I really want to kick this Basic DIY series off with a little happy motivation. Happy motivation is the motive behind everything that I do (am I allowed to use motive and motivation in the same sentence? Hmmm. Lets just go with it.)
There are 3 sure things in life. Death, Taxes, and the simple fact that when I announce I am changing a room up, I always get a “WHAT!? Didn’t you just do that room?”
The most basically basic DIY I want EVERY SINGLE PERSON that reads Vintage Revivals to click away knowing. Is that it.is.your.choice.
I feel like every single room in your house should make you feel like it is the most perfect place in the world for you. There is nothing better in the world than walking into a space that you LOVE. Do you feel like that when you walk into your house? If you said yes, you get 1000 Vintage Revivals points that will be redeemable when I am rich and famous. If you answered with no, I have one question for you.
Why not?
Is it because you rent?
Is it because you don’t have any money?
Is it because you aren’t creative?
Is it because you don’t have any ideas?
Is it because you cant make a decision?
Is it because you are worried it wont be perfect?
Is it because you feel like you just cant do it?
Here is what I say to each and every one of those rebuttals. 
I know it may seem a little Pee Wee Herman “I know you are but what am I”
But.
Just because you rent doesn’t mean you cannot make a space your own. (This is one of the biggest reasons that I am so excited for Cara’s office makeover!)
Just because you don’t have any money, does not mean that you cant repurpose things you already have, or score a road kill rescue here or there.
Just because you feel like you are not creative is not a good reason. Creativity is a skill that is developed by (you guessed it) being creative. A few years ago I would have considered myself the least creative person on the planet. For reals.
Just because you feel like you don’t have any ideas is the lamest reason of them all. Have you ever heard of this little teeny site called Pinterest? It is FULL of ideas, some good, some not so good. But that is up to you to choose which of them work the best for YOU.
Just because you feel like you cant make a decision does not mean that you shouldn’t. Start with something small. Paint a wall. Find a dresser at the Goodwill and give it a coat of spray paint.
Which brings me to my next point.
Perfection is NOT REALITY. You are not a machine. You don’t have your own personal Ty Pennington in the garage waiting for you to bring out furniture building plans (but that would be nice, if you know what I am sayin…) There is not one.single. project that I have done that is perfect. Not one. They all have flaws. But if I obsessed over it where would that get me? Embrace that the flaws tell a story. Because it is a good story.
If you feel like you just cant do it, lets do a little visual learning lesson. Go stand in front of the mirror. Grab your cheeks Home Alone style. Squeeze them together and say YES. YOU. CAN. Because that is EXACTLY what I would do if you were sitting in front of me.
I know that you have a project that you have been thinking about doing. Do it and send me pictures, and I will be all the cheerleader you need. Just don’t expect me to be good.
You are so dead on with this post! I went years living in a space that I wasn't happy with; it wasn't because I didn't enjoy decorating or didn't have any ideas. I was full of them! I just didn't execute; I left everything as is because perfection was my goal. I didn't have the funds or the know-how to get my house looking like it was done by Candace Olson so I just left it as is. Since I've started my blog I've started tackling projects and getting my apartment looking like a place I actually want to come home to. It is such an amazing feeling!
only 3 words. You Are Awesome. Thanks for the boost sister!
WELL SAID! I get so frustrated when my readers say something like (I can't do it because I don't have your creativity)…. ummmmm NO! False! Creativity breeds creativity. Thanks for sharing this!
well said – spot on! The pictures on blogs and pinterest may make it look like things are perfect – but nothing really is!
Cheryl @ The Creative Me and My McG
Thanks for the reminders! I'm painting our bathroom for the third time and my husband asked me if it was because I'm bored 😛 Nope—I just didn't get the color right the first two times!
This made me smile. Thank you!
loved this post! Thank you!
What a great post and so true! I agree your home should make you happy even if it isn't other people's style it should be yours!
Yeah, but what if you rent, don't have any money, can't make a decision AND are worried it won't be perfect? Weather you like it or not taking risks costs MONEY and when you don't have it it's a lot easier to be paralyzed- ESPECIALLY when you have restrictions like a lease…
I am very excited for Cara's office make-over. It might give me the inspiration I need for my little apartment that has been the same for pretty much 5 years.
How do you deal with limited time? I'd love to hear some of your tips and tricks for finding the free time to DIY. It's not like I have ZERO free time, but it's definitely my biggest barrier to trying my hand at a project (followed closely by lack of money and lack of space haha).
Love your work, love the blog!
Yes, yes, YES! This might just be my favorite post in the history of EVER. I need to show this to my husband who has suddenly started dragging his feet on all of our projects because we plan to move in a couple of years. I agree with the comment above though…finding TIME is my biggest issue! 🙂
Hmm so I'm wondering if you read my comment from "Conquering your DIY demons" on how you inspired me to ask myself "why not?". If you did and it inspired you to write this then I am incredibly flattered! Can't wait to see what your DIY projects will be. Keep up the good work Mandi!
<3 Kiah
It was totally your question!! I was going through all of them and was like "YES!! This is where I need to start!" So thanks for being so honest and fantastic lady!
xo
mandi
LOVE this! And thanks for the inspiration!
We have lived in our rental for almost a year now and have been overhauling this place! I want to make it feel like our home, no matter how long we live here.
Check out some of our projects:
https://whenlifegivesyoumellins.blogspot.com/2013/07/crate-toy-storage-diy.html
https://whenlifegivesyoumellins.blogspot.com/2013/07/yard-makeover-finally.html
https://whenlifegivesyoumellins.blogspot.com/2013/06/polka-dot-wall.html
https://whenlifegivesyoumellins.blogspot.com/2013/06/honeycomb-shelving.html
https://whenlifegivesyoumellins.blogspot.com/2013/05/logans-nursery-tour.html
Are you cheering for me yet?? 🙂
xo
Alison
whenlifegivesyoumellins.blogspot.com
PS I tried to make those all hyperlinks, but it kept telling my tag wasn't closed.. and they all were. Hmm.. Sorry it looks gross!
What a pep talk! Thanks Mandi. Coincidentally, that was just what I needed to hear today looking around at the blah walls of my rental.
Toodles,
Sara
I think I have thought each of those things at one point or another, but what it usually comes down to for me is…why not? Just like you said. If I have a table that I don't love and I'm thinking about donating it so I can get a new one, why not try to refinish it first? If I don't like it, oh well. I was going to get rid of it anyway. And if I do like it, yay! Free (or close to it) table! The way I get over the fear of something not being perfect is reminding myself that nothing is permanent. If I paint my table and the color turns out ugly or not what I had in mind, or I change my mind a few months later, I can just paint it again. I get so much more satisfaction out of doing something myself and knowing I saved money than I ever could just spending the money on something new at the store. Every time.
Great post and I can't wait to read the rest of this series!
thanks for the motivation! i've got a list of things to do and lots of excuses as to why i haven't gotten to it yet!
This is SO ME, Gabby! I am FULL of ideas, but it's like there's so many, I can't make even ONE of them come out! {Except our mantel. How lame, right?} I think my urge to paint a rented space, and the fact that we will begin house hunting soon are also deterrents.
Thank you 🙂
Thanks for that! I currently hate my bedroom with a white hot passion. It is the family dumping ground and needs a makeover desperately. I jump from one idea to another and cant make up my mind. Thanks for the kick in the tookus!
The rental thing is another obstacle for me too, beige everywhere! It's still home though, so we might as well make it our own (that's my new way of looking at it anyway). Love the name of your blog : )
Love it! I am painting all my walls white right now. (I want bright and fresh) And was just wondering how I was going to decorate? And stressing about it a bit if I'm honest. You know what? I am just going to GO for it :)Thanks girl.
I love this! And just to reiterate – don't be afraid to try and fail. I just bought a rug – not an expensive one, but still – and I HATE it where I intended to put it. So, guess what? I'm going to sell it, or use it some other way. I'm not keeping it there just because I bought it. I'm going to create something I LOVE and not settle for anything less. 🙂 Thanks for the reminder.
Couldn't agree more! I rent AND work on a tight budget but don't let either of those issues hold me back:) Great post!
xo, amy
Wow! That was a punch in my "loved" guts! 🙂 I know I have to get myself jump started, I have discovered however that my brain oasis has dried up. kaput, like an old bone. As I've grown more mature, I have developed a terrible fear of making a mistake or my results looking REALLY homegrown. I have been digging in the "myself" box for that young married 23 yr.old girl who said, "I don't care what you think, I'm doing our bathroom in lime green and navy!" And they all shook their heads and were so sheepish when it came to telling me how wonderful it looked. Where did she go? BTW, that bathroom looked FABU! Age sometimes creates an awareness that wants to stunt creativity. Renewed with your post, I'm raging against the need for perfection and sticking the garden hose, full blast into my oasis. Can I hear a few cheers, I need some serious bumps!
You're so right! It's always easy to come up with an excuse NOT to do something… but everyone has obstacles! Some just chose to overcome them, and that's what makes the biggest difference. I always use the excuse that it's expensive to redecorate, and for a long time I told myself that it was pointless to put work into my current house because I know it's not my forever home.
Thankfully, I got over that a while ago and have been slowly but surely working away at a few things. The more I do, the more I'm inspired to do, so it's been steadily improving!
Thanks for an extra boost to inspire all of us to get in there and get to work! You rock.
This struck a chord with me! A few years ago we depleted our saving to move to a new town and start a new job. We were rented a tiny little house and I was tired of all our homes looking like dorm rooms. So I got to work. I hid our not-so-pretty couch with a very cheap couch cover. Our end tables were a couple bank boxes draped in some left over cream fabric (but the fabric only covered the front part of the boxes). I got an awesome looking chair for $15 that sat REALLY low to the ground. I used a scarf as a throw. And I put some pretty paper in some thrifted gold frames. I had fun, but I couldn't wait to buy real furniture. I saw an old video of that room the other day and I was amazed at how well the room actually worked for spending $30 on it! I almost miss it. 🙂
Agree. My biggest issue is getting the husband to agree with the changes I want to do. I have finally decided that instead of asking how I should update the kitchen I am getting the information together and semi-telling him how I am going to update it. I figure I am the one in the kitchen the most I should be able to make a kitchen I enjoy.
I have to let you know I've been following your blog for over a year and half now after seeing you on the Nate Berkus show. You inspired me to tap into my creative side and do it on a budget. I also shop at the DI! I am addicted to it! I love finding cool old things I can fix up and make my own! I have re-done my whole living room for $200 including couches. I think it is true that once you start the process with a simple idea it turns into more and more ideas. I would love to send you pictures since you inspired me so much (but I'm not smart enough to figure out how to send them to you) Thank you for your creativity and for sharing it with the rest of us!
Thank you for the pep talk! I am hoping to move into a new house soon that I can start over on!
Bwahahaha!!! I SO love this! Thank you, so much! This is probably the nicest way anyone has ever said, 'Girl, PLEASE!! Just put on your big-girl panties, & get to it!' 😀
True dat and right on!
Great advice…you are so funny! I love reading everything you write! 🙂
Great stuff! Can't wait for the rest of the series – please see if you can address my dilemma – I'm old-as-dirt and work full-time and tired most evenings and trying to make my old-as-dirt self get off my duff and do some stuff! Any advice on that? gotta go… time for my nappp.. ZZzzzzzzz 😉
Thank you so much! I decided to study after working for a bit and did not give much thought to savings… Well we all know how that turns out!! I said yes to most of your questions and the post really did get me thinking.. I have a nice lil room and it wouldn't hurt to make the best of what I have! Thank you for giving me hope! You are the best! 🙂
I loved this post.
bisous
Suzanne
Love it! I do still wish for a Ty though. . . Thedistracteddesigner.com
I did it. Today. I did it. You kicked my butt in gear. I took my jar of change and cashed it in- $54. I made over my husband's music studio (read- storage room and bug pit) while he was at work. All by myself, in one day, with $50, and a toddler underfoot. Dahubby was ecstatic. I am proud. Thanks for the encouragement!
Wow, this is the first post I've ever read here and I love it! (came over from nesting place) I could be described by at least five of the above questions.
So here's my question for you: where do I start? When every room in my rental apartment is screaming for attention, when we might be moving but maybe not, when finances are never certain, when my ideas change every day, and when most of my projects will be assisted by four very small children? These aren't excuses, I'm legitimately asking, what do I do first?
Can't wait to read more! Would love suggestions of your other posts to read. = )
Mandi, you pulled these words right out of my head. I’ve been living this philosophy for 50 years. When I was 14 I asked my Mom for a scroll saw. A little weird for a young teenage girl. But the journey that little saw started me on has been amazing. I am still discovering new, creative talents I didn’t know were there. At 65 I’m just starting to play the ukulele and having a blast. Never say never. Mandi, you are definately a kindred spirit!