before painting – you don’t have to unless you’re dealing with chipped paint or an old finish that you need to remove. But, you’ll never regret taking the time to sand for a better finish! Be sure to use multiple grits of sandpaper, starting with a lower grit and working your way up to the higher ones.
• If you’re working with raw wood, priming is always recommended because it will help the paint go on more evenly and prevent it from soaking into the wood. It will also help hide the wood grain!

SPRAY PAINTING METAL

• First, you’ll need to clean any rust or loose bits from your metal surface. Use a stiff wire brush to help you with this! If you do have any rust on your piece, I also recommend a coat of primer with Rust-Oleum’s Rusty Metal Primer. It will prevent any spreading and keep the rust from seeping through your paint.
• If the metal is glossy at all, you should lightly sand before painting, and if it’s something that will come into contact with high heat (like the exterior of a grill), be sure to use specially formulated high-heat paint!
• Be extra careful when cleaning up old or rusty metal – exposure to lead paint or the rust particles can be dangerous. Don’t forget a mask!

SPRAY PAINTING PLASTIC

• When you’re spray painting plastic, I recommend using a primer. Rust-Oleum has a primer meant specifically for plastic, and it’s meant to help bond to the plastic better than spray paint alone.
• After priming, you should be able to use any spray paint over it and get good results. But to get the best results, I recommend you stick to Rust-Oleum’s 2x line, which specifically says on the can it’s good for plastic (the Universal line is good for plastic too!). You won’t get great results unless you’re using the right paint!
• Be sure to wipe down any plastic projects with a rag and paint thinner or mineral spirits to really thoroughly clean them before you paint!

TIPS FOR SPRAY PAINTING GLASS/CERAMIC

• Glass and ceramic projects should be lightly sanded to scuff up the surface before applying paint. Don’t use a power sander (you could shatter it!), but a quick sanding by hand should be enough to do the trick.
• I’d always recommend priming any glass or ceramic surfaces before painting for the most durable finish.

How to Spray Paint: Step by Step

Once you’ve chosen your material and got it all prepped and ready to go, it’s time to paint!

This is where a lot of people seem to struggle a little because, while it’s very easy, spray painting requires a bit of finesse and patience that a lot of people overlook!

Here’s a rundown of how you should spray paint:

Prep & Safety Tips:

• Check the weather. Always double-check specific guidelines on the back of your paint can, but generally you shouldn’t spray paint if it’s less than 50 degrees or higher than 90 degrees, and the humidity should be no higher than 65%. Extreme temperatures can mess with how the paint cures and destroy your finish.
• Work in a well-ventilated area. Spray paint fumes are no joke, and you shouldn’t ever work in an enclosed space when you’re spray painting. It’s best to work outdoors if you can, but I’ve been known to spray paint in my garage (with the garage door open) when it’s too windy or wet to paint outside. On a windy day, you can end up with lots of debris in your wet paint, so be careful!
• Use Protective Gear. I’m not always great about this, but it’s wise to wear a mask, gloves, and glasses or goggles when spray painting. No one wants spray paint stains on their hands, or paint particles in their eyes or lungs! Spray paint has some dangerous solvents and compounds that aren’t great for your lungs, so keep yourself safe.
• Protect your work area. Some overspray is inevitable with spray paint. You should always lay down a drop cloth or tarp and cover up anything in the vicinity that you don’t want to accidentally get paint droplets on. Painter’s tape is your best friend here. If you’re working outside, it’s also a good idea to place your project in an area that’s relatively protected from the wind so you don’t get bits of leaves or bugs in the paint!
• Thoroughly clean your project. Rubbing alcohol or mineral spirits are both great options for cleaning your project and ensuring any lingering dirt is removed before you paint! Be sure to wipe any sanding dust off of wood pieces with a tack cloth, and allow the piece to fully dry from any cleaning solution before you begin painting.

The Step by Step:

• Start by shaking your can. You should shake it until you hear rattling, and then keep shaking vigorously for a solid minute before you begin painting. This is a tempting step to skip, but don’t do it! The more well-mixed your spray paint is, the better your results will be.
• Keep the can 6-8 inches away from your project. If you get too close, you’ll get drippy paint. But if you get too far away, you’ll have lots of overspray and uneven coverage! About 6-8 inches away is the happy medium for a nice, even coat that shouldn’t drip.
• Use long, sweeping motions. Keep your arm moving while you work and slowly sweep the can from side to side along your project. Try to begin pulling the trigger just off to the side of the project and spray all the way until you go off the other side. This will help prevent any drippy parts or excess paint along the edges!
• Do multiple, thin coats. This is key and where so many people struggle. Your first coat of spray paint won’t look good or cover well. Neither will your second coat. That’s how it’s supposed to be. You should do multiple thin coats of paint (plan on at least 3) over the entire project before you expect to see actual full coverage. If you try to cover the whole thing in one to two coats, it will be way too thick, very drippy, and just messy. Resist the urge! Also, for best results, it helps if you switch up the direction you’re spraying with each coat. For example, spray vertically the first time, then horizontally on the next coat.
• Wait about 5 minutes between each coat – no more than an hour! Always consult the back of your spray paint can for specific dry times. But, generally speaking you can begin your next coat about 5 minutes after you finish the one before it. Most of the time, if you wait more than an hour between coats then you have to wait for the entire cure time (usually 48 hours) before re-coating, or else the paint might bubble!
• Now, leave it alone! I find that spray paint generally requires a little more cure time than latex paint to really achieve full durability. I try to leave my spray painting projects alone for a solid 24-48 hours after I finish them. This allows the paint to dry all the way before I put it back into place.

Frequently Asked Questions About Spray Painting

Do you always have to prime?

The official answer: it’s always a good idea to prime, and you’ll never regret taking the time to do it. I recommend Stops Rust Universal Bonding Primer for great results on every project!

The unofficial answer? I typically only prime surfaces that I expect will have a hard time accepting paint. Things like galvanized steel, glass or porcelain, or plastic (and, of course, rusted surfaces). Wood should be primed if it’s a porous breed or wood or if it’s totally raw. That way, it doesn’t just soak up all of your paint. But, if it’s been painted or stained before, I often skip the primer step.

Primer is also a great idea if you’re going from a dark color to a lighter color. It will help you achieve good results in fewer coats.

I spray painted a project, and now it feels sticky. What did I do wrong?

Typically, this happens because your coats of spray paint were too thick and haven’t been allowed to cure properly. What’s happening here is that the top layer of spray paint has dried, but the layers beneath haven’t. Your piece should stop being tacky once it has fully cured, which could take days or even weeks. Try to set it in a place with good ventilation and do not use it at all until it has dried fully!

To prevent this in the future, you should always stick to multiple thin coats. You can wait up to 30-45 minutes between coats to give it extra cure time.

It’s killing my finger. Is there a tool to make pulling the trigger easier?

There is! Rust-Oleum makes a Comfort Grip tool that slides right over the top of your spray paint can and makes it a lot easier on your hand. It’s great for larger projects, and it can easily be moved between spray paint cans for different projects. Rust-Oleum’s Universal line also has a comfort-grip trigger that should help this issue!

Help! My nozzle is clogged!

It can be really frustrating when your spray paint can gets clogged and won’t spray anymore. Thankfully, it’s an easy fix. Simply pull the nozzle off the spray can and soak it for a few hours in some mineral spirits, paint thinner, or even nail polish remover. Once it’s soaked for a while, pull it out and wipe it down – it should be great after that!

Also, don’t forget that most of the nozzles are a universal fit. So, if yours is clogged and you don’t have time to wait for it to soak, simply pull the nozzle off of another can to replace it while the clogged one is soaking!

In order to prevent clogged nozzles in the future, you should always clear it of paint when you finish a project. Turn the can upside down and spray onto a piece of scrap cardboard or your drop cloth until it runs clear. Then, wipe the nozzle off so any remaining paint is removed.

Do I need to seal my project?

Sealing isn’t ever a requirement, but it is highly recommended if you’re working with something that will see heavy use. You want it to be fully protected from knicks and scratches! The sheen of the paint can affect this too! Sealant is less necessary with high gloss and semi-gloss paints – it’s more important with the matte ones. I really like Watco’s spray lacquer – it’s easy to use and gives a really good finish!

And that, my friends, is just about everything you need to know about spray paint. Whether you’re painting a piece of furniture, a small trinket, or anything in-between, you can do this!

Go forth and transform everything in your house! (Just kidding. But seriously. You can transform almost everything!)

The post How to Use Spray Paint {The COMPLETE Guide} appeared first on Love & Renovations.

I have a little story for you today. It’s a heartwarming tale about my new favorite piece of furniture and how it came to be that I was able to bring it home. For free. I still pinch myself sometimes, honestly.

A few weeks back, I got a text from a really sweet friend with a photo of a vintage Henredon campaign-style bar cabinet (it’s the “Scene One” bar cabinet, if you’re familiar). She used to be an interior designer and has incredible taste and a stunning home. She asked if I had any use for it because she needed to get rid of it and wanted to make sure it went to a good home.

I said yes before I even decided where I’d put it. I just knew I had to have it.

It was quite a feat to get it from her house to ours. It’s large and heavy and well-made, and I was so grateful my dad was able to come over and help us make the transfer. It took some doing, but we got it in place at our house and I am in LOVE!

It took about a week for my eyes to adjust to seeing a large piece of furniture in this part of our living room. I’m used to that wall being blank, so I was a little worried it would feel too busy to add something in there. But, now that I’ve gotten used to it, I think it’s the perfect place for it! It’s not too deep (18″), so it doesn’t take up really any walking space, and it fills an otherwise totally blank spot. I love how it bridges the space between our living and dining rooms, and feels like such a functional addition to the space!

I’m still playing around with the styling (and I think always will), but I’ve had so much fun styling an actual bar cabinet. It’s been years since we had one! Way back in our first house, we actually turned an old tv stand into a bar cabinet, and then a few years later Corey built one for us. But, we didn’t have room for it when we moved to our second house, so we haven’t had anything since then. This piece is heirloom-quality, though, and I have a feeling we’ll be keeping it around forever.

I’ve always (always!) wanted an excuse to buy more fun cocktail glasses and bar accessories, so this felt like the perfect excuse. I haven’t actually ordered anything yet, but here’s a roundup of a few things I’m eyeing.

Cocktail Glasses + Barware

• Atwell Stackable Drinking Glasses
• Art Deco Cocktail Glasses
• The Clear Rocks Glass
• Coupe Cocktail Glass Set
• Amber Recycled Bar Glass
• 8-Piece Cocktail Shaker Set
• Set of 6 Colorful Wine Glasses
• Ribbed Whiskey Glasses
• Gold Rim Stemless Wine Glasses
• Set of 2 Coupe Glasses
• Square Wine Glass Set
• Cocktail Mixing Glass
• Organic Margarita Glass Set

For now, though, I’ve filled it up with some things we had around the house and it’s working so nicely for us. It holds so much more than I anticipated, and the drawers at the bottom are perfect for storing all of our seasonal serving dishes. It has freed up so much room in our kitchen cabinets! I actually need to spend some time rearranging them, because some of them have full empty shelves now. What a gift!

I can’t wait to have some fun decorating this guy for the holidays. Can’t you picture it with some Christmas cocktail glasses tucked inside?! I’m swooning already.

The post My New Henredon Bar Cabinet appeared first on Love & Renovations.

One of the best things I discovered early on after moving to this house is the paintable outlet cover. It’s one of those tiny little things in your home that you don’t think about often…but it makes a huge difference!

The first time I ever used a paintable outlet cover was when I added shiplap to our kitchen island. It has two outlets built into it, and once I painted the island they stuck out like a sore thumb. I found some covers that worked and swapped them out, and I was honestly shocked at the difference it made.

Since then, I’ve used them all over our house. They’re in our bedroom, the entryway, Grant’s room, and now the upstairs hallway!

Despite the fact that they’re one of the most-sold items on my Amazon shop, I haven’t ever dedicated a blog post to my love for them. So, I figured it was worth taking a second to create an ode to the paintable outlet cover. Because, it’s truly one of my favorite little items around my home.

Why Do I Need a Paintable Outlet Cover?!

Okay, let’s start off with the top question I get when I share these – WHY?

Some people will argue that you can just…paint the outlet. I mean, isn’t any outlet cover technically paintable? Well, yes and no.

Sure, you can paint any outlet cover you already have laying around your house. And you can paint the outlets themselves if you really want to. But they aren’t made to be painted. Most outlet covers are plastic and glossy – two characteristics which are notorious for being hard to paint. If you paint your regular outlet, it will chip over time. Probably pretty quickly, depending on how much you use the outlet.

The paintable outlet covers I use have a few features that make them the perfect choice if you want an outlet to blend in.

• They’re plastic, but they have a slightly textured surface that holds on to paint really well. We use our island outlets all the time, and after almost 3 years there’s not a single chip or scratch on them.
• They cover the entire outlet. This was key for me! If you buy a decorative outlet cover (like black or gold), it doesn’t cover the actual outlets. Those are still white and very obvious! Sure, you can swap them out for a different color, but that’s a lot of work and won’t perfectly match your paint. These guys cover up the outlets, so everything is disguised.

The best part? They’re cheap! They typically run right around $2.50 on Amazon. It’s honestly one of the most impactful changes you can make in your home for under $5!

Paintable Outlet Cover Examples

Now that I’ve run my mouth about how much I love them, let me share a few examples of the difference they make. I use these in basically any room in our house that has a more saturated paint color. They’re all over the place in my house!

Below, you can see how the dark walls in my bedroom look with these paintable outlet covers. Before, they were really distracting and kind of like a big, annoying blemish on the walls. Now, they blend right in!

Similarly, they make a huge difference in the entry. Both here and in Grant’s room, the walls are painted a pretty saturated green, and without the outlet covers, they were a huge distraction. But for under $3 per outlet, they look a LOT better!

I mena…can you even spot the outlet below?!

They’re similarly awesome in the kitchen. Also known as the room that started it all! These two little outlets on the back of the island really stuck out before I swapped them out for the paintable versions. Like I mentioned before, we’ve had these little covers on our outlets for approaching three years now. I use them multiple times a week and there are zero scratches on them. You can’t beat that!

And finally, let’s take a look at the upstairs hallway again! When I shared the reveal of the board & batten wall treatment earlier this week, I hadn’t yet replaced the outlets. But, they stuck out like a sore thumb to me so I ordered some covers the day after I finished painting for same-day delivery so I could get them fixed as fast as possible!

Also, it’s worth noting – when I painted, I was unsure if I wanted to paint the trim, doors, and baseboards. Now that it’s all done, it’s obvious to me that it all needs to be painted. But, I’m tired. So, that’ll come later, once my poor hands have had a little break from painting. So, I guess stay tuned for that update!

And there you have it. My little love letter to the $2.50 paintable outlet covers that make the biggest difference. Sometimes it’s the little things, y’all!

The post The Power of a Paintable Outlet Cover appeared first on Love & Renovations.

I find hallways difficult. Just me? It’s an awkward stretch of space with lots of doors and things (vents, attic access etc). Some hallways are great and lend themselves to beautiful makeovers…but others? Like mine? They’re just plain hard.

Ever since we moved into this house, I’ve been dreaming about how I want to spruce this space up. I even wrote a blog post last year mulling over a few ideas! And, after alllllll the thinking/planning/fretting, I finally made a plan. And after two days of work, our upstairs hallway has the most beautiful board & batten wall treatment that makes me SO HAPPY!

This post is sponsored by DAP.

Hallway Board & Batten Wall Treatment

I’ve installed board & batten multiple times throughout the years. Some people call it dated, but board & batten has been used forever and ever and it is one of the theeeee most classic trim treatments around. I will die on this hill. It works well with modern home styles and more traditional home styles. It’s gorgeous, it’s timeless, and it’s always a good choice.

When I was debating wall treatments for this space, I wanted something that would be easy to start and stop without it looking clunky. I wasn’t sure where I wanted it to end, but there isn’t a super natural stopping point anywhere, so it was important that it was a treatment that would look ok if it isn’t everywhere. I also wanted something that wouldn’t be visually overwhelming and would help make this kinda cramped hallway feel a little more expansive.

Board and batten is perfect for that – all the vertical lines help draw your eye up and make the space feel bigger! And, it’s really flexible with start and stop points, and works great as an accent wall or a whole room treatment. It’s super flexible, and did I mention it’s timeless? Because it is.

Board & Batten Installation

I’ve written a few tutorials on board and batten installation over the years, so I’m not going to go into too much depth. I’ll link aaaaaall of those posts for you if you want more details. What I will do, though, is give some detailed tips and tricks to help you get started. If you need more, please click on the links in the box below for answers to all of your questions!

• Plan Your Spacing FIRST! Spacing for your vertical pieces should always be planned wall-by-wall, and before you do any actually installation. If you’re working in a full, regularly-shaped room, your spacing should be equal on every wall. But, on something like this with tons of little wall areas to work with, spacing may change! For example, on the small slivers of walls between doors, I wanted the vertical pieces to be centered. So, technically that spacing is smaller than on the longer stretches, where I spaced the vertical pieces 16″ apart. I looked at every wall individually and planned the spacing for it based on what would look best overall. There aren’t any hard and fast rules here, just trust your gut!
• Use the Rules of Thirds! Trying to figure out where to put your horizontal board? Split the room into thirds – if you want shorter board and batten, do it 1/3 up the wall. If you want taller, do it 2/3! Again – this isn’t a science. My horizontal board is slightly less than 2/3 up the wall, but it’s close. You can use this rule to start, and adjust based on what your preferences are!

• Nail in the Middle First! When you’re installing your vertical boards, start by measuring the spacing and putting one nail in the middle of the board. Then, grab your level and shift the board until it’s sitting straight up and down before you nail it the rest of the way in. This is way easier than trying to get the board plumb first – just get that first nail in to hold it in place!
• Here’s my sizing formula: For my top horizontal board, I use a 1×4. For my vertical boards, I use a 1×3. If I’m adding a small “shelf” board on top of the horizontal board, I use a 1×2 for that! You don’t have to follow this formula – you can do the boards all the same size, or even do a more drastic sizing difference. But, this is what works well for me!
• You Don’t Have to Glue! A lot of people worry that if they’re installing trim, they have to use construction adhesive on the back. But, really, you don’t! I’ve installed tons of trim treatments and most of the time I just rely on nails and caulk to hold things in place. And guess what? It works great! I try to angle my nails as I put them in the wall so that they help hold things closer in place (extra points if you angle nails close to each other at opposite angles – one up and one down). It works like a charm and I’ve never had an issue.

Finishing Work

Once you’ve installed the board and batten, the next step is the fun part. Finishing and painting always feels so tedious, but the payoff is SO worth it!

First up, you want to use caulk on all of the spots where two planes meet. For example, you’ll caulk all of the spots where a board is meeting the wall. This helps create a great seal between the board and the wall, helps hold things in place, and makes it look so much more finished.

Caulk is one of my very favorite steps in any project because it’s really when things go from looking a little wild to looking so good.

For this project, I used DAP’s Extreme Stretch caulk. It’s a really versatile option and I’ve been using it a ton lately. It’s formulated to stretch up to 600%, so it is practically guaranteed not to crack or lose adhesion! It is a great choice for any sealing project, it’s waterproof, and it’s paintable in just two hours. Doesn’t get much better than that!

After caulk, you’ll use wood filler on all of the vertical planes. This is where two boards meet each other or where you need to fill nail holes. For this part, I used my go-to – DAP’s Professional Wood Filler. I find it to be so reliable and easy to use!

The Finished Product

Once all of the finishing work was done, I painted! I used Perfect Greige by Sherwin Williams, and I loooove the look. It’s so warm and welcoming, and it really transformed how the entire upstairs hallway feels.

I was a little worried that this type of project would make the upstairs hallway feel visually overwhelming or crowded. But, it really did the opposite! It went from feeling like a dark and weird space to one that really welcomes you in.

I’m still brainstorming all sorts of ideas for what else I can do up here, but this feels like a really great start!

Consider this your friendly reminder that weird hallways and awkward spaces in your home don’t have to stay weird and awkward. Just because it’s “only” a pass-through area doesn’t mean it has to be boring! This is step one in making this space feel really intentional, and now that I’ve gotten started my brain is definitely swimming with all sorts of other ideas. I guess we’ll all just have to stay tuned to see what’s in store next!

Don’t forget to check out DAP’s Extreme Stretch Caulk next time you have a trim project to work on. I’m consistently impressed with how easy it is to use and how well it holds up over time. DAP is always my go-to when it comes to finishing work on my projects!

The post Upstairs Hallway Board & Batten appeared first on Love & Renovations.

Earlier this week, I (finally!) shared the big reveal of the new ELFA shelving we installed in our game room. I can’t even begin to tell you how much storage this new system has added to this room and how excited I am about the new setup.

Today, I wanted to take you on a little more of a deep dive to give you a closer look at exactly how we’re using this space. I’m going to open up the drawers and pull out the baskets so you can see exactly how much we’ve packed into this wall of ELFA shelving – and how much room we have for growth!

Our Family Room ELFA Shelving System

The Drawers

Let’s start with my favorite part of the entire system – the drawers! I love that the ELFA system has these super lightweight drawers that can be made to look like a big dresser. They hold so much stuff, and honestly most of ours are still completely empty!

Here’s a rundown of what’s stored in the drawers as of right now:

• Larger toys that don’t fit into baskets
• Video game components
• Television components
• Some office supplies, like paper, envelopes, and ink cartridges
• Extra cords and computer supplies

When I tell you we have room to grow when it comes to these drawers, I’m not kidding! We have 5 drawers that are completely empty, and I don’t think a single drawer could be considered “full”. I can’t tell you how much I love having some extra room available, because we all know how things seem to just creep into your house over time. It gives me such peace of mind to know that I’ve got a ton of space to stash clutter when I need to!

Sources:

• ELFA Mesh Drawers
• ELFA Birch Drawer Fronts
• Drawer Knobs

The Lower Shelves

The lower two shelves on either side of the drawers are dedicated to toys. I originally had all of the kids’ toys in the drawers, but I decided that baskets are the more logical choice. They still occasionally like to dump everything out on the floor when they get really into a game, and I think baskets give less chance for them to wreak havoc on the shelving system itself. We love using baskets to organize toys, because it makes cleanup a breeze! We don’t bother with making the kids categorize the toys (we tried, it failed, we gave up). They just know the toys belong in the baskets, and they dump them all in there when they’re cleaning!

I was really pleasantly surprised to find that with this new setup, we actually still have room to grow in the toy department too! Although, I desperately hope we can keep toys to a minimum. We have two baskets as of now that are totally empty, which is great because Grant has a birthday coming up later this month and I know more chaos is coming.

We were very intentional when we picked out the baskets for these shelves. The kids have destroyed many a basket thanks to leaving them out, stepping all over them, or letting the dogs get ahold of them. These fabric baskets are super flexible, won’t break if they’re stepped on, and look great on the shelves. It’s a win all around.

Sources

• ELFA Birch Shelves
• Fabric Baskets

The Upper Shelves

Right now, the upper shelving is full of random things that I put there mostly so they didn’t look empty! We’ll definitely be keeping the books there, at least for now, but much of the other stuff you see on there is just a placeholder.

Why? Because these shelves are going to be all about the LEGO sets!

For years now, Corey has wanted a good place to display LEGO sets of his own. The kids are very into LEGO, but Corey and I both grew up with it too, and they’ve got so many great sets for adults now! As soon as we started planning this shelving system, we knew we wanted to set aside most of the shelving for us to be able to display some LEGO sets that we build together.

We’ve been planning and slowly starting to purchase a few new sets, and we’re both so excited! Over time, these shelves will slowly fill up with some fun creations, and we even plan to play around with some seasonal sets! I mean, why WOULDN’T we want to get the Home Alone house to build together every Christmas?!

This will have to be an update we share later as we continue to add to it, but for now it’s really exciting to know we have all of this big blank space just waiting for us to act like kids again and start building.

Sources

• ELFA Birch Shelves

And that’s where we’re at with the game room as of today! We still have big plans for this space in the long run – we’ve been eyeing new couches that fit our needs a little better, we still plan to shiplap the entire room, and we’re always thinking about different ways this room can grow with our kids as they get older!

But, for now, I’ll just be over here basking in the glow of aaaall this storage space.

The post A Peek Inside Our Bonus Room Shelving appeared first on Love & Renovations.

My mother in law recently bought a new home, after several months of living with a friend while she searched for the right home for her. When she left her last house, she got rid of a lot of her furniture, looking for a fresh start. This week, we got her a new RUBIK III Modular Sofa from LINSY HOME, and I’m here to tell you all about it.

Spoiler alert: I’m wildly impressed, and so was everyone else who helped me get it over there!

(This post is sponsored by LINSY HOME)

LINSY HOME Modular Sofa Review

Let’s start off by talking about why this sofa was a great fit for her house. My mother in law lives alone, and her home is the perfect size for an empty-nester! She doesn’t have a ton of space in her living room, but she is really looking forward to having us over for dinner and having the kids spend the night at her house. So, she needed something that doesn’t take up too much space when she’s alone, but can accommodate our wild family when we come over.

We went with the RUBIK III 3-seat sofa with 3 ottomans. The beautiful thing about this sofa is it is so incredibly versatile. You can shove all the ottomans up to the sofa to make it basically one big lounging sofa. Or, you can create a long chaise with a little ottoman coffee table. You could push all three ottomans out to create one long coffee table for snacks (or feet). Or you could completely move two (or all three) ottomans away to create a secondary seating area!

The configurations are basically limitless, which is perfect for her needs.

Our Favorite Features

Aside from the fact that you can set this sofa up about 100 different ways, we were also really impressed with a few other features. Here are the highlights:

• Each piece has storage built right into it. Including the seats! All you have to do is lift up the seat cushion and the support piece underneath, and there’s a compartment for storage. This is great for a smaller house! You could store throw pillows, seasonal decor, or anything else you want in there.
• The fabric is stain-resistant, but it’s also all removable and machine washable! For us, this is vital when choosing a sofa – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been so grateful we can wash our couch covers. She was thrilled to see this was an option, especially since we went with the white fabric.
• It’s easy to add on. She may not always live in this house (it’s about half an hour from us, and she’d love to be closer someday, if possible). So, if she ever moves to a new home that has more space it’ll be easy for her to grab another piece or two to configure the couch exactly how she wants it.
• The ottomans can attach! This was a surprise to us when we were building it, and I think it’s a huge deal. Often, couches that come with ottomans don’t come with a way to connect them. So, you’re stuck with trying to lounge on an ottoman that keeps sliding away! These come with little connectors that take less than a minute to attach. So, you can easily attach (and re-attach) things however you want. She even specifically requested I mention that it was a breeze for her to connect them all on her own once we left.

Are There Any Cons?

I can genuinely say I didn’t notice a single downside to this sofa setup as we were bringing it into her home and setting it up. It’s comfortable, it’s gorgeous, and it seems really high quality!

That being said, just like any sofa, it might not be for everyone!

A few things to keep in mind:

• The couch itself isn’t super deep. My mother in law loved this, because it means her feet can touch the ground when she’s sitting on it. She’s short (like me!) so that can be hard to find. This can easily be fixed by adding an ottoman if you want to lounge. Just something to keep in mind!
• We all agreed that we wished the ottoman cushions had velcro on them to hold them in place. They sit on top of the ottoman, just like on the seats. It works fine on the seats, since they’ve got arms on each end. But, for the ottoman, it means sometimes the cushion gets slide-y if you aren’t careful. We’re just going to grab some velcro and attach it ourselves – it’s an easy fix!

And, really, those were my only notes!

My mother in law was so incredibly excited to get this new sofa set up in her home, and I was so happy to be able to give it to her! It looks fantastic in her living room. There’s definitely a piece of me that wishes we had kept it for the game room!

I have a feeling we’ll be doing some more projects over there over the next few months as she settles, so stay tuned! I have lots of ideas for this cute little space.

The post My Mother-in-Law’s New Sofa (LINSY HOME Review) appeared first on Love & Renovations.

Our upstairs bonus room has historically been one of the most frustrating spaces in our house for me. A few years ago, we gave it a “phase one” makeover, and it helped a lot, but the storage and organization systems have just never really been enough. As a result, the room is almost always a complete disaster. I don’t love hanging out in super chaotic spaces, so it’s more or less a room we’ve given over to the kids. And…it looked like it, too.

But, Corey and I have long been dreaming of making some more permanent changes in here that would make it easier to keep up with the cleaning and (hopefully) more likely we’d actually like being in there. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that today’s post is a solid three and a half YEARS in the making. Three and a half years of plotting and dreaming and thinking and planning… and we finally get to dive into phase two of the bonus room makeover!

Today, I’m taking you along on the journey of designing and installing our new wall-to-wall ELFA entertainment center in the bonus room. As a full disclosure, The Container Store provided the products for this post as part of my partnership with them over on Instagram this year. But, I’m under no requirement to share it with you on here… I just wanted to take the time to do a deep dive on why we went with this system, what we think so far, and how it’s working for us!

Using ELFA As an Entertainment Center

Typically speaking, when you think of Container Store’s ELFA system I imagine you’re like I used to be and think only of closets and pantries. But, turns out, it is so much more versatile than that! I wanted a budget-friendly system that I could install on my own for this space. The Container Store has lots of gorgeous high-end built-in options, but they’re all on the pricier end and have to be installed by a pro. And that’s not really how we roll around here. So, I decided to see what we could do with the more budget-conscious ELFA system. And, I was so pleasantly surprised with the result!

Above, you can see the rendering that I got from the designer I worked with. It’s a free service they have that allows you to work with someone who really knows the system and products to make sure you get exactly what you need.

I spent a lot of time browsing the different colors and setups of the ELFA system. We decided to go with a steel gray track system with birch shelving. I loved that it felt a little different than the norm, and the light wood contrasts so nicely with our dark green walls.

My biggest desire for this space was plenty of closed storage (hence the drawers), and LOTS of shelf space. We store 90% of the kids’ toys in here, so I need a system that will actually hold them all. And, Corey and I have been dying for a place to display some grown-up LEGO sets. So, shelves are a must. This setup gives us plenty of both, and there’s actually lots of room to grow. Exactly how I like it!

Installing Our ELFA Entertainment Center

So, how does it work? I know something like this can be really intimidating if you aren’t a big DIYer. But, I’m here to tell you this is SO SIMPLE. Literally anyone can install this system. I promise.

The one thing I ran into that made it slightly more complex for me is that I was installing it on shiplap that’s on top of drywall. It was basically impossible to find the studs under the walls, and adding anchors to shiplap isn’t super fun. I ended up using some toggle bolt anchors anywhere I didn’t hit a stud. And then, I had to pre-drill each hole to check for studs before I went. It wasn’t too big of a deal, but it definitely slowed me down!

The Track System

The ELFA system runs on tracks, which makes the installation process really simple. You start with horizontal tracks that need to be drilled into studs (or into anchors). Once those are fully in place, all you have to do is hang the vertical tracks on them. Then, add your shelving! It’s recommended to drill the longer vertical tracks in place using a screw. But, the shorter ones just get hung right on the horizontal track.

This system makes it so that once you have those vertical tracks up, the rest goes really quickly. I also love that the track system means it’s really easy to change things up. As our kids get older, if our needs change, it’ll be really easy to totally transform this setup without a lot of work. I love a system that can grow with us, especially in a space that’s dominately used by our kids.

Finishing Details

I think it’s also worth taking a second to point out all of the finishing details that really make this feel special. Without some of these finishes, it might feel like a closet system being used in a bonus room. But, with these thoughtful little touches, it feels like it was made for this exact space. And it was!

All of the hardware has coverings that you can use to hide the “ugly parts”. Everything from the brackets to the track system has something you can use to cover it up. This means you aren’t seeing the bracket holes, the screws, or anything unsightly. And, if you ask me, that’s the KEY to having this look really custom and special!

Another really special feature that surprised me was the drawer fronts! I thought the ELFA system only had mesh drawers, so when I saw you could make them look like wood drawers, I was blown away. It only takes a couple of minutes to install these little drawer fronts, and they make the biggest difference!

I’ve been slooooowly working on organizing things and filling it up. I’ll be back later this week to show you the nitty gritty of how I’m organizing our ELFA entertainment center. Because, it’s a beast!

What Did it Cost?!

As I mentioned before, I received this system as part of our ongoing partnership with The Container Store. But, I fully believe in sharing prices whenever possible, so here’s a rundown of what this would have cost us if we hadn’t been working with them.

• DIY Installation: $5,388.50
• Professional Installation: $7,005.05

I think that number is slighly inflated because we had to make some changes to shelving, so this cost is before returns. I believe it was under $5,000 once you factor that in.

Is it cheap? Absolutely not. But, it’s far more affordable than other professional built-in options, and you can’t beat how easy it was to install! I’m so so happy with the finished product, and I’m really excited to see how it grows with us over time.

Sources

Looking to build something like this for your home? I’ve got you covered! I’d recommend starting right here and talking to a designer. But, here’s the links for most of the pieces we used, so you can browse and get an idea of what you like!

• Birch Shelves
• Drawers
• Drawer Fronts
• Graphite Hanging Track
• Hanging Track Cover
• Graphite Horizontal Track
• Track Cover
• Graphite Brackets
• Bracket Covers

The post Our New ELFA Entertainment Center appeared first on Love & Renovations.

Towards the end of last month I was looking at my July calendar, and I joked to Corey that the month would be so busy it was basically already over before it started. Well, I blinked, and here we are. July absolutely flew by and I can’t believe that we’re officially staring down the beginning of the school year.

Part of me feels sad about preparing to say goodbye to summer but a (bigger?) part of me is thrilled. I love the back to school season and the routine it brings back into our lives. Also, turning the calendar to August brings us one month closer to our big Disney World trip and I cannot wait.

July was packed full of summer fun, and it’s time to recap it. Ready? Let’s go.

Moments & Memories

• We’ve been doing weekly dinners with my bestie, Parisa, and her family (we call it Sunday Supper), and it’s been the highlight of summer for me. It’s casual and chaotic and full of laughter and joy.
• Last year we started a tradition of doing Persian food with Parisa and her family for the fourth of July. I looked forward to it for weeks leading up to the big day, and it didn’t disappoint. We let the kids stay up late to watch fireworks, and Grant told me it was the “most good day I ever had” so I think it was a win.
• The boys and I had a blast opening aaaaaaall of our Disney-themed shirts we ordered on Prime Day. We wore our Mickey ears and tried things on for each other and just generally let ourselves bask in the joy and anticipation. Have I mentioned yet that I can’t wait?!
• For two weeks in July, the boys went to a half-day theater camp put on by our local high school. It culminated with a performance of Seussical and they loved every second of it. I think they’re wanting to continue doing some community theater stuff once the school year starts, so I’m really excited to continue to watch them!
• We went to the beach! It was a five day trip with us and Parisa’s family, and it was exactly what we needed. It was chill and slow and full of laughter and delicious food. Oh, and a trip to NASA Space Center. Doesn’t get much better!

Books + Media

Here’s what I read in July:

• A Court of Wings & Ruin by Sarah J. Maas – I mentioned last month that I was going through (another) re-reading of these books and I kept it up this month! No matter how many times I read this it still manages to fully captivate me every single time.
• The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros – I’ve heard so many people rave about this book, and rightfully so. It was fantastic. I loved every second of it, and while nothing can ever hold a candle to the A Court of Thorns and Roses series to me, it honestly comes close to being just as good!
• Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld – This book was light and fluffy and easy and just delightful. It was a really quick and easy read, and I enjoyed it thoroughly! It’s a perfect summer vacation book, if you have anything coming up!
• The Only One Left by Riley Sager – I have absolutely loved every Riley Sager book I’ve read, and this one was no exception. I was all-caps texting with my best friend while reading it every time I came to a new twist in the road, as she read it right before me. It was so fun, twisty, and SO GOOD!
• The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han – I read this because I’ve heard everyone talking about season 2 of the show on Amazon Prime, and it felt like the perfect beach read. Spoiler – it was! It was a quick and easy read that left me feeling all sorts of warm summer fuzzies.
• Lightlark by Alex Aster – The same friend who insisted I read The Fourth Wing let me borrow this one, and it was good! It reminded me a bit of the Caraval series (which I really enjoyed) and I’m looking forward to book 2 later this year!

I wrapped up Queen Charlotte and then struggled to find anything great to watch. Corey and I haven’t had much time to watch television together lately (but we did finally start Black Mirror and OMG!), so I’ve been mostly on my own. I started The Righteous Gemstones and enjoyed it but am not fully hooked. I watched part of season 2 of Cruel Summer, but it similarly didn’t draw me in as much as season 1 did. I’ve been turning on Schitt’s Creek in the background when I want to watch something, because I know it’s safe and it always makes me happy.

Games

• I grabbed this game on Prime Day and we had so much fun with it! I can tell it’s going to be put into regular rotation in our house!
• We played a (very intense) round of Rack-O at the beach with our friends. It’s genuinely one of the best simple games to play with friends – it’s easy to learn, a ton of fun, and you can chat while you play. It’s one of my very favorites.
• Corey and I also played a game of Splendor while we were at the beach. It’s always one of our go-to’s for a game just the two of us! I love the strategy involved, and it never gets old.
• One of our favorite really quick games to play with the kids is Happy Salmon. It only takes about 90 seconds to play, but I promise you’ll be in fits of laughter by the end and immediately want to play again.
• And finally, the boys and I tried out the Space Mountain game one day when we were all feeling a little tired and cranky and needed a pick me up. It was really fun and got us even more excited for Disney World, if that’s even possible.

Products

• This month, I learned that I’m obsessed with tennis dresses (this one, to be specific). I bought three different ones to try during Prime Day, and I felt meh about the other two, but as soon as I pulled this one on, I knew it would be a wardrobe staple. I’ve already got another color in my cart!
• I ordered all the Disney shirts for our trip and I am over the moon excited about each one. You can see everything I got (for myself, and for all the dudes in my family) right here on this list.
• Many of you raved about this travel toiletry bag when I mentioned I ordered it for Prime Day, and I got to try it out when we went to the beach! You were right – it’s amazing.
• After over a year of eyeing it, I finally broke down and ordered this shampoo and this conditioner. So far, I’m a big fan. My hair feels so much more manageable and it stays looking good for longer than ever before. Of course, adding in this frizz reducing product also probably helped quite a bit!
• The kids needed new school shoes, and I grabbed these red sneakers for Grant. They’re so cute, and he’s been wearing them nonstop! Jackson chose these, and I honestly want a pair for myself.

And that’s July! School starts for us in just over 2 weeks and we are pumped. Everyone is ready for the routine, and Grant is so excited to be headed to kindergarten!

What Brought Me Joy In…

• January
• February
• March
• April
• May
• June
• Click here to see all the products that have brought me joy in 2023

The post What Bought Me Joy in July appeared first on Love & Renovations.

Earlier this week, I shared that we recently swapped out some lights in our great room and it’s got me thinking a lot about the other lights in our home. We’ve got at least 4 or 5 spots in the hallways of our house that still have basic builder-grade globe lights, and they’re becoming more and more obvious with every new project!

For some reason, I’ve found this decision to be very intimidating. Most of the lights are all visible from one sightline, so I’d like them to match. It feels like a lot of pressure to pick one light to replace so many lights in our house! It’s not a small expense, even if we pick something super affordable, so I’ve just put a lot of pressure on myself.

But, I’m done overthinking it! It’s time to make a decision and I’ve been doing a ton (a TON!) of browsing to try and narrow down what I want. I’ve managed to narrow down the entire internet to these 21 options, so that feels like progress.

I’m determined to make a decision and get the lights installed before the end of the year. It’s a realistic timeline that gives me plenty of time to decide but also put some pressure on to actually decide.

I have a few favorites, but to be honest I think we would be happy with any of these! They’re all gorgeous, and at this point I might just close my eyes and pick one.

Ready to see my favorites?!

24 Beautiful Gold Flush Mount Lights

1. Dakota Brass Flush Mount Light (Crate & Barrel, $199)
2. Maddox White Flush Mount Light (Crate & Barrel, $149)
3. Arcinela Conical Linen Flush Mount Light (Crate & Barrel, $139)
4. Sculptural Ribbed Flush Mount (West Elm, $199)
5. 12″ Schoolhouse Light Fixture (Amazon, $69)
6. Brewer 10″ Semi-Flush Mount (Amazon, $118)
7. Dothan Home Globe Flush Mount (Amazon, $59)
8. Adelyn 10″ Modern Farmhouse Light (Amazon, $54)
9. Bargeni Flush Mount Ceiling Light (Amazon, $58)
10. Audickic Quatrefoil Semi-Flush Mount (Amazon, $59)
11. Globe Electric Oswald (Amazon, $54)
12. HOLKIRT Mid Century Modern Globe (Amazon, $125)
13. Modo Lighting Antique Brass 4-Light (Amazon, $139)
14. Valencia Flush Mount Ceiling Light Brass (Target, $85)
15. Glass Flush Mount Ceiling Light White (Target, $100)
16. DAYCENT Modern Drum Light (Amazon, $119)
17. Scalloped Semi-Flush Mount Ceiling Light (Target, $100)
18. Arren Brass Flush Mount Light (Crate & Barrel, $99)
19. Sculptural Globe Flush Mount (West Elm, $89)
20. Brookley 13 in. Brushed Gold Flush Mount (Home Depot, $69)
21. Hepburn Glass Flush Mount (Wayfair, $89)
22. Ariel Fluted Marble Flush Mount (Amazon, $299)
23. Ezra 1-Light Vintage Bronze Flush Mount (Home Depot, $57)
24. Aristo 12 in. Antique Gold Semi-Flush Mount (Home Depot, $78)

I already have #4 in the hallway of our bedroom, and it’s stunning. Number 19 is out of the budget for all of the lights but it’s so incredibly stunning. I love them all.

Stay tuned! I’ll be forcing myself to make a decision one of these days, and I’ll update you when I do.

Window Shopping

SEE ALL ROUNDUPS

Looking for other roundups from the archives? Here are some favorites!

Gorgeous Gold Flush-Mount Hallway Lights

15 Gorgeous IKEA Dresser Hacks

The Best (Affordable) Faux Flowers For Your Home

The 25+ Best Cheap Bar Stools Out There

Affordable and Stylish (Yes, Really!) Recliners

The Best Spring Decor on Amazon

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I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say that I firmly believe lighting is one of the most important aspects of any great room design. From overhead lights to accent lighting, it makes a world of difference in how the room looks and feels.

Of course, full disclosure, I’m not much for turning on our overhead lights. We get tons of natural light throughout the day in our house, and in the evenings I prefer to use more ambient lighting and lamps than anything else. But that doesn’t mean I don’t spend a ton of time obsessing over what the overhead fixtures should be!

Replacing the builder-grade lights in our house (aka: all of them) has been on my to do list since the day we moved in. But, lights can be expensive, and they’re one of those things I think are often worth the splurge! So, it’s taken a bit of time. But, we recently swapped out a few lights in our great room and I thought it was the perfect time to chat a little about how I choose the right light fixtures for our home.

Dining Table | Dining Chairs | Bubble Chandelier | Island Pendants | Disco Ball Planter

Tips for Choosing Light Fixtures

I’m no pro when it comes to home design, but I know what I like and I’ve learned a lot through trial and error! Here are five questions I ask myself when I’m picking out new lights.

1. What Else is in the Line of Sight?

First and foremost, I always think about the room itself. Is it a room without much happening in it? Or, is it a room that’s pretty busy already? In the case of our great room, there’s a lot happening. Our entry, living room, dining room, and kitchen are all one uninterrupted space. So, I have to be aware of that when I’m planning lighting!

That doesn’t mean I have to keep things simple or boring, of course. It just means I need to take extra care to think about how things play together. In a space like ours, I personally wouldn’t mix finishes or go with lights that don’t feel super connected. Since it’s all one big room, it’s important to me that all of the lighting really flows together. Also, I wouldn’t choose anything too statement-y. There’s a ton of furniture, art, and decor in the space already, so we need the lights to quietly layer in!

2. How Do the Shapes Play Together?

This is something I put a ton of thought into when I was picking out the new lights for this space. Our living room light is round, and I love how it mirrors the round coffee table and really makes the cavernous space feel a little more cozy. If we also did a round fixture in the dining room, it might feel repetitive.

I originally planned on something linear over the dining table, but I worried about having something that would take up too much visual space. It’s the part of the room with the most going on around it (it’s essentially a pass-through between the kitchen and living room!), so I needed it to not feel overwhelming. I landed on something with a rounded shape (but not an obvious circle) that feels really light and airy. It balances the space between the two rooms really nicely, and is the perfect complement to the living room light!

Cabinet Hardware | Wooden Pedestal | Wooden Tray | Cookbook Stand | Island Pendants

For the kitchen, I wanted to do something a little more bold. The old pendants above the island were really small and dainty, and they just didn’t ground the space as well as I would have liked. I don’t love our white cabinets (I’d prefer something wood toned!), so adding in dark, bold accents really helps make the space feel more “me”!

3. Where Do I Need the Brightest Light?

This is another important consideration. You don’t want to choose a fixture that barely gives off any light in a space where you are constantly using the overhead light! We considered a bigger version of the island pendants for our dining room, but we actually use that light more than any other overhead light in our house, and they don’t give off enough light.

In the kitchen, however, we have four recessed lights that we use all the time, so it’s no big deal if the pendants are more for mood lighting! Just ask yourself how much light the fixture you’re eyeing will give off, and if it will be enough to meet your needs!

4. What Finishes Do I Already Have In the Space?

Let me start by saying I’m a FIRM believer that mixing metals and finishes is not only okay, it’s a great idea. It makes a space feel layered, intentional, and dynamic. But, I do think you should be thoughtful about it!

The great room is a great example. Before we swapped out the lights, our island pendants were black and gold. They worked great because we have lots of other black accents in the kitchen, but I wanted them to feel more connected to the other lighting. Because of how busy this space is, I wanted all the lights to be the same finish. That’s not to say mixing them wouldn’t work just fine if done right…it’s just about what you prefer!

Dining Table | Dining Chairs | Bubble Chandelier | Floor Lamp | Island Pendants

I know, I know – it’s all very subjective. But, that’s design! Just take the time to ask yourself what other finishes you have in that space and if you want to match them or be intentional about layering in something new. A good rule of thumb is to repeat a finish at least three times in a space. So, if you add a fixture with a silver finish, be sure to also add in some silver-toned things in other spaces throughout the room and it’ll feel like it fits.

5. What Makes My Heart Happy?!

This is perhaps the most important question to ask yourself, and it also might be the one that makes you throw all the other questions out the window!

I can give you tips all day long, but what really matters in the end is what you love. Even if you break every design “rule” in the book, if it makes you smile when you walk through the door, you’ve landed on the right light fixture!

These new lights make the biggest difference in our entire great room, and it’s really motivating me to work on all of the other builder-grade lights we have in the house. One of the biggest lingering decisions I have is what flush-mount lights to use throughout our hallways, so I’m working on a roundup of ideas to share later this week. Maybe you can help me decide?!

The post FAQ: How Do You Choose Lights for Your Home?! appeared first on Love & Renovations.

It’s that time of year where we all love to think about how to get our home cleaner and a little more sparkly. One of the big jobs that can make a huge difference in how clean your home feels is the cabinets! Cleaning kitchen cabinets may feel like an overwhelming task, but I promise once you get started you’ll realize it’s not too terrible!

We have white cabinets in our kitchen, and as a result I feel like I’m constantly having to clean them. There are always fingerprints or scuffs or food splatters all over the place, and it makes me more than a little nutty.

But, I’ve come up with a pretty good routine that keeps them (mostly) clean on a day to day basis. And today, I’m sharing it with you. So, let’s dive in!

CABINET CLEANING TOOLKIT

Tips for Cleaning Kitchen Cabinets

Step One: Empty ‘Em Out

If you plan to really spend some time deep cleaning kitchen cabinets, you’ll want them to be empty.

I know, I know. It’s a huge pain. But, you can’t clean inside if everything is still in them! If you prefer, you can work just a few cabinets at a time to cut down on the chaos a bit – this is what I like to do!

While you’re at it, you might as well empty out the drawers and clean them too.

Step Two: Vacuum the Inside

Once you’ve got a few cabinets (or all of them!) emptied out, grab your vacuum and clean up any crumbs or debris. It’s going to be a lot easier to get things clean if you’ve done this basic first step.

Once you’ve tackled that, it’s time to move on to the real cleaning!

Step Three: Mix Up a Simple Homemade Cleaner

Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to avoid harsh chemicals on your cabinets. I’ve found really great success with just a mixture of two parts hot water and one part dishwashing detergent (I recommend Dawn or a similar mild dish soap)!

This is gentle enough that it won’t scratch up your cabinets or mess with the finish, but tough enough to handle some pretty solid grime. You can also use warm water and white vinegar if you prefer.

Once you’ve mixed it up, pour it into a spray bottle and get to work! I recommend working while the water is still as warm as possible,

Step Four: Clean the Outside

Now the fun can begin! I recommend working from top to bottom (so, upper cabinets first) because as you work some dust or other dirt may fall down onto the lower cabinets.

Spray your cleaning solution directly onto the cabinet door and frame. Be careful not to fully saturate it – you don’t want to damage the wood! Just spray enough of your cleaner to allow it to work, and allow it to sit for a minute or two. Then, wipe it down. I recommend using a microfiber cloth to wipe down the cabinets. A clean sponge will work, too!

If there is any soap residue left after cleaning, just go over it with a fresh clean cloth to remove excess moisture and get any cleaning solution that was left behind.

Step Five: Wipe Down the Inside

Once you’ve cleaned the outside of the cabinet, move on to the inside. Use the same cleaning method as before – spray your cleaner on, let it sit, then use a clean cloth to wipe it all down.

Step Six: Deal With Crevices & Hardware

Make sure to pay attention to the knobs, pulls, and hinges as you’re working. Most of the time they can just use a quick wipe down with a damp cloth, but sometimes they’ll need more help. You can use a toothbrush to really get into the nooks and crannies.

How to Tackle Tough Stains

Have something that needs a little extra cleaning? Here are some tips for you.

• Mix up a solution of one part baking soda and two parts warm water. Rub it onto the stain and allow it to sit for several minutes. Then, use a soft cloth to do some gentle scrubbing to remove the stain. Wipe it down with a rag and some warm water to remove any residue.
• Some cabinet surfaces can handle a Magic Eraser for tough stains and gunk. But, be aware that it can damage the finish of some cabinet’s, so maybe test it on an inconspicuous spot first!
• Grease spots can be treated with white vinegar and lemon juice!

Tips for Cleaning…

Wood Cabinets

• You can use a cleaner like Murphy Oil Soap to get a bit of shine and polish on your cabinets.
• Be extra careful not to use soaked cloths when cleaning.
• Use a dry microfiber cloth and move with the grain of the wood to buff them towards the end of your cleaning routine.

Painted Cabinets & Laminate Cabinets

• Be sure to use non-abrasive cleaners to avoid scratching up the painted surface.
• For day-to-day spot treating, a multi-purpose cleaner works great!

Glass Cabinets

• Use a glass cleaner or microfiber glass cleaning cloths to clean both the outside and the inside of the glass cabinets.
• Avoid oil-based cleaners as they can leave streaks on the glass that are hard to get rid of.

Cabinet Cleaning Schedule

How often should you follow this whole, big routine? I generally do a major cabinet cleaning (where I do the cabinet interiors as well) about every 6 months. Some people recommend it seasonally, but I just don’t have it in me.

I do, however, wipe down my cabinets weekly! I often use a Clorox Disinfectant Wipe to deal with fingerprints or other small spots on a daily basis. Then, I do a deeper wipe down of the cabinet exteriors once a week or once every other week when I’m already cleaning the kitchen.

Tips for KEEPING Kitchen Cabinets Clean!

Here are a few other things I’ve learned about cleaning kitchen cabinets and keeping them that way:

• Wipe down the high-traffic areas nightly. It isn’t necessarily feasible to wipe down all of your cabinetry every single night, but a little effort goes a long way here. As I mentioned, I try to grab a Clorox wipe and go over the obviously dirty areas every night when I’m cleaning my kitchen. Just like with any cleaning job, the less you can allow things to build up, the better.
• Be sure to use your vent hood! The area above your stove will get gross and greasy. It’s almost impossible to avoid. But the more consistent you are about using your vent hood when cooking, the less you allow grease particles to float up and settle on your cabinets. And we all want fewer grease stains, no?
• Install hardware! If you don’t have cabinet hardware, you’re going to be touching the cabinet surfaces a lot more often and there will be a build-up of grease and grime from that. Installing some knobs and pulls can go a long way!
• Find a routine and stick to it. Put it in your calendar, write it in your planner, whatever you need to do to remember to tackle this regularly will make a world of difference. Whatever your routine is, the key is that you’re consistent with doing something on the regular so things don’t get out of hand.

I’d love to hear your cabinet cleaning tips! What are your favorite tips and tricks for keeping an all-white kitchen looking clean and fabulous?!

Other Cleaning Tips & Tricks

• How to Deep Clean Your Dish Washer
• How to Spring Clean in a Weekend
• Tips for Decluttering Your Home
• How to Deep Clean Your Entire Kitchen

The post Tips & Tricks For Cleaning Kitchen Cabinets appeared first on Love & Renovations.