Dream Green DIY Celebrates 14 Years

Dream Green DIY Celebrates 14 Years

Fourteen years…Wow! I know it’s cliche to say, but it literally feels like it was just last week that I hit “publish” on my very first blog post, and yet it also feels like a lifetime ago. I am so, so grateful for my impulsive nature because without it I wouldn’t be where I am today: nearly 15 years into my dream career writing every single day and teaching all of you how to build a home of your dreams.

All this time later, and I still crave the same outcome from each post that I share: conversation. I got into this business of sharing do-it-yourself home design tutorials and renovation stories because I want to talk about the ups and downs with you guys. I ask questions every day, and am always blown away by the responses I get. The comments sections of my social media and these blog posts have always been the most rewarding aspect of the stories I share from our home. I’ve heard from you that our home has paved the way for your own renovation journey, and that is the ultimate form of validation for me.

My business isn’t really centered on how we’re crafting our home to be perfect for us—it’s about teaching others how to find their own joy at home through action, and when I hear personal accounts of that actually happening in the comments of my posts, that’s when I feel like I’ve done my job. So, thank you for continuing this conversation all these years later. I wouldn’t be here without you!

To celebrate this milestone, I’ve put together a list of my favorite blog posts from the archives, one from each of my 14 years in business (please forgive the embarrassing look of those first few years worth of posts!). Keep scrolling to take a walk down memory lane, and let me know if you have a favorite DGD post that didn’t make it onto my list!

Dream Green DIY Celebrates 14 Years

Dream Green DIY Celebrates 14 Years

My Top 14 Posts From The DGD Archives:

1. DIY Framed Polaroid Photos Display

2. Handmade Wooden Gallery Wall Grid

3. Dual Purpose Party + Potting Table

4. DIY Mod Painted Headboard

5. DIY Carved Pumpkin Face Party Cups

6. 10 Alternative Uses For An Over-The-Door Shoe Holder

7. DIY Pressed Flower Wine Bottle Labels

8. DIY Faux Mid-Century Paneling Using Paint

9. How To Turn An IKEA Work Bench Into A Kitchen Island

10. Make Your Own Plant Propagation Stations

11. DIY Board And Batten Feature Wall

12. Staining Our DIY Wood Platform Deck

13. Peel-And-Stick Wallpapered Cat Litter Closet

14. “Perfect Pairs” Bridal Shower Gift Idea

BONUS: Click here to read the very personal story behind Dream Green DIY’s name

Dream Green DIY Celebrates 14 Years

It was actually pretty emotional picking my way through those archives. I forgot how energetic and motivated I was back in my 20s to DIY and craft every single day (even after I got home from my full-time office job in those first few years before the blog supported me on its own). I feel sort of bad that I haven’t kept up with that type of content, but the truth is that my priorities have changed. Now that I’m one year away from my 40s, I just don’t have the drive to craft my own home décor. I’ve shifted my focus to investing in more long-term solutions when it comes to decorating our home, and I guess there’s really nothing wrong with that. People evolve and a person has different motivators as they age. It’s especially interesting to see that shift happen in real time when looking back through the DGD archives.

I hope you’ll take a moment to click back to those old stories I linked to above! Like I said, it was emotional to revisit them, but it’s also kindled a small fire underneath me to try harder to get back to that level of action. Things might look different as I head into my 40s as a homemaker, but I’m never, ever going to lose my drive to make our house feel extra special and so deeply us. That has always been a core part of my personality (even as a little kid—my mom can attest to how often I asked to make over my childhood bedroom to suit my whims!). Homemaking is a blast, and I’m so excited that I have this space to document every single step of the way. Thanks for getting me to year 14, and I’m excited to see what you and I each come up with in the new year ahead.

By the way, if you’d like to dive into the DGD archives yourself, all you have to do is scroll to the bottom of my righthand sidebar, and you’ll find the archives broken down by year. Again, please forgive my terrible photography and writing skills those first few years…

Dream Green DIY Celebrates 14 Years

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My New Favorite Modern Cat Litter Box

Modern Cat Litter Box Review

*Today’s post was made possible by Modkat, and features gifted product for the purposes of a candid review. All opinions are my own.

One of the greatest joys of my life has been my role as a pet mom. Our rescue dog and two cats are collectively the light of our lives. They make us laugh, comfort us, and give me a reason to get out of bed during more difficult days, so I, of course, want to give back the same kind of love to them. We spoil the heck out of our pets! They want for absolutely nothing, and even their litter boxes are top of the line for their comfort. We’ve been using Modkat litter boxes for years, but we recently added their Flip Litter Box to our collection, and are really happy with it. I thought I’d share a little bit about it in case you’re on the hunt for a really easy to use and good-looking litter box for your own felines.

Modern Cat Litter Box Review

Modern Cat Litter Box Review

I actually got this litter box from Modkat when Gladys Jean was still a pretty small kitten. She was only a few months old at this point (she’s about eight months now), and I was anxious to see if she would have any trouble using it because of the height of the opening. Happily, she had absolutely no problems, and our 2-year-old cat, Marlo, also had no trouble getting used to her new litter box. So, my first point is that this one works for cats of all ages!

Modern Cat Litter Box Review

Modern Cat Litter Box Review

My tip for getting your kitten used to this type of adult litter box is to put an open air kitten-sized litter box right in front of the opening—in other words, pushed right up against the front opening of your adult litter box. Even if she just uses the kitten litter box outside the adult one to start, this will still get her used to going to the bathroom in that spot in your home, and she’ll eventually get curious enough to hop all the way through into the bigger box. Cats are exceptionally curious animals after all!

This method worked for us, and the full kitten litter box in front of the opening to our Modkat Flip Litter Box also acted as a “step” to allow our kitten’s tiny little legs to span the height of the adult box opening. That said, if you click through to the Instagram video that I posted of this box when we first got it, you’ll see that Gladys had no problem getting in and out of the adult-sized box right from the get-go. She hopped in all on her own, and has been using it regularly ever since.

Modern Cat Litter Box ReviewModern Cat Litter Box Review

As for clean-ability, this litter box is a breeze. Just like the name implies, the top literally flips backward in just a few quick lifts/folds with your hand, and then you have full access to the interior of the box for scooping. There’s a magnetic catch to hold the top in place when it’s fully extended across the upper part of the box, and it stands upright on its own at the back when you need to scoop used litter (we swear by this litter trash can, by the way!). The other nice thing about this flipping feature is that, if this will be the first lidded litter box for your cat, you can flip the lid halfway backward to allow them to ease into this type of design without a lid completely over their head. You can also, of course, leave the top off entirely if you prefer that functionality and look.

Modern Cat Litter Box ReviewModern Cat Litter Box Review

Like all of Modkat’s litter boxes, this one comes with a reusable/replaceable liner to keep the plastic clean and odor-free. I also appreciate the compact design. It doesn’t hold quite as much litter as our other extra large Modkat litter boxes, but the smaller silhouette is easier to place in our home and is less in-your-face visually. I love the white color but it also comes in gray if that’s more your style.

Anyway, we’re really happy with our Flip Litter Box and couldn’t recommend it more if you’re on the hunt for aesthetic pet home goods to try. Leave a comment or shoot me a private message if you have any questions about Modkat pet products. Like I said, we’ve been loyal users for years, and it’s genuinely the best, in my opinion. Happily, our kitties seem to agree!

Modern Cat Litter Box Review

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*This post contains affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission when you purchase products that I recommend at no additional cost to you. This allows me to provide free creative content for you to read, save, and share. Rest assured that I never recommend products we wouldn’t use or don’t already love ourselves.

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