Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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Listy McListerson (Updated)

We thought it was high time we updated our to-do list (which you first saw here) now that we’ve lived here five months and crossed off a few things (and added about a million more, which just seems to be how it goes).

To Do List

As for how we keep things straight, we just write everything out in one big list, circle the small things that we want to tackle right away, cross things off as we go, and underline the long term things that that we want to save for and tackle when we finally have the funds (and are feeling more sure about our approach so there’s no shoulda-woulda-coulda going on later). Looking at those underlined things from time to time keeps us excited to squirrel away as much loot as we can to make them a reality down the road. And seeing all the crossed off smaller items reminds us that bite-sized undertakings can really keep you motivated and excited to tweak your house one day at a time until you look around and realize you’re home.

So it doesn’t sound like rocket science, but our method is to basically just write everything down and take on things that are doable and not too intimidating (or expensive) while we save up for the bigger projects/stuff. And as for priorities, we generally just do whatever we’re in the mood for (barring anything that needs to be moved to the top of the list for safety or other extreme-urgency reasons). Anyway, here’s the ol’ list now that it’s full of updates (marked in red) and recently added projects (also in red):

To Do (But Not All At Once…):

  • Find fun saturated/patterned fabric and DIY some no-sew curtains (using this method) for the living room, future dining room, office, playroom, bedroom, hall sliders, guest room, etc. <– maybe I’ll even sew some now…
  • Paint the living room, the dining room, the office, the big hallway, the small hallway, the kitchen, the bedroom, the guest bedroom, the playroom, the nursery, the sunroom, the hall bathroom, the guest bathroom, and the master bathroom (this is one of those slowly over time tasks- we’re thinking about tones seen here in this whole-house color scheme post of yore)
  • Paint all the dark wood trim (beams, baseboard, crown) in the living room (in a moment of oh-why-not we gray-washed the beams and love how they balance out the big gray sectional and avoid white overload since we hung a ton of white frames on the wall above the sofa).
  • Remove unnecessary bi-fold doors
  • Frost the side door that looks in on the kitchen
  • Remove the shelves next to the fireplace in the living room
  • Prime and paint the paneling in the kitchen using this method (not sure what color we’ll go for…)
  • Redo the kitchen backsplash (check out overstock.com for tile along with clearance stuff from local vendors)
  • Get all new kitchen hardware (check out local places, online stuff, and big box stores for a deal)
  • Prime and paint the oak cabinets in the kitchen using this method (again, not sure what color)
  • Finally refinish and reupholster the craigslist rocker that we got a while back
  • Hang mirror(s) in the office for dry erase message board(s) to keep posts & projects straight
  • Replace a ton of light fixtures (too many to list) <– we replaced the one in the master bedroom and the nursery and removed the wonky corner light in the living room along with two awkwardly placed ceiling fans
  • Remove all the door handles, hinges, and doorknobs in the house and refinish them in oil-rubbed bronze
  • Frame out the mirror in the hall bathroom
  • Paint the vanity in the hall bathroom
  • Hang a thick drapey curtain in front of our walk-in closet
  • Organize our closet and dresser (and stop piling pjs and underwear on the floor of the closet) <– this took us waay too long to do
  • Wallpaper or stencil the sink nook in the master bedroom <–we painted it the same color as the bedroom to help it blend in for now
  • Frost or add curtains to the window in the master bathroom (and possibly the other two bathroom windows) <– so far we’ve added a big ol’ mirror in the window above the bedroom sink to block the view
  • Turn the area between the addition and the old house with the sliders leading out onto it into a sweet outdoor cutting garden slash alfresco dining room (it’s near the kitchen, and it seems to get enough light for potted herbs)
  • Make built-ins around the washer and dryer to create mini mudroom function and replace cabinet doors up top with pull out baskets or drop down blinds
  • Paint the front door
  • Remove the most awkward mirror in the history of the world (the one on the back of the guest bathroom door that reflects the full body of the person on the toilet)
  • Spray paint or stain the legs of the sectional so they’re not so pale and dorky<– we used oil-rubbed bronze spray paint for a subtle metallic effect
  • Frame out the porch columns so they’re chunky and square instead of ornate and curvy
  • Plant evergreen trees around the perimeter of the property for more privacy from the side, back, and even part of the front (waiting for them to “fill in” will be the hardest part, but getting smaller plants will save us money so we’ll hopefully have patience)
  • Pump up the curb appeal with more landscaping upgrades
  • Limb up the magnolia in the front that blocks the entire house
  • “Wallpaper” the big hallway (off of the kitchen, living room, and entryway) with mixed and matched white frames
  • Accidentally kill our beloved ceramic dog by dropping a frame on his head <–Every list needs some comic relief, and John got ‘er done
  • Paint the back of the future dining room built-ins something fun and bright
  • Add new hardware to the bottom cabinets of the built-ins
  • Replace the medicine cabinet in the guest bathroom with a charming mirror
  • Remove the annoying off-centered towel bar below the window in the hall bathroom and frame out the base of the window to hide the damage
  • Hang a giant grid of ribba frames above the sectional in the living room and figure out a cheap art solution
  • Hang a ceiling medallion in Clara’s nursery to cover the cracks
  • Update and paint the vanity in the master bathroom <– oops, we still haven’t updated and painted the base, but we removed the chunky granite lip around the backsplash and hung our quatrefoil mirror and painted the walls, so that’s a start
  • Paint the dark brick fireplace in the kitchen using this method
  • Add crown molding to the guest room, the playroom, and the nursery
  • Stencil or wallpaper something (we’re down with some fun tone on tone pattern – maybe in the office or the hall bathroom or the playroom)
  • Chalkboard paint something. It’s too much fun to deny the bean.
  • Stencil the inside of Clara’s closet and her ceiling- just for some subtle fun
  • DIY a sandbox/baby pool for Clara
  • Add some fun organizational stuff to the laundry room wall near the door (a hook for dog leashes, storage for shoes, a calendar painted on the wall?)
  • Make or buy or refurbish a long bench for the foot of the bed (ours is too small and a bit darker than we’d like)
  • Get a vintage hanging chair (from a thrift store or craigslist?) for the sunroom
  • Hang a ton of lanterns or paper pendants from the sunroom ceiling
  • Build a more formal looking compost bin (right now we use the same large tupperware method we used in the last house)
  • Spray paint our rain barrel to help it blend in (and plant stuff in front of it)
  • Create some raised beds for an edible herb, veggie, and fruit garden
  • Make a beanbag for Clara’s room (her closet’s big enough for a little reading nook)
  • Frame out our mirrored bathroom door for a more polished look
  • Get some string lights outside on the patio and over the future deck
  • Hang a swing from a tree out back
  • Retrofit our daybed in the playroom so that a trundle can be pulled out beneath it (so it can sleep two people instead of one in a pinch- good for kid sleepovers I think)
  • Build a play kitchen for Clara
  • Paint a giant canvas or two to add color to the walls of some of our undone rooms (the dining room, the office, the playroom, etc)
  • Hunt down some thrift store or craigslist bedside tables and refinish them for the master (drawers for some hidden storage please!)
  • Recover the leather parsons chair in the corner of our living room (at the white desk) with a bright fun fabric slipcover
  • Add patio lighting (large clear glass bulb lights and maybe even path lights too?)
  • Add a clothesline somewhere (nothing beats that fresh smell)

These are more long-term (so they’re underlined):

  • Create a 300 square foot paver patio on the side of the house <— Woo to the hoo. It’s dizone.
  • Refinish the various wood floors throughout the house (the same shade for a nice cohesive look- mocha? dark brown? ebony? charcoal?)
  • Turn the fireplace in the kitchen into a double-sided fireplace that also opens up into the living room (call the mason who helped open the doorway in our old house just to make sure it’s possible and get an estimate)
  • Create a huge doorway between the kitchen and the future dining room that lines up with the large picture window in the future dining room
  • Build/adapt a custom island for the eat-in area of the kitchen near the fireplace
  • Convert the carport into a garage (and pick out a killer garage door to add some dimension and architecture to our flat little rancher)
  • Add french doors between the future dining room and the office (for privacy and tons of charm)
  • Replace the flooring in the kitchen and mudroom/laundry room (with cork?)
  • Add a trellis arch around the new garage door so it’s all lush and pretty
  • Build a deck, hopefully with the help of John’s dad
  • Build Clara a swingset
  • Change the roofline out front (add some peaks for dimension and to make it more cohesive with the house’s shape from the back)
  • DIY a pool someday (John thinks this idea is insane, mind you)
  • Build a sunken trampoline that’s flush to the ground (far away from our future pool, haha)

Furnishings To Slowly Save Up For:

  • A queen sized bed for the master (so we don’t have to sleep on our mattress on the floor anymore)
  • A big charcoal gray u-shaped sectional for the living room (I’ve dreamed about having a big enough living space for a sectional for at least the past three years)
  • His and hers dressers for the master bedroom that we can refinish (preferably super cheap on craigslist or from the thrift store) <–we decided we only needed one dresser since the walk-in closet has a bunch of shelves and cubbies, and happily inherited John’s parents’ old one
  • A loooong console to go between the back wall and the sectional <– we built our giant 12′ console table when we couldn’t find something that worked in stores or on craigslist
  • A larger TV stand/media center for the living room (ours is laughably dinky, but we’ll craigslist it and put the money toward something that’ll fit the space better- hopefully something thrifted or even something we can build ourselves)
  • A giant rug to define the new seating area in the living room (8 x 10? 9 x 11?)
  • A giant rug for the master bedroom (8 x 10? 9 x 11?)
  • Some kick-arse stools for the new island in the kitchen once it’s there (find something cheap and reupholster it?)
  • A giant round wooden pedestal table for the future dining room
  • Comfy chairs for the future dining table (preferably upholstered parsons chairs so they look library-ish and casual as opposed to hard and wood-heavy) <– got ’em on Craigslist for $25 a pop, but we still have to upholster or slipcover them
  • New shower curtains and bathroom towels and accessories for the hall bath and guest bathroom
  • New energy efficient appliances for the kitchen and the laundry room (we’re waiting for some killer deals and plan to check out craigslist and scratch & dent stuff).
  • A full sized bed frame, mattress, and box spring for the guest room
  • A big cabinet or console table for the hallway off of the kitchen (thrifted/craigslisted and refinished?) <– we just used the one we used to have in the entryway
  • A new console table for the entryway <– since ours is now in the hallway off of the kitchen
  • Two statement making chairs (preferably matching) for the office <– got those for $35 a chair at an antique shop, but still have to repaint and reupholster them
  • Patio furniture and planters, pillows, etc
  • A large leggy armoire or some sort of tall cabinet for the weird nook to the left of our bed (as you face it)
  • That darn West Elm capiz chandelier that I’m obsessed with for over the future island in the kitchen
  • A large wooden (Restoration Hardware-esque) table for the future deck (maybe we’ll build it?)

Of course we’ll do a lot of this stuff over the course of the next few years (our first house took us 4.5 years to finish) so there’s no need to cry for us or anything. Haha. We’ve learned to enjoy the journey and just take things one day/project/victory at a time. And seriously, is there anything more fun than crossing things off? Well, making type red is pretty fun too. As for the method to our “project order,” we don’t really think there is one. We definitely jump around from room to room just to stay excited and not feel too regimented and “forced” into doing something that we might not want to deal with yet (or be in the mood for). After a big project (or a string of big projects) sometimes we’re happy to take a breather and tackle the little stuff for a while. And other times we’re psyched to keep our momentum up and start planning the next big project right away (like when we built our giant console table and then switched right over to our big patio build). Who knows what’s next. Should be interesting. Or boring. Or comical. Or baaaaad. You know we share it all.

Psst- Check out this floor plan post which might make some of the major layout changes & renovations that we’ve listed above a bit more clear. And check out our Current House page to see a lot of the crossed off projects mentioned above.

Psssst- Adorable “I heart lists” stationery found here on Etsy.

Comments

  3. Julia @ Chris loves Julia says

    “Paint a giant canvas or two” I’m with you girl! My husband got me 18′ of rolled canvas for mother’s day! 18 feet!!! It’s 6 feet wide and I am already planning a huge 9’x6′ painting for my dining room….once I get it stretched. He ordered it from dickblick.com and I think it was pretty reasonable. I’m was actually inspired by this paper I found on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pin/19099183/

    Wouldn’t it make a lovely painting!?

    Chris Loves Julia

    Reply

    • Margaret says

      I love Pintrest but I’m so confused about how it works. I signed up for an invite months ago and I am still not able to sign up. Does anyone want to shed some light on how I can get an invite?

      PS: Julie I love your pinned stuff :)

      Thanks!

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Pop by our Facebook page and ask someone to send you an instant invite! It seems like lots of folks are sharing them so it’s a quick way to get on. Good luck!

      xo,
      s

    • Jessica G in NN says

      haha amanda we can’t wait to see your updated list either…but since i teach during the day, i was working on a project last night with my roommate (as a surprise for the hubs) and she had to keep saying, “it’s ok. it will look beautiful. it’s taking longer because your life is not a blog.” haha sometimes i get so wrapped up in the AMAZING things that happen (on places like YHL) that i forget that trying to keep that pace at my house would be crazy! :)

  9. Rachel says

    I love all the projects you have planned for Clara! I guess you would use Ana White’s plans to build the play kitchen? And just think – now you can sew an adorable little curtain for below the play sink.

    It would be totally insane if you guys DIY’d a pool. Is that even possible??

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Well one of us thinks it is. Haha. We’d have to rent some equipment and do a ton of research, but where there’s a will there’s (usually) a way.

      xo,
      s

    • [email protected] says

      My parents were crazy enough to DIY a pool, but they did hire subcontractors for certain parts (and my dad grew up working for my grandfather’s construction company), BUT it can be done! John, Sherry… you guys should totally DO IT!

    • Amanda says

      I’m sort of with John on this one. While having a pool would be tons of fun, DIYing a pool sounds really hard, pools cost a ton of money to maintain (full disclosure: I am the cheapest person on the planet so my a ton of money is probably not a lot to someone else), and involve some pretty strong chemicals to clean (I would think they do anyway). I vote that you become friends with someone with a pool. You could even become friends with people who DIYed their pool :-)

    • YoungHouseLove says

      To add to the it’s-complicated aspect, I want a salt water pool. No chemicals like chlorine! Wahoooo. But still hard to whip up. Although you know I love a challenge. We’ll see where we end up! It’ll be years from now anyway because we want Clara and her potential sibling(s) to be older so the pool’s not a worry when they’re little. If I can get John on board someday. Haha.

      xo,
      s

  10. laura says

    ugh…you guys make me feel lazy! you guys have only lived there a few months and look at all the stuff you’ve done!! As far as kitchen hardware goes…check out Ebay shops….I got all the hardware I needed for my kitchen and hallway cupboards and then some (ordered quite a few extra) for only $84!! and it is nice heavy duty antiqued bronze, modern hardware…the same ones were $8 a piece at Menards!!!! I was pretty pleased with that deal! :)

    Reply

  11. Laura says

    One thing that occurs to me whenever you guys start exploring floor options – leave samples in a corner somewhere for a week or two. See if/how much dust they collect. I love our black bedroom furniture but wow does it collect dust fast!

    I love the sunken trampoline idea.

    Reply

    • Sara says

      I had to laugh at the stock tank pool because when I was younger we lived on a dairy farm and we had an old stock tank that wasn’t being used anymore for cattle that we used as a swimming pool. It was much smaller, but perfect for young kids.

  15. Adriane (aka the greenhorn) says

    Congratulations on all your list progress! And no, there’s not much more fun than crossing off list items :) I *finally* crossed off a big one by finishing some thrifted storage cabinets for our dining room. Whew! One list item down, only 8 bajillion to go, hahaha.

    http://www.greenhornliving.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/break-out-the-champagne-the-cabinets-are-in/

    I just noticed “DIY a pool” on your list! I’m with John but would die if you pulled it off…die, then come back to life and steal the idea!

    Reply

  18. Jen @ The Decor Scene says

    Damn that is a long list, but boy oh boy have you gotten a lot done in the amount of time you have been in your home. Lots of luck getting it all done down the road, one project at a time. I remember our house list looking the same 3.5 years ago. Now it’s soooo much smaller and the end is near for us. ;)

    Reply

  20. Joanne says

    I really do enjoy reading your blog- as a 50 something homeowner, you 2 do remind me of my husband and I in our younger day when nothing was not doable! But, I do have to comment here- and i think I do recall you admitting to be a bit anal- so this may not be a big surprise to hear—for all the time it took you to prepare this list you could have probably done one of the littler things ON the list! It sounds good in theory to feel a sense of acomplishment when you are able to scratch off one of your to-do’s but really? Chill a bit and enjoy your life! I know you do in theory, but take it from me, life doesn’t follow a list and you are better prepared to fly by the seat of your pants when you have to if you forgo the list and just go with what moves you at the moment with a vague plan in the back of your mind! You know all that you want to do— it’s ingrained in your brain and you can probably recite that list by heart for sure. You don’t need the list- trust me and trust your determination. Having that list just seems to set you up for not appreciating what you HAVE done-how can you revel in your accomplishments when there are 4,863 more things to finish? Other than my sage advice, I do love your energy,but will you ever actually SIT on that great patio and enjoy it? (without thinking what’s next on the list?)Chill a bit. the list won’t be going anywhere any time soon!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We love our list because crossing things off makes us feel awesome and we can look back and see all that we’ve accomplished! It keeps us motivated, excited, and organized (which is important since this is our full time job & it supports our family which can feel intimidating and uncertain sometimes). And of course we’ll take time to sit on the new patio and enjoy it (I’m writing this comment from a lounge chair out there right now). We definitely try to strike a balance between work & play so we don’t burn out and quit the blog and go back to working in advertising. Not that we didn’t love that, we just love blogging even more. So even when we’re working, we’re doing what we love! This whole blog thing started because it’s our passion and we did it completely for fun (we had no idea it could turn into a job) so we definitely enjoy DIY and making our house a home. Building/painting something together = date night for us. And we wouldn’t have it any other way!

      xo,
      s

    • Danielle says

      This is your job…you make a living from it…I am at work right now…in an office…wearing a suit and heels…with no windows…making my work to do list for next week…I would be so much more excited if I woke up to your list…somewhow I think you two got it right:)

    • [email protected] says

      Sherry, I couldn’t agree with you more. I feel the same way about doing projects with Eric. It’s fun for us, it’s physically active (which we enjoy), and it brings us closer. We TOO are major listers, and the list just helps us keep priorities straight and not get overwhelmed or jump from project to project without every finishing. KEEP DOING WHAT YOU’RE DOING, we love you guys! And I couldn’t have more respect for what you guys do. You both put such an emphasis on family and friend time/relaxation time, while still running a VERY successful blog. You two are an inspiration to many of us. Keep up the good work!

    • Sheila says

      There are def ‘list people’ and ‘no-list people. My sister, the worst thing you could probably do to her is make her make a list. Me, I have lists of my lists. ;)

  23. Melissa Breau says

    FYI: ebay has some pretty well priced hanging chairs ($20-30) and I’ve never seem them elsewhere for less than $50.

    Can’t wait to see how things progress on some of these…

    Reply

  24. Lauryn says

    Im sure you guys have this completely under control, but just in case- I wanted to relay some advice about building a sandbox. Don’t know what style you’re going with, but I have been told to avoid adding the triangle lips in the corners. They are added for stabilization and squaring (as Im sure you know!) but apparently, they are a haven for spiders. Especially the black widow variety here in VA.

    Again, Im sure you guys have it covered! Just some thoughts! Can’t wait to see all the things that are crossed off with the next update! So fun!

    Reply

  25. Mira says

    Hi Guys,

    I saw that a swing set for Clara was on your list – we are nearly done with a play structure for our little “prince”. It too was a DIY (and on the cheap) project. Thought you might like to have a look. :)

    Cheers,

    M

    Reply

  26. amy good house says

    I know someone who DIY-ed a pool!

    Mind you this person worked in stone masonry for a living. But he basically did all this research and sometimes was out in the backyard into the wee hours with his wife, in a pit trying to make things right (before the cement dried). The end product was the nicest backyard pool i have ever seen. Absolutely beautiful and perfect! They love it, however they said they would never do it again :)

    Reply

  27. ashley says

    Nice update! You guys have accomplished a lot already, but it’s even better to see all your big plans we have to look forward to.

    Lists are so satisfying. I’m guilty of including things that I’ve already done so that I can cross them off…

    When will y’all be sharing Claraganza details? Excited to see if you tackled a pinata, are doing the stringed balloons, etc. :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We’re working away on the ol’ par-tay for the next few days, but hope to toss up a post with deets tomorrow. And of course early next week we’ll be back to share all the actual party pics and project breakdowns.

      xo,
      s

  28. Emily says

    Hey guys! I got so excited when I read the DIY pool item on your list. It’s not totally crazy! My dear old dad built our pool at our ranch last year. He googled ‘how to build a pool’ and did it all by himself with a little help from my brother. We can’t imagine our time out there now during the hot West Texas summers without it. If you need more information, pictures etc. just email me. I’m happy to get more information for y’all.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Wow- thanks Emily! So it IS possible. Just gotta get the hubs on board (we want to wait until Clara and potential future baby is bigger anyway, so I’ve got time to work on John- haha).

      xo,
      s

  30. Amelia from Flux Capacitating says

    Hey there! So this isn’t really related to the list (tho congrats on making such good progress already!) but I just got a copy of Mamarazzi last night, and as I was flipping through it I landed on Clara’s pictures! I don’t remember you guys mentioning anything about contributing to it, but I just wanted to say that I think it’s great, and it felt like seeing a “friend” when I came to your section. And that little Clara is awfully cute too! :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Isn’t that amazing?! We just got a copy yesterday and were so excited (John’s mom jumped up and down that Clara made the book). It was so much fun to send along our little photo project for them when they emailed us a few months back, and we’re so glad it made it in. Our baby girl is a star! Haha.

      xo,
      s

  31. Molly K says

    Brilliant!

    I have a million lists written out and i’m always redoing them when we finish stuff. Having EVERYTHING written out in one place is a great idea (why didn’t I think of that?) as I also LOVE lists. I also like that you can see how far you’ve come by keeping them crossed off on the list.

    off to start my typed out mega list!…

    Reply

  34. Rachel says

    How inspring! We recently purchased our first home, and while it’s new enough not to need a ton of work, there are plenty of projects we’ve already done, and more that I’d like to do. You’ve inspired me to make a list of my own! And I agree that crossing things off is one of the most satisfying parts of making a list in the first place.

    Reply

  35. Angie @ The Country Chic Cottage says

    Something I saw this morning on your sunken trampoline idea:

    http://www.allthingsthrifty.com/2011/05/diy-inground-trampoline-instructions.html

    I had never even heard of such a thing. To see it twice in one morning is beyond conincidental don’t ya think??

    Also have you seen the DIY methods for the capiz chandelier??

    http://www.designspongeonline.com/2010/08/diy-project-brennas-paper-capiz-shell-chandelier.html

    http://www.thecountrychiccottage.net/2010/09/rose-petal-chandy.html

    I could like more. You could say I am obsessed with these capiz chandeliers…good luck in finding (or making) yours! :)

    Loooove the list! :)

    Reply

  36. Ashton says

    I LOVE LISTS! What an amazing post! and look how much you have accomplished! I am so inspired I am going to start my very own home to-do list. I love the three different categories too! Perfection!

    Reply

  37. Wendy says

    I think you guys are crazy for wanting to DIY a pool!!!! Between digging the giant hole, the pump, filters, jets, skimmers and drains it would be quite the undertaking. As a pool owner that is something I would definitely leave to the professionals! (And I’m a DIY freak just like you :)) I’m interested to see how it works for you though!! :)

    Reply

  38. tarynkay says

    I confess to just skimming this list. I noticed the daybed-trundle item, though- we have that, and it is awesome (okay, it will be awesome once we get a mattress for the trundle part) Anyhow, on ours, the trundle part pops up to the height of the daybed.

    Here’s an example, though we got ours for $50 on Craigslist: http://compare.ebay.com/like/270342884405?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

    Then you can hook the daybed part and the trundle part together to make a king-sized bed. Does that make sense? So it can be used as either two twin guest beds, or one king-sized guest bed. So versatile!

    Reply

  39. Jessica says

    My old boyfriend from high school helped his dad build an in-ground pool while we were together. It took about a month, and a lot of hard work, but was WAY cheaper than having one put in for them. 12 or so years later, the pool is still in great condition and they haven’t had any problems (I still keep in touch with some the family…I’m not a stalker or anything….hehe) It will take a lot of ambition and hard work, but you guys could totally do it! I’ll be anxious to see how it turns out when you get around to it. Thought you might like to hear about someone who did DIY a pool and it actually worked out! Have a great day!

    Reply

  41. Amanda says

    Looking forward to the post about a DIY swing set. My husband and I have been looking into making one for our kids but it seems pretty expensive even when DIY. Can’t wait to see how you would plan and attack the project.

    Love following your blog!

    Reply

  42. Jen says

    My dad DIY’d a pool when I was a kid – we were his slave labor! I think I was somewhere around 9 and my brother was 6. It required a ton of earthwork even though we had an above-ground pool because our lot was a big hill.

    It took probably several full weekends of renting a backhoe and then another few weeks leveling it all out by hand, adding a big layer of gravel and then filling it in with more dirt and sand followed by a week or so of buying and laying out the cement blocks to place around the perimeter of the pool (for the wall to rest on securely). Then you have to fill in the middle with a layer of fine sand for the bottom of the liner to rest on.

    Then, once all the ground was prepared, after a month or two, the pool had to go up.. this was the craziest part. We had a 30×15 foot oval pool, and the side came in one gigantic piece. It was wobbly and difficult, and if you bend it, you risk making a sharp crease that could potentially puncture the lining. I think we called in some uncles for help on this one. You had to set the bottom of the wall in these little rounded metal tracks so that it took the correct shape of the pool and wasn’t resting on the concrete blocks.

    Once you got the wobbly walls in the little tracks, you had to put up the supporting posts along the sides and end, and then the worst part of all – draping the liner (which needs to be in the middle of these wobbly walls, with some people inside to hand the edge of the liner to you. Then, you have to put a rubber thing over the edge of the wall, and drape the liner over that (so it doesn’t cut the liner) and then secure it with a little metal track. Then… assuming nothing is broken or torn, you add the top panels that protect the sides.

    Ok.. now that the ground, supports, walls, and lining are all in place, then you have to assemble all of the equipment that goes with it – filter basket on the side of the pool (carefully sealed so it doesn’t leak, because if it leaks and then freezes, it can rust and buckle the wall of your pool), piping, filter/pump, grounded electric lines to the pumps… all that good stuff..

    Then, you have to fill it up – which takes FOREVER. Then, you have to take a sample to Leslie’s pools or wherever, they test it, they say “here, buy these 50-bajillion buckets of chemicals and mix them in this dose this many times per day for this length of time, and then bring us another sample”. Getting the pool to the right balance up front takes a few weeks, but then maintenance is easier and only requires addition of chemicals once in a while, and then just before closing/opening your pool for the season..

    Hope this helps you get an idea of just exactly how much work it takes! We started in May or June and didn’t finish til October. It is a ridiculous butt-load of work, but technically it can be done if you have help at the trickiest parts.

    Reply

  43. Kim says

    I just have to add that reading your list makes me feel normal. I currently have 3 lists on the go: To do before baby #2 (July), to do this month, and the Master To Do list for the house (long term). My hubbie loves it but shakes his head – lesson – don’t show him all 3 lists at the same time… and my friends just laugh. But then again, they always show up and love the latest thing we’ve done with the house…so laugh away!!!!

    Reply

  44. Mikki says

    Just a thought. When my daughter was Clara’s size, we used a galvanized wash tub outside as her “pool.” First, the metal would get warm in the sun (if it got too warm, we cooled it with the hose) which in turn warmed the water to a comfortable level. It was easy to keep a hold of her, or near her and not be in the pool (like you need to be in a traditional platic baby pool) It was easy to dump, move, and store, plus it then turned into a great party beverage center at anytime! You can even scour the hardware stores and livestock stores for larger ones and oval ones. With your “craftyness,” you could probably paint the outside some cool color with polka-dots or something! :)

    Reply

    • Liz says

      I grew up in Phoenix (yes, you actually can fry an egg on the sidewalk during the summer) and we had a metal pool. My dad picked up a 6-foot diameter stock tank, painted it to match the house trim, and filled ‘er up! We kept it in the shade, but it did get to a really nice temp pretty quickly. The edges that were in direct sunlight did get pretty toasty!

  45. lara says

    how do you plan on refinishing your hardware? we also have a 1950’s house and would like to update the knobs & hinges, i thought we’d have to replace it all…

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We’re not sure yet but we’ve seen other tackle it with a few different methods so we’ll research it a bit more and share whatever we end up with (and how well it works).

      xo,
      s

  47. Jen says

    Question on the refinishing hardware to antique bronze — how do you plan to do this? Maybe I missed a tutorial in the past but I would love to know as we are buying a house full of dated brass hardware on every doorknob, hinge, etc that will all add up fast to replace.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We’re not sure yet but we’ve seen other tackle it with a few different methods so we’ll research it a bit more and share whatever we end up with (and how well it works).

      xo,
      s

    • KathyG says

      Isn’t it so odd when 2 questions about the same thing at the same time? It happens really quite often! (yeah, I notice things like that)

    • Misty says

      Hey, I was also curious about how you guys plan to refinish the hardware, as we are in need of the same thing in our house, so I would also just like to second Jen’s request to get more info when you guys get around to it! Good luck with the list, you guys are doing great!

  48. Maria says

    I discovered your blog a couple weeks ago and absolutely LOVE it!!! I am now a regular – I check it every day and always look forward it. Thanks for all the great ideas!

    Reply

  49. Carolyn says

    Reading this made me remember how excited I am for the kitchen re-do! Can’t wait to see what you come up with. The outdoor plans you have on there look very intriguing as well, never seen an in-ground trampoline.

    Reply

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