Tag Archives: quick projects

Episode 223: Decluttering, the Mud Nook, Kitchen Cleaner Review, Painting Foundations

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SEGMENT 1: Decluttering

We all have cluttered spaces in our home. And yes, sometimes, we’ve spent a good number of months letting them get that way. But the good news is that decluttering is manageable! In this segment we talk about a few simple steps that will help you get started.

SEGMENT 2: The Mud Nook

Many of us would love to have a huge mudroom . . . . Benches, ample storage for boots and coats . . . . But most of us just don’t have the space. In this segment, we speak with Michaela Noelle from Michaela Noelle Designs about a small mudroom “nook” she and her husband pulled together.

 

SEGMENT 3: Kitchen Cleaner Review

We discuss 4 of the internet’s most recommended kitchen cleaners and see how they perform. Also, we stumble into another cleaner that is basically a weapon of nearly unlimited power. It can do stuff that few other cleaners we’ve ever used can do . . . . But as they say, with great power comes great responsibility . . . .

The Four General Purpose Cleaners We Tested

The Super Powered Cleaner We Tried

And just for good measure, here are some before and after picks of the caps that sit over the burners on the stove. The first picture shows what I had even after I tried the cleaners in my house AND the 4 cleaners above. 

The second picture shows what I ended up with after an application of Carbon-Off. It wasn’t a complete “no-elbow-grease” kind of cleaning . . . but still, I was blown away by the results. 

Just remember, as we said in the segment: this stuff is potent! You can take paint off surfaces, damage counters, damage the teflon in your pans, and so on. It’s a super weapon against carbon in the kitchen . . . but it needs to be used with care!

 

SEGMENT 4: Painting Foundations

Unpainted foundations . . . or foundations that have been patched . . . can give your home a bit of an unfinished look. If you’re looking for an inexpensive curb appeal project with a big payoff, this might be for you!

EP197: From Hex Signs to Barn Quilts

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SEGMENT 1: Welcome Hailey!

We’re excited to introduce Hailey Johnson, jack-of-all-trades and now, pre-famous radio personality. Hailey’s got a background in everything from Art to Paint. And while that may not sound terribly all-encompassing . . . Hailey will assure you that it is.

SEGMENTS 2 & 3: From Hex Signs to Barn Quilts

Hex signs have a long, fascinating, and often misunderstood history. We dig into the tradition of barn decorating and the pitfalls of translation.

 

SEGMENT 4: Electronic Door Locks

Here’s a quick, 30-minute upgrade for your homes: install a keyless, electronic door lock! For anywhere from $50 to $300 you could go keyless on the main door of your home. It’s an incredibly convenient upgrade, easy to accomplish, and not too expensive. It might be the perfect Saturday project….

EP192: Creating Warmth for Outdoor Gatherings

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SEGMENT 1: Warming Up the Outdoors

Some of us celebrated Christmas outdoors this year. Maybe in Florida, that’s cool. But in Michigan, it’s definitely cold! Here are a number of products you might want to consider if you’re looking at New Year’s Eve celebrations and you’re still shivering from last weekend:

Coffee Table Fire Pit

Outdoor Patio Heater

Mr. Heater Big Buddy

Solo Stove

SEGMENT 2: Finding the Perfect Gray

It’s easy to think that there really is such a thing as a “standard” or a “pure” gray. However, there really isn’t. Every color (grays included) are affected by undertones. 

In this segment, we’ll give you some easy ways to determine which undertones are in the colors you’re selecting, so you can be sure to always pick the perfect tone!

SEGMENTS 3 & 4: Dan’s 30-Year Furniture Project

Dan A. found a beautiful, antique library table at a barn sale. Though buried beneath layers of pink paint, he could see that it was gorgeous and would be perfect in his home. So he snatched it up. 30 years ago. And a few weeks ago, he finally started the work! We’ll talk about products he’s used, lessons he’s learned, and how we can apply all of that to our own projects!

EP154: Picking Colors from Home, Bacteria in the Kitchen, & the State of Real Estate

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Segment 1: The Benjamin Moore Color Portfolio App

We’ve seen a lot of apps for paints colors, but Benjamin Moore’s new Color Portfolio app is one of the best! And it couldn’t have come out at a better time. With this app, you can literally sit at home and scroll through all of the Benjamin Moore color decks! Better yet, you can upload photos of your room and digitally apply the paint to your walls! Best of all? It’s free! The links are below:

Segment 2: The Bacteria Hiding in our Kitchens

In our conversation about bacteria hiding in the kitchen, we mentioned an excellent cleaner. We will do a full segment on it in the future, but for your reference, it’s Spray Nine Heavy Duty Cleaner, Degreaser, and Disinfectant.

Segments 3 & 4: The Current State of Real Estate

With the Governor’s Stay Home order, there’s a lot of concern and confusion. We sat down with Sue Prins and Ginger Herman from Sue Prins Group Five Star Real Estate Leaders to talk about the impact the shut down is having and will continue to have on the housing market. The good news is that they are seeing very positive signs!

 

Check out the interview for more info!

If you have more questions for Sue or Ginger, they’d love to talk to you: 616-723-2400.

AND a BONUS interview from Sue discussing the differences between what we’re seeing now and the recession of 2008:

 

BONUS Segment 5: The Book We Need Right Now!

Everything is upside down right now it seems, so we decided to start adding a bonus segment to every show. For a while at least. And our goal is to talk about something fun and light. This week, we ring up Dan’s cousin Ben Velderman to talk about a book that Ben made Dan read a long time ago. It’s All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot and it’s the perfect escape from the world. At least for a while! Check out the bonus segment and, as we mentioned, here’s a link to book on Amazon! Happy Reading!

EP153: Seeing The World (From Home), Tools Explained, What To Do In A Roof Emergency, Quick Projects for the Self-Quarantined

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Segment 1: Seeing the World, Without Leaving Home

There are literally thousands of websites that have opened up the world to those of us isolated at home! Many of them are subscription based sites that have lifted their restrictions and are allowing free access. Betsy goes through just a few of them. Below, we’ve got our choices for some of the best locations to check out!

Segment 2: Tools Explained

Tools make our lives so much easier! But, from time to time (and sometimes more often), our use of them backfires! Here’s a great article that highlights the humor/pain we all experience at least once in a while when we pick up that pliers or swing that hammer!

Segment 3: Dealing With Roof Emergencies

We sit down with Matt Williams and Jake Harmon from Sherriff Goslin Roofing to talk about what you need to do in a roof emergency! There’s a lot of great info in the interview, but here are the details. If a tree falls on your roof (or something along those lines), here’s what you need to do in the first 20 minutes:

  • Immediately call your insurance agent and let him/her know what happened.
  • Contact a professional company
    • Tree Removal
    • Roof Companies
    • Tarping Companies
  • Get someone on site to help you walk through the insurance claim

Check out the interview for more info!

If you have more questions for the experts from Sherriff Goslin, they’d love to talk to you: 231-798-7783. Or you can go to sherriffgoslinmuskegon.com

Segment 4: Quick Projects for the Self-Isolated!

We’re living in crazy times and we don’t know exactly how everything will shake out or when. But right now, lots of us are finally getting around to the projects that have piled up in our homes over the last few years. Here are a few of our favorites!

 

EP133: Spring-Loaded Nail Set, The Color of the Year, Wall Panels

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Segment 1: Spring-Loaded Nail Set

Sometimes you can’t fit a hammer and a nail set into a tight corner. Sometimes you just don’t want to use all that force to set your nails into the wood. In those instances, this simple, spring-loaded nail set is perfect! It’s very inexpensive and definitely something to have in your toolbox.

 

Segments 2 and 3: Color of the Year with Jennifer Butler Design

Benjamin Moore launched their new Color of the Year for 2020 and it’s First Light: a pink. How in the world, do you work with pink in your decorating? How do you prevent it from leaning overpoweringly to the feminine? And honestly, what is the point of color trends anyway? We discuss all of this with Jennifer Butler and Andy Yates from Jennifer Butler Design in Grand Rapids. And it’s definitely worth your time!

Segment 4: Amazingly Simple Wall Panels

Ever thought about using a mural in your decorating, but were afraid to commit? Didn’t want to spend the money only to have to remove it later when your tastes change? Well what about this solution?