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With the number of questions and inquiries we have received regarding our favorite DIY tools over the years, it is crazy that it has taken me this long to compile a post on that exact subject.


We are a mixed bag of big projects (knocking down walls, installing floors, building storage and furniture....) and smaller, crafty DIYs (drawer organizers, decorative boxes, labels, memo boards....).  Why we opt to DIY really varies from project to project; sometimes it allows us to create something bigger and better on a tighter budget, and other times it allows us to create something custom to exactly fit our style and needs.


Our tool arsenal has grown over the years, however, there are a few specific items that we find ourselves reaching for time and time again.  Bryan and I sat down and came up with our top, "couldn't DIY without" products for everyday, crafting and DIY.  We thought about the things we use most frequently, as well as the items we would purchase first if we had to start from scratch all over again. 


For everyday repairs, installs and home maintenance, these are the items we keep in a nearby drawer and that we use more than any other tools:

• Utility knife: Opening packages, slicing paper, scraping/cleaning glass
• Safety glasses: Protective eye wear
• Hammer: Quick hanging projects
• Pliers: Tightening pipes, removing shelving pegs
• Tape measure: Project planning, drawer liner installation
• Flashlight: Power outages, viewing dark corners/crevices (cabinets, behind furniture, etc...)
• Screwdriver: Removing electrical plates for painting, opening electronics, tightening furniture
• Level: Hanging projects, furniture/maintenance checks

utility knife | safety glasses | hammer | pliers | tape measure | flashlight | screwdriver | level

When it comes to my daily organizing antics, here are the ten items that keep me excited and motivated to tackle any size project (in no particular order):

paper slicer

I utilize a paper slicer for cutting paper of all sizes, typically 12" x 12" sheets of scrapbooking paper.  I also reach for my paper slicer when working with rolls of vinyl, making labels and cutting liner for smaller drawers and dividers.  The slicer offers quicker, straighter cuts than I ever would be able to make myself with scissors.

silhouette die cutting machine

There aren't very many organizing projects that happen without the help of my Silhouette.  What I love most is that it has the ability to make vinyl labels, which look professional and seamless on just about any drawer, bin or jar.  It also offers a print and cut feature which is fantastic for sticker labels.  The die cutting tool also has the ability to be paired with a variety of specialty papers to create projects out of gold foil, glitter and even iron-on fabric.  In my opinion, the Silhouette is one of the most versatile craft tools around.

iron

I surprised myself with this one, but I do love my iron for a variety of small projects.  Because I don't always get along with my sewing machine, an iron comes to the rescue with a slew of "no sew" options.  I have done iron-on labels, new sew pouches and fabric covered boxes all with the help of this standard household tool.

craft brushes

Although the obvious use for these brushes is painting (which I love), I also reach for them for projects that include gold leafing, gilding, and decoupage.

color pens

I am able to get my daily color lovin' fix by using fine tip markers for writing notes, making labels and filling out my daily calendar, planner and to-do lists.

hot glue gun

Hot glue is great for working with rope, upholstery trim, labels, and just about any other small fabric or paper craft.  I reach for my glue gun before I reach for the bigger tools, and typically am surprised about the amount of hold is provides.

laminator

My laminator basically acts as an insurance policy for my projects, especially when kiddos are involved.  Most often I laminate labels to ensure they last for the long haul, but I also find myself laminating checklists (allowing them to be reused), as well as smaller drawer liners and the covers to my spiral-bound planners and notebooks.

staple gun

I generally use my staple gun for upholstery projects (playroom benches, dining chairs, headboards, stools, etc...), but it can also act as a fastening tool for small woodworking projects.

paint sprayer

If you love to spray paint, you will love having a small paint sprayer.  This spray gun gives you the ability to turn any color paint into a spray paint, and it covers smoother than any brush or roller.  Sprayers also provide consistent coverage and allow for you to get into awkward spaces easier than with typical painting tools.

cutting mat w/rotary tool

After I finally broke down and purchased an over-sized cutting mat and rotary tool, I questioned why I waited so long.  It was life changing, especially for a girl obsessed with lining drawers and bookcases.  I actually have two of the rotary cutting tools; one designated for fabrics and the other for paper projects.  Talk about cutting like butta!  Pair them with a yard stick and you will have the most beautiful and straight cuts for all of your crafty projects.  #gamechanger



Now that you have my top ten, I am turning the mic over to Bryan to find out more about his top ten woodworking tools.

miter saw

Our miter saw is used for the majority of our woodworking projects, generally for cutting wood at specific angles.  An invaluable tool for cutting trim and moulding, it is also one of the quickest ways to make any clean wood cuts.  Just getting started with DIY?  A miter box is a great alternative for smaller woodworking and moulding projects.

pedestal roller

The pedestal roller offers support and acts as an "extra set of hands" while working with longer or larger pieces of wood.

kreg jig

This tool provides the ability to create seamless exterior finishes by hiding the screw hardware inside of "pockets".  A Kreg Jig is perfect for building boxes, cabinets and other decorative furniture in which you do not wish to see the fastening hardware as part of the end result.

aluminum cutting guide

A cutting guide is a carpentry tool designed for use with circular saws or routers to create accurate cuts over long distances.  Although you can substitute a straight piece of wood or trim, the aluminum guide offers a sturdy, reliable and straight edge each and every time.

cordless drill

Rarely a day goes by where we don't reach for our cordless drill.  Perfect for projects big and small, it can do everything from tightening furniture and hanging window hardware to constructing a full wall of built-ins.  Sure, a screw driver can work, but your hands will be grateful for the ease and quickness this tool provides.  Pair it with a "drill-flip-drive" bit and you can switch between your pre-drill and standard drill bit in one swift motion.

circular saw

A circular saw offers portability and flexibility with your cutting projects.  When paired with saw horses and the aluminum cutting guide we shared above, it can take the place of a standard table saw.  Although we have a table saw tucked in the corner of our garage, we gravitate towards this tool due to the ease of use and the overall flexibility it provides.  Blades can also be swapped to be used with wood, stone and metal.

quick clamp

The squeeze clamp can expand to fit both small and large projects and offers padding to protect the wood finish.  The squeeze option allows you to quickly set the clamp in place, it also comes with a quick release to protect the integrity of the project when removing the clamp.  The clamp itself either acts as another set of hands for cutting or drilling, or holds wood pieces in place while your glues/adhesives work their magic.

sliding t-bevel

The T-bevel has a movable blade that allows you to copy any angle, from 0 to 360 degrees, and transfer it onto other surfaces such as moldings or lumber.  This was a jumbo sized time saver for us while working with awkward ceiling and flooring angles.

brad nailer

Brad nailers utilize finishing nails, which are tiny in comparison to standard screws/nails.  The small size of the nails makes this tool ideal for a magnitude of woodworking and trim projects in which you wish for the fastening hardware to be concealed (with wood putty or painter's caulk).  All nailers will need to be paired with an air compressor, which provides the force to the tool.  All of our trim work, crown, planks and moulding have been completed utilizing this fabulous piece of equipment.

jigsaw

Now watch me jig, and watch me nae nae.... No?  Oh boy, my kids just hid in embarrassment...  Anyway, we do like to do a little jig for this jigsaw tool, because it provides endless creative flexibility for cutting and shaping wood.  Generally used for creating curved wood edges, it can also create intricate shapes and designs, even decorative typography.  The small blade is the key to allowing the cutter to go places typical saws cannot reach.  These blades are also interchangeable for cutting a variety of materials.


So there you have it, our absolute favorite tools and supplies.  Each one of these tools make really wonderful Christmas, birthday and house warming gifts for others, or even for yourself!  The majority of them are so wonderfully versatile and can be used for an endless array of projects for years to come.  

Now that we have shared our favorites, we would love to know your personal DIY and craft supply loves.  What items would you feel lost without?  What tools do you find yourself grabbing for multiple times per week, month or year?  Any other items that are game changers in your day-to-day projecting sessions?


Find my favorite painting supplies here.

* affiliate links used

Helloooo friends!  I love this time of year as I feel I have endless reasons to be grateful and thankful.  Not to mention, we are about to fill our home with family, and that is what it is all about.  Home.  Family.  Fun.

We haven't hosted Thanksgiving for a few years, so I feel a little nervous, but heck, family loves you unconditionally right?  I just keep picturing that Christmas Vacation moment when Clark Griswold cuts into the turkey...

I have been wanting to create a special table this year, to really celebrate coming together.  My grandmother, who is in her 90's, is coming!  She is pretty much one of my most favorite people in the whole world, so having her at my table this year means more to me than words can express.


This table is for the adults.  I will be setting up a separate table for the kiddos nearby, which I am looking forward to doing maybe even more since it is less fussy and typically filled with activities and crayons.


Not that this table is really that fussy.  As many of you know, I don't always stick with uber traditional anything, and love to inject my spaces with color.


My favorite part of the whole process was playing off of our newly painted hutch.  Gold and teal was going to be the theme on the table as well.


Everything used to create the table setting, were items we already had floating around, paired with a few quick DIY projects.

First up, the runner.  I already had the natural runner, but wanted to create layers and inject a little black to ground things.  I took some already owned fabric and because I don't sew, I "no sewed" the runner with some hem tape.


Using my Silhouette, I cut some letters out of chipboard and gold foil, and attached the two to give myself a sturdy Thanksgiving banner.


For the place card holders, I went straight to the laundry room and scooped up a handful of clothespins.  Which of course received a gorgeous coat of gold spray paint.


And as an added bonus for when we gaze at the place cards across the way, I embellished the backs with a "Thank You" stamp.


My father-in-law is the best.  He helps us with so many things and one day he overheard Bryan and I chatting about heading out to the woods to find a dead tree to chop up to create some chargers.  A few days later, he showed up at our door with a stack in hand.  He really has a heart of gold.


The centerpiece is one of those tree trunk chargers, topped with a glass cloche.  Inside is a jar filled with rustic pencils {found at World Market}...


...along with some Thankful cards I created.


These cards could be used in a variety of ways, however, we plan to make a fun game out of it.  We will all take a small stack of cards, and fill in the blank with what we are personally thankful for.  Then all cards will be placed in a bowl, and drawn one by one and read out loud.  Then it is our job to guess who wrote that specific Thankful card, based on the answer.  Basically, a Thanksgiving version of Loaded Questions.  So fun that even the kids can play along!  {free printable at the end of the post}


Nearby, we hung up some artwork to correlate with the nearby table.  You must check out Nest of Posies blog for some amazing free printables!


And that my friends, is our happy little Thanksgiving table.



And here is the "Thankful For" freebie, because I am also very thankful for YOU!

{click HERE to download your free Thankful For cards}

The kiddos will be home from school for the next couple of days, and our home will begin filling up with our guests, so I am going to take the rest of the week to relax and cherish this heart filled home we work so hard on.  I will be stopping in on Thursday to give a special thank you shout out to those that sponsor all we do, as well as share a few Black Friday deals, so stay tuned for that goodness.

Cheers to a happy and safe Thanksgiving to all of you!  I hope that it is full of love, laughter, traditions, family and good eats... and that you get to take a little time off from work, house projects and even organizing, to enjoy what truly matters.

I have no idea how it happened, but this past week was one of those blink-and-it-is-over type of weeks.  All of the sudden it was Friday morning and I was hit with the realization that I hadn't organized one single thing all week.  The horror right? 

As far as our kitchen goes, the good news is that we have begun installing trim, toe kick and moulding!  I am hoping to have a full kitchen update for y'all very soon; we definitely needed to step back and take a small break to troubleshoot a few issues that have come up as we near the end of the renovation.  One problem is in regards to a major appliance/kitchen island snafu... We also have some cabinet moulding decisions to make and the Mr. and I are not seeing eye-to-eye.  We appreciate you hanging in there as we work through some of those detailed decisions that we just don't feel comfortable rushing.

This week when I took a look at my giant Home To-Do List, I picked something that I knew I could accomplish quickly, something that would keep me excited about the kitchen, and something that would help us out during our day-to-day routine.  I decided to tackle the cabinet under the kitchen sink.


Although our kitchen was far from finished, we needed to reclaim our guest room a few months back.  All of our kitchen belongings that were temporarily being stored in the guest room, were brought back out to the kitchen and the boxes were unloaded in a single evening.  When we came up with our initial cabinet design, I made sure to assign every last pot, pan, appliance and gadget a home.  This made quickly unpacking our items fairly painless, however, nothing more was ever done.  Many of the cabinets have since been in a state of chaos and waiting for that special touch, under the kitchen sink included.


Majority of the items under the sink are things we use to clean our entire main level.  There were also a few items that were brought up from our cleaning cabinet for a single use and then tossed below the sink instead of being returned to the proper home.  Paper bags were acting as our recycling bin, and things were always getting lost in the back of the cabinet.  It was time for a little organizing action.

Step one, empty it out!


My initial impulse was to reach for some shelf liner I had on hand...


But the pattern was a little busy and the lack of color left me looking for a different option.


I found some gift wrap (purchased from HomeGoods) and knew it was more more fitting for my love of color happy organizing.  I also knew that once things were placed back into the cabinet, that the boldness of the paper would simmer down a bit.

To ensure the gift wrap would be easy-to-clean and hold up to heavy daily traffic, I covered it in clear contact paper.  Read more about this process here.


As I was emptying out the cabinet, I jotted down a list of everything that I needed to store, as well as the ideal way to do so.  One thing I realized right away is that I wasn't taking advantage of the cabinet doors.  Also, I have been wanting to find a second caddy to corral cleaning items as I have been enjoying keeping house chore supplies on both levels of our home.  The entire cabinet needed to be purged down, items needed a specific home, and a few labels would be useful in keeping the entire family on the same page.


I began by addressing the items we utilize daily to clean the counters and wash our dishes; we use a combination of dish cloths, scrubbers and sponges.  Because these items become wet during use, they needed to be stored in a location that would allow them to dry, without damaging the interior of the cabinet. 


I found an acrylic spice rack at The Container Store, and thought I would give it a try.  It ended up being the perfect solution because it is easy to clean and extremely light weight.  I was able to use a couple heavy duty clear Command Strips to hang the organizer on the inside of the door, and now our daily tools are always within arm's reach, yet keep the sink area clutter free (and I can think of 1,589 other places I would love to add these charming little gems).


I also appreciate that the spice rack pairs beautifully with the clear stacking drawers we had used in our previous kitchen setup.


I removed the jumbled mess of cleaning rags from the drawers, and washed/re-folded all of our dish cloths and towels.  I also added some vinyl labels to the faces of the drawers to keep things orderly down the road.

On top of the drawers I added our wet-sack to hold our dirty/damp used rags that are waiting for wash day.


HomeGoods came through for me in my quest for a second caddy to corral our daily cleaning supplies. 


The caddy is large enough to hold a variety of items; everything from our hand sweeper and dusters to rags and cleaners.

When selecting items to use for storage and organization, the number one requirement was that they had to be easy to keep clean/wipe down.  I also tried to select items that would be versatile should our needs for the cabinet ever change (which I really don't see happening in this case).  A simple clear tray holds our extra soaps for the dishwasher, sink and fruits/vegetables.


Our pull-out recycle bin didn't fit in our new cabinet because the new sink is fantastically larger and deeper.  I searched high and low for an alternative pull-out trash option but came up short.  It is totally worth it to have the deeper sinks though, so I just stayed with a very basic bin that also received some vinyl labeling love.


I put the other cabinet door to work holding our paper towel roll and dish-washing gloves.


The paper towel holder is extremely light, and was also attached to the cabinet with a Command Strip.  I am not ready to screw holes into our new cabinet doors just yet, not even for the sake of organization.  And although I didn't end up storing our food wrap boxes inside the cabinet doors for long, I did want to re-use the dowel and hooks for my dish-washing gloves.  I just wrapped the dowel in some vinyl to protect the wood from wetness.

And suddenly I had myself the happiest cabinet in our kitchen!



And a quick recap of our under-the-kitchen-sink essentials:



Aside from a little product sourcing/shopping, the entire project took about an hour (planning, cleaning, lining, organizing, Command hooking, labeling and admiring).  Not bad for one of the busiest cabinets in the entire kitchen. 

Now that I am feeling accomplished again, I can get back to fun in the sun with the kiddos.  I mean, back to installing trim and moulding.... sigh...