home improvement Archives - momhomeguide.com

Single-Day Upgrades for Every Budget and Skill Level — Locks and Doors

May 9, 2023 By Lauren 1 Comment

According to home-security experts, 34 percent of burglars get access to a home by turning the knob, meaning the door wasn’t locked in the first place. If locked, lock picking becomes the second option for gaining access. But if you can take simple steps, such as locking your doors and windows, you can significantly reduce the chances of your house being burglarized. However, you may want to go a step further to upgrade your locks and doors. This guide highlights easy, single-day upgrades you want to consider, whatever your skill level or budget. Get Anti-Pick Continue reading...

Pet-Friendly Hardwood Floors

February 27, 2023 By Lauren Leave a Comment

I've been wanting to install pet-friendly hardwood floors in our home, especially since we got our Shih Tzu pup about 5 years ago. We've been good at keeping our carpets pretty clean since we moved into our home about 20 years ago, but the carpets have gotten significantly less clean since we got our dog—it's very hard to keep carpeting looking good when you are a dog owner! But I've been noticing lately that there are many new wood flooring options on the market now that would be perfect for my dog-friendly home! Engineered Hardwood Floors for Pets I have been reading a lot about Continue reading...

Outdoor Patio Dog Enclosure (Amazon Find)

May 22, 2022 By Lauren

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Today I'm sharing a project my husband and I completed this weekend—or, I should say, HE completed! (Here's a BIG shout out of THANKS to my hubby!) I started a new work-from-home job in September, and have been wanting to create an outdoor office of sorts on my patio. The only problem I had is that our yard isn't fenced, and I have a 4-year-old Shih Tzu who wants to be with me basically 24/7. Which is good until he sees a squirrel and wants to go tearing after it! Thus, the need for the fence! I looked into all sorts of fencing options, Continue reading...

My New Marble Kitchen Counters – How I Saved Thousands of Dollars

July 8, 2021 By Lauren

Thanks to the makers of the Giani Marble Countertop Kit for partnering with me on this post. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. This post contains affiliate links. These links won’t cost you anything, but may earn me a small commission. I've been wanting to swap out my home's laminate kitchen counters with marble looking quartz countertops for a while. I am always looking for easy budget DIY kitchen makeover ideas. My kitchen's counters are nearly 20 years old. But now that my twins are entering private liberal arts colleges (with large tuitions) in the fall, my Continue reading...

Easy Budget Sink Update

May 26, 2021 By Lauren

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission that helps fund this blog. Thank you! If you have been following my blog, you may have noticed that I've been updating my previously boring and blah builder-grade bathroom bit by bit. I painted a stenciled feature wall using a Cutting Edge stencil, painted the oak vanity with DecoArt Satin Enamels Paint, installed an easy to hang MirrorChic bathroom mirror frame and added a beautiful glossy painted Giani marble counter! (I painted and updated the counter myself!) I Continue reading...

The Secret to Getting Marble Counters on a Budget

May 20, 2021 By Lauren

Thanks to the makers of the Giani Marble Countertop Kit for partnering with me on this post. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. This post contains affiliate links. These links won't cost you anything, but may earn me a small commission. My husband and I have owned our home for about 19 years now. Some things in our house are starting to show their age. With two daughters entering college in the fall, I have been looking for ways to update my home on a budget. Luckily, I have found a fantastic way to update kitchen and bathroom counters. I recently used a Giani Carrara White Continue reading...

How to Install a MirrorChic Bathroom Mirror Frame

March 11, 2021 By Lauren

Thanks to MirrorChic for providing me with the mirror frame shown in this post. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Welcome to Friday Finds! On Fridays I share products that I've tried and love. Today I am reviewing a bathroom mirror frame from MirrorChic.com. MirrorChic crafts custom mirror frames for bathroom mirrors. These beautiful and affordable mirror frames make it easy to frame any frameless builder grade bathroom mirror. Check out my how to video on how to assemble and install a MirrorChic mirror (at the end of this post). Beautiful Budget Bathroom Upgrades Over Continue reading...

How to Create a Feature Wall with a Stencil

September 29, 2020 By Lauren

Thanks to Cutting Edge Stencils for providing me with the stencil described in this post and used in my project. Four years ago I started stenciling a feature wall in my home's master bathroom. Life got busy, and I only finished the feature wall this year! I guess being stuck at home for months on end has some pluses! Now that the feature wall is finished, I thought it would be a great time to share how to create a DIY feature wall with a wall stencil. How to Create a Bathroom Feature Wall with a Stencil My husband doesn't love a lot of bright colors in the home, so I had painted Continue reading...

Back to School DIY Mask Rack

August 18, 2020 By Lauren

Create a beautiful and useful DIY wall face mask storage rack for this fall in minutes with pretty chair rail molding and easy to install and sturdy coat hooks. Thanks to Jack N Drill for supplying the coat hooks used in this post. A thank you also goes to ColorShot for providing me with the spray paint used in this tutorial. This post contains Amazon affiliate links for your shopping convenience. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. It's time for the August Pin Challenge! The purpose of the Pinterest challenge is to motivate us to not just pin, but to make it happen! This Continue reading...

5 Ways You Can Improve Your Life While Sheltering at Home

June 26, 2020 By Lauren

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. My family and I have been sheltering at home together for about 3 months now. Time at home can seem slow and monotonous at times. But with the right attitude, being at home can be beneficial. You can get things done that you might not have the time to do once life returns back to a new "normal." So today I am sharing 5 things you can do to improve your life while sheltering at home. Eat Well There are so many things we can't do right now, but one thing we can do is eat "well." Ideally, eating "well" will mean eating healthy for food, but Continue reading...

#QuarantineLife (Week 8) Plus, Celebrating 25 Years!

May 21, 2020 By Lauren

It's been 8 weeks since my family and I have been at home quarantined together. We've been hanging in there and finding ways to keep busy. My husband and daughters do homework and schoolwork from the kitchen table every day, and I work on my projects for the blog. We have been finding ways to have fun at home in quarantine when our work is done! My Latest Read Over the weekend I read the latest book by Amy Roloff, "A Little Me"Amy Roloff and her family are on the reality TV show, "Little People, Big World" on TLC. My daughters and I are big fans of the show! Amy, her ex-husband Matt, Continue reading...

Pantry Inspiration (How to Save on a Custom Pantry)

April 16, 2020 By Lauren

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. If your family is like mine, you are eating more at home. For my family, that means that our pantry has become quite full! The shelves in our pantry are overflowing as we stock up on essentials. I could use more space and better organization! I have been looking for pantry ideas and inspiration. The coat closet converted into a DIY pantry just off my kitchen has become too full. It no longer looks nowhere near as tidy as it does in the below photo! To make this DIY Continue reading...

The Best Way to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

March 25, 2020 By Lauren

Thanks to General Finishes for providing the primer, paint and top coat used to paint my kitchen cabinets. All opinions expressed in this post are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. These links cost you nothing, but may earn a small commission to help fund this blog. Thanks! Almost three years ago, I started painting my kitchen cabinets. For the most part, I completed the project. I have to admit, though, that I didn't complete it all! I still have about two doors left to paint. An illness -- and a cute new puppy --sidelined my project a bit! Now that I have more time at Continue reading...

My Painted Kitchen Cabinets — Two Years Later

January 11, 2020 By Lauren

Thanks to General Finishes for sponsoring this post. General Finishes provided me with the stain blocker, paint and topcoat that I used to paint my kitchen cabinets. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I earn a small commission that helps to run this blog. Thanks! It's been about two years since I painted my oak kitchen cabinets white with General Finishes Milk Paint. I am glad that I painted the cabinets! My kitchen looks much more modern and bright since I painted the oak cabinets. Plus, painting the oak cabinets white was a fairly simple Continue reading...

Friday Five — Fall Wreath, Kitchen Update, New Reads, Mulch & String Lights

September 27, 2019 By Lauren

Thanks to Tuttle Publishing for providing me with the books reviewed in this post. Thanks also to Thompson's Waterseal for providing the stain used on my DIY String Light Planter Posts. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Happy Friday! I am so glad that Friday is here! To celebrate, I thought I'd take the time to share a Friday Five -- here I'll share some details about what I've been up to lately! $100 Room Challenge You may have noticed that this month I've participated in the $100 Room Challenge. The challenge is hosted by Erin of Lemons, Lavender & Laundry. This Continue reading...

Hall Bathroom Reveal – One Room Challenge

May 8, 2019 By Lauren

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Thanks to DecoArt for sponsoring this post. DecoArt provided the paint used to paint my DIY bathroom mirror frame and to paint my bathroom vanity. These links cost you nothing, but may earn me a small commission that helps run this blog if you make a purchase. Welcome to the 6th and final week of One Room Challenge (ORC), hosted by Linda of Calling It Home! If you haven't been following along, I've been working the past several weeks to give a new look to my teen daughters' hall bathroom. In case you missed my previous posts, this is Continue reading...

Friday Five — Weekend Fun, Giveaway & Bathroom DIY

May 2, 2019 By Lauren

I received free admission to Medieval Times in exchange for my honest review. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. TGIF, everyone! Today I am sharing a Friday Five. In today's Friday Five, I'll share a little bit of what I've been up to recently - including some weekend fun I shared with my family, a Mother's Day giveaway and my recent DIY project. Medieval Times On Saturday, I was invited to enjoy a fun afternoon out with my family at Medieval Times in Lyndhurst, NJ. Medieval Times is a fun medieval-themed show complete with gallant knights, jousting, medieval-style food and drink Continue reading...

How to Make an Easy DIY Bathroom Mirror Frame

April 24, 2019 By Lauren

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. These links cost you nothing, but may earn me a small commission that helps run this blog if you make a purchase. Thanks to DecoArt for helping sponsor this project by providing the paint used on my bathroom vanity and DIY mirror frame. Today marks the fourth week I’ve been working to transform my daughters’ bathroom for the One Room Challenge (ORC), hosted by Linda of Calling It Home. I’m almost there! Today I will be showing you how to make an easy DIY bathroom mirror frame. In the One Room Challenge, hosted twice a year, 20 design bloggers and Continue reading...

Painted Bathroom Vanity — One Room Challenge Week 3

April 16, 2019 By Lauren

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Thanks to DecoArt for providing products used in my bathroom makeover. Today marks the third week I've been working to transform my daughters' bathroom for the One Room Challenge (ORC), hosted by Linda of Calling It Home. I'm halfway there! In the One Room Challenge, 20 design bloggers and hundreds of guest participants (like me) work to transform a room or space in the span of six weeks. The challenge takes place in April and September. It’s a fun way to get the motivation to complete a full room makeover. The challenge is also a good source Continue reading...