Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Patience Is a Virtue!

They say patience is a virtue.  I'm not sure who "they" are and why that's a saying, but I'm a non-comformist. I'm so definitely NOT a patient person.  Matt thinks that updating our house may help me learn some patience.  So far, it really hasn't.  We've been in our new house for six months and I still want everything updated in the house as soon as possible...preferably yesterday.  Sigh.  I have a vision for each room and it's taking SOOOOOO long to make that vision a reality.  Ugh.  That frustrates me.

So, people have been asking to see what we've been doing.  Basically, we're updating pretty much every single room in the house...including the garage, deck, and patio.  We're changing every outlet and cover. We're changing light switches and covers.  We're installing new light fixtures.  We're changing all the door knobs and hinges on every door in the house.  We're replacing anything old and outdated. We're scrubbing, sanding, and repainting pretty much everything in each room.

Here's a little sneak peek of what we did to the garage.  It smelled old and musty.  We cleaned and freshened everything with primer and paint...paint we originally bought for the old house.  (Cheap update!)  I re-purposed some old cabinets for storage (it's amazing what you can do with spray paint!) and added some cute rugs and signs.  (Still a pretty cheap update!)  We're planning to get new doors for the entrance to the house and patio, but that is on the "someday" list...when I find an amazing sale and we have warmer weather to install new doors.  (I buy everything on sale!)  Everything is now clean and organized and looks (and smells) so much better!  
 BEFORE
Notice the mint green.  Yuck.


Old cabinets + spray paint = fabulous!
AFTER 
Matt's work bench is a little messy, but he's in the
middle of installing tile back splash in the kitchen.
I haven't nagged too much...yet.


Before the weather got too cold, we refinished the deck.  Wow!  What a huge difference!!

BEFORE
Just power-washing the deck made a HUGE difference!



AFTER

When we refinished the kitchen counter tops, we had some leftover material so we used it on the counter tops in the bathroom in the basement. We'll swing back to this bathroom when we're ready to update the basement. (Once we win the lottery.)

BEFORE

AFTER


We updated our utility room one weekend.  Well, more like two weekends.  For whatever reason, the former owners had painted the floor a blood red color.  It seriously looked like the backdrop for an episode of CSI.  I told Keaton the little raised rectangle in the room (the one with the boxes of tiles on it in the picture) was an old grave.  It was funny how his eyes bugged out. Now, it's my 50 Shades of Grey room. (Not really, but I do enjoy shocking Keaton.)  

BEFORE


AFTER


I've been painting inside closets, cupboards and cabinets.  Have I mentioned how much I HATE painting?

BEFORE
More mint green.  Yuck.


AFTER

Matt's bathroom cabinets definitely had a yucky musty odor to them.  One weekend, I primed and painted them.  It was horrible. But they look (and smell) fabulous now!

BEFORE

AFTER


Okay, one last peek into some cabinets in our living room.  I don't have any before shots for some reason. But close your eyes and plug your nose.  They were all old stinky wood.  I painted all of these...with primer AND three coats of paint.  It was horrendous!  I seriously had white paint in my hair for over a month.  But, they look (and smell) sooooo much better!


Matt installed a new outlet and put up a board to cover
the gazillion old phone lines in the house.
We have over 300 DVDs of Keaton.
Can you tell he's an only child?
Ignore all the clutter on the top of the cabinets.
It's a temporary landing pad for some kitchen counter stuff while Matt puts up the back splash.
I still need to paint the outside of these cabinet doors.
I need a long nap first, though.