Taking Advantage of Summer

This is just a super random post, so bear with me. ;-)

Ahhh, as I sit here and type, the windows are open and a cool breeze is coming in.

This is quite a contrast to the past couple weeks ... it has been ungodly hot and muggy and just disgusting. The humidity was AWFUL - and it was in the 90s. ICK. I'm sure we racked up our most expensive energy bill yet - with the A/C running non stop. It was just miserable without it.

It finally cooled down a bit yesterday ... a perfect 82 degrees with only about 60% humidity. Maddie spent a good amount of time outside yesterday and actually seemed to enjoy it for once. We took her on her 1st long walk ... which she enjoyed. Now that we have a break from the humidity, we'll go every day.

Otis also enjoys that we are able to have windows open...Yes, that's an ottoman...in front of the front door. We never use that door, so it's the perfect spot for him to chill in the breeze.

Chilling with her top feet up on top of the deck, while her back legs sit on the first step down. We have such a strange dog.

Mmmm .... garden fresh veggies. All are from my garden besides the mushrooms.

Within 107 Days We Have ...

We have owned our house for 107 days.

I got this post idea from Nicole. She posted the items they have accomplished on their home over the last year, and she as well made a list of what they plan to do in the next year. I thought it would be neat to have this post to look back on, at ALL the progress we made in such a short amount of time.

The following is a list of what we have ALREADY done in this short 107 days, and what we PLAN TO DO/STILL NEED TO FINISH.

ALREADY DONE:

Kitchen (also where our laundry area lives):

• Removed wallpaper + border
• Primed + Painted
• Removed cabinets overhead the island
• Switched out all the outlet covers to brushed nickel covers
• Removed old nasty window coverings
• Ripped out the linoleum
• Ripped out the carpet
• Re-did the subfloor
• Leveled the floor
• New flooring
• Removed + replaced all the baseboard
• New storm door
• New door casing
• New washer + dryer
• New fridge
• Some new accessories + counter height table (LOVE)
• New vents

A few more pics:

Downstairs Full Bath:

• Gutted entire bathroom down to the studs (besides shower), which includes removing all the plaster + lathes
• Moved the toilet + plumbing over
• Moved the plumbing to vanity over
• Completely new floor
• Completely new ceiling
• Removed built in cabinet by shower
• Insulation + drywall
• Texturized the walls
• New window + frame + sill
• New flooring
• New vanity + faucet
• New base + casing + molding
• New accessories
• Primed + painted twice
• New bathroom fan/light + work to make it actually vent outside
• New over head vanity lighting
• New vanity mirror
• New widow treatments
• New vent
• Plus all new accessories

Dining Room + Sitting Room Combo Space:

• Removed wall paper + border
• Repaired the damaged walls
• Removed old nasty window coverings
• Primed + painted
• New baseboard + casing
• Removed carpet
• Leveled the floors
• New wood-look laminate flooring
• Removed ugly details from fireplace
• New vents
• New accessories + furniture

Living Room:

• All the same things as the dining room

Entry Way:

• Completely removed the floor + underneath
• Re-structured entire entryway (5 feet under)
• Removed base + casing
• Primed + Painted
• New flooring
• New accessories

Stairway to 2nd Level:

• Removed plaster + lathe on side to repair damage
• New drywall on that side
• Removed carpet
• Re-structured some stairs for support
• Texturized all the walls
• New carpet
• Primed + painted
• Primed baseboard + trim around window

Upstairs Hallway:

• Removed base + casing
• Removed carpet
• Removed top of half wall (this is where staircase comes up, sort of a stair rail...)
• Removed all plaster + lathe from half wall
• Dry walled half wall
• Texturized entire hallway
• New vents
• Primed + painted
• New carpet
• New base + casing

Each of the 3 Bedrooms:

• Removed wall paper
• Removed old nasty window coverings
• Removed carpets
• Removed base + casing + window trim
• Removed wood paneling in 1 room
• New vents
• New carpet
• New base + casing + trim
• Texturized all the walls
• Primed + painted

Upstairs Full Bathroom:

• Removed base + casing
• Primed and painted

Exterior:

• Scraped, primed, + painted 3 decks/porches + garage
• New rock bed w/wood frame around the garage
• Deleted one rock bed from middle of yard (just moved the rocks from there to around garage). See picture below:

Other:

• Actually MOVED IN!
• Hired a plumber to clean out our pipes leading to sewer
• Got a puppy (what the HELL was I thinking?)

This is Maddie, our 3 month old Border Collie/Blue Heeler mix.

LEFT TO DO:

Upstairs Full Bathroom:

For now:

• Finish paint details for a sharper look
• Re-finish the shower/tub (maybe just get a new one...?)
• New interior door
• New storm door (a must before winter)
• New base + molding
• New light fixture

Long Term Goal (after a year or two):

• Completely re-do the bathroom, including:
• New shower/tub
• New vanity + mirror + lighting
• Knock out built in cabinet + build exposed shelving
• New flooring
• Plus everything else that a bathroom re-model would include

Garage:

• New garage door + new steel entry door
• Update electricity out there
• Use new windows found sitting in garage and add some windows to the garage

Exterior of house:

• I'd love to get it re-painted in the next few years. It's aluminum siding and is looking a bit dingy
• Re-vamp the flower/bush beds all around the house ... just make them look cleaner, and well, better
• Shutters
• Re-finish wood on decks/porches (the part you walk on)

Kitchen:

• I'd love new countertops (Quartz...but at $60 sq/ft this will have to wait)
• New garbage disposal
• Window treatments
• (I love that this list is so short!)

Entryway:

• Finish putting on the casing + base
• New storm door
• New entry door (maybe just paint it?)

Stairs:

• Finish painting base + trim
• New top for the half wall (will be made of wood)

Hallway Upstairs:

• Finish top detail on half wall
• New doors (5 all together) + new brushed nickel door handles
• Paint Ceiling
• Paint trim between wall and ceiling
• Re-finish built in cabinet in the hallway + new hardware
• Window treatment

Downstairs Full Bath:

• Fix outlet cover
• Hang towel bar

Bedrooms:

• Window treatments
• Outlet covers
• New molding between walls and ceiling
• Paint Ceilings
• New closet doors + hardware
• Re-finish built in cabinet in 1 bedroom (+ new hardware)

Watch for updates! :-)