Backyard Remodel

Ryan and I bought our home in 2011. It was a bank owned property that had been neglected for almost a year. We didn't have too much money, and we couldn't afford a move-in-ready home in the middle of the city, so we bought a little ranch fixer upper, and when I say fixer upper I REALLY mean it too.

It had what you would call "good bones," but it desperately needed some TLC as you can see. The whole backyard was a mess of dead oleanders leading to an alleyway for the trash. Our view was less than stellar to put it nicely.

So, more than giving our house some extra curb appeal, we decided to remodel our backyard.

We hired a landscape architect to draft some plans for us. I HIGHLY recommend talking with a professional. We chose plants that weren't water suckers, we put in a drip system, we re-graded the yard, built a new block wall, added a pergola, and resurfaced and extended the patio. We also put in a new gate separating a grassy area and pool area to make it safe for Elle to run around outside.

It was so worth the investment because we're able to enjoy the outdoors so much more! Just anticipate the process of overhauling your yard to last two months or so. Eep!

I'll be sharing more before and afters or our home in a couple days. Wait until you see the front and inside of our house...Let's just say our front door used to be a kicked in door from the inside of the house. EEK!

Master Closet Makeover Update

This is a sponsored post by Easy Closets.

It's happening! We started working on our closet last Thursday, and almost a week later we have new carpet, newly painted walls and we have installed the skeleton of our closet.

I made a trip to Ikea to get all new matching wood hangers. They are only $3.50 for a pack of 6! That's a steal if you ask me.

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Putting the closet together definitely has been an easy process, but it's time consuming. Easy Closets has been living up to their name, and we are really pleased with the quality of their product and the customized, easy-to-follow directions they sent. What has been the hardest part is having all of our clothes and shoes scattered in our guest bedroom. We feel very UN-organized right now. We hope to finish everything by tonight though, and then I'll be able to start the process of organizing our clothes and drawers.

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Stay tuned for the big reveal, and in the meantime, check out my Pinterest board that shares all sorts of organization inspiration and ideas.

Home Renovation Peek

Well, it's safe to say I have the home renovation itch. Ryan and I have been turning our 1953 home upside down over the past two weeks. I thought you guys might want to see some sneak peeks via my cell phone. I put some Bertoia look-a-like chairs together, we made our own front door, we painted our living-room, kitchen, cabinets, installed some new lights, and did some yard demo. It has been CRAZY, but I'm loving the transformation. Full reveal with before and after pictures coming soon!