These posts came about when people asked how we organize all the stuff that we have on our to-do list and we explained that we basically have one long run-on document that we update as we go. Back in May when we first shared this list, we didn’t get to cross anything off. But now that it has been a few months, some requests for an updated version rolled in and I was all “No, please dont make me cross things off!” Just kidding. I was all “Lemme at it! Ohmanohman I love crossing things off!” Picture the dog’s reaction in those Beggin’ strips commercials. And guess how many lines I got to make? 43. Which happens to by my favorite number from the days of beepers (anyone else still use 143?). Basically this post is a mythical unicorn and lists are my catnip.
– The Front Yard (10% Complete) –
To Do:
- Dig up all the quickly spreading ground cover
Remove the trees that are dead/decaying/diseased beyond repair (our house inspector helped confirm which ones had to go)- Aerate, level, and seed the yard
- Make planting beds up front and mulch and plant them
Get all exterior siding and trim repainted (there’s peeling paint, some rot, etc)- Redo old cracked concrete walkway from the driveway to the front door (add curves and pretty planting beds on both sides)
- Add some pretty hard-scaping around the front (we’re still inspired by this house’s awesome landscaping – so we’d love to add something raised stone beds)
- Plant a few green dwarf maples (it’s our favorite thing that we planted one at our current house – you can see it in this post under the window on the right)
- Add some subtle exterior up-lighting (some of the neighbors have it and it’s crazy charming at night)
- Add low curved brick borders on either side of the driveway wired with lights (some of the houses nearby have ’em and we love them)
- Get the driveway paved
– The Portico (25% Complete) –
To Do:
Repaint the portico and sidelights (peeling paint = everywhere)- Arch the portico ceiling (it’s low and one house up the street has an arched ceiling with a gorgeous hanging lantern)
- Add a few planters, a new door mat, new porch lighting, etc
Paint the front door
– The Garage (0% Complete) –
To Do:
- Repaint garage doors and add some nice hardware to beef them up
- Add pergola over double garage doors with vines creeping over it
- Finish the interior of the garage with drywall to create a workshop on one side and storage around the perimeter (add pegboards, shelving for paint and tools, etc)
- Reuse kitchen cabinets in the garage if we can’t salvage them after the kitchen makeover (they’re dinged up and splintered in a bunch of spots, but would be great for the garage)
- Redo four steps that lead from garage to kitchen (remove old carpeting and paint them? rebuild them completely?)
- Build a box on casters for scrap wood storage in the garage (we need a system to keep it from being all over the place)
- Maybe we should get old lockers and paint them fun colors and remove some of the doors for storage? (love these!)
- Possibly add plumbing for a utility sink out there (we’ve always wanted one in our “workshop”)
– The Foyer (35% Complete) –
To Do:
- Remove the old carpet from the wood stairs
Paint blue trim in foyer- Paint the blue stair balusters
Remove wallpaper and repaint the wallsRemove the doors that block the flow into the kitchen (and the pretty view out the back windows that will someday be french doors)- Depending on how things go as we move in/live there, we might add a stair runner (seagrass? a colorful Dash & Albert runner?)
- Replace the old foyer light eventually? (but paint the existing one in the meantime)
- Replace tile? (only if it’s un-salvageable – there are a few areas where it’s pretty beat up but we’re hoping to work with it)
- Since there are two closets in the foyer and we only need one for coats, so we want to build a craft and toy closet in the deeper foyer closet with a bunch of shelves to store Claraphernalia
– The Half Bathroom (30% Complete) –
To Do:
Remove wallpaperRepaint all blue trim (and door)Upgrade door hardware & hingesPaint wallsNew mirror (something larger and higher – John can only see up to his shoulders now)Paint vanity (use odor blocking primer)Upgrade lighting- Replace leaky faucet
- Replace vanity & seashell sink (Phase 2)
- Replace tile floor? (only if it’s un-salvageable – which still remains to be seen) (Phase 2)
- Here’s a shocker since this house is covered with old wallpaper, but we’re actually flirting with adding some cool new wallpaper since there’s no tub/shower in there (grass cloth? something charming like this or this?). Could be fun! Or a tiled accent wall could be fun. (Phase 2)
– The Dining Room (5% Complete) –
To Do:
Clean and reseal the wood floors- Upgrade built-ins (remove scrolly tops? build up to ceiling? paint white?)
- Paint all of the blue trim
- Remove the wallpaper
- Repaint the walls
- Upgrade lighting and curtains
- Add
furniture, a rug (?) and art
– The Living Room (5% Complete) –
To Do:
Clean and re-seal the wood floors- Prime and paint the bright pink walls
Take down the old curtains- Prime and paint the thick woodwork that wraps around the bottom half of the room’s walls (we LOVE it, and think it’ll be gorgeous in white)
- Whitewash the brick fireplace wall for a cozy vibe
- Get gas logs as phase two after we save up our bucks
- Add more can lights to evenly light the room (there are just three near the fireplace)
- Turn the overhead beams into a coffered ceiling (like these)
- Build/find a nice big built-in-looking cabinet that holds the TV?
– The Office (7% Complete) –
To Do:
Take down the old curtainsClean and re-seal the wood floors- Paint walls and trim and ceiling
- Add double desk work area somewhere – perhaps coming out from the middle of the left wall (or the right wall between the windows)?
- Bring in storage (bookcase, file cabinet, etc) – possibly cool build-ins around the bay window
- Add curtains/window treatments
- Hang art & create a brainstorm-zone on the walls (bulletin board? chalkboard?)
- Add two large potted plants (lemon trees? fiddle leaf figs?) in front of the two front-facing windows
– The Kitchen (3% Complete) –
To Do:
Take down the old curtains- Remove the wallpaper and paint the walls
- Convert giant triple window into french doors leading onto deck
- Open wall between kitchen & living room then add built-ins on either side (sort of like the dining room built-ins in our current house)
- Prime and paint the woodwork that wraps around the bottom half of the room’s walls
- Full kitchen reno (replace the faux brick linoleum, damaged cabinets, laminate counters, bad lighting, old broken appliances, etc)
- Perhaps try our hand at heated floors under some fresh tile (that might spill into the foyer and hall bath if we can’t salvage that tile)
- Organize the pantry with pull out drawers and bins and containers (and paint the door a fun color or replace it with frosted glass?)
- Amp up the “command center” area across from the triple windows
- Paint the new kitchen french doors and door to the sunroom (black? charcoal? soft turquoise? white?)
- Get water filter for under the sink
- Add window treatment and pendant over the sink & a larger new light fixture over the eat-in area
- Figure out how to create a drop zone for coats, shoes, etc (maybe in the garage if not in here?)
– The Sunroom (10% Complete) –
To Do:
Rip up old carpet and padding- Permanently remove the broken base heater
- Eventually retile the floor with outdoor-safe stone to upgrade the old concrete floors (down the line for Phase 2)
- Convert sunroom to an open covered porch with new columns and no more sliders (many of the sliders are bad and the posts are rotten) – we’re envisioning something like this
- Build a brick outdoor fireplace off of the sunroom after we open it up? Kind of like this, but different…
- Add beadboard to the ceiling and paint it soft blue?
– Our Bedroom (10% Complete) –
To Do:
Remove old carpeting and install hardwoodsRepaint all of the cream trim and doorsAdd wood blinds to all windows- Repaint the off-white ceilings and walls
- Add built-ins along the entire window wall (with integrated window seats, hidden storage, and display shelves with thick molding)?
- Add a ceiling light fixture (there’s nothing in there)
- Maybe add some textured wallpaper like this to the ceiling, just to spice things up…
- Bring in art, curtains, etc.
– Our Bathroom (5% Complete) –
To Do:
Take down glass shower doorBring privacy to the window in there (frost it? blinds? window treatment?)- Remove wallpaper
- Paint walls and trim and ceiling
- Replace the bathroom mirror & upgrade the light in the sink nook and the bathroom
- Rip up the carpet in sink area (we didn’t put hardwoods there because we eventually want to tile it)
- Completely redo our bathroom down the line for Phase 2 (the fun blue hex floor tile is in rough shape and we want to expand the footprint into the sink nook area so it’s all one space (soaker tub? tiled shower as well? double sink? should be fun!)
– Our Closet (0% Complete) –
To Do:
- Repaint all of the cream trim
- Paint the walls and ceiling
- New light fixture
- Rip up the carpet (we didn’t put hardwoods in there because we eventually want to tile it so the whole bathroom/closet “wing” that’s off of the bedroom has cohesive flooring)
- Organize/build out/pimp the entire space (we’re envisioning cabinetry with drawers, shelves, rods at different heights, etc)
-Upstairs Hallway (60% Complete) –
To Do:
Remove old carpeting and install hardwoodsRepaint all of the blue trim and doors glossy whiteGet all new hinges and door knobs (they’re not only bright brass, many of them are rusted/corroded so they can’t just be sprayed)Upgrade to a Nest thermostat (we hear nothing but great things about them, and John is drooling for one)- Paint the walls and ceiling
- Replace the old hallway lights (or paint existing ones? not sure)
- Convert hallway linen closet into built-in open shelves or cabinets with shelves over them (sort of like this?)
- Add crown molding
- Add thick wood wainscoting (like we have in the kitchen and living room) to the upstairs hallway to break up the long space?
– Clara’s Room (20% Complete) –
To Do:
Remove old carpeting and install hardwoodsRepaint all of the blue trim and doors- Add
window blinds, curtains, art, etc. - Paint the walls and ceiling
- Make entire wall of built-ins somewhere? Maybe bookcases surrounding the windows?
- Build a bench seat in Clara’s deep sloped ceiling-ed closet nook with beadboard on the ceiling and wallpaper on the back wall
- Add crown molding
- Add a ceiling light fixture (boo! there’s nothing in there!)
– Spare Room/Possible Someday Nursery (10% Complete) –
To Do:
Remove old carpeting and install hardwoodsRepaint all of the mauve trim and doors- Add
wood blinds (for light blocking)and curtains - We’re going to hold off on major decorating decisions until this room actually has a use (if/when baby #2 is on the way, we’d love for this to become a nursery)
- Repaint the walls and ceiling
- Add crown molding
- Add a ceiling light fixture (boo! there’s nothing in there!)
– The Guest Bedroom / Craft Room (10% Complete) –
To Do:
Remove old carpeting and install hardwoodsRepaint all of the cream trim and doors- Paint the walls and ceiling
- Bring in
a bed anda dresser/desk that can accommodate my sewing machine/crafting so this room can multi-task (it has the prettiest view/light – I’d love to creep in there and sew/paint on Sunday afternoons) - Organize and build out some craft/gift wrap shelving in closet (lots of shelves and bins, etc)
- Add crown molding
- Add a ceiling light fixture (nope, there’s nothing in there either!)
– The Hall Bathroom (5% Complete) –
To Do:
- Paint
the door andtrim - Paint the walls and ceiling
- Replace the faucets and mirrors and lights for a mini-update (Phase 1)
- A complete redo is in order (Phase 2) since the old tile is stained/cracked and the tub & fixtures leak. Maybe we’ll do herringbone slate? Marble? Extra long rectangles of tile like this?
– Laundry Nook (10% Complete) –
To Do:
Remove old carpeting and install hardwoods- Lay more washer-proof flooring under the appliances (we ended the hardwoods right in front of them so we could use something more leak-safe in there)
- Completely redo the nook (new doors for noise control, updated energy star appliances, new counter, new cabinets – or more cabs if we re-use the existing ones)
- Add a swanky tile backsplash and some great art/lighting (I want to make it a fun little surprise jewel box at the end of the hallway)
– Unfinished Storage Room (0% Complete) –
To Do:
- This will serve as an awesomely large storage room for a while (we have no current need for additional finished rooms), but down the line we’d love to finish it – maybe as a movie room / bunk room for older kiddos? This’ll be waaay down the line, but we dream of:
- Adding drywall
- Getting flooring
- Adding lighting
- Building out the closets (so there’s still some storage under the eaves)
- Furnishing the space with built in beds, a TV, a big sectional for lounging, etc – wahoo!
– General Whole House Ideas (0% Complete) –
To Do:
- Slowly upgrade all lights in the house to LEDs to save energy
- Replace all of the gold/wallpapered/off-white switchplates and outlets in the house (there are about ten million of those to tend to)
- Upgrade to nicer frames, drapes, sheets, and curtain rods over time (they’re not cheap, but we’d love to be “grown ups” someday – even if it takes us 10 years or so to get there!)
– The Back Deck (20% Complete) –
To Do:
Remove the giant oak tree that’s practically growing into the house (the inspection indicated that the roots could severely damage the house’s foundation if we don’t get ‘er down – which is pretty sad since it’s cute but just way too close)Patch the deck hole after the tree is removed- Strip and stain/seal deck
- Replace rotten/ warped boards
- Add wide stairs off the back of the deck that line up with the new french doors we’ll add to the kitchen
- Build a pergola for more architecture and shade off of the back of house where the future kitchen french doors will be (square to the sunroom)?
- Build outdoor furniture like a table or lounge chairs for the deck
– The Backyard (0% Complete) –
To Do:
- Remove random slate pieces from the backyard and aerate and seed
- Transplant a few things for a better layout, like the pretty peony bushes in the middle of nowhere (not pictured)
- Plant holly bushes for privacy from the other houses that our wooded lot backs up to (Phase 1)
- Build a fun wooden playhouse tucked back into the woods for Clara
- Plant an edible garden
- Build a swing set
- Redo old cracked concrete walkway between garage and deck (not pictured)
- Add more privacy plantings – tiered trees, bushes, and flowers (Phase 2)
- Build some raised planters and hardscaping
- Add a patio area somewhere around the deck
- Make a wooden lean-to in the corner of the backyard with Clara and then plant some vines to grow up around it to make a cool little hideaway
- Build air conditioner cover with wood boards like this
But don’t look at this crazytown list and cry for me Argentina. By some strange evolutionary glitch, we’re hopelessly in love with the act of upgrading a house (we did this stuff for fun far before we did this as an actual job). So the journey is actually a lot more exciting than the destination is for us (more on that here). We’ve also learned that taking things one day/project/victory at a time keeps us from getting too overwhelmed. And have I mentioned how much I like to cross things off?
As for the method to our “project order,” we 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). And we jump around a lot. At this very moment, we’re thinking that we’d love to tackle these things next:
- repaint the salmon walls in the living room
- whitewash the living room fireplace
- strip and re-stain/seal the deck
- ORB the light in the foyer
So those are on deck for ya. How do you guys manage your house to-do lists? Apps? One run-on handwritten list? A multi-colored spreadsheet? (Don’t laugh, that would be John’s idea of a good time.)
Renee says
I just came across your wonderful site looking for homemade cleaning supplies (thanks for the clear and concise info!). I have NEVER! commented on stranger’s :-) blogs but, reading your list of To-do’s gave me such a feeling of relief, I had to hello and THANK YOU! We’ve been working on our house since the day we moved in (ten years ago). With a design/construction background, I’ve resorted to disguise my “punchlists” as the To Do list. As it continues to grown I’m trying to let go of the urgency to complete things, and bask in the happiness of crossing something off.
Jill says
I was just amusing myself trying to guess from your palette which color you’ll pick for the living room, so I was googling your paint colors to see rooms that have been painted with those colors, and I came across this picture:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H5VRAR-ffgg/UbBY67RJQNI/AAAAAAAAT1k/WG0W_XJ0rNs/s640/Williamsburg_staircase_lorez.jpeg
I know you had in mind painting the wall molding (moulding?) in the living room white, but that picture is very cool, is it not? And if all the walls and moldings are painted some version of the same color like in the pic instead of white, it would really make the white-washed fireplace pop and be the star, yet the molding still gets highlighted in this modern way.
Just food for thought. I do think white molding would look nice too.
P.S. I’m calling it now that you’ll go with Sparrow, but I’m actually hoping you’ll do Spotswood Teal. :)
YoungHouseLove says
So cool! Love the pic!
xo
s
Danielle says
So fun to see all the progress and that someone else loves lists! I confess to crossing out everything we’ve done to our house over the past 15 yrs when I find an old list before I throw it away. Also just a thought to throw out there, in the garage those four steps might be a place for a ramp for universal access to the main floor of the house. As we have several parents for whom steps have become very difficult and a family member who was paralyzed this is something for us personally that has become an easy way for all of the family to maintain independence instead of having to wait on someone to walk them up steps or carry a wheelchair up steps. But truly just a thought. Do enjoy your house!! (and THANK YOU for sharing!!)
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a really smart idea to keep in mind for the future!
xo
s
Belinda says
Wow!!! That’s a massive list. I wish I had the money and time to do some changes in my home. You are my inspiration to get things done, one day I will have a nicer, better looking house. Thanks for doing what you do and allowing us to follow along.
BTW…. Your water bill would probably appreciate a change in the leaky faucet, then you’ll have more money for other things.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, all leaking faucets are on the list!
xo,
s
Kitty A. says
I think you should make a poll asking readers what project/room they would like to see you tackle next. I wouldn’t poll us on everything, but just once it might be fun. My vote is for you to start the family room. That salmon paint is killing me and I don’t even live there!
jenny says
I totally like that second wallpaper you picked (maybe) for your downstairs bathroom, but at the same time I kinda think it’s probably not the best choice for such a small space :\ my mom has a small downstairs bathroom like that and she put in a pattern wallpaper, and it just makes everything seem super busy and claustrophobic!!!
its amazing what a difference just painting and ripping up that NASTY carpet made!!! the before pictures just look so dated, and you’ve already managed so much progress toward a bright and modern home!!! it’s fun to watch you with this house especially because so much of it reminds me of the house i grew up in, so i’m interested to see what you do and maybe pass on a tip to my parents ;)
jenny says
also, what do you have against glass shower doors? was it just the particular one you had?? i’m used to one and i love it mostly (except when it occasionally falls off its tracks), and find it much easier to clean and keeps a lot more water in than a shower curtain ever does.
YoungHouseLove says
It was just old and rusted and too short (John was hitting his head on it when he got in and out). I love big seamless glass shower doors though. So open!
xo
s
Betsy says
Are your garage doors made of wood? Mine is aluminum and my husband thinks the only way to paint them is to spray them. I want to do the same thing – paint and add hardware, but does that work on doors that aren’t wooden?
YoungHouseLove says
Our door is wooden but you can paint or change out hardware on metal or wood doors. Hope it helps!
xo
s
Amanda N says
I just started workflowy,which lets me create long lists. It has apps, so I like the idea of my lists being available wherever I am. However, it’s really basic, and I’m a total excel nerd/color coding fanatic, so I a not sure how I’ll do with a more basic tool.
Halla says
So…This is really nit-picky and a complete example of the inner-nerd in me, BUT your percentages are off! Haha. The top one (front yard) should be like 18% not 10% anddddd the master bathroom that says 5% is truly 28& as you’ve marked off two spots out of seven. Just saying, Petersiks! You better be on it as you never know who’s watching ;)
Hope it helps!*
*Psst. Hopefully you’ll realize this is all in jest!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha totally! The percentages are more about how much work is done/left, so since some bullets are bigger than others, they don’t all carry the same weight in my crazy mind ;)
xo,
s
Heather Byrne says
Ok nothing to do with list just had to tell you sherry that your fabric choice for the upholstered head board is famous…it is on the show on USA called Burn Notice season 5 episode 5its in a room as curtains and I was like those look familiar and first I was like o they are ikea curtains but the. After sleeping on it I realized that it was your head board…omg weird but never the less awesome! Keep rockin the awesome!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so funny! I’ll have to watch it!
xo
s
Kate @ This Wandering Life says
To save cash, you could flip the mirror in the (master I think?) bathroom for a cheap, temporary fix! Congrats on your nuptials, Listy!
Cara says
I found your blog from a DIY magazine while getting my nails done today. It looked a ton more finished in the magazine, especially your daughters room and the master. Magazine magic? I was checking your site to inquire about the paint in the master (in the magazine) that doesn’t seem to be present in these photos…
Courtney says
Cara-the house in the magazine was their second house, they are on their third house now.
Click on the house tour tab at the top, and second house tour and then you can check all the fabulousness out!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, sorry Cara! Courtney’s right! If you click on the House Tour tab you’ll find lots of info/links about our second house, which was in the magazine. This new house is faaaar from being ready for any glossy photos :)
xo
s
Lisa E says
They recently moved, so that magazine probably has info on their last house. If you go under the House Tour tab and click on second house, you’ll probably find the pictures you saw in that magazine.
Jessie says
Great progress! If it is still a question, I vote yes to building the dining room built-ins up to the ceiling!
Jessie
mymessielife.com
Debi says
If the slate tiles outside are gauged, you could maybe use those to tile under your washer and dryer in the laundry room, especially if the color ties in with the entryway slate…
Elvina says
The best thing i like the choice of colors in the room with perfect combination. The living room was so graceful.
Marie says
I really enjoy your blog an check it daily but it’s started to change and feels less DIY and more apartment therapy ish. Sad face.
Carly says
I recently discovered YHL and I can’t get enough of it! my husband and I have spent so much time looking and getting inspired for the home we hope to buy someday!
I really love this post too.. can’t wait to see what you guys are going to do in this house!
Kim P. says
I just love your new house. You are both so inspiring and empowering. Every time I read your blog, I feel like there is something I can do to make my home more livable, and maybe even enjoy some of the not-so-great quirks in our non-dream starter home. Thanks for all of the hard work that you put into the blog!
Juliaane says
Fabulous list….you’ve got some great plans & can’t wait to see it all unfold. Given me some inspiration & ideas for dressing up our next location! :0)
Bonnie says
I’m impressed at the tidiness a few months after moving. Is there a crazy pile somewhere? Did you throw everything under the beds and in closets to take pictures? I’m only sort of kidding – it takes me forever to get organized after a move. So happy to see the blue trim gone! Is there any rhyme or reason to the order things are done? My list is a spreadsheet with columns for Task, Time, Cost (or sell price if its something going out), and tools. But I should add I hire pros for all the big stuff (basically anything requiring a saw), and that has its own worksheet in the file.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, yes we have some chaotic closets and cabinets along with some piles in the garage and the storage room. We’ll have to do a “real life house video” where we don’t clean/organize a thing and just walk around the house as it looks on an average day. And as for the order of things, it’s just based on what we can afford, feel like doing, or need to do for urgent safety/functional reasons.
xo,
s
Esther says
So I have been following your website since we just moved into a new (old) house, ha, ha, about a month ago and I’m LOVING it! I feel like we have a lot of the same projects just on a smaller scale :). Your garage doors could be mine, they are exactly the same! You have great ideas and the house is looking amazing! I, too, do what I’m in the mood for as far as projects are concerned, although I constantly have the running list buzzing around in my head. I just painted the living room wall where our fireplace is (and next is painting that fireplace) but also want to rip out carpet to reveal hardwood underneath, redo the kitchen, add lights, add outside lights to garage (get that garage door opener John talked about for our two doors) add another garage door opener since one side is just manual right now, and the list goes on. Thank you for such a fun amazing story and such great DIY advice! :) Happy house remodeling to us both!
Esther says
Hi! Just found your website when we moved into our new (old) house ha, ha about a month ago. I’m in LOVE w your site and all your ideas! We have many of the same projects as you guys on a smaller scale though. Your garage doors could be mine to the T, and I’m excited to get that garage door opener John’s in love with as soon as we install an electric opener on one side that’s manual right now (as soon as an electrician can come and give us some outlets in the garage, since there is NONE). I always have a running list in my head of the projects I want / am doing and my husband keeps reminding me let’s do one project at a time instead of start 3 at once! Thanks for all the great tips and happy house remodeling to us both!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Esther! And good luck with everything!
xo,
s
Kathryn says
Any plans to put up shutters on the other windows? It would drive my anal-retentive symmetry-loving self absolutely bonkers to have the back and side windows naked. (sorry if this was addressed. I just did a quick ‘find’ search on the comments.)
YoungHouseLove says
Yes I love that idea!
xo,
s
Cathi S. says
Not only do we follow your run-on list method, we basically tackle one project at a time and it becomes an obsession, all-in, it is my life project. LOL Then we are so exhausted at the end that we can’t wait for ‘normal’ to return. Oh, until we see the next thing we want to do.
Right now, we are ruminating about our small city-backyard and are creating an Italian courtyard with pergola and outdoor dining space. I can feel the ruminating becoming the all-in project very soon!
Stephanie says
Looks like you’ve made some good progress on your list so far!
I also want to upgrade all the lights in our home to LED, but they are so flipping expensive. I am thinking that the price will come down on them as more and more people make the switch. Fingers crossed!
YoungHouseLove says
We’re hoping that too! I also think slowly upgrading them over time will probably sting less than going in and getting 30 bulbs at once (yikes!).
xo
s
Kara says
Having just moved into my new stinky townhouse last week, I have a similar McListy bouncing around in my head too. I was originally thinking of new flooring in my own Phase 2, but the smell is pretty bad that it probably needs to move up into Phase 1 if some other options I’m trying doesn’t work out. I’m curious as to when you think about Phase 2 for yourselves, is that something in a year or 5?
YoungHouseLove says
It all depends on the available budget and whatever our pace ends up being (we had no idea when we moved into our first house that it would take us 4.5 years to get it done, but we ended up tackling the kitchen in year 2 and the bathroom in year 3), so when we say Phase 2, it’s probably at least a year away – but things like budget and energy levels and being sure about what we want to do before rushing into anything all factor into it. If we have the money, are sure about what we want, we usually get to it sooner than something we’re still unsure about or saving up for.
xo
s
Angela says
Hi Sherry and John!
The house looks great so far! We are in the process of purchasing a home that has a similar layout to your new house. I noticed that you need to install light fixtures in the bedrooms. Are there no fixtures because of ceiling vents for AC by any chance? Our house has all ceiling vents centered in each bedroom and I have no idea how to get light fixtures installed. Will you guys have to move any duct work to install your fixtures? Good luck tackling that list guys!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s possible, although I think the venting wouldn’t cover the room’s center where we’d love to pop in a fixture box (we can sort of see where things are from the unfinished attic, so hopefully there’s easy access). Will keep you posted for sure!
xo
s
Kristy @ Kristy's Health Revolution says
I want to go forward in time and see how it all will look!! So exciting!
Shannon [Our Home Notebook] says
I’m a list maker but your list beats mine any day. I love it! Thinking maybe I need a list revamp soon :)
Julianne says
Odd question about the slate entry way. My aunt has slate tiles in her entry that she wanted to get rid of until she found out it was set into the cement of the foundation and would have to be jack hammered up. Is yours like that? Is that a normal slate floor thing?
YoungHouseLove says
I think ours is set into mortar, but I’m not sure! We needed a demolition hammer to remove tile in our first house’s bathroom, so it definitely could be that involved.
xo
s
Pam says
I know you have mentioned before but I can’t seem to locate it. What color do you use for all your trim? I am about to start a major trim redo.
YoungHouseLove says
It’s Simply White by BM, although we loved Decorators White in our last two houses for trim (also by BM) so it really depends on how things read in your house (you lighting, your house’s orientation, etc).
xo
s
Kaesey says
Lists!! I am a crazy list maker, too. =) I use Evernote for a long master list and good ‘ol paper and pen for short-term weekly to-dos, like “buy small paint rollers.”
Love how much you’ve already crossed off!
haverwench says
A modest proposal: if it turns out you do need to remove the bluestone tile downstairs, salvage as much as you can to use in one or both bathrooms upstairs.
As for the living room, my official guess as to the eventual color choice is…the “Spotswood Teal” from your list of runner-up color choices for the foyer. (https://www.younghouselove.com/2013/07/foyer-freshness/) I was originally thinking more of a sage green, but I think the teal is a better match for the furniture you have in there now.
YoungHouseLove says
Really smart idea!
xo
s
Abby H. says
My dad built a wooden teepee for me when I was a kid (like y’all have planned for Clara), but he planted moon flowers (?) instead of sweet pea. It was fun watching the flowers open around sunset.
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds awesome!
xo
s
Sarah J. says
i know you said that the unfinished space above the garage is a WAY down the line thing, but i’m so excited for the use your family will get out of that space! we had a second living space upstairs in our first home (now we have a basement that serves that purpose) and it was fantastic to let the kids have free reign of it. especially when you have a bunch of families over with kids. i’m sure someday you will love it. ;)
Katelyn @ evanandkatelyn.com says
Sounds like a LOT of built ins in your future! Think you’re going to build them from scratch or go the route of buying cheap shelves (like the Billy bookcase) and making them look built in with trim and molding?
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe a little bit of both? We used cabinetry to make a built in desk in our last office but did laundry room built-ins from scratch.
xo
s
Ethne @ Wom-Mom says
Oh, I love Listy. And can’t wait to see progress in the living room! Paint makes all the difference sometimes.
Ashley C. says
Oooh, I can’t wait until you convert the beams in the living room into a coffered ceiling. I want to do that in my dining room, but I’m not sure where to start.
Rebecca says
Have you thought about Idea Paint for you office “brainstorm zone”? I painted a whiteboard wall in my office and I love it! I have a small novelty chalkboard wall but it didn’t seem practical for an office. Chalk on your hands and dust in your house is for chumps (and creative minded souls on a break from work). Idea Paint comes in many colors but we used classic white.
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds awesome!
xo
s
Akiyo says
Ahh! :D I get so giddy whenever I see Mr. Penguin in Clara’s room! <3 Thank you!
I think I'm most excited about what you do with your office! And the unfinished storage room… the possibilities! :D
Alex the Airhostess says
One of the many reasons I enjoy your blog is the wonderfully silly spirit of your commentaries. The 3% for removing kitchen curtains made my day. The totally scientific criteria for percentage selection is great.
Amanda says
Whatever happened to that little tree that has been following you guys around? The one from John’s childhood home? Did I miss a post about it being transplanted?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes it came with us! If you search “sisterhood of the traveling plants” it should pop up.
xo,
s
Candice says
VonListerson is sooooo much fancier than McListerson!
Leah says
Love following the progress!
Have you heard of Behr Deck Over from Home Depot? We finally finished our deck and pergola last month. We used Deck Over for the deck railings which were horrible and had never been stained by previous owners. This stuff is selling out all over Minnesota! The process was slow going but worth the outcome.
YoungHouseLove says
We have! We were actually just checking it out at the store the other day. Glad to hear you had a good experience with it.
-John
Lauren says
I love the inspiration shot for the new sunroom! It’s gorgeous. I’m especially looking forward to that transformation.
Jennifer B. says
Thank you for including the “on deck” section at the end! I was reading through the list thinking, “I know they bounce around with however the mood strikes, but I wish I knew what they were considering next!”
Perfect. ;)
Bonnie P. says
You’re making great progress. Keep it up! :)
Stacye says
So glad I’m not the only one with a to-do list for the house that is large enough to fill a notebook.
Jan says
Oh how I enjoyed reading your list! Like you, I absolutely love having a big list of home projects to do. I’m envious that you have such a big list and it’s your full time job to tackle it! Love your blog!