I’m feeling like it’s time to revisit those goals we shared at the beginning of the year and just see how we are doing. That’s healthy and adult of me right!? Well, the last six months we have definitely made some progress and we are quickly learning that it’s hard to do this gig with five kids and no outside childcare. I mean….school definitely helps but we still have little ones at home full time and so that limits our ability to get things done. I think we are quickly learning that right around age FOUR the kids get a smidge easier so we only have three more years to go :/ Not that I want to wish this baby stage away….don’t get me wrong….I love love love the babies….but I also really like things getting done. So if this list isn’t done in 2018, just expect it to be close to completion in 2022 🙂
THE LAUNDRY ROOM
Before:
After:
Hooray us! We are super proud of our accomplishment in this room! We tackled our laundry room with a mini makeover this year and it turned out great. Obviously we would LOVE to have a bigger laundry space (having a laundry SORTING STATION is my dream!) but overall, we did improve the functionality and storage in here and that was a big plus. You can read all about that makeover in this post. Consider this checked off the list!
ELLA’s NURSERY
Sweet baby girl is waiting so patiently for her nursery. I think she has been so happy in our room that we hesitated to transfer her. Also there is some smidge of ‘holding onto those last baby vibes’ in me that doesn’t want her to do be in her own room yet. But I’m getting there. I’m doing a lot of moodboards for my sweet cupcake and I’m leaning toward a boho floral sparkling magic peaceful vibe. That totally makes sense right?!
KITCHEN
Before:
After:
The kitchen was a monster job and I really have so much to still share about the transformation. I think Jeremy and I have been on the fence about our table and we need to fix the end of our island and then we will feel like this is 110% done. But overall – it’s complete in our minds. We have touch ups to tackle too….but yeah. Put this bad boy in the DONE column. Click here to see all the before and afters.
FOYER
I told you guys that I wanted to do the foyer and I was contemplating having the floors refinished. Well they are done and I just need ONE piece of furniture built before I can share this space! That’s it! One! I’m confident that this room will make it in 2018.
LITTLE BOYS ROOM
Honestly I just need to go in here and take some photos and get it on the blog. It’s pure laziness that I haven’t shared it yet. Also the ceiling fan is super duper high and it doesn’t work so I thought I should replace it before the reveal. It’s always the one little thing that holds up the whole train.
CLOSETS
We started the closets – the big boys closet to be exact and it was torture. PURE TORTURE. Clothing was everywhere. The racks were hard for me to visualize. It took me five trips to get the sizes right. Organization isn’t my strength y’all. But in other closets I have tried….barely. I ordered a bazillion hangers for Ella’s clothing but then got major anxiety doing her closet so I stalled. The light bulb also went out and it felt like a sign. All the closets are a source of major major stress for me so I just close the door and pray that nothing collapses inside. It’s still on the list because I know it needs to be done but it doesn’t mean I like them.
GARAGE
I told you guys about our garage but we keep on having projects going on in here which makes it hard to actually DO the garage itself. I think this is gonna be one of those blitz projects where we do everything last minute. Here is what is on the list :
- install better lighting
- buff and polish the floors
- clean the whole dang thing
- come up with better assembly areas/tool zones
MINI MASTER HALLWAY
I haven’t technically started this one but I did buy all the materials for it. That has to count for something, right!? Here is my to do list :
- wallpaper the walls
- buy a door for Jeremy’s closet
- frost the bathroom doors
LIVING ROOM
Before:
After:
The living room is FINALLY coming together. I am checking this one off the list for now but be aware that the coffee table and side tables are gonna get tweaked and my only goal for 2018 is to put some pictures in those frames. You know the ones. Check out the full living room reveal here.
OUTDOOR COURT
Before:
During:
I promised that we were looking for ways to make that fence better and we nailed it! Figuratively and literally 🙂
Here are the other things on our list :
- paint the court to make it look less pink
- install adjustable basketball hoops
- clean up the retaining wall
- build some shaded area
- do some pruning/landscaping
- include some storage for kids stuff
BASEMENT BEDROOM
Before:
After:
We gave the basement bedroom a big fat juicy makeover and it still is one of my favorite spaces! It’s super plush and I love every single thing in there. We have had a guest in here who said the room was a fancy hotel….which is honestly the best compliment because that is exactly what I wanted to make it like for guests! Check out the entire makeover here.
BIG RED
I promised this would be the year….um…let’s see when the kids go back to school!
THE MONROE HOUSE
We have had major progress in this one area and it’s honestly the biggest time and money consumer right now in our lives. So what have we been up to?
- roof (click here to read about that)
- demo almost done
- interior framing almost done
- asbestos and lead CLEARED!
- plans approved by Historic Preservation Committee
- still to do for 2018 :
- all exterior demo
- all exterior siding (here is the post where we talked about that)
- all brickwork repair
- window and door installation
- rough in of electrical, plumbing, heating/cooling
- drywall
It’s definitely one of those projects that is a work-in-progress but we are hoping to get one of those rooms in the Monroe House done for 2018 so at least we can take the kids over there. Right now we can’t let them in but the interior stuff will go so much faster when they can have a SAFE and clean space inside to play! Also – we wanted to let you all know that we met with a very sweet lady who used to live here as a child and she was so generous to give us copies of old family photos that have the house in the background. She had info on original doors and windows and even the front porch and fireplaces. It was BEYOND helpful and we are actually changing some small details to go back to original items (I guess this means we are gonna need to meet with the Historic Preservation Committee again!). Either way – I wanted to tell you because I know some of you are equally invested in this home!
So that’s our roundup of things we did and did not get done so far this year. How have y’all been doing on your list? Any one out there get all their 2018 goal projects done already? I feel like I am not productive in November and December so I have a solid four months to get to work! I figure if I don’t get it all done…it’s not the end of the world because the list is long…but so far, I am loving the progress 🙂
Becky says
I’m amazed at how much you accomplish with 5 young children! We have not completed anything on our to-do list but have a few things in progress.
Suggestion for your closet organization – have Jen from iheartorganizing help you! 🙂
As always, looking forward to keeping up on the rest of the progress you make and especially can’t wait to see what that sweet nursery is going to look like 🙂
Esther says
Your kitchen “after” is such and amazing transformation!! So much easier on the eyes to look at! Good job!
Arli says
You got A LOT done! And with 5 small children in the house. Incredible!
Kerrie says
I love that you revisit rooms/ areas after you have lived with them for awhile. This is honest and interesting because it shows that the tweaking needs to continue
Rachael says
You 100% do not give yourself enough credit- that’s so many amazing projects and rooms completed for someone with no kids, let alone FIVE!!! You should be patting yourself on the back majorly – everything looks amazing! Can’t wait to hear about the Monroe house and big red!
Angela says
Love the new fence! Did yo run electricity out to it? Wondering how your lights work. I want to add lights to my fence!
Carla B. says
A boho floral sparkling magic peaceful vibe is basically my dream room. 🙂 Can’t wait to see it!
Susan says
You have gotten a ton done. I recommend you collaberate with I heart organizing blogger and have her help you with your closet. It would be great for both.
Kristy says
If I lived closer I would volunteer to come help you with your closets. I LOVE organizing! Like LOVE, LOVE it. 🙂
Best of luck!
Amy says
Your kitchen looks wonderful!! I am in the beginning stages of renovating our very outdated kitchen and I was wondering if you still do those Photoshop transformations? I live in a very rural area and can not find an interior designer or website that will allow me to see different colors, backsplashes, lights, etc. I would love to get your opinion. Heck even if you charge for it I would gladly pay a fee 🙂
Katie says
I would love that – Jen is awesome!
xo – kb
Katie says
We installed an outlet on the light post many years ago when my sister had her wedding in the back yard 🙂
xo – kb
Neva says
Or for your closets you could lend Carlos your inhaler and make him cut and hang the shelves and fix the light! Lord knows we all need more Carlos in our lives. Then I was thinking, if one boy has one wall for clothes, and the other boy has another wall for clothes, the top shelves could have their keepsakes and off-season stuff, and the third wall could be like a feature wall, maybe with little lockers for their uniforms and hampers. And a mirror? “Yea though I walk through the closet of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Your hanger and curtain rod they comfort me.”
Laura Martin says
PLEASE do Ella’s nursery first! I can’t wait to see you do a baby girl room.
Sue says
If Kristy came to organize the closets,I could come to keep the kids. Just think what you would accomplish with our help. Seriously, you two are amazing worker bees and you deserve a big shout out.
Carmen says
I’m amazed st how much you guys have gotten done!! I think we’ll be done with our list sometime before our kids move out. The youngest is still in my belly.
Katie says
bahahahahha!
xo – kb
Patricia says
Amazed and impressed. You’re on target for all yoir goals except the closets. My one closet is STILL my major goal for the year and hasn’t moved forward one inch. I was planning on doing it in February when i got back from a trip, but I came back with a metal plate and 8 screws and a splint and sling on my right arm. I’m progressing well with pt so time to step up and get it, well, at least started. How hard can one tiny room be?
Cassie Parlotto says
Same!!!