When we first moved into our home we were so excited to transform both the inside of the house and the yard.  Of course we didn't want to spend too much money unnecessarily so we did a lot of it ourselves.  Even though you may still need to spend money on things, doing it yourself can cut back on labor costs from hiring someone else to do it. Here are some DIY landscape ideas to make your yard and home look beautiful.

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Outfit of the Day: Feelin' Fall

Fall weather means Fall colors and patterns and that's why I'm obsessed with my kimono (the LuLaRoe Shirley).  It's sheer and has a gorgeous Fall floral theme on it.  The colors are perfect for Autumn.

This is a great look for cooler weather because if I get too hot I can just take the Shirley off. Underneath is just black leggings with a plain white tee.


What patterns do you wear in the Fall?

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How I Care for My Wood Floors

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 One of the most appealing things we noticed when we toured our potential new home (that we've now been in for over 2 years!) was the beautiful hardwood floors.  The owners had torn up the carpet only to discover the beautiful treasure underneath.  


Hardwood floors are great because as a pet owner, accidents do happen and it's much easier to clean them up right away from hardwood flooring than it is from carpet.   I also love that it's easy to vacuum them and fur and dust can't get embedded into carpet fibers.  And since we still like some carpeting, we just add simple area rugs, which can easily be replaced over the years.

Just look at how shiny and beautiful the floor was in our listing photos when we found the home!

But just because your house has hardwood floors doesn't mean you can just take it easy and never worry about them.  Hardwood floors need properly cared for so that they last a long time.  Spills need cleaned up right away and you can't use certain harsh chemicals on them.  Today I put together a few ways I take care of my hardwood floors so that you can do the same and enjoy a lifetime of luxury!

1. Be Mindful of Abrasive Items
Yes girl! Those stilettos are adorable but calm down because I've seen people dig and gouge their hardwood floors because they stomp around in party shoes.  Seriously though, if you have a pair of heels that's scratchy on the bottom because they are really worn in, it's not a good idea to wear those around the house.  Unless you want to replace or refinish the floors many times more than necessary, just wear gentle soft footwear or go barefoot.

2. Use Gentle Products
One of the downsides to using cleaning formulas on hardwood floors is the potential harm the chemicals can do to your pets.  So I always like choosing a plant based cleaner.  Better Life Floor Cleaner is amazing and has plant based ingredients so it's safer for kids and pets.  It uses grapefruit, peppermint, and bergamot extracts to clean and restore the natural shine of your floors without any harsh fumes.  It works on hardwood, tile, marble, bamboo, vinyl, laminate, and other sealed floors.  No streaks, no haze, and no rinsing necessary!  I love the smell it leaves behind too, much better than harsh chemical cleaner smells that I'm used to.

3. Vacuum Regularly
You want to keep dirt and grit from rubbing into the hardwood flooring over time so make sure you vacuum on a regular basis. And when you do, don't use the roller brush function!  I think the only pain with hardwood floors is that it's easier to see dog fur and hair, which is technically a good thing, because it means it's not getting embedded into your floor like it would if you had carpet.  But the only thing with that is that you see what I like to call tumbleweeds of dog fur. Stella has tumbleweeds that roll around the house.  They like to hide under furniture so make sure when you vacuum, you use the wand attachment to get into all of those hard to reach places.

4. Mind the Humidity
If you live in a climate where it gets very humid in summer, make sure you have a dehumidifier or that you are regularly running your AC.  Humidity can shrink flooring.  Most of us don't need to worry about this unless maybe you have hardwood flooring in the basement where it can get damp, or where water can get in from time to time when it rains really hard.   A dry floor is a happy floor!

5. Use Furniture Pads
If you keep furniture directly on the hardwood floors and the furniture has legs that come to a point and apply pressue, use funriture pads. They are great because they also prevent your furniture from slipping around.  And when moving furniture, use sliders underneath instead of dragging it along the hardwood.


If you take care of your wood floors, you will be especially glad in the longrun when they look beautiful year after year!


How do you take extra special care of your hardwood floors?

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Fall To Do List for Homeowners

Tis the season for cool breezes, crisp leaves, and pumpkin spice everything!  It's Fall and I love it!  However as a homeowner there are several things that should be done each year around this time to prepare for the cooler months and some things that it's just a good idea to do every few months anyways. So here is a list for all you homeowners!

[ ] Wash + Vacuum the Windows

Not only do you want clean windows for when you leave them open for a cool Fall breeze to come in, but it's finally not so sticky and humid out which means it's not an ordeal to wash the outsides of the windows (if you can reach all of them).  Wash the windows inside and out and then take a vacuum to the screen and the entire inside of the window sill.  No one wants those dead bugs and cobwebs hanging around!

[ ] Clean Out Gutters

If you are able to safely get on your roof or against your gutters to remove leaves and other debris, make sure you do so.  If not, it's not a good mix when it rains because your gutters can be clogged from a variety of things including leaves, twigs, nuts (from those pesky squirrels), and more.  Summer always has lots of storms that wash things down from the top of the roof so you'll find lots of interesting surprises I'm sure.

[ ] Trim Shrubs

After the summer, things are no longer blooming so it's always a good time to trim shrubs and bushes so that they are nice and pretty come Spring. 

[ ] Change Air Filters

Always change your home's air filters, it obviously helps with air quality and allergies, but it's also a great way to keep your heating/cooling system working better.

[ ] Clean Your Oven and Fridge

There's always so much entertaining in the summer so it's more than likely that your fridge and oven need a good scrub down.  Make sure you use the Self Cleaning option on your oven if you can.  This way everything will be ready for all the Fall festivities.

[ ] Clean Out Cupboards

Now's a great time to purge, reorganize, and donate any canned goods or dry goods you don't need.  Take everything out at once, then go through one by one and donate or pitch any expired items or items you no longer really need.  Then carefully refill your cupboards keeping them somewhat organized.  It's also a great time to take inventory of any staple ingredients you may need to restock.

[ ] Wash Baseboards and Vacuum Nooks & Crannies

Use a wet wipe or a rag with water or cleaning solution to wipe down baseboard heaters.   Also use the narrow nozzle attachment on your vacuum to go through the entire house, high and low and vacuum in things, under things, and around things to get any cobwebs, dust bunnies, fur balls, and crumbs.  Don't forget to vacuum vents!

[ ] Clean Bathrooms

Fall is the time of year for inside guests so be sure to scrub the counters, the tub, the floor, and clean out the toilet.  Also don't forget to wash your hand towels every 2 weeks.

[ ] Cover or Bring In Patio Furniture

If you have cushions on your patio furniture you may want to bring it in when you know that you'll no longer be outside a lot.  If you have covers for your furniture now's a good time to get them out and get them ready to put on.  

I'm sure there are plenty more things I could add but I tried to think of the less obvious ones than decorating for fall and raking leaves, hehe! Happy Fall!

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