Wednesday, January 11, 2012

home goals for 2012

the nester is hosting a link-up party today where you can post about your home goals for 2012. i'm learning to not be so afraid of setting goals. for me setting goals has always been so ominous because if i didn't achieve them i felt like a failure... awful thinking that i'm trying to overcome and getting much better at. this is another way for me to just kick that fear in the butt!

there are several things that i'd like to do around my house this year and what better way to get myself into gear than by laying it out all on the internet?

so here's some of the things that i would like to do:


1. put up a collage wall in my dining room.
i used to have a large flower print on that wall but i was never really satisfied with it. i recently sold it and bought some frames from ikea. i plan on using some other frames i have to mix in. all the frames will be black. my brother got me an awesome print for christmas in a black frame (without even knowing that i was thinking of doing this) so i took that as a sign that i should go for it! now i just need to figure out what i want to fill the rest of the frames with, arrange it and hang it!

the print my brother gave me for christmas... LOVE!

2. build a deck.
ok, i won't be the one doing the building, but regardless i want a deck. i thought this was going to happen last summer but i was too much of an emotional disaster to really get going on it so it didn't happen. my townhouse is built into a hill so the deck will actually be a 2nd story deck off my first floor. right now there's a double window in the dining room that will need to be converted into a sliding glass door. so that makes this project even more complicated. add in the fact that i live in a townhouse community, factor in HOA approvals, city permits that are a pain... yeah it won't be easy. i am determined to push through though and get started early spring so i can enjoy it all summer! i am just dying for an outdoor space!

3. add a dimmer to the light in the dining room.
this one is pretty do-able. in fact, i might even attempt this on my own... ok, ok, maybe not. i'll enlist my mom's help. she's super good at anything handy. but seriously, i love the light fixture in my dining room but it is SO BRIGHT. a dimmer would give me control over that so it needs to happen!

4. change the flooring in the bathroom upstairs.
oh my word i DETEST the laminate flooring in the bathroom upstairs. it's an awful white color that makes my dark hair shedding problem so obvious. i know there are lots of great new products out there that are easy to install on your own so i need to investigate. i'd even be happier with a darker laminate tile that didn't show so much dirt. once again, i am sure i will enlist my mother's help because i have no idea how you move a toilet, but she totally does and it's time for me to learn!
because someone prob wants to know- the shower curtain is from kohls

5. dust my ceiling fans.
haha! yikes. this should probably be on a regular cleaning rotation but it's not. i caught a glimpse of them the other day after not being used in several months. holy dustballs! for a girl who is allergic to dust it's terrible. anyone have a creative solution for doing that without kick starting a major allergy attack? and no, i am not posting a picture of their current state. would be terribly embarrassing. ;)

6. hem the curtains in my bedroom.
a simple task, but one that just never seems to get done. i hung them to see how they looked and left them there. unhemmed. wrinkles and all. i am the only one who sees them anyway, but still. just needs to get done.

7. do something about the builder-grade mirrors in the bathrooms.
my little townhouse has 1-1/2 baths and both have those awful big plain mirrors held up by clips. i need to either frame them out or remove them and buy framed mirrors.

8. custom wall in the powder room.
while we're on the subject of bathrooms i have this desire to do something fun on a wall in the powder room. i actually already have something fun on one wall... an awesome tree branch mural that my sister painted. but i'm kind of thinking of doing a pallet wall behind the toilet... not completely sure about that one or if i'm even up for the challenge. regardless, something needs to be done to that wall cause the small little canvas i have hanging up there isn't doing anything for the space.

9. paint the inside of my front door.
this has been all over blog-land for a while. i love how it looks, but i'm not 100% sold on the color yet. i was thinking black but my house is small and i don't want it to make the space feel closed in. so jury is still out on this one. might have to work some photoshop magic to see what it will look like.

10. add a storm door to the front door.
again, this is something i tried to do last summer. home depot actually dropped the ball on this one though. they were TERRIBLE. seriously terrible. so i need to either go to lowes or just hire a contractor friend to do it. in the spring/summer months i crave light and the front of my house gets afternoon/evening sun which would be so lovely to have streaming in.

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so here's a couple shots of the living room as it stands today...


the kitchen... and yes my chalkboard still says "merry christmas." suppose i should change that, huh? haha. just keeping it real people. oh and pay no attention to the dead aloe plant. yes, i killed a desert plant which requires almost no maintenance. oy vey.
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wow. writing it out makes me feel like i might actually accomplish some of these tasks. i think i could get used to this setting goals thing.

so which one should i tackle first? don't say the fans.

ok, you're right it should probably be the fans. get the worst one out of the way. but then, what?

here's to a homier house is 2012!

27 comments:

Karah @ thespacebetweenblog said...

Wow, you have some great goals in mind. We've built a couple decks and enjoyed using them to the fullest when they were done. A few blog friends and I introduced a new challenge idea Monday and it would be so fun if you want to join. If you have a second, check in at http://thespacebetweenblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/imagine-the-impossibilities-challenge/ to learn more, and feel free to email me if you have any questions!

Shannon Dew said...

Your house is so cute! I love all the neutrals with a little splash of color here and there! Umm..and I too am embarassed by the amount of dust on my ceiling fans...yuck!

Brandybrooke@gmail.com said...

I saw on pinterest how to clean fans: just slip a pillowcase over the blade & the dust goes inside! I can't wait until you finish all your projects! It'll look even better than it does now!

Leslie said...

You have a gorgeous home. Can't wait to see what all you come up with! Your goals are really good!

Erin said...

I LOVE that color in your living room! I'd say start with whatever you are the most excited about. I've got collage wall for the living room on my list as well. I'm hoping to start piecing it together this weekend :)

Christina said...

Good goals!
I hate dusting my fans too.
I've been wanting to change up my builder mirrors too. Can't wait to see all you do, your home is beautiful.
xo

Lauren said...

Your home is beyond adorable!!!!!

Hailey @ Me and My Boys said...

Your home is already so cute! We did a patio last year and LOVE it. We were going to do a deck, but the patio offered a little more privacy.

I had totally forgotten to include framing our mirrors! I definitely want to do that, and from what I've seen, it doesn't look TOO hard.
You've got some great goals!

Gina said...

I love your house already. And you KNOW I adore that tree branch.

Kristen said...

SO- I love these. 1) because I need to frame in my builders mirrors as well and 2) because I have totally been wanting that anthro map! LOVE!

You and your house are adorable. Excited to see all the ideas from your creative brain!

Kristen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kristen said...

Soooo my comment was left twice and then I made a mistake... urban, not anthro. I'm blowing up your comment section- but just bc I love ya :)

Faith said...

I say start with the collage in the living room because it is something you will see everyday. then while you are enjoying it, step on up and hit the ceiling fans. I love the way you have transformed that home! It looks loved and lived in now! :)

Faith said...

i mean in the dining room.

Anonymous said...

Your home is beautiful! Makes me want to make changes! :)

Unknown said...

Hi found you at the nester's-good luck with your goals too!I'm your newest follower- Stop on by to visit!!

Lucy Marie said...

I have one home goal for 2012: Buy one :)

I know a really, really, really, really, great contractor whose wife would LOVEEE to come visit your neck of the woods. He could get all these jobs done and you, me, Katie and Emekay could play!

Also - the fans. OMG the fans!! I noticed how horrible the one in Eva's room is today. Ick ick ick.

Meredith said...

I love your home Susan--it looks so cozy and inviting!

The storm door is on my wish list too--our living room is so dark that I think it would really help!

Melissa said...

The fan one is the easiest! You can knock that out fast! I have white laminate similar to yours in my kitchen & bathrooms! UGH! AND ugly green carpet in the other rooms! UGH! The only thing i really hate about it! But any money i'd spend on that would be better going towards a house!

The whole reason i am commenting is to tell you how much i LOVE your place! You decorate so cute! My style! :)

Evelien said...

This post makes me want to get active in getting our flat to look a bit better! Still it's hard if you're renting, because you can't change the big and important things!

Laura said...

I laughed at the killing the aloe plant thing. I can't keep plants alive. Once killed a cactus! How do you kill a plant that hardly ever needs watered!?!?

Unknown said...

your house is so beautiful! something out of a magazine!

Charissa said...

What a beautiful home! I love the fact you have all these goals for it! It's going to be even more gorgeous!

amanda said...

So excited you included the shower curtain info...as soon as I saw it, I thought, that's so cute! I wonder where it's from :)

I was going to post the pillow case suggestion for your fan, but someone beat me to it.

I removed my clip mirrors. They were heavy, but it was really easy-although I think sometimes they may be glued. I bought one of those sort of ornate silver wooden framed ones from Michaels for half off and in my bedroom I got one from Garden Ridge. They were both relatively cheap and made a huge difference!

Good luck!

Tatiana said...

Love your house Sue! You've got such great taste!
I have also made a mental list of things I really want to get done this year around here. It puts me in such a great mood when I accomplish something new around here :-)

erin - mutterings of eringirl said...

1. I finally updated my reader and you are in it. So that makes me happy.

2. I tried to pull the aloe plant out of my yard because I thought it was a weed. It got mad and fought back and then regenerated the arm (?) I viciously tore off.

3. I LOVE the wall color in your living room. And I showed my husband the picture because I love the window (is that what it is?) hanging there!! We have a huge wall that has been undecorated for two years... that would be a fabulous way to fill the space!

4. Good luck achieving your goals. I can't wait to read about your progress!

Anonymous said...

your home is so beautiful, Susan! I love your style and taste!