ONE ROOM CHALLENGE - NURSERY [WEEK FOUR]
DO (some) YOURSELF
This is not going to be a popular statement amongst the DIY community, but I am confident that I am not alone in my philosphy of "DSY" - doing some yourself. Let me explain. I admire and acknowdlege the sweat equity benefit of DIY....if....(and this is a BIG IF) your skill level, spare time, and tool collection are aligned with the desired DIY project.
I am in no way opposed to learning how to use power tools and learning the craft of woodworking, but at this stage in my life, I have decided that it is not a priority of mine to learn these skills in the very limited "spare time" that I have. Nor do I want to invest in tools and give up storage space for the tools for something to be a "learning" project for me. I am a perfectionist and attempting a DIY project where my skills are not yet developed and it would be evident through imperfections, would drive me nuts knowing how much time and money I would spend on a project that resulted in less than perfect results.
I have developed a DSY method that saves me money and time while still being thrifty and somewhat hands-on - these are some of my DSY (Do Some Yourself) project hacks:
-Thoroughly research and source your own products
-Price shop products to find the best deal
-Use Rakuten links when available to earn cash back when purchasing. Click here to learn more about Rakuten!
-For getting wood cut, have your dimensions ready and utilize Home Depot's complimentary cutting service where the professionals do the cuts for you!
-Hire a handyman who charges an hourly rate and assist them to stay on track by writing a detailed schedule beforehand and be their "assistant" to make sure you are getting the most out of their time (I like to unbox and put together light fixtures myself so that the handyman is just focusing his time on installing the fixture). Most importantly, make sure you have all your materials on hand before the handyman starts!
For the nursery, we used my DSY hack of getting the shiplap accent wood cut at home depot, then we painted it and hung it ourselves!
Affordable Personalized Artwork
My absolute favorite way to achieve personalized but affordable artwork is by using instant download art. You can find instant download art on many websites but I find Etsy has a wide variety of affordable options and I love the internal search engine so I can search for specific themes/colors. My method of sourcing artwork is as follows:
Figure out which wall you want artwork on + decide what size would work best for the specific space
Find a new or re-use a frame. I love reusing an existing frame when possible and am even known to spray paint the frame to be the finish I need just so I can reuse it. The frame should be the size that you pre-determined. I am not keen on buying artwork just because you love it and then figuring out where it goes. I believe you should always have a wall and size in mind before purchasing art.
Find the instant download art that fits the theme and color scheme AND is available in the size you need for downloading
After downloading the instant download print, upload to your printer of choice. I like to use Walgreens Photo because they typically have 40%-60% off coupons and the option for same day pickup.
I've linked the instant download prints we chose for the nursery below in case you want to download the prints too!
(From Left to Right)
-Stay Clever Little Fox Print, Fox Printable, Woodland Print, Woodland Nursery, Boy Nursery Prints, Boy Nursery Decor, Fox Wall Art, Fox Sign (Etsy: LittleFlowerCreative Shop) Click here
-Navy Blue Alphabet Poster, ABC Print, Numbers Print, Educational Art,Kids Room Decor, Nursery Decor, Instant Download, ABC123 (Etsy: LittleFolkPrintables Shop) Click here
-Neutral Kids Decor, Fox Printable, Animal Prints For Nursery, Instant Download, Fox Poster, Woodland Baby Room Wall Art, Cute Fox Prints (Etsy: StarDustandWishesCo Chop) Click here
To see the other amazing room transformation and cheer on all the designers participating in the Fall 2020 One Room Challenge, visit: https://www.oneroomchallenge.com/orc-blog
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