Since the huge changes in our world these past few months, “working from home” and all of the challenges that come with it, has become immediately relevant & a necessary reality for many in our world today. Your home or apartment may not have a full scale office, suitable for all of your supplies and the space you need. Whether you have an entire room, a closet, a nook or just a desk- here are some suggestions to make your workspace work for you!
How to Organize Your Bathroom
Meal Prepping Tips for Lunch at Home
Tips for Storing Seasonal Clothing
10 Ways to Display Kids Artwork
10 Ways to Display Kids Artwork
We recently heard a neighbor friend say that her quarantine home looks like “a craft store exploded inside.” Can any of you with small kids else relate?? So, what should we do with all those newly created art masterpieces from our kiddos? We want to celebrate all their little creations!
Instead of just stashing all their art in a folder or adding it to "the pile," here are 10 creative & manageable ways to bring some color into your home, celebrate the seasons, & show off your kids' imagination through art.
1. Use tacks on a wall that's not front and central in your home.
So this first one's not rocket science, but it's what works in our home. Our laundry room is on the main level & has gray walls so the art can really pop! I (or my kids) just rotate their art 2-3 times a year in this room leaving tiny holes from the tacks. The way I look it, when the art stops coming home someday, I'll be ready to repaint the room anyway, but until then, I get to be reminded of these little people I love so much while I'm trying to find that missing sock or checking their pockets before they hit the washer.
Try these Push Pin Clips
2. Thrift frames with glass removed and cork board added.
This is a great option for a more polished look that keeps it super easy to rotate art. Shannon Makes Stuff has great images for ideas. Let the kids have another art project by painting the frames themselves.
Try this cork board.
3. Have Simply Create Kids create a collage poster of your child's art.
This option is a bit more pricey, but well worth the money to have one piece that speaks for many. My kids would love how professional this art display would make their art look.
4. Create vertical art on a string.
The folks at Artful-Kids used a hanging wire to display art vertically allowing for easy rotation. This is a great option if you're short on wall space.
Use this Hanging Picture Display Holder.
5. Use inexpensive IKEA frames in the color that work for your space.
We love how Amanda Medlin created this wall for her boys' room with multicolored frames, but all white or all black frames would be another great option to showcase your child's art.
6. Clothespins are great for art display.
Aimee of It'sOverflowing.com has a great DIY plan to create a fun clothespin line for your kids to be able to change their own art with ease. HYD helped a client design one similar to this last year & it was a huge hit with their four kids.
Try these mini clothes pins.
7. ArtKive it by photographing your child's art with your smartphone.
This is brilliant. ArtKive has designed an app that allows you to photograph the artwork, upload it, and then turn it into books, gifts, or keepsakes.
8. Mount clipboards to the wall.
HYD loves reclaimed wood projects. These from Old House to New Home are some of our favs. Of course, you could use lots of different styles of clipboards that work best for your space.
9. Professionally frame special holiday pieces.
My thoughtful mother decided to pick a couple of my brother's & my best Christmas creations. My brother's is a Santa with no arms, he's a beauty. I did a lovely manger scene that brings back memories but doesn't come close to the fine artistic ability of my brother. It's been over 30 years since we created them & every year, we reminisce & poke fun at each other when mom hangs them. I love them!
10. Keep it simple with a line of twine.
Nothing too fancy here. Just find a color of twine or string that works for your space & use clothespins, paper clips, or even colorful hair clips to hang the art. The image above is our favorite using the spools as the anchors to hang. I have a friend who uses the twine method above her kitchen sink with smaller art pieces & it's so cute. She uses her childs' art in lieu of a curtain valance.
Get some twine here.
We hope you find these ideas helpful!
Do you have an art wall that works in your house? We'd love to hear how you're showing off your kids' art.
Read some more helpful blogs dwelling well with kiddos!
Refresh Your Home without Buying Anything New
How to Make Your Own Special Nook
Making Your Own Special Nook
Here in Knoxville, like so many around the world, we have spent more time at home lately. We have many things to be grateful for and we’ve had to come to terms with new challenges in our daily lives that need tending to. One thing that’s been incredibly helpful during this time are our special spaces.
With all the time inside, we've so appreciated having that special spot to retreat to when we need a little breather from all the folks being around all day. Do You have that spot?
It doesn't take much, really. Just a chair or seat of some sort, a reading lamp, a blanket, a small table, & a few of your favorite things. Each of us have those few items that make a spot ours. For our team member, Kayla, there's a little plant, some homemade "mommy" items from her kids, a pic of her as a child with her dad and brother, her favorite business card of the month, and always... her journal & the Word. She also feels so thankful to have a built-in bookcase nearby filled with other fun items that inspire her & are available when the mood strikes.
4 Nook Ideas to Get You Started
Below are some thoughtful nook ideas that might help to nudge you into getting your space just right. Or maybe it's a space for your child to read, imagine, or just feel safe & quiet. We found a couple of ideas for the littles, too.
We'd love to hear any other ideas YOU may have. What has worked for you or for your family?
1. Window Seat Nooks
Kate Pruitt for Design Sponge posts fabulous pictures of Lora Neveu's window seat nook that she designed for her daughter. A little more work involved, but well worth the effort for the results.
Lora Neveu on Knee High To A Ladybug
2. Master Bedroom Nooks
This master bedroom nook by Courtney Fernan is a simple example of just a few items that make the spot just cozy enough. She also links where all the items were purchased.
3. Reading Nooks
For the littlest ones, Jen with Mama.Papa.Bubba. gives us a great idea to encourage reading & quiet time from an early age. Just a few pillows, a spot for books & a fun curtain & you're ready to go!
4. Corner Nooks
Kara Tippetts' "Corner Nook" is just enough & not too much when she needed it most...
Need a few items to perfect your nook? Here are some great resources you might enjoy:
Home Office Organization Tips
4 Easy Ways to Organize Your Cell Phone
Easy Ways to Organize your Linen Closet
Closet Refresh : How to Make the Most of Your Closet
3 Things You Can Do Right Now For Your Community, Your Family, and Yourself.
3 Ways to Refresh Your Entry Way for Spring
Entry way by Meegan Buschor of Mia Interiors
When March rolls in, we move out… outside! It’s that time of year to transition our lives from cozy and cuddled to playing and planting. Spring is just around the corner and we want to come alongside you to help transition your home and life for the changing days ahead. Each week this month we will bring you helpful insights, inspirations, and steps for you to get a kickstart on spring organizing.
Let’s begin with the places in our homes we use every single day! Do you think much about your entry ways? We’re talking about any space that welcomes you and your people into your home. This could be your front hallway, garage entry way or mud room. Whatever you call your “drop your things and kick off your shoes” space… we’ve got some tips for you to get you ready for a new season.
Inspiration from @industrieelchique
PURGE
Begin with a fresh start! As you look at your entry way, consider what clothing, jackets, or shoes may be piling up that you may not need anymore. Perhaps kids have outgrown shoes. Start by pulling everything out and organize them in piles with like objects. Sort through each pile determining what to keep and what could be dropped it off at your local KARM store.
Tessa Hop’s natural tones brings simplicity to this clean entry way.
ORGANIZE
Put away your winter coats (when its finally warm enough!) and your heavy boots in their off season home. Pull out that rain jacket and gardening shoes to replace your winter gear! As you enjoy the simplicity that comes as bulky clothes leave, leave only what you need in this area as it can become cluttered easily. Start with assigning a hook, cabinet, or cubby to each person in your home.
Consider decorative bins or a shoe rack or tray for your remaining shoes to stay tidy. Tyne Martinez of Atlanta, in an article on The Scout Guide recommends “choosing a material that adds interest without detracting from the house’s aesthetic, and opting for a style that reflects the formality of the abode.”
Here are a few links for items much like you see in Tessa’s simple and stylish entry.
Juniper Home’s recent mud room reveal has us drooling!
DECORATE
As always, we want to walk into a beautiful home as well as a functional one… but keep it simple! A small antique table for your keys can add some charm to a small entry way. A welcoming bench brings a warm space for taking off muddy spring boots. Save a hook to show off your favorite hat or basket full of spring flowers! Transition a favorite piece of art or collectible to display in this area to bring some life and warmth.
Unsure where to start when considering donating unused items from your home? Read these past HYD blog posts on donations:
Featured
These 5 Things : February 2020
5 Tips for the Back to School Routine
One thing I love about a new school year is, it’s new. We begin the year with all As, we get fresh notebooks, new teachers, and get to start again. It’s also a great time to adopt a few new habits surrounding the school routine to help stay on top of the schedule, the clutter, the schoolwork, and to encourage your kids to have their best year yet. We’ve compiled a few tips to get your year off on the right foot!
5 Tips to Streamline the Back to School Routine!
Image: Magnolia
1 . An Established Landing Space
This will look different in every home, entirely dependent on your home’s layout. This is an area that should be relatively close to the entry and exit point used each morning. Landing spaces can be useful to collect bookbags and store to-do baskets. Think of this as the command center of the morning on the way out the door. Check out this blog by Joanna Gaines for tips on how locker baskets can be used in your landing space!
2 . Routine Checklists for the Littles
Printable checklists ( laminated or put behind a glass for use with a dry erase ) can be so helpful to guide littles along their new morning routines, this gives them a sense of ownership of their morning and you can still be directly involved to keep them on track.
*We’ve created these two printable options as a framework to your morning routine!
3. Streamlined Schedules for the Big Kids
For kiddos that aren’t exactly kiddos anymore, a virtual approach could keep the entire family on board the same ship! Google calendar app can be a great option for synchronizing sports schedules, events, and the heavier after school schedule that the teen sports/club years can come with.
Another option is a centralized large chalkboard or dry erase calendar in the home. This is a great addition to the landing space or command center and can be a great reminder when headed in or out the door each day. There are definitely pros and cons to each calendaring options, find what works best for your people.
4 . Art & Schoolwork Management
A great habit to adopt for school work brought home is “touch it once!” If the assignment is a worksheet or test from class that has no emotional connection to your child, and your child is ready to let go, after acknowledgment of their efforts and skill they now have by doing the practice, it goes to the recycle bin immediately.
As for artwork, a great rule of thumb for what to keep is to see if you can see the unique work of your own child in each piece. Once that decision is made, a clear Rubbermaid tote with your child’s name and school year(s) can be used if originals want to be kept.
Another option we love is ARTKIVE. ARTKIVE lets you send in all the originals to be professionally photographed and bound into a hardback book or a framed piece!
Image: Home Stories A to Z
5 . Designated Homework Areas
This can be such a stress reliever in many ways encouraging productivity, organization, and quality of work. Establishing a homework zone can communicate the same thing to a child as “going to the office” can for an adult. You set the tone for their work flow and focus by designating study areas. This can be as simple as a lazy susan with cups of supplies easily moved to the middle of a table, or as established as a study nook in the home. Wherever the investment, the reward will be worth it!
Being Present in the Middle of May
Image: Texture Photo
Spring is in full swing now and all the events of the season are coming at us from every direction! Graduations, travel plans, spring performances, festivals, sports tournaments, and end-of-school year parties and events are filling our calendars and brain-space as we try to survive one of the most beautiful months in East Tennessee.
We’ve gathered a few tips to help you be present, enjoy these last couple of weeks and finish the month with success.
Take a break from social media
For the rest of the month, hit pause on scrolling through your social media feeds. There are lots of fun things to post about on your own page - be it your kids, a fun travel spot, a memorable gathering - so go for it! But create a personal rule about not looking at other’s lives for the rest of the month to help you focus more clearly on your own.
Be willing to say “no”
Do someone a favor, and say “no” to an event, volunteer opportunity, or extra appointment and allow someone else the chance to say “yes.” Many of us are natural-born helpers (Enneagram 2’s, you know who you are ; ) ), but we’ve got to allow others the opportunity to help out in the classroom, take some food to a friend, or offer to help with the neighborhood newsletter.
Schedule (at least) a 30-minute window every day to unplug
Take some time each day to do something without your phone in reach or earshot. I know many of us rely on our phones for our business and to be available for our families, but we also need a break. Just putting it away for short windows to allow yourself to be fully present in some quiet space, especially in such a hectic month, can be very refreshing.
Try to get into bed 30 minutes earlier as often as possible
Sleep is imperative when our brains are in overload, and even if you can’t every night, choose an early bedtime as many times this month as you can. Find a magazine, book of poetry, or an easy read to allow your mind to unwind and lull yourself to a peaceful sleep.
Drink water
Don’t leave home without a full & refillable water bottle. With busy schedules and lots or running from one place to the next, it’s easy to let this simple habit go by the wayside. Plus the weather is moving towards summer, so as our bodies adjust to warmer temps, a little extra hydration is needed.
Lastly, enjoy the moments when you’re in them. This month will be gone before you know it, so hang in there, laugh when you can, hug those you love, and celebrate the milestones of all your people as they graduate, finish a sports season, or start a new adventure this spring.
“Wherever you are - be all there.”
Loving Mom Well this Mother's Day
My mom & my girls 2016
After leaving the home of a client who recently lost his mom, I’ve been a bit more reflective thinking of my own mama and my life as a mother. I am so very fortunate to still have my mom here and healthy. She is one of my biggest cheerleaders and supporters by encouraging me, toting my kids from here to there, attending all kinds of her grandkids’ games and performances, and mostly loving me well in all my ups and downs that motherhood, marriage, and owning a business can bring.
We’re 3 days away from Mother’s Day 2019 and I’ve been contemplating how do I really celebrate my mom, let her know how priceless she is to me, and create a memory that I can enjoy when she’s no longer here. As some of you who know my mom or may have read in previous posts, my mom is quite the collector of things. She’s got some mad skills when it comes to finding deals, personal shopping for family and friends, and creating an amazing storyboard of all her finds and family pieces in the place she and my dad call home. Having lived in the same old farmhouse for over 40 years allows one to create quite the collection. : )
I say all that to explain why giving my mom some of my time, a little muscle, and some serious purging encouragement would (wink, wink), by far, be the best gift I could give my mom this Mother’s Day. Now for you, your mom may be a natural born minimalist and giving your time in her home may not be the best help. My encouragement to anyone reading who has a mom that they’d like to love well this Mother’s Day is to take a minute now and think about her. What’s her season, her newest hobby, a restaurant she’s always wanted to try? There are lots of directions we could go here, but my hope for you is to be able to find one act of sacrifice on your part that would be life-giving to her. Below is a short list of ideas, and I would love to hear your ideas in the comments below!
Whatever you land on, I hope you get a chance to connect with your mom, be it in person, over many miles, or in your memories.
And to all you mamas out there, Happy Mother’s Day!
Big love,
taryn
IDEAS FOR MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS
Technology teaching session // Help her get up to date on the technology she needs to stay connected either with giving her your time, the time of your teenage kiddo, or professional help from a local techie like Neighborhood Nerds or Happy Mac
Take her out to brunch or lunch // Some great spots in Knoxville are: The Plaid Apron, Olibea, Holly’s Gourmets Market, Wild Love Bakehouse, Farmacy, Cazzy’s Corner Grill, Jackie’s Dream Cafe
Make an appointment for the both of you to get a mani/pedi instead of just a gift card for her // Natural Alternatives, Lox Salon, Moda Nail Spa
Offer to assist in getting her photos printed and make a photo book or maybe just get some recent one in frames around her home
Schedule a photo session with your mom and extended family with a professional photographer
And our favorite… give her a Help You Dwell gift card! Our Mother’s Day Special is available until Saturday night at midnight & you get a whole hour for FREE!!
Image Texture Photo
Start 'em young
Taryn with Kate, Will, and Eli Ruth // 2008
I became a mom with very few plans in place for how I’d spend time with my child or children, how I envisioned my home being set up for little ones, or how many kids I wanted to have. I’d always hoped to be a mom. I just didn’t really have specific ideas of exactly how that might go down. Almost 17 years into motherhood, and 3 amazing kids later, I am both thankful for that somewhat clueless beginning and at the same time, a bit regretful that I wasn’t more intentional.
Image: Texture Photo // 2018
I’ve found that not having concrete expectations of how motherhood would go was a gift in that it allowed for a whole lotta grace. Not so much pressure on them or on me to be someone I had dreamed up in my head. I think I have been able to pay closer attention to each one of my kids and their unique personalities, ways of relating, and specific needs better since I didn’t have rigid expectations of what I wanted parenting and my kids to look like.
Being somewhat clueless also paved the way for new relationships and a sweet reliance on family. I am fortunate to have started motherhood off with some incredible new mamas who I’ve shared this crazy adventure with and who are still some of my dearest friends. We learned so much from one another. I am also a very blessed gal to have a mom and mother-in-law who have shown me what great love and sacrifice for your kids looks like. All good gifts in the midst of my cluelessness.
However, there is one area that I do wish I had been more thoughtful about at an earlier stage — how to create spaces in my home, and spaces in our days, for my kids. I had to make a lot of mistakes in this area before realizing there’s a better way. Of course hindsight is 20/20, but if I had taken a bit more time to think through what items &/or areas in my home that would encourage my kids to learn, explore, and love well, I would’ve saved myself lots of hours of singing (and doing) the “clean-up, clean-up, everybody everywhere” song and dance, procrastination, guilt, and frustration.
On May 2 at The Back Porch Mercantile, this is the exact topic we will be teaching on.
How do we get a baby’s room ready with all the needs but not the excess?
What’s the best way to create a play area for toddler’s that allows them to explore but doesn’t turn my house into a plastic toy jungle?
Do I keep all my preschooler’s handprint art and the other 724 pieces of art they’ve created?
Toys through the years and how to store them in a way that your kids can actually clean them up.
How do we do birthdays and holidays well without filling up on too many gifts?
What to do with all my elementary-age child’s school work?
How do teach my kids to organize?
I have learned lots raising this boy and my two girls. I’m still learning. And whether you’re a new mom or a few years in, my hope for you is that through some intentional, thoughtful planning, you can create the best space for your kids and for you to be the best mom you can be.
Image: Paige Severance (and her cutie twins!)
get outside!
We love this time of year. Watching everything come back to life after the long (wet) and dark winter is so refreshing. The change of season can bring shift in our perspective and revival to our spirits. With the start of spring comes excitement and ample opportunities to enjoy beautiful east Tennessee.
Image from Visit Knoxville.
Here are a few ways we encourage you to get outside & welcome the new season…
Explore Knoxville’s tree-based adventure park, Navitat, at Ijams Nature Center, or take a hike on one of the Center’s trails.
Pack a picnic lunch and bring a blanket for a sunny feast at Sequoyah Hills Park.
Sweep off porch and patio areas. Make them more inviting with a new welcome mat or strand of lights.
Enjoy a beer with a friend at the Bearden Beer Market to support Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful.
Celebrate EarthFest’s 20th year anniversary at SoKno Taco Cantina.
Image from Outdoor Knoxville.
Enjoy a Signature Spring Wildflower Hike at Norris Dam State Park.
Participate or cheer on participants downtown for the Covenant Health 5K & kids run.
Instead of going to the gym, head to Lakeshore Park and traverse the loop at any pace you please.
Begin preparing your gardens and attend Easy Vegetable Gardening seminar at Stanley’s Greenhouse.
Make a bonfire & invite new neighbors to enjoy it with you.
Paper Organizing Tips
From junk mail, bills, and cards, to kid artwork, schoolwork, and other miscellaneous files, paper can be overwhelming. While technology has eased some of the physical load paper brings, it certainly cannot (and I’m not sure ever will) eliminate paper in our lives. So… what to do?
Here’s a few tips:
Treat your paper piles, filing cabinet, desktops just as you would your closet.
Purge before organizing. This may sound painful, especially if you have a lot to go through, but it’s so important if you really want to get a handle (and more space in your house!) on your paper.
Going though every single piece of paper in your house may be too overwhelming right now, but in the meantime, you want to get control of what’s coming in.
Handle the mail every day.
Don’t bring the mail in until you can go through it right then.
Sort the papers into trash, recycle, and keep.
The “keep” category would include anything that requires action — bills, RSVPs — or anything you want to read — cards, newsletters. Put the “keep” mail in one place, preferably some sort of basket, bin, or box (not a pile).
Sort through other incoming papers daily into trash, recycle, and keep.
The stacks that come home from work or school can add up, so be sure what you’re deciding to not trash or recycle is truly worth keeping.
Encourage your kids to help choose which projects or artwork stays, and which ones to let go of.
Set one time a week to go through the “keep” bin.
Pick a time that makes the most sense for your schedule — Sunday afternoon might work for many, or maybe you have a morning or afternoon that’s typically free of other obligations. It’s all about creating new rhythms and habits to stay on top of the paper beast with a simple system.
Questions on how long to keep files?
