Efficiency, Re-Organizing, Prioritizing, and Maybe Burning the House Down

My life.

Sometimes, those Some-E-Cards really sum up your life, don't they?

Last night, with my feet cozy in Pete's lap, I had a mini-meltdown concerning the New Year and all the projects I hope to accomplish in 2013 (eeks, and all the projects I didn't accomplish in 2012). My complaints about the house came out in one large spew of word vomit, nothing directly related to Pete, but my concern was laid out in a very "I'm #$#)@#! serious about getting this house live able" tone.

For starters? Our house is plenty big enough to accommodate two little boys, Mom and Dad. Why do I feel like I am living in a shoe box? We are wasting so much space with furniture and storage items we never use. Goals for solving these issues?

Clean out office/storage/downstairs bedroom which will eventually be the boys' bedroom.
Remove wet bar in downstairs basement which will eventually double our downstairs living area.
Appropriately organize storage in downstairs laundry room.
Deal with the heaps of Top Drawer Vintage. <---More about that soon!
Install more pantry space in dining room.
Remove overhead hanging cabinets.
Sell or donate remaining unused furniture in garage.

Our house was built in 1967. There is so much glorious wood paneling, gold hardware, and outdated, dirty wall paper. Our house needs some major modern updating. I cannot look at it for another month. I might just burn the house down. While I am thankful the downstairs wall paper is white, we have put off removing it because it is not the worst eye sore in the house. However, day time comes and I have the down stairs shades open, I can see every dirty seam. It drives me crazy.

Removing the upstairs wall paper in 2009.

Goals for solving updating issues?

Update all cabinet hardware in kitchen.
Update appliances (this might take a few years budget-wise but at least we know we want change).
Removing wall paper in basement.
Removing most (I do like some of the paneling) wood paneling in basement and downstairs bedroom.
New closet doors.
Update door hardware in house.
Replace carpet in downstairs bedroom.

Wood paneling in downstairs hallway.

If you bought a house in the last 7 years, you are probably in the same boat as us and stuck it in. The value in our home has gone down so severely, even if we were serious about selling, we would never make it financially. Knowing it will be years before we could ever move, I am going to try to find peace this upcoming year by taking care of my home in the best way I can. There are many odds and ends projects that would make me happier about living in my house, like:

Replacing all window treatments.
Making downstairs bedroom a boys room.
Getting a new, larger kitchen table and creating a pleasant dining place.
Replacing love seat and getting a new ottoman in basement.
Getting a new duvet cover for the master bedroom.
Creating a better laundry system.
Updating faucets in bathrooms.

Of course, all of these said projects need to be completed in some sort of said budget. Did you hear my "wah-wah" from where you are reading? Shopping on a budget really is part of the fun for me. You can often find me in the aisles of stores with my coupon book, gift cards, and phone calculator out. I am one on the cheap shopper, let me tell you!

Hopefully, I can link back to this post and start crossing some of my 2013 projects off the list. I should be enjoying the last few days of the year in a non-project bliss. For come January, it is either the house or me. Only one is coming out alive...