DIY Bathroom Vanity Makeover with Behr Grey Paint

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August 15, 2022 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: DIY, Facebook, Frugal Living, Home Improvement, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media

Looking for a weekend home renovation project? Transform your entire space with this bathroom remodel on a budget was under $50. Thrifty DIY Bathroom Vanity Makeover Tutorial plus the Best Grey Paint Colors form Behr.

DIY Bathroom Vanity Makeover

Frugal times call for frugal measures. We have been crossing off our Older Home Improvement Renovations off one by one. When we purchased this one, we had a bathroom that wasn’t very updated and I knew could be improved with a quick weekend project.

Our chalk paint vanity was slowly looking like a 100 year old farmhouse bathroom vanity. I don’t mean in the best way. I mean 100 year old in the sense that this bathroom needs some tender loving care. It was time to paint or replace the bathroom vanity. To save money, we dedicated a weekend to painting an old bathroom vanity.

Refinishing your bathroom vanity cabinets is a thrifty way to bring your entire bathroom to life. It can be done for under $50 with only a few essential supplies.

Bathroom Vanity Makeover Supplies

These are the supplies we had on hand before beginning our Bathroom Vanity Makeover.

Materials:

Vanity/Cabinet
Paint/Primer (we used Behr Marquee Flint Grey Paint)
180-220 Grit sandpaper
Paint brush (Home Depot Best Seller Wooster 2 in. Paint Brush)
Vacuum
Tack cloth
Screw driver/screw gun

When refinishing your bathroom vanity cabinets, also consider:

New cabinet hardware or hardware paint like Rust-Oleum All Surface Metallic Oil Rubbed Bronze Spray Paint and Primer in One.

The paint was about $35 and we actually had the rest of the bathroom makeover supplies. However, if you are in need of a some materials your will hit closer to the $50 threshold.

Refinishing Your Bathroom Vanity Cabinets

Follow these steps to update a bathroom vanity with paint.

First, clean your vanity/cabinet by scrubbing it with a sponge, dish soap and water and let dry.

Remove your cabinet doors, drawers and hardware with a screw driver or screw gun if you can. Label your doors and drawers do you know where they go.

Sand your vanity/cabinet with the grain of the wood.

Vacuum dust and paint from sanding.

Use a tack cloth to wipe the vanity/cabinet.

What is a tack cloth? A tack cloth is a specialized type of loosely woven cheesecloth that is treated with a tacky material for wiping away dust and fine particles.

Tape around your edges. Tape near the counter top, walls, white trim baseboard and flooring.

Paint a primer on your cabinet (my cabinet was painted white prior so I skipped this step) and let dry overnight.

Paint the doors and drawers on your cabinet and let dry. Then paint the rest of the cabinet. (My drawers were not removable, if yours are you can paint both at the same time) and let dry for at least 4 hours.

Paint a second coat on the doors, drawers and cabinet and let dry overnight.

Reattached the doors, drawers and add new hardware. If you don’t want to buy new hardware, you can always re-paint the ones you had. A great hardware paint is Rust-Oleum All Surface Metallic Oil Rubbed Bronze Spray Paint and Primer in One (comes in many colors.)

Behr Grey Paint Colors

Take a look at the best Behr grey paint for bathrooms. For our bathroom makeover, we used Behr Flint Gray Paint, but there are many beautiful shades of gray for vanities, walls, etc.

Part of Behr 2020 Color Trends in the grey paint called Battleship Gray. The Behr 2020 Color Trends palette was inspired by natural elements such as sky, earth, water and plant life.

Best Gray Paint Colors

Looking for a warm gray, dark gray, a light gray? There are so many different shades of grey.

We found more popular gray paint colors from Behr. Paint your dinning room, living room, kitchen or renovate your bathroom in one weekend too!

Grey or Gray

I felt a need to quick address this! You will see me use the two variations of gray and grey on this post. Gray is American spelling while Grey is British spelling. Depending on how Behr identified the color, was the version I picked up. Google will identify and interchange for you both colors when doing your own internet search.

Our Pinterest community and I would love to see how this worked out for you. Share your final bathroom vanity makeover or a space where you painted gray paint. Leave a comment and/or add a photo here on Pinterest!

Do not forget our Older Home Improvement Hacks & DIY Renovations. We love this photo (below) from Joanna Gaines who had an older green bathroom that could not be painted or changed. A few touches and the bathroom is chic and enjoyable. Pin to Pinterest.

Also enjoy these Bathroom Storage Solutions for Small Spaces. When redesigning your bathroom, take into account some of these bathroom hacks and transform your entire space! Pin to Pinterest.

WHAT’S TRENDING? Looking for a few engaging activities? Grab Minute to Win it Games – Traditional, Holiday, Group, and more! Use these fun activities in the office, classroom, or at your next birthday party.

Pirate Party Ideas

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June 28, 2022 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Birthday, Crafts, Facebook, Home Improvement, Instagram, Party, Pinterest, Social Media

Mmmm, me hearties! Want to throw a fun pirate-themed birthday party? Take a look at some of the best pirate party ideas for kids. Enjoy pirate party games, activities, party favors, pirate food, decorations, invitations and much more! Roll up your striped sleeves and talk like a pirate and give us your best growl. Let’s get started!

Ahoy, Matey! Are you searching for tips on throwing the best pirate birthday party ever? You’re in luck. We’ve found cute cakes and creative desserts that’ll satisfy any little pirate’s sweet tooth. We’ve also rounded up some simple ideas for décor and fun pirate-themed activities for the kids (and adults) to try. From printable pirate hats to pirate ship hot dogs any scurvy seafarer would love, you will find loads of inspiration to make your little buccaneer beam with pride on their big day.

How to Throw a Pirate Party

In this huge list of pirate party ideas, we focus on keeping it low cost and DIY. I am not talking about the DIY that creates the Pinterest Mom. I am talking about the busy mom that doesn’t want to break the bank when it comes to your child’s birthday party (unless you have a rather large pot of gold.)

When it comes to throwing low-cost pirate party, focus on these main ideas.

The Food
The Cake/Cupcakes
The Décor
The Pirate Games & Activities

If you can check off each of these areas, you probably have pulled your party together. Full bellies create happy people. It can be simple from goldfish crackers, to hot dogs, to pretzels.

Pirate party decorations can easily be collected online, from items you have at home (raid your Halloween décor), or by visiting The Dollar Tree.

Lastly, a memorable party includes activities. Otherwise you have a bunch of crewmates twiddling thumbs (if they have any left form the crocodile bites.) Make sure you download and print this incredibly helpful list of Pirate Party Activities and Ideas.

This includes a supply list and game instructions – trust me, you will thank me later. You might even send me a chocolate gold coin as a token of thanks.

Don’t walk the plank – let the pirate party remain on deck. Put the play in the party plan and have fun!

Pirate Cakes and Desserts

If you’d like to tackle making a homemade birthday cake, try this modern pirate party cake tutorial. The printable toppers and simple candy decorations (jelly beans, rock candy, Red Vines, and Hershey’s nuggets) are what make this design doable for just about anyone. Even if you’re not a cake decorating pro, you can pull off a similar cake. | Hostess with the Mostess

Speaking of easy cakes, these pirate cupcake toppers are super easy to recreate, too. Gold chocolate coins, sugar wafers, Hershey’s nuggets, and a few other confections are used to recreate pirates or pirate treasure. Frankly, these ideas are pretty genius! | It’s Always Autumn

Rice Krispies Treats are always welcome at parties, and these pirate treasure chests are outstanding! The rock candy (or broken jolly ranchers) looks like sparkling gems, and the edible pearls are a nice touch, too. These pirate treats will look incredible on your dessert table paired with an adorable pirate napkin. | Crayons and Cravings

Add these pirate flag cookies to the dessert spread or a delicious snack. You can even put them in cellophane bags with a black or red ribbon to send home with the guests as party favors. This is your basic sugar cookie decorated in a simple and fun way. For an added touch, decorate this area and your pirate food tablescape with accessories like bead necklaces and chocolate gold coins. | In the Kids Kitchen

More Pirate Party Food

No pirate theme party is complete without goldfish crackers. That is a quick and easy buy at the grocery store. However, if your child or attendees have gluten or dairy allergies, these homemade goldfish are a wonderful alternative. | Strength & Sunshine

Speaking of easy pirate party food, this beach snack recipe is perfect for your celebration. It is so quick and easy. Our seasoned oyster crackers and goldfish are phenomenal at pool and would be perfect for a pirate birthday gathering, too. | Frugal Coupon Living

Party food should be easy. After all, you’ll be busy entertaining! It could get any easier than these yummy pirate ship hot dogs with cute flags on top. | Pizzazzerie

Wet your whistle with pretty, blue pirate party punch. It’s made with Hawaiian punch, Sprite, and grape juice. | Hostess with the Mostess

This post has lots of creative ideas for pirate party foods, like the pirate peg legs, which are really just large pretzel rods. | Mother’s Niche

Pirate Party Décor

Make your own free pirate party invitation with this skull crossbones pirate map and your favorite photo editor. It’s really easy to do! | Fleece Fun

Message in a bottle…. (I hope you are singing The Police song.) Don’t worry, no SOS to the world in this message. Try these party invitations in a bottle. They have that sea-faring pirate feel and will likely be the most memorable party invite your child’s friends ever get! You can grab a set of miniature glass bottles here or check out the Dollar Store for low-cost pirate party accessories and pirate party decoratoins. | Becks & Avi

Drag out your Halloween costumes and decorations for the pirate party. A Halloween pirate party can be fun, but you can do this year around. Dress up a skeleton in an eyepatch, a pirate hat, and some swanky jewelry for a lively addition to the party. | Biscuits N’ Crazy

Grab epic photos with this pirate party photo booth made with recycled cardboard, paint, and a few other simple materials. | Red Ted Art

Pirate Party Games and Activities

Ready for some fun?! We have the best Pirate Party games! Download and print these 12 Pirate Themed Party Games with a Pirate Scavenger Hunt Treasure Map.

Provide these free pirate printable headbands for everyone to don when they arrive at the party or let the kids make their own as a fun party activity. Even the adults can get in on the fun (I mean unless they are booorrring and don’t want to – arrgghhh), so they have something pirate-y to wear. Talk about a budget-friendly quick and easy pirate costume.| Simple Everyday Mom

You don’t have to spend a small fortune and use all your gold coins for the birthday boy or girl to dress like a pirate on the big day. Instead, use some endlessly useful duct tape to make an eye patch, shirt stripes, and a pretty impressive swashbuckling sword. | Crafts by Amanda

Beg friends or save these for weeks in advance. Make some DIY pirate telescopes using toilet paper or paper towel roll . This create a cheap party craft and activity or have them ready beforehand for the kids to play with once they arrive. Use cardboard tubes decorated with black and gold paint (or duct tape) to make these in a cinch. | The Imagination Tree

Set up a plank over a shallow kiddie pool and have kids “walk the plank” to win prizes. This game will be a tremendous hit, but have towels ready just in case anyone falls off the plank! | DIY Inspired

Have a treasure hunt! This one was in a big sand pit, but you can use the same concept to hide treasure in a small sandbox or anywhere around your house or venue. X marks the spot! | Toddler Approved

Build your own Captain Hook ring toss following the instructions here. If you’re not really strong in the DIY department, it doesn’t have to be quite as fancy. Use painted foam board, plastic cups, hooks, and lightweight rings for tossing. Peter Pans and kids at heart will have fun with this pirate birthday party game. | Fleece Fun

Finally, make these adorable handprint pirates for the kids to save as keepsakes from the party. You’ll need paper, googly eyes, pencils, markers, and scissors. Set up a crafting area for the kids to trace their handprints and decorate them like pirates using the colors and materials they prefer. | Simple Everyday Mom

Get your crew to the deck and get ready to have an amazing celebration! Pin this list of pirate party ideas so you’ll have it handy before the big day arrives.

We loved a good themed party. Take a look look a more fun birthday party ideas for boys and girls.

You can keep parties small or even celebrate small celebrations every six months. Take a look at these…

Vibey Lights | Cool Lighting Effects for the Ultimate Neon Room

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June 22, 2022 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Home Improvement, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media

Neon hue is the new you! Get inspired by Vibey Lights and Cool Lighting Effect for the Ultimate Neon Room. From the living room, to the bedroom, the stairwell and more, enjoy these Neon Lights for every vibey room!

Neon Room Lights

Hey there! Millennial here. Millennial mom raising Gen Z -ers with the influence of Pinterest and TikTok.

If your teenager has discovered millions of personalized short videos on TikTok, chances are they are itching for cool lighting effects for their vibey room. Far from the decorating style of yester-years, todays kids are all about color-drenched lighting for majorly moody looks.

We have everything to inspire millennial moms (who hold the budget) by low cost LED light room ideas to create Vibey Lights. These Neon Rooms get the spotlight and there are so many cool lighting effects to give you inspiration for your room.

Reinvent your bedroom with influence especially from Gen Z. Neon rooms will get the spotlight! View the best aesthetic rooms – from bare walls to bright lights, these purples, blues and pinks. The ideas bring together the best aesthetic bedroom design – lets go!

LED Light Cloud DIY

Audrey Jane Art on Pinterest has a beautiful cloud window display. These LED Light Clouds are actually very easy to make, you can follow this glow in the dark light cloud tutorial. They offer a fun texture to your space.

Neon Living Room

Oh my goodness, I love a moody living room. This neon living room has a fabulous contrast neon hot lips nixed with the dark teal walls. Toss in some contrasting throw pillows and viola – vibey living room space is complete! Be sure to look at the before. See more about Neon Lights on Etsy. | Audenza

Custom Neon Sign

Neon Signs custom to your taste say everything with no words. Add your name, your mantra, a special date or an inspirational message neon light. This custom neon sign can hold up to 256 characters for under $50. Best of all, this personalized neon light has over 200 reviews and is a neon signs for room Etsy best seller. What neon light with a motivational message do you wish to get?

Neon-Lit Mirror

Aesthetic bedrooms need a blue light! Illuminate your space with an ethereal glow when you lean this arched Neon Lit Mirror from Urban Outfitters. against the wall and bask in its light. Full-length mirror with LED lights topped with rounded top edge makes your getting ready routine so glam. Backlighting emitted from the upper curve tosses a glow on the back wall.

Hollywood Mirror

Turn a free standing floor mirror into a Hollywood Mirror with this LED Vanity Light Strip. The mirror will lights up your entire room and casts natural and even lighting to your face for perfect makeup. This shag rug is an excellent neutral touch. | Source Unknown

Indie Vibey Room

Tapestries, collages, and pink, blue and purple will create the vibe of an Indie Room. Frame something important with Muliticolor Changing Flexible LED Rope Lights like a neon feel-good sign, photo collage, or a picture frame. Adding a light strip under the bed also makes it feel like the bed is floating. | Source

Night Sky Projector for Vibey Room

Easily turn your living space into a galaxy display with this Night Sky Projector for room. Unwind in a soothing sensory environment. Add neon lights for room ceiling using a light strip help up with Command Clear Hooks. | Source Unknown

Neon Bedroom Wall Lights

Add a low cost Mandala Tapestry to the wall and light strips to create this LED light room. It’s low cost and incredibly affordable to create a space full of character and finish under $50. Alternatively, grab a smart light bulb to change the glow of the color in your bedroom. | Source

Color Changing LED Strip Lights

This item truly feeds into the TikTok aesthetic and VSCO-esque mood everyone is living for at the moment. Line the wall LED color changing light strip to change the mood. Stick and border these light strips around your walls, your headboard, and even your closet space, making your room radiate different colors in the dark. Just add an aesthetic photo collage kit for cute wall décor. Instant artwork! | Society 19

Himalayan Salt Lamp

An easy light that takes no work is a Himalayan Salt Lamp. No only do you get a really cool neon room aesthetic, Pink Himalayan salt is known for its therapeutic health and air purifying properties. Rock lamps are said to emit a stream of negative ions which can purify the air against allergens and pollutants to relieve stress. | Source

Neon Signs for Room

Say it all with a multi-color cinema box led light. A marquee lightbox offers a creative way to express yourself. Simply slide in letters to make your own LED light signs and messages. | Urban Outfitters (No longer available, but find neon signs for room on Amazon. )

Neon Tube LED

This LED light is designed to look like a neon tube and I have seen nothing like it. It’s colorful glow enables you to create a dramatic atmosphere in any space by hanging it or leaving it standing upright against a wall. | Hay (Similar is this Color Changing Corner Lamp on Amazon.)

Light Strip on Stairs

Transform the entrance to a basement by adding a colored light strip on the stairs. You can add the light strip to a timer so that it goes on when the sun sets and off when the sun rises. Perhaps these steps lead to a cool Blue LED lights bedroom. | Ambiance Lighting for You

Neon Lights for Wall

Cloud Light Neon Signs and adorable Lightning Shape neon lights for wall can add cute touches to teenage bedroom decor. Find more LED light signs on Amazon. | Source Unknown

Gen-Z Bedroom Design

Hey Millennials! Looking for Gen-Z Bedroom Design? Check out these Teenage Bedroom Ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Neon Light Bedrooms

And of course if you are Looking for Neon Light Bedrooms, you will want to look at our Upcycled Christmas Lights for plenty of low cost ideas – from fairy string lights, photo lights and Christmas string lights – enjoy the ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Dorm Room

Of course take many of these ideas to the dorm room. Headed to college, you will love the Dorm Room Décor ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

18 Jungle Party Ideas for the Best Safari Party Ever

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May 31, 2022 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Birthday, Crafts, Facebook, Home Improvement, Instagram, Party, Pinterest, Social Media

It’s a jungle out there! Don’t get lost in the overgrown vines preparing for this special occasion. Enjoy these easy jungle party ideas and safari themed birthday party inspiration. Overlap the two for the best birthday party for your child. Get the wild party started.

So, you’re planning a party for your little monkey, and you’ve decided on a jungle or safari theme. Great idea! This is a popular theme for many reasons—it’s super cute, easy to pull off yourself, and can be pretty affordable if you do most of the décor and food yourself.

In this post, we’ll share lots of ideas that will help make your child’s birthday party a roaring success. From animal-inspired decorations to fun games and activities, we have everything you need to plan the perfect jungle-themed celebration. So get ready to unleash your inner adventurer and let the festivities begin!

Jungle Party Cake Ideas

Whether you’re throwing a cute party for your baby or toddler or a more sophisticated bash, these leaf printables jungle cupcake toppers will fit right in. They’re stylish without being over-the-top “cute” and can take cupcakes from “meh” to “amazing” in minutes with cute palm leaves and tigers. | Oh Happy Day

This colorful jungle-themed birthday cake will dazzle on any dessert table. Adorable safari animals and trees surround the bottom layer of the cake, while animal tracks adorn the top layer, along with the child’s age. You’ll find loads more ideas here, like the animal cookie sandwiches, banana pudding for monkeys, and some charming cupcakes with fondant animal toppers. | Roxy’s Kitchen

Want to DIY a cake yourself? It’s super easy to do. Make a basic two-tiered chocolate cake, and add some jungle animal figurines to the top. With jungle animal toys (or safari animals), it’s pretty simple, but it still looks professional and polished. | Kara’s Party Ideas

Safari Birthday Party Food

You’ll find so many cute jungle party foods here, from the snake sandwich, to the lion hummus, to the adorable cupcakes. Even the zebra bites and tiger tales are magazine worthy (and drool worthy). All of the ideas are simple to execute. Don’t make the ideas complicated with a jungle recipe, run to subway and let the sandwich artist do this meat, cheese and bread laying. You just add the pretty decor. | Chelsea’s Messy Apron

How amazing are these zebra chocolate covered strawberries? While they look difficult to make, they’re actually quite easy by dipping the strawberries in white chocolate first and then dipping the tip in milk chocolate while drizzling some up the “nose” using a spoon to create stripes. | Arts Crackers

Offer a healthy option that’s still cute and fun, like these jungle fruit and veggie trees. Carrot sticks and celery make excellent tree trunks, while apple or pear slices are the perfect leaves. | Honey and Lime

Here’s another healthy snack that’s sure to make the kids smile—tiger cub cuties. Draw the faces on with a Sharpie or a food-safe marker if you have concerns about the permanent marker. | Pen Lights to Pacifiers

Set up a jungle display on your buffet party table by weaving faux greenery throughout the dishes on your table. Include a mix of meats, veggies, and kid-friendly fare like pinwheels and sandwiches. | Catch My Party

Jungle Party Décor Ideas

With some cute safari animals (think giraffes, elephants, zebras, and tigers) and a few inexpensive jungle party supplies from Dollar Tree, you can make fabulous centerpieces for your jungle-themed party for just a few bucks each. These low-cost party decorations make cute party favors too. | Drugstore Divas

Put these animal party cups together to hold snacks like popcorn, candy, or individual cups of veggies and dip. You’ll need craft paper, glue, and scissors to transform your cups into monkeys, giraffes, or parrots themed treats. | Makes and Takes

Every detail of this neutral safari party is gorgeous. From the wooden crafts for displaying the cupcakes and cake, to the pretty favor boxes filled with animal crackers, the tan and brown colors all tie together nicely. I especially love the DIY rosettes in the background of the dessert table. | A Pumpkin and a Princess

Make an eye-catching balloon arch using animal print balloons along with colors that tie into the overall color scheme for the party. This pop of color will be perfect for taking photos with family and friends. | Kara’s Party Ideas

Cut animal silhouettes out of cardboard or foam board, paint them, and set them up in various places at your venue. They’ll look fantastic anywhere, from sitting in tall blades of grass, near a tree, or hanging on a wall if you’re partying indoors. This website also has free jungle party printables. | Windmill and Protea

Safari Party Activities for Kids

Set up a crafting area for the children to make a colorful paper plate lion. The design is simple enough for even young kids to do, but all ages will enjoy it. If you want to avoid a mess with paint, use yellow paper plates and red, brown, and orange paper strips instead. | Taming Little Monsters

For a simple, mess-free craft, try these cardboard tube monkeys. Cut the ears and face out of cardstock or construction paper, and add a pipe cleaner tail. How simple is that? | Jinxy Kids

Put on your safari hat. Provide a photo op for kids and parents alike using this Jeep idea! You’ll need a cardboard Jeep cutout and some willing adventurers to smile for the camera. | Arts Crackers

Jungle Birthday Party Favors

Don’t get lost with the chaos of animals and growing vines. Be prepared for your next Safari or Jungle Themed Birthday Party with these 12 Fun Jungle Themed Party Games printable. Learn more about the animal party games and different activities to incorporate into your event! | Frugal Coupon Living

Provide these felt jungle masks for your partygoers to put on as soon as they arrive. It’ll be a fun way to get everyone on board with the theme and will serve as a cute favor keepsake from the party. Your stitching doesn’t have to be flawless for these masks, but if you want to skip the sewing altogether, use a sturdy fabric glue instead. | Tonya Staab

These DIY giraffe party hats are another fun wearable item for your guests. The printable is free, and you can jazz up the assembled hats with yarn pom-pom toppers. | Moms and Crafters

You can’t embark on a safari without a trusty pair of binoculars to help you see the animals up close and personal! These DIY toilet paper roll binoculars are a blast for kids to make themselves as a party craft. However, you can make them beforehand and let guests grab a pair during the party or as they leave. The printable binocular cover is a cute touch. | Go Places with Kids

Make up bags of monkey chow (a.k.a. banana chips) to give to your guests. They’re a yummy sweet treat that kids will love without sending them home with candy. | Michelle’s Party Plan-It

So, there you have it – 18+ jungle party ideas that are sure to make your birthday one for the record books. We hope you found this post helpful and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things you do with your jungle party theme. Be sure to pin this post so you can come back to it when it’s party time.

We love making a birthdays special. this can include events with friends or small private events with family. Take a look at this huge list of birthday party ideas for kids and don’t forget to download and print the best party games based on themes!

We loved a good themed party. Take a look look a more fun birthday party ideas for boys and girls.

You can keep parties small or even celebrate small celebrations every six months. Take a look at these…

Curb Appeal Hacks To Increase Your Home Value

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May 10, 2022 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Facebook, Hacks, Home Improvement, Instagram, Pinterest, Seasonal, Social Media, Spring

Frugal Curb Appeal Hacks To Increase Your Home Value. Update the appearance for your home for little expense.

Curb Appeal Hacks

One of our most famous posts is our Front Porch Ideas. We wanted to go further this spring and add some curb appeal hacks to improve the expense and appeal of your home. There is nothing more attractive than a well taken care of home from the outside. It’s like putting your best on the facade and as everyone drives by, they don’t see the mess that lies inside – it’s our secret! Take a look at Porticos, flower beds, street number pots and many more ideas to inspire your green thumb and home improvement skills this spring!

Also visit our Inexpensive Backyard Landscaping Ideas on a Budget with ideas that can be transitioned to the front yard too!

To start off, how fun and easy is this tip? Identify your home with House Number Flower Pots from DIY Show Off.

Your welcome and your front porch are everything! Remember it’s their first impressions. Renew weathered wood with this front door home improvement project. Just add SunShield Outdoor Furniture Wax with UV Protection.

If time is on your site, build a Pergola Over Your Garage like Lauries. How beautiful is this touch?

The best way to update your curb appeal is paint and it can be so inexpensive! We love this Home Makeover from Beneath My Heart.

Add Appeal with a DIY Portico on a Front or Side Door like this tutorial from Southern Hospitality Blog.

Love of Family and Home shares a cute Side Yard Update and a tip on how to get rid of get rid of weeds.

Transform Walkway Pavers with Lava Rocks from Paint Speckled Pawprints.

Update your home apparel with this Garage Door Gel Stain Idea from Domestically Speaking. You can find a similar (sworn by) paint in our Home Hacks Amazon Shop.

Hide an Ugly AC Unit with this tutorial on First Home, Love Life.

Style with Cents show us how to Update Porch Lights for $1.

Update your Garage for Under $10 like Garden of Love.

Redo your porch and entrance by placing a Mantle Over the Door in this Front Door Miracle from Me and Jilly.

Funky Junk Interiors takes a Pallet and Turns It Into a Garden Walkway in this tutorial.

Camouflage an Electrical Box with this idea from Love of Family and Home.

Add dimension to your home with a Faux Runner Using Paint on your Concrete Stairs like The 2 Seasons.

These Faux DIY Shutters are around $200 from Cozy Cottage Cute.

Stain a Fence for about $100 like Saving with Cents.

Cover unsightly porch columns with this DIY Column Wrap from Balancing Home.

Take a look at this DIY Mailbox Makeover from Beneath My Heart.

Get crafting with your House Number, we love these Paint Sticks turned into a House Number Plaque from A Turtle’s Life for Me.

Need more ideas to inspire your curb appeal? Don’t forget these fun Front Porch Ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Visit these Inexpensive Backyard Ideas for Landscaping on a Budget. Pin to Pinterest.

Our Midsummer Night Patio Escapes are fun, frugal and creative. Pin to Pinterest.

Moving? These Home Staging Tips and Ideas are very helpful! Pin to Pinterest.

Spa-tacular Kids’ Spa Party Ideas

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April 27, 2022 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Baby, Birthday, Crafts, Facebook, Games, Home Improvement, Instagram, Kids, Parenting, Party, Pinterest, Social Media

Learn how you can throw a spa party on any budget. These kids spa party ideas and tips will help you set the scene for a relaxing day of pampering at home. Read more about how to organize a spa party below for your girl’s birthday party.

Is your posh little girl a fan of the spa experience? Throw her an epic spa birthday party that she’ll never forget. We’ve got the lowdown on some of the coolest spa birthday party ideas around. You’ll love these inspirational ideas for spa cakes, light and healthy snacks, and spa activities that’ll keep the girls busy all day (and night).

Additionally, these Spa Birthday Party Ideas for a Girls Birthday are all great suggestions for slumber parties for girls! Get ready to pamper your sweet girl at her next birthday gathering!

How to Throw an Epic Spa Party

First, you’ll need some spa party decorations. This printable spa party set is a complete package with everything from spa party invitations to cupcake toppers, signs, water bottle labels, favor box labels, and more. It’s got everything you need to pull your spa-themed birthday together. | Printable Studio 505

Spa Birthday Party Foods

You can’t have a birthday party without a spectacular birthday cake. This spa cake looks too pretty to eat but sounds too delicious to pass up. On the inside, the cake is made up of vanilla cake, graham cracker crust, and strawberry cheesecake filling. A graham cracker crust buttercream frosting tops the cake. It’s decorated with fondant pieces made to look like nail polish, makeup palettes, a sleep mask, and other spa goodies. | Saving Cakes

Opt for spa-themed cupcakes if you don’t want to fuss with a complicated layer cake. Vanilla cupcakes are filled with raspberry jam and topped with a fresh raspberry frosting. The sleep mask is made out of royal icing, and a fresh raspberry tops each one. They’re so simple and pretty. You could even use this spa party food as spa party favors to go with a fun eye mask. | Posh Little Designs

Looking for an easy DIY cake? Try this floral wreath cake made with gummy candies. You can make your own simple cake any flavor you’d like and top it with vanilla frosting. Use different varieties of gummy candies to create a pretty floral wreath around the top. The calm, relaxing colors and flowery vibe fit in nicely with the spa theme. | Handmade Charlotte

Any spa knows the importance of adequate hydration. Make your at-home spa the best in town by whipping up some citrus bliss infused water. Even kids who don’t normally enjoy water will gulp down this pretty and refreshing drink filled with orange, lemon, and lime slices. | Simply Stacie

Instead of heavy foods, opt for light and healthy options for spa party food. This tropical charcuterie board, for example, is an excellent choice. Fresh and dried fruits, nuts, salty snacks, and some meat and fish will go well with your spa getaway theme. You can look at more snack board ideas for your gathering. | Gennifer Rose

Keep things simple and healthy with veggies and hummus in individual cups. There’s no chopping, measuring, or worrying about guests scooping too much of the dip onto their plates. These are perfectly sized for your guests to grab and enjoy as they mingle. You may also want to try this idea with small fruit skewers and fruit dip. | About a Mom

A fruit tray platter is a welcome addition to any party. It’s colorful, flavorful, and a tasty sweet option to have on hand for those who don’t want to indulge in cake or perhaps have gluten allergies. This beautiful spread includes a colorful array of berries, melon, citrus fruits, bananas, and yogurt dip. | Recipes From a Pantry

Make some spa-licious avocado guacamole to serve with chips or crackers. Use homemade or store-bought guac and add red pepper lips, cucumber slices eyes, and a lettuce spa cap. | Chickabug

Spa Birthday Party Games and Activities

Keep it low-cost with some fun spa party activities and games. These fun things to do at a spa party are easy to download and print. They include a supply list and activity game directions so that you are organized and know exactly what to do! Get your spa party games printable here.

Get the girls giggling with this fun spin the bottle nail polish game. Choose 10 different nail polish colors to place around the board. Whichever color it lands on, that’s the color the girl has to use for her manicure and pedicure. | One Creative Mommy

Buy inexpensive flip-flops and stick-on gems to make DIY spa shoes that sparkle! The girls will have fun making their own fancy spa shoes to wear to show off their pedicures later. The personalized robes are a fantastic idea, too. | See Vanessa Craft

Set up a hair station so each girl can try out a brand-new ‘do. Provide curling wands, curling irons, straighteners, and blow dryers to achieve the desired look. An adult or older teen will need to use the heat styling tools. A braiding station is a viable alternative if you don’t want to use heated tools. | Meaningful Mama

Indulge in some cucumber masks with the girls! Slather on your favorite DIY recipe or use those handy dandy face masks from the store. Add cucumbers slices to the eyes to reduce puffiness and feel like you’re really at the spa. | Project Nursery

Spa Birthday Party Favors and Gifts

Whip up some homemade bath bombs for kids with a surprise inside. Choose your favorite essential oils to add to them—our favorites are lavender, roman chamomile, or ylang ylang. You can put magic grow animal pills inside to make bath time a blast for your guests. | Frugal Coupon Living

Go wild with color with this gorgeous gift of rainbow bath salts. You’ll use mica powder to dye Epsom salts first. Add your favorite essential oils to each color, and then layer them into small jars once they’re dry. | Juggling Act Mama

Give each girl a mani-pedi in a jar for the ultimate spa experience. Have some older kids around to help give each kid a manicure and pedicure, or hire someone to help you out for a few hours. They’ll love having their own kits with nail files, toe seperators, and nail polish to take home to keep their nails looking gorgeous. | Frugal Coupon Living

Looking for an affordable spa gift basket idea? Here’s one using only items from the Dollar Tree. Each basket costs around $10 to make and will give each recipient a basket, bath bombs, a candle, headband, body wash, loofah, body scrub, loofah, and more. You can get a lot of bang for your buck at Dollar Tree. | Savvy Honey

Prep small jars with a homemade sugar scrub to send home with your party guests. We have a simple recipe using sugar, sweet almond oil, castile soap, and your favorite essential oils. | Frugal Coupon Living

You’ll want to make extra jars of this unicorn body butter so you can keep some for yourself. Use shea butter coconut oil, and essential oils to create a rich, creamy moisturizer all the girls will love. The combination of ylang ylang, orange, and lemon essential oils is refreshing and smells fantastic. | Crayons and Cravings

Make this lavender milk bath for the ultimate in relaxation. This recipe only takes five minutes to make, so it’s the perfect spa party favor. The soothing milk bath hydrates skin, and the lavender adds a calming effect. | Crafts by Amanda

Using a paint brush is fun for adding a face mask during DIY facials. Have bowls and brushes to add the mask to your face. As the girls relax, perhaps a nice shoulder massage using lotion would top a wonderful spa day at home. Be sure to have a headband, washcloth/towels and warm water for an easy wipe off.

Planning ahead? Pin this post to come back to it as you make your food and decorations for your child’s upcoming spa birthday party. Be sure to share on Pinterest or leave a comment below about what worked for you, what you loved and more!

More Themed Party Ideas for Girls

Turn the spa gathering into a spend the night! Take a look at these Sleepover Party Ideas for the girls and add them to your spa party ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Is this a spa bachelorette party idea? If so, add these Bachelorette Party Ideas too including our incredibly fun Bachelorette Party Games. Pin to Pinterest.

We love themed parties. Take a look look a more fun birthday party ideas for boys and girls.

You can keep parties small or even celebrate small celebrations every six months. Take a look at these…

Easiest Way to Update Discolored Recessed Lighting – Low Cost!

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April 4, 2022 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Hacks, Home Improvement, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media

The easiest and cheapest way to update discolored recessed lighting. Take your dust traps and spider apartments from looking dusty, yellowed and dingy, to appearing brand new for under $10. Learn how to clean recessed lights and how to update recessed lighting with one home improvement supply!

Update Discolored Recessed Lighting

Want to know something funny? I stare at our dining room recessed lights so much, that I invested in this easy, low-cost hack twice. It was on my to do list so long, I bought my solution and then bought it again months later! Either way, I took my recessed lights from looking discolored and dated for under $7! I can’t wait to show you how.

Raise your hand if you agree recessed lights catch the most cobwebs and dust. I swear every time I turn on the light, it is like adding a spot light to the ugly mess of dust and spider houses. At least it limits the mount of decorating I must do for Halloween, right?

Why do recessed lights turn yellow?

There are a number or reasons recessed lights turn yellow. First, older light bulbs can put off a lot of heat. Between the heat and gasses, over time small chemical reactions take place discoloring your lighting cans. This can also occur from age and exposure to dust and other elements in the air.

How do you clean recessed lights?

Good news! Depending on the height of your ceiling, weekly or monthly cleaning of recessed lights is not a challenge. Make sure your lights are off and cool to the touch. Placing a damp cloth or touching a hot light bulb can lead to the light bulb exploding.

For lighting cleaning of recessed lights, use a Swiffer Duster Super Extender Handle. It will expend up to 6 feet and the small yellow fibers will grab onto dust and cob webs. If you have cathedral ceilings, consider getting a telescoping pole for lights that will come with a light bulb changing kit as well as a tool for dusting.

For deep cleaning of recess lights, remove the light bulb and simply wipe the bulbs. Next, use a damp cloth on the inside of the canisters and dry thoroughly before putting your light bulb back in the can. You can keep up with a rotating home cleaning task using a cleaning checklist.

Unfortunately, no matter how much you clean, you never will be able to remove yellowed recessed lighting. The dingy shade of yellow is from oxidation and chemical reactions. To improve the discolored metal, you need to buy new or paint recessed lights.

How do you update recessed lighting?

There are a number of ways to update recessed lighting. If you have the budget, you can replace recessed lights to Newer LED Can Lights. This project will take a little bit of learning or you can hire an electrician.

Sometimes instead of replacing recessed lighting with flush mount lighting, you can save a lot of money by doing something cheaper – buying LED Lightbulbs. You can buy LED light bulbs in bulk at

If you are updating the yellowed trim on recessed lighting, I highly recommend moving over to LED lights. This will bring down the heat emitted by light bulbs why they are turned on saving you both on your electric bill and also prevented your recessed lights form discoloring again.

Moving? Lighting is so important for selling a home. If you are home staging, you do not want to invest in expensive LED lights. Another option is to take your existing can lights and update discolored recessed Lighting for under $10 by painting them. This makes your home look fresh and your electrical work look brand new.

Home Staging Checklist Printable PDF

Can recessed lights be painted?

Recessed light white trim yellowed? The cheapest and easiest way to updated yellowed recessed lighting is to paint it. Spray paint is a low-cost home improvement project that only takes five minutes. If you are home staging, it can increase the value of your home removing signs of age or dated yellow can lights.

We have older recessed lighting. There is always the issue of heat so I picked up Rust-Oleum High Heat Enamel Spray in White for a low cost. The high heat spray paint protected surfaces subject to heat up to 1000°F. I knew my recessed lights were not getting that hot, so I felt sure this was the right product for us.

Because of the height, I had my husband remove the lights bulbs and then the recess cans from the ceiling.

First I cleaned the canned lights with an all surface spray and a dusting cloth. I let them sit a bit to dry. After they dried, I numbered my light cans in order so I knew where t place them after I was done. While, I think the canned lights could fit in in of the holes in the celling, I find it best to keep them in their original spots.

I took an upcycled box and spread it out on my deck. Once try, I placed the metal cans on the cardboard and I lightly coated each recessed lighting can with the high heat paint. The white spray paint dried to the touch in 20 minutes.

Because our recess lights can tilt at different angles I sharply tilted the light and gave them a second coat. After everything was dry to the touch, I sharply tilted the lights in the opposite direction and gave the lights a final touch of white paint.

After three coats, we let them sit for up to 4 hours for good measure. The white paint for recessed lights had a pretty quick dry time, but I wanted to be sure they were dry before i started touching them to put them back in the ceiling.

I kept track of my numbered lights and placed them all back in the spot they came from.

Don’t they look amazing?! Well worth my $7 investment and they look like brand new lights!

Low-Cost Home Staging

Don’t forget these Older Home Hacks and Low-Cost DIY Renovations. I am slowly making my way down the list checking off so many projects on the weekend! Pin to Pinterest.

Also enjoy these Home Staging Hacks – for moving or sticking around! Incase the value of your home with just a few dollars, just like we did with these recess lighting home staging project! Pin to Pinterest.

Creative Kids Reading Corner Ideas for the Home

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November 25, 2021 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Home Improvement, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media

Reading Corner Ideas. Kid’s reading pods to inspire imagination and creativity; home reading nooks to provide comfort and rest.

Creative Reading Corner Ideas

My girls are excellent readers. Growing up, this was not true of me. I hated to read. This lead me to the conclusion that they got some of this love through their environment over their genetics. I did a few things to “manipulate” good readers including creating an environment that embraced reading. From the time they were very young, I rarely said no buying them a book. I shopped wisely, but when a book was finished, I often purchased a new one. This was especially true when they began reading chapter books and series. This grew and grew our library to the point where most of our shelves are strewn with books. In fact, my son’s bedroom is a library. I love this as he is only two years old and falls asleep surrounded by books.

Buying Used Books

I have been able to shop frugally for my girls. Often, I purchase used books from Thrift Books or, my favorite, Better World Books. These books come in decent conditions. Sometimes they are a used library book or a book from a home. Either condition, doesn’t matter to me. It’s not the outside of the book, it’s the journey they go on inside.

When my girls were young and just beginning to read, I gave them the option to either go straight to sleep or to read in their bed another hour. I left a clock in their room and provided book lights if they chose the later. One of our favorite books to get started on reading was Bob Books. Currently, they are in 3rd and 5th grade and I still provide this same rule. Go to bed or read until (the time I provide.)

Creative Kids Reading Corner Ideas

Doing a few of these things – providing books, providing time, and providing a space – as created girls who love to read and are very good at reading. They are creative, young ladies, and I attribute it to these resources.

To provide your own enjoyable reading environment, take a look at some of these Creative Kids Reading Corner Ideas for the Home to create your very own young readers in the home.

You might find some of these ideas in our Teen Bedroom Spaces and also in our Bookshelf Styling Ideas.

Bookshelf Style for Reading Corners

Have awkward areas of the home? This blogger turned an attic corner into the most cozy corner for her kids to enjoy a good novel and listen to rain on the roof. | Unskinny Boppy

This little reading nook looks precious with the read red letters at the top. Talk about an encouraging marquee. | Found on House of Turquoise

We shared this chair in our Teen Bedroom ideas. I thinking a hanging chair in any child’s bedroom will make them want to cozy up and grab a book! | Nesting with Grace

Turn an outdoor space into a reading corner and perhaps a summer reading challenge! | Vintage Revivals

Corner of Bedroom Ideas

Magical Reading Corner

We featured this idea in our Homework Centers but had to bring it back for our reading corners – I could fall into this reading hideaway! | Rebecca Propes

Make your own book bin with this DIY tutorial for your child’s reading corner – makes me feel like I am in a library! | Les Petits Gazette

Closet Library Corner

Transform the bottom of your little one’s closet into a cozy place to curl up with books while maintaining the closet’s functionality. | Mama Papa Bubba

This magical reading corner is quite enticing with the line of bookshelves along the wall. | Project Nursery

This was just like the reading corner my girls had before we moved. A corner tent, with a string of lights, and hugged by a flag banner. Precious! | Delia Hauser via Apartment Therapy

This built-in library/reading nook transformed this playroom. The hidden gem lies in two different sizes of IKEA bookcases. | House Homemade

This bedroom offers a cozy place to read with a hanging macramé chair. | Cuckoo 4 Design

Low Bookshelves on the Wall

Low bookshelves, comfy rugs, and a good mix of pillows will encourage little ones to grab a book and read! | Cheetah is the New Black

This is totally wall of inspiration – a craft corner blended into a reading corner! I bet one’s imagination can go wild in this space! | Petit & Small

Have an award area of the home that isn’t former any purpose? Frame some of your favorite pieces of art and claim it as the perfect place for the kids to lay and read! | The Effortless Chic