All of the Projects We Did In 2023

I like to end every year with a little post recapping what happened here on the blog that year. Some years I have a ton to recap, and some years are slower. This year? It was one of the slower years, in the best possible way! At the end of 2022, I told y’all that I planned on taking things easy this year and I stuck to it. I focused on the projects that brought me joy, and I worked to find delight in our home as it is.

Don’t get me wrong – we still have a laundry list of projects we want to tackle in our home. But lately, I’ve been trying to take things at a more realistic pace. I went through all of my blog posts for the year, and I found 12 that were DIY projects we did in our home this year. And, a couple of them (like the powder bathroom reveal) were posts that included multiple projects! So, that’s more than one project per month – which is still a really great pace!

Maybe this is just a pressure I put on myself, but sometimes I see the DIY ladies over on Instagram killing it with project after project (after project after project), and I just don’t have that in me. I like working at a slower pace, and I like taking the time to bask in the glow of a completed project before I move onto the next! So, you can expect a similar project pacing as we head into 2024. It feels good, and hopefully it helps remind you that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking your time in your home.

Ok. Enough explanations. Let’s dive in, shall we?!

The 12 Projects I Did In My Home in 2023

1. Added Wall Sconces to the Living Room

The very first project I tackled way back in January of 2023 were these simple little wall sconces flanking the fireplace in our living room. If I’m being completely honest, we don’t use them as much as I anticipated. As in, I think I’ve turned them on three times. But, I do like the look!

Now that we’ve added a giant bar cabinet to this same wall, I am considering taking the wall sconces down. I’m not sure if it’s the chaos of the holidays or what, but I’m craving a slightly quieter space, and I think taking them down might help. Still debating, we’ll see where we land!

2. Installed Brass Light Switches in the Entry

This might be a tiny project, but it counts. Especially because it had a big impact! I swapped out the light switches in our entryway for brass ones, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made for our home. Eventually, they might all need to be brass!

Small details like this truly do make a huge difference in our home, and this is a great example of that. These light switches really elevated the entire space, and it was such a cheap and quick project. Doesn’t get much better than that!

3. Completely Renovated Our Bedroom Closet

The first major project of the year! And honestly, it’s easily the most functional and beloved project we did this year. I am grateful for this closet makeover every single day. My closet is so (so!) organized, and it stays looking great with minimal effort on my part.

I’m hoping to use this same system to tackle another closet in our home in 2024, so stay tuned for that! I’m a huge fan of this closet system and I’m sooooo glad we did it.

4. Built a Simple Cookbook Stand

I don’t know if this DIY cookbook stand really counts as a house project (it’s more of a craft?!), but I genuinely use it aaaaall the time, so I’m gonna count it! This was such a quick and easy project and every time I need to pull out a cookbook I’m so happy I have it.

I know it’s close to Christmas, but this would make a great DIY gift to tackle over the weekend!

5. Built a DIY Planter Box

This is another one that might not count as a house project, but it made a big difference in our backyard, so here it is! I love building DIY planters for our yard, and this one was so fun! I’ll admit there is one problem with it – I’ve learned that I am absolutely terrible at keeping outdoor plants alive! I have said this for a few years now, but I genuinely think 2024 needs to be the year that I just give up on trying to have a bunch of outdoor plants. I’m great at indoor plants. I suck at the outdoor ones. It’s just a fact I need to accept. See the project here if you’re better at outdoor plants than me!

6. Built a DIY Leaning Herb Garden

Yet another example of my inability to keep outdoor plants alive. I adore this little leaning planter but I think the plants lasted all of a month before they died. Insert a giant sigh here.

This was a really fun and simple project, though, and it makes me so happy! Maybe I’ll “plant” some fake herbs next year?!

7. Added Window Boxes to the Camper

Turns out I did quite a few outdoor projects this year! The kids’ play camper needed a little sprucing up, so I built these incredible easy window boxes for it! They look so cute and really upped the charm factor on the camper (is that even possible?!).

Of course, again, I have to admit the plants died almost immediately. But I DEFINITELY can do some fake plants in these in the spring, so maybe stay tuned for a roundup of my favorites once the weather warms back up!

8. Created an Exterior Hanging Plant Wall

Our last outdoor project was a really fun experiment. I have always been annoyed by the big blank expanse of brick on the front of our house, so I wanted to see if I could build something to make it look a little nicer. Turns out, I can!

I don’t know if this will be the permanent decor piece on the front of our house for the warmer months, but I really love the look! And, bonus, I used fake plants so I don’t have to worry about them dying off. See? I learned.

9. Installed New Lights in the Dining Room & Kitchen

I can’t even begin to tell you how big of an impact this had on our home. Our dining room only had a recessed light before this swap, and the new light looks absolutely incredible. And, while I loved the old pendants we had in our kitchen, there’s no denying that these are so much more impactful.

As soon as we finished installing these lights, I felt like they had always been here. They layered right in with everything else and just felt right and that’s my favorite kind of project!

10. A Complete Powder Room Overhaul

This little powder room was the last space in our home that was completely and totally untouched…until this year. I gave it a maaaajor makeover, and I love it so much! It’s not completely done yet – eventually I want to add gallery walls wrapped around the entire room. But, I’m just slowly gathering art for that, and enjoying what we have for now.

This is one of those posts that consists of multiple projects. In here, I installed a shiplap ceiling, added trim to the walls, replaced the toilet and vanity, and added a gallery wall. See this post for links and details on aaaall of those projects!

11. Added Wall-to-Wall ELFA Shelving in the Game Room

Look! Another huge project! We have wanted a full wall of shelves in this space since before we even moved into this house (we started talking about it as soon as we signed the contract!), and I’m so happy to finally have it. I love our ELFA shelving, and it was 100% the right choice for us.

This project really got us excited about doing more up in our bonus room, so you can definitely expect to see this space a little bit more in 2024!

12. Installed Board & Batten in the Upstairs Hallway

And finally, the last project I did this year (not including seasonal crafts, of course) – the upstairs hallway! I’ve always wanted to add a little trim up there, and I was so excited to finally get it done. I really, really love how the trim turned out, but I do have a confession: the color is all wrong!

I’ve wanted to paint the trim up there ever since I finished it, so I think this might be one of my first projects in the new year – a full repaint, including the trim!

Ok, not gonna lie – I did more than I thought this year! Some of these projects are big! At the end of this year I really slowed down with projects around the house and focused on seasonal stuff, and it has made me so excited to get back to it in our house! I have so many ideas, and I can’t wait to dive in come January.