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.
Hey Y’all, last week I was so happy to share with you my new dining room table that I built using plans by Jen Woodhouse. I teamed up with Jen from The House of Wood to make this lovely modern dining table. I have been working for sometime now to update my dining room. I’ll…
(New here or missed a post regarding my home remodel? Start HERE.) You know it’s been a while since I’ve updated you on my home remodel and I do apologize. I know where I left off I was trying to figure out how to organize my room and closet, revealing my Bedroom Secrets. And the fact of the matter…
You can do an entire bathroom makeover for less than $1000 without replacing your tub and flooring and you can do it all yourself! My DIY bathroom makeover was done primarily with paint and on a shoestring budget. This bathroom has been on the list to renovate since we moved in. Hello! The pink in…
So I started my dining room… Oooooo 800 years ago. So yeah, of course I’m kidding, But it was like a lifetime ago and it is driving me crazy. OK when you’re doing some sort of renovations or updates, and you’re doing it yourself, there are bound to be delays. In my case, there were…
Regular maintenance and repair works are a homeowner’s shortcut to long-term functionality, comfort, and increased market value of their property – but do you know how often you should roll up your sleeves and put in a bit of elbow grease to keep your home shipshape? To stay on top of home upkeep, every proud…
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…
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.