Moving 101: Colored Duct Tape

As many of you know, I am moving in May, and as the busy bee I am, I have already started packing!! My friends think that I am so silly for doing this, but as my boy-scout family taught me "Always Be Prepared!". This usually means that I end up planning every single detail WAY too early in advance, but hey, at least I'm starting early. It also may be because I am so excited to live on my own for the first time in my life! When I lived in the sorority house, sure, I was technically with other people. But this is an APARTMENT. I'm just so excited. 

 I wanted to share with you one of my tips that I have picked up. It is using colored duct tape to label your boxes.

And I have already started using it. 

Purple = Living Room

Blue = Kitchen

Pink = Bedroom

Yellow = Bathroom/Closet

I think its going to be a great solution to my last issue. When I moved in last time, some of my boxes were labeled, and none were color-coordinated. Basically, every time I opened a box, it was a brand new discovery!

How to Decorate for an Apartment with Limitations

Like most of you out there, I live in an apartment. I have certain restrictions that I have to follow. Any walls I paint have to be painted back or I can pay a fine. I can't attach any permanent items to my cupboards. I can't paint my cupboards. I can't re-tile my bathroom floor. I have to live with what I agreed to.... Or do I?

Hate the nasty beige carpet in your apartment? Buy an over sized rug and no more beige carpet!

Source

You don't have to hide everything in your cupboards. Show it for the world to see. This kitchen is so cute because it shows off everything.

Source

A great way to add drama and section off your "bedroom" is with curtains. It is also a great way to section off the different rooms.

Source

If you have some room above your bed that you don't know what to do with, add a shelf. Its a great way to decorate and use pictures. Or you can use it instead of a nightstand. 

Source

If you have inset shelves, make them come alive with a little color! You can always use contact paper if you can't paint.

Source

Mirrors are a girls best friend. When placed in a strategic location, such as opposite a window, it can make room look larger.

Source

If you have room, put in some bookshelves and then hide your odds and ends with baskets or boxes. Don't forget to label them though or you might forget what you have in there!

Source

If you are restricted on how many nails you can put into a wall, think about adding shelves instead. You will use less holes than hanging up a picture collage, and it is easier to change out your decorations. Command Hooks are also a great solution for this problem as well.

Source

If you have an exposed sink, cover it with a curtain! Then you can hide more bathroom goodies behind it.

Source

Can't paint in your apartment? Brighten your bathroom with this color palette. Having a blah bathroom doesn't mean it always has to be blah.

Source

And thats my advice folks. I can't wait to implement some of this in my own apartment. Have a great day!

You may also be interested in:

Glass Bottle Makeover

Kate Spade-esk Champagne Sign

DIY Key Chain Holder

How To Decorate With Your Graduation Gear

Watercolor Map

I found this great website on Pinterest, called stamen. Its an app someone created using a Google Map feature. It allows you to look at any part of the world in water color, a black and scheme (Toner), or Terrain scheme. SO AWESOME, right? When I found this, I was still in college at Georgia Tech, and wanted to make sure I remembered the campus as it was. Because of this, I chose Georgia Tech as my map. 

I printed it out on poster paper (you could do this at Staples or Office Depot). I then got a very simple black frame to make the colors really pop. Now I will have a map of Georgia Tech for the rest of my days. I think I'm going to do this for my mom for her college. I think she would really appreciate it.

You may also be interested in:

Glass Bottle Makeover

Kate Spade-esk Champagne Sign

DIY Key Chain Holder

How To Decorate With Your Graduation Gear

Faux Water Faux Flowers

Want flowers all year long? Then this is the blog for you. I found this idea from Living Beautifully. 

Here are my peonies that currently "live" on my dresser.

What you'll need:

faux flowers

a vase

Craft flower water (clear resin) *I found mine at Michaels

1) Make sure to clean out the vase for any stickiness or dust. The glue will trap it in there and that won't make it very attractive! 

2) Arrange the flowers however you want them, and don't forget to cut them to the right length. Once the glue is in the vase, you only have a few seconds to place the flowers in the vase perfectly.

3) Follow the directions on the resin box. I did the boiling method (fill a pot with water and stick the bottle in it to melt it). If you decide you want to do multiple flowers, best to do it all at once. Once the bottle partially fills with air, its hard to keep it in a pot of boiling water for a second go. 

4) Once the resin is dry, it looks amazing! I have a habit of killing anything that is green and living. This way I can have flowers all year round!

Glass Bottle Makeover

A while back in college, I was really bored and came across this little gem. I decided to do it last Spring for my new apartment. In this blog, Turnstyle Vogue shows us how to paint glass bottles, and turn them into creative decor for your home. By following her directions, I was able to create these little beauties:

Supplies needed:

-Glass bottles with labels peeled off (might be a good idea to wash anything out of it too)

-Bronze Metallic Spray paint

-Colored Spray paint or any other kind of spray paint (I've seen people used chalk paint)

-Modpodge

I used a Crown Royal bottle and an Amaretto bottle. I first sprayed both of them with the bronze metallic paint. Then, I let it dry. For the second layer, I used White Spray paint and Gold touch-up paint (It was my mom's), and applied the paint to the whole bottle, except for the lid. I let that dry. Then I took some sandpaper and sanded the edges until I got this look. Lastly, I covered the whole bottle with Modpodge to make sure it stays. Nifty, ain't it? They make my living room look a little nicer for some reason!