I recently returned from a (long) week helping my elderly father relocate. And despite “downsizing” him into a retirement community about 10 years ago after my mother’s death, there was still significant decluttering to be done in order to move him into a slightly-smaller-but-more-accessible apartment. The week was, quite frankly, exhausting on every level…as helping […] The post Helping Your (Senior) Parents Declutter | My Real Life Tips! appeared first on The Homes I Have Made ..read more

Today, I’m breaking down one of my very favorite organization projects…possibly ever! I gave our disorganized, shameful mess of a game closet a good hard look and identified some storage solutions that are not only easy and inexpensive but totally effective too! If your board game collection is in need of some serious sorting, let […] The post The BEST Way to Store Board Games (Without Ditching the Boxes!) appeared first on The Homes I Have Made ..read more

One of the very best aspects of moving so frequently as a military family is the opportunity to go through 100% of our belongings every few years. (Yes, I use the word “opportunity” quite intentionally here!) While decluttering isn’t a “required” aspect of moving, it’s no doubt one of the very best ways to make […] The post How to Declutter Your Entire Home Before a Move appeared first on The Homes I Have Made ..read more

We love a good card game in our household, but one thing we don’t love? All the different-sized boxes, envelopes, pouches, and tubes they come in. Not only does the variation make it difficult to keep everything tidy, but original packaging doesn’t tend to be very durable either! After lots (and I mean lots) of […] The post Practical Playing Card Storage (That Looks Great Too!) appeared first on The Homes I Have Made ..read more

Happy March, my friends! In this month’s Coffee Break chat, I am journeying down a familiar path I never expected to revisit, sharing the surprisingly simple way we’re dealing with some child behavior problems, and rounding up a few of my recent favorite finds! Take a break with me! Deja Vu Ten years ago, right […] The post Coffee Break #52 appeared first on The Homes I Have Made ..read more

Every now and then I make an update to our home (or something in it) and don’t intend to dedicate an entire blog post to it. Then, over time, I rack up questions or comments about said change, and a full post becomes warranted. Such is the case with the feet I added to our […] The post How To Put Feet on an IKEA Kallax | A Complete Guide appeared first on The Homes I Have Made ..read more

Happy February, friends! This month’s behind-the-blog chat will have a bit of a different look. Read on for some “rapid fire” answers to 20 of your submitted questions! 20 Questions! In every Coffee Break post, I ask you to submit questions you’re curious about. And they can be about anything – DIY life, military life, […] The post Coffee Break #51 | 20 Questions Style! appeared first on The Homes I Have Made ..read more

I have long loved IKEA Kallax shelves for storing and organizing everything in my craft room. But when it comes to craft paper storage, the 13″x13″ open cubbies have always proved challenging. I’ve seen lots of clever shelves, dividers, and hacks over the years; but many of them are incredibly expensive or just not practical […] The post How to (Affordably) Store Craft Paper on IKEA Kallax Shelves appeared first on The Homes I Have Made ..read more

I have long loved the pom pom wall letters trend, but admittedly couldn’t stomach the steep price tag of custom-made versions. So when I knew a pair of letters would be the perfect finishing touch for my sons’ shared bedroom, I set out to see if I could DIY my own for a bit cheaper. […] The post How to Make Your Own Pom Pom Letter Wall Art appeared first on The Homes I Have Made ..read more

Today, I want to show you how to make some adorable DIY wood bead keychains. These trendy accessories are easier and lots more fun to make than I expected; and they quickly became my go-to gift for hostesses, friends, teachers, neighbors, everyone this past holiday season. Best of all, the supplies are inexpensive, and assembly […] The post Easy DIY Wood Bead Keychains appeared first on The Homes I Have Made ..read more