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Get to Work Katie

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So one of my goals this year was to finish some rooms.

It’s no secret that we have lived here for far too long with unfinished spaces.  I mean…it’s kinda like….duh….you might wanna move in Katie.  I could make a million excuses why…money, time, being pregnant for all of eternity….but the fact remains….I need to finish the dang rooms.  This year we had some unexpected surprises….um, yallow baby #4….and people living in our basement….so that definitely has delayed some things but I thought I would dive a little more into what we need to do to complete the rooms and get those reveals rolled out.

First…in our defense…we have done some things.  We cleared out the entire basement and completed the storage areas.  We have also made a functional laundry nook down there and installed most of a kitchen.  We still need to show you guys that laundry area and to finish the kitchen (I’m thinking of going with a planked backsplash…thoughts?!).  We also are near completion with the deck (if we can get dry weather that would be great thank you baby jesus amen) and then we did spruce up our sitting room.

But there are other areas on the list that need addressing so let’s consider this my master to-do list for 2015….of course, it’s subject to change at any moment….I am a female and I reserve the right to change my mind as the wind blows….also, these are in no particular order….

#1 – PLAYROOM

  • Sew simple curtain shades with playful fabric
  • Get prints into the frames
  • Add some storage for crafts or figure out how to get them out of there
  • Purchase and install kid friendly light fixture (ooooh shopping!)

#2 – GUEST ROOM

  • Build shelves for prints (DONE!  Gotta show ya!)
  • Hang mirror
  • Build valance for window
  • Hang crap on walls

#3  – THE BIG BOYS ROOM

  • Paint ceiling (DONE!  Gotta show ya!)
  • Paint walls (DONE!  Gotta show ya!)
  • Sew curtains (DONE!  Gotta show ya!)
  • Paint & attach bed slats
  • Make headboards
  • Hang mirror
  • Hang shelves
  • Hang more stuff on walls

#4 – THE LAUNDRY ROOM

  • Finish sanding & sealing countertops
  • Cut sink hole
  • Install sink & faucet
  • Build clothing slide-out basket thingie
  • Tile backsplash
  • Install hanging rod
  • Install drying rack
  • Hang more stuff on walls

#5 – THE DINING ROOM

  • Build giant-bootie storage unit
  • Purchase more carpet tiles
  • Buy two head chairs
  • Build wine storage
  • Clear out random furniture
  • Decorate it up

#6 – THE OFFICE

  • Replace curtains (maybe my sister would want the current ones?)
  • Buy rug
  • Organize fabrics better (purge? gift? get sewing?)

#7 – THE BASEMENT KITCHEN

  • Paint trim and ceiling (DONE!  Gotta show ya!)
  • Install lighting (DONE!  Gotta show ya!)
  • Install cabinets (DONE!  Gotta show ya!)
  • Install hardware & drawer liners
  • Make permanent counters with concrete
  • Tile/install backsplash
  • Install shelves
  • Paint walls

#8 – THE DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM

  • Remove sink and toilet and tile
  • Retile floor
  • Reinstall toilet
  • Plank nook behind vanity
  • Install vanity
  • Install new light/fan

Okay.  So that’s it.  Maybe I should add #9 – BABY…..number one task: still gotta come up with a name.   Also…my goal is four of these to be done by June….that’s two months….I might be crazy….but I think it’s doable.  Wish me luck….and if you want to make me feel better, you can always tell me the stars you are shooting for this year…aka the rooms you still need to finish.  2015 is our year people.  Unite!

p.s.  I added in the sidebar where you can see the rooms we actually have completed in this house.  It’s under Wanna See More Reveals?

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Comments

  1. Looks like a great list! Mine is way too long to post.

    The whole time I was reading today’s post I was distracted by the Room Reveals on the sidebar thinking, “Wow. I never noticed that before.” Got to the end and felt a lot better when I read that you just added it. 🙂

  2. Good Luck “moving in”…when you’re done with your own house wanna come do mine? We moved in 4 years ago in April and NONE of my rooms are “moved into”. And I’ve only been pregnant twice (that includes being currently pregnant). So I think you’re doing fantastic. My problem is I can’t commit to buying things or putting things in a “permanent” place .. I change my living room around way more times than necessary so coming up with decor that will still allow me to do that but then put it right back to the original layout (my husband can’t stand change) is difficult! There’s that and I live in a small town so actually FINDING decor is a PAIN! So really, don’t feel bad (you even have a TON more square footage than I do.. I should be the one getting a good kick in the butt to get going), you’re doing wonderful..if you could at least send some of your energy my way if you can’t make it to decorate for me, that would be fanatastic!

  3. You’re doing great, Katie! Especially considering everything on your plate… how’s recovery from your dental drama? Anyway, excited to see what you end up doing and if you don’t do anything else but take care of yourself and your babies during this pregnancy, I think you’ll have done a wonderful job! 😀

  4. “people living in our basement” sounds really funny out of context BTW. Like y’all are holding folks hostage or something. Haha.

  6. Whoa…2 months?? Good luck! We’ve got a bathroom addition/extension and gut remodel, new mudroom gut and remodel (all the way to the studs) hallway/kitchen/1/2 bath + pantry gut and remodel, finish the dining room (trim, trim, and more trim)…I’d add more to the list in terms of little projects, but we have some big suckers on our list, so no need to overwhelm myself!

  7. Don’t feel bad. We have two bedrooms and a bathroom that are ripped down to studs upstairs in our house, which have been that way since we moved in in January 2013. We haven’t hung any pictures on any walls, although there are some that are at least propped on mantles. Our kitchen has these HORRIBLE murals that were painted there by the previous owners (think giant rabbits that greet you at the front door, and hydranga topiaries between windows in the breakfast nook) that we have started to sand down to paint over, but somehow that hasn’t been completed yet. We are also expecting baby number two within the next two weeks, and we’ve yet to even start discussing names. It doesn’t help that we don’t know the sex either, even though that was my choice. I kind of feel like it’s useless to even discuss names til he/she arrives. So, buck up! It could be worse! 🙂

  8. You are crazy!! 🙂 Relax, girl! Four years is not THAT much time, considering how massive your house is and how much you’ve already done to it. AND not to mention you’ve basically had three, soon-to-be-four kids along the way! You need to give yourself some credit. 🙂 Everything looks great. Don’t forget to take time and enjoy what you have done. I am all for home improvements and finishing projects, believe me. But I also try to remember that if it’s not all done in record-breaking time, it’s not the end of the world. 🙂
    In the mean time, keep up the good work! I love your blog.

  9. Those are lofty goals but I think you can do it! We bought a house last year and have fine lived with it long enough that we know what we want to do with it. Now to save our pennies to do updates a little at a time! As for names I think sticking with “L” would be fun since you have two “W” names. Lincoln or Logan would be cute!

  10. You’re inspirational, girl. When I was pregnant (two times) my projects consisted of sitting on the couch, watching Netflix and eating strawberry sherbet. TOUGH work — but someone had to do it. To add to this — we just purchased our first house a few months ago (March 1st) and I still have boxes to unpack… lots. of. boxes. There still aren’t any pictures on the walls and my storage shed is full of more stuff to find a home for. My lawn mower needs a home too!

  11. I think our list might be longer than yours and I think we could literally fit three of our houses into yours!! HAHAHA. we’re actually trying to decide whether we want to sell and move to a bigger house, or stay and do a remodel. Both sound very unappealing but we’re really happy with our neighborhood! A remodel sounds just terrifying though! 🙂 Good luck on getting 4 rooms done, can’t wait to “meet” this new Bower babe!

  12. I vote yes on plank wall backsplash, we recently added one to ours and love it. We used semi gloss paint and everything wipes right off no problem.

  13. wow! you’ve already done so much. I’ve done… nothing as far as my house goes this year. Every time I think about a project my pregnant body says time for a nap.

  15. Bedroom – paint walls, ceiling, windows and doors, get art above the bed and organize closet. Office – paint walls, ceiling, windows and doors, organize shelves and clean out/organize craft closet. Living room – paint walls, ceiling, windows and doors, buy art to hang, make a stand for bird cage and get better plant stands. Dining room/Kitchen – paint walls, ceiling, windows and doors, finish photo art and hang it and refinish dining room chairs. Entry way – pain closet, reupholster bench and get new runner. And before doing all of this – spring clean everything too! So here is my list – long, hey?
    P.S. Did I mention we live in the 2-bedroom condo? 😀

  16. Wow that’s an impressive to do list! My list has install master bedroom floor and fix up exterior/paint.
    If you want to donate your fabric stash, try your towns senior center…they are sure to have a sewing room and those sweet elderly ladies so appreciate it! I’ve donated to 2 separate centers over the years and they were excited and its a tax write off for you.

  18. Good luck!

    Our goals… finish kitchen (it has walls… just need cabinets, counter, sink, backsplash, floor, OTR microwave, dishwasher and decorations installed). We’ve been living without a functional kitchen for three weeks. Also, repaint master bedroom, replace front door, replace all interior doors/hardware, build new fence in backyard, new water heater. Ok, now my head is spinning!

  19. Love that you are on a mission! Is the kitchen workable for the family staying down there?

  20. Wowsers! Some of them I didn’t see coming- I thought your dining room was just lacking art; not super storage galore. Good luck!!! I’d love to know the 2 main ones you wanna tackle? Big boys room and playroom??

    My list for 2015 is huge, but it mainly consists of finishing things! We tend to get to the usable stage then stall! :/

    1. Cement small edge around pavers laid back in December
    2. Install front fence that we’ve had the material for since January. (Also includes removing non-native pesky trees and the current dodgy fence)
    3. Paint all the house trim/doors/door frames? Have the paint, have the intention. Haven’t got the motivation. Every time you do a room I tell myself you’ve probably painted my whole tiny 8m x 13m house in one room but I’m still tooooo lazy…
    4. Cement driveway…this requires saving so that’s back burner for now….although we had toyed with the DIY idea, it’s a big job getting a driveway safe and long lasting (especially our sloped one)
    5. After the fence is installed, we will need to get our butts into gear and actually start planting stuff in our barren front yard!!! Yeah- the first 3 years were interior…time to give this baby some street appeal!!
    6. Convince our friend sparky to finally come round and install a few interior bedroom power points ( our 3 b/rooms only have one each!) and some exterior ones so we can finally hang our patio lights…festoons, like yours!!! (We used them at our wedding reception awww!)
    7. Install the wardrobe curtains ala house tweaking. We just added a wall of ikea pax units in our master and I’m hoping the curtains idea works cause quite frankly I don’t want 7 swing open doors in our room!
    8. Live life! Actually enjoy the things we’ve achieved so far. Spend time hanging out, exploring and relaxing. Be happy everyday!
    9. Keep reading your blog. Live vicariously through your huge house full of abundant storage! Haha!

    And that is the longest comment in history! Sorry for hijacking your post and putting my list out there to be held accountable for!!
    4.

  21. Sorry about that stray 4.

    Um, PS- what is the downstairs bathroom you talk of? The one that started out blood red? x

  22. I want to paint, paint, and paint. Remove wallpaper in our kitchen, and Paint… That’s what I want to accomplish this year.

  23. Yes. That’s the one. It doesn’t need much but apparently the toilet doesn’t sit correctly on the tile so it’s totally justifying a new makeover 🙂
    xo – kb

  24. Oh yes. It’s got the appliances hooked up (well, the dishwasher isn’t yet because there is nothing to anchor it to) but we wanted real concrete countertops and a backsplash installed. So I guess they are living with first world problems…but to perfectly honest, they aren’t here a lot so I don’t know if they miss it.
    xo – kb

  29. Doing better! The endodontist was a magic charm for the root canals. I will never go back! And I still have some jaw pain but I am hoping that whatever the first dentist did to make those nerves so angry will go away!
    xo – kb

  34. Good luck to you on your goals! We just crossed a big one off our list. The beautiful soaking tub that has been sitting forgotten in our basement now has a lovely home in our new bathroom. Now for an even bigger project: backyard. We need it all, new garden shed, concrete, deck, some plants would be nice, and soon a playhouse or something for our daughter. And we have to get the garden shed. My in-laws want to give us their riding lawnmower and we need a place to put it.

  35. I’ve always been curious about the room with the round window and pink (?) red (?) carpeting from your house tour. What is that secret room and why is it not on your list? Hmmmm? Is it like a secret Harry Potter room?

  36. First of all, I rarely comment but I love you and your blog so much! Thanks for sharing everything and brightening up my days! Second I think that given the fact that you’ve had 3 babies (well almost) since you moved into the house you have had amazing progress! Your kitchen is my everything! Just so you feel better I’ve lived in my house for nearly 4 years and have a list twice as long! Can’t wait to see your progress!

  37. Yeah – painting is not my favorite thing, as you can probably see from the list. Every time I look through your reveals I muster enough courage to go to Home Depot to look at the paint choices, but never had enough bravery to pull the trigger and buy stuff. Maybe May will be a painting month 🙂 . Thank you for being an inspiration!

  38. Glad you’re feeling better and sorry you’ve suffered so! Especially while pregnant- just cruel and unusual punishment if you ask me! Take care of you!

  39. YES to the plank backsplash! It would totally work with the rustic/industrial vibe you’ve got going on in that kitchen. Plus I’d love to see how it turns out and maybe a tutorial (pretty please?!). Glad to hear you’re doing better tooth-wise. Also … this is a very impressive list of done rooms and also to-do tasks. I’m excited to see how everything turns out!

  40. Ahhh!!! I just had a little boy seven months ago that we named Lincoln!!!! So, I’m a little biased when I say that’s a great pick for a name!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

  42. I am so impressed by all the projects you have accomplished! I still have unfinished spaces, and I’ve lived in my home for a lot longer than you have. Keep the inspiration coming!

  43. It’s like a totally forgotten space right now because it is not a place we allow the kids (there is a small crawl space access in there and I am scared the kids will want to play in there!) but eventually they will be old enough to be in there by themselves so we can spruce it up then 🙂
    xo – kb

  44. That’s quite a list! I noticed in the dining room, you plan to build wine storage. I was wondering if you’re unhappy with the wine bottle shelves, or just ready for a change? Not just being nosy — I’ve been considering buying those shelves for my house, so I’m wondering if there are negatives I should be aware of.

  45. The ones I have I do love but I need that little spot to not be occupied (the table is so long that if I want head chairs, the dresser and wine storage have to go!)…so I want to build something that I can fit somewhere else.
    xo – kb

  46. Quick question! What happened to the “Archives” section of your sidebar? I’m one of those that sometimes just goes back and reads everything! I enjoy your blog so much I just can’t help it!
    Thanks!

  48. I gotta reinstall that plugin for this template…just haven’t done it…ya know, with making all the babies, things get away from me 🙂
    xo – kb

  49. I have three master lists… One for the house, one for the garden and one for our cabin. And each list is broken into items. I do have plans for EVERYTHING. So not to overwhelm me I just focus on the next task on the list and ignore the rest once i have worked out what I want to do. Or I almost always do that. Except when it comes to painting trim. That is so boring so I usually just ignore that item and jump to the next thing on the list 🙂

    Next up indoors is to move our bedroom to downstairs to give our boys a bedroom each. They currently share.
    Next up outdoors is to lay down a stone patio.
    Next up for cabin is to do the builder drawings for our wanted extension and send those in for approval and start contacting contractors for cost estimates to do that work.

    Got to love my lists and plans.

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