project list

This summer marked the 2 year anniversary of buying our first house.  The house was about 100 years old when we bought it and we got lucky. A lot of the updates that 100 year old homes need had already been done by a previous owner. New roof, New windows, New A/C unit, New water heater.

Unfornutely they did not have the same style as Andrew and I. By the time we closed on the house I had a pretty long list of updates I wanted to make once the house was ours.

• paint EVERYTHING (the previous owners loved ugly wall paper and LOVED pink)
• finish stripping/refinishing staircase (the previous owners started this one for us but gave up on it)
• rip up ALL the carpet and restore the hardwood floors
• make the fireplace look better somehow
• new bathtub, sink/vanity and mirror in downstairs bathroom
• update kitchen--may involve completely gutting the kitchen and possilby taking out a whole wall
• build new closets in our bedroom
• redo upstairs bathroom--definitely has to be gutted.

We spent a week, with the help of some friends and family, stripping wallpaper and painting over all the pink. Then we moved in and got back to life as usual: working full time, and various church/social activities. That didn't leave much time to check off many other projects.

But now I'm ready to dive in.  We don't have much more free time (actually we probably have less) but I just can't look at the pink countertops..yes pink countertops..I said they loved pink.

My new (hopefully more doable) list

• finish staircase
• update kitchen (paint cabinets, paint countertops and hopefully lay tile floor--the tile is already bought)
• new sink/vanity and mirror in downstairs bathroom
• finish closets in our bedroom
• flooring (proably just new carpet but I'm still hopeful about restoring the hardwood)
• upstairs bathroom  (I have no idea what to do with this room--it needs a lot)

I've asked for the first two things for my birthday. I'm wanting to have a small party at my house, but would like these things to be done first. My birthday is September 12.  We have 43 days.  I don't think Andrew is looking forward to it but he has agreed to help me get it done.  We'll have to work hard but I think we can do it.  We're 'the bests'-we can do anything.

I'll take pictures and post them with my progress.  I'm ready to get started..I think it's going to be a lot of fun.