Home Improvement

Looking for name change advice or some tips for newlywed life? The MissNowMrs experts have created state-specific name change articles and checklists for you. We’ve chronicled our recommendations for how to travel while changing your name AND how to handle voting during the transition.

We’ve also compiled our best guidance for how to handle difficult sister in laws, holidays as newlyweds, the ever-annoying baby questions, and much more. Why? Because, while we are name change experts, we’re also newlywed wives, moms, and sisters.

We hope our name change advice articles help smooth your transition to your new name, and a whole new phase of life. Congratulations and best wishes from the entire MissNowMrs team!

Easy DIY Projects That Will Change Your Space

Looking for easy DIY projects for newlyweds? You’re married, you’ve moved in and now you’re wondering how to improve your home or apartment together. If the two of you are looking for a fresh look, but you’re not ready to move, DIY projects are often the perfect answer.

You don’t have to commit to a 2 month renovation of your home or apartment to get that great new feeling. Here are a few quick projects to consider that will give you the satisfaction of improving your home as a newlywed couple.

Repaint your Trim
Whether you’re talking about the interior trim in your apartment or the exterior trim on your house, a quick repaint is a simple project the two of you can do together, and it won’t cost you a bundle. Pick out a color you think will look nice at the hardware store, grab a gallon and a couple of brushes, then get busy painting! Worried about trying a color other than white? Check out the Sherwin-Williams paint visualizer. You can upload a photo of your room and see what your trim will look like in thousands of colors.

Add a Light Fixture
Stop by Lowes or check out LightingDirect.com for inspiration. Did you know that there are fixtures that can change your boring overhead lighting into cool hanging lights by simply screwing them into the current socket? Pick something fun to hang over your dining room table or entryway and be prepared for compliments the next time you have friends over.

Plant Some Flowers
Whether the two of you are apartment dwellers or you have your own home, adding some flowers in the spring, summer, or even the fall is a great way to improve the look of your place. If you live in an apartment, add a window box or a few pots out on your balcony. If you don’t have either of those options, there are certainly some blooming plants you can put near a window.

If you have a home, put in an entire flowerbed. Just make certain you know what grows best in your geographic zone before you ever start the planting process. If you’re at Home Depot you can scan the QR code on a flower pot to get all of the care tips for the plants.

DIY projects always make you feel better about yourself and are a great way to build your marriage as you improve your surroundings. What DIY projects have you done recently?

DIY Projects: A Great Way to Keep Your Marriage Healthy

Did you know DIY projects can keep your marriage healthy? There is so much excitement and anticipation leading up to your wedding. After months or years of planning, the wedding and honeymoon seem to fly by and then real life begins. Many newlywed couples begin to miss the “planning” aspect and connectedness of their engagement. Great news…there are tons of projects you can work on together that will not only benefit your relationship; they’ll benefit your surroundings!

Fixer-upper condos or houses aren’t a bad choice for new couples. They can provide the opportunities for collaborative work that will bring many spouses closer together. That being said, there are a couple of warnings that come with doing re-design work.

For couples who often find themselves in a battle for control – for the strong personalities of the world – coming to an agreement over color, pattern, furniture, and accessories can be source of contention. It is important to go into the process with an open mind and the understanding that working together will not necessarily equate to getting everything that you want for the space. A good marriage is founded on compromise, and the blended end achievement may turn out even better than “your idea”.

As long as you can maintain open minds and open lines of communication, it can be a great idea to suggest updating the kitchen, to replacing the old and outdated couch, or re-painting the guest bedroom. Start small and move on to bigger projects as you become more comfortable with the collaboration aspect of your relationship (better to find out you can’t agree on a faucet than you can’t agree on a blue print for an addition).

As you begin your project, ask your spouse small questions to get communication started. For instance, what colors do you see in the room? Do you prefer gold or silver cabinet and drawer pulls? Do you think we should get a Queen or King sized bed for our room?

These starter questions will provide the initial communication, which can then become involved as bigger decisions must be made in order to complete the project. For those who are seriously ambitious and have the abilities, new bathroom construction, building the new deck, or laying to stone at the front entrance can be done on your own. Putting your blood, sweat, and tears into improving your home will make it a more meaningful space and provide you plenty of pleasant memories and possibly a few hysterical stories.

What home improvement projects have you undertaken with your spouse? I remember replacing the 30+ knobs in our kitchen and being tremendously pleased with our teamwork. He removed the old ones and I screwed in the new ones. And, we both loved the updated look they provided!

What DIY projects are you doing to keep your marriage healthy? Please share in a comment!

Easy Fall Newlywed Home Improvement Projects

Tis the season for newlywed home improvement. There are so many projects that need to be done around the house just as up-keep that you could probably do one-a-day for like a year, but where’s the fun in that?! Here are just a few (of the many) things that you and your beloved might consider doing this Fall to be sure that your home sweet home stays that way. We even split them up for you to make it even easier.

Spouse One Suggestions
Change Batteries: Check the smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, flashlights, remote controls, etc. They are all equally (ok maybe not equally) important, but are indeed a must check off the to-do-list! There’s nothing more annoying than having the power go out and your flashlight doesn’t work sending you and your spouse rummaging around in the dark trying to find candles, matches, batteries for the flashlight…I’m picturing tripping over the poor dog, stubbing my toe on the corner of the couch or worse, falling down the stairs!

Update Medicines: Be sure to toss out expired medication from your medicine cabinet and your First Aid Kit…and replace it! What good is an empty First Aid Kit or expired Cold and Sinus medicine when you feel like your head might explode?!

Spouse Two Suggestions
Check Your Windows/Doors: There’s a nifty little *self-test you can try to ensure that your windows are doing their job to keep the cold outside air from coming in, not to mention the heat (you’re paying for) from going out! Try inserting a dollar bill in the gaps around your windows and doors. Lets just say this is one test you want to fail otherwise your windows are not energy efficient. You may need new windows or may need to caulk the windows/doors or install window/door insulating strips or plastic to bring your heating costs down.

Paint: Now is the perfect time to fix a hole in the wall or the scratches from furniture when you moved in! Fall is a great time to paint as it’s not too hot or cold. When you’re done with the paint, be sure to store the extra paint away from your furnace (a huge fire hazard).

Tell us about your fall newlywed home improvement projects and your secret tricks to save money! Leave a comment today.