How to Organize a Spice Cabinet on a Tiny Budget!

Today, I'm sharing how I organized my spice (and tea) cabinet for under $10! I didn't go out and buy any fancy jars or containers. I simply decluttered (read threw out expired stuff!) and reorganized the space. Again, I am not striving for perfection but improving function. 

Here are the cabinets before...

And here are the items I purchased for organizing.

 - slim baskets

 - under-shelf basket

 -  clear, 3 compartment organizer with lid

 

I sorted the spices by type and amount of use. 

Above the spices I added the under shelf basket to hold extra bags of coffee.

The fourth basket is one I had on hand.

*Tip* Use under-shelf baskets in your pantry (or any shelf with space underneath) to hold foil, plastic wrap, zipper seal bags etc.

I repurposed the tiered shelf riser to organize my teas.

I mainly wanted to minimize packaging. These compartment organizers are the perfect size for teabags. Each section fit about 10 bags. I also labeled the front for the teabags not individually wrapped.

I love that I can use the organizer with or without the lid!

But, since I removed the packaging I decided to cut the expiration date off the boxes and added to the back of each container. 

- I used double sided tape to attach the expiration dates. 

This new setup is perfect in my book!  The tea organizer is my favorite. I can clearly see how much of each tea I have on hand. What is your favorite part?

Budget Under Kitchen Sink Organizing

My kitchen is the first room you enter when you open the front door. So, it's only natural that clutter accumulates here. Not only is there clutter on surfaces (which there aren't a lot of), but in the cabinets as well. And while the clutter is generally kept to a minimum (because it is an open area), I know I can get a few areas tidier. 

To start I'm tackling under the kitchen sink. And, I'll warn you now, it's not pretty! But, this is real life. And until we can update the kitchen this is what I'm working with. 😜

To start, I removed everything that was directly under the sink. The shelf to the left goes into a corner and I only keep trays and large bowls that don't fit anywhere else. I did have some jars and cans I've been keeping to upcycle. Those went into a box in the basement until I can get to those projects.

With a clean slate, I started from the back right corner and worked my way to the left. 

• This shelf riser was previously used in the pantry. It fit perfectly between the water pipe and cabinet wall.

The narrow basket, from Dollar Tree is holding a roll of trash bags. The name brand roll of 45 fits in here like a dream!

And under the shelf riser are things I don't need regularly.

I kept this cleaning caddy (which is actually a shower caddy) in the front because these are my day to day cleaners.

To the left of the shelf riser I added another narrow basket to hold extra cleaners and spray bottles.

In the left hand corner I added a second shelf riser with a shallow basket underneath.

On this riser I have extra dish soap and a couple of spray bottle I use for diy cleaners.

In the basket I'm keeping extra sponges, scrubbers, and extra hand soap.

In the front left I added one more basket (which I had collecting dust in the basement) to keep our water bottles.

And finally, the space left in the front was a perfect fit for my girls' school lunch boxes. It is easy to reach, and makes our school lunch prep easy on everyone.

All in all, I only spent $4 on a few baskets and a shelf riser to take this space from cluttered to functional. When it comes to organizing, it doesn't have to be pretty and perfect, it just has to function for your needs. I hope this inspires you to take control of a cluttered space!

How I'm preparing to do a Fall Fair!

Today’s post is a little different than usual. I don’t have a tutorial to show you, but rather I wanted to share what I’ve been working on for the last month or so. Besides working on my home projects, at the end of August, I decided I wanted to apply for a vendor table at my local fall fair. I thought to myself “how fun would it be to sell my crafts”! Now, the fair is on October 21^st which meant that I had to prepare for this event in about a month and a half. Are you catching my drift?

Can you imagine the preparation that goes in to setting up a vendor booth at one of these events! Well, I’ll give you a little synopsis. First of all, you need to have products to sell. Ok, no biggie I had brainstormed a few different things I could make easy enough. Then, there’s all the other stuff that goes into making the event successful as a vendor i.e. how-to setup the booth, what displays to use, and how to prep personally. I’ll expand a little on the details but let me show you the state of my home during this process.

Please do not judge. Yes, my living room looks like total chaos! But, it’s semi-controlled chaos. If there is such a thing. Lol. Keep in mind that the living room is open to the kitchen, and the front door opens into the kitchen. But, luckily the fair is only a couple of weeks away and things will soon be back in order.

So, what am I making?

• Wreaths- because you always need a wreath! And I love that there are so many different ways to style them.

• Decorative trays- because I’m just in love with decorative trays right now.

• Mason jar organizers- because, well mason jars are just soo cute!

• Decorative vases- because as much as I like clear vases, I love to personalize them.

• Canvas monogram art- because monograms! Need I say more?

And a couple of tiered trays I made with thrift store finds.

How am I prepping?

• Working on projects late into the night, after the kids are in bed. And, no I do not get to sleep in because I’m entertaining my 3-year-old during the day.

• Shopping, shopping, and more shopping! I have to get the supplies I need to create.

• Researching

1. Booth staging: the booth should be attractive and tell a story

2. Display setup: the products should look like they are in a storefront

3. Business stuff: how will I take payments; what packaging will I need; how can people find me? (business cards)

4. Personal stuff: what to bring for myself, i.e. comfortable footwear because I’ll be standing, water/snacks

Needless to say, I have been a busy bee! Which is why I don’t have a project for you this week. But, in the weeks to come I will be sharing a series of organizing projects focusing on the kitchen. I hope you will pray for me to have a successful event! And if you follow me on social media I’ll be sharing a couple of product sneak peeks. Thanks, and God bless!

Living Simply,

Mindy✿

How to turn Cylinder Vases into Decor

Today I'm sharing a super simple décor diy using cylinder vases, some vase filler, and embellishments. I wanted to add another decorative touch to my dresser since updating it with the contact paper.  And since my husband has decided he wants gold bedding, this project will be the perfect addition. By the way, if you know where I can get gold bedding (at a reasonable cost) let me know. Lol. Plus, all the supplies used (except for glue) are from the dollar store.

Supply list:

• 2 cylinder vases (one 7.5 in. and one 9.5 in. in height)
• 2 gold tea light candle holders
• Embellishments 
• Vase filler
• Glue

Step 1:

glued each tea light holder to the base of each vase

-I used hot glue, but for a more permanent hold I would suggest  a stronger adhesive. I wanted the option of changing the look of these.

Step 2:

added embellishments

-I used gold toned floral wire around one vase, gluing at the top and bottom of the vase. On the other I layered a lace head wrap over white lace ribbon, using hot glue to secure. The white lace ribbon is not from the dollar store, but is optional.

Step 3:

added vase filler

-In the taller vase decorative rattan balls (leftover from my beach themed chandelier diy), and the shorter vase is filled with vanilla scented potpourri.

So, that's it!

I hope you enjoyed this project! This is so simple and easily customizable for any décor. It's also versatile. I could see this on a living room mantle, as a dining table centerpiece, maybe even in the bathroom. Oh the possibilities!

Thanks again, and God bless!

Living simply,

Mindy✿

How to make Storage Shelves

I am a firm believer in taking advantage of vertical space for storage. I decided I wanted to add shelves to our small bathroom above the toilet, because no one has ever said "I have too much storage". Am I right? Lol. The bathroom layout made this space the perfect area to add shelves without it looking bulky. Adding shelves to a bare wall can open up storage possibilities in a space that doesn’t allow for multiple storage units on the floor.

Of course, I could’ve gone and bought one of those shelf stands that are made to fit over the toilet, but I wanted a clean look. And for the cost of one of those units (a good quality one) I didn’t want the hassle of having to replace it in a year due to rust from the bathroom humidity. There was also the option of purchasing shelving from the hardware store, but for the look I wanted, the selections available were priced at about $20 per shelf. My diy shelves only cost around $35 total!

I started with a 2x8 piece of wood that was in my basement. This was also left over from renovations. It was the perfect sized depth for my wall space.

Step 1:

used a circular saw to cut the shelves to size.

-my shelves measure 22 ¼ inches long

Step 2:

sanded the wood, first with a 60 grit (course) and then with 150 grit (fine) sandpaper

-Yes, I sanded these by hand…I don’t have an electric sander. Not yet, anyway!

Step 3:

stained the shelves on each side and all edges

-I used Minwax penetrating stain in Ebony. It is a very dark stain, almost black to match the vanity cabinet.

Step 4:

sealed the stain with polycrylic in a satin finish

-I used the sealant on all surfaces as well. I did 2 coats, sanding in between each coat.

Step 5:

attached the shelves to the wall using shelf brackets, using drywall anchors in the wall.

- I did not have a second person around to hold the shelf while I attached it to the wall. So, I attached the brackets to the shelf first, then held it up to the wall to level and measure for the wall screws.

The last step was the most tedious because I was doing this on my own. I would recommend having a second person to help when attaching the shelves to the wall.

And here is the finished product!

I love that these diy shelves are custom fit to my space! If you're in the mood for a weekend project, this is a good one to tackle. And if you don't have wood laying around the house you can easily get a long wood board in any size you want at the hardware store. Some stores will even cut it for you!

Let me know what you think and if you would do this on your own. What would you have done differently? Thanks, and God bless!

Living Simply,

Mindy✿

Dual sided Mirrored Vanity Tray Diy

I get inspired in different ways to create décor pieces for my home. YouTube diy videos are one of the sources that sparks ideas for me. And, this project was inspired by a you tuber who created a mirrored tray. Her tray was uniquely different from other mirrored tray projects I had seen. She used a wired ribbon to create a tray border.

When I saw her video, I knew I had just the thing to create my own version of a mirrored tray. You won’t believe what I repurposed (from home renovation scraps) to create this tray. And, I even took it a step further and made this a dual-purpose project that only cost me $3. I am so happy with how this came out, and it’s a great addition to my dresser.

Here’s what I did…

I started with these supplies

-2 framed mirrors

- wall decal

- gold thumb tacks

- gold spray paint

- a vinyl corner bead (used in construction to reinforce drywall corners)

- heavy duty scissors

- ruler

Step 1: measured the vinyl to fit the outer edge of the frames and cut to size

-You end up with 2 long pieces and 2 shorts

Step 2: cut 2 mitered corners on each piece of vinyl

-I cut each angle inward to create a 45 degree angle

Step 3: spray painted the frames in metallic gold

Step 4: glued the frames back to back, after reassembling the framed mirrors

-I used super glue for this step, but I think even hot glue would do

Step 5: I added the wall decal to the mirror that would be the bottom of the tray

-I initially put the decal on the wrong way (lol), but I fixed it later

Step 6: attached the vinyl bead to the frame using the thumb tacks

-I attached the tacks to the center hole (alternating each hole) on the straight edged side. I did this around the entire frame. 

Step 7: attached gold beaded ribbon (using hot glue) to each corner to cover up the jagged edges

Step 8: attached flat glass gems on the bottom mitered corners using hot glue

And here is the result. A dual purpose mirrored vanity tray/ framed mirror décor!

I am totally loving the look of this. I plan on using this as a tray for now, but I have the option of simply turning it over and using it as décor. I hope this inspires you to create your own unique décor piece. Let me know what you think. And until next time, thanks and God bless!

Living Simply,

Mindy✿