This Little House

Words & Photography
by Megan Alexandra



We renovated basically every single surface of this house completely by ourselves using creativity, thrifted sinks, budget DIYs, and coupon and discount flooring. It took me a few years to sell or give away our old furniture and to carefully thrift the antique furniture we wanted. We built our fireplace mantle ourselves. I spent hours painting literally every wall, trim, cabinet, door, and ceiling in the entire house. We made our concrete kitchen counters ourselves, and I washed dishes in our bathtub for 10 days last year when we tore apart our kitchen.

This house has been a labor of love, and it didn’t happen overnight! We all know that Instagram usually only tells part of the story with the pretty pictures, but I hope that I can encourage you today, wherever you are, that the home renovations and decor that you dream of don’t need to cost you an arm and a leg. Some thrifty thinking, patience, research, and a whole lot of elbow grease can truly go a long way. (I use the twinkle emoji, but just know I didn’t feel too twinkly while on my hands and knees grouting tile in our humid bathroom in almost 100 degree summer heat, hahaaa. Totally worth the non-twinkly feeling, though.)

I sound like a broken record, but this little house has been one of my favorite projects. The memories Clayton and I have made while pulling it apart and putting it back together will always be some of my favorite memories from my early twenties.

I sound like a broken record, but this little house has been one of my favorite projects. The memories Clayton and I have made while pulling it apart and putting it back together will always be some of my favorite memories from my early twenties. To make a house a home, you know?