Chalk marker, Chalkboard paint, Home Tour, organizational tips, Painting & Antiquing Techniques

DIY Chalkboard Wall Calendar

DIY Chalkboard Calendar | Pretty Handy Girl

Create this DIY Chalkboard Calendar to get you and your family organized. It will only take you about half an hour to create but it will save you the headache of double booking yourself and get the kids on board with upcoming activities and trips.

DIY Chalkboard Wall Calendar

I’m bring back this tutorial for those of you that may have missed it. Why? Because this DIY Chalkboard Wall Calendar has been in our kitchen for over four years and it has held up beautifully! This calendar is an important part of our daily routine. My kids look at it frequently to see what activities and trips are coming up. My husband and I use a Google calendar to stay current, but this calendar is a great way to keep the kids organized and to let me look at a glance what’s coming up while I’m on the phone. Seriously, this is one of the best things I created for our family. In the spirit of getting organized, I’m going to share with you my easy DIY chalkboard wall calendar. But, first here are some great uses for a chalkboard calendar.

Ways to Use a Chalkboard Calendar:

Keep Track of After School Activities
Menu Plan
Chore Reminders
School Lunch Menu
Holidays
Birthdays
Reminder for Pets Flea, Tick and Heartworm Medicine
Business Trips
Vacations
Date Nights
Family Activities
Blog Calendar
Schedule Meetings
Work Calendar
Project Planning

Have I left anything out?

Easy to Clean:

In the past I used to draw out the calendar lines, but trying to erase inside the lines was tedious and time consuming. What busy mom has time for that?! By using the vinyl stripes, I can easily erase the calendar after two months and add new dates.

To save extra time, I like to put recurring items on the bottom line so I can wipe around them and keep the items there from month-to-month.

I also use consistent color coding. One color per person and I use separate colors for school or trips. But, feel free to do what works for your family.

To create this quick chalkboard calendar you need to start with a chalkboard wall (or large chalkboard.) Then gather some supplies.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Chalk
Ruler
Level
Vinyl lines (cut your own on a cutting machine or purchase this one from Leen the Graphics Queen)

Instructions:

Using the level, make a straight (and level) line for the top of your calendar. (Mine is 28″ wide.)

Using your ruler, mark a tick mark horizontally every 4″ (more or less depending on your space availability) for the 7 days. Make 5 tick marks down from the top line vertically every 4″. Repeat on the opposite side. Then add your horizontal tick marks for the days at the bottom.

Use your vinyl lines to outline the calendar and create the horizontal lines.

Connect the vertical tick marks with vinyl lines. If you have excess vinyl, snip off the excess with a pair of scissors. (Our calendar is 20″ tall.)

In our house I added two calendars. It’s always nice to see a month ahead! Sometimes I contemplate moving the calendars up and added a third month, but for now this works well for us.

The chalkboard calendar lets you get creative and practice your chalk lettering. (It’s been fun for me to practice since picking up these hand-lettering books.)

Can you think of other ways to keep you and your family organized? I’d love to hear it.

By the way, Leen has a chalkboard calendar for those of you that don’t want to commit to a large painted chalkboard wall in your home!

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. Leen is just a good friend and my go to source for vinyl graphics and designs.

You may also like Jacque’s Perpetual Menu Calendar:

Or this refrigerator chalkboard calendar:

August 1, 2018/7 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Build It, Closet renovation, organizational tips

DIY Custom Closet Shelving

Hate wire shelves? Turn that boring closet into a show stopper with beautiful custom shelving. Here's how:

DIY Custom Closet Shelving

I don’t like wire shelving in closets! Who’s with me on this one? I am slowly replacing all the wire shelving at my daughter’s new home. As you may know, custom closets are super expensive. While researching “small closet solutions”, I found a way to transform a plain builder grade wire shelf closet into a custom stenciled closet!

Hi! I’m Maria from Simple Nature Decor here today to show you how to take a builder grade closet and turn it into your own custom dream closet!

Usually I like to create with things I find in nature around my coastal Carolina home. My hanging drift wood chime was created from the driftwood I find on the local beaches. Because the weather is great most of the year, I work on many of my projects outdoors in the fresh air. I love painting furniture outdoors.

But, today I’m turning my talents inside to show you how to give your closet shelves a custom makeover for very little money. Ready? Great, here’s how to DIY Custom Closet Shelving.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Instructions:

Remove those wire shelves.

Step 1: Using a small flat head screwdriver, pull out the bracket nails. Then use the pliers to pull them completely out of the wall. All the holes will need to be plastered.

Step 2: Use joint compound (spackle) to fill the nail holes. You may have to use two coats. Spread one coat. Let it dry completely. Sand and repeat to get a smooth finish. Paint your closet walls.

Step 3: Determine your shelf heights. (Tip: Use the same spacing as your wire shelving or measure the heights of items like baskets or products that will be stored on each shelf.) Use a ruler and pencil to mark shelf heights on the walls. Use a level to draw the lines on all three walls.

Before adding the shelf supports, stencil the entire interior of the closet. Measure and line up your stencil in the center of the back wall. Use painter’s tape to hang the stencil. (We used this Moroccan style stencil.)

Use a small foam roller to paint over the stencil. Make sure to blot off excess paint by running your roller over a paper towel after loading it with paint. Otherwise, it will have too much paint and can bleed through the stencil. Remove the stencil and line it up with an adjacent section. Stenciling an entire closet will take patience, but the results will be a true work of art!

Step 5: Use (4) 1″ x 2″ x 8′ wood strips and 3 sheets of MDF wood. You can request to have the MDF wood cut to your closet measurement. (Tip: Take your width measurement and subtract 1/2″. Measure the depth of your closet and subtract an inch. This will compensate for any irregularities in your wall or door frame.)

Cut the 1″ x 2″s to fit on each side of your closet. Hold the strips at the shelf location marks you made before stenciling. Secure the strips using nails or screws into the stud locations. (Having trouble finding the studs? Use one of these 5 Methods to Find a Stud without a Studfinder!) Repeat for each shelf. This will create the ledge to support each shelf.

Step 6: Paint your wood strips white to match the closet walls.

Step 7: Run a bead of construction adhesive along the top of the shelf support strips. Lay the shelves on top of the supports.

Load up your new custom shelving with items.

What a transformation! Do you like the new look?

Thanks for letting me share with you how to give your closet and storage shelving an upgrade!

Disclosure: Maria was provided with the stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils at no cost to her. All words and ideas are her own. She was not told what to write.

Hi I’m Maria and I’ve been a lover of nature for my entire life! Five years ago I created a blog called Simple Nature Decor. It’s about bringing what’s beautiful in nature into your home. I create nature-inspired decor ideas for the home. My home in coastal Carolina is filled with amazing elements that have inspired me to create some of my favorite DIYs. Come visit me at Simple Nature Decor!

If you liked this tutorial. You’ll love reading how to turn a closet into a reading nook:

Or you might like to learn how to use a stencil on more than just walls, like on this dumpster-destined table:

May 4, 2018/1 Comment/by Brittany Bailey

Build It, organizational tips

DIY Scrap Wood Laptop Stand

How to build a laptop stand to keep it at same level as large screen

DIY Scrap Wood Laptop Stand

Hello, Pretty Handy readers! Anika from Anika’s DIY Life back again with a quick and fun project that is useful and will improve your posture! Do you use a laptop? If so, you will help your neck and back immensely by making a DIY Scrap Wood Laptop Stand!

About a year ago, I built myself a desk that I love! My work set up uses a large monitor tethered to my laptop in a dual screen mode. Unfortunately, there was one problem; the laptop screen wasn’t at the same level as the monitor. I temporarily solved it by putting a few of my old books to good use. (Sometimes you work with what you’ve got!) Did I say temporarily? Truth be told, that’s how it has been for a whole year!

It was high time to fix this situation with a permanent solution. So I went into my workshop aka garage and whipped up a quick project using scrap wood. Want to learn how to make your own DIY Scrap Wood Laptop Stand? Let’s get making!

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

1″ x 4″ board – 2 pieces cut at 9″ each
1″ x 3″ board – 3 pieces cut at 10 ½” each
Miter saw
Orbital sander
Flat metal corner braces (2½”)
Color or stain of your choice
Wood glue
Nail gun (or hammer)
1 ¼” finish nails

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut out all your boards to the dimensions in the material list.

Step 2: Start by attaching one 1″ x 3″ board to the 1″ x 4″ board at a right angle using wood glue and finish nails (as shown below.)

Step 3: Layout and attach the remaining 1″ x 3″ boards, using a ¾” board to space between them.

Step 4: Attach the second 1″ x4″ board to the other end of the 1″ x 3″ boards using wood glue and finish nails.

Step 5: Sand and paint (or stain) your laptop stand. (I chose to paint my stand with a coral wood stain to add some color to my workspace.)

You can always add a little industrial details by attaching metal corner braces to the laptop stand.

I love the functionality of my new DIY Scrap Wood Laptop Stand! My desk looks a lot less cluttered and I have space underneath to keep notepads and sticky notes close at hand. Let’s not forget the biggest advantage of all, having the laptop screen at eye height.

I’m not sure why I waited so long to build this. It was such a quick and simple project!

If you love quick and easy builds, be sure to check out the collection of easy scrap wood projects on my blog including that mason jar pencil holder in the picture.

Come visit me on my blog Anika’s DIY Life to see what I am up to.

~See more of Anika’s tutorials~

If you are looking for more scrap wood project ideas, be sure to check out Brittany’s list of 71 scrap wood projects

April 11, 2018/2 Comments/by Anika Gandhi

DIY, Home Office, organizational tips, Upcycling

How to Turn a Desk Organizer into a Charging Station

How to Turn a Desk Organizer into a Charging Station

Do you have multiple devices that need charging every day, but they are cluttering up your counter or table? Luckily I have the answer to that problem and it involves this simple desk organizer.

Would you believe that wooden organizer is now a stylish charging station!

Here’s what a typical desk organizer holds. Functional? Maybe, but by thinking outside the box I came up with an even more useful option for our home.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Similar Style Desk organizer (look for one at garage sales, thrift stores, IKEA, or an office supply store)
Washcloth
Drill
Drill bit set
Paint
Paintbrush
Sandpaper
Adhesive velcro
USB Charger with multiple ports
Safety glasses

Optional:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Instructions:

Follow this simple video tutorial (or read below for the step-by-step instructions.)

Start by giving your organizer a good cleaning. Make sure there is no dust or dirt.

Place all your devices into the organizer to determine where you want them to rest when charging. Next, plan where you want the USB charger to go.

Mark the spot where the charger cord will need to come through the back of the organizer by tracing around the plug end.

Determine the size of bit you need to create the holes for the plug. You want it to be about the same size as the width of the plug. (Depending on the shape and size of your plug, you may need to drill two holes next to one another.)

Put on your safety glasses. Drill the plug hole. Be careful not to let the bit sink too deep into the organizer to prevent damage to the other sections.

Insert your USB charger cord into the hole to make sure it fits. Wipe off any sawdust and sand any rough edges.

Paint your organizer any color you desire. I highly recommend using at least two coats of paint.

After the first coat of paint dries, lightly sand it before applying the second coat.

Optional: You may wish to use a vinyl cutter to create some fun lettering for your charging station.

Place your USB charger into the organizer. Insert the cord through the back and plug it into the charger. Use adhesive velcro to attach the charger to the inside of the organizer.

Time to plug in all your devices and get them powered up!

Now you have a beautiful and stylish charging station to organize your devices and keep them from cluttering your kitchen counters.

I hope you love this charging station as much as I do.

I’m curious where you charge your devices? Is the kitchen where they all get deposited or have I been doing this all wrong?

If you like this tutorial, you might also like this Industrial Charging Station & Lock Box.

Or these creative paint brush or pencil holder using scrap 2×4’s:

February 26, 2018/11 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Build It, organizational tips, storage

How to Install Pegboard Walls

How to Install Pegboard Walls

Pegboard walls are the bomb, aren’t they? They provide a ton of storage organization without taking up valuable floor space. Pegboard can be used in a variety of spaces successfully. A garage or shed aren’t the only places that can use this fantastic vertical storage. I’ve seen some amazing craft and sewing spots that utilize pegboards. Heck, even a kitchen can use some pegboard storage like this example from Curbly:

Today, I’ll show you how to install pegboard walls anywhere you want! I’ll be showing you the process on an open stud wall. If you have a finished wall, simply screw strips of wood into the studs before installing your pegboard. Easy peasy! Ready to get started?

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Optional:

Scrap 2 x 4’s for blocking
3″ Wood Screws for additional blocking
Drill

Instructions:

Installing pegboard is ideally done on exposed studs walls. If you don’t have exposed studs, you can secure 1″ x 2″ boards (or other wood strips) to the studs in your wall. This will create the hollow space behind the pegboard for the hooks set into.

Add blocking to the corner if needed for something to nail into. To secure the blocking, drive screws through studs into the blocks as shown below.

Measure and cut your pegboard panels insuring that each side will line up on a stud.

Start in one corner. Run a bead of construction adhesive along all the studs that will hold your first pegboard panel.

Set scrap wood below the pegboard to raise it off ground (this will prevent liquid spills from soaking into the pegboard. It will also allow for some expansion.)

Nail one side of the pegboard to the end stud. Place nails every 9 – 12 inches.

Continue adding pegboard panels following the same process (construction adhesive, then hammer nails to secure.)

Continue until all your pegboard panels are hung.

Add pegboard hooks and hangers. (To help me get my shed more organized, National Hardware sent me a wide selection of pegboard hooks and hangers. I can honestly say, they have all the bases covered with their assortment of storage products.) Hang all your items on the wall, for instant vertical storage.

Having all the lawn and garden tools on the wall frees up the floor for two mowers. Don’t ask me why we have two mowers. That’s Pretty Handsome Guy’s department.

But, I guess I can’t judge, I do have duplicate tools. Doesn’t everyone need two drills and two power sanders?

Anyway, now that you know How to Install Pegboard Walls, are you ready to add some pegboard walls to your home?

January 15, 2018/8 Comments/by Brittany Bailey