I started with a list, an increasingly long list that grew as I looked around my house. “Where do I begin?” I asked myself. I quickly realized I needed to prioritize my list. My fear was starting a whole bunch of projects and not finishing any of them. A pet peeve of mine is walking into a house and seeing a ton of unfinished projects or improper paint jobs (you know when the red paint like runs onto the white adjoining wall). I don’t ever want to be that person.
So I started prioritizing my list and setting deadlines. Deadlines ensured I’d stay on task and in my mind, reduce the likelihood of ongoing, unfinished tasks. I set deadlines around major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas and my birthday. And to further ensure its completion, I planned mini milestone celebrations. For example, I knew I wanted to host my next birthday party at my house. So I started with the projects that were must completes for the party.
1st things 1st…know your limitations. That being said, don’t be afraid to tackle something new and challenging because at the end of the day the rewards are magnificent. But a licensed electrician and plumber are critical and necessary. Structural changes require a licensed contractor. And before taking down any
walls Know The Facts: What’s behind it i.e. electrical, plumbing and HVAC and or is it a load bearing wall. Certain changes may require a permit, so always check with your local building office before starting any major project.
I had no plans on changing the actual floor plan of my house. I wasn’t removing any walls and structurally, my house was sound based upon formal inspection. That being said, I did however, need to paint – everything. A fresh coat of paint is the quickest way to brighten up and freshen an otherwise dismal or dingy space. The rooms included my bedroom, the kitchen, den and half bath. I started with my master bedroom and closet. The contractor did the flooring previously. He installed a pre-engineered hardwood flooring throughout the first floor. I painted the ceiling and the walls and traded the hideous origami paper shades for a more suitable and permanent window treatment. I wanted to make the bedroom comfortable so that when I was done working on other rooms I could go to my bedroom and have it be a sanctuary. But it was going to take a little more than paint and window treatments to turn that room into a refuge….
Original:
The Change:
(I can’t call this an After picture yet; this is a complete disaster zone. I mean even though in the original picture the bed was a top two book cases turned on its side, it was at clean and organized…sorta.)
Now I must apologize for the picture quality. At the time I took these pictures, with my old
phone, it was meant to be a reference for design and space planning
purposes. I would have NEVER thought
they’d ever been seen by another living soul or posted to the web for that
matter. Needless to say, this was no sanctum. This is just too real. My Bedroom is a mess…My dirty little secret.
There was no order. Or I’m just incredibly junky. Ah, it could be a little bit of both. I started thinking how could I solve this, bring order; create organization and storage for my office stuff, clothing and just plain relaxation. I needed this space to work for a multitude of reasons. I needed storage and multi-use solutions to make use of every nook and cranny. And while my closet floors looked great, my closet was largely unusable.
The wire racks were falling apart and coming out of the wall because it wasn’t screwed into any studs or anchors. There wasn’t enough usable space for my
clothes let alone shoes. I couldn’t store my clothes on my bed or under it forever.
The Solution: Create a closet system and a wall unit for my master bedroom and master closet.
Problem: oh yea…no money…. well very little money.
So many of you that follow me on on my blog and social media know that I’ve been working on redesigning my dining room. It literally started projects here and there in my dining room a year ago… Yep. I’m said that…A YEAR AGO. I should be embarrassed. LOL BUT I’m not. It’s a side effect…
Hey Toolbox Divas!!! How have you guys been? I feel like I’ve been gone for way too long. But I’m back and kicking off my latest room makeover. I’ve decided to take on the project of redoing my dining room. This has been on my list since the first day I moved in to my…
So I finally did it…I just couldn’t take it anymore. It was painful…the walls…the blue tiled walls were closing in on me. I came home one day after work and I went out into my garage and that’s when it happened. I saw “Big Zeek” (yep…that’s right, my hammer has a dude’s name) laying out…
“Home Sweet Home”, or I guess that’s how the saying goes. I finally had a house, and that made me elated after being stuck in homeowner limbo. I realized instantly going into this purchase that some serious changes needed to be made! Nobody wants to work all day, plugging away tirelessly at their 9-5 job…
For those of you that have been reading my blog and following along, (Thank you!) you know the challenges I’ve been facing in the kitchen. My kitchen started out as this blue dungeon. I was stuck in a state of “Smurfdom.” I hated my kitchen. It lacked order; functionality, but most of all, it lacked appeal. Lets face it…It was ugly!…
Last time we talked I shared with you the state of my backyard when I first moved into my house. It started off an absolute chaotic mess with corn stalk and chicken wires every where. After months of painstaking work I’d gotten my yard to resemble a yard again, only to face a ginormous setback…
2 Comments
I’m thinking of writing a blog post in response. Would you mind if I url to your website from my article?
I’m thinking of writing a blog post in response. Would you mind if I url to your website from my article?
No its fine.