Blog - at home with Ashley

How I Decorated my Living Room on a Budget

Hi Friends! I am a girl who loves having a beautiful home, but I’ve also got a budget. I’ve slowly transformed my main living space and I wanted to share with you how I’ve done it with limited funds. I hope this post will give you some ideas for how you can update your space for less!

Let’s start with the before pictures:

Ugggh! Those are scary! So dark and bland. But things got better!

I painted the walls white

Paint is such an inexpensive way to quickly change things up. And I found the perfect white paint color! Goodbye cave-like grey!

I added in a custom wall treatment

For me this was chair and picture molding. This gives the room a very classy look. It was around $200 to install (so not the cheapest), but the room has a whole new feel now. Stencils or wallpaper are more options for changing up your walls. Here are my best tips for buying wallpaper on a budget.

I put up a ledge gallery wall behind my sofa

I used $9.99 ledges from Ikea and added in inexpensive art (framed cards, printables from Etsy) and personal touches.

For tips 4-11, click next

[Read more…]

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What to do When you Decide to Get out of Debt

What to do when you decide to get out of debt

Are you ready to get out of debt, but just aren’t sure where to start? I have been there! Let’s me start off by telling you that you can do it! One of my favorite posts I ever wrote (and one of my most popular) was how I got out of $43,000 of debt. Here’s what started our journey- we were making the most money we ever had in our young careers, but it all seemed to be disappearing to bills. I was frustrated- I wanted to have fun with my money not just have it run through my fingers like sand (I’m sure you’ve felt like that before too).

I started pinning articles on Pinterest on how to be debt free. One led me to an article by Dave Ramsey; I checked his book The Total Money Makeover out of the library and read it and got FIRED up. The book is less than $6 used on Amazon and is quick and motivating.

After I read Dave Ramsey’s book I was over being in debt! I made the decision then and there that we would climb out of the hole we were in NO MATTER WHAT. To change in life, sometimes you just have to make the decision. I made it my New Year’s resolution and it may have taken us 3 years, but we did it. Looking back, I wasn’t sure what to do first after I decided to be debt free. So if you have decided that you are DONE with debt- here are the first 8 things you can do right now to start being debt free:

step one

Get on the same page as your significant other. You are going to need to make sure that you are both happy with your plan to get out of debt and how deep you want to cut your expenses. You will also make sure that you are following the same plan. Dave Ramsey is all about the “baby steps” (more on that in a minute), but if your husband (or whoever) wants to go a different route, you need to figure that out so you are going down the same path together.

step two

Write down your debts so you can see how deep of a hole you need to dig out of. Make sure you account for every penny- car loans, medical debt, credit cards, student loans, library fines, money you owe your mom, overdue bills- everything!

step three

Stay motivated. I found podcasts and blogs so that everyday I felt surrounded by a group of people who were all trying for the same goal. This is my favorite getting out of debt blog and this is my favorite podcast.

step four

Make a written budget and update it daily. I know that sounds excessive, but at the beginning you need to get and stay focused. Updating my numbers was so fun because I could see how quickly I could get out of debt! I just used a simple excel spreadsheet for this. At first, making a budget will be rough. You will probably forget some expenses, but after a few months you’ll be a pro! Stick through the rough parts, it’s worth it!

step five

Start paying with cash. Cash is more painful to spend- you can literally see it leaving your hands. When paying with a card, you are probably less connected to the transaction. Plus, it really forces you to have discipline. I go to the bank every pay day and get out enough cash to pay for groceries, gifts, eating out, entertainment. Anything that I could be tempted to splurge on, I get out cash for so once that money is gone, it’s gone. I keep them in white envelopes that I write with sharpie on the front what they are for.

step six

Make a visual reminder. Now that you know how much debt you have and you have talked to your partner on how you are going to get rid of it, decide on the first debt you want to tackle. Getting out of debt is all about focus so you should choose one debt to start with (Dave Ramsey suggests the one with the lowest balance). Print out my free printable (on the next page), fill it out, and tape it to your fridge

step seven

I created a free printable of a debt thermometer. Just print it on printer paper and fill out your debt and how much you owe. Every time you put money towards this debt, draw in a line and color it so you can see how far you have come. Visual progress is so motivating! I wish I had made this for myself instead of the hand drawn sloppy ones I did 🙂 (image above of the ones I made. The below is the free printable- its not that fancy, but it is symmetrical and the perfect blank slate for you to make your mark on).

step eight

I followed Dave Ramsey’s baby steps and they were SO helpful to me. Before getting rid of any debt (besides your minimum payments) he suggests saving up $1000 as an emergency fund. I love having a road map to eventual wealth and giving. My dream is that I can give more and make a difference in the world- that is my big goal. I made a free printable of the baby steps too.

To get both of these emailed immediately to you, just put in in your email and name below

conclusion

So now you have 8 steps to start you down the path to financial freedom and two printables to assist. You can do it! Start today and little by little, you’ll get there! Getting out of debt was a life changing process and has allowed me to now have more freedom- I was able to cut back at work when I had my baby and I have more in my budget for travel and decorating. What would you do if you had no debt and extra money? If you have any questions, please comment below.

Entry Ideas from Anthropologie

Entry Ideas with Anthropologie

I was recently looking through the latest Anthropologie catalog. And guys, it is SO good! I know, you are probably like “obviously, Ashley!” But this is a whole catalog dedicated to interiors (as opposed to a few pages in the back of their normal catalog) and the styling is something we can actually apply to our homes! I love the outdoor crazy editorial shoots they sometimes do, but a bed on the side of the lake is just not as inspirational for me.

I am always on a quest to make my home more beautiful and become a better stylist, so when they interviewed Kendra Smoot (an amazing stylist- she has clients like Restoration Hardware, Real Simple magazine, Kate Spade), I was all ears. Here are her tips on making an entrance with your entry.

“As the introduction to your home, it’s worth making lovely.” She suggests having the following items in your entry:

-wallpaper

-a beautiful bench

-a vase with branches

-artwork

-a small plant

-a console as a focal point

-something that makes you smile when you walk in the door

-a beautiful rug (that’s also durable)

-mirrors (so you can check your lipstick)

“Perhaps more than any other these to-fro spaces befuddle us, requiring some mysterious combination of form and function that never feels quite balanced.” Here are some functional tips- figure out your needs and then find ways to accommodate them.

-if you have a dog, put up a hook (or basket) for the leash

-in wet climates, a place to stash umbrellas is key

-kids need a spot for backpacks

-a dumping ground for purses and unwanted mail

-have an arm chair or daybed if you have people take their shoes off

-a bowl or hook for keys and sunglasses

“make it feel intentional and welcoming.” Here are styling tricks (things I gathered from the photos, but she did not mentioned above). These are things you might want to do when taking pictures for Instagram.

-show evidence that a person was just there

-scarf draped beautifully

-hat hanging from a hook on the wall

-shoes casually on the floor

-a cute bag

-pretty mail

-a mug on a napkin

-folded throws

-design books stacked

-a clock

My entry still hasn’t been touched, but one day! I have some new ideas up my sleeve, but first we are working on our deck (which I’ll share with you later this week). Have a wonderful day!

All images from Anthropologie

Laundry Tips + Free Printable

Laundry Tips and Free Printable. This is a sponsored post. Affiliate links were used in this post

Hello! I have been thinking about laundry (as one does when one spends a whole day doing it every week). After having my baby a year ago, I finally feel like I have figured out a good system for getting the laundry done and dealing with his little (or big) stains. I wanted to share some laundry tips and a free printable!

My Best Laundry Tips for when you add a Baby to the Family:

Get it done in ONE day. I spend one day doing laundry (Saturday). I throw it in first thing in the morning and then put it away through the day as I have time. My goal is to have every piece of laundry clean and put away before I go to bed Saturday night. I like not worrying about it the rest of the week and spending my time playing with my little guy.
Pre-treat through the week. When your baby has a blow-out or gets baby food all over his onesie, spot clean it right away! You are more likely to get the stain out when it is fresh and that way you won’t forget about it on laundry day and set in the stain by putting it in the dryer. If you don’t have time to clean baby’s messy clothes right away, just put water in the sink and get it soaking. Then when I do have a second, I can take care of it.
Use Soap that works. I have one sister who soaks her baby clothes in Oxyclean. I have another who tells me that using Oxyclean made her baby clothes ware really quickly. I just soak in water and then use a bar of Fels Naptha soap to treat the stain. This soap is around $2 for a bar and has lasted me over a year (mine is only half way gone!).
Use a mesh laundry bag for baby socks and mittens. This is a tip from my mother-in-law. She gave me mesh laundry bags (no longer available) when we had the baby for his tiny socks. At first I was like “whatever,” but then his little mittens and socks got lost in sleeves of adult clothes. So I just throw all of his socks in the mesh bag to wash them and they don’t get lost. Putting them away is so convenient because all of his socks are in a little bag all together.
Use Detergent for the Whole Family. A lot of people use special baby detergent and I was excited to use it to wash all of the newborn clothes when I was pregnant. We didn’t end up using it because my husband has sensitive skin and we already use detergent that was safe for the baby (we use Purex which is very affordable). I love that we use the same detergent for everyone for convenience sake, but I have heard that deft baby detergent smells heavenly 🙂

The downside to my detergent is that is doesn’t have an amazing smell. Most of the time it just doesn’t smell like anything. Just last week I found the cutest online boutique called English Rose that sells the most heavenly smelling detergent! I got three of their sample sizes and added it to my laundry and I can’t tell you how good it smells! My favorite was the Kathina scent, but Diva was a close second. I actually look forward to doing laundry now because it just smells SO good! I line dry my clothes and the scent made my house smell good too. Plus, how cute are those mini bottles?! If anyone wants to try it out, English Rose generously offered a 15% off code for my readers, just use the code ashley15 when checking out. Let me know what you think! We can have delicious smelling laundry together! 🙂 They also have some amazing candles! I have the Tyler candle in Diva (no longer available) which has a really great floral and amber scent.

Last of all, I created a free printable for my awesome readers! (in the mint frame below) [Read more…]

Easter Decorations- fast and easy Garland

I love Easter. Let’s be honest, I love all holidays- any excuse for a break from the mundane to have fun and decorate and eat yummy food is good in my book. But I especially love Easter because I was born on the actual holiday. Easter changes dates every year, but I still love it! For holiday decor, I like having a good collection of decorations that I stow away every year and then change it up someway to make it special. The addition for 2016 was a bunny garland and a cute print. I got the idea for this simple DIY from my sister- we are both obsessed with garlands. So here are my Easter decorations and my fast and easy Garland.

Here’s how to make a $3 garland:

Go to the dollar spot at Target and buy 2-5 stacks of felt bunnies or eggs (or both). I got 2
Sew them together (or you could hot glue them to ribbon)
Hot glue pom poms to give the bunnies tails (I got my pom poms from Joann’s for a $1)

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Football & Mint 1st Birthday Party

Don’s Football & Mint 1st Birthday Party. Note, this post includes affiliate links

Don turned one, so of course, we threw him a birthday party! We actually threw him two because our families are big and our condo is small (so my husband’s family came Sunday night and my family came Monday night). My husband and I talked about different themes and settled on football (his choice) with color accents of mint and gold (my choice). I couldn’t find any cute football themed birthday parties on Pinterest that I loved, but got plenty of inspiration. Here are the three photos I mainly based the party on:

Aren’t those big balloons fun?! I used this photo for color inspiration. Source

I really liked the idea of having a cute place for Don to do his cake smash! Source

The inspiration for my dessert table Source

I am happy with what we came up with! Here are some of the details:

Invitations:

When throwing two parties, you need two invitations. So I went with the option of buying a pre-designed invite on Etsy for $6 and having my sister customize it. (Note: this specific invite is no longer available. But Etsy has similar suggestions if you follow that link!) I wanted more customization than what was easy (I wanted to change the color to a more blue mint), but we were doing invitations so last minute I was fine with it. I sent them to a local printer and got them printed for $2. So they cost me around $9 for invitations.

Cake:

I have a friend from high school who makes beautiful cakes who offered to make a cake for Don’s party. I was excited because it was one less thing for me to do and I knew we would get a cute cake. So I sent her over these inspiration photos:

Bottom cake tier inspiration. Isn’t that elephant cute?! Source

Top tier of the cake inspiration. Source

And this is what she came up with:

So cute right?! The top had a football texture she made with buttercream. For the first party, the cake was just on display (we served cupcakes and I made a smash cake) and for the second party, Don smashed the top layer and we ate the bottom.

Food:

I did a major blogger fail and didn’t take any pictures of the actual food. Sorry! It wasn’t super pretty because I kept it simple- just football food so I wasn’t stuck in the kitchen. We ordered pizza, had little smokies, queso dip and chips, a veggie tray, and fruit.

Decorations:

The part I was most excited about! I started planning these out months in advance (as you need to do if you are buying decorations from China). I knew I wanted two main decorated focal points- a dessert table and photos of baby Don. Let’s break those down:

Dessert Table:

For the dessert table, I wanted to do a cute backdrop. Here’s are the sources:

Paper Fans darker teal: eBay (no longer available)

Paper Fans mint round and Balloons: Zurchers (no longer available)

Tassels: eBay (no longer available)

Gold Letters: eBay (no longer available)

Honeycomb Football: eBay (no longer available)

to see the rest of the party, click below

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10 Tips for getting Perfect One Year Old Photos

mint bowtie
My top 10 tips for getting perfect one year photos

My baby turned one last week (sob)! We got some pictures of him and I am SO happy with how they turned, I thought I would pass on some tips that worked for getting some cute photos. I have a lot of experience with doing photo shoots professionally too, so I used some things I have learned at work that I would love to pass on to you!

note, this post includes affiliate links

Find a Photographer with pictures you love for a price you can afford– I had a photographer I really wanted to use so I contacted her and she took a few weeks to get back and then she was $200 for a 30 minute session with 10 edited images. Um, no thanks. Isn’t that price a little ridiculous?! It is for me so I actually ended up using a photographer I follow on Instagram who was $75 for a 30 minute session. Her company name is Alexandria Cherie Photography for any SLC locals who want a fantastic photographer (no longer available). She was amazing to work with- her photos were gorgeous, she was quick to respond and her pricing was reasonable. If you want to find a photographer on Instagram, try searching the hashtags for your city and then photographer- #saltlakephotographer or #utahphotographer and you will get a ton of options. Find a photographer who’s pictures you love and then check out their website to see if their pricing fits your budget.
Choose a short session. I think 30-45 minutes for a one year is ideal. One hour maximum. They will get unhappy of having to pose and sit still after awhile, so shorter is better.
Choose the date. We had the photos taken on a Tuesday with his birthday that Friday and the party on Saturday. I was too slow to get the photos for his party invitations, so if you want this, you probably need them taken two weeks before the party. This date was perfect for us because I got edited images on Thursday, just in time so I could get some printed for party decor.
Get Inspired and Share with your Photographer. I went on Pinterest and looked at other one year photo shoots. I kept notes of what I liked- things like a cake smash, outfits, backgrounds, props. I pinned my favorite photos on one board that I shared with my photographer. I wanted to make sure we were on the same page. I emailed her with a list of the photos that were most important to me so she could make sure to get them. I was totally open to the photographer’s ideas, but I also wanted to be organized since we were shooting in such a tight time frame. (Below is the board for reference)
Pick a Theme or Color Scheme. Don’s birthday party theme is football with mint accents. So I choose everything to revolve around the color mint. I liked the continuity in the photos and the photos made for the cutest party decor.
Choose an Outfit for Baby. This is fun because the outfit can double for what they wear to the party and is a chance to do something outside of your norm (if you want). I bought a bowtie off Etsy, a button up shirt and suspenders from H&M and paired them with jeans he already owned.
Prepare your Props. I choose props that would be cute for photos and that could (mostly) be reused for the party. I made a party hat, bunting garland with his name on it, a smash cake, a number 1 candle that I glittered, I put up a background of paper fans, bought a chair and put balloons in his crib. Everything (except the cake) was used at the party and it was nice to have those elements ready ahead of time. I will post birthday party photos next week with some tutorials for how to make these items.
Choose a Location. We decided to take the photos at home where our baby would be most comfortable and happy. It was convenient to not have to transport all of our items and the dogs were there for a few cute photos. I also considered a photo studio. If you are taking pictures in better weather, a park would be fun!
Choose a Time when your Baby will be happy. We took pictures at 1pm. Right after Don’s longest nap because we knew he would be happiest then and the light would be good in our condo.
Pick poses that work with your Baby. Most one year old’s are moving around like crazy. The photos that worked best were ones where he was restrained (haha)- like in his crib, on my lap, in the high chair, or being held by his dad. It was hard to get him to sit on that little chair because he wanted to be crawling around. You might get a few pictures of your baby sitting still looking cute, but expect to have to do some baby wrangling.

Sources:

All Photos taken by Alexandria Cherie Photography (no longer available)

Little Chair- Down East Home

Bow tie- Etsy

Gold 1 Balloon- Ebay (no longer available)

Mint paper fans, balloons- Zurchers (no longer available)

Teal paper fans- Ebay (no longer available)

If you liked this post, please share on Pinterest! 🙂

p.s. want a free course on how to style your accessories to look amazing?

How to Style a Desk with Examples

Thank you for the great response to my desk I posted earlier this week! Whenever I style a space, I do this thing where I go through Pinterest and make a list of all of the styling elements from my favorite rooms. For example, I Pinterest search “desks” and write down all of the cute accessories I see commonly used again and again. I did this with desks and thought I would pass on my research. So this is a cheat sheet of how to style a desk with examples below. You want a pretty desk? Put this stuff on it:

Business cards in a holder
Cup with pens/pencils
Calendar
Clock
Box for paper
Tape Dispenser
Stapler
Task Lamp
Notebook/planner
Decorative Object (ceramic animal, fun vase, interesting shaped object)
Inspirational Quotes/ Cute prints
Candle
Cute cup or mug
Laptop or Computer with a cute wallpaper
Magazines
Scissors
Washi tape
Globe
Pillow or Throw on chair
Glasses
Head phones
Hour Glass
Paper clips in bowl
Pretty books
Large script. Statement word
Camera
Clipboard
Bulletin Board
Thank you cards
Plant or flowers

Aren’t there so many options to get that desk of your dreams?!

Here are some examples of my all-time favorite desks that helped influence my desk’s décor (all can be found on my Pinterest board here)
Follow At Home with Ashley’s board Desk Spaces on Pinterest.

Desk Examples:

source

White and a soft pink are my favorites when it comes to desk décor. I love the bold graphic on the wall and that mod chair

source

These shelves! With the pops of aqua! I also love the hello sign and the washi tape galore

source

How fun is this desk?! I love the whimsical touch of the piñatas and the cheeky cup

source

How perfect is that tassel banner? The inspirational art with the hints of pink is perfection

source

And lastly, I love this simple desk. No fuss, just enough pretty things to inspire

Have you made over your desk lately? I’ll be honest, I love staring at mine (haha!). It was a lot of work getting it to a “perfect” state, but it’s pretty awesome having a space that feels finished and all mine.

Want even more styling tips?

$2 Thrift Store Bulletin Board Makeover

So, we know I a fan of going to the thrift store to buy supplies for my projects. It keeps the costs down and then you can customize how you see fit. Yes, it takes more time, but to me it is worth it. I like doing thrift store DIYs on items I know I can find at any second hand store. Frames are a guarantee, so are wood shelves, and so are bulletin boards. Seriously, I promise if you walk into a thrift store, you will find a Rose Art bulletin board for less than $5 (mine was $2). If you prefer, Amazon carries a great one for $14. Here is my $2 thrift store bulletin board makeover:

To start, sand down the frame to give it a little texture for the paint to hold onto (this is my favorite handheld sanding block).

Wipe clean with a cloth

Give the whole board (cork included) a thin coat of paint (I used house paint- the same colors as my walls). Repeat as needed until you have full coverage (3-4 coats). [Read more…]

Don’s (natural) birth story

Happy first birthday to my sweet angel baby, Don! I guess that I am like most parents where I am so sad and surprised that it has already been a year! How is he already so big when a year ago he was still in my stomach?! I both can’t imagine life without him and can’t believe that one year ago I hadn’t met my beautiful boy. I thought I would share my birth story. If this isn’t your thing, please just skip and I totally understand. I love birth stories so thought I would share for those that love them too. Here is Don’s (natural) birth story:

[Read more…]

I painted the walls white

What to do when you decide to get out of debt

step one

step two

step three

step four

step five

step six

step seven

step eight

conclusion

athomewithashley