One Year In

One year ago this month we moved into a fixer upper.  I have logged close to ten thousand hours watching HGTV episodes so I figured I was totally prepared for the overhaul.

Note to self, it takes longer than an hour to redo a kitchen. Even after one year in to this journey it still feels like we are plugging away on projects without being any closer to a finished house.

After living with with plywood for counter tops, the realities of a full home overhaul began to set in. It was about that time I first shared with you my long list of projects. if only to reassure myself that I would soon be checking these projects off with a quick click of the mouse. If only getting them actually finished was that easy!

But alas, our counter tops were just installed last month and the yard looks like it has never been touched (it has!).

So for my own sanity, it is time to revisit my original to do list and hopefully cross a few things off the list. I plan to reread this post often on those days when the projects seem never ending! Progress has been made!

All the before pictures were taken while we were in escrow.

Front Yard

• paint and remove shutters
• replace aluminum windows with double pane windows
• change the size of small rectangle bathroom window to make it look more updated
• Install 2 gates on each side of the yard
• make driveway smaller and replace with greenery on both sides
• take down chain link fence and gate
• build retaining wall to expand front yard
• add planter to the top of the driveway in front of the house to soften the house and add privacy
• add exterior lighting, mailbox and house numbers
• remove old, random cable wires
• repair rain gutters
• plant shade tree in front yard

I know it looks like nothing has been done since the original update last year, but see that white gate in the right corner of the photo.Yes, that is new!

We, and by we I mean my husband, has done a lot of back breaking work that doesn’t get fully conveyed in photos. As it turns out concrete is a lot harder to demo than drywall, trust me on this one. It is nothing like our 1 day demo of the kitchen walls.

In case you need convincing not to try it on your own, here is just 1 of the 7 truckloads hauled out from the yard. This pic is via Instagram, I am at @space4living if  you want to follow along.

Backyard

• remove palm trees and plant small fruit trees on small slope
• take down antenna
• create proper drainage for the east side of house
• repair support for neighbor’s fence
• build new fence on west side of the yard
• take out old tree roots
• install sprinkler system and grass
• build patio cover one day
• update AC unit and create a screen to hide it

Please note the new fence, lack of palm trees and giant antenna missing from the foreground because other then that I know it looks worse. One highlight is our friend Charlie the dog who was visiting us for the day. Hi Charlie!

Kitchen & Dining Room

• demolish old kitchen
• install new white cabinets and appliances
• install cork floors
• decide on material for counter tops and get installed
• install under cabinet lights
• hire electrician to install outlet for microwave cord
• add quarter round at the base of cabinets to cover space between cork floors
• install cabinet hardware
• install light above sink
• re-install crown molding above garage door
• decide on a curtain solution for sink window
• buy bar stools
• add counter supports for breakfast bar on the island
• caulk and touch up paint on baseboards, actually we have to do this in all the rooms
• finish venting microwave to attic
• DIY chandelier (like this glass bubble chandelier or this mason jar chandelier) for above dining table
• hang curtains cut apart left curtain using this trick from Young House Love since I only have one panel for each window
• continue reclaimed wood around the side of the island (tutorial coming soon)
• Install new entry light

Okay here is where it gets fun. Three cheers for new counter tops! And if you ever need any tips about living with plywood and contact paper as your counter tops, just shoot me a line. It is not as bad as I thought, plus very customizable for a few buck at Target.

Living Room

• remove wall to open up living space
• replace sliders with French door
• add new crown molding and baseboards
• scrap and re-texture popcorn ceilings
• add door for utility crawl space in skylight
• paint upper part of skylights
• clean fireplace and possibly paint bricks white
• paint French door, they are still just primed
• hang art
• figure out a good layout for the furniture, maybe a new couch (coming in 2 weeks!)
• have the large carpet cut and edges bound so it looks like a real rug
• maybe add shelves or a bookshelf somewhere in the room

Hall

• take out hall closet to expand girls’ bedroom
• install cork floors
• install baseboards around AC intake vent
• add art or a gallery wall
• paint door frames
• upgrade light
• build a book shelf in random open space of hall linen closet
• put up carbon monoxide and smoke detector
• upgrade hardware on doors
• change out bedroom doors for 6 panel doors
• Make new cabinet doors for upper shelves of linen closet

At the end of the hall there are two linen closets. Unfortunately this is the best “before” picture of the strange opening with no shelves or cabinet doors. Notice the cabinet doors above the giant  are uneven and practically falling off their hinges.

I love the bookshelves we added using this tutorial from Bower Power. It houses a mixture of books and office supplies to make up for the loss storage space when I sadly had to downsize my large armoire desk. We still have to fabricate cabinet doors for the two upper shelves to conceal our stored papers and games.

Hall Bathroom

• tile bathtub
• install new vanity
• tile floor
• expand narrow door way
• install and center new sink and counters
• get tub overflow repaired
• upgrade bathroom fixtures
• paint
• paint medicine cabinet
• add baseboards
• install curtain rod
• install hardware on vanity
• take out crazy octopus light and install new lights flanking the mirror (temporary light is up now)
• hang up and frame mirror
• hang another piece of art above toilet

This bathroom has gone though the biggest change since my last update, maybe it is the stripes. Let’s just look at the previous progress picture.

Check out that octopus light.

Master Bedroom

• paint and install carpet
• paint and install closet doors
• remove random cable lines
• shorten ceiling fan
• DIY some type of headboard
• hang up curtains and replace paper blinds
• hang art
• build small desk to replace the large armoire (found a cheap one on craigslist to use for now)
• Buy new pillow shams so it is not so matchy, matchy.
• Maybe install crown molding down the road
• Update green dresser with stain or paint

Master Bath

• replace shower pan with tiled shower
• extend the size of the shower
• install new vanity
• tile floor
• expand narrow door way
• install upgraded sink and counter
• update lighting
• update and frame mirror
• paint framed mirror, maybe a dark gray to match counters, I’m still deciding
• upgrade bathroom fixtures
• paint
• install vanity hardware
• install sliding barn door for master bath
• eventually install glass shower door
• buy new trash can
• Install small shelves or vintage cabinet for extra storage

Girls’ Bedroom

• install carpet
• paint and install baseboards
• paint closet
• fix ceiling fan
• hang curtains re-hang curtains (it turns out dyed fabric fades quickly even when not in direct sunlight)
• hang art
• install shelf above girls’ beds
• fix drywall repair above bunk bed
• paint and install closet doors or explore different options

For more details about the girls’ room check out this post about downsizing.

Third Bedroom Nursery

• replace wood siding with drywall
• replace carpet
• paint and install baseboards
• paint closet
• finish unpacking the rest of the boxes
• paint and install closet doors
• fix ceiling fan
• come up with a general plan for the room overall
• hang curtains

For more details about bring the nursery together, check out my Baby on a Budget series here, here and here.

Garage

• recycle or dump demo trash
• get new water heater and platform
• craigslist a few items still left over from demo
• paint doors
• figure out solution for lighting, a light switch by the garage door
• add shelves and storage (we have only done this on one side)
• get new garage door opener
• install drywall
• create a laundry space and move washer and dryer next to each other
• sell, giveaway, or trash unused building materials (once all other projects are done, ha ha!)

There is some semblances of organization on the other side of the garage but we still have quite a ways to go in here.

To keep things in perspective, this is what my living room looks like right now, a tea party on the fireplace, school on the coffee table and baby paraphernalia strewn about.

Well lived in and perfectly unfinished  just as it should be. I often need to remind myself to enjoy the journey instead of getting so caught up in crossing the finish line.

In all honesty, I have been enjoying making this house our own…on most days. Watching HGTV is still more fun, though.

Any house renovations on your to-do list? or HGTV shows to get through?