Grey House Harbor
  • Home
  • about
  • contact

Dec 30 2013

christmas storage : tips and tricks

Posted by hayley
Tweet

Pack up it, pack it in, let me begin…

With Bug’s birthday so close after New Year, I have ample motivation to get all the Christmas decor packed up and back in the attic. Lest the party photos be tainted by holiday clutter whose magic has faded – the horror!

These super tough totes from Home Depot are my fave. Extra sturdy, stackable, and they hold a ton of stuff without being too big to lift on my own. At $10 each, me likey a lot.

wpid1450-christmas-cleanup-2.jpg

wpid1448-christmas-cleanup.jpg

Some people prefer clear storage to see what’s inside, while others like the red/green totes to designate Christmas stuff. Personally, I think clear totes look messy and I like the way these can quickly be re-purposed for anything. I bought a set of neon wet-erase markers to easily jot what’s in each box; even a year later it wipes off clean with a damp cloth, so I’m free to change it as often as needed.

wpid1452-christmas-cleanup-3.jpg

Somebody was NOT happy to see the nativity put away. It’s for your own good, buddy, I promise.

wpid1455-christmas-cleanup-4.jpg

When removing ornaments from the tree, leave the hook on. Saves time now and next year, too!

wpid1456-christmas-cleanup-7.jpg

They say the difference between a hoarder and a collector is that a hoarder saves things indiscriminately and a collector gathers selectively. Or at least that’s how I justify my need to save bed sheet packaging. Am I the only one who thinks these little zippered pouches are just too neat to toss?

wpid1458-christmas-cleanup-8.jpg

Well, my stash has been vindicated! After years of putting wrapped ornaments into gallon ziplock bags, I had an epiphany. My bed sheet packaging collection finally found it’s true calling.

wpid1460-christmas-cleanup-9.jpg

Since this was the first year we did outside lights, I am determined to not let them be a hot tangled mess come December 2014. I saved the center of my gift wrap tubes, cut them small enough to fit into the storage totes, and then wrapped one light strand per tube. Not only will this prevent knots within each strand, but it also keeps multiple strands from becoming hopelessly snarled.

wpid1464-christmas-cleanup-11.jpg

For icicle lights (or if you don’t have any tubes on hand), carefully coil each strand and place a generous sheet of wrapping paper between as you lay them into the tote.

Christmas Storage

Empty toilet paper rolls make great gift wrap keepers. Cut down the long side and slide over, securing with tape if needed.

Christmas storage

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is opening the mailbox. It seems so sad to toss my “friends” in the trash recycling come January. So this year I’m keeping all your smiling faces tucked away amidst the decor. They will be a lovely reminder next season of how we’ve all grown (some more than others)!

wpid1462-christmas-cleanup-10.jpg

I pack, Handsome hauls.

Christmas storage : tips & tricks

Christmas storage : tips & tricks

Tags: Christmas, diy home improvement, organization
CONTINUE READING >
0 comments
Nov 11 2013

paint it proper : perfect tape lines

Posted by hayley
Tweet

There are things I am willing to pay good money for (nice furniture, quality electronics, an awesome vacation) and there are things I’m not. Mostly the latter fall into the thought category of “If can do that myself, why on earth would I pay someone to do it for me?”

Painting is in category #2.

When we bought this house the builder wanted to charge us $300/room to paint the interior. Ha! No way, José. So we have tolerated the flat white walls for the last 6 months. But anyone who knows paint, knows you so much as glance at flat white and it’s dirty… heaven forbid little kid fingers actually touch it.

I have painted 3 complete home interiors and helped numerous friends paint theirs. I’m always shocked by how much people don’t know about proper painting technique. What’s the big deal? Don’t you just tape it off and slap some paint up there? Well, yes and no. Allow me to divulge some HUGE industry secrets that will save you time, money, and the occasional string of curse words.

SUPPLIES

• Paint – duh. Is there really a difference between the big box stores and the specialty paint stores? Honestly I think the color selections at Home Depot and Lowes are kinda crummy. I do prefer the hues at Sherwin Williams, Dunn Edwards, etc, but their prices are steep. Solution? Since HD is affordable and convenient for me, I always have them color match my swatches and they turn out great. Read this good synopsis if you are confused about which finish to use where. Choosing colors is a whole other bag of cats… simple answer – be sure to consider your options in the same room you’ll be painting. Color is relative to things around it and will look different than it did under the store’s florescent lighting.

  • 2″ Scotch blue painter’s tape – just the original kind. Do not waste $ on fancy stuff that claims to seal the edges better because frankly it doesn’t work on textured walls.
  • 2″ angled brush – Shortcut by Wooster is my fave. The shortie handle is very comfy.
  • Small art brush – for touching up any small goopies.
  • Clear paintable caulk – please do yourself a favor on this one and buy the small hand-squeeze tube. You do not want to be up on a ladder trying to man-handle some crazy caulk gun. And yes, it MUST be CLEAR.
  • Paint cup – the HANDy Paint Pal is my choice because of the big handle, magnetic brush holder, and disposable quick change liners; if you prefer a red SOLO cup, then rock on with your bad self.

Ever had all your diligent taping rewarded with nothing but edge blowout? (equally as frustrating as diaper blowout, trust me)

Here’s the pro tip that pricey tape hawkers don’t want you to know: CAULK!

PAINT A PERFECT LINE, EVERY TIME

* tape doesn’t stick well to dusty baseboards… pre-wipe them with a swiffer or dryer sheet.

Step 1. Tear your tape stripes longish: 18-24″ is ideal.

Step 2. Throw the tape roll over your non-dominant hand and carefully tape off your edge. Remember that the tape line you see will be your final painted line as well, so take your time to do it right.

Firmly smooth the tape edge and be sure to overlap each new piece about 2″ over the previous one. This will be helpful later.

Step 3. DO NOT push the tape down onto baseboards or mouldings. That poor little tape edge is clinging desperately to the tiny ledge as it is. Leaving the tape up not only gives the edge strength, but also seconds as a great drip catcher.

Step 4. After you’ve taped your space it’s time to unleash your secret weapon: CAULK! You’re best off with the small hand tube and it MUST be CLEAR.

Squeeze a small dab onto your finger. (yes, it looks white… but will dry clear)

Starting in the corner, spread it very thinly along the tape line on the side you intend to paint. This seals the edge. Cover the entire edge this way, careful to leave no gaps. Only caulk as much of the tape line as you can paint in 30 minutes.

If the caulk goops on the wall, be sure and smooth it. If it goops on the tape side, no biggie.

Step 5. Important: While the caulk is still WET (or at least not totally cured) paint over it. Also paint up about 2″ from the edge. Most light to medium hues will only need one coat. If you have a dark color that requires 2 coats, then wait the minimum time and recoat. You do not want to leave the caulk on for more than an hour or so, otherwise you run the risk of it pulling up your painted edge when you pull the tape.

Step 6. While the paint is still WET, pull your tape at a 45° angle. Start from the same corner where you started taping and your 2″ overlaps will make it easy to pull the whole section as one long piece. This can get a little messy on your hands, so keep a rag nearby.

Ceilings are a cinch this way!

Step 7. Get your happy dance ready, ’cause those are some seriously awesome paint lines!

One more thing… since painting and pulling the tape before the caulk cures is crucial to your success, it’s easiest with 2 people. One tapes while the other follows with caulk, then the taper laps back to paint and the other pulls the tape up right behind them.

This technique also works fabulous for painting stripes on walls or other designer taping. Just be sure to caulk the correct edge!

Give it a whirl and share it with a friend. It’s one secret not meant to be kept. Then come back to learn how to paint without pain and how to paint impossible stairwells.

Tags: clean tape lines, diy home improvement, how to paint, paint it proper, paint techniques, painting pro tips, painting secrets, perfect tape lines, wall painting
CONTINUE READING >
5 comments


I'm Hayley. Wife and mother by day, DIY enthusiast by night. Fueled by sweet tea and jelly beans, I own power tools and know how to use them. Consider yourself warned.

featured on button

New posts delivered fresh to your inbox!

Follow on Bloglovin

Recent Posts

  • big ‘ole magnet board / job chart
  • a collection of caps a collection of caps
  • a new chapter a new chapter
  • treasure rocks treasure rocks
  • missing grams missing grams

 

S P O N S O R S - & - F R I E N D S

PREV 1 … 4 5

Categories

Archives

Follow

Follow on Bloglovin

Recent Posts

  • big ‘ole magnet board / job chart
  • a collection of caps a collection of caps
  • a new chapter a new chapter

disclaimer & copyright

All opinions within are exclusively and honestly mine. I do not commit to posting positive reviews of any promotional items I may receive. However, if the product or service suits the interests of my readers I may feature it and denote such compensation.
All content © greyhouseharbor.com 2015.