This partnership is in partnership with Lowe’s Home Improvement. 

This season has been full of challenges and surprises… and most families are facing things they’ve never faced before! Our frontline heroes are leading the way in a lot of these challenges – which has left very little time for themselves and their families. We all have those neighbors and friends that are going that extra mile… a teacher, a healthcare worker, law enforcement… they are truly heroes to us during this crazy time!

I was so excited to partner with Lowe’s when I heard they were continuing their efforts to #buildthanks and recognize these leaders during this time. We all know how small acts of kindness can go a long way in brightening someone’s day!

I’ve seen firsthand the toll overtime/double shifts and the added stress of this time has affected my neighbors. Mandy is a nurse and a nursing instructor. She’s been switching from teaching to the hospital on a daily basis, filling in wherever needed… while her husband works overnight shifts in law enforcement.

Here is the before!

Mandy LOVES flowers. She’s been able to spend much less time in her yard this summer so I thought the perfect way to bring a smile to her face everyday was to spruce up her front porch with beautiful flowers.

Adding flowers and greenery to a front porch is the number one easiest thing to do to make it instantly more inviting! Mums are in season and I love how they can instantly add color and warmth. I chose a variety of oranges and reds for a fall feel!

I also grabbed some smaller Arborvitae to add some greenery to the front porch. Mandy will easily be able to take these after the season and plant them somewhere in the yard since they will grow quite a bit larger.

An easy way to add height to plants/planters is to add rock or mulch… mulch ways less than rocks and was easier to transport so I built these up with some mulch at the bottom of these taller planters.

• 

• 

• 

Updated lights are also a good way to spruce up a front porch, but they did not have any on the exterior. I really wanted something at eye level so I had an idea to build a fun house number planter!

This was such a fun and easy DIY project (less than 2 hours) and cost around $50! All the details on how I built this can be found on the Lowe’s website here!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The final step was adding in some fall decor! I found the perfect striped rug and fall wreath to add some final touches and within a few hours, my neighbors had a beautiful new front porch to come home to each day!

What a difference right?

Let’s do a before and after!

• 

• 

Overall, this was such a fun and easy way to spend an afternoon that made a huge difference for someone else. We all want beautiful places in our home and sometimes we just can’t find the time to give a space a little TLC.

Follow along for all the behind the scenes of this makeover… and make sure pay it forward! Do you have a neighbor that might deserve a small token of appreciation?

Here’s Mandy! She said her favorite part about her new front porch is “EVERYTHING!”. I encourage you to pay it forward this season and surprise your neighbor or a deserving friend with a small act of kindness!