March is that funny little month when your house starts whispering, “Maybe clean me,” your porch starts begging for color, and every junk drawer suddenly acts like it has been personally wronged. That is exactly why Remodelaholic Month in Review: March 2019 still feels useful: it captured the moment when winter fatigue met spring motivation, and the result was a cheerful mix of DIY home projects, organizing ideas, budget-friendly updates, garden inspiration, and room-by-room design eye candy.
The original March 2019 recap from Remodelaholic highlighted a practical, spring-ready batch of projects: organizing baking supplies in a drawer, planning built-in bathroom storage, installing a pocket door frame, updating a front porch with colorful decor, smoothing drywall around bathroom built-ins, building simple storage, exploring raised garden beds, and gathering inspiration for bathrooms, mudrooms, living rooms, and outdoor spaces. In other words, March 2019 was not a sleepy month on the blog. It was a full-on “where did I put the tape measure?” season.
This review revisits the best ideas from that month and explains why they still work for homeowners, renters, weekend DIYers, and anyone who has ever stared at an overflowing cabinet and thought, “Surely there is a better way.” Spoiler: there usually is, and it often involves labels.
Why March Was the Perfect Month for a Remodelaholic Recap
March sits right at the crossroads of indoor problem-solving and outdoor dreaming. It is late enough in the year to start thinking about porches, patios, raised garden beds, and fresh curb appeal, but still early enough that indoor organization projects feel deeply satisfying. Remodelaholic’s March 2019 content reflected that seasonal shift beautifully. Instead of focusing on one big renovation, the month worked like a spring project menu: a little kitchen organization, a little bathroom storage, a little garden planning, and a generous scoop of “I could totally build that.”
That variety matters because real homes are not remodeled one dramatic reveal at a time. Most homes improve through small, repeated wins. A baking drawer becomes easier to use. A bathroom gains hidden storage. A porch gets a more welcoming personality. A pocket door frees up usable square footage. A raised garden bed gives the family a reason to step outside. None of these changes has to be enormous, but together they make a home feel more thoughtful, more functional, and less like it is secretly operated by clutter goblins.
Kitchen Organization: The Baking Drawer That Makes Sense
One of the standout March 2019 ideas was organizing baking supplies in a drawer as a pantry alternative for a small kitchen. This is the kind of project that sounds almost too simple until you actually try it. Then suddenly you are wondering why flour, sugar, chocolate chips, cupcake liners, and measuring spoons have been living in separate time zones for years.
The brilliance of a deep baking drawer is visibility. Traditional pantries can be wonderful, but in small kitchens, not every home has one. Drawers allow ingredients to be seen from above, which means fewer half-used bags of powdered sugar hiding behind the oats like tiny fugitives. Clear containers, labeled jars, and consistent zones can turn one drawer into a compact baking center.
Why this idea still works
Good kitchen organization is not about making everything look perfect for a photo. It is about reducing friction. If the ingredients you use together are stored together, you are more likely to cook, bake, meal-prep, and clean up without needing a search-and-rescue team. For a small kitchen, a drawer pantry can be more realistic than adding cabinets or building a walk-in pantry. It also supports a very American household truth: if you can find the brown sugar before it becomes a brick, you are already winning.
Bathroom Storage: Built-Ins for Small Spaces
Another major March 2019 theme was small bathroom storage. Remodelaholic looked at planning built-in bathroom storage, especially in a shared family bathroom where daily use can quickly turn counters into product parking lots. The idea of using in-wall space is especially smart because small bathrooms rarely have extra floor area to spare.
Built-in shelves, recessed cabinets, medicine cabinets, narrow cubbies, and vertical wall storage all solve the same problem: they add function without making the room feel crowded. In a family bathroom, that matters. Towels, toothbrushes, hair tools, toilet paper, extra soap, bath toys, and mystery bottles all need a home. Otherwise, they gather on the counter and form a tiny civilization.
What homeowners can learn from the March 2019 bathroom projects
The most useful lesson is to think inside the walls, above the toilet, behind the door, and between the studs before assuming the bathroom is simply too small. A recessed shelf or built-in cabinet can turn “dead” space into storage. A mirrored door can hide supplies. Baskets can soften open shelving. A combination of closed storage and display space keeps the room practical without making it feel like a supply closet wearing tile.
Small bathrooms reward planning. Measure carefully, check for plumbing and electrical obstacles, and know when to call a professional. DIY confidence is wonderful; accidentally discovering a pipe with a saw is less wonderful.
Pocket Doors: The Space-Saving Hero of March 2019
The March recap also included a pocket door frame installation, and this project deserves special applause. A standard swinging door needs clearance. In a narrow hallway or compact bathroom, that door swing can steal valuable floor space and make storage awkward. A pocket door slides into the wall, allowing the same doorway to function without claiming the room’s walking area.
For small bathrooms, laundry rooms, closets, pantries, and tight hallways, pocket doors can feel like a magic trick. They do not create more square footage, exactly, but they make existing square footage behave better. That is often the difference between a room that works and a room that makes everyone shuffle sideways like crabs.
Pocket door planning tips
Before installing a pocket door, check the wall structure. Load-bearing walls, plumbing, electrical wiring, HVAC runs, and framing conditions can all affect the project. A pre-made pocket door frame can simplify the process, but it is still a serious DIY job. The payoff, however, can be excellent: better traffic flow, more usable wall space, and a cleaner look than a swinging door in the wrong place.
Spring Porch Updates and Curb Appeal
March 2019 also leaned into spring curb appeal, especially with a colorful porch update. This is the kind of project that offers almost instant emotional return. Paint the front door, add planters, update pillows, clean the hardware, place a wreath, and suddenly the house looks like it slept eight hours and drank water.
Curb appeal is not just about impressing neighbors, although that is a harmless bonus. A more welcoming front entry changes how the home feels every time you return to it. It can also make a home appear better maintained. Fresh color, tidy landscaping, coordinated hardware, and seasonal porch decor all send the same message: someone cares about this place.
Budget-friendly porch ideas inspired by March 2019
You do not need a full exterior renovation to freshen a porch. Start with cleaning. Wash the door, sweep the steps, remove dead plants, polish or replace house numbers, and check outdoor lights. Then add one or two high-impact updates: a painted front door, symmetrical planters, a cheerful doormat, or weather-resistant pillows. The trick is to repeat colors and materials so the entry feels intentional rather than like the clearance aisle exploded.
DIY Furniture and Upcycled Style
The March 2019 recap also featured budget-minded DIY furniture and upcycling inspiration, including a reclaimed wood coffee table with a faux metal base and an IKEA Hyllis hack turned into an industrial wall planter. These projects show a classic Remodelaholic strength: seeing potential where other people see leftovers, basic shelving, or “that thing in the garage we keep walking around.”
Reclaimed wood projects bring warmth and texture into a home, while faux finishes can create an industrial look without the price tag of custom metalwork. IKEA hacks remain popular because they begin with accessible pieces and transform them into something more personalized. A wall planter, for example, can add greenery to a small indoor or outdoor area without needing much floor space.
Why upcycling belongs in a modern home
Upcycling is not just thrifty; it is creative problem-solving. A shelf can become a planter. A drawer can become storage. A basic table can gain a new identity with stain, paint, trim, or hardware. The best DIY projects often begin with a question: “What could this be?” That question is dangerous in the best way. It may cause sudden trips to the hardware store.
Raised Garden Beds and Gardening With Kids
Spring planning would not be complete without outdoor projects, and March 2019 included raised garden bed ideas plus ways to garden with kids. Raised beds are popular because they create defined growing areas, improve control over soil quality, help with drainage, and make gardening more accessible. They can also look tidy and architectural, which is helpful if you want vegetables without your yard looking like a tomato-based crime scene.
Gardening with children adds another layer of value. Kids can help plant seeds, water herbs, check for growth, harvest vegetables, and learn patience. They may also become emotionally attached to one carrot. That is normal. Gardening gives families a hands-on way to talk about food, seasons, responsibility, and the miracle of tiny seeds becoming dinner ingredients.
Easy raised bed ideas for beginners
Start small. A single raised bed with herbs, lettuce, radishes, strawberries, or cherry tomatoes is less intimidating than building a backyard farm by Saturday. Choose a sunny location, use safe materials, fill the bed with appropriate soil, and make sure water is nearby. For kids, add labels, child-sized tools, and fast-growing plants. Quick wins keep enthusiasm alive, especially for young gardeners whose concept of time is basically “now” and “too long.”
Design Inspiration: Bathrooms, Bunk Rooms, Mudrooms, and Living Rooms
Beyond tutorials, the March 2019 recap gathered design inspiration across several rooms. Modern farmhouse bathrooms, traditional living rooms, kids’ bunk rooms, mudroom organization, and beautiful bathtub ideas all appeared in the month’s lineup. This mix gave readers both practical steps and aspirational visuals.
That balance is important. A tutorial tells you how to build, organize, or install something. Inspiration helps you decide what style you actually want. Maybe you like warm wood with white walls. Maybe you prefer two-tone modern farmhouse finishes. Maybe your dream mudroom includes hooks, benches, cubbies, and a magical force field that prevents backpacks from landing on the floor. Inspiration narrows the choices.
How to use inspiration without copying everything
The best way to use design inspiration is to identify patterns. Do you keep saving rooms with black hardware? Built-ins? Natural wood? White walls? Colorful rugs? Once you see repeated preferences, you can apply them to your own home in a realistic way. You do not need the exact bathtub, mirror, or bunk room from a featured space. You need the principle behind it: contrast, storage, symmetry, warmth, or better flow.
Spring Cleaning and Maintenance: The Unflashy Projects That Matter
March is also a smart month for home maintenance. While it may not be as glamorous as a new porch setup, checking gutters, inspecting exterior walls, cleaning entry areas, refreshing paint, and planning repairs can prevent bigger problems later. A clean, maintained home also makes decorative updates look better. No wreath in the world can fully distract from a porch light filled with last year’s insects. Sorry, but the truth had to be said.
Spring maintenance pairs naturally with Remodelaholic-style projects because both are about noticing what the home needs. Sometimes the answer is beautiful built-in shelving. Sometimes it is caulk. Sometimes it is both, because adulthood is full of surprises.
What Made Remodelaholic’s March 2019 Content So Useful?
The biggest strength of the March 2019 review was variety with a purpose. The projects were not random. They centered around themes homeowners actually care about in early spring: organization, storage, outdoor refreshes, family-friendly spaces, budget improvements, and DIY confidence.
It also showed that a home can be improved in layers. You can organize one drawer this weekend, plan bathroom built-ins next month, paint the front door when the weather cooperates, and build raised beds before planting season. The house does not have to transform overnight. In fact, most good homes evolve gradually, one smart project at a time.
Best Project Takeaways From March 2019
1. Give every category a home
The baking drawer worked because similar items were grouped together. Apply that same principle everywhere: cleaning supplies, hair tools, garden gloves, craft materials, batteries, and seasonal decor.
2. Use hidden space
Small rooms often have storage potential inside walls, above doors, behind doors, under sinks, and between studs. Look for unused volume before buying another freestanding cabinet.
3. Let function drive design
A pocket door was not just stylish; it solved a space problem. A raised bed was not just pretty; it improved the gardening setup. Strong DIY design begins with a real need.
4. Refresh before replacing
Paint, hardware, containers, porch decor, and upcycled materials can create big visual change without a full remodel. Your budget will appreciate not being tackled to the ground.
5. Make projects family-friendly
From shared bathrooms to gardening with kids, the best ideas considered how real people use the home every day. A beautiful project that cannot survive Tuesday morning is not a finished project; it is a decorative hostage situation.
Experience Notes: Living With March-Style DIY Projects
The most relatable thing about a month like Remodelaholic’s March 2019 is that it mirrors how people actually work on their homes. Rarely does a homeowner wake up and say, “Today I shall complete an entire magazine-worthy renovation with no delays, no mess, and no missing drill bit.” More often, the process begins with one annoyance. The baking supplies are hard to reach. The bathroom has no storage. The front porch looks tired. The garden tools are ready, but the garden is still imaginary. One irritation becomes one project, and one project creates momentum.
In practice, the easiest project to start with is organization. A baking drawer, pantry shelf, or bathroom basket gives quick results without major demolition. The experience is immediately rewarding because the improvement shows up in daily routines. You open a drawer and find what you need. You stop buying duplicates. You cook with less frustration. Even better, organization often reveals what you do not need. That extra container of sprinkles from 2016? Thank it for its service and let it go.
Small bathroom projects require more patience. Planning built-ins or a pocket door means measuring, checking wall depth, locating studs, and thinking carefully about how the room functions. The biggest experience lesson is to live with the problem long enough to understand it. Do towels need a home? Are toiletries cluttering the vanity? Does the door block access? Is there space above the toilet? The right solution becomes clearer when you observe the daily traffic pattern instead of guessing from a pretty picture.
Outdoor projects bring a different kind of satisfaction. A porch refresh can change the mood of the entire house in an afternoon. Sweep, wash, prune, plant, paint, and add one cheerful accent. That is not just decorating; it is a reset button. Raised garden beds are slower but deeply rewarding. Building them takes effort, filling them takes more effort, and keeping plants alive requires attention. But watching a child pull a radish from the soil or seeing basil thrive beside the kitchen door can make the work feel surprisingly joyful.
The best experience-based advice is to choose projects based on energy level, budget, and season. March is ideal for planning, organizing, prepping, and starting manageable outdoor updates. Save major work for the right weather and the right weekend. Also, assume every project needs one more trip to the store than expected. This is not failure; it is the ancient rhythm of DIY.
Finally, remember that home improvement is not a race. Remodelaholic’s March 2019 review is inspiring because it celebrates progress in many forms: a drawer made useful, a wall made smarter, a porch made brighter, and a garden made possible. That is the heart of DIY. You are not just changing the house. You are making it easier, warmer, prettier, and more genuinely yours.
Conclusion
Remodelaholic Month in Review: March 2019 remains a helpful snapshot of spring-ready DIY thinking. It blended practical organization, smart storage, small-space remodeling, curb appeal, upcycling, garden planning, and family-friendly ideas into one energetic monthly recap. The best lesson is simple: improving a home does not always require a huge renovation. Sometimes the most meaningful changes are the ones that make everyday life smoother.
Whether you are organizing a baking drawer, planning bathroom built-ins, considering a pocket door, refreshing the porch, or building your first raised garden bed, the March 2019 Remodelaholic spirit still applies. Start where life feels messy. Use what you have when possible. Invest effort where function and beauty overlap. And never underestimate the motivational power of spring sunshine, labeled containers, and a freshly painted front door.
