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!

What I loved most was that not only is the book full of great ideas, but unlike many, there is an actual resource guide in the book! When I first started reading and saw the following images of a crafting/laundry space, the first thing I wanted to know was where the organization system on the wall came from. Luckily, all I had to do was go to the back section, and find the page number, and there it was! The systems came from Omni Track.

All throughout the book I found myself referring to the resource section, jotting down ideas. In fact, the laundry really caught my eye because that is a room of contention in our home. Check out the multiple ways the same space was used, one focused on crafting activities, the other turned to a laundry station (you can click to see the images full size).

Great use of space, right? I really love the whole concept since our laundry room is large enough to do what is seen in both photos! Oh what a dream that would be.

The book is really great, I love the way Gale approaches her writing, it’s much like talking with a friend. She has included a section on clutter clearing, handy tips and tricks for measuring rooms (make sure things fit before you move them around physically), worksheets to help you realize how you really want and need to use your spaces, and so much more. It’s been so fun to go through our spaces and see what new ideas we can implement. Since we live in a home that is spread between 4 levels, making each space somewhat small, figuring out smart ways to use our current space is a priority. Right-Sizing Your Home has given me loads of new ideas to try in our spaces. If you love books, and your house isn’t totally working for you, this book is one to check out for sure!

Thanks Gale for writing it, and especially for letting me read it!

Now for the really fun part! One lucky reader will get their very own copy of Right-Sizing Your Home ! If you want a chance to win, just leave a comment on this post before midnight on July 17th!

*this giveaway is now closed, congrats to Kerri*

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?

Owning real estate is one of the biggest investments anyone will ever make. Think about it. I can’t think of a single thing that costs more. That is one reason why it’s so important in the home buying process to buy what you can truly afford. Once the house it purchased though, it can be hard to keep that focus.

It’s so tempting to go crazy and spend, spend, spend, to improve our homes. It is exciting and fun to finally decorate your own place and make it yours. I know that I was thrilled to finally have that chance, and as a result did some foolish spending. We have made a few mistakes in our home owning journey, buying things on credit when we really should have set aside money each month to save for the item instead. Luckily we learned an important lesson, and now do all of our home improvements when we have the actual cash to do them.

Because we have a very small budget, we are always looking for ways to make the most of the money we do spend. We are avid DIYers, which saves loads of money. We also shop sales, including buying late in the season. We got two amazing tables for our garden for just $25 each because we waited until everything was being cleared out, and there was still plenty of summer left to enjoy them. Amazon.com is also a great place to find deals, such as our duvet cover which I had seen on other sites for $200, but I got a set with pillow cases for just $40. Classifieds, Freecycle, and even friends and family, are great ways to also save money on decorating items and sometimes even big ticket items. Another thing we love to do is make use of what we already have in creative and new ways.

Also, we plan ahead with a special fund just for our projects. I also keep a running list of the projects we want and need to do, in order of importance. This has been a BIG help in making sure that we invest our money in the right things. It’s tempting to buy a new couch instead of a new toilet, but obviously the new toilet is the better investment (especially when the old one is broken). Having a running list and a special fund keeps things running smoothly. We still get to make improvements, enjoy our home, and especially enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing we didn’t go into debt for them.

I would love to hear how you address the issue of investing in your home. What lessons have you learned?

It’s a lot more fun to look up and see the Eiffel Tower than a boring white wall. And it was very quick and easy to put up too! A really fun and simple way to make a change, but without a big commitment too (they are removable, and reusable). Even though our walls aren’t flat and have orange peel texture on them, the decal still stuck really well.

Sure, it’s not the same as being in Paris and seeing the real Eiffel Tower, but it is fun!