While, as many of us do, I view January as a bit of a clean slate, I also think it’s probably one of the worst times of year for me to make concrete goals. I am definitely affected by SAD and the lack of sunlight really wreaks havoc on my mood, energy levels and general disposition during the winter months. So trying to look ahead and get motivated to ‘hustle’ feels like I’m trying to run through treacle. Just getting back to a normal routine after the long Christmas break feels like a colossal effort and so I’ve decided I’m not going to put a huge amount of pressure on myself!
Where I’d prefer to spend the rest of my time until Spring.
Spring is certainly a better time to really make a start on goals, don’t you think? The sun is shining, there are buds poking out of the cold, hard ground and things suddenly feel lighter and easier. So for the time being and for the sake of this post, I’m going to just talk about goals that I already had in my head – not necessarily just because it’s a new year but because they are things I’m really looking forward to doing and I feel motivated when I think about them!
All the other big goals can wait for a few months – after all, 1st January is just a construct. It’s a day like any other and goal-setting can and should happen all the time. I’m going to wait to set those big ones (especially those on a more personal and business level) for a couple of months’ time! In the meantime, here’s what I am already pretty sure is going to happen in our home… ;)
Living room remodel
I talked about my plans for our living room towards the end of last year, naively hoping we could start plans on the room before Christmas but from around mid-November, things always get incredibly busy and knowing we would be having people over as well as an increased amount of social engagements, those plans got shelved until after the New Year. This is our next project, however, and having a bit of additional time to think about things means my plans are pretty concrete in my head.
So we’re hoping to have this room finished by Spring. There’s quite a lot to do – from scraping old paint off the walls (a lot of it is flaking off), removing the wallpaper, adding wall panels, painting, updating the fireplace surround and tiles to new flooring and new furniture, we’ve got our work cut out for ourselves. We’ve decided whilst the work is taking place, we’ll probably create a make-shift living room for ourselves in our dining room to take the pressure off.
That sideboard is going to be for sale soon!
This means I need to start selling some of my dining room furniture that I had intended on letting go of anyway. So I need to get all that sorted fairly soon. I’m actually pretty damn excited about this. I’m totally over the dark purple colour in the living room at the moment (the colour & wallpaper were the choices of the previous owner, we’ve just lived with them for a while) and driven by my SAD, I just can’t live with the dark colour on the walls for any longer. It’s time for a change!
Kitchen/Dining Room extension
I’ve lived with this ugly kitchen far longer than I thought I would! Here’s how I’ve made it liveable for now.
I talked about our plans for the kitchen diner quite a few times here – in fact, it’s been in my head since last February so we’re talking nearly a year now! However, finding a contractor has proven much harder than we’d anticipated. It’s frustrating to be ready to go and just not being able to find someone reputable who responds to phone calls or emails. They come round, seem enthusiastic about the project and then… crickets. I don’t hear from them again. We’ve got someone else coming round later this month so everything is crossed that we like him and he’s happy to take on the project.
In terms of timing, it’s up in the air because I want to wait until we have a few quotes to compare (which has been impossible to get for the above reasons) and find the right person for the job. Once we do find our builder, it’ll depend on their own timing and projects. Of course, we want this all to happen as soon as possible so we’re really hoping we can start this project in the Spring or very early Summer.
Guest bedroom updates
As much as I love having a dedicated guest bedroom and I’ve done my best to make it a pleasant space for guests, I really want to at least paint the space and get it feeling a bit more styled. At the moment, it feels a bit of a mish-mash of furniture and accessories and I want to create a cohesive theme that marries with the rest of our home. I’m already making plans for this and while the electrics still need updating in that room (we can’t update them until the extension work takes place), I figure I can still get started on things like bedding, curtains and paint colours.
Of course, there are a million and one smaller things I’d love to do as well and probably will do but those are my big three for the house this year! Have you set goals for your own home this year? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear about your plans!
I’d just love for our living room to be finished. People have stopped asking if it’s done now! My husband started it, and we’ve got 2 walls and the ceiling painted, but he’s not in the best of health (and because I’m disabled, I can’t do it either) and hasn’t been able to carry on, as well as looking after me, working full time, and doing all the housework.
I’ve lost my enthusiasm for it now. Still got brand new sofa covers, and a rug, unused, because didn’t want to use them until the painting was finished, but might get them out now anyway.
So, I shall live vicariously through your renovations, and enjoy seeing your updates!
I can’t wait to see all the changes! I truly enjoy your blog!
My husband is in the military and we currently live on base housing, so we can’t do any renovations. 😢 So, for now I just live with it and make the best of it. I do however have lots of furniture rehab projects for this year. Painting my dining chairs are on the top of my list, that and also tackling my bedroom! I’ve been wanting a new bed for so long now! My biggest goal…my most important goal is to finally enroll into a design course. It makes me feel so excited! It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for as long as I can remember! I have a feeling this will be the year!
Good luck! Hopefully you find the perfect contractor! 🖤
My projects for this winter are to finish painting my kitchen cabinets. The doors and drawer fronts are done, I just need to do the cabinet boxes and put them all back together. Also on the list is to paint my dining area chairs and recover the seats and get a new blind for the sliding glass door. Nothing really difficult, I just need someone to kick me in the butt to get me going. Sigh …. I am not very spunky in January either – I need sunshine!!
Can’t wait to see the progress in your house.
My plans are to finally pick some photos and buy frames for the hallway. And maybe paint this wall wit some dark color. I would also like to add some plants in the bathroom, buy a big closet for my craft room and add final touch to the master bedroom.
It must be so frustrating when you are ready to go but can’t find someone to do it. Hopefully fingers crossed it will be started soon. Xxx
Exciting! We plan to tackle our living room, a bathroom, and our double deck…..YIKES! I am eager but apprehensive too!!!
Happy 2019 Kimberly! As for the builders who don’t get back to you, it’s such a bummer (insert-rolling-eyes-emoji here).
I don’t know how much time you’ve had to be social since you moved – you’re a busy girl, but I would highly recommend networking A LOT to find someone reliable to work with you. This doesn’t mean chatting on Insta with other bloggers, but rather mentioning to every single person you meet what you’re looking for. The girls at Zumba/Pilates, the barista at Starbucks, the person helping you at B&Q (especially good, as they’re ace at employing older people who are likely to have lived locally for many years). Go up to a group of obvious ‘ladies who lunch’ and ask them for suggestions: they will be flattered. Ask in places like sofa or bed shops for that matter. You’re more likely to end up with someone who comes personally recommended. Good luck!
Oh this is exactly what I’ve been doing! ;) I’ve been asking pretty much anyone in the local area if they know a reputable builder – one came from a neighbour who recently had an extension built (the guy came, seemed enthusastic about the job but never came back to me with a quote despite chasing), one we have coming next week was recommended to me by my dentist. All I can do is keep asking and hope someone wants to quote the job! xx
Small General Contractors end up putting ridiculous money into quoting. A lot of times if they won’t bother with a follow up if they feel you’re looking for the lowest bidder because they’ll end up spending thousands of dollars up front with no pay back. Find a contractor with a reputation for affordable (but good) quality. Pull the trigger. I don’t feel comparing quotes with small residential jobs benefit either party.
Also, be sure you really read the quote. Make sure it’s thorough, if it seems expensive, a cheaper option may end up with change orders and costing more over all.
Looking forward to the project!!
We’re not looking for a cheap quote – we just want ANY quote at this point. Everyone whom we’ve invited to provide a quote has come recommended to us but Shrewsbury is not a huge city so there are only so many reputable builders in the area who have done extensions and they are all super busy. We’ve had 3 around, only 1 has come back to us with a quote after chasing for 8 weeks and then said he can’t start until mid-summer. No one else has come back to us. We want at least one more just to compare the quotes. I’ve got an architect on board helping us chase as well but it’s not that we’re being picky or that we’re only asking smaller companies – we are literally looking at anyone with experience who has a good reputation and has been recommended. I genuinely never thought it would be this hard though. We have another builder coming this weekend who built an extension for my dentist. Fingers crossed he’s happy to quote the job xx
I would be surprised if you were looking for cheap. I just figured American contractors get spooked if they think they’re just sending bids, so maybe the same was happening on your side of the pond. I hope I didn’t offend!
Anyways, I’m sending positive thoughts your way and hope you find a guy smart enough to recognize how beneficial it would be work with a prolific interior blogger such as yourself.
Good luck!! Xoxo
Oh no, not at all! It’s just super frustrating because we’re genuinely doing everything we can to get this moving but it’s just not happening ;) Obviously we don’t have an unlimited budget but we feel our savings is more than a reasonable amount – we just want someone who’s going to show up and do a good job. We’re going to keep on looking but all the positive thoughts are very welcome ;) Thank you! xxx
Please hang in there and wait for a good builder! I couldn’t believe how much chasing I had to do for quotes (in London?!) and after many months was getting worried about timings. In the end my structural engineer recommended a builder (someone he knew down the pub!!) – who was worth waiting for. Someone will turn up soon, and on the plus side the work will be done in Spring (longer days, less damp). Best of luck :)