Refresh Your Kitchen Color: 8 Ideas for This Weekend
It’s a good time to pick a new color for your kitchen, plan a neighborhood party and display some summer treasures
This is a good weekend to collect beach treasures (while being mindful of ecosystems), plan a block party and shop for a few holiday gifts (trust us, you’ll be glad you did). And with Bastille Day coming up on July 14 and the Tour de France happening right now, Francophiles have two great excuses to throw a party and sample some French cheese.
2. Repaint the Kitchen
Up for a project? Consider painting your kitchen walls. Because of the cabinetry and appliances, kitchens tend to have less wall space than other rooms, which makes this project just the right size to complete over a weekend. Gather your painting tools, prime the walls if needed, then brush on color for a whole new look. If you’re not quite ready to commit, take the first step this weekend by exploring kitchen color ideas.
How to Paint a Room: Prep to Painting
Up for a project? Consider painting your kitchen walls. Because of the cabinetry and appliances, kitchens tend to have less wall space than other rooms, which makes this project just the right size to complete over a weekend. Gather your painting tools, prime the walls if needed, then brush on color for a whole new look. If you’re not quite ready to commit, take the first step this weekend by exploring kitchen color ideas.
How to Paint a Room: Prep to Painting
3. Shop for Holiday Gifts
Yep, in July. It’s not as wacky as it sounds — after all, if you’ll be traveling, visiting an antiques fair (Brimfield is July 10-15) or taking a day trip to explore a new town over the weekend, all you need to do is keep holiday gifting in mind and scoop up a present or two if you spot something good. By choosing a few thoughtful gifts and stashing them away now, you’ll be ahead of the game when the holidays roll around. Plus, you’ll have a fun story to tell the recipient about where you found their gift.
10 Ideas for Packable Decor From Your Travels
Yep, in July. It’s not as wacky as it sounds — after all, if you’ll be traveling, visiting an antiques fair (Brimfield is July 10-15) or taking a day trip to explore a new town over the weekend, all you need to do is keep holiday gifting in mind and scoop up a present or two if you spot something good. By choosing a few thoughtful gifts and stashing them away now, you’ll be ahead of the game when the holidays roll around. Plus, you’ll have a fun story to tell the recipient about where you found their gift.
10 Ideas for Packable Decor From Your Travels
4. Plan a Block Party or Group Yard Sale
Sometimes there really is power in numbers. Case in point: You can boost the selling power of your yard sale or the fun factor of a summer cookout by including all the houses on your block. Whether you opt for a block party or yard sale, it’s important to plan far enough ahead to give everyone ample time to get ready. For a block party, that prep might include applying for a permit to close off the street and deciding who will provide what; for a yard sale, you’ll need to make posters and place ads.
To get started this weekend, chat with neighbors to gauge interest, then set a couple of key dates: the date of your sale or party and a date to meet for a planning session.
How to Throw a Block Party
Sometimes there really is power in numbers. Case in point: You can boost the selling power of your yard sale or the fun factor of a summer cookout by including all the houses on your block. Whether you opt for a block party or yard sale, it’s important to plan far enough ahead to give everyone ample time to get ready. For a block party, that prep might include applying for a permit to close off the street and deciding who will provide what; for a yard sale, you’ll need to make posters and place ads.
To get started this weekend, chat with neighbors to gauge interest, then set a couple of key dates: the date of your sale or party and a date to meet for a planning session.
How to Throw a Block Party
5. Keep Fruit Flies Off Your Farmer’s Market Haul
Fruit flies bugging you in the kitchen? They’re probably attracted to the piles of ripe fruit and veggies on your counter, so consider using mesh food covers to protect produce from the little invaders. If that doesn’t do the trick, make a simple trap by punching a few holes around the sides of a plastic water bottle and adding ⅓ cup of a water-vinegar solution.
How to Get Rid of Those Pesky Summer Fruit Flies
Fruit flies bugging you in the kitchen? They’re probably attracted to the piles of ripe fruit and veggies on your counter, so consider using mesh food covers to protect produce from the little invaders. If that doesn’t do the trick, make a simple trap by punching a few holes around the sides of a plastic water bottle and adding ⅓ cup of a water-vinegar solution.
How to Get Rid of Those Pesky Summer Fruit Flies
6. Watch the Tour de France
With Bastille Day coming up July 14 and the Tour de France bike race underway for much of the month, this is a good weekend to be a Francophile. If you feel inspired, gather your friends to taste French cheese and wine while you catch a bit of the race — Stage 9 is Sunday, July 15, and will feature 15 sections of challenging cobblestones. Get the route and a full schedule on the official Tour de France website.
Bicycle-Inspired Decor to Make Your Heart Race
With Bastille Day coming up July 14 and the Tour de France bike race underway for much of the month, this is a good weekend to be a Francophile. If you feel inspired, gather your friends to taste French cheese and wine while you catch a bit of the race — Stage 9 is Sunday, July 15, and will feature 15 sections of challenging cobblestones. Get the route and a full schedule on the official Tour de France website.
Bicycle-Inspired Decor to Make Your Heart Race
7. Check Your Yard for Fire Safety
If you live in an area with dry summers such as California, it’s important to keep the area around your home clear of brush that could become fuel in a fire. Remove weeds, fallen leaves, needles and other items, especially from the area immediately surrounding your home. Keep tree branches at least 10 feet from your chimney and other trees, and relocate any wood piles to at least 30 feet from your home.
Fire-Wise Landscapes Can Help Keep Your Home and Property Safe
If you live in an area with dry summers such as California, it’s important to keep the area around your home clear of brush that could become fuel in a fire. Remove weeds, fallen leaves, needles and other items, especially from the area immediately surrounding your home. Keep tree branches at least 10 feet from your chimney and other trees, and relocate any wood piles to at least 30 feet from your home.
Fire-Wise Landscapes Can Help Keep Your Home and Property Safe
8. Boost Home Safety Before Summer Travels
Before leaving on a trip, take some time to put safety precautions in place. Consider securing your windows with locks and adding an exterior security camera and motion-sensing exterior lighting. Let your neighbors know when you’ll be away and ask a friend to check on your house from time to time.
Your turn: What are you looking forward to this weekend? Let us know in the Comments.
More
10 Ways to Keep Your Home Safe While You’re Traveling
Make More Money at a Yard Sale — and Have Fun Too
Summer Weekend Projects to Have Your Home Looking Sweet by Fall
Before leaving on a trip, take some time to put safety precautions in place. Consider securing your windows with locks and adding an exterior security camera and motion-sensing exterior lighting. Let your neighbors know when you’ll be away and ask a friend to check on your house from time to time.
Your turn: What are you looking forward to this weekend? Let us know in the Comments.
More
10 Ways to Keep Your Home Safe While You’re Traveling
Make More Money at a Yard Sale — and Have Fun Too
Summer Weekend Projects to Have Your Home Looking Sweet by Fall
Seashells, driftwood, tiny jars of sand, sea glass, smooth stones — treasures collected on summer trips to the lake or beach can be beautiful physical reminders of your outings. To be a good steward of the Earth, don’t collect in protected natural areas. Also leave behind empty spiral shells (which hermit crabs need for survival), and never collect living sea creatures.
Pick a spot to display your favorites, such as a glass apothecary jar, shadowbox or curio shelf, and use labels to note the place name and date of collection while the memories are still fresh.
Collective Wisdom: Display Ideas for Collections of All Kinds