Tag Archives: diy

Baby Love

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Some parents (or expecting parents)  may seem concerned about the process of baby proofing a home that isn’t theirs, but if done correctly, it isn’t difficult at all.

Start off by talking to your landlord about the property. If your landlord has lived in the home before, they may be able to tell you which room would be best suited for the baby (i.e. if a room is too cold, or too noisy); this way, you’ll know which room you should focus on most. Though it’s really only an issue in older homes, find out what type of paint your landlord used to paint the walls in the home because lead paint has been proven to be harmful to babies. If your landlord did use a paint brand that contains lead, paint over it with a newer paint that won’t harm the baby.

Take a look at common household things that may pose a risk and fix them up so that your baby won’t be harmed. The cords on blinds can be extremely dangerous for babies (and young children) because they can easily get tangled in them and be strangled. An easy baby proofing fix for this is to tie and secure the cords high up so that there is absolutely no risk of the baby being able to reach them. If you use something like Command Hooks, you won’t have any wall damage leftover once the cords can be let down. As far as wall sockets, you can purchase covers that can’t be removed by babies at places like Home Depot, or even Target. For cabinets, buy locks that only you or other adults in your home can open. A lot of these are made of strong magnets or adhesive, so you won’t need to worry about repairing the cabinet when you move out. You may also want to consider snap on locks for cabinets; they cause no damage and are easy for you to install. These kinds of locks can also be installed on refrigerators and toilets.

Don’t think that because your home is a rental you can’t make it safe for your baby! Follow the right steps and safety will be ensured.

baby proof

Personalizing your space

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Recently, we talked about different things that a rental home has to offer that you can and can’t change (read it here), so we figured we’d bring you some tips that’ll help you customize your space and make it all your own.

Wall decor!!!! This includes sooooo many different things, so you’ll truly find something that’ll suit your personality. Pictures are cool because they allow you to get really personal and showcase the things that have real significance to you (like people and places). A cool way to arrange pictures is to use all kinds of different frames; it’ll add some flare to the room and isn’t expensive to do if you hit up your local thrift shops. Posters are also awesome! There are all kinds of posters available for all kinds of interests, so you’ll definitely find something you like. Plus, posters take up a pretty large space! Speaking of space…tapestries also take up toooons of space! They look great and can completely transform an entire room, all whilst taking up an entire wall. plants

Plants!!! Plants, real or fake, definitely add life to any room. You can have flowers, ferns, etc., the choice is yours. And, plants refresh and purify your air so they’ll have a benefit beyond just looking nice. If you have a certain theme or color scheme going on in your home, you can find plants that match this and make your home feel like it’s truly yours. Also, just like with picture frames, you can create a unique arrangement by combining a bunch of different pots for your plants.

Lighting is huge! Choose cool floor lamps that reflect your own style and can serve as conversation pieces, too. Lighting can change the entire mood of a room, so be sure to choose wisely! An easy way and inexpensive way to create some nice lighting is by adding christmas lights to a room; they can be put anywhere, and everyone can agree that they add a pretty touch.

 

Out of the Box: Using the right storage to maximize your rental space

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As someone who’s renting their home, you’re not exactly allowed to knock down some walls and make a new closet or alter your current storage situation. With that being said, you need to find other ways to maximize your space and storage.

Though no one admits it, a lot of us like to take the lazy way out and just accumulate storage bins in our garages or under our beds…bad solution!!! Storage bins do not have an aesthetic appeal, and ultimately take up a ton of space. It’s important to maximize functional spaces, like our closets, and even furniture. If organized correctly, closet space can go a veryyyyy long way, even for the smallest spots. If you have a pretty standard closet, you can get closet organizers/systems pretty much fully-equipped (check out The Container Store). If you have a smaller space, or want to customize it more than standard closet organizers, you can instill your own shelves and hanger units based on your precise storage needs.storage

As far as functional furniture, we all know Ikea is the bees knees. Have you ever seen Swedish storage!?! IT DOESN’T EXIST! That’s where Ikea comes in! Ikea makes furniture as functional as possible to take advantage of space, especially useful when your storage is very limited. You can switch our your storage bins for a sleek bed that has big built-in drawers. Even small things, like a coffee table that doubles as media storage, can make all the difference in your space.

Basically, if you organize and plan correctly, you can make a small space into the storage space of your dreams.