Lucy Jo Home - Page 2 of 56 - My WordPress Blog

DIY Basement Flooring Options

August 3, 2017 Lucy Leave a Comment

Source.

So I thought I knew plenty about basement flooring options until I needed to buy it.

Here are a few things that I learned:

There are two types of flooring to avoid because basements can be damp and humid.

Hardwood floors and 2. laminate floors made with fiberboard core (small pieces of wood compressed together) that has not been treated for moisture exposure.

Now here are some flooring options that are good for the basement.

Epoxy floor coating. This is easy to do and is completely waterproof. There is also a good variety of colors to choose from.
Rubber flooring. This comes in sheets with interlocking edges so it is good for DIYers. There are plenty of color options and it is soft underfoot. It is especially good for kids.
Engineered wood flooring. Make sure when you buy it that it is graded for below-grade basements.
Ceramic Tile is not affected by moisture and has tons of design options
Vinyl tile and sheet flooring

Some other methods of avoiding moisture underneath flooring are:

“grading out foundation soil so it slopes away from foundation walls at least four inches over 10 feet, adding extensions to your downspouts so water exits at least five feet away from your house, and keeping gutters in good repair.”
“install a vapor barrier under your flooring. Sheet plastic is a good barrier, or you might seal the slab with paint or epoxy coating made specifically for damp concrete walls and floors.”
“raise the floor with a waterproof subfloor. The system is made of interlocking plastic tiles that are elevated on grids. The grids create an air space below the floor that dissipates moisture and keeps your basement flooring warmer than if it’s in direct contact with concrete. It’s not designed to be used with a nail-down type of flooring. Some types of vinyl and carpet tiles come with similar plastic barriers already attached to the tile. They snap together and are good for DIY projects.”

Source.

We are planning to purchase our flooring at Home Depot. Check out all the options they have by clicking the link below.

This is me (as a kid obviously) at a museum in England. Look at those crossed arms…I was either really upset at having to take a photo, following my mom’s instructions not to touch anything or just being cute. I like to think it was the latter. =)

Brooklyn is not one for negotiating at this point in her life. There are two ways to do things…her way and her way. This stage interests me because they go from indifferent and cooperative to opinionated and crazy stubborn. I have been thinking about why this needs to happen.

As Brook grows, she faces her physical and mental challenges with a smile on her face. Nothing is too hard for her, even when in reality it is. She actually cries and throws a fit when I try to help her. She has a fierce independence and never doubts the endless possibilities. This grit to learn and grow is essential to her progression and she has no reason to believe that she won’t succeed. And most toddlers do succeed. They go from complete dependence on Mom and Dad to feeding themselves, climbing everything in site and trying to do nearly everything on their own. Most have a healthy dose of caution and some learn it very quickly…like when Brooklyn tried to go down the stairs like a big kid at 10 months.

What I have learned is that I can face my adversity or challenges the same way. With a healthy dose of logic, I can do anything I want to do. Children believe in themselves and as adults, we should believe in ourselves just as much. My daughter gets out of her own way and when adults try to take away her learning experience, fury ensues. I want to be just as resolved to have the learning experiences that will help me become better and more capable.

Here’s to persistence and perseverance, my friends!

Best,

Lucy

Visiting a Special Home

July 27, 2017 Lucy 2 Comments

Lindsay prepping the room.

I met Lindsay my sophomore year of college. I remember seeing her at church and having the thought that we could never be friends because of how pretty she was. Boy, my first impressions were wrong!

I was a president of the women’s organization at my church when I first saw Lindsay, and I was trying to decide who I should choose for my counselors. Lindsay got up to speak and I knew that although I didn’t think we could be friends, I knew that this gorgeous, gregarious, faithful person needed to be one of my counselors. Little did I know that Lindsay would be a a fast friend and we would be close for many years to come…12 years so far. Like so many good things, Lindsay has only gotten sweeter with time.

She is still beautiful and the life of the party, but I have always connected to her genuine and kind personality. It was such a treat to spend time with her and her family while I was in Utah these past few weeks.

Not only does she have a stylish home, she has a home full of energy and love. She is the mother of four boys (two of which are twins). She amazes me and I am not surprised that she can keep up with all the responsibilities she has. Everyone in her home depends on her and she wants to rise to the occasion and does.

Take a look at how she has decorated her home…it is so fun and beautiful! Lindsay exemplifies true beauty. She has created a lovely house AND a home of heart, faith and laughter.

What is your favorite part of her house? I wish you could meet her in person and tell me what you love about her too. It is easy to love her.

Best,

Lucy

Sitting Room

Dining Room looking into Living Room

Kitchen

Entryway

Sitting Room

Living Room

Learning to See and Be the Light

July 25, 2017 Lucy Leave a Comment

How can you spread sunshine where ever you are? Can you see the sunshine in your own life?
Photo by Ross Parmly on Unsplash

We flew home yesterday from Salt Lake to Chicago. I, honestly, was dreading the flight because I was doing it alone. I had three little girls, a double stroller and three large bags to carry through the airport. When we finally got our other huge luggage checked, we had to get through security and for some reason Jane’s hands had to be checked along with her backpack. We finally got through and I tried to be calm even though I was really stressed inside. I prayed that the people on the plane would be kind and understanding of my active children.

My prayers were answered.

As we waited when the plane was delayed, there were a friendly older couple and a man that had twins (not with him though) that were very kind to my restless girls. Then when we were on the plane we sat in front of a lady that had an infant; it always helps when you are not the only one with kids on a plane. And a beautiful lady sitting behind us made an origami bird out of paper and gave it to Brooklyn. But, the most surprising thing that happened was a man (I thought he was a young kid initially.) that immediately offered to help me get off the plane.

All three of my girls had fallen asleep as we descended and I wasn’t sure how I was going to gather all my carry-ons and carry all my sleeping children. First, I woke up Jane who was a champ; she shook off the tiredness and helped me gather our aisle of stuff. Then, Ryan, the man who I thought was a little frustrated with my kids, offered to help me carry nearly all my bags. He went the extra mile by helping me get my double stroller set up and carrying my bags all the way to baggage claim so I could have an easier time pushing the stroller. When I got flustered he said, “O, no rush. Take your time.” It was a wonderful gift to have someone be so understanding and helpful.

Earlier in the flight, Brooklyn had been wandering up and down the aisles of the airplane and had kept touching Ryan’s arm while he played on his phone and smiling at him. He did not respond and I was a little disappointed. Most people are so friendly. Little did I know that an hour later I would be chatting with him about his travels and his wife at home. The coolest thing is that I believe that Brooklyn, and most children really, can sense goodness in others. Ryan turned out to be the extra hands and the kind heart that I had prayed for, and I learned again that people are mostly good and that there are always opportunities to help others if we will pay attention.

Best,

Lucy

5 Ways to Furnish a Home on a Budget

July 20, 2017 Lucy Leave a Comment

Buy, Sell, Trade Facebook Groups: These groups can be a little more safe than Craigslist because there are administrators monitoring regularly (hopefully) and people’s profiles are attached to their post.
Craigslist (see story below)
Thrift Store: Remember that visiting frequently will increase your chances of great finds. People that find great deals don’t go in once, they go in weekly. This takes patience, but it often pays off!
Online second hand furniture stores: Here is a list of companies to check out. (Chairish, Etsy, Viyet, Krrb, EBTH (Estate Sales)
DIY furniture projects:(There are so many IKEA furniture hacks that truly are stunning. It is less expensive, but the sweat equity is a factor. Check out my Pinterest boards for ideas. Lucy Jo Home is my Pinterest profile name.)

This weekend I convinced my husband to help me pick up a sofa and two matching chairs from someone on Craigslist. We borrowed a truck and I prayed on the way there that the furniture would be in good enough shape to buy since we were driving 30 minutes away and borrowing a truck. But, to begin with, I did do some preparation before I went to all this effort…

Look at the pictures and pick up on clues. The picture quality of the posting I was interested in wasn’t great, but the fact that she made the slipcovers said she had some sense of style and beauty; she actually had decorative pillows on the sofa and her end table was styled with flowers and a lamp. We are on to something now. And the fact that she named the brand of furniture was also an indication that she valued quality.
I knew what I was looking for. I am refreshing my basement, and I knew I wanted a white sofa. After realizing that my budget was not going to allow for a brand new piece, I started to look on my local Facebook Buy, Sell and Trade pages and on Craigslist. I was so pleased to see a white slipcovered set of Baker Furniture for $100 on Craigslist.
The next step was to contact her. She had only one source of contact, email. I always ask about things that are deal-breakers–smell is one for me. Confirm price, and arrange to see the piece in person. I always ask if it is smoke-free and pet-free home. I do not buy furniture that smells like smoke or pet urine and I doubt you would want to either. Now, just so you know, I took a chance on the furniture this weekend when she told me that she had pets. I was worried, but I also figured that if they were white slipcovers that she wouldn’t be selling it if is was ripped up by a pet or smelled to high heaven. Again, I did make an assumption, but it was a calculated risk.
Go get it! I took a good look at all the furniture and when I was ready to buy it I handed her the cash. I didn’t negotiate on price because I thought it was very fair for what I was getting. If it is worthy of buying but not worth their asking price, you know what to do. Offer what you think it is worth.

If you need furniture for your home and you don’t want to go into debt for it, it may take some time and effort, but you will be surprised at what you can find. One of the coolest things about furniture now is that you can create beautiful pieces of furniture just by paining them. I have yet to paint any furniture, but I do have a friend who has a business painting furniture for people and I have asked her to do a guest post.

Do I want to buy brand new pieces of furniture? Yes, I am looking forward to it, but in the meantime, I can create beautiful spaces and still stay true to my other super important goal of paying off debt instead of going into debt. It is fun to create a challenge for yourself and make the most of what you have. I will post pictures once the basement is done.

What are some ways that you have furnished your home on a budget? Which ways have you used to get affordable furniture.