Tag: house projects

The Great Bedroom Changeover

Every few years it seems we have to do a great bedroom changeover! We’ve been at it again this month and it has taken all month.

First our 19 year, as he jokingly put it, was being kicked out to the tool shed. He isn’t ready to move out and we didn’t want him to, so this is a perfect solution. It’s a bit of his own space but still with family and good food nearby.

He really made it his own space and we just love it. Not too bad for a tool shed, I’d say!

In the house we had five kids in one bedroom and while it is a large room, the girls and boys needed to be separated. There was way too much of mom waking up to fighting and screaming. So Elliot’s old room got a makeover and the girls have a pretty sweet little spot now.

I repainted and Andrew put trim up that’s been missing since the tornado four years ago. Then I repainted all the trim. Dottie and Eloise got to paint a letter and butterfly to hang on their walls and I just love their own sweet touch to the room. I still have to choose some things to hang on the other wall but at least they have their own room now!

Last but not least the boys’ room needed an update. It hadn’t been painted in years, the trim had never been painted since we moved in and there was still no trim around the window. Their room was a bit more challenging because they were in it so their beds were pushed to the center while I painted.

It’s still missing a piece of trim and we need to hang some things on the wall but again, at least they have a nice, organized place to sleep and play.

My goal was to finish by the end of February and I just eked it out! Guess I still have to go to Hobby Lobby for some cute wall decor…aw shucks!

I’m thankful for the blessing this house is to our family. I try to never take it for granted that we have this desired haven.

Cold Weather Projects

Cold weather has set in here in good ole Minnesota. And usually once it’s here, it stays awhile. We never see spring when we want to, just whenever Minnesota feels like thawing. Not only is it cold, it’s dark. Like dark a lot. At about 4pm it feels like we should have a late dinner and call it a night. And then you look at the clock and realize there’s a whole lot more day left.

I used to despise this time of year. It gave me depression and I always felt a complete lack of energy. But I’m learning it’s a time for slowing down. It’s ok to go to bed early like the sun does. It’s ok to pull out the crafts and good movies. It’s perfectly acceptable to slow everything down. And, honestly, it’s good for us.

Lately I’ve been organizing drawers, cupboards,and closets.

These cabinets were driving me nuts. The bags just never stand up and they were always getting rearranged.

I went down the Aldi Aisle of Shame (admit it, you do it). And I found some great storage containers for a good deal. That was the catalyst and it snowballed from there.

But now…I really love these spaces and they are much more functional.

I had some containers, bought the ones from Aldi, and completed the project with some bins from Walmart.

And, no organizing project is complete without cute labels!

While it’s cold and dark out, turn on some tunes, light some candles, and get to those projects that have been bothering you! They make you feel so good!

Another project!

We’ve begun another project. It’s one of those “I guess this has to be done NOW” kind of projects. For the last couple years, our porch railing has been rotting. We’ve put bandaids on it and told people not to lean on it. At one point I almost fell through one section.

But it has been on the back burner because, well, we live in an old house and things are always breaking. Plus we drive really old cars and those are always breaking. We spend most of our days repairing something. It always reminds me, this is not my home. Someday in heaven I will have a mansion that never wears out or needs repairs!

But, now, it’s past time. It’s all falling apart. And the Lord blessed us abundantly with aluminum railing for the price of wood! We had always wanted to replace it with aluminum but the cost was way too high. We were going to settle for wood but then the Lord surprised us with some free parts. We just had to buy a few things! He is good!

So begins the project! Tear down is always fun and the kids got involved. Having a large family at times like this really pays off! Many hands make light work!

Hanging flower baskets has to come down. Then the railing. Some of the sections were so rotted Andrew literally just pushed and over they went! Others needs a saw and grinder.

Unfortunately it sat long enough where the posts had started to rot where the railings were attached. So, we had to grind out the rot and do more repair. Huh, funny, more repair! We spread rot stop on and then we’ll have to fill in those places and and and paint before railing can go on.

Demolition never takes much time…but all the little steps sure do. It’ll be a couple weeks without railing before the new stuff can go up. Don’t lean!

Samuel came home as we were tearing down and said, “hmm, something looks different. I just can’t quite put finger on it!” Hopefully soon it’ll look different again… and last a long time. One less repair for the future, prayerfully!