My Solution to Drowning in Spices

The 1st step in identifying you have a problem is admitting to the problem - we've all heard this SOO:

Hello, my name is Meghan and I have a problem - I LOVE spices and have too many and it's a COMPLETE MESS! 

Okay I feel better. But honestly I have entirely too many spices. Last summer when I moved out of my apartment with my sister I filled an entire canvas bag from an entire little, 2- shelf cabinet I filled with spices at our apartment.

When I moved in with my brother-in-law I kept them in the canvas bag and only brought out ones when I needed them as they already had a bunch there. I was embarrassed actually by how many I had and didn't want him to think I was was the future crazy sister-in-law! lol!

Then my husband and I moved into our new place and I had to use all of my spices again. Problem - no where to put them by the cooking area. So the spices continued to sit in the canvas bag - taking out a few and cluttering up near the stove. This was not going to work!

Then a picture from pinterest popped into my head - magnetic tins on a medal board inside a cabinet (from Redesigned by M). I could do this but on my fridge!  So I started shopping online -WOW these things aren't cheap!

Then I found some at IKEA in 4oz tins (finally a decent size and not these tiny 2 oz things I was seeing) that were $4.99 for a set of 3. Still not super cheap but the best I was able to find. I knew I was going to IKEA in 2 weeks, I mean I had gone a year with the canvas bag, what's 2 more weeks?

***NOTE: I went to find these online - Grundtal Containers - and they were $7.99 for a set of 3. I checked my receipt and I paid $4.99. I do remember seeing both prices at IKEA and took from the cheaper marked ones. Not sure if these are going up because they are becoming more popular. 

6 sets came home with us (probably should have gotten 8 now but hey 18 total tins is still great!)

I pulled out my label maker and dumped in the spices - okay first off I have to mention that I went through them and threw A LOT away that was expired as you can probably image but that's okay, I had too many to begin with. Plus if I haven't used it in a year do I need it? It's like the closet cleaning out rule (if you haven't heard of it trust me it will be a post I am sure in the future, stay tuned!)

Today I have what I call "Kitchen Art" on my fridge - my Spice Tins are all neat, in alphabetical order and labeled. It's soo easy to find the spices that I use all the time right next to the stove. It's not only handy but pretty to look at too! The others (because you know 18 spices didn't fill up a canvas bag) are neatly in the pantry on a lazy-susan to have better access.

Everyone that has been over to my house since I have completed it has committed on it - which makes me feel great I can't help it!

Remember if you have any questions, leave it below or Email It To Me!


Cost Breakdown:
$29.94 - Magnetic Tins
$0 - Clear Labels (already owned)
$29.94 - TOTAL

Bar Makeover Costs

On July 23rd I revealed our very first DIY furniture makeover - Our New Bar! (If you missed it you can see all our steps by Clicking Here.) I couldn't believe how many views I received that day - I've had a blog before but have NEVER had stats like that before. I was super stoked! 

I even received an email last week asking what our project set-us back, as they were interested in doing something similar but weren't sure what kind of budget they were looking at.

First off - YAY someone emailed me and thank you! Second, I tried to be a thorough as possible in my original post, but in fact did leave off prices so the break down is below.

DISCLAIMER: All prices below DO NOT show added tax since each state is different. If you already have the tools this will be a lot cheaper. Also, I chose many of these products from research I did but there are many great products out there that are considerably cheaper. Also a lot of the materials I bought, paint brushes, roller, screws, etc I didn't own prior and next time I won't have to purchase making my next project cheaper too. Hope this helps!


Cost Break Down of Our Bar:
Furniture/ Structure: ($45.25)
$0 - Original Furniture Unit (my in-laws gave us the piece)
$4.01 - 4x6 Lumber (Sale Rack)
$11.25 - Red Oack paneling pieces
$29.99 - Allen + Roth Wine Storage Unit

Tools & Accessories: ($52.90)
$0 -  DeWalt 3-amp Orbital Power Sander (b-day gift from my parents - $59.97)
$23.93 - Sanding Pads/ Paper
          * $7.98 -  Gator 15-pack 60-Grit
             * $15.98 - Shopsmith 10-pack 40-grit
             * $0 - 3M 120-Grit 9in W x 11 in L sandpaper (already owned - $3.97)
$49.97 - Ryobi 18-volt One+ Cordless Reciprocating Saw (tool only)
$0 - Ryobi 12-Amp 7-1/4 in Circular Saw (already owned - $39.97)
$0 - Ryobi 18-V Cordless Drill (Already Owned - $69.97)
$0 - Hammer already owned 
$0 - Screwdriver set already owned
$0 - Tape Measure
$0 - Right Angle Tool


Materials: ($158.90)
$7.98 - SPAX #10 x 3-1/2 in coarse blue sinc-plated steel flat-head combination wood screws 57/ box
$2.98 - 2" flex putty knife
$10.48 - Varathane 3" Brush
$3.98 - 3" economy brush
$2.98 - 2" economy brush
$19.97 - Purdy 3 XL Brush & Comb Combo
$0.99 - mini glass scraper
$5.98 - Purdy 4" mini Roller
$5.48 - Purdy White Dove 4-3/8" rollers
$5.37 - (3 @ $1.79 each) mini paint pans
$17.96 - (2 @ $8.98) Elmer's Probond Interior/Exterior Wood Filler (over 1/2 left of 1 jar)
$25.88 - (4 @ $6.47) Black Matte Drawer Handles
$5.96 - (2 @ $2.98) Husky 9ft x 12ft plastic drop cloth
$13.18 - (2 @ $6.59) Staples prints - engineered prints
$0 - Elmer's Extra Strength Spray Adhesive (already Owned - $9.44 @ Walmart)
$0 - Stapler & Staples (regular)
$0 -  Fishars 45mm Contour Rotary Cutter (Already Owned - $15.00 @ JoAnns - an exacto knife or scissors would work too)
$0 - Cardboard Box
$9.99 - 1 yard of Black Vinyl fabric
$19.98 - (2 @ $9.99) IKEA 5 piece wine glass racks

Paints: ($108.49)$17.98 - Zinsser Cover-Stein Oil-Based Primer (1/3 of can left)$48.57 - Varathane Interior Semi-Gloss Floor Clear Paint (TONS Left Over)$9.47 - Penetrol by Flood (TONS left over)$27.96 - (2 @ $13.98 each) Valspar White Eggshell Quart$13.98 - Valspar Black Eggshell Quart

GRAND TOTAL = $365.54
($329 WITH THE 10% MILITARY DISCOUNT!)

I was a bit surprised by how much this was but then I did something - I minused out anything that I "could have had" (tools, Vanathane, paint brushes, putty knife, etc) and I came to $218.62 ($196.76 with military discount). NOW THIS MAKES SENSE! $200 for all that work- yes thank you!

Remember - If you have any questions please Email It To Me! 

Our 1st DIY Furniture Makeover Part 2 - COMPLETED BAR!

On July 11th I posted a blog about "Our 1st DIY Furniture Makeover Part 1" - we realized we needed a bar because we have a lot of bar stuff - what we like to drink! :) This began our 1st ever attempt at making over a piece of furniture into something else - Our Bar!

We learned A LOT during this process with the biggest lesson to NOT be afraid of something you have never done before. Neither 1 of us have ever taken on anything even remotely like this before and with some online reading - LOTS of blogs - we decided to give it a try. I will do a few things differently next time we take on a project like this (a "new" desk is coming!) and I wanted to share the journey with you too so maybe you can avoid a few of the mistakes we did.

The Original Unit (the side shown was not finished)
From what my mother-in-law tells me, this was a display case at a department store 60-70 years ago.

Yes this thing had 12 - count them 12 freakin drawers! Notice the carpet bottom (that will change!)

Phase #1 - Beginning Prep
We pulled out everything we didn't want nor need for our bar.

TOOLS USED: reciprocating saw, hammer, screw driver and our good ole hands and brute strength :)

Phase #2 - LOTS of Sanding & Construction
We took this piece down to it's "bones" and what a job let me tell you. My dad bought me the DeWalt 3-amp Orbital Power Sander from Lowes for my birthday (you know you are getting older when you are so happy about getting a power tool for your birthday!) and that baby got 1 heck of an inaugural use - over 9 hours between my hubby and me! We also had to strip the wallpaper, which thankfully my hubby remembered that vinegar water and a putty knife takes it right off - THANK GOD because that was bear until he remembered that!

The construction consisted of adding paneling to the unfinished side, a platform for the wine fridge and feet to raise the unit up 6ish inches. We also took out the bottom wood in the middle for the wine storage. I also added wood filler & sanded all that down to the groves on top where there were sliding glass doors and all the random holes throughout the unit. My hubby also cut off all the built in handles for the drawers to create a flat surface we could add hardware too.

TOOLS/ PRODUCTS USED: reciprocating & circular saw, hammer, nails, power drill, screws, Elmer's Probond Interior/Exterior Wood Filler, putty knife, DeWalt 3-amp Orbital Power Sander, 40,60,80 & 120 grit sandpaper, plastic drop-cloth

*** We went through a whole box of the Gator 15-pack 60-Grit ($7.98) and went back to Lowes for more and found Shopsmith 10-pack 40-grit for double the price ($15.98) of the Gator and 5 less = TOTALLY WORTH IT!  I thought the Shopsmith were better quality than the Gator pads and will buy Shopsmith from now on.

PHASE #3 - Primer

I did lots of research and everyone said that the best primer was the brown can - Zinsser Cover-Stein Oil-Base Primer. I bought some economy brushes at Lowes and went to town and gave it 2 coats. I also read that you should add Penetrol by Flood, an oil-base paint additive that extends the drying time to avoid brush strokes (also delays the drying time) and it was definitely WORTH IT! You don't need much so it will last a long time. 

We also bought a pre-made wine storage box at Lowes to save on time plus we didn't have the right tools to make the "X" correctly.  

TOOLS/ PRODUCTS USED: Zinsser Cover-Stein Oil-Base Primer, Penetrol by Flood, economy brushes, small disposable paint tray, mixing stick 

*** What I should have done was used 120-220 grit sandpaper by hand in-between the 2 coats of primer to make it a bit smoother. 

Phase #4 - Painting Time (the vision starts to come together)

I knew I wanted a contemporary vintage feel to the unit so I went with classic White and Black. We used Lowes Signature Valspar Paint in stark white and black with an eggshell finish. I also bought the Purdy 3 XL Brush & Comb Combo - the comb is KEY! I have never used that before and highly recommend to keep your brushes clean and able to use over and over. 2 coats of paint when onto the unit to get the smooth finish I wanted.

TOOLS/ PRODUCTS USED: plastic drop-cloth, Lowes Signature Valspar Paint, Purdy 3 XL Brush & Comb Combo

*** Again I should have used a 220-grit to lightly sand between the 2 coats of paint.  And sharing some advice I picked up online: once all the paint is on for a section go back and make a long stroke from end to end to eliminate brush marks - GREAT advice! 

Phase #5 - The Clear Finishing Touch

I've done my homework and everyone says if you are going to do all this work (definitely an understatement) then finish it off with a clear poly or finishing coat. Being that it is a primarily white unit I was nervous about over-time yellowing. I found a blog (I promise I will find it and give it proper credit) that swore by a floor finisher - Varathane Interior Floor Clear Paint (there is an oil-base and water-based version). It's NOT cheap - $48.57 and only comes in a gallon size - but if it won't yellow to me it's worth it and will last a long time too! I gave the unit 2 coats of the semi-gloss finish. 

TOOLS/PRODUCTS USED: Varathane Interior Floor Clear Paint, Varathane brush

***I ONLY "glazed" (I kept calling it that for some reason) the parts that you would see - nothing on the inside including the top inside portion since I was going to cover it in a pattern.

Phase #6 - The Pattern and the Look

To go with my contemporary vintage theme I chose a geometric print that had a 50's inspired feel that I really fell in love with. I found online (surprise, surprise) that Staples prints engineered prints for $7.29 each for a 3'x4' print!! I did everything online and picked up the 2 - 3'x4' prints for $14! HELLO and THANK YOU! 

* I must put a disclaimer here - engineer prints are draft prints - it is NOT photo quality and did have some blemishes as I will call them. 

We measured out the inside back and sides of the unit and cut the prints to size. We stapled the back in at the very bottom and using Elmer's Extra Strength Spray Adhesive pasted it to the back. We did the same to the sides. I finished it with the Varathane clear finish - 2 coats. NOTE: the paper bubbled up when I put the "liquid" on the paper to the areas that weren't glued to the wood. They dried out fine so don't worry.

We also covered that carpet piece up top in a black vinyl so it would be wipe-able. I don't have a picture of this until the end - sorry! Still getting the hang of taking step-by-step pictures for products. 

TOOLS/ PRODUCTS USED: 2, 3'x4' geometric prints, Elmer's Extra Strength Spray Adhesive, staple-gun, Varathane Interior Floor Clear Paint, Varathane brush, Fishars 45mm Contour Rotary Cutter, right-angle, measuring tape, cardboard box (to cut on top of), black vinyl fabric, scissors, regular stapler 

***If I did this step over I would make sure to have a very even coat of glue covering all the wood and really make sure every inch touches the wood even more than I did. 

Phase #7 - Bring it inside! 

YAY NO MORE PAINTING! Everything was dry and done and we brought it inside. We put the wine fridge & storage in and attached the new hardware to the drawers and put those in. OF COURSE the last drawer doesn't want to go it now?! Last minute surgery from my husband was needed. Plus 1 of the drawers hardware didn't match up with 1 of the holes. Not sure how this happened since the others did and a straight-line was drawn to mark all the holes - oh well we did some more surgery and made it work.

Sometimes a custom piece is really custom! I love it!

TOOLS USED: honestly besides the screw-driver for the drawers' hardware and I assume a hammer from the banging I heard, I'm not really sure what he did but he made it work.

That's our beer fridge next too it :)

Phase #8 - Fill It Up
I'm just realizing this as I am recalling all we did how massive this 1st undertaking was and how many steps it was, BUT it was so worth it. I found myself walking in the dining room this morning and right when I got home and a few times while writing this just to look at it and admire it. I am so proud of us!

The fun part now - fill it up! The only thing that it's missing is wine glass racks on the top. We will be near an IKEA later this week and going to pick some up there since they are so cheap.

Phase #9 - Install the Wine Glass Racks
For my birthday we were in Charlotte, NC and they have an IKEA so we got to stop by and have some fun. One of the things we picked up was the wine glass racks for the bar. They had a few different ones but the one we settled on was the Inreda set. It is a set of 5 racks that are all separate so you determine the space between them - perfect! We bought 2 sets because we needed 7 total for the white, red, martini and champagne glasses. NOW it's complete!

TOOLS/ PRODUCTS USED: IKEA Inreda wine glass racks, power drill

I really am in love with this bar. I can't believe how well it turned out. I hope you enjoyed my post and maybe even learned something. If you have any questions PLEASE leave them below or Email Me It! and I will do my best to respond.

Now onto the next project (just don't tell my husband - lol!)

PS - Find out all the costs associated with this project by Clicking Here!