The OTHER Story of The Tortoise & The Hare

Just a few weeks ago, we started working on the house. I almost can't believe that we've been at it so long and have so little finished. I'm telling you, I feel like we're working at a glacial speed, but that's how it goes when you work full-time and have to travel to Alabama for one of the primo-fix-up weekends.

We have been sooo lucky that Jay's friend who is a painter has been over to help us get things done at least 3 nights a week. He's fantastic! Cuts in with no tape and gets enough paint on the walls in the first coat that it *almost* doesn't need a 2nd, almost. My OCD-tendencies require at least 2 coats though.

I have a hard time sticking to one project and seeing it through to completion before moving onto the next one. I am a multi-tasker, I can't help it but to be doing 5 things at once. Hence the handful of unfinished projects.This is both a blessing and a curse as I have all the projects partially completed, but nothing officially finished yet.

That being said, I feel like I am tearing through the house at warp-speed but somehow we are still moving along at a snail's pace. SO ANNOYING. I have random little lists lying all around the house of what needs to be completed where and a giant wish-list of sorts compiled and saved in my lil Home Depot/Lowes/Misc. Home Improvement receipts folder.


We know I love that "check off the list" feeling... So far, our to-do list looks kind of like this:

Upstairs

• Paint All Rooms/Hall/Stairwell
• Ceilings (prime, 2 coats paint)
• Walls (prime, 2 coats paint)
• Trim (2 coats paint) one coat left
  
• Doors (2 coats paint) 
• Closet Doors (spray: prime, paint) waiting for nicer weather so I can spray outside
• Stair railings Planning for this weekend
• Chandelier and new lighting for stairwell/hallway
• Carpet Planning for this weekend
• bedrooms
• hall 
• steps
•  New hardware on all doors
• door knobs
• hinges
• door stops
• New Closet doors for Master (french-style), move current ones to office and pantry.
• Add pot lights to all rooms and hall
• Bathrooms Planning for this summer
• Redo Hall Bath (all white pieces)
• New vanity
• New light
• New medicine cabinets
• New tub (soaker, deep!)
• New Toilet
• New tile floor
• New faucets (sink, bath, shower)
• New fan
• Close up wall between bathroom and vanity/closet area (where new bathroom will go)
• New fixtures (shower curtain bar, towel bars, toilet paper holder, etc)
• New shower curtain, towels, accessories
• New cabinet over toilet
• Add Master Bath Planning for this summer
• Run plumbing
• Change drywall to water-resistant
• New vanity
• New light
• New medicine cabinets 
• New stall shower with glass door
• New floor
• New faucets (sink, shower)
• New fan
• New cabinet over toilet
• New towels, accessories.
• Move existing door to current bathroom to other side to opening between new bathroom and master bedroom.
• Move furniture upstairs (from basement and storage) Planning for this weekend
• Hang plantation blinds, curtain rods, and new curtains in all windows. Planning for this weekend
• Decorate. Planning for this weekend, but will most likely be an ongoing venture.

Downstairs... AHHHHH

NAPALM kitchen

Hire arsonist for living room/dining room

bead board in powder room.

Ok, not really.... The real list is here:

Downstairs

• Paint all ceilings (prime, 2 coats paint)
• Paint all walls (prime, 2 coats paint)
• Paint all trim (2 coats paint)
• Paint doors (prime, 2 coats paint)
•  New hardware on all doors
• door knobs purchased!
• hinges purchased!
• door stops purchased!

•  Kitchen
• Take down vertical blinds (and destroy them!)
• Take down ceiling fans (let them go the way of the vertical blinds)
• Clean and organize cabinets and pantry
• shelf liner inside cabinets
• New flooring
• Add closet doors to pantry (use doors from master bedroom closet)
• New hinges and hardware on cabinets ordered!
• New stainless appliances (fridge, range, dishwasher, over-range microwave with vent)
• Bead board back splash
• New stone counter tops (some light whitish-gray color)
• New kitchen table & chairs
• Add moulding around windows and doors + new base boards
• Add island with 2 stools
• Decorate: chalk board!! and memo-center stuffins

•  Living Room
• sand walls to remove the lovely faux finish (which also is sand) in preparation for painting
  
• Hang plantation blinds, curtain rods (from Shiela and Jay), and new curtains in all windows.
• Hang TV above fireplace
• Decorate: need rug and furniture and lamps... 

• Dining Room
• Hang chandelier
• Recover chairs for dining room set
• 2 new chairs for table-heads
• Decorate: Rug, mirror above buffet

• Powder Room
• Bead board or board and batten
• new medicine cabinet
• new flooring 
• new fixtures (towel rack, toilet paper holder)
• new lighting - vanity style
• new fan