We Didn't Need a Stud or Stud Finder

Hanging curtains isn't easy. At least it wasn't for me and my friend Carrie. We spent a good portion of our day learning, through trial and error, some tips that we could share with you. But first I am going to break down my Ikea haul... just in case any of you are wondering what I got.

1// Lucite Chrome Plated Chair   2// Shower Shelf   3// Towels and Washcloths   4// Floor Lamp   5// Curtain Rods   6// Toothbrush Hand Towel   7// Shower Squeegee   8// Bath Mat   9// Light Bulbs   10// Finials   11// Extra Curtain Rod Holders   12// Brackets   

13// White Blanket   14// White Sheers   15// White Curtains

As I mentioned in my post on Wednesday, I went to Ikea with a budget of $300. I was able to get all of this for $307. I was pretty happy with my haul. The most expensive item was the lucite chair for $80. The other pricey item was the floor lamp at $60. Aside from those two pieces I was able to find everything else for under $20 a piece. There obviously were more expensive (probably better quality) options but these are the ones that worked best for me.

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Now... on to the curtain hanging party. Aka my friend Carrie schooling me on how to properly hang a curtain. Wednesday my dear friend Carrie came over to the new house on her day off with the intentions of helping me hang my curtains. What came after was 2hrs of laughter and lessons. Everything we did on the curtains over the doors, we modified for our attempt with the curtains over the windows and cut down our time dramatically. We both learned some time saving tips as well as gained confidence in knowing we could do it on our own. Being a single woman, I've got to say it is nice to feel like you can handle a home improvement project on your own without a guy to help. (I know this wasn't an insanely hard project but you've got to start somewhere.) Don't get me wrong, had I had a significant other... I would have totally put him to work. Haha. But because I don't, this whole experience was quite empowering. 

So without further ado here are my 4 simple tips on hanging curtains.

Tip # One// Pre drill your holes. This made hanging the brackets much easier. It was quite difficult for us to hold the bracket, screw and the drill all at once... pre drilling cut the time we spent on each bracket in half.

Tip # Two// Use your level as a measuring guide. Mark your distance down from the ceiling on your level with painters tape. That way each time you need to put in a bracket you can just press the level all the way up to the ceiling and make your mark by the bottom line of the painter tape. It makes the process of getting everything lined up and straight so much quicker.



Tip # Three// Use wide head screws. They hold better and offer more support. There were a few brackets that we had to add a couple extra screws to help support the weight of the double curtain rods.

Tip # Four// Recruit a friend that knows more than you. I've never hung curtains. Honestly, I went into the morning thinking it was going to be an easy in and out ordeal. Had Carrie not been there with me, I probably would still be there trying to figure it all out. (Ok, maybe it's not that hard but you get what I'm saying. haha) If you are starting out in a new city and have yet to build a social group, YouTube can be your best friend. There are a number of tutorials (I discovered these after) that could help you.

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I know the bathroom needs a little more love... but I am excited for the few pieces I've purchased for it so far. I am thinking about getting a stand for over the toilet. I don't want to block all the natural light though so I am going to try and figure out another solution for storage first. I'll keep you updated.



Our official day we can move-in is October 15th, next Tuesday. I plan on making a day of it and just filling my car and transferring as much as I can. October 23rd we are getting a truck and will be moving all the big furniture. I'm excited to just get everything started. I am definitely going to miss our current house, we've been here 2yrs and I love it, but I am excited to create a new space for myself and to share the journey with you.

Happy Friday Friends!!