Taking the UGLY out of a worn out rent house

I purchased a home that had been a rental for 7 years. It was known to the neighbors as the smoke house or dirty dog house. The previous owner did many things right, but some things just plain wrong.

What is with the paint color? Can we say PLAIN?

First the trees had to go. They were too close to the house to get reasonable home insurance. They were poorly planted, very weak and dying. 

It took two days for the guys to take them out. They hauled off all the branches in two trucks! Then the stumps had to be ground down. Total tree removal was $700.

Then I added some container plants!

These wonderful stands I already had that were purchased years ago in Canton, TX at their First Monday Trade Days. I do not know how much they were. The plants were hanging plants from a local home improvement store I purchased for $15 each. I removed the plastic hangers from the pots and just dropped them into the terra cotta pots that came with the stands. Easy removal later and they drain well.











I just love pot feet! I got these terracotta pot feet in the section of my local home improvement store near the garden supplies. I really had to hunt for them and the associate at the store had no idea what I was talking about. They are used to raise pots off the ground to drain and dress up even a simple potted plant. They come in sets of three and cost about $6. Look near the drainage dishes for the planters. That is where I found them.  

The red flower is from the dollar store. I have found so many cute things like it there. When they fade or break I just toss them. At just a dollar I can switch them whenever.

Sweet potato vine and Petunia in purple were all I planted in these. I plan to switch that out soon for more heat resistant plants when the heat arrives in late July. They are in a concrete urn a friend was nice enough to give me.

The walk up is better with some grass starting to fill in the dirt. I only used water and some liquid fertilizer.

The concrete planter to the right is from the same generous friend who gave me the urns. In it I planted two Carolina Jasmine plants. They will have yellow flowers on them eventually I am told. Right now they add much needed interest to the garage wall.





Now in the heat of the summer I plan to stop on the outside for the most part and focus on the inside for the remaining hot summer months.

Packing with nowhere to go....

I don't know where I am going yet. That's right, I am about to be homeless. The closing on my home is scheduled several weeks from now.

I will be looking for a home this weekend, but available homes in my area are slim. My real estate agent is wonderful and I believe there is a home out there for me.

I read recently that the single worst thing people do when they are moving is underestimate how long it will take them to pack all their belongings.

Another website said allow 1 day per room in your house. But, what constitutes a room? I have a 2 bedroom home. Is that two days? Probably not.

I am counting all areas as rooms to be safe. The patio, shed, kitchen, laundry, downstairs bath, dining, living, guest bedroom, master bath and master bedroom. That is 10 days! I better get cracking.

All this and I am not sure when or where I am moving. That is really the stressful part.

I might have to have a packing party and invite all my friends. Mmmm. Maybe BBQ?

Just 5 Weeks! House is clean and done.

You are not going to believe this. The house is done.  Well, sort of.

But, look at this...

Yes, that is floor. There was beautiful carpet under all the piles! 

We even found the patio under all the leaves!

I had a call from the contractor I hired to finish all the projects I had going. He kept running a few days late...kept saying he would be back tomorrow and then didn't show. He kept tweaking things and wouldn't stop till it was just so. My dad also took on some of the work. I touched up paint and packed...and packed....and packed.....

The contractor did perfect work and it finally is the home I had wished for the last 8 years. 

In the process of the last 5 weeks I have:

• Filled 2 - 10 X 10 storage units with furniture and stuff. 
• Taken about 6 car loads of items to the Good Will
• We lost count at 40 bags of trash. Most of it stuff just not worth donating
• Had a contractor finish all the house projects (fix, upgrade and repair) $$$$$
• Worn myself out and am now limping from pain in the right knee

Mom and Dad helped every step of the way. They showed up each day I had off work and chipped in. Filled bin after bin of stuff to sort. I sorted out about 12 big plastic bins, but there are many more in storage now. 

In the second (purple) bedroom my dad a solid two days and my contractor a day to get cleared. The stuff in that room filled one of my storage units to 60% capacity. Too many boxes for one person to own.

Each morning I look at the house and wonder how this could happen? It took a lot of money, sweat, blood, ice packs, Advil, broken nails, and headaches to get there. I still have two storage units to deal with. So the party isn't over yet. 

Oh, I almost forgot....

All this to get the house on the market and sell it. Today is the first day on the market and we have multiple showings! All that work and someone else will get to enjoy my perfect house...sad really.

Now to be sure the NEXT house doesn't get disorganized like this one did. No more stairs for me with my bad knees! I will be measuring closets and dining rooms.

Most of the stuff I own will not be going on to the next house this time....can we say GARAGE SALE?

So Happy!!!

New Year, New Start Weekend

I work best with a deadline, don't you? On Wednesday I have a contractor coming over to give me an estimate on some work around the house. I have one weekend to get it in shape enough.

Plus, I am tackling getting it in gear and since the house has gotten really bad in the last month due to several factors, I just cannot stand it anymore!

On my breaks this weekend I will post my progress. Let's get started with some cleaning weekend necessities.

First take your pain medication. This might hurt a bit.

And put on some shoes! If your situation is anything like mine you might stub a toe and end up down for the count. Plus, why mess up your toe nails? 

 

Open the windows so it is bright and sunny if you can. Plus, you can see better and not miss anything hiding in the shadows...I think some of my stuff might be a bit scary. 

Turn on any lights that might help where you are working. This one is under my kitchen vent hood. Hey, whatever works!

I am taking on the sort. Here is my system. Each major area of the house gets a bin. I set up a trash can nearby, along with a clothes hamper. I don't really like the keep, donate, trash system all the organizers seem to be in love with. That isn't what I need first. I need to see the floor.

All supplies are from the dollar store. I have markers and sticky notes to use on them. I also start with an energy drink and pop in some good music for working. 

Now for the sort! 

Oh, you might want to see the before picture, right? These stairs are really cluttered! Glad I am taking them on first! 

Step One to clear the sorting area: Take out the trash collected. I set up a big 39 gal bag near the center of the downstairs. I don't have a lot of room where I am working. I need to keep things compact.

Step Two: Take the receipts that need to be shredded and medicine bottles (marker up the labels really well!) and trash them. Trash can put you at risk of ID Theft, so be wary of what you are throwing out. 

Next step: I go around the house and empty the bins in the rooms where the contents belong. 

Now the stairs are done and clean! Whew. 

Now on to the next bite size chunk of junk! 

Over a year since I started this journey and I am sad to say that despite a few times the house got better, for the most part it stayed bad. Sorry to disappoint. MY HOUSE IS STILL BAD.

The knee injury in January and 9 months physical therapy didn't help much. Not to mention the nasal surgery in May. With the follow up appointments to remove more.  I feel great and can exercise again. No more sinusitis. But, it hampered anything outside of that. And I was not able to lift anything for awhile Then I cut my finger in July. That took about 6 weeks. And is still healing.

However, my biggest issue is my workload and terrible hours I have been working are taking their toll. When I say bad we are talking 60 - 70 hours a week. I even pulled some close to all-nighters. Can we say I am way too old for this?

I took a road trip with my mom in June that was very memorable. We went to spend a week with my 91 year old grandma. That was really special. I did a lot of laughing. I paid dearly for that at work. You do not want to know.

I also took a long weekend to see my cousin, his wife (cousin in-law?) her parent's, my aunt and uncle in the Austin area. It was too short. I killed myself again with a 50+ hour week I pulled before and another after just to not work the weekend. Ridiculous.

Now church events start back up, Toastmaster contest season has started and I am pooped out. Worn out seems to be my norm and not sleeping much. Stress. You guessed it -WORK. I am trying to find time to just be still and pray. Even that feels ackward sometimes because I am moving and going and doing so much.

It seems my life has other plans for me right now. But I am looking at seeing if I can find a way to like my house. I am realizing that I never moved in. I have boxes I never unpacked sitting in almost the same place the movers put them in 2006.

I felt like I settled for this house because I couldn't afford anything else. I had lost out on several bidding wars for other homes. I had to compete with people displaced by Hurricane Katrina and I was feeling like I needed to get anything after months of looking.

I have hated the look of the kitchen and the carpeting from day one. But, that money went to a new AC and I almost have that paid off now. But, hating it has kept it messy. It is almost like I don't care because I hate it. Then I hate it more cause it is messy.

This weekend I took the weekend off (I know, I know) and took a 3 hour nap today. I did do some laundry and got to the grocery though. I am so sick and tired of eating out.

My goal is to put this project back on the calendar. I want to make some slight improvements that might help me like my kitchen and floors a bit more. Heck, seeing the counters and floors again will be an improvement. It will take some doing, I spent a whole year doing other stuff and have run out of excuses.

Pray that I get this done and livable. Pray for a better work situation! Making change is hard - but worth it!

Christine

With the Christmas Season over I am sad to take down the decorations. It means we have another 11 months till we get all that festive stuff again. I am also taking this opportunity to clear out what didn't get used and not pack it again for another 12 months! Some items you buy on sale after the holiday at deep discount, but never use. I think if I haven't used them for two years it is time to pass on to someone who will use it. so I am trying to keep the holiday decor down to a dull roar.

Giving away the unwanted Christmas Decorations! Check!

I do love Christmas! But, boy it takes room I don't have to store the stuff! I think I need to really look at all the gift wrap stuff and organize it better. Boy does that take up some room! Maybe some better packing will condense down the 6 or 7 big containers of Christmas I have right now.

If you have suggestions on how to store Christmas decorations and wrapping please let me know!

I see carpet!

I think back to the movie some time ago where the boy said, "I see dead people".  Seeing carpet in my home has been about as rare as that the last few years! I even vacuumed!

What was so nice after having over three wonderful friends is that I could tidy up and sit in a comfortable chair with my feet on the ottoman! I was actually proud of how my humble home looked. And I was tickled that the piles wer gone. Although many have moved to off-site storage.

I hesitated to get off-site storage, but they had a 3 month deal. I paid upfront for all three months. The next deadline is Februrary 11th when my 3 month deal is up.

Wish me luck!

Christine