How to fence in your yard {a simple, step-by-step guide}

You know you love your dogs when.... you spend a sizable amount of money purchasing fencing materials, then spend a ridiculous amount of time building said fence.

We finished the fenced in backyard last weekend!  WOOP WOOP!  {Well, practically.  We have one more gate to add to the deck, so that doesn't really even count as fence.}

When we talked about our renovation plans, we {I} KNEW we wanted to fence in the backyard, sooner rather than later.  Our two furbabies don't have a fenced in yard at our current house so they have to be on the runner to be outside... and that's just no fun!  The guys spent 3 days of work on this {1 day with 3 guys, then 2 days of Michael working off and on}.

1. Shopping.... aka the fun part.... unless your husband is super picky about lumber like mine is.
We bought most of the supplies for this project at Lowe's.  2 rolls of chain link fence, 1 box of nails that look like staples {yes, the Lowe's employee will know what you mean when you tell him that's what you need}, 4x4s for posts, 2x4s for gates and around the top of the fence, screws {if you don't have them on hand}, gate hardware, 6" galvanized carriage bolts with flat washers and nuts {ask for help finding these the first time... once you get the hang of their organizing system, it's easy to find the size you need!}, concrete mix.... I think that's it.

Shopping tip: We picked 12' 2x4s, then had Lowe's cut them in half so they fit in the back of the truck.  It was less expensive than two 6' boards - and every little bit counts when you're buying this amount of items!  All of your lumber should be treated since it's going outdoors.  Also, this is a pretty substantial list.  Prepare yourself for a long trip to the hardware store.  We spent about 3 hours at Lowe's. {We were getting other supplies as well, but still. It was ridiculous.}  And bring the trailer.  We debated it, but didn't think we'd end up buying nearly as much as we did.  Just bring the trailer.

2. Mark out posts
Measure twice, dig once.  Make sure you clear any tree brances that may be in the way, string off your area and make sure your corners are square{ish}.

3. Dig the holes.
My biggest tip on this project?  RENT THE STINKIN' AUGER.  {An auger is a machine that digs the hole so you don't have to.  The one we rented was gas powered and handheld, so you didn't have to connect it to a tractor.}  Our local hardware store rents all kinds of goodies, so I started the workday by calling to see if they rented an auger.  Thankfully they did!  This saved us SO MUCH time and backache for the guys.  I think they had fun with the big power tool, too.  Most of the holes only took one man to use the auger.  They hit rock on one hole and had to use all their muscles together {which makes for a lot of laughter from the wives watching!}.

4. Add gravel/concrete mix to the holes
Once they dug the holes, they added a little gravel to each hole then the posts were placed {the end/corner posts were reinforced with concrete while the other posts were filled in with dirt}.

5. Put the posts in the holes
We went with 4"x4" wood posts.  We prefer the look of the wood posts to blend better with our deck.  The posts were spaced every 6 feet and buried roughly 2' in the ground.

6. Attach 2x4s to the posts
We had these cut to 6' at Lowe's.  Michael trimmed them just a little at the house.  They really help make the fence solid.

7. Attach the fence to the posts
After the posts were placed, it was really just a matter of nailing the chain link fence to the posts.  This is a 2 man {or woman} job - someone has to stretch/hold the fence while the other one nails it in place.  We also attached the fence to the side of the deck at two spots.

8. Build the gate
We built very simple gates - just 2x4s in a rectangle plus chain link material, just like on the other parts of the fence.  We used the latches shown for all of the gates.  I would NOT recommend them.  They're fairly easy to bump and accidentally open {I was sweeping the deck with a broom... the broom bumped the gate at the bottom and the gate opened. Not kidding.}.  Michael added a block to ours to secure one of the latches, but we're going to replace the other latches with a more secure option.  We'll probably go with a sliding bolt latch... those surely won't bump open!

9. Add lattice {optional}
We had to add lattice along the bottom of the deck... otherwise our little houdinis would go under the deck, out the other side {and probably poop in the neighbor's yard}.

Total money spent on this project: About $400. {Supplies at Lowe's were about $300 plus $55 to rent the auger and another $20 on last minute items at the local hardware store, then went back and spent a little more again for better gate latches.  We opened a Lowe's credit card to save an extra 10% off everything we got that day!  We had a truck FULL.} And seriously, with furbabies like this... fencing in the backyard for them is worth every penny!

Total time spent: Guesstimated 25 man hours {definitely doable in one weekend!}
Day 1: 2 guys all day + 1 guy half day = approx. 20 man hours
Day 2: 1 guy = maybe 5 man hours?  {We were working on the deck at the same time so it's a guesstimate}

This is such an exciting project for us to have finished!  One of our dogs is a superstar houdini, so we'll see how long it is before she finds a way to escape.  We are all so excited for their new found backyard freedom!

Our fridge deal!

When we talked about shopping at Lowe's and Menards last week, I mentioned the incredible deal we got on a brand new fridge!  I can't wait any longer to share this with you.

My goal for appliances {fridge, microwave, stove & dishwasher} was to spend under $1000.  We're on a fairly tight budget for renovations and didn't want to blow a bunch on fancy appliances.  I knew thought we would be buying used appliances at that price point.  I was ELATED to find a new fridge and microwave in our budget!  {Just for reference, I quoted out appliances at a local store.  They were going to cost $2500 before tax. Woh, woh, wohhh. Not happening.}

Every time we go to Lowe's, I check out their scratch and dent appliances.  I don't think I've ever bought one {before now}... in case you didn't know this magical section exists, it does!  It's usually at a back or end aisle.  In our store, it's right by the doors to go outside to the fencing material and trees {past the appliances and cabinets inside}.  There are usually 10 or less appliances.  Some have issues that have been repaired by the store, some have damage and some have been used as loaners {while customers had their appliances repaired under warranty}.

I hate confrontation and don't really like to barter.  That being said, for a good deal... I'll do a little talking.  There was a Frigidaire black refrigerator in the scratch and dent section that had a small dent on the back rear corner.  I had looked at it a few weeks before, so I knew it had been there a while.  The original price on the clearance tag was almost $900.  The clearance price was $718.  {The listing below is the model we were looking at.}

This fridge had everything I wanted... it was a black side-by-side with water in the door and the textured finish.  I showed it to Michael just as a reference point of what I liked, but he said we should ask about it.  {I tell you, that man of mine is a gem!}

A store employee happened to walk by and ask if we needed help.  We asked if there was any leeway in the price {since I knew the fridge had been there a while}.  He directed us to the appliance department manager.  She stood and talked with us for a few minutes.  She initially said she could do $600 for the fridge {keep in mind, it's brand new and has a small dent that won't show at all once it's installed}.  We looked at the other scratch and dent appliances.  I wasn't sure we could fit the fridge in the truck that night, but she wanted it gone.  She decided if we would take it the same night she would mark the fridge down to $550.  

She also offered us a Frigidaire over-the-range microwave like the one above for $100 {retail $249}.  {The microwave door was broken in shipping and had been replaced by Lowe's, so it was as good as new.} We decided we would take the fridge for $550 and the microwave for $100.  As we started to leave to look at lumber, the manager asked if we wanted the 5 year warranty.  She said it cost about $100 but had tons of benefits - including reimbursement up to $250 if you lose food from a power outage.  {We've had this happen before, so this was a big selling point to us.}  We told her we would have to think about it and she said she would mark the fridge down to $500 if we bought the warranty... to which I said "ring it up darlin!". {Okay, I didn't really say that.  I totally thought it though.  I was BEYOND excited.} 

Lowe's has a credit card that usually gets you 5% off every purchase.  They were running a special for 10% off the first purchase.  We applied for the card which took another $50 off the fridge, bringing it down to $450!  We spent another $100 on the 5 year warranty for the fridge and $90 {with the 10% off} for the microwave.  All in all, we got the fridge with warranty and microwave for about $680 {the retail would have been about $1320 - CHA CHING!}.  That is a major score in my book!  Now I just have to find a stove and dishwasher... as long as I can do that for $320 total, I'll hit my goal of all the appliances under $1000!

Lesson learned: ASK and ye shall receive!  For real though.  I figured they'd be willing to take a little more off since it had been there a while, but I didn't think it would be low enough to fit in our budget.  You never know until you ask!

Big box home improvement retailers: Where do we shop?

There are two major big box retailers for home improvement & renovation supplies in our area {South Central Indiana} - Lowe's and Menards.

Well, there are sort of three big box stores.  There are Home Depot stores in the area, but we don't typically shop at Home Depot.  They are farther away than either Lowe's or Menards.  Since they are not as convenient, I don't compare their prices or pay attention to their sales.

That leaves Menards and Lowe's as the two major shopping choices in our area.  Menards is slightly more convenient {about 10 minutes closer}, but either is a local option.  {It should be noted that "local" here is relative - we only have one truly local option, Bear Hardware.  They're super for supplies in a pinch, but are more expensive than the big box stores, which are each a 20-30 minute drive... small town life, y'all - totally worth it!}  

I used to think of Lowe's as a classier, higher quality option while Menards was the more cost-effective store.  However, as I shop at each store more I've found that's not always true.

WHEN TO BUY AT LOWE'S:

-Lowe's is our go-to store for lumber.  In our area, the lumber at Lowe's far exceeds the quality at Menards.  There is minimal price difference between the stores, so this is really a no brainer.  We always, always go to Lowe's for lumber.  Lowe's will cut the lumber for you in store, which is super convenient {my Honda didn't fit a 4'x8' sheet of plywood very well, but by golly they happily cut it down to the sizes I requested}.  There are two Lowe's stores within about 30 minutes of us.  One location will cut lumber for free, while the other makes one cut free then charges $.25 per cut after that.  

-We recently scored an INCREDIBLE deal on a fridge and microwave at Lowe's!  Their scratch and dent {or ding and dent to my husband} area is a great deal spot!  Menards has the occasional clearance appliance, but does not carry the selection that Lowe's does {in regular or clearance options}.  I'll share later how we got a nearly $900 fridge for only $450!

-Lowe's customer service is fantastic!  I tried to find my husband a saw for his birthday.  The Lowe's website had it on sale, but I didn't get it purchased before the sale ended {the website had not listed an end date}.  I emailed the Lowe's customer service team.  They price matched the previous internet price AND let me add my 10% mover's coupon!

WHEN TO BUY AT MENARDS:

-If both Lowe's and Menards have the same exact product, Menards is typically the less expensive option.  We're currently shopping for paver stones to put behind our deck around the steps {right now there's just dirt/mud}.  While the quality may vary slightly between the stores, the items are basically the same - 11" x 13" paver.  The Menards option is less than half the price of the Lowe's option.  I think I'm going to use these on about a 8' x 9' area {approx 72 pavers}.  I'll spend $71 at Menards vs. $214 at Lowe's.  On some items, it's worth it to pay extra for a higher quality item.  For me, this is not one of those times.  I haven't looked at either one in person yet, but for something that's going to be outside on the ground, I'll gladly save $1.99 PER PAVER, thank you very much!

-Menards tends to run better sales in my experience.  For everyday items or long lists when I don't have time to hunt for deals, I choose Menards. 

-Menards customer service has also been great to us.  We purchased a new sink faucet, got it home and installed {and threw away the packaging}.  Within a week, the faucet wouldn't work.  We took it back in a ziploc bag {I did have the receipt}.  Menards refunded our money without hesitation.

-Menards carries an expanded product line.  Lowe's seems to have a greater selection in some departments, but Menards carries dog food, groceries and basic household supplies that I've never seen at Lowe's.  It isn't crucial that I buy my cereal and door knobs in the same transaction, but it sure is handy!

Overall, we have found fantastic deals and received great service at both Lowe's and Menards.  The key to budget renovation is comparison shopping.  Most stores will now price match and honor competitor coupons.  Happy shopping!

Note: None of the companies discussed have sponsored this post.  Images and logos used are property of their respective owners.  Your experiences with your local store may vary from mine shared here.

I've got a [socket], got a [socket] full of....

I'm so excited to share our progress with you!  We have been busy, busy, busy with lots of cleaning and prep work for the renovations.

Most of the things I'm working on now are super glamorous, like when I scrubbed all of the outlet covers throughout the entire house.  Or when I removed the outlet covers throughout the entire house.... and found a socket full of ladybugs, which is practically like having a pocket full of sunshine. Almost.  Thankfully, the ladybugs were dead {and they were ladybugs, not baby snakes or bedbugs or ....yuck.}.  For real though, I unscrewed that outlet cover and ladybug carcasses just started falling out on the floor.

The sellers of the house have rented it out for the last several years.  Since there have been renters, we kind of expect the unexpected.... typically, renters don't treat a home as well as owners do.  When we toured the house, there was a mystery piece of plywood screwed to the bedroom wall.  We had no idea what we'd find behind the plywood.  Our best guesses were that someone made a large hole, then covered it up with the plywood, or that they mounted a TV to the plywood.  We removed the mystery plywood and found perfect drywall behind it - woop woop!  It looks like they just used it to mount a TV.  The light colored rectangle on the wall in the photo is where the plywood used to be.  Apparently the renters painted AFTER they hung things on the wall... and just decided to paint around them.  It's pretty fantastic {sarcasm}.  Thankfully, we were already planning on repainting the walls a different color, so the creative paint job doesn't really matter.

One of the biggest visual impacts that we've made so far has been power washing the exterior.  The house has vinyl siding.  When we looked at it the first time, there was dirt, grime and yummy green stuff on the side of the house.  "We" {read: Michael, except for the very last bit when I helped} scrubbed and power washed the outside of the house.  The whole thing took less than a day and it looks GREAT now!  The "after" picture is while he was still working, so the house is wet - but doesn't it look so much better?!  He mixed TSP alternative according to the box directions in a 5 gallon bucket, lightly scrubbed it on with a large scrubber, then power washed the exterior clean.  Some tough spots took two TSP applications.  

Our next projects to tackle will be more renovation prep, more cleaning and creating a fun space for our furbabies - stay tuned!

Home Tour!

I shared with y'all that we are in the process of purchasing our first home.  I'm sure you've been sitting around since then wishing you could see pictures... if so, you're in luck!  We are planning to do some renovations {partially for necessary repairs, partially preferential changes}.  There will {hopefully} be lots of changes coming soon that we will share with you!  Keep in mind that we have not done A-NY-THING yet, so if there's any lack of cleanliness, it's not from us...  I'm not saying it won't be dirty when we're in it, because let's be real... we aren't show home type people.  It'll just be our dirt then {somehow, our dirt seems cleaner than mystery dirt}.

Since our renovation is on a very tight budget, we'll beg/borrow/buy-at-restore many of the items we can.  Our goal is to finish the home with quality finishes at reasonable prices.

We have renovation plans now, but nothing is really set in stone until we close on the house and start knockin' down walls.  If you have some great strike of wisdom, feel free to share it - we'd love to hear from you! :)

Check out lots of photos of the house by clicking the "Home Tour" tab at the top of the page!  Make sure you follow along to check on our progress as we dive into this adventure.

Welcome back {and some big news}!

Hey y'all!  

I have written a blog in for-ev-er.... and obviously, you've missed reading along... both of you {hi mom!}.  Just kidding... I checkout out my blog statistics.  Most of my old posts have 25-40 reads each.  So, I'm pretty sure that's a solid following...ish.

If you're not familiar, I've been married just over a year to my better half.  We have two fur babies and hope to add some two-legged babies to our family in the near-ish future.  We are also in the process of buying our first home! {That's the big news for those of you that were lured here by my tagline.}

If you read back through my blog, you'll see that I shared my life {honestly and openly} during a previous relationship.  Now that I've gotten into blogging again, I've taken some time to think about removing the old posts.  However, I've decided to leave them {for now, at least}.  While I am not in the same stage of life I was then, it's a sweet walk down memory lane to see where I've been... and it makes me marvel at the goodness of God even more.

So as for life now? ---Life is crazy {as always} and my blessings are abundant {also as always}.  Blogging, for me, is an acknowledgement of the grace of God in my life and an opportunity to share that grace with you.  The path isn't always pretty {in fact, I often make it much rougher than necessary}, but it's always an adventure! 

I'll share my life with you.... my highs and lows, home renovation projects and family adventures.  Through it all, I pray that you will find joy, purpose and passion and that this blog would be an encouragement to you along your journey.