Working With What You've Got: Christmas Decor On A Dime

Merry Christmas!  December is here and the holiday spirit is sweeping through our home right along with our normal toddler tantrums, sibling bickering, and family squabbles.  This is the stuff life is made of, right?  Quality character building opportunities all. day. long.  At least we have Christmas music to help set our minds and hearts aright.

Losing It: When Life Goes Off Script

My last blog post before finding out I was pregnant with my fifth child was entitled, Why Losing It Could Be The Best Thing That Ever Happened To You.  Be careful what you write in your blog posts.

One week later, after a glorious vacation and a feeling that life was finally becoming manageable, I had that feeling. Sure enough, we were pregnant. 

Six Small Changes That Make a Big Impact

Happy Fall ya'll!  

I hope you are enjoying the changing seasons and feeling inspired by all things pumpkin.  

I made this amazing pumpkin chocolate chip bread this week.  Not clean or green or gluten-free, just delish and oh, so festive.  And soooo yummy with a cup of coffee for breakfast:)  

picture courtesy of tasteofhome.com

Let's dive in to some attainable home updates that you can totally do, I promise.  I've been having a lot of fun lately and you can, too.  

Photo Tour: What Exactly Do I Do At Dwell Inspired? (What To Expect)

What exactly do I do here at Dwell Inspired?  That is a question I received over the Labor Day weekend. Well, let me tell you.

Our Home Office Is Finally Finished (And Some Big News!)

Well, hello there.  It has been quite a while since I last posted.  A lot has been going on, that's for sure.

Why "Losing It" Could Be The Best Thing That Ever Happened To You

Raising kids is unnerving, isn’t it?  Even after a bagillion books read and seminars attended my kids still have a way of bringing me to the end of myself. 

Finding Your Thrifty: It's Yard Sale Season!

To all my fellow cheapskates and thrifters out there, Happy Yard Sale Season!

If you've never been one to shop second hand, maybe it's time to find your thrifty.

A Volatile Business: When Circumstances Put Your Home At The Bottom Of Your Priority List

"Drops of Jupiter" gets stuck in my head anytime I hear it. I know, I know, the song came out seven YEARS ago. Well, that's about the time I started having kids and precisely the time my knowledge of top hits was replaced with "Itsy Bitsy Spider". 

Tutorial: How To Make A Name Banner For Your Child (Anyone Can Do This!)

A few years ago I made a name banner for my daughter's third birthday party. Just around that time, she was inheriting my old daybed for her very own "big girl" bed.  I decided to use her birthday banner to create wall art above her bed.   

To The Mom Who Is Fresh Out Of Happy This Holiday Season

Last summer I bought two pictures on sale at a local home store to spruce up the basement. One says, I choose to be happy.  The other says a host of beautiful things written in clever font that fills the canvas perfectly. Use kind words. Be nice. Be grateful. Relax. Eat healthy. Share. Love freely. Be happy. Both pictures are bright and cheery and brighten up our otherwise dark basement in a very inexpensive way. They inspire all that is good. I love looking at them....except when I don't.

Tips for Organizing Your Home: And What To Do When It All Goes To Pot

I was recently asked for tips about how to organize a woman's home.  My first reaction was to get to work thinking of clever tips and tricks to miraculously solve her organizational problems.  And I suppose I have a few, but it just didn't seem right to start there, spewing off my alleged expertise about home organization.

After all, we all know clever tricks and amazing tips are only amazing for a little while.  Just as soon as we get a room organized, styled, and clean something or someone inevitably happens to undo all of our hard work. Murphy's law as they call it.

When Your House Is Closing In On You: A Lesson In Decluttering

Space is one of those things that just about anybody would say they need more of. However, most of us can't buy bigger homes or build additions onto the homes we have to get it. We can't snap our fingers like Mary Poppins and make a closet appear or grab our back hoe and dig out a basement. So what can we do?

Tutorial: Making A Wreath

Happy Spring ya'll!  Need a fun weekend craft project? What better way to celebrate the changing seasons than with a new wreath on the front door.

My spring/summer wreath

Calling All Cheapskates: Is Your Grip On Money Too Tight?

*Disclaimer:  This is a "first world problem" post.  Part of me can't even believe I'm writing this, but as I have worked with clients (and from knowing myself) I see that this is a legitimate issue for some people. If the word cheapskate conjures up negative emotions for you, please don't take it personally.  As the adage goes:  It takes one to know one!  With that said...

Messy Living: I See Much More Than A Mess

A home is just such personal territory.  It is a personal and vulnerable thing to let another person traipse though your home full of opinions and suggestions.  It must be said that it is an honor and privilege to be given such an opportunity.

A Volatile Business: When Circumstances Put Your Home At The Bottom Of Your Priority List

"Drops of Jupiter" gets stuck in my head anytime I hear it. I know, I know, the song came out seven YEARS ago. Well, that's about the time I started having kids and precisely the time my knowledge of top hits was replaced with "Itsy Bitsy Spider". 

When Your House Is Closing In On You: A Lesson In Decluttering

Space is one of those things that just about anybody would say they need more of. However, most of us can't buy bigger homes or build additions onto the homes we have to get it. We can't snap our fingers like Mary Poppins and make a closet appear or grab our back hoe and dig out a basement. So what can we do?

Bring On The Color: Fabric Is Your Friend

If you've never used it before, let me tell you, fabric is your friend. It can really bring together a room that lacks cohesiveness or assist you in developing an initial color scheme when decorating or redecorating.

It'll Do: Learning To Say No To Perfect

You know, sooner or later a person is bound to learn that everything can't be perfect.  This is an especially painful lesson for the perfectionist.  A famous line from my dad to me over the years has been, "Aim for progress, Melissa, not perfection."

Inspiration Nooks: Decor That Inspires

I love looking for little nooks and crannies in my home that can be turned into sources of inspiration.  One such place is above my kitchen sink. The kitchen is the place in my home where I am most easily discouraged.  It is the place where I am often in need of truth.  In need of reminders that God will provide and that God is in control.

Fresh Perspective For When You're Fresh Out Of Happy

Last summer I bought two pictures on sale at a local home store to spruce up the basement. One says, I choose to be happy.  The other says a whole host of beautiful things written in impeccably clever font that fills the canvas perfectly. Use kind words. Be nice. Be grateful. Relax. Eat healthy. Share. Love freely. Be happy. Both pictures are bright and cheery and brighten up our otherwise dark basement in a very inexpensive way. They inspire all that is good. I love looking at them....except when I don't.

First Things First: My Story

Hi. I’m Melissa Gilmour, the founder of Dwell Inspired.  I’m the one who wants you to love your home, improve your life, and dwell inspired.  But before I dive into all things home I want to put first things first and tell you about the most important thing in my life.  The thing that matters more than stylish houses and functional spaces. More than a clever pop of color or perfectly placed accessories.  Because even if I lived in the world’s most beautiful home I wouldn’t be living there forever.