Don't Donate Your Old Décor Yet! 6 DIY Transformations for a Collected Home

Before I donate a single outdated decor piece, I ask myself one question and today that question completely changed what stayed, what got a makeover, and what finally left my home. So come along as I declutter, DIY, and restyle a few forgotten pieces to see what truly deserves a place in our home. Hello and welcome back to our channel. I'm so grateful you're here. Today's video is going to be a fun one because I'm finally taking a closer look at some of my old decor to try and decide if I should let them go. I'll also be tackling a few DIY projects I've been putting off and taking you along as I do a little styling with my forgotten pieces. If you're new, I'm Jennifer. I would love to have you as a part of our growing community, so please hit that subscribe button and don't forget to like and hype to help our channel reach more beautiful people just like you. So I was looking around my home and pulling things out of closets and cabinets and I started noticing a few pieces that I wasn't quite sure about anymore, but here's what I started realizing. Sometimes I don't actually dislike the piece. It's more like I don't feel it's contributing to the overall story we're trying to tell in our home. So I started asking myself one simple question. Does this truly still fit the feeling I'm trying to create in our home? Today I'm putting that question to the test. Instead of automatically donating everything I haven't used in a while, I'm going to walk through a few different projects and decide whether each piece deserves a second chance, a complete transformation, or if it really is time to let it go. And that brings me to a bigger question. It's not just can I DIY this? It's should I? Because sometimes the best makeover isn't a makeover at all. Sometimes the most intentional choice is simply letting something go. By the end of this video I hope you'll start looking at your own decor a little differently, and today's projects completely surprised me. So be sure to stay until the end. I'll also be sharing two fall-inspired DIYs because, well, fall isn't that far away and I like to be prepared so that when I'm ready to decorate I have all my pieces ready to go. I'd love for you to leave a comment and tell me about one piece in your home you've been unsure about lately. Maybe together we can decide if it still has another chapter waiting to be written. So let's gather up those forgotten pieces, look at them with fresh eyes, and see how a little creativity can bring warmth, beauty, and new life back into our homes. The first piece up for consideration wasn't something I actually wanted to donate. We need this little hutch for extra storage, but every time I styled it something felt unfinished. Some of you may remember that when we first got it last year I considered adding wood paneling or wallpaper to the back so the pieces inside would stand out. As it is the interior feels very dark even with the lighting I added. A few of you mentioned that because I love styling with wood my wood pieces might disappear against a wood backing and wallpaper could be the better choice. After thinking it through I have to agree even though wood was the direction I originally had in mind. So I went looking for wallpaper and let me just say wallpaper can be very expensive, especially the patterns I was drawn to. At first I thought I wanted something floral and feminine but then I realized many of the pieces I display already have pattern and detail. I didn't want the wallpaper competing with my dishes and decor so I shifted toward grass cloth and stripes. I love both but I especially lean towards stripes and that's what I chose for this project after putting it off for well over a year. Once I landed on the stripe it felt like the quiet backdrop this hutch needed and that's really what this project is about. Adding depth instead of replacing the furniture. Sometimes a piece doesn't need a dramatic makeover or a new home it just needs one more layer to feel finished and intentional. That might be wallpaper or fabric inside a hutch, baskets and books for texture, layered dishes for interest, or even a warmer stain on an old table. Some changes can make an older piece feel like it belongs again. For this hutch the wallpaper gives the inside more presence, softens the darkness, and creates a prettier backdrop for the dishes and decor I already love. Since I'm giving it this little refresh I also want to restyle the inside and see if it finally feels complete. Oh I've had this set of white lamps for a really long time. They were originally in our bedroom but after I found those vintage Murano glass lamps these were moved into storage and haven't been used since. The color and faux distressing no longer feel like my style so I honestly thought they may have served their purpose in our home. But then I spotted a designer lamp on Paragold and suddenly I could see a new direction for them. I loved the rich brown tone of the inspiration lamp and knew I could use these again if they looked more like wood. So instead of donating them I decided to see if I could transform them from outdated to something that felt warm, collected, and high-end. I first taped off the cord to make sure I didn't get any product on it. I then gave both lamps a quick scuff sand to help the product take to the surface better. These lamps are not wood and are actually made of resin but I'm hoping by the end of this transformation you won't be able to tell that they aren't real wood lamps. After a quick wipe down I began the process of adding the product Retikit. We had this jar from our entry table makeover last year and thought what better product to use than something that has wood fibers in it. I was just hoping it worked well on these resin lamps. I was also worried that the product wasn't good anymore due to the separation but after a good shake and stir it seemed to be okay. I made sure to apply thin coats keeping my brush generally in one direction to mimic wood. I did apply two coats of this product making sure each coat dried completely before moving on. I made sure to do the same for the finials which were a bit tricky to paint. I ended up using a wood skewer to help me hold it while painting. Once the Retikit had dried fully I went in with this wood stain I found on Amazon. Since I used Retikit I knew I had to use a water-based stain and this one claimed to be easy to use so I thought why not try it. I'm not going to lie I was a bit worried about how this would work and I learned very quickly that the stain wasn't absorbing like it would with something that was actual wood but I just kept working the product around and around making sure to keep my brush strokes in one direction until the product absorbed. It took a little bit of time but I was pleasantly surprised. I ended up using two coats of stain to get the darkness I wanted. Also another thing to note is that I did not wipe the stain off as you would with real wood. I attempted the stain on the finials first and learned that wiping off the stain literally wiped off the stain. So the key was just to keep working the product until it all absorbed into the undercoat of Retikit. To make sure all my hard work didn't go to waste I finished the lamps with a light coat of poly in matte and let me say I absolutely love how these turned out. I'd love to showcase a bit of to give you an idea of how I plan to use them in my home. This little tray is something I haven't reached for in quite some time. Trays are useful and part of me wondered if a little paint or stain could make me love it again but if I'm being honest with myself the size shape and overall style no longer fit the direction of my home. I also have wicker trays I use far more often. I think it's time to let it go. This little plant stand was something I bought for outdoor styling but after several summers it still hasn't made an appearance. I think the truth is I don't really love the color or the style. It's functional which is probably why I kept it for so long but functionality alone isn't enough if I never actually use it. This feels better suited for someone else's home so I'm donating it. I love collecting terracotta pots especially when I find them at a good price but I don't love that bright orange look when they're brand new. I pulled these out thinking they might be taking up space I could use better but then I found a beautiful vintage pot at our local vintage days and knew exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to age this taller pot so it would have a similar time-worn feel. There's something so beautiful about an aged patina on terracotta and I thought these paired with topiaries would make such a lovely addition to our home. So first I needed to give the new planter that texture that the vintage one has. I decided on using plaster of paris. Just a side note I also did a paint wash on the new planter first but that was completely unnecessary since I'm now covering it with the plaster. I mixed according to the directions and applied a thin layer over the entire pot giving different textures to make it mimic what would happen out in nature. I also wanted to create saucers to go with both the vintage and the new planters so I'm giving them the same finish. Because the plaster dried really white I'm going to add back some of the terracotta color using this reddish brown and the color terracotta mixed together. I wanted the color deeper so that's why I added the brown. Now this is a process and sometimes I do get a little freaked out over the application of paints but then I remind myself that it's a process and all these little layers do come together in the end. I also realized that by using a very wet paper towel I could blend this color as well as take off some of the plaster to reveal the terracotta underneath. Again this is only the first step over many paint colors to come. The paints dry pretty quickly so I then moved on to adding in some aging. I started with a lighter shade first and used the color butter pecan. I added this color by watering it down and stippling it on with a paper towel. The paint color should be random because when a terracotta pot ages it doesn't do it in a uniform way. Some areas should be darker and some lighter. I just go with what looks right to me. Because I didn't feel like my planter had as much terracotta showing as the vintage one I went back with a wet paper towel to remove some more plaster and paint. The final application of paint was in the color raw umber which I again watered down. This is used very sparingly and only in the areas I wanted to make the most dark. To add just a bit more aging I decided to use some watered down raw umber and a toothbrush to give the effects of spotting. I made sure to do this somewhere that could handle getting splattered with paint. After applying all the same paints to the saucers I also added the speckling to keep everything similar. As the larger planter was drying I turned my attention to the smaller one. This time I decided to do something entirely different and wanted to add florals to this one. I had some really pretty blue napkins on hand and decided to mod podge the pattern on. But first I wanted to paint the entire pot. I mixed the color linen with just a bit of country twill to deepen it and then painted the entire surface of the planter. I also made a saucer for this one too but I didn't film it. To add a bit of distressing I used some sandpaper to knock back the paint on the rim. Before applying the mod podge and napkin I wanted to be sure I wouldn't lift the paint so I gave it a light coat of sealant in matte first and allowed to completely dry. I had hoped to apply the napkin in one section but because of the shape of the planter I realized I had to cut it into strips and apply them overlapping to achieve a continuous pattern. I'm going to warn you now I am the messiest mod podge applier out there. I get mod podge everywhere no matter how hard I try. I think I get impatient which definitely doesn't help but it always turns out okay in the end. I had to take extra care at the rim of the planter so that I wouldn't rip the napkin as I was applying it. I just kept applying mod podge and then a section of napkin until I had gone all the way around the planter. I also cut out small flowers to add to the saucer. Once the first coat had dried I went back over the entire planter and saucer with one more coat of mod podge and allowed to dry fully. The last step was to add some aging so I used my favorite color raw umber watered down to do a wash over the entire planter and saucer. I love how these planters turned out and I can't wait to show you how I styled them for a luncheon we hosted. I am definitely a collector of things and over the years I've gathered several mismatched teacups along with glass and crystal pieces I've thrifted or been given. Some of them were starting to feel more like clutter than something I truly used. I thought it might be time to let them go but then I saw the sweetest idea on Pinterest turning old teacups into candles. It felt like the perfect way to give these forgotten treasures a new purpose. Some of you may remember I made candles last year one of which was a complete failure but we aren't going to talk about that. I'm much better prepared this time so we're trying again. Since I had all the products still this was a super inexpensive project and honestly I love making candles. This freedom soy wax melts so well and is super clean to burn. I'll be sure to link it below in case you are interested in making some teacup candles of your own. I also love this little wax melter I bought off of Amazon. It cleans up like a dream and keeps me from ruining pans. To melt soy wax my melting pot needed to be set to the first heat setting and brought to a melting temperature of 185 degrees Fahrenheit or 85 degrees Celsius. Once the wax is at 185 degrees or 85 Celsius you can add any fragrance you would like. I thought I would add brown sugar and vanilla to give them a warmer scent. I needed to add about 90 drops but honestly I think I should have added more. I can smell the scent in the wax but not so much while it's burning. After adding the drops you'll want to stir the wax to incorporate the scent and then turn off the heat and allow to cool to 130 degrees Fahrenheit or 54 degrees Celsius before pouring into your vessels. This allows for the best pour. Now these temps are for soy wax. If using something different you'll need to research out the best temps for that type of wax. These turned out so darn cute and I can't wait to show you how I styled with them. i can see my life so clearly now dared ourselves away from home i'll each pass the day gravel road towards the sea you and me happens every time i wonder how i can see my life so clearly now i can see my life so clearly now while searching through cabinets and closets i came across this green glass vase there's absolutely nothing wrong with it and i could paint it or keep it as is but i just don't see myself using it when i reach for glass i usually prefer clear glass or crystal and the shape doesn't feel quite right for my home anymore this vase still has value just not in my home so i'm letting it go this next vessel is one i've owned for many years i still love the texture and the color could easily be changed though so this one made me pause but the honest truth is i haven't reached for it in years sometimes liking one detail isn't enough to keep a piece especially when it continues to sit unused i think it's time for this one to find a home where it will be loved and displayed this last rope style vase came from walmart and i originally bought it for outdoor entertaining but the rope detail and the black metal showing through have always bothered me so i haven't reached for it since i bought it over three years ago this one isn't a hard decision it no longer suits my home so i'm donating it this is another vase i found while going through storage i gave it a paint transformation a few years ago but it had been tucked behind other vases and clearly wasn't being used i still love the shape and it fits my style but something about the finish kept me from reaching for it when i saw this antique french confit pot i knew this face deserved one more chance i loved the warm tone and thought it would become a beautiful piece for fall i realized the brown of this vessel was not quite the right tone so i'm going to apply this reddish brown over it but i'm going to do a very thin coat and allow the darker brown to show through i'm also going to leave the distressed finish alone on the bottom of the face since it resembles my inspiration piece after allowing the brown to dry and to more closely match the french confit pot i'm going to use the color raw sienna again i'm only going to use a thin coat to allow the underneath color to show through i also used a damp sponge brush to apply the color it will look amazing once i apply the glaze to make it look more like a glazed piece of pottery just to make sure that the glaze i will be applying next won't lift the paint i'm adding a light coat of sealant first since i don't want the glaze on the bottom portion of the vase i'll be stopping it at the line between the two it will make the process a bit harder but the overall effect will be worth it i gave the vase two coats of glaze to make it extra shiny i love this face so much now and i can't wait to show you how well it will work for the fall season ahead because i love diy projects i've ended up with a closet full of random supplies like these picture frames from hobby lobby the center is wood and doesn't come out but they're perfect for transfers painted scenes or something dimensional i'm pretty sure i bought them for a christmas project last year and never used them but when i spotted this high-end framed art from kathy quo home i knew i could recreate a similar look for a fraction of the price plus the style felt perfect for the fall season ahead since i didn't want to spend any money on these i rated my fall picks and found some to use for this project that i already owned i believe these stems are both still available at hobby lobby in order to get the leaves to be the french white of the inspiration art i used a combination of the colors linen and just a touch of mushroom i painted the front and back sides of each leaf and acorn i gave them each two coats for an even coverage especially since the leaves were all varying shades of green yellow and brown to help get the paint to stick to the acorns better i found that stippling on the paint was a much better technique because the frames of the designer art was dark i decided to use some gel stain in the color kona to help darken up my frames the gel stain is much easier to apply over painted finishes and usually covers really well i gave each frame two coats of stain and the stain didn't cover the gold entirely but i was okay with that in fact i think it looks much better because it gave the frames a vintage look that i love this is how the frame looked after two coats of gel stain all that was left to do was glue down the leaves i first began by getting the placement the way i liked it first before i started to glue anything down i wanted to make sure the leaves were positioned to complement the opposite piece of art since i would be hanging these together i also added more dimensional pieces like a part of the stem to anchor the acorns too i repeated the same process for the second picture but with the maple leaves i left them more dimensional and only glued down the tips of the leaves since i didn't have acorns to add to this one i really love how these turned out sometimes the pieces that feel the most special aren't the ones we buy they're the ones we create with intention i know i'll be using this pretty art throughout the fall season one thing i hope this video reminds you is that creating a collected home isn't about keeping everything and it isn't about replacing everything either it's about learning to recognize the difference some pieces simply need a fresh perspective some deserve a completely new purpose and other items have already served their life in our homes and deserve someone new to love and care for it i know it can be hard to let things go but honestly if something has been tucked away for years waiting for you to love it again it may be time to bless someone else with it and make room for what truly fits the home you're trying to create now i'd love to know in the comments which project was your favorite did you love a styling moment and is there something in your own home you've been thinking about donating that might deserve one more chance if you enjoyed today's video don't forget to like subscribe and ring that bell notification because you won't want to miss next month's video it's going to be august already i can't believe it i'll be doing some fall decorating that's collected with intention and full of character to create a home to love one detail at a time wishing you a beautiful day and i'll see you very soon in the next one bye for now