How to Make a Tent Sandbox for the Kids - Keeps it Dry and Cat Free

When my kids were little, they used to love playing in the sandbox my hubby built.  But so did the neighborhood cats.  When my daughter dug up a kitty surprise (you know what I mean) I was horrified!

A Tent Sandbox ticks off all the Boxes

It is such a simple and totally awesome idea.  You can make this as small or as large as you want.
I have included a video below, where the parent is building a larger one, but I figure you could also use those baby tents or whatever size you want.

Sandbox Ideas

This tent can be closed up after the kids are finished playing, to keep off the rain and to keep out cats.  It will also keep the sand clean for a long time.  No guarantees on them pitching it out of the tent but at least they won't get a sunburn either!

If a tent is not something you could do in your yard, you can still create awesome little portable sandboxes for the kids to play in with their toys.  Here are some more ideas:

Portable Sandbox - Low profile plastic container with lid

These are quite often sold to store things under the bed, so their profile is lower but the container is wider and longer.  Perfect to add a bag of sand to.  Would be great on a patio or balcony and if you rent, there are no worries about any DIY or messing up the yard.

Cardboard Box - Great for visiting Grandma

If you just want something for the kids to do at Grandma's and you have a bag of sand around, take it and a cardboard box and you will be amazed at how long this will keep them busy at little cost.

 Sandboxes Online

If you prefer something that is not so DIY, and you love the idea of the kids playing in the sand with their toys, you can actually purchase ready to go ones such as these below.


It all depends whether or not you are a DIY person. You can get creative and use a tent like at the start of this post, which would be a quick and easy solution, or you can get more permanent solutions.

Special Play Sand

If you go the more portable or small container route, you can also get this special Play sand that actually molds into castles and all kinds of neat things for the kids without adding water or any great mess.

It will create all kinds of neat fantasies!  This probably would be best and most affordable in a small container.  It doesn't stick to your hands or your clothes, which makes it easier when play time is over.  They can create all kinds of castles with their beach toys.

It is like bringing the beach home. 

If you click on the above picture you will see that you can also get this sand in some really cool colors.  These colors do not transfer to skin or clothes and only stick to themselves. It is by National Geographic.

You decide how many pounds you want of this sand and it will be delivered to you, and choose your color.  It also comes with some little mold toys so they can get creative right away.  A great change from electronic games!

At time of this writing this play sand had 1499 reviews!

I hope I have inspired you to get creative with a sandbox for your kids. Building a tent sandbox gets rid of the DIY part of cutting wood and creating a box, it is something that can be used right away.

But as you can see above, there are lots of different options available, whether you go completely DIY or purchase something ready to go, and don't forget this special sand, so that you don't have to add water for the kids to build castles.

ENJOY the summer!

How to Clean Car Cup Holders - Get Out the Coffee and Sticky Spills Quickly

Car Cup Holders are great for taking that traveler mug on the road, but a few bumps and shakes and over time, the bottom of that holder becomes a sticky gross mess.

It is hard to get in there with your hands, and it is hard to get it clean.  Here is a fast and easy solution!

What you will Need:

Your traveler coffee mug
Old Tea Towel (nothing to thick)
Favorite vinyl cleaner

Method:

Step 1 - Vacuum as much loose bits out of the holders as you can. ( I never could figure out how those lose bits of whatever got into there but there you have it!)  Maybe even vacuum the rest of the car while you are at it.

You will need a vacuum with attachments so you can stick the crumb attachment into there to get rid of bits.

Step 2 - Take your spray cleaner and spray liberally into the cup holders.  Wait a couple of minutes for it to really get working.

Step 3 - Place the tea towel over the holder

Step 4 - Push the towel into the holder with your coffee traveler mug and then twist.  It will soak up the cleaner and scrub away the stains, grime and ick.  It is the same shape as the cup holder so it makes sense that it can get into the round edges.

That is it!

Before you hit the back button going WHAT???   Give it a try.

Use your mug to do the cleaning.  After all, it is the thing that caused all the trouble in the first place.  No more messed up manicures, no touching the ick.  This works!

A Good All Purpose Car Interior Cleaner

Many of the household cleaners tend to be a bit harsh on the vinyl and leather, so invest in a decent cleaner to do any of the cleaning jobs including clean car cup holders.


Pop Out Cup Holder

Another option is to line the holder so that you can simply pop out the liner and clean it under the tap.  If this is a good idea, then check these out here online.


These are designed to fit your particular car snugly. So be ready with the make and model of your car to get the specific one you need.

Anyway just thought I would drop that tip.  It was passed onto me, and now I am passing it on to you.  It is best to use some kind of absorbent cloth rather than paper towels which will rip.  So dedicate a tea towel to your car cleaning kit.  You can always wash it to be ready for next time.

Cat Tent DIY - How to Make a Cat Tent out of an Old T-Shirt

I thought this was the coolest and cheapest DIY for cats yet.  You know how cats love to hide under couches, and in closets and simply have their own cave?

Well at least mine does.  I thought it would be nice to make a cat tent on the cheap.  They are expensive in pet shops, so why not make your own?

What you Will Need:

wire cutters (to cut hangers)
Piece of cardboard
2 x wire hangers
old tee shirt
safety pin
masking tape
cat bed or soft towels

Check out the video for instructions:

Perfect Way to Up-cycle an old T-Shirt

This is a cool project for cats as well as smaller dogs that love to have a cave of their own.  You will find them napping in it in no time.

Who Knew that cardboard, an old t-shirt and some wire hangers could create a napping place and hiding place for your cat?

If this project has got you excited to try something a little different and you don't mind purchasing a few extra supplies such as wood dowels and fabric, then check out the project below on how to make a pet tee pee.

DIY Pet Tent

There is a little bit more to this project, but it is actually cuter than the t-shirt tent I think.  If you want to have these little tents out front and center, such as your living room, you could create them out of complimentary fabrics.

As you can see in the video above the creator has gone all out to create cool decorative yet useful pet tents as these can be used for small dogs too.

The t-shirt as a smaller opening, and many cats love the idea of that.  So you have a couple of choices before you run out and purchase one.  Save some money and make your own!

Save Money and Make Your Own Cat Tent or DIY Pet Tent

Hopefully this post has inspired you to get a bit creative and save money.

Pet supplies are expensive enough, so it is nice if you can make them something with things around your house such as the first project.

Kids can help with this project too.

Once the cat tent in the first project gets dirty or well used, it can be stripped down and washed and put back together again or change out the t-shirt.  There are tons of ways you could decorate it too with fabric paints or markers.

It won't take long for your cat to find it, they simply cannot help themselves out of curiosity!

How to Age a Metal Bucket in 10 Minutes - Quick and Easy Old Paint Look Patina on the Cheap

I found these really cool metal buckets for cheap, but didn't like the shine.  I was hoping to create a grouping of buckets to fill a blank spot in my garden.  I wanted to add some texture and height so rather than planting more shrubs I went for the buckets.

But I was shocked when at the garden center I saw just how much they cost, some more than 55 bucks each with that old look, so after sourcing some cheaper ones online:

I decided to get creative and knock that shine off. I did some research and found many different ways that required harsh chemicals and lots of time.  There is a vinegar way but it took too much time too.  This was the fastest way and looks awesome!

Being an impatient women, and only having an afternoon to get this done, I found a different way that really worked.

I love the whitish patina on the buckets rather than the rusted look or the dull look.  I wanted that old world look and this is what I got.

You could take it another step further and add stencils or anything you want, but here is exactly how I created this finish in less than 10 minutes!  You don't have to do the inside if you don't want, the first picture is to show you just how shiny this bucket was without glare back from my camera!

What you will Need:

Zinsser primer (not the spray, but the can of it you would use with a brush)

Sponge

Newspaper or some covering for your table

Method:

I did this outside on my patio table but you can do this anywhere.  NOTE:  If you do it outside it will dry very fast which is what I wanted.

Take your bucket and dip the sponge into the primer and then move around the bucket in a circular motion.  That is it!!  No prep other than taking off any labels.

ONLY ONE THIN COAT TO GET THIS LOOK IS NEEDED!!

Let Dry.  Mine were dry in about 10 minutes outside.

That is all it took to cover my buckets in this old whitish patina. 

Now fill them with a few stones in the bottom for drainage, your soil and then your plants.  Hang them from garden hooks, or sit them on old cut logs, or find smaller ones to sit inside your larger ones.

There are so many ways to display these without breaking the bank.  Getting them online means you can get a bunch of them for one affordable price.  I found these on AMAZON.

Zinsser primer has always been my go to primer if I wanted to paint a surface that normally can't just be painted without preparation.  Like I said, I am impatient.  When I get an idea in my head I don't want to have to wait days and sand things, I like to get started.

It can be used for so many indoor and outdoor projects.  My buckets still look good even after lots of rain and bad weather.  I have also used this primer for furniture projects, to turn a thrift store piece of furniture into something unique and awesome without any sanding or paint removing.  Check that post out HERE

You could beat the pail to add dents or stencils or anything you want.  But I personally just like this slightly whitish patina without anything else added, just the color of my flowers!

The beauty of this primer, is that now there is a base to do anything you want without it coming off.  Zinsser totally prepares the surface.

Many Sizes

You can get galvanized metal buckets online for many events, even for weddings.  Some as tiny as 5 inches tall, so check this page to see the many different sizes you can get and have fun with.

Galvanized metal buckets page

So hopefully I have inspired you to get creative and save a few bucks.  You will find many more projects to use this Zinsser primer on so this will not be a wasted investment.  Even with the primer it was still cheaper for me to do a few buckets then to get that one from the garden center.

How to Get Dents out of Carpet - Three DIY Ways that Work - Get Rid of Indentations and Save Money

When we moved into our present house, there were carpet dents everywhere.

The previous tenants had cleaned and vacuumed the carpets but there were indentations everywhere from their heavy furniture and we were not prepared to replace the flooring.

I have used all 3 methods but I have to say the first one worked the best.

Three ways to get rid of carpet Indentations.

✅Method 1 - Place two ice cubes in each indent and wait until they melt.

Take a clean sponge and soak up any excess water.

With a spoon, gently lift the fibers and fluff with your hands.

The cold water gently separates the fibers making it easier to lift them.  This one works quite well but the trick is to let the ice cube completely melt.

No tools required and nothing to plug in.  Probably the best and quickest method.  But does take a little longer.

✅Method 2 - Steam Iron

Place a clean damp cloth over the indent.

With your steam iron just above the cloth (don't actually touch the cloth or you may scorch the carpet with the heat)  press the steam button for a few seconds

Take away the cloth and try to lift the fibers gently with a spoon and then fluff.

Both methods work, but the steam iron has to be used carefully.  Personally I prefer the ice cube method.  Nothing to plug in or to burn!

Method 3 - Fork

Spray the indent with some clean water.  Let it sit for a few minutes.

Taking a household fork gently pull it across the indent.  The fork method seems to work best on thick piled carpet.  But be careful that you don't separate and weaken the fibers.  The water will help to lift.

This method is a good backup if you don't have access to ice cubes or a steam iron, all you need is a spray bottle of water.

Once you Have Removed the Carpet Dents - Try to Prevent Them with Furniture Protectors

No matter what method you used to remove the dents, always vacuum once the carpet is dry to help the fibers stand up even further.  Once you are done consider these particular protectors to prevent it happening again.




When protecting furniture on hardwood floors you use flat bottomed covers, but when you are trying to prevent indents in carpet you need to get the ones with pointy teeth such as the ones above.

Carpeting is expensive and some heavy furniture can actually go beyond just denting and work its way through and create a hole.  If you ever move or want to change around where your furniture sits when redecorating, this could be an issue.

It is best to protect the flooring from the beginning if you can.  If your pieces have actual legs such as with tables and sofas, then investing in something like the carpet protectors above will save your flooring from being totally squished into those horrible looking indentations.

They are clear so they are not noticeable and will simply keep the fibers from being flattened.  For under 8 bucks that is a pretty good return.

Coleman Steel Belted Cooler - Unbelievable quality - Mine is 35 years Old!

Yes this will age me and I swore I would never use this term ..... but   .... "back in the day" purchasing a cooler for picnics was an investment.

You didn't need to buy one every year.  You purchased one and you kept it, you gave to relatives, it even got handed down to the next generation!  Coleman was front and center in the aisles.

Coleman has to be in my opinion one of the best producers of quality coolers.  Yes you can run out to the dollar store and get that insulated bag or that Styrofoam one that breaks at the end of the day or the kids take the lid for a flotation device, but it will not protect your food for more than an couple of hours or so and they sweat all over the car.

Coleman Metal Cooler

Ours is this same color as the new "vintage" models, and we used it constantly when the kids were small for picnics and to keep snacks and cold drinks in the car for long road trips.  No worries about things going bad.

When camping we would fill it with food and there would still be ice in the bottom a few days later.  So no need to run out every 5 minutes trying to source ice.

You can drain off the water without emptying your cooler, and the lid is strong enough that it makes an extra seat.  If you prefer freeze packs, they stay frozen for a long time.  This model pictured offers a 4 day ice retention.

I think it is time for us to invest in a newer one and give our grown kids the old one.  This new one has a built in bottle opener, and yes I think we deserve the new one!

The lid fits tightly so no air leaks....

Coleman Steel Cooler

When I was a kid, things were purchased to last.  We too have used the insulated bags or those Styrofoam coolers, but we always go back to the old standby steel Coleman cooler.  After 35 years ours is starting to show signs of some rust in the bottom corners, and some tell tale signs of some abuse, but it is still the best cooler we have ever had.

So if you are concerned about the investment, it will pay you back in less ice to be bought and peace of mind that after a night sleeping at your campsite that the eggs, juice and bacon for breakfast will still be cold and they will, even after a warm night.

Plus the shape makes it so that there is no wasted space.  You can fill every corner.  When we are finished with it.  I tilt it to let the water drain out keep the lid open and let it dry out.  This way it is ready for your next adventure.