House Update/Checklist #1

The other day I went into our backyard and picked one of each unique flower I found - I was impressed with the huge variety of flowers that are currently in bloom, and made up this bouquet for our mantle.

I am thrilled that there are already flowers planted here, as I am pretty much incapable of gardening. Now I just have to figure out how to keep these beauties alive!! I found some flower food in the sun room, so I am guessing the previous owner was feeding the flowers.

But really, right now, flower maintenance is the last thing on my mind.
Moving is a lot of work!

Our dining room and formal living room are both under construction at the moment. We tore up the carpeting almost immediately after we got the keys to the house, and we haven't made much headway in the rooms (they open into each other.) We are planning on laying hardwood floor down in the rooms - Paul's going to do it himself! - but we're trying to decide which flooring to buy. I think we've narrowed down to where we'll buy from - Lumber Liquidators was recommended to us by a friend and it has a great variety of flooring options and the best prices we've seen yet.
Does anyone have any experience with Lumber Liquidators?

So far no one room is completely moved-into yet, and that is both frustrating and discouraging! The kitchen is pretty close to being organized and everything put away - but I have realized that the original plan I'd made for everything isn't the most efficient, so I am going to have to move some things around. However I think it makes the most sense to wait until everything is put away and I am truly functioning in the kitchen before I reorganize, otherwise I may be moving things around a lot.
One thing I have done in the kitchen to help me feel like I am living in our home and not Box-World is to keep it smelling good - sometimes I open the windows to let a nice breeze through, other times burn a candle, or yesterday I put orange peels and cinnamon in some water to simmer for a few hours. It smells SO good and makes me want to be working in the kitchen. And it makes me hungry.


I thought I would start making Mondays my house update/checklist to keep myself accountable and to post pictures of going ons around the house that are getting done.


While no where near completed, our built-ins was a main area of focus over this past week and I like how it is coming together. We're thinking of putting a cork board up behind the computer and painting the back wall behind everywhere else a bold splash of color... but those details won't happen for a while.
And yes, that is a row of paint cans on the shelves... they are there to stay. I kind of like what I did with them, and will share at a later time.


By next Monday I would like to have the kitchen in complete order, including a system in place to keep it clean every day. I think that is one of the toughest challenges right now - not only trying to get everything put away but also living in the house and having to keep the every-day messes clean too!


Another goal I would like to finish by next week is to get our laundry closet looking a little more welcoming. It is a gloomy closet at the end of the kitchen, and I'd like to make it a bit more welcoming. Eventually that will involve painting it, but for now I'll go for a few decorations on the shelf and maybe a picture or two on the wall.


A few other items on my checklist that I hope to finish by next Monday:

-Our bedroom closet organizer be put in and all the clothes put in place (this involves removing the built-in shoe organizer and the hanging rod/shelves above it).
-Make our bedroom a calm haven from the rest of the chaotic house (this involves a lot of little tasks, mainly removing everything that doesn't belong in there!)
-Organize the linen closet in an efficient manner.
-Organize the boys room.
-Make a run to Goodwill - it is amazing how much stuff we decluttered prior to the move, and now that we're unpacking our stuff it is amazing how much more stuff we're wanting to get rid of! Hurray for decluttering!!