Repurposed Etched Glass Spice Jars... As an avid recycler, I often find myself admiring the numerous boxes of glass bottles in our garage, awaiting their fate. When I noticed more than a dozen empty bottles from one particular product, I knew I had a problem there must be something else I could do other than toss them into a recycling bin once a week. In order to justify my purchase of a caffeine-laden treat, I decided to repurpose and upcycle the glass containers from my favorite splurge. And no, we're not rich. With a few supplies, and as many glass bottles as you can find, you can quickly organize a spice cupboard or pantry in a very attractive manner! Drink bottles, salad dressing bottles, there are so many options, so many different sizes and shapes. Come on, let's see what we can come up with!
Smart Buys & Space Saving Strategies for Small Kitchens Previous image Next image So you have a small kitchen. A tiny one. What are your options? 2) Declutter and purge. Because, as Bittman says, "To spend tens of thousands of dollars or more on a kitchen before learning how to cook, as is sadly common... is to fall into the same kind of silly consumerism that leads people to believe that an expensive gym membership will get them into shape or the right bed will improve their sex life. 3) Reconfigure Your Space: If you have limited storage space and are working with an impossibly small amount of counter space, invest in some of these space-saving and space-building pieces, from over the sink dish drainers to foldable mini kitchen islands. Smart BuysHere are some nifty space-making purchases that can help you maximize your culinary workspace: FIRST ROW1 Jessica's Blue & Silver Flair. 2 Folding kitchen cart from $269. 3 Another folding Island kitchen cart from QVC, $174.80.
5 Smart Space Savers from Around the Web There are lots of ways to save space in a tiny home and maximize the little space you do have. So many ways, in fact, that one can get a little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of good ideas out there. And what if you just want something easy to implement, and something you can use in a rental place and that won't cost a ton to add?We've gathered our favorite tips from around the web that we've come across recently. From House Beautiful to Houzz, Design*Sponge to Martha Stewart, plenty of online design resources have weighed in on their favorite ways to save space. • It's that area that you never really even think of, but then once you do, you realize its brilliance: Style at Home suggests using shelves above doorways as extra storage. • While the kitchen backsplash has long been a favorite spot to add color or pattern, House Beautiful suggests using a mirrored surface there to create an illusion of space and more light.
Scrap Wood Cutting Board I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to materials and supplies, so it's no surprise that my wood shop is filled with a lot of cut-offs that perhaps other people might just throw away. It turns out that all these odds and ends actually have some real value for making small projects like jewelry boxes, thin strips for inlays, or joined together to form larger boards. This Instructable shows you how to join multiple different sized boards together to make a scrap wood cutting board. Here's what you'll need: Tools: table saw jointer planer router with round over bit and round nose groove bit router table clamps cauls glue brushes palm sanderMaterials: various scrap pieces of wood (read below for explanation) Elmer's® Carpenter's® Wood Glue MAX food safe finish such as mineral oil or butchers block oil and rags The woods that I chose to use were basically just what I had lying around from other projects. To be perfectly clear, when I say "scrap wood" I mean scrap hard-woods.
Persephone Magazine &124; Blog &124; The Lazy Lady's Guide to DIY: Hanging Herb Garden At some point near the middle of March, I always decide that I’m “done” with winter. The sweaters and jackets get pushed to the back of the closet, the flip flops come out, and I inevitably freeze my butt off for several weeks until the weather catches up with my warm-weather state of mind. Likewise, my cravings for fresh herbs and veggies are always a little ahead of the season. Growing your own herbs is a great way to save money and avoid buying too much at a time and letting most of it go to waste. If it’s still too cold to plant outside where you are (or if you’re short on space!) this hanging herb garden is the perfect project to get you in gear for spring. What you’ll need: Tin containers with snap-on plastic lids (tea, cocoa, and coffee cans are a good bet), coat hangers, pliers, scissors, herbs (I bought basil, rosemary, dill, and cilantro for about $2.50 each), masking tape, coffee filters, a nail, a hammer, X-acto knife, scrap fabric or paper, and glue or spray adhesive.