Sprucing Up Your Space :: Quarantine Edition

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Growing up, my big sister and I were total opposites when it came to our bedrooms. Hers was messy, mine was neat. She rarely made her bed, I always made mine (mainly just to annoy her)! I wanted everything color-coordinated and periwinkle, she wasn’t as picky. But somehow the tables turned once we hit our 30’s.

She’s suddenly incredible at sprucing up any space–so much so, that I constantly ask her interior design advice for my own home. Especially once the COVID-19 quarantine hit and we were stuck at home indefinitely, I decided I detested something in almost every room of our house! So my husband and I started painting: the living room, the pantry, the hallway . . . and the home overall progressed from there. I couldn’t have given our home a refresh without my sister’s brilliant advice, so I asked her to share some quarantine refresh tips to you all, too. 

Let me introduce you to the best big sister in the world, Alieta! Take it away, Sis!

Easy, Inexpensive Decorating Updates

So, we’ve had three months to sit around and stare at our homes. If you’re like me, you came up with a few plans because you’re tired of staring at the same thing. Some of those plans are amazing, and some of those plans you bailed on because you don’t have access to a wrecking ball. I get it.

Here are three of my plans that actually made it to completion! If I can do these, then you can, too! No wrecking balls required.

Paint Something

I found a dresser on Facebook Marketplace. It was tan–and fine–but I wanted some *wow* in my quarantine life. So I painted it Sherwin Williams’ Greens and added marble drawer pulls from Hobby Lobby. It’s way more than fine now!

Photo cred: @alietatreasurehunting

Add Pattern

Let’s be realistic . . . putting up wallpaper can test even the strongest marriage. But I found a hack: wall stencils! I ordered the Ella Herringbone from Cutting Edge Stencils, and I did my kids’ entire playroom in no time. It was really easy, and it added the pattern I wanted without the stress or tears!

Photo cred: @alietatreasurehunting

Simplify Just One Area

Our computer died right before I sent out Christmas cards last December. I know this because I couldn’t access any of my addresses that were on said computer. But guess what was still sitting on my desk last week? My dead computer. It was surrounded by stacks of school papers, advertisements, and any other item that didn’t have a home.

I considered the wrecking ball, but instead, I took ALL THE THINGS off the desk (and out of the drawers) and tossed, sold, or donated them. Then I removed the top hutch part and created a drink station.

Since we’re all home all the time, we are in each other’s way a lot. This gives my coffee-drinking hubs, my tea-loving daughter, and my ice-obsessed sons space to create their drinks away from whatever I’m doing in the kitchen. It’s been fabulous and cost zero dollars. In fact, I made money on this project because I sold some of the things I found under the piles of stuff.

Photo cred: @alietatreasurehunting

It looks like we’ve got a little longer to stare at our walls, so we might as well make them pretty! Let me know if you try any of these simple projects . . . or if you find a wrecking ball!

1 COMMENT

  1. Julie, you write like a dream. Thank-you for sharing your big sister’s tips! Love them and you!

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