Clutter has been removed, including some very big items. Some items found new spots in other areas of the house, but most of it went to a local charity. It feels so nice to have it looking clean. And of course, we love that we now have space for working out!

In a dream world, we would be finishing the basement. However, since our budget is zero, we can’t hire an electrician to wire the basement. We’ll make something good happen though, even if we have to leave it unfinished! Here is the horrid before, where you can see just how packed full of “stuff” our poor basement had become. What is it about unfinished basements and their amazing stuff magnet powers?

It also turns out that it’s a hard room to photograph well. You can see that we have shelves for storage, and there is a work bench that was also here when we moved in. We might remove the shelves and put things on the other side of the basement (there is a second room, also unfinished), so we can gain the extra 3 feet that the shelves take up. Of course, that would mean dealing with all the stored items in those shelves too, which after spending all day clearing out the main part of the room, doesn’t sound all the appealing.

Today will bring a run to the thrift shop to donate all the things we are letting go of. And hopefully not much more than that since today is a holiday and we will be spending time with family and lighting fireworks. More photos to come though!

After the wind stops, we usually have a lot of debris in the yard, including a shingle now and then. We have been up on the roof, and we know that we have several spots that need to be redone. Ideally we would redo the whole roof, since our current roof is obviously a bit older. Since we probably don’t have the budget for that, we will just patch it up ourselves. Luckily, that’s not too hard of a DIY project.

For those of you lucky enough to get new roofs, there is a contest called That’s My Roof, which is sponsored by Owens Corning, that you could enter. From now until October 31, 2010 if you buy a roof from them, you can upload a photo and possibly win monthly $500 prizes or the grand prize: a refund for the cost of the new roof! Even though we aren’t going to replace just yet, I took their roofing color personality quiz for fun. My results?

While not a favorite color combo in real life (though I do like yellow), the personality description actually fit pretty well. Then they offer a few color combo choices for roofing, all of which were very nice and would probably look great on our house too.

We would love to add solar shingles to our roof in addition to new regular shingles, but first, we have to patch those holes! It’s so much more fun to spend time doing other projects, it’s easy to forget about bigger, more important ones like the roof. Thank goodness for little reminders now and then.

*Speaking of roofs, have you seen the one over on DIY Diva?*

What about your roof? What kind of roof do you have? Do you like what you have, or would you change it if you could?

We just got some great tips for how to be safe during your DIY project. At our house we are always careful to make sure we do things the right way, but lets be honest, there are times when we could have been hurt from not being as careful as we should be. These great tips come from Underwriters Laboratories (UL), and are a good refresher for the veteran DIYer, and a great reference for all home improvement junkies. You can get a copy of this tip sheet for printing out by visiting this link.

Make Safety Part of Your DIY Blueprint

Home improvement accidents send hundreds of thousands of people to the ER each year. And, as more and more consumers are tackling do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvement projects to save money, safety should be part of their home improvement plan. Whether you’re an amateur or veteran DIY’er, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) – a leader in safety testing and certification – encourages everyone to take safety precautions before climbing up that ladder or switching on that power tool.

Safety Tips for the Amateur DIY’er

• Keep a first aid kit handy. Anticipate those bumps, scrapes or something more serious with a basic first aid kit that is easy to carry and latches securely, but can be opened quickly when needed.
• Use the 4-to-1 rule for proper ladder placement. For every four feet of ladder height, the bottom of the ladder should be one foot away from the wall or object it is leaning against. Remember to read the instructions and warning labels before using a ladder. The instructions will help you identify the proper ladder for the job and describe ladder weight and height limits.
• Pay attention to ladder length. Always use a ladder that is long enough for the task at hand. A great number of ladder accidents are the result of using a ladder that is too short.
• Incorporate safety goggles into your DIY style. Wear safety glasses to protect from debris and avoid jewelry while using power tools. Don’t wear watches, bracelets and long sleeves as they can get caught in moving parts. If operating a loud power tool, wear earplugs to minimize damage to your ears.
• Follow instructions, not intuition. As with any household appliance, power tools need to be maintained and used in accordance with the manufacturer’s warnings, precautions and instruction. Also, be sure to check the switch on a power tool or garden appliance to make sure it’s “OFF” before you plug it in.
• Never leave an active power tool unattended. Unplug power tools before leaving the room and store them out of children’s reach.
• As a rule, be sure to inspect your power tools. If you’re re-using last year’s power tools, be sure to inspect them for frayed power cords and cracked or broken casings. If the product is damaged, have it repaired by a qualified technician, or replace it.
• Keep your tools in shape. Never carry tools by the cord and never yank the cord when removing it from a receptacle. When disconnecting the cord, always grasp the plug, not the wire. Also, keep the cord away from heat, oil and sharp edges.
• Be aware of your surroundings. If you’re working with someone else, make sure you know where they are at all times to prevent accidents or injuries. Be aware of who enters your work area and keep children and pets away from tools and projects.
• A clean workspace is a safe workspace. Properly store or place power tools, sharp tools or dangerous materials on high shelves out of a child’s reach. Or, consider placing them in a locked storage cabinet. Also make sure your workspace is well-lit.
• Before you mow, have your owner’s manual in tow. When pulling out the lawn mower for the first time this year, refresh your memory and read the owner’s manual. Also know how to stop the machine in case of an emergency.
• If you have a gas-powered mower, store the gas in a UL Classified safety can.
• Always start the mower outdoors. Never operate it where carbon monoxide (CO) can collect, such as in a closed garage, storage shed or basement.
• Do not operate an electrical or gas-powered lawn mower on wet grass.
• Use the right extension cords. If you’re tackling outdoor DIY home improvement projects, make sure extension cords are rated for outdoor use.
• Look for the UL Mark. Always look for the UL Mark before purchasing a power tool, garden appliance or electrical product. The UL Mark means representative samples of that product have been tested to stringent safety standards with regard to fire, electric shock and related safety hazards.

Safety Tips for the Veteran DIY’er

• Avoid overconfidence. Products are made certain ways and have safety features for specific reasons. Never try to use a product in a different way than it is intended, alter it in any way, or remove safety features such as blade guards or electric plug grounding pins.
• It takes two hands to use a power tool. Use clamps or a vise to hold work in place. It’s safer than using your hands and frees both to operate the tool. Even when using a conventional hand tool, be sure to watch where you place your hands.
• A blade guard is a safe guard against injuries. Buy a saw with the guard you feel most comfortable using and keep it on the saw at all times. Before operating saws with guards, make sure they are in place and in proper working order.
• Position yourself safely when using a power saw. Never stand directly behind the saw. Always stand off to the side, keeping your hands out of the path of the saw blade.
• Prevent against power saw “kickback.” If a saw blade begins to bind while making a cut, immediately stop the cut and hold the saw and work piece completely still. Wait for the saw blade to stop before pulling away from a cut.
• Dispose of damaged saw blades. To avoid injury, immediately discard saw blades that are chipped, bent, or in any way damaged.
• Know your limits. Only tackle those DIY home improvement projects that you feel comfortable handling. Some projects are best left to trained professionals and are not worth the risk.
• Take your time. Rushing to finish a job leads can lead to carelessness, accidents or injuries.
• Use proper ventilation when painting. Be sure to open all doors and windows and use fans when painting indoors. If the area cannot be properly ventilated, wear a respirator and work in short intervals.

The backyard hasn’t been touched much in part because we are trying to figure out what to do with it. First, our dream list; a skate park and trampoline, a big deck leading to a patio, a hot tub, swimming pool, tennis court, and lots of plants. The problem? Our current yard is not big enough to really house any of our wishes. So, to make the most of what space we do have, we are going to need to be creative. First project on the list, our corner patio.

This is the back corner of our backyard. It was a dog run, with gravel and some nasty weeds when we first moved in. We had the concrete poured last year, and kind of just dumped our patio tables there. Sadly not much else has happened. I have plans though! Do you see that fire pit? I want to use it as a jumping off point for an outdoor living room. It would be the “coffee table”, surrounded by what will hopefully be outdoor wicker furniture (still researching for a set). I have an awesome outdoor rug that I got on sale last season. And of course, lots of great plants in planters.

Drawbacks; a budget of near zero dollars. Also, no where to move the stuff that is already there. We haven’t used the tables, but would like to if we had an area closer to the house and BBQ… but that’s a project for another time. LOL! What is on your garden wish list? Do you have big plans for your yard this year?