I know you all want to enjoy a weekend off from cleaning, but this might just inspire you to action! Did you know that dusting your baseboards with a dryer sheet helps to repel dust? (Me neither!) Well, check out this article over on Apartment Therapy. . . and then get to cleaning those baseboards! (I love, love, love their suggestion to attach your dryer sheet to a Swiffer Sweeper . . . brillant!)
Can you tell I’m a little excited about this one? 
I went to lunch with a few sweet friends last week, and handed them money to go purchase stuff at Hobby Lobby so we could do a little “Pinteresting”. (We all love Pinterest, but want to actually make some of the stuff we see!) When I called one friend a few hours later to ask what we were making, she didn’t want to tell me because she was afraid it would be too much for me (it’s a little more bold than my usual subtle fluff ups!) But, it turned out so stinkin’ cute, and I think it would be so fun to make even for a baby shower (wouldn’t that be fun?) Here’s what we did . . .
They purchased the frame, initial, flower and tablecloth (found in the wedding section) from Hobby Lobby. The ribbon & glitter was leftover from previous projects.
We wrapped the tablecloth around the frames (ahem, my friend Misty wrapped it around for me because I apparently didn’t leave enough “poof” when I tried to do it myself), and then tied the ends using a rubber band to make a scrunched up poof to place the flower on. (Can you tell I’m not much of a crafter? I have no idea how to explain it exactly, but the rubber band worked!)
To brighten up the initial a little bit, we added glitter (which doesn’t show well in the picture, but it really makes a difference when you can see it in person!) We then used a glue gun to attach the flower, and hung the ribbon for the monogram and door hanger from glue gun that we attached to the wood frame. (Getting down to the wood to attach it was difficult, but I’m not sure it would stay if you didn’t have something hard to attach it to!)
Since I don’t have the cute black door that my friend Susan does, it looks a little out of place on my plain old wood door. Instead here mine is hanging inside our front door (both my girls want it for their bedrooms . . .)
Have you made fluffed up anything new in your home this week? Check out my favorite ideas over on Pinterest (you can follow me under ppennypincher if you’d like to get started . . . I love that place!) If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)
Check out previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing.
My spice cabinet has been a mess for months . . . despite several attempts to re-organize. Because I’m such the penny-pincher, I’ve refused to spend any moo-lah on items that could better organize my spices, which has led to crazy disaster every night as I start to cook!
Finally, as I was cooking this week and got knocked in the head by a pie plate (yup, it was that bad), I decided that this was just ridiculous. (Seriously!) You see, we’ve been married for almost sixteen years, and I’ve never done anything to make this mess better. . . I’ve tidied it, but there was just no system in place! So yesterday I ran to Walmart and spend $30 on a few items to Fluff it Up. (Why on earth did I wait so long?) Here are the results . . .
I found a 12-pack of Ball canning containers for $7, and purchased plastic lids to match for the tops. I added my more frequently used baking products to those (things like baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, yeast packets, etc.) I also purchased a few racks to give me extra space, and baskets for the top to keep all of our cookie cutters & cake decorating items in (I’ve made every single birthday cake for my kiddos, so I have quite a stash of goodies up there!) My favorite purchase were little tiny Ball canning jars that are just perfect for a few seasoning mixes I keep on hand – cinnamon sugar, homemade Ranch dressing mix, and Italian Seasonings. (They’re so cute, but you can hardly see them – they’re hiding just behind the powdered sugar shaker!)
This Christmas, my brother-in-law convinced me to purchase a nicer computer and it has made a huge difference in my productivity on PPP in 2012. (I spent my first year blogging on a $300 netbook . . . it was just awful!) I’ve started to realize that sometimes (when you can afford too!), spending a little money to purchase items that make you work more efficiently is just worth it. And you can imagine the amount of time that I’ve spent searching for spices in that mess up top has definitely hurt my productivity! So, while I don’t want to spend too much on things I don’t need, I do think it’s okay to splurge every once in awhile on things that will make me more effective in my work (which is cooking for my family!) Especially since I saved enough money in my grocery budget this week to splurge on it . . . yayyyyy!
Have you made fluffed up anything new in your home this week? Check out my favorite ideas over on Pinterest (you can follow me under ppennypincher if you’d like to get started . . . I love that place!) If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)
Check out previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing.
Did you know that you can write on any glass surface with a dry erase marker, and it will wipe clean? (I’m betting you knew that, but maybe needed a reminder like me!) I saw a few ideas over on Pinterest where creative geniuses used simple frames as a way to write notes to surprise their loved ones, daily to-do lists, and even menu plans, and couldn’t believe that I hadn’t figured that one out yet!
My kids (especially my middle daughter) are list freaks. (Maybe they get it from their momma?) I can give them the same to-do list verbally exactly eighty-two times, and somehow their ears never manage to hear it. (How does that happen?) But, take a few minutes to create a list, and my kids know what to do without me reminding them for an hour!
So, I just made a quick list of what they needed to do before they could play outside after school (which is their ultimate favorite thing to do each day), and their work was completely pretty quickly. (And yes, they had a hard time reading my handwriting too . . . I think I spend so much time typing these days that I’ve just about forgotten how to use a pen!)
Dry erase markers also work great to write on ordinary plates. I was about to try writing a verse on this white plate last night when my eleven-year-old Jackson beat me to the dry erase marker . . .
Here are a few other fun dry erase ideas . . .
Menu Boards from Little Birdie Secrets
Free “I love you today because . . . ” printable download from Creative Juices perfect for Valentine’s Day!
A dry-erase calendar from The Aesthetic Writer using paint chips (how clever is that?)
Have you made fluffed up anything new in your home this week? Check out my favorite ideas over on Pinterest (you can follow me under ppennypincher if you’d like to get started . . . I love that place!) If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)
Check out previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing.
I’ve spent the whole week so inspired by last week’s laundry room fluffin’ up, that I was ready to take on a new disaster today! 
I literally have walked by that laundry room and smiled every single time that I peek in, and believe it or not it still looks just as tidy and organized as I shared in the pictures last week. (WOW!)
So, because having a plan for my organization seemed to made such a difference in the laundry room, I’m hoping it’ll also work in this closet that always seems to overwhelm me. One of these days I’m going to show you a picture of the organized before pics of my house . . . I know you all won’t believe this, but most of our really doesn’t always look like a disaster (really. . . trust me on this one!)
So, here’s the (very scary) before pic . . .
I told you it was frightening in there, and believe it or not, I clean it out pretty frequently!
And here we are all tidied up with new baskets (I believe I just might have a new-found basket addiction.)
Here’s my daughter’s Play Do bin (that girl has enough play do to last us until she goes to college!)
And here’s everything all cleaned up!
These cabinets are right in our kitchen, so they’re the perfect place to keep my kids school & art supplies as they’re right next to the kitchen table. But as I’ve always been a penny pincher, I rarely allow myself the freedom to buy things (like baskets!) to organize with. As our family’s schedule has gotten increasingly busier the last few years though, my lack of organization in areas like this have just about made me nuts, so I think I may need to keep clipping those coupons so that I can spend more money on better ways to organize!
Have you made fluffed up anything in your home this week? Check out my favorite ideas over onPinterest (you can follow me under ppennypincher if you’d like to get started . . . I love that place!) If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)
Check out previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing.
I’m going to just go right ahead and share our dirty laundry (quite literally!) here today. I’ve spent the last five years detesting our laundry room, because it felt like there just wasn’t any hope for a cute-”Pinterested” laundry room. It’s tiny, and hidden away from just about everything as it’s upstairs, so we’ve had no motivation to do anything with it. (My husband looked at my laundry room board on Pinterest, and said “you know, those aren’t laundry rooms, those are living rooms!”)
But, I finally decided mine could be so much better than what it was (right?) Here’s what I’ve looked at for way too long (and I just went right ahead and took the pic in spite of the mass chaos . . . yikes!)
And here’s what it looks like after about five hours of work this week and $125. (It could have been done for way less moo-lah, but I decided to splurge a little on the baskets at Target. . . .)
I found the paint at Lowe’s for $5 in their mis-matched paint bin (always watch those bins!), and purchased the baskets for $20 each at Target (which was way too much, but they were so perfect!) The verse was at Hobby Lobby in their vinyl lettering section, and I used a 40% off coupon, which made it $14. All my bargain Tide, Resolve, and Publix Bleach are now safely stored up above in the baskets, and you don’t see them . . . WOOHOO! (The wreath was actually hanging in a different spot in our home and I’m not sure that I love it, but I’m hoping to find a spring colored wreath in the after-Easter clearance sales.)
I even took a few minutes to cut my fabric softener sheets in half (half works just as well as one, and is a great way to pinch an extra penny!)
I’ve actually kept it this clean since Tuesday (wooohoo!), and am amazed at the difference that having an organized area to work in makes. I even purchased tons of plastic hangers, which are just complete luxury. (I know that sounds nuts, but I’ve never purchased a hanger in my life! I finally got tired though of fighting wire hangers, so I decided that at this point in my life they were worth the splurge.)
Obviously the biggest change in the laundry room was getting the laundry done, and more importantly, put away. I hadn’t really ironed in over six months, so all those clothes had just about taken over. Last Sunday I took my laptop to the laundry room, put on a free Amazon Prime movie, and worked for a solid 2 1/2 hours just ironing (eek!) Here’s the conclusion that I came to: I can procrastinate as much as I want, but the ironing takes as long to do today as it does if I wait and do it in two weeks, or even six months. So, I’m determining to keep on top of this, because I never want to see that mess again!
Have you made fluffed up anything in your home this week? Check out my favorite ideas over on Pinterest (you can follow me under ppennypincher if you’d like to get started . . . I love that place!) If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)
Check out previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing.
This post is linked up at to “I’m Lovin’ It” On A Tidy Mom’s Blog.
Note: This would NOT be a great project with very young children as they could swallow the magnets. Mine are all old enough to handle it, but do be careful with the magnets!
I have three beautiful, smart, amazing children. But so far, at least two of those three have a tough time with spelling (I’m holding out hope for my youngest . . . surely she’s got to have a few spelling genes!) As someone who’s always been able to spell (well, at least most of the time . . .) I just don’t get it, and, if you have a child who struggles with spelling, you know my frustration.
So, I’m always looking for new ways to make spelling more fun at our house. (Because, it’s really, really, not. fun. at. all. In fact, if you or have a kiddo who doesn’t naturally spell, my heart soooooo goes out to you; I wish I could give you a hug right now!) A friend of mine though saw a cute idea on how to make photo magnets over on Pinterest, so I decided we could make a few magnets using letters to make spelling time a little more fun at our house!
For the record, my sweet husband isn’t a natural speller either, and now he’s an engineer. SURELY we’ll survive this spelling thing, right?
Here’s what we used . . .
I found the glass discs in the floral department at Hobby Lobby for $2.99. The magnets were also at Hobby Lobby, and then I just used my Cricut Cutter to create letters. (You could also purchase stickers which would have been much easier, I just couldn’t find any that I liked!) The best glue to use is E-6000
Have you made any fun crafts this week? Check out my favorite ideas over on Pinterest (you can follow me under ppennypincher if you’d like to get started . . . I love that place!) If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)
Check out previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing.
My girls and I made these simple monograms for their doors before Christmas, and they loved getting to “make” their own! They were so simple to make, and a fun little frivolous fluff up that they both love.
Here’s what you’ll need to get started . . .
Just cut your scrapbook paper down to size, then using modge podge glue it to the letter.
To make the paper sturdier, modge podge the top of the scrap book paper too . . .
Even your littler ones may be able to help . . .
Have you made any fun crafts this week? Check out my favorite ideas over on Pinterest (you can follow me under ppennypincher if you’d like to get started . . . I love that place!) If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)
Check out previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing.
I love (love, love, love!) this idea from Life with Both Hands Full that I found over on Pinterest! So, of course, I had to try it. I have exactly the same pantry, but even if you don’t have this pantry you could add this to your kitchen cabinets . . . I love the idea of adding it to my baking supply cabinet and will be adding it there next!
When I saw the idea initially I thought it used chalkboard paint, which I thougth would be cute, but also a bigger project than I was up for today. But, when I saw in used chalkboard contact paper (brilliant!), I knew I had to try it.
(I have to confess: I have a contact paper addiction . . . when my hubby & I were first married I wallpapered the kitchen walls with contact paper because I couldn’t handle how ugly they were. It peeled right off when it was time to move! I wouldn’t recommend this because there’s no guarantee it will peel off, but I got lucky and it made a really ugly kitchen pretty cute. )
Here’s what you’ll need . . .
Have you made any fun crafts this week? Check out my ideas over on Pinterest (you can follow me under ppennypincher if you’d like to get started . . . I love that place!) If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)
Check out previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing.
Do you love crafting? There’s a new Crafting website called Craftsy Crafting Daily Deals that offers daily bargains on crafting supplies, as well as tips on beautiful crafts! Their yarns and fabrics are amazing, plus you can check out their blog for tips on homemade crafts. I hadn’t seen this site before, but it’s worth taking a few minutes to sign up and check it out!
If you’re looking for a way to inexpensively fluff up your home for Christmas, consider bringing fresh greenery in from your back yard! I fluffed up our dining room in about ten minutes yesterday, and think it’s by far the easiest, most frugal way to bring the Christmas Spirit right into your home.
Read my tips on getting started over HERE, but really, just go trim some greenery and get to fluffing!
Welcome to Passionate Penny Pincher! I’m Laurie, a stay-at-home mom to three kiddos, ages 4, 8 and 11, and have been married to my husband James for fifteen years. I became a "passionate" penny pincher about six years ago when I started using … [Read More...]
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