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).
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, andthe 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 doorsFrost the side door that looks in on the kitchenRemove 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 closetOrganize 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 framesAccidentally kill our beloved ceramic dog by dropping a frame on his head<–Every list needs some comic relief, and John got ‘er donePaint the back of the future dining room built-ins something fun and brightAdd new hardware to the bottom cabinets of the built-insReplace the medicine cabinet in the guest bathroom with a charming mirrorRemove the annoying off-centered towel bar below the window in the hall bathroom and frame out the base of the window to hide the damageHang a giant grid of ribba frames above the sectional in the living room and figure out a cheap art solutionHang 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 oneA 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 roomComfy 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 roomA 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.
carolinaheartstrings says
I have been married 29 years and have lived in my present house now for nearly 20 years. The to do list never goes away!!!
Mikki says
I never had a problem. Of course, I didn’t allow her to sit inside of it in the full sun just because i didn’t want her to burn – UV rays and all. The afternoon or morning times were the best. We would let it warm up and then move it to the shade or move the patio umbrella over her and let her play. You could also get some of the foam piping that has a slit runing down the side of it (it’s used to cover pipes to keep them from freezing and comes in different diameters) and use it to cover the edge of the tub. This way it would not get hot, plus, it would be added protection. Even the edges of thoe plastic pools get pretty hot.
YoungHouseLove says
Ok so you didn’t leave it outside all the time. Our patio is pretty shady all of the day so I was contemplating using a big galvanized steel tub as a sandbox slash baby pool, but it would probably stay out on the patio for the most part (either filled with sand or water) so we didn’t know it it would get searingly hot even in the shade from being outside so often. Hmm, maybe we just need to put a metal bucket out there to test how hot it gets…
xo,
s
Kayla says
Tell John the pool is a good idea. My parents have one, and did a ton of it DIY style with help on the labor-side from friends and family. It’s been in at least 15 years, and is awesome!!!!
Amanda Wells says
That is quite the list! Wow! Love the stationery! I’ve recently become obsessed with etsy. It’s a problem! Exhibit A — http://www.amandadovewells.com/?p=439
Katie says
I cant wait to see how you do the door handles in oil rubbed bronze! I want to do this.. and I was thinking of using the spray paint technique you did for for the feet of your sectional!
[email protected] says
oh how I LOVE lists! Glad you share the love too!!! :) I posted a semi-thorough lists of projects we’re tackling on our house too, but the more I peruse the web and blogosphere, the more ideas I’m getting, and the more I realized that I need to update our list! EEK! So many projects to do!!!
Thanks for sharing your updated list! It’s amazing to see how many things are crossed off in a mere five months. It’s also interesting to see all the added items – I guess a lot changes once you move in and get “settled,” at least it has for us. :) Good luck on more projects. I LOVE following along!
Debi says
I love a good list!
I’m wondering about your budget, if you don’t mind sharing. Do you have a certain percentage you set aside weekly or monthly?
YoungHouseLove says
We generally save as much as we can all the time. We’re save-a-holics. Haha. So we don’t have a certain number in mind because sometimes we’re able to save more and sometimes we save less (due to a doctor bill or a unexpected project complication). Keeping it open means it’s nice and flexible so we just look at our bank account and say “yes, we can afford that, let’s get it or do it” or “nope, we need to save longer so let’s do quick and inexpensive projects a bit longer while we save our pennies.” So far, it seems to work. Oh and before our move we saved up a bunch of money in anticipation for the furniture and stuff we’d need (so we didn’t take on major house projects or take trips for a while so we could put that money towards things like our new sectional and table once we moved).
xo,
s
Suzanne says
I actually just finished DIYing a capiz chandelier for my dining room. It was really easy and actually looks pretty cool, if I do say so myself:) The best part? It basically cost me the price of a roll of wax paper. Here’s the link if you’re interested!
http://www.4inspirationsphotographyblog.com/suzanne-mcgrath-photograp/2011/04/how-to-make-a-fake-capiz-chandelierin-other-wordsa-tutorial.html
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- love it!
xo,
s
Marci says
Wow, can’t wait to see all your projects. I also have been wanting to spray paint my doorknobs so am especially excited to see how yours turn out first …. ha, ha!
I just wanted to share one thought with you though and certainly take it or leave it. I was seriously considering a trampoline but then after my friend’s son got a concussion a couple weeks ago, there was a lot of discussion among friends and on FB and by googling, I learned some things; 1) you need to insure them and they add a whole lot of $ to your premium although I have no idea what that cost is; 2) they are the number one reason for dr office injuries lately per some of our local pediatricians and 3) they have actually caused some serious injuries including paralysis of adults and children. I know lots of people that have them and am bummed that I can’t get one now knowing all this.
Also, before you decide on which sand to buy, check out this article. Perhaps you could even haul your own sand from the beach which would be FREE anyway :-)
http://www.sustainlane.com/reviews/why-you-shouldnt-buy-just-any-sand-for-your-kids-sandbox/D4J97HFRVMYBC8QUQ9RVOQ33V9JZ
I hope you don’t mind my 2 cents, I just know that you guys are always into organic and natural solutions so thought I’d just share what I’ve learned recently so you are able to make informed decisions. You guys are just such an inspiration with all that you do.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tips! Always good to look into that stuff before making big purchases!
xo,
s
Jaime says
Very inspirational. If only having a list could motivate me…
Jessica G in NN says
really pumped to see the “ode to pinterest” play kitchen & sunken trampoline made it to the to-do list!
YoungHouseLove says
Heck yeah. I totally went over to my own pinterst boards to see what I needed to add to the to-do list to keep it updated with all of my pinterest goals. Haha.
xo,
s
Jessica G in NN says
i understand that. my roommate and i are planning a “restructuring of pinterest boards” date! i noticed on pinterest too that you and i end up pinning similar things. great minds and all that! jessica_gourley if you’re interested! happy pinning & listing!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Jessica! I’m still learning how to follow peeps and reply to them but I hope to bump into you!
xo,
s
Cori says
I saw a similar chandelier to the one you liked(for your kitchen) at PB Teen in their catalog. I don’t know if it is cheaper though, PB can still be pricey.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah we’ve seen that one too but we think it’s too small for over an island. But it’s really sweet for a bedroom or nursery or entryway!
xo,
s
Michele says
Don’t forget to add House Crash the Aments to your list! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- your latest map project is amazing!
xo,
s
gina says
I have been doing a LOT of research on DIYing our pool. I think it CAN be done and there is NO way we could pay $30,000 and up for one. At the VERY least you could act as your own contractor and save some major bones there.
As far as the swing set, I had an idea that I took to Home Depot to have them put it on their computer. Instead of having an island type swingset that takes up massive room, we are going to build an L shaped raised deck and build it along our privacy fence. Underneath will be our badly needed backyard storage so we can eliminate our shed. We are going to have the swing, slide, climbing wall etc. come off the upper level at various spots. At the end of one of the decks will be a playhouse with escape hatch and at one spot the upper decking will be replaced with a wiggle bridge. I could go on and on but hopefully you get the idea. So excited about this idea…hubby jumped on this one too, the pool he is only lukewarm about. But I am working on him. :)
L says
Seeing “paint the front door” on your list reminded me that it’s on mine as well! And seeing as you all are door painting veterans, I was hoping you could help me with my conundrum here.
When I paint something like, say, shelves, I like to allow as long as possible (usually at least a week) for the paint to cure before placing an object on it. Our front door fits pretty snuggly in its frame–good for energy efficiency, but I’m terrified of having to close it with fresh paint! I could paint first thing in the morning, and sit at home and babysit the open door all day long, but come night I’ll have to close it. Any suggestions? Am I making a mountain out of a molehill?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s how I did ours. On a weekend when we’d be home all day and when it was kind of nice out so it wasn’t letting freezing or sweltering air into the house. It doesn’t have to be thrown open, it can just be cracked to dry. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
L says
Thanks for the advice!
YoungHouseLove says
Sure thing! Good luck.
xo,
s
Nik says
I see you have already been given several suggestions for Clara’s kitchen, but I didn’t know if you had seen this one yet. I LOVE it.
http://www.designspongeonline.com/2010/11/before-after-corissas-dining-room-amys-play-kitchen.html
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah I love that one!
xo,
s
Necole says
Holy Moly, what a list! It makes me want to be productive.
Briel K. says
That’s quite the list! You guys have done a lot so far and I’m excited to see some of the future projects you plan to tackle.
For some reason this list made me think of your old house. Are you in contact with the new owners? Do you think sometime in the future they’d let you house crash? It would be kind of neat to see your old house with new stuff!
YoungHouseLove says
We only had contact with the buyers of our old house during the sale (we don’t want to pester them since it’s their house now, haha) but they know we’d love to house crash them whenever they’d like, so the ball is definitely in their court!
xo,
s
Briel K. says
Cool! The thought just popped into my head so I had to ask. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh how we’d love to see that house again someday! Fingers crossed…
xo,
s
Micha says
Phew, your list looks longer than ours :o) That makes me feel a bit better about ours ;o)
Pamela says
For your cabinet hardware I seriously recommend cabinethardware4less from ebay! They have in no way endorsed me to say this, hell I don’t even have a blog, but I bought my handles there for my kitchen redo and they have such an amazing price, great shipping, and they are such good quality! Nice and heavy duty and oh so beautiful :D
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much!
xo,
s
GreenInOC says
As I’m reading this, I noticed the ad for WallQuotes.com on your sidebar and the graphic they are using has this quote:
“Great things are not done by impulse but by a series of small things brought together” -Vincent van Gogh
It’s almost like you are getting a stamp of approval from a fellow artist!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I love it! Great quote!
xo,
s
Jacqueline says
I’m just….wow….DIY a pool? A POOL? A POOL! I’m…speechless…and in awe of your ambition!
Stacy says
Hey Guys ~ If you’re ever looking for a great online list making tool which is totally sharable and customizable, check out “Remember the Milk”. It’s a free download (unless you go to the premium version) and you can make as many list categories as you want, tags, prioritize events/tasks, etc. This simple tool has transformed my list making ways! Give it a try.
YoungHouseLove says
We’ll have to check it out!
xo,
s
Laura says
Let me start off by saying I love this blog. I have painted furniture that I would have never attempted before. I am using colors/patterns I wouldn’t have looked at before. I really do love watching the progress you make on your home.
I just wanted to leave a comment for those feeling inadequate or like failures because you guys have gotten so much done since you bought this house:
Remember John and Sherry are full time bloggers. This is their job like Sherry said. They don’t go to work at a normal 9 to 5 job and then come home and get all of this done. They are not an “average” family. They get paid to stay home and do these home improvements. Thkink about how much you could get done if this was your job!
With that being said, you two still rock. The patio looks awesome and I can’t wait to see the party you throw for Clara.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! We totally agree! This is definitely our full time job (along with taking care of a one year old) and we spend at least 60-80 hours a week doing projects and taking photos of them and writing posts and juggling giveaways and sponsors and all that biznezz. We do our best to take breaks so we don’t burn out (and Clara can make squeezing in the projects quite a challenge sometimes) but we don’t have office jobs to juggle too. We definitely moved more slowly when we both had 9-5s going on! Although on weekends and evenings before we had Clara we remember working at what felt like Mach 10 (now it’s sometimes Mach 2 or 3 with a bean around, haha).
xo,
s
Pixie says
I love a good to do list. I make one daily when I arrive at work and then in the evening when I get home. In addition I keep a “everything list” which is everything I would love to get done EVER. That way instead of sitting around thinking “I’m bored” at 2 pm on a Sunday I can say “what can I do off my list with the time I have now.
Jenny says
Can you do this one next?
“Remove all the door handles, hinges, and doorknobs in the house and refinish them in oil-rubbed bronze”
I want to do it too! All my hardware is brass. My husband thinks I’m crazy to want to do it. I’m sure I could convince him if we had a tutorial from you to follow! :)
YoungHouseLove says
We’d love to get to that project soon-ish! In the meantime feel free to google around for other tutorials (others have done it with varied success). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Leslie says
Wow your list is intimidating (but exciting)! Just thought I’d give you the heads up (in case you want to make some patio/path lighting happen right now) that Target has a bunch of their solar powered path lights, torches, and even adorable mini-light strings on sale right now. If I had an outdoor space I would’ve bought some myself just last night – instead I came home with one of their tiny (and adorable) stake garden gnomes! Can’t wait to see what else gets added to the list over time!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip!
xo,
s
Lindsay says
Re: Elizabeth’s comment about the surrounding patio lights.
I might suggest solar lights. They are pretty common now (aka lower priced and come in some cute options) and they are a good long term investment because they don’t require electricity and usually don’t require any wiring, which means you can move them easily (major bonus!). Plus it’s good for the environment!
These are just the first ones I found: http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-Fans-Outdoor-Lighting-Landscape-Deck-Lighting-Landscape-Lights/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbvnoZ1z13o8y/R-100599811/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks! We love how easy solar lights are to set up, but sometimes they have that odd blue glow. We’ll have to check these out!
xo,
s
Jess says
DIY Pool building is not totally insane! We did a lot of of the process ourselves. Note that we were not able to do it all…but as much as we could! Can’t wait to see the list get knocked down! I am excited to see what you guys do with your kitchen! Love it!! Sending love from Los Angeles!
Kristen says
My hubby actually turned me into a list person and I love crossing things off as I complete them. There’s a list on the kitchen counter right now!
Wendy says
You guys are amazing! Your list makes me tired just reading it. :-) Keep up the great work.
Monika says
The amount of things that you guys have accomplished so far off your list is amazing! Congrats!
I’m really looking forward to seeing how you DIY a bean bag for Clara, that is something that I would definitely like to try.
I’m also excited to see your hanging chair for the sun room, do you have any plans for how to securely hang it?
YoungHouseLove says
No idea! We just tackle things one project at a time, so when we get there we’ll research some sort of secure ceiling anchor that can be screwed into a stud or something. Details when we get there!
xo,
s
Jessica Z. says
Congrats on making such amazing progress in just 5 months! This system seems to work so well for you guys.
Have you ever thought of using an electronic list program? I have the ListPro iPhone app and love it! I keep several lists (from grocery list to outdoor to-do to indoor to-do to gift ideas) and can add things as I think of them, and it is really easy to use. Then again, electronically checking the box to mark a task completed just isn’t the same as crossing something off with a pencil or pen. ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Now that we have this online list going on it’s great to add to it and cross things out on the computer! Definitely addicting. And I’m loving the red type twist. Haha. Now I want a red marker for my list on paper. Haha.
xo,
s
taraHatz says
I don’t know if anyone suggested this already, but Walmart has small bean bags for $15 (noticed them when buying a few more large, Rubbermaid totes for kid clothing storage). If I didn’t already have a large, microfiber MonsterSak (and their quality/prices/customer service were so out of this world amazing that I feel compelled to leave a link http://monstersak.com/) in my kids’ playroom, I’d probably get a couple of those and make some cute “slipcovers” for them.
Jacki says
I have so many plans around the house too! They’re all stored in my brain HAHA, might have to start writing them all down!
Abercrombie Wife says
Sunken in trampoline! You are geniuses!
Terri says
Hi! I just want to include my 2 cents about refinishing your floors. My hubby and I also love to fix, refurbish, update, paint, etc our homes, and I wish I would have been BRILLIANT like you guys and started a blog about it, but that is another story which would make this already run on sentence even more runny-on. HOWEVER, I did want to share our experience with dark wood floors. They are gorgeous, to be sure. They make a place look elegant, which is lovely, but not our style after all. AND, they are a GIANT PAIN to keep clean, especially if you have OCD about floors, like little me. You can see every smudge, every sock print, every hand print, every spec of dust, every pet hair, you get the idea. I had no idea about this until it was too late. Maybe you’re not OCD, in which case, it won’t matter. But it’s just something to consider. I hate our gorgeous floors :(
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Terri! Definitely something to think about!
xo,
s
Jacqueline says
So true! We have gorgeous, dark wood throughout our house and I am crazy about the floors! I feel like I’m cleaning them all the time :)
Kelli says
I love lists! Even if it’s not on my list and I accomplish it, I add it just to cross it off! (SIDE NOTE: Did you see that the Round Coco Mirror is back on the West Elm website!?)
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, so pretty! If only we could convince ourselves we need it more than the money to put towards other projects…
xo,
s
Carrie @ Hazardous Design says
My husband and i have a similar list to tackle our home renovation. It has been fun to look back at it and see how far we’ve come.
Most interesting, however, are the items that get crossed off the list for reasons other than that they’ve been finished. Sometimes we simply change our minds and decide not to do a project, or to go about doing it in a different way.
Carla says
I love making lists, but the one list I’m the most excited about making is for when I buy my first home. Instead of feeling sorry for myself I’m finding more and more inspiration visiting your website.
Oh, and the most interesting item on your list is the hanging vintage chair for the sunroom. I think I know what you’re talking about, but what a fun idea. Are you looking for bamboo or wicker? What inspired that? I’d love to see some examples of chairs like that.
YoungHouseLove says
I love those cool woven egg chairs that I see from time to time. Here’s hoping we come across one on ebay or in a thirft store and can make it ours!
xo,
s
Vicki says
“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)”
Haha, when I was younger, my parents had a trampoline and one of those pop up pools that are about a metre deep and jumping off the trampoline into the pool was the BEST thing.
Though, the real danger of trampolines is not falling off, it’s falling onto the trampoline and snapping your neck, so sinking it into the ground doesn’t do a lot really.
Joanne says
You could chalkboard paint a calendar in the laundry room and knock two items off the list at once!
YoungHouseLove says
This is true! And it’s a definite possibility!
xo,
s
Ali says
I have a somewhat unrelated question: As a new addict to Extreme Couponing on TLC, I was wondering how your progress is going with your goal to save $$ by adopting some of the “in the know” couponer strategies…I’m not ready to dumpster dive but I do want to save at the store. I just find that many of the coupons are for products I don’t want. ie, my family isn’t going to sacrifice produce and fresh/healthy foods for a 6 mo stockpile of “free” ramen noodles, soda, and packaged snacks. There must be a good middle ground – I have faith and Sherry and John can show me the way!!
YoungHouseLove says
I keep up with all the tips I shared here back when I started (loading coupons on my Kroger card and getting the Sunday paper along with reading couponing sites) but no dumpster diving just yet. Haha. I definitely have no desire for a stockpile (we like to buy what we need and use it up before going back for more) and I definitely fight to only use coupons on things that we need and would buy anyway (because buying something we don’t need for 50% off isn’t saving money, it’s spending it!).
xo,
s
Caitlin @ Desert Domicile says
So happy to see that I’m not the only one who adds things to their list only to check them off immediately cause they’re already done :)
Looks like you guys have made a lot of progress in just a few short months!
Corinne says
Yay a listy update! The last one inspired me to start writing stuff down….but I should just stick it up on the ol’ blog and have a little more push to get it done! You two have accomplished SO MUCH in the few months you’ve been there, so keep up the awesomesauce work!
andrea says
Try to find Folio barstools from crate and barrel on craigslist for the island in the kitchen. I found them on craigslist for a steal and they are the most I ever spent on furniture, but they are worth it! I work from my kitchen counter in them and they are comfy! Also when they get wet they don’t stain at all!
Love em!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the suggestion! We’ll have to check them out!
xo,
s
Ted says
“Chalkboard paint something. It’s too much fun to deny the bean.”
Do you still need to do this? The bean has the brand spanking new patio and sidewalk chalk. It’s a much bigger palette than a chalkboard!
And my caveat. For group presents that we gave out a couple of years ago, we made customized little kitchen chalk board’s for some friends and we used the chalkboard paint. From our experience, the chalkboard paint doesn’t clean up/dry erase as easily as regular chalkboards and you need to wet clean them more than regular chalkboards to get the chalk markings off.
YoungHouseLove says
True, she does have the patio… but what if it’s raining Ted! Haha. Who knows where we’ll end up.
xo,
s
Donna says
Love the West Elm capiz chandelier and in fact I just saw it last weekend at the outlet mall nearby (well 3ish hour drive away). I’m not sure if you have a Pottery Barn outlet near you, but ours also carries West Elm and Williams Sonoma products, so it might be worth checking out. We are also DIY rennovating our house right now and have gotton crazy good scores from the Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, and Crate & Barrel outlets for the house!! Good luck!!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the tip!
xo,
s
Julie says
I was just working on my new house to-do list last night! I totally agree that crossing things off a list is the ultimate feel good. My only problem is that as the list gets longer and longer I start getting more and more overwhelmed.
What I’ve found helps is if I make a to-do list for each weekend. I spend 50-60 hours a week at the office, so the bulk of my home improvement time is on the weekends. I’ve found that if I just have a long list I get super overwhelmed and end up doing nothing because I’m running around trying to do bits and pieces of 100 different projects.
So, my solution is to make a list every Friday that has 1-2 big-ish projects I want to tackle (paint a room, paint trim, build a small piece of furniture), 3-4 small-ish projects I think I can squeeze in (finally iron and hem curtains, hang curtain rods, organize kitchen cabinets), the shopping trips I need to take (with an item list per store), and any other miscellaneous cleaning jobs or errands that need my immediate attention. I’m far more efficient when I have a goal in mind!
When I first started doing this I’d get wayy overambitious and list a million things, but I’m starting to get more realistic and only plan to tackle a few things, and putting extra projects in a “bonus” category that I’ll get to if I have the time.
I realize this all seems super type A and I probably sound like the least fun person in the world, but this is what works for me!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, no way! You sound like a blast. Love that you figured out what works for ya! Go get ’em girl!
xo,
s
Meredith K A says
I just made a list for my summer! And then I made a list of things that I can’t possibly get to this summer, which I guess might fall under your “long-term” section. After I did the list post, I thought it was such a good idea that I made the list its own page on my blog: http://www.peacelovemath.com/p/summer-2011-projects.html
You guys are often my inspiration for projects! I just need to put the last coat of actual paint on my picture frames and I’ll be all ready to try a dense frame wall of my own – sometimes I just need ideas like yours to get over my ingrained visions (like walls only have widely-spaced arrangements of one or a few frames). I don’t always love your ideas, but I usually do, and just reading about all the details and the planning process is always super inspiring! I am really looking forward to seeing the after once you guys knock out that wall and make the fireplace double-sided. It’s going to be so awesome, I can tell!
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh I love that your list has fun pics (especially that one of the adorable Juno)!
xo,
s