makeover monday - "the list"

ok, I know it is Tuesday but I can explain the tardiness very easily...my kids are still home for the summer.  If you are a mom with school age children you know what that means...routines don't exist (not for lack of trying) and no matter how great your plan is to accomplish things...they usually don't get done on time (or at all).

Don't get me wrong, I love my kiddos and I love having them home for the summer, but I also love my routine and some structure. Come the end of June to the end of August that structure is thrown out the window and I have come to accept that my routines and to do lists get put on hold. 

As summer is winding down I am trying to cram in every last second of fun with the kids but am also looking forward to getting to work on this house.  So I came up with a plan of action on how I am going to finally make this home something that I am proud of.  A place we can all enjoy as a family.  A place we can call home.

Enter "the list".  I sat down the other day during a brief break in the action and brainstormed everything that I needed to accomplish.  I went room by room and focused on the things that I could do myself, or at least learn to do myself.  I also made a short list of things that I would need to hire a handyman or professional (plumber, electrician) for.  My list filled both sides of a sheet of lined legal size paper...yikes! 

Now I am not talking major overhauls here.  No gutting of kitchens/baths/basements.  This is all cosmetic details (painting, decorating, etc) and minor changes (like replacing the bathroom countertop/sink).  While I would love a brand spanking new kitchen, second floor bathroom, finished basement, siding on the house, front porch, etc.  I realize that those items are beyond my scope right now.  Although I will add that all of those things are on the list for the future wish list and will be done we get ourselves out of debt and can pay cash for a professional to do those jobs for us.  Right now, I am focusing on working with what we have or what is realitively inexpensive that I can learn to do.

After making the list (and taking several deep breaths as I realized how much work I really do have ahead of me), I tried to figure out what I needed to do to start putting my plan into action.  Once the kids go back to school I will have most of my day on Mondays free to work on projects and some time during the rest of the week.  I decided to take the next few weeks to catch up on laundry, putting things away, filing, etc.  Generally taking care of the little things that will eat away at me and distract me from doing what I really want to do. 

I have been stalking checking out a lot of blogs and adding great idea to my inspiraton folder.  I am pretty excited to get started.  I will use Mondays (and sporatic postings throughout the week) starting on August 30th to update you all on what I am working on and what I have accomplished.  I can give you a few things to watch for though that made the list:  refinish/paint staircase, redo master bedroom, spruce up interior doors, paint kitchen and more.

Stay tuned -

Tracy