Story Land Tips & Tricks (from Long-Time Season Pass Holders) - New Hampshire

We’ve been going to Story Land for forever it seems - I went yearly as a child back in the 80’s and 90’s, and now we’ve been season pass holders for the last 10 years. This may be our last year as season pass holders as our kids are getting too old to make Story Land trips a regular occurrence, but we’ve learned a lot over the years and I thought I would share some of our tips, tricks, and hacks with you. | This post is not sponsored. Contains personal opinion/reviews and affiliate links |

Disclaimer: This post shares opinions and tips based on our personal experiences. Please be aware that you may encounter things differently and things are subject to change. Please do your own research.

Story Land is a family-focused story book themed amusement park in Glen, NH.

Consider Season Passes

If you’re a New Hampshire local (like us), or come up to the area at least 2-3x a year, Season Passes are definitely the way to go! They can pay for themselves in just two visits. Make sure to pay attention to levels of passes when purchasing as some have blackout dates and some have different perks - like discounts for food, merchandise, free “Buddy Passes,” or tickets to Living Shores Aquarium next door. It’s also really nice not feel pressure to do or see it all when we’re at Story Land because we know we can catch something next time; it gives us a lot of flexibility to just come for a few hours when we want.
PRO TIP: Buy season passes ahead of time for the following season on Black Friday! That’s typically when prices are lowest.

Buy Day Tickets Ahead (if not Season Pass Holders)

If possible, NEVER buy tickets at the gate - always buy ahead online. Buying ahead gives you the best deal on day tickets. Sometimes they can be be 50% or more off depending on current offers, though you may have to buy a week or more in advance to get the best deal.

“Final Three = Next Day Free!”**

Story Land often has a promotion where if you first enter the park in the final 3 hours of operation you can come back the next day for free! This is a great way to get some extra time in the park, especially if you’re from out of the area and staying in a hotel locally.
**NOTE: We have seen this offer come and go over the years — some years they offer it, some years they don’t. Do your research and confirm with customer service in writing if they are currently honoring that offer and how best to use it with dated tickets before you try to use it.

Paid Parking

New last year, Story Land is now asking you pay to park in certain lots (namely the ones surrounding the park), though free parking is included with Season Passes. Parking across the street in the dirt lot is still free and there is a pedestrian tunnel under the road to safely cross. (Personal note: I am really disappointed about this change - I don’t think they should be charging for parking.)

Bag Policy

Make sure to check Story Land’s bag policy before coming. It’s new in the last few years, but be prepared for security to check your bags on the way in and limitations on the size of bags brought in (exceptions can be made for diaper bags or medical supplies). And just like before, Story Land still does not allow glass bottles/containers or hard sided coolers brought in.

Now that I don't need a diaper bag these days I pack light and simple - a Lululemon Belt Bag with wallet, phone, keys, and hand sanitizer. That's really all you need and it's small enough to wear on almost all rides.

Story Land is Cash-Free

Starting a few years ago Story Land became a cash-free park. This means they ONLY accept credit card/debit cards for payments at all places (food, gift shops, concession stands, etc) in the park - so make sure to bring your plastic with you ;) If you forget or don’t have a credit card, there are machines in the parks that can transfer cash onto pre-paid gift cards that can be used instead.

Pack a Lunch

This is an easy way to save big if you come frequently - make sure to pack your lunch to avoid paying for over priced food and drinks in the park. You can leave your lunch cooler in your car and go out* and have a “parking lot picnic” (*don’t forget to get your hand stamped on the way out so you can re-enter the park!) or you can bring your lunch into the park with you as long as it fits in with Story Land’s bag policy and doesn’t contain glass containers. When our youngest was a baby we used to always eat our lunch on the train - that way the baby could take her time finishing her bottle while my oldest ate her sandwich and no one felt like we were missing out on anything - we’d just ride the train in circles until everyone was done.

Consider Baby Wearing Over a Stroller

I have been doing Story Land for years - with babies, pregnant, not pregnant, with toddlers, with pre-teens, etc. - and I am solidly in the camp “no stroller.” Personally I find it so much easier to just have everything on my person and not have to worry about watching a stroller or coming back for a stroller if we decide to get off at a different train stop, etc - and not to mention it’s much easier navigating crowds and the giant hill in the middle of the park (which is avoidable if you choose to go around - but it’s a nice shortcut) without a stroller. Story Land also isn’t a huge park, it’s very walkable and doable without a stroller for most people. I always wore our baby/toddler in a front carrier and then carried a backpack as a diaper bag that had all the essentials - diapers, lunch, bottles, etc. Obviously everyone has their own preferences and if you decide to use a stroller or wagon that’s totally fine but this is what I found to be the best for our family in this park.

Plenty to Do and See with Infants or While Pregnant

If you’re pregnant or have an infant it will limit what you can do - no rollercoasters or thrill rides for example. However there is still a reasonable amount of things to see and do - make sure to check the ride information boards at each ride to see if it’s suitable for infants or pregnant women and obviously use your best judgement and advice from your doctors on what you can/can’t do. It’s better to play it safe.

Walk Up to Cinderella’s Castle, Then Ride Down

This is a simple tip I’ve realized over the years - WALK UP to Cinderella’s Castle, and then ride the Pumpkin Coach DOWN. Most people feel the need to ride up to Cinderella’s Castle to get the full effect, but if you don’t mind doing it a little backwards you can walk up to the Castle (over a really pretty bridge, mind you), meet Cinderella, and then get in line to ride the Pumpkin Coach back down. The line at the top to ride back down is almost always considerably shorter than the line at the bottom to ride up - and often there isn’t even a line at the top at all!

Take Your Own Picture with Cinderella

At Cinderella’s Castle you can stand in line to meet her and get your photo taken by a staff photographer, which is available for purchase afterwards at a little desk by the exit. Thankfully though you can take your own cell phone photo while you’re there and aren’t obligated to buy the Story Land photo which is rather expensive.

The Roar-O-Saurus is ROUGH

The Roar-O-Saurus is the wooden rollercoaster in the back of the park; it has highest height requirement of all the rides at Story Land and is meant for older kids and adults. It’s a great wooden roller coaster and quite thrilling - but be warned it’s ROUGH riding it. The ride is very jolting and “jittery.” There are signs on the loading dock warning you to take everything out of your pockets and leave it in cubbies on the platform because they will be shaken out (my husband can attest to that… his wallet shook right out of his pants pocket once!). They even have a white board tally behind the operator logging how many items have been lost so far that season on the ride.
(Personal Note: Unfortunately this ride hurts my neck so I don’t ride it.)

Pack Your Swimsuit for Moo Lagoon

New in the last few years is Moo Lagoon - a splash pad/water slide park located where the old Oceans of Fun splash pad was. If you’d like to take advantage of Moo Lagoon make sure to wear or bring your swimsuit to change into. Appropriate swim wear without buckles or anything that can “catch” is needed to use the water slides - and they don’t allow you to wear glasses of any kind on the waterslides, including eyeglasses.
One thing to note is that the entrance stairs to the three tallest slides is outside of the main Moo Lagoon area. This makes it tricky to always have eyes on your little ones so keep that in mind.

Don’t Sleep on the Live Shows!

The live shows at Story Land are always fun too - there’s usually several different shows a day, throughout the day. They have musical shows with live singing, a farm follies show with characters and animatronics, Daniel Tiger shows, and more. In past years they used to have a magician show which we really enjoyed (and I hope they’ll bring back again). Make sure to check the schedule to see what shows are when. The shows can be great for downtime and cooling off in the AC on hot days too!

Add-On Experiences

Story Land also offers some add-on experiences like a Character Breakfast or Tea with Cinderella. These are booked and paid for in addition to your day ticket or Season Pass. We’ve done the Cinderella Tea with both of our kids and even packed play dress-up princess dresses for them to put on over their clothes for the tea party. It was definitely a cute experience to give them when they were younger and the Cinderella Tea was pretty reasonably priced in my opinion. (We haven’t done the Character Breakfast yet.)

Be Wary of Rain Park Closure

Years ago Story Land would sometimes close the park early for really bad weather - I’m talking like lighting and hail kind of weather. These days they seem to close the park a lot more often due to weather - sometimes just for what seems like moderate rain. This is something to keep in mind when you make your trip there - if it’s a rainy day there is the possibility the park will close early. The good news is that if the park does close early you should be able to request a rain check ticket to come back another day - make sure to stop into Customer Service and ask.

Happy Hauntings

New last year was Happy Hauntings which are special themed weekends in October. They offer trick-or-treating, seasonal food offerings for purchase at the concession stands, seasonal decor, a new themed live show, and some rides open. We went once last year during Happy Hauntings and it was very cute and our kids had fun but we felt as though the ride offerings were extremely limited — personally I don’t think I would buy day tickets to the event because you’d miss out on so many rides that are closed for the season, but as a Season Pass Holder it was a fun way to end our season.

Disclaimer: This post shares opinions and tips based on our personal experiences. Please be aware that you may encounter things differently and things are subject to change. Please do your own research.

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PERFECT FIT Oval Frames for Disney World Silhouettes - on Amazon!

We recently came back from the most amazing and magical trip to Disney World! It was our family’s first trip and we had such a wonderful time and learned so much along the way (separate blog post coming soon to share more on all that we learned). One of my top must-dos for the trip was to get a silhouette portrait of our girls done as a souvenir. | This post contains affiliate links |

At the time of writing this post, they currently have Silhouette Artists at Magic Kingdom and at Disney Springs. We tried twice at Magic Kingdom to get them done but the first time we went was towards the end of the day and the line was long and our kids were tuckered out so we had to skip that day. The second time we went to Magic Kingdom during the middle of the day and it was a success - a short line that moved fast and it was so amazing to watch the Silhouette Artist work! The subject sits in a chair across from the artist (many artists can also work from a side view picture if it’s a good one - they can even do pet portraits this way), and then they get to work snipping the paper with sharp little scissors. They cut two sheets of paper at once and you end up with two sets of portraits (mirror imaged). The artist did both our kids within minutes and it’s a perfect likeness to them, I was so impressed!

Afterwards when it's time to pay you have the option to buy the frames there if you would like. I had every intention of buying oval frames there but at the time they were sold out of ovals and only had rectangular frames which I just wasn't interested in. So we got our silhouettes to-go in a little gift bag (tip: it would be a good idea to bring a large ziplock bag to protect the silhouettes a little more).

When it came time to pack up and go home at the end of the week I was actually very thankful we didn't buy the frames in Disney - we traveled with carry-ons only and there was no way we would have had room for the frames in our carry-ons.

| Oval Frames that fit Disney World Silhouettes (they also come in other colors too!) |

Once we got home I shopped around online to find oval frames that fit the silhouettes. After reading a lot of mixed reviews I ordered several different frames to find the one that fit best. After some trial and error I found the PERFECT FIT oval frames for the Disney World Silhouettes right on Amazon - and they come as a set of two! It was meant to be ;)

I recommend taking out the plexiglass piece and using that as a guide to trace and cut out your silhouette to fit in the frame (I did not use the oval mat that came with the frame - and don’t forget to remove the protective plastic film from both sides of the plexiglass). It worked perfectly for us! We kept one portrait for ourselves and gave the other one to the grandparents as a thank you for house sitting for us. It’s such a special souvenir that we’ll treasure!

Disclaimer: I found that these frames fit the Silhouettes we got this year (Fall, 2024) at Disney World perfectly. I would think they should also fit the Silhouettes from Disneyland and Disney Springs too, but I cannot confirm that because I haven’t tried it yet myself.

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Are Stanley Tumblers Worth It? My Honest Opinion

I finally did it… I jumped on the Stanley Tumbler bandwagon. The 40oz Stanley Tumbler cups are the “it” accessory at the moment and seen everywhere. But the big question is, are they worth it? In my opinion, yes… and no. Let me explain. | This post is not sponsored but contains affiliate links and an honest opinion of products |

| 40oz Stanley Tumbler in "Flint" |

First, I’ll share the reasons why I think you should *not* get one:

• You already have a straw tumbler. So many of us already have another brand tumbler and we really don’t need another one just because this style is popular at the moment. If your current tumbler is doing it’s job just fine then don’t bother jumping on this bandwagon and save your money.

• It’s HEAVY. Really heavy. At 40oz when this tumbler is full it is super heavy - it’s really not practical to carry around all day like you see those influencers on Instagram doing.

Now why I think you *should* get one:

• You're in need of a straw tumbler. I actually was in need to upgrade my old tumbler. My old straw tumbler was 10(!) years old and not insulated... I was tired of it leaving condensation marks on our coffee table and it never kept my water cold for long.
• You like your beverages cold (or hot). While I haven't tried my new Stanley Tumbler with hot beverages yet, I'm very impressed how it keeps things cold super long. I'll take a sip of water the next morning and it's still nice and cold from the day before!
• You keep your beverage at your desk or in your car. The large size isn't an issue if you tend to leave your cup in the same place for long periods of time. I typically leave my tumbler on the kitchen counter or on the coffee table and constantly sip it throughout the day so the large size wasn't a problem for me. This cup also fits nicely in our car's cupholders.
• You're trying to increase your water consumption. If you're looking drink more water, this large cup definitely helps get it done.

Overall - I am happy I jumped on the Stanley Tumbler bandwagon. I don't condone buying the "it" thing everytime if you don't need it, but if you are actually in need of a straw tumbler I have been very happy with my Stanley one.

Maine Rope Mats

We’ve been long-time fans and customers of Maine Rope Mats - they are rugged, functional, and add some New England nautical flair to your home. Our mats have held up beautifully to years of harsh New England weather - sun, snow, and mud. Maine Rope Mats was kind enough to send us a few of their new products for us to style and share about.
| This post contains an honest review of product provided by Maine Rope Mats |

At Home in the Woods as well as on the Seacoast

Maine Rope Mats definitely have a nautical vibe to them (they are made from lobster-style ropes after all), but nevertheless they fit right in at a cabin in the woods as well as at a cape on the cape.

We love mixing and matching the mats with other accessories too - like their Maine Rope Baskets. These rugged baskets would be perfect for holding a potted plant, gardening tools, or flip flops and towels for a walk down to the lake.

Wipe Your Paws

These mats also hold up well to our four-legged friends too - just make sure to wipe your paws before coming in the cabin! (PS - Maine Rope Mats also makes awesome dog leashes from soft but strong yacht braid rope. Those are definitely next on our wishlist.)

Perfect for Play Too

Maine Rope Mats are also the perfect addition to a child’s play house - or a Hobbit’s house ;)
They add the perfect touch of whimsy and help keep sand and mud from getting tracked inside.

Here’s a pro-tip for all you campers out there: pack a Maine Rope Mat to put in front of your tent door. It really makes a huge difference in reducing the amount of mud and wood chips that get tracked into the tent. It also makes a great spot for the pup to hang out too.

We’re long-time fans of Maine Rope Mats are looking forward to many more years enjoying our rugged and stylish mats!

KEEP UP WITH MAINE ROPE MATS

| Website | Instagram | Facebook |

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- I received these items for review from Maine Rope Mats but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please see our full Disclosure Policy for more information -   

The Biggest Money-Saving, Eco-Friendly Change We've Made During Quarantine

Being home 24/7 and trying to limit grocery trips and ordering really makes you evaluate how quickly you’re going through supplies in your home. With two little kids, paper products were something we were blowing through and made me wonder how we could change this for the better. | This post is not sponsored but does contain affiliate links |

Now when I say "paper products" in this post I'm talking about paper towels and paper napkins. To greatly reduce our usage of these things we made the switch to reusable "unpaper" towels and aren't looking back.
(And before you ask... yes, reusable toilet paper/wipes do exist too - but that's not for us, though if the toilet paper shortage continues who knows...).

“Unpaper” towels are cloths that you can use like paper towels but wash and reuse for a long time. You could really use just about any kind of cloth - wash cloths, tea towels, cloth napkins, pieces of flannel, etc. Hopefully you have something around the house already that you can use, but if you don’t and decide to purchase some we’ve found them to be worth the investment. For the price of a large package of throw-away paper towels, you can purchase of set of reusable ones that will last you a very, very long time and will eventually pay for themselves.

We thought about just using our current dishtowels but we use them regularly already for dishes and big spills (which happen a lot with two small kids). We were primarily looking for something smaller that would function like a paper towel and also wouldn’t fill our washing machine quickly (something else to consider), which is why we settled on these modestly-sized, organic bamboo cloths.

Some people will roll them on a paper towel holder and use them in place of ALL paper towels, completely eliminating paper towels in their home. For our household we decided to fold them and place them in a basket on our counter, next to our roll of paper towels. That way we’d be constantly reminded to grab a cloth instead of a paper towel whenever we had to wipe a dirty face or sticky fingers, but we’d still have paper towels at the ready if we really needed them. I even hung a little note over the paper towel holder to remind us to use less of them.

Since starting this system we’ve cut down on our paper towel usage big time. This has saved us money on our grocery bill and we feel like we’ve made a positive long-term change that’s more eco-friendly.

Cleaning Unpaper Towels: I hung a small mesh laundry bag on the doorknob of our laundry closet, which is conveniently right off the kitchen, to toss the used unpaper towels in to be washed. Whenever I start a load of laundry, I just throw the mesh bag in with the rest of the washing. You could also easily hang a mesh bag or small basket on the inside of a cupboard door with a Command Hook too if that is a more convenient spot.

Hopefully I’ve inspired you to find a reusable, money-saving solution to something in your home like we have found unpaper towels to be for us.

This post is not sponsored but contains my personal opinion as well as affiliate links.

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• Cloth Face Mask Organization and Storage

• How We Turned a Coat Closet into a Functional, Organized Pantry (Perfect for storing extra groceries during the pandemic)

• General Emergency Preparedness Tips and Ideas

• Remote Learning + Homeschooling: Tips and Supplies

• Preparing to Homeschool

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Relaxing with Hug Patrol + GIVEAWAY!

Today there’s always so much stress in our daily lives. That’s why it’s more important than ever to make time for yourself to relax and reset yourself after a long, tense day. After hearing so many great things about weighted wraps and blankets, I was so excited when Lynne from NH-based Hug Patrol reached out to me to give one a try. | This post contains an honest review of product provided by Hug Patrol |

I don’t know about you, but I hold ALL my tension in my shoulders and neck. Whenever I feel stressed or have a lot going on my shoulders get tense and I can feel them creeping up, getting tighter and tighter. Using Hug Patrol's 3lb Calm Wrap has really helped me release the tension in my shoulders. I’ve found it to be a really comfortable weight that gently rests on my shoulders and reminds me to relax my shoulders down and drop the tension.

I also love that it can be heated (in microwave) or cooled (in freezer) to help with relaxation or muscle aches. A really interesting fact that Lynne shared with me was that her wraps are made with 100% USA-sourced heavy duck cotton and food grade flax seed, while many competitor wraps are made with polyester-fleece (polyester is made from plastic and omits potentially harmful compounds when heated). I had never thought about that before but it definitely brought up a great point! I certainly feel better about heating it in our microwave where we also heat our food too.

I really love the Calm Wrap’s ergonomic U-shape - it’s perfect for wearing around my shoulders while I’m reading, relaxing, or working on my computer. I feel like it would be great on a long trip too!
The quality is also incredible - from the thickness of the fabric to the sewing, you can tell it’s very well made - and the sectioned off design keeps the weight distributed evenly no matter how you wear it.

Hug Patrol offers a wide range of comforting products including different sized/weighted wraps, lap blankets, blankets, eye-pillows, socks, mitts, and more. Some also have the option of being scented with real lavender. They even offer products with antimicrobial covers to be used in multi-user settings like hospitals, rehab centers, spas, yoga studios, etc.

Keep Up with Hug Patrol

| Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Also can be found locally at Whole Foods in Bedford NH, Nashua NH, and Westford MA |

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GIVEAWAY!

Hug Patrol was kind enough to give a Calm Wrap to a follower too! To enter, please head on over to my Instagram (@birchlandinghome) or Facebook and look for the Giveaway post - enter on both Instagram and Facebook to increase your chances!

Giveaway ends 2/4/20 at 5PM EST - Winner chosen at random. Continental USA only.

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- I received this item for review from Hug Patrol but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please see our full Disclosure Policy for more information -   

Educational, Sustainable Toys by Lovevery

We’re making more of an effort to be more conscious about what we buy our kids - less plastic “junk” that they will quickly loose interest in and more toys that are educational and encourage open-ended play. I was so excited when I stumbled across Lovevery - a company that is passionate about making educational and sustainably made heirloom toys for babies and young children. | This post contains an honest review of product provided by Lovevery |

We received The Block Set from Lovevery right before Christmas and thought it would make the most perfect gift for our two-and-a-half year old. Lately with Christmas, birthdays, and other holidays we’ve been striving for “quality” over “quantity” for gifts - buying only thoughtful toys and books that will be enjoyed for a long time. This block set fit that requirement perfectly! We opted for a simple red ribbon to wrap it for Christmas morning and let our kids start enjoying it right away.

What was I most impressed about with The Block Set? The quality and the variety of blocks that it came with! Everything is solid, sustainably-harvested wood which has been finished with brightly colored water-based non-toxic paints. There are 70+ pieces, and 18 different shapes and tools including little people with different skin tones. It even comes with an activity guide and planks which I haven’t seen in other block sets, making for lots of fun building and game opportunities (think bridges, houses, dominoes, and more)!

Our two year old (and six year old)’s favorite feature of The Block Set? How the storage box turns into a car! The circle blocks have recessed magnets which connect to dowels that can be threaded through the box, making for a very sturdy and easy-to-build car. Every day since Christmas she has pulled this car all around our house collecting blocks, dolls, dog toys, and whatever else she can find!

Another innovative feature of The Block Set is how the lid is also designed as a shape sorter, allowing for little ones to learn organization, as well as shape and spatial recognition. Lovevery consults with experts so their toys are designed to help promote cognitive and motor skill development as well as encourage pretend play.

And as a mom, I love that it also came with a cute gingham drawstring bag for flexible storage or quick pick-ups!

Lovevery has lots of other amazing, heirloom-quality toys and products as well - including play gyms, pull and push toys, and age-based subscription boxes for little ones from birth-24 months. I wish Lovevery had been around when our kids were first born - their subscription boxes are definitely something I would have loved to do for them! Everything I have seen from Lovevery is thoughtful and high-quality, and I honestly recommend them highly (and no, exceptionally high praise isn't something I normally throw around!). If you’re looking for something unique and thoughtful for your little one or as a gift, definitely check out Lovevery.

- I received this item for review from Lovevery but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please see our full Disclosure Policy for more information -   

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DIY Potting Bench - Based on Plans by Ana White

I’ve been wanting a potting bench for a while now - something by the back door to display some decor, use as an outdoor work station, and double as a place for UPS to leave packages. After looking around online and at local stores, I couldn’t find anything that I liked that fit the narrow space - so I did what any #woodworkingmom would do, I decided to build it myself. | This post is not sponsored but does contain affiliate links |

{ Note: The plans I worked from were from Ana White and can be found HERE }

I came across these Ana White plans for a Simple Potting Bench on Pinterest and thought it was perfect! It was exactly the simple, rugged style I was looking for and easy to tailor to our space too. Most of the wood needed were 2x4’s, which are sturdy and cheap - and thankfully between our garage and my father-in-law’s garage we had all the wood scraps I needed to piece together this project. Since I used leftover wood we already had, this project cost me nothing which was pretty amazing!

Since I only used what wood we had on hand, I had to make do - some of the wood was pressure-treated, some was not, some had knot holes or gashes, and not all of it was “true” (straight). But that was fine by me as this was to be a rustic piece for outside.

Before I started building, I followed Ana White’s “cut list,” cutting and making piles of all the wood in the dimensions I would need to build the project. I carefully chose the lumber for each section to minimize how the knot holes, gashes, or crooked pieces would be seen in the final piece. For our potting bench I made it 4 inches narrower so it would fit against the small wall next to our back door and because of this I had to adjust my cut list and refigure some of the overall dimensions.

The next step was constructing the shelves individually - attaching the outer planks first, checking for square, then spacing out the middle planks and attaching them. To build this whole project I used an Impact Driver, which made the entire project go much quicker and easier.

To attach the legs, I laid the project on it’s side and carefully measured the distances between the legs as well as up the legs before attaching the shelves to makes sure everything would be as level and as square as possible.

Finally to make the project look more “finished” I added some wood scraps to the sides of the project to conceal the butt ends of the shelves and make it look a little more polished.

I also decided to add some 1x3”s to the front of the shelves to make it look a little more polished from the front as well. (I did not counter-sink these screws, but I should have as they were more noticeable than I was expecting in the finished piece.)

Then came time for painting - I chose to paint the whole potting bench in several coats of my favorite Valspar Stainblocking Bonding Primer/Sealer. This stuff has great coverage and really covers and seals well. My one regret was not giving all the wood pieces a single coat of paint before assembling - as once everything was assembled it was a huge pain to get in all the nooks and crannies.

Finally I finished the project by adding a few little hooks underneath the shelf (very similar hooks linked here), from which I can hang tools or decor. I’m really happy with how this came out and how quickly it came together. I can’t wait to decorate it with some plants come next spring!

PS - I’m thinking this potting bench would also be great for parties and BBQ’s! It would be perfect on a patio or deck as a makeshift buffet table.

UPDATE: Spring, 2020

Just wanted to give a quick update after I made the potting bench last Fall: Over winter we decided to store it in our shed, just so we wouldn’t have to snow blow and shovel around it all winter, but as soon as the threat of snow passed in early Spring we brought it right back out. It’s been wonderful to have for planting and working on outside this spring, and due to the current Pandemic situation we’re getting more packages than ever so it’s great to have a designated spot for deliveries (and right in view of our security camera too).

For decor right now I'm keeping it very simple, especially since the potting bench is utilized daily for mail - there's just a garden rock, a metal barn star (hung from a special hook that doesn't damage vinyl siding), and a small potted lavender plant with an American flag - all items we already had around our house.

Summer, 2020 - sharing another little decor update for the potting bench:

I found this weathered piece of wood in our scrap bin and thought it would make a cute sign for the potting bench. I used my Cricut Machine to design and cut a stencil that said "Fresh Cut Flowers 5¢" and used it to paint the sign. I think it looks cute and it's a great finishing touch!

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