If you are like me, you usually find the perfect curtain in the most wonderful print or color but the length is wrong. No matter how many times you measure your window.
I always find the most amazing curtain that’s either too short or too long.
Never the right length.
Add in custom french doors and custom windows and the length will never be found in stock in a store. I wish our dining room was standard sized, but without looking standard.
So without needing to raise or lower the curtain rods every time you want to change the curtains, or putting a drop hem in by sewing the curtains, I came up with a better solution. Custom curtains.
I bought too long of curtains.
Well, I didn’t intend for them to be too long when I purchased, but it happened.
I had a really full cart already with 2 kids at Ikea and they were an impulse purchase, but one that I really liked. But in all honesty, I don’t ever mind a DIY project either.
Making the mistake to go to Ikea on a Sunday was the first issue. It was full of people and my Mom radar was on super high as I didn’t want anyone to steal them when I was too busy looking at the length of the curtains too long.
So I grabbed the first 3 panel curtain packets I saw, and went with it. These are the ones I grabbed.
I also thought that our windows and doors were at least 96 inches long… not remembering that we had custom heights for them making them take longer to get in during construction. (I don’t know how I could forget that)
Anyways, I got the curtains home, put them up, and realized that they are a good 8 inches too long…
I did what every person would do.
Contemplated taking them down, raising the curtain rod, and sewing them. We have to have a window treatment for the french doors that lead from the open concept kitchen and living room so these door curtains weren’t negotiable.
I also put up another set of curtains panels which are 64 inches and you can see in the photo they are too short.
Taking them down isn’t an option since we wanted to watch tv without a glare and shutting out the light at night.
DIY Curtains Without Sewing
Raising the curtain rod also entails fixing the drywall and having it repainted.
Both things we’ve done about 100 times now it feels like in this process. And it’s more expensive than purchasing all new curtains – so that’s also out.
With the pandemic happening and stay at home orders in place, taking them to get hemmed professionally are not options.
So, I took to Amazon to see if I could find some double sided fabric tape to make it work.
And thank goodness Amazon came to the rescue! The tape arrived in 2 days and I set out to fix them up using a diy no sew method. I have about 8 inches to hem to make them barely drag the floor, which I think will be fine.
Personally, I believe this will work with any curtain length – valance, kitchen curtains, cafe, longer curtains, etc.
Two rolls of this tape from Amazon should do the job. If you have fewer curtains, you may need less. If you have more, see how many it will take. Other options were available, but the shipping time was longer, and we couldn’t stand the curtains being so long anymore. Here’s my step-by-step process.
I simply laid the curtain across our countertop and put a towel under it to ensure I didn’t damage the butcher block. I moved the top edge out of my way in order to protect it as well. You can also fold the top to move it out of the way. If you have an ironing board, that probably works better. We don’t, so I improvised with what I had on hand.
And the other thing you need is an Iron. We borrowed one from my Mother In Law because we only have a steamer for our clothes.
I measured out how far I wanted to bring the curtains up from the bottom hem. In my case, that was 8 1/2 inches. I put the tape at about 7 inches so I could fold the fabric, iron, and cut a new hem. I made sure to measure from the top and bottom to ensure a straight cut on the raw edges.
After cutting the hem and realizing how much new fabric was left on the folded edge, I decided to cut the new line so it wasn’t as thick looking when hanging. I reduced the edge of the fabric to just a few inches.
Final Product: Perfectly Fit
The final product is a curtain that’s not dragging the ground and custom fit to your door/window!
I will play around with the lengths as our floors aren’t completely level. For me, each door and window will need a different length.
One note – cute doggie not included 🙂
Another note, my hubby decided he wanted to help with the project and didn’t heed my instructions to cut the extra fabric, which I did mention above, and you can see the reason. Look at Champ’s face and front area versus where is tail is. The extra fabric is a bit crazy!
If you don’t want to mess with curtains and you for sure don’t want to whip out the sewing machine, you can always check out window film as an option for a window covering. I have used window film on other properties that you can tie into the home decor. They work great as DIY curtains that don’t need washing, don’t ever get dirty, and don’t have a stretched rod pocket.
Hopefully this is something you find helpful and useful in your home when doing projects or redesigning your space.
Let me know in the comments if you have other ideas to make a curtain fit a space you have.
Christmas is not just about celebration; it’s about feeling joyous and peaceful from the inside. However, sometimes we end up complicating the festival only to be stressed in the end.
For instance, hosting a dinner for a lot of people might make everyone happy, but the host not so much, given that a lot goes into the preparation – the mental and physical exhaustion, and the stress? Don’t get me started on that.
That defeats the purpose of Christmas, doesn’t it? So how must one make it right?
Well, going for HYGGE Christmas ideas is the answer. You can consider Hygge as the way of life that emphasizes simple, cozy, and comfortable living. In this article, I am going to discuss some of the ideas that would make you content from the very soul of your being. So, here’s to a celebration that makes you feel alive.
20 HYGGE Christmas ideas
1. Christmas yard camping
If you’re not all in for proper forest camping, you can definitely go yard camping for a night. There would be no problem with sanitization, food, or water– it will all make it very comfortable camping that you would genuinely enjoy. For us that live in warmer climates, this would be doable without having to worry about the cold and snow. You might need a heater for those living in colder climates.
2. Getting yourself Christmas themed snacks
Love snacks? We all do – So, why not pamper your taste buds with Christmas-themed snacks to make them feel like Christmas too. For instance, Christmas tree waffles, Santa cupcakes, cute Christmas cookies, and so many more. You can find plenty of recipes on Pinterest and YouTube. Our favorite is to make homemade chocolates into fun shapes and add sprinkles on them. But, if you’re too lazy to make them yourself you can even find plenty of options in the shops around you.
3. Making snow angels
If you have kids, this would perhaps be the most fun-filled activity for them. Make snow angels and snowmen; you can even decorate them with Christmas decorations to make them look like Santa. Again, if you live in a colder climate, this works but for those of us who aren’t able to do this unless it snows randomly.
4. Doing Christmas family photoshoots
Having Christmas photos in your albums is MANDATORY! Doesn’t matter if you click them every year – every Christmas is different. Thus, every Christmas has to have some memorable photographs.
5. Go to a local Christmas festival
If you’re blessed to live in a town that holds numerous Christmas events, like music concerts, movie nights, or even a “Meet the Santa” event, then go ahead. If you do not, you can still go to nearby Christmas events to have a great time with your family.
6. Go out for Christmas light-seeing
If you believe the beauty of Christmas lies in Christmas lights, this is something you cannot miss.
7. Making sweet family videos
Christmas videos can be great documentation for your kids when they grow up. In fact, you too can always go back to old videos every Christmas to relive the memories.
8. Pajama jamming
We’d all go to work in Pajamas if we could – you cannot deny, they’re most comfortable to wear. Thus, have a pajama party as a family – sing and dance your heart out.
9. Decorating the Christmas tree together
It’s a tradition we all love to be a part of, after all.
10. Doing Bonfires
A bonfire with some yummy snacks and a family to bond with! How can Christmas and winter get any better than this?
11. Keep the gatherings small. It’s better to restrict it to the immediate family.
If you want to keep it simple, and stress-free, go for a small gathering. Even if you need to visit somebody, do it before Christmas day.
12. Host a movie night
Movie nights can never get boring. However, if you do this all the time, you can perhaps invest in a projector to make it different this time – projectors can be affordable too.
13. Bake Christmas cake together.
We all love Christmas treats – but perhaps the most we love is Christmas cake! Not only eating is fun, but making it too. Only this time, do it with your family.
14. Talk about your lost loved ones. Keep them in your memory this Christmas
Our lost loved ones might not be here with us, but they are in our hearts. So, let them be a part of your celebrations – pray for them, say what you want to.
15. Play Christmas pickle
Trust me; your kids will enjoy this game a lot. It’s easy – just hide a pickle ornament in a tree. The first one to find it will get a gift.
16. Have a karaoke night.
Singing is always fun – doesn’t matter how you sound. Ergo, nothing can be more enjoyable than a crazy karaoke night.
17. Play a holiday puzzle
Puzzles are always interesting to solve. Only this time, you can do a Christmas-themed jigsaw puzzle with your family.
18. Tell Christmas stories
Going back to those memories is a sheer delight after all. Tell your family all your crazy Christmas tales!
19. Make a Christmas card for each other.
It’s the sweetest thing you can do for Christmas!
20. Lastly, share some laughs together
There’s no Christmas without laughter! So, feel free to share some jokes, make each other laugh – make the night memorable and worthwhile.
This is it. This is the recipe for a simple yet fun-filled Hygge Christmas time! Which one would you pick? Feel free to let me know in the comment section. Merry Christmas!
Everything about Christmas is worth smiling and being happy about. The Christmas lights, decorations, carols, gifts, and whatnot. However, there’s still one exception that can make you sweat despite the merriness and joyfulness of Christmas – The expenses. Christmas can mean overspending.
But not anymore! Wondering how? Read along to find out.
30 smart tips to save money during Christmas
1. Gift experiences
You cannot always gift materialistic things, you can also gift experiences. For instance, a go-kart experience for your kid! This is my number 1 ask of people gifting our girls, not just for Christmas, but for everything! An experience and time spent with the gift giver is far more important a memory that will last much longer than the toy or clothing item ever will!
2. Regift
Have a lot of gifts that remain unused and unopened? Feel free to gift them away. There’s no shame in that. As someone who always gets a ton of extra PR gifts I can’t ever use, this is one of my favorite ways to gift. I usually don’t open the item, or if I do, it’s carefully and barely used. It’s the perfect way to gift someone something that would normally sit around and take up space collecting dust!
3. DIY gifts
You can make Christmas cards, mixtapes, cookies, and cakes to gift someone. Even handmade cards are great DIY gifts!
4. Send out E-cards
Some websites allow you to do that for free! A few I found and have used before include 123cards and JibJab.
5. Make use of coupon codes and cashback
Don’t let them sit idle. The same goes for gift cards! These are money baby and you can use them just as you would use cash!
6. Shop Christmas essentials on Amazon
Retail stores tend to loot customers with heavy prices during the Christmas season! Instead, shop on Amazon.
7. Buy Amazon gift cards
Let people decide on their own what they want this Christmas. This works amazing for people you don’t know so well, or those who are extra picky! You can also get amazing deals if you buy them constantly throughout the year.
8. Pay attention to money-saving deals
Don’t turn a blind eye to deals that can help you save bucks. Watch out for sales, offers, and deals. Don’t hesitate to shop beforehand if you find a good deal.
9. Don’t shop last moment on Amazon
You might have to pay extra shipping fees to get the purchases sooner if you place the order late during Christmas days.
10. Shop on Dollar trees
Dollar trees are discount variety stores throughout the USA and Canada. You can get good products for as low as $1.
11. Save wrapping paper
Got a gift? Don’t just throw away the wrapping paper. Instead, open it with ease to use it again.
12. Go for wrapping paper alternatives
Don’t have used wrapping papers? No issue, you don’t need to buy new ones when you can settle for thin wrapping rolls or brown paper rolls. You can also decorate them with stickers for aesthetics. A fun thing which became popular last season was the Japanese style of gift wrapping called furoshiki, which uses fabric to store, carry, and wrap things. They are a specific size, but you can google the size and use any fabrics, or scarfs you want to gift or have on hand as the gift wrapping. It becomes a gift that keeps on giving!
13. Shop cheap Christmas tree decorations
If you are not at all in for using old Christmas tree decorations, at least do not buy decorations from high-end craft and stationery stores. Instead, buy them from the Dollar Store! You’ll get them at dirt-cheap prices and they have cute options always!
14. Save on dinners
If you are hosting a Christmas dinner, try to encourage your guests to bring one dish per family. There’s no shame in that – the wise ones will understand the stress and hard work one has to go through during dinner preparations. This also gives those of us who don’t always cook the ability to contribute something to the table when we otherwise wouldn’t be asked.
As Amazon reserves some portion for itself for every sale, some sellers on Amazon list their products higher to make up for their loss. Thus, you can get the same products cheaper at the seller’s website. You can also do a free store pickup or free shipping if you get it direct from the store versus on Amazon.
18. Go to a mall for a Santa experiences
If your kids love Santa, there’s no need to hire one for them. Instead, take them out to a mall. Malls have Santas dressed up to entertain kids for free.
19. Head to Shutterfly for coupon codes
If you’re looking for great money-saving deals, you can rely on Shutterfly coupon codes. Just register on the website, and you can get amazing coupon codes from time to time.
20. Stop gifting adults
Just ask yourself, how many gifts that you got during the years on Christmas remain unused? I bet there’d be plenty. But that’s not just you. So, stop gifting adults if your acquaintances share the same mindset. If you do decide to gift them, maybe a small gift card and a coffee cup is sufficient. Nothing extravagant is needed.
21. Go for boxed Christmas cards
You can find such boxes in Target. Since they are in bundles, you can get several for cheap. You can continue using them for years if you still have some left to give. These take up less time and energy, thus maybe you will get them in the mail on time!
22. Gift meaningful gifts
Instead of shopping for something expensive for someone, gift them something meaningful. For instance, if your partner loves reading books, gift them one. A gift card to their favorite store is also a meaningful gift that shows you care.
23. Buy an affordable turkey beforehand
You don’t have to buy one from a lavish store. Don’t fall for the packaging and store aesthetics. Especially this year, the shortage of many things will cause for increased prices and higher demands, therefore shop early!
24. Book tickets in advance
Have to be elsewhere for Christmas? Book your tickets beforehand – before ticket prices soar to new heights during Christmas. A little note about this one — have patience and understanding as many people in the service industry are overworked and getting very little pay.
25. Don’t borrow on Christmas
If you can manage the expenses through savings, don’t add loans. You’ll also have to pay interest. The same thing goes for spending all of your paycheck and not putting anything into savings like other months. Now is not the time to skip on your future!
26. Do a secret Santa
Doing a Secret Santa means buying gifts for one person – not everybody. Hence, lots of money-saving. Another tip is to set a limit on the amount spent for the person. It allows people to get creative with their gift giving or to let people pick one gift for that dollar amount.
27. Start money-saving early and create a reserve
Reserve a little money for Christmas every month to prevent the financial blows later.
28. Invest in an artificial Christmas tree
They are cheaper and they won’t destroy the Christmas vibe, but help you save money. Plus, they don’t make a huge mess and require watering, adding to the stress of Christmas.
29. Find local events
If your locality happens to host free events, don’t think twice. Ditch the fancy day-outs. Growing up, the Christmas parade was something we looked forward to each year. We got to see cool floats that threw out candy and it always ended with Santa on the sleigh. We then got to go sit on his lap and get a bag of goodies and tell him what we wanted. Give those same memories to your kids.
30. Lastly, Save for next year
I know it’s a little too early, but hey starting early can help you save more.
Merry Christmas! If you happen to try these tips, let me know how they work out for you in the comments below. Have a great time this year!
Christmas is just around the corner and seems to come faster each year. It’s time to gather the lights, décor and spread joy and happiness all around you. But something even more important is to prepare your wallets for the Christmas expenses that might create a deep hole within your pockets. Even if you are someone who likes to spend time with those you love over gift giving, you still need to plan to save gas money.
So, if you are someone who finds themselves disappointed and stressed after looking at the credit card statement at the end of the holiday season, don’t just sit and do nothing. Work on saving money this Christmas.
Not sure how to do that? Read on!
50 creative ways to save money this Christmas
1. Don’t buy anything during Christmas time.
Prices go exceedingly up, and you end up spending more than you should have. Shop beforehand.
2. Take advantage of Buy 1 Get 1 offers.
This is not limited to Christmas days, if you find such deals on arandom day – even when you are not in the mind frame to shop Christmas gifts, buy them. This will help you save money later.
3. Create a gift basket
If you have someone special to gift something expensive, consider investing in a thoughtful gift basket. Instead of buying one big expensive present, find little inexpensive ones to create a basket.
4. If you happen to have brand new and unused gift items, gift them away.
They don’t do anything other than creating space, they might as well be of use to somebody else.
5. Monitor your expenses.
Calculate how much you have spent, and how much of it is still left.
6. Look for alternatives if a gift seems expensive.
Perhaps you can get the same thing from a different store, or anything else that would be a makeshift for it.
7. Buy second-hand things.
Trust me, you can still get good-quality items at reasonable rates if you do your research well.
8. Shop at the Dollar Store.
If you happen to have one in your city, what are you waiting for? You can get good things at dirt-cheap rates.
9. Compare prices online.
If you find items cheaper there, buy them.
10. Shop from outlets.
You can get things relatively cheaper there.
11. Go for handmade gifts if you can.
They communicate importance.
12. Shop from thrift/flees stores.
Ditch expensive shopping malls.
13. Buy books and DVDs for people who love them, they are inexpensive and can be thoughtful Christmas gifts.
14. Make your greeting cards.
15. Do something different, send e-cards this time.
16. Print your own greeting cards.
They will cost you less.
17. Make use of coupons, vouchers, and cashback points.
18. Bake cookies and cakes, and gift them away as Christmas gifts in cute packaging.
19. Avoid dining at high-end restaurants during Christmas.
Go for a fun-filled home-cooked dinner. If not that, bring in a takeaway.
20. Don’t buy anything extra – even when it might be of use for you after Christmas.
Now is not the time to shop for such items.
21. Limit credit card usage.
22. Save on fuel and electricity in the months before to make up for the heavy bills in the holiday season.
23. Play Secret Santa so you wouldn’t have to gift everybody.
24. Go for an artificial tree.
They are cheaper.
25. Use last year’s Christmas décor – however, change the style.
26. Go for frugal get-togethers.
You can go see Christmas lights as a family. Or if you have gatherings, ask people to pitch in and bring a dish or two.
27. Shop in charity shops.
28. Use last year’s wrapping papers if you still have some.
If not, go for brown rolls and decorate the packaging yourself.
29. Shop in Black Friday sales.
But make sure the deals they say they are are actual deals!
30. Try to gift experiences rather than expensive gifts to special people.
31. Try a side-hustle if your schedule allows.
32. Cut down Santa’s stocking.
33. Book tickets months before if you know you have to travel during holidays.
34. Go for free local outings – free outings or meeting Santa in public spaces.
35. Save on Christmas lights
Don’t decorate the whole house, but just the central parts. Don’t go for fancy decorations
36. Do a yard sale for things you might not need.
37. Go for cheaper alternatives, instead of going for branded stuff.
38. Don’t send out cards to everybody – Call them instead.
Or if you want to send them a card, do so via email or with the online card services like JibJab.
39. Don’t try to please anybody by gifting them beyond your means.
40. Don’t forget to use your loyalty points or credit card points.
41. Try to make and eat at home during the holiday season as much as you can.
You can go out for ice cream instead of dinner. It would be relatively cheaper.
42. Make a shopping list, and ensure you adhere to it.
43. Plan your Christmas meals in advance.
44. Do a casual bonfire over exquisite family dinners.
45. Use Ibotta and Ebate.
46. Create a reserve for Christmas to soften the budget blows or pay for expenses altogether.
47. Do DIYs.
If you have kids, this is the best way to give gifts that are actually from the heart and made with love!
48. Don’t invest in high-end cleaning supplies
Make use of home ingredients such as lemon and baking soda.
49. Fill out surveys and get money in return.
You can use Swagbucks and Mypoints. Use the apps Fetch or Shopkick to get points for scanning receipts and redeem them for gift cards to a lot of places.
50. Always check for coupon codes.
I hope now you’d spare yourself the financial and mental stress of spending so much during Christmas. So come on, be happy, and spread happiness. Have a Merry Christmas!
make them feel like Christmas too. For instance, Christmas tree waffles, Santa cupcakes, cute Christmas cookies, and so many more. You can find plenty of recipes on Pinterest and YouTube. Our favorite is to make homemade chocolates into fun shapes and add sprinkles on them. But, if you’re too lazy to make them yourself you can even find plenty of options in the shops around you. 
tales!
your kid! This is my number 1 ask of people gifting our girls, not just for Christmas, but for everything! An experience and time spent with the gift giver is far more important a memory that will last much longer than the toy or clothing item ever will! 
as $1.
shame in that – the wise ones will understand the stress and hard work one has to go through during dinner preparations. This also gives those of us who don’t always cook the ability to contribute something to the table when we otherwise wouldn’t be asked. 
partner loves reading books, gift them one. A gift card to their favorite store is also a meaningful gift that shows you care. 
tip is to set a limit on the amount spent for the person. It allows people to get creative with their gift giving or to let people pick one gift for that dollar amount. 
gifts.
decorations
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