Repairs/Renovations Progress ~ Winter Projects

Here is an update on our progress on our winter project list.  We've made some headway with the hallway, and a small repair in the master bedroom.

If you have followed my blog, you know that we started the hallway repairs/renovations 3 years ago.  

Life happens.  There were appointments, losing people we love, taking advantage of a time where someone could rip out our carpet for us (changing plans), and so forth.  I'm just glad I we got back on track.

The hallway has two steps in two locations, longer than normal, wider and the lowest part has a high ceiling.  It's on a cement slab as well.

It is so wide, we had several bookshelves in there, to accommodate books for the kids and myself.  When the local town library closed, I brought home a ton of books that were educational, and good for school needs.

Since then, the bookshelves were emptied, books donated, and bookshelves taken out.

(January 2021)

It all started with ripping out the carpet and getting new flooring.  The dogs and cats, and constant foot traffic wore the carpet out.  Well, that flooring (that first replaced the carpet) is being changed due to the fact we had to rip out all of the half wall paneling, so nothing matches color-wise.

 

We have been looking at flooring at every hardware store in the area, for the hallway (and kitchen). 

These 3 photos were taken in different light/location in the hall.  You can see that the original paint looks different in each one.  It is why it took us so long to pick out a paint color.

We decided on our paint color, but in complete shock on the price.  A gallon went up almost $14.00!   A whopping, almost $68.98!  I had to laugh when I friend said I was "overthinking" on the process of picking a color.

(This is the flooring we picked out {earlier photo prior to painting})

The hallway walls are now painted, other than the repaired drywall areas.  The color depends on the light coming in at the moment, but it is a farmhouse gray, and we love it!

The new flooring was picked up and installed.  It's very close to the color of the remainder of the house, but we did have to go with sheet vinyl flooring for this project.  Older houses do not have exactly flat flooring, ha ha!  Nothing is square either.  Either way, it saved us money, and it looks great!  I'll most likely be looking for a few runner rugs soon.

What's left to do?  Mud the repaired drywall areas one more time (done), sand and paint them.  Once that is done, we need to install floor trim.   We need to do some work for the two steps in the hallway as well.  Personally, once that is done, I may look into motion sensor strip lights for both steps, so we can see them more easily at night.

 We also need to paint the interior door to the garage and re-install door trim, and prime and paint the entry door.  Oh, and install the other light fixture.

We went to pick up the other light fixture, and they did not get them in as they said they would.  I will have to order it online.  No stores in the area had any in stock.  Well, there is a store within a 1 hour drive, that has them in stock, but we just don't have that kind of time right now.

Out with the old, and in with the new!  I've had this new switch plate since 2021.  They are USA made.  I can't believe I found where I had stored it all these years, but it's replacing the old one.  The old one is being donated.

Speaking of windows, I finally removed 15 year old scotch tape on the outside of the door window.  The kids, over the years, taped birthday (or other party) signs to the outside, and the residue was left.  It has been cleaned off completely now.

One of the electrical outlets in the master bedroom has been installed.  One more needs replaced, but that is part of an entirely different repair job that we'll tackle later.

Repairs/Renovations Progress  © Feb 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

This and That

 

We've been blessed with some beautiful sun-shiny days, and we are so thankful.  We get more clouds this time of year in our area.  It really does make a difference in your mood.

Hallway update:  all of the door and window trim has been painted. 

Plugs have been ordered for the entry door off the hall.  I guess I never noticed they were missing, until I scrubbed the door and window for priming.  

The plugs have been shipped.  One side had them, and the other did not have them.  We just need to install them before priming.  I didn't have to do this, but future cleaning and any future painting will be much easier.  It will look nicer too.  I used an old toothbrush/vinegar water to clean the holes out.

I finished painting the entire upstairs flooring.  Stairs will be next, but only when I have time.  The hallway is getting full attention right now.

I little ditty about this book.  Mom gave it to me a while back, and it got packed up when we ripped out carpet, and found again.  The back story - Mom handed it to me with a grin on her face, and said "just read it" explaining it was about an autistic boy, and his mother is a vet and brings home a baby skunk.

I read it, and it's getting passed on.  I just need to locate a shipping vessel to get it on its way.  It was a cute book.  A kids book, and I have no idea how or why Mom had it.  

We had a hankering for garden goodies, so I made us a salad.  We sure do miss going out and picking it all fresh.  It'll all be happening again soon.

Bad photo, but do you all remember me blogging, that I was growing sprouts for the chickens?  Well, they are not sprouting. Well, some are just now starting to sprout.  It's been taking forever, and I'm not doing anything different, other than it's a different brand of lentils.  The expiration date is '26 so I'm not sure what's going on.  Bad batch?  I started a second jar to be sure.  If they don't sprout, I'm going back to the store for a different brand.

Fun information to share.  My sister-in-law sent me this photo, and asked if I knew what they were?  They were in some crochet/tatting supplies of her Mothers.  The first person I asked said they were for making bias tape, but the next person told me they were "braid-aids" for making braided rugs, and I do think that is what they are.  If any of you think they are for something else, please comment, but I do (after looking online) think they are for running the fabric through (like a bias tape), to then braid the fabric into a rug.  Very fun stuff if you ask me.  Did you know these existed?  I did not.

I don't make braided rugs anymore, but wanted to share, as I know some of my blog followers still make them.

I got the last of our pre-paid propane ordered.  They only give us so many months to have it delivered, and then it's put as a credit if we do not.  The pre-paid cost is much lower, so we are still trying to gauge what we think we will need each winter.  I'm hoping we are on track, and that the heaters will be off in a month or so.  We've had 60 degree weather in march before.

I have not found a widget of gadget to add to my blog, to all an email contact form.  I want one that will send the email to me, but one that will keep the actual email address private.  Is that even possible?  I'm working on it anyway.  

End of January 2024

January is ending way too quickly, and we (I) figured we'd have the brunt of the home repairs done by the end of February.

Did you know that the hardware stores sell smaller pieces of drywall to patch walls with?  About 2 x 2 feet or so?  I didn't measure them, but we have successfully cut out the damaged drywall section(s), and doing the repairs ourselves.  The cost alone for supplies is over the top.  

Over the years the kids all had one or more pets (one had 3 at one time), and the pets ruined two areas of the hallway drywall.  I'm really re-thinking if we'll ever have pets after all these repairs now (just because of the cost and time to repair).

More trim was taken down for cleaning, priming and painting.  We replaced one door hinge on the door that leads into the garage.  I was surprised the cost for the hinge was less than $3.00.  

The hallway ceiling has been painted, and one light fixture removed and a new one installed.  The second fixture is on order.  I absolutely love the new fixture, so we plan to replace one in the master bath with the same one too.  Each has a "night light" feature.  Talk about being giddy with an upgrade.  The actual light is much brighter than our old one.

We will purchase a new smoke detector as well.

It is taking me more than one day to wash down all the walls in the hallway (it's wider and longer and part of it has a taller ceiling).  I have gone through several buckets of hot soapy water.  I'm more mindful about swatting any bug/spider on the wall now, or putting my hands on the door trim to take off my muck boots.

It's going to be all worth it, but time consuming over all.  Everything has to be washed first - doors/trims/walls.  I needed to prime everything other than the walls.  It's not an over night job for anyone.  

We have come to a small halt.  My husband is seeing a doctor about his back.  My elbow needs a break (it's still sore from my fall).  

We do need to eat, and have clean linens and laundry, so I'm catching up on that.  I have library books to pick up, that I have ignored, and one that I have not even looked at yet.  Bathrooms need cleaned, rugs washed, and windows cleaned in the kitchen.

In the process of putting total focus on the hallway renovations/repairs, I am slowing preparing for the master bath repairs/renovations.  I'll need to remove all the old ones from the bathroom cabinets and replace them with new.  Eventually. I eye-spied them while out for other supplies, and picked them up to be ahead of the game.

On the brighter side of all of this work, is that I have organized all of our painting supplies into one tote (and labeled the tote).  Aside from paint cans themselves, our supplies are all in one organized space (as it should be).

I hope your January of 2024 was successful, happy, memorable, and filled with living life (and not just work).

End of January © Jan 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart