My home needs aesthetic surgery LOL
By arkaf61
@arkaf61 (10881)
Canada
April 27, 2008 6:40pm CST
And it needs it badly.
The last time I painted my walls was almost 10 years ago. My floor tiles need to be replaced - I even have a few places where the whole tile came off and we can see the wood underneath. My whole kitchen needs more than a face lift. OF the rest I won't even talk because I guess it's not the worse of it.
Of course I can't do much, or rather, I can't afford much but I am hoping to be able to do at least a bit this summer.
At least the kitchen and paint the walls.
I need to really think about the kitchen thing. I have a dryer and washer - those ones where the dryer is on top of the washer - that I wanted to put in there. It's tight but it would fit and it would save me the problems with my mother in law. But I don't have an outlet for it. THe washer is fine, it just needs a regular plug, but the dryer needs one of those big 220 or 240 like the ones used for the stove. Of course I have one of those - the one for the stove but that's for the stove. I can't go around pulling the stove to unplug it and plug the machine. I also know that I couldn't use both at the same time, it would have to be one or the other, but that would be fine with me. It's just that I'm not sure if it can be done. I was thinking of bringing that big plug more up and have something - I don't know, like a switch or something - that we could change from the dryer to the stove so there would be no way to have both on at the same time. The last time we talked with an electrician about this he suggested bringing a wire from downstairs in the basement thus allowing for the two plugs but that was almost $800 whereas my idea would be less.
I don't even know if this can be done, but I hope it does because it's not all I need to do in that kitchen. I also have a dishwasher for almost 3 years in here waiting for us to change the counter top. I can't use the one that we have because it's very old and the wood is rotten in parts so we couldn't put the machine underneath.
But of course to do that it would be so much nicer to get new cabinets as well so we could put them the way we need.
Adding to that there is the problem of space since the kitchen is not that big. This is a big headache, I tell you, having to make changes when the budget does not allow for it hehehehe
Have you been renovating lately? Did you feel it was stressful? Were you on a tight budget or were more free to do what you wanted?
4 people like this
7 responses
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
28 Apr 08
Always moving and renting, and a limited budget, although I love interior decorating, I have never been able to put it into action. My house originally was furnished a la Pick and Save (now Big Lots). Now it is furnished Dollar Tree - although in that show Next Design Star, they had a challenge where they had $200 and had to spend it in the Dollar Tree store and buy things to decorate a room - they did great.... I'd never thought of that! But at the same time, I am mis-matched, sparsely deocrated and nothing even close to special. My husband always grips about how dreary the place is, but won't give me any money to do anything so I just tell him, no money, no decor. He shuts up as he then realizes he has to open his wallet to get what he wants and he dont' want nic decor that bad! I love the SOuthwestern/American INdian/western decor - Always wanted a living room like that! Maybe in my next life.... but since I will be coming back as a mother to 12..... maybe not!
2 people like this
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
28 Apr 08
MOther of 12??? You won't have time for decorating LOL
I used to love my home. First we got our apartment and I decorated it just as I liked. I used to love it so much I would prefer to invite friends over instead of going out hehehehe Everyone like it too so it was one of those win/win things.
THen we got into this house and I was still able to use what I had to make it really nice. I painted with colors that I liked and complemented the furniture and I thought life would always be like that - naive huh? LOL
THen life happened and no more budget for the nice stuff. What was good for a home with two people is not anymore for 2 adults and 3 teenagers while all along old things got older and what wasn't already that good became worse grrrr
I really need to do something... I hate coming back home nowadays and it's not a nice feeling at all.
@GardenGerty (169531)
• United States
28 Apr 08
Arkaf, have you been peeking at my house? In addition to the plug for the dryer, you will need someplace to vent it. I have the set up you are talking about, washer and dryer wise. It has its advantages. I hope to earn enough online one way or another to remodel my bathroom this summer. It would be a small start, but there are repairs needed, and so I would just as well redo the floor and a few other things. I think that no matter what you would do with your electrician it is going to cost you a pretty penny.
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
28 Apr 08
SO it can be done !!!!! :)
O have the place to vent, it's the one used for the exaust on top of the stove. There's a hole out. Then all I need is one of those ones that don't need to be connected outside for the stove.
If I can get that, then I'll save again to do the rest of the kitchen and hopefully the walls. THat will make it a bit more enjoyable to be home LOL
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169531)
• United States
28 Apr 08
I was not really clear. I do not have the electric set up you wanted, although you seem to have it thought through. I meant that I have the stacking or joined washer dryer. I also meant that you need a place to vent your dryer.
I need to be more specific.
I need to be more specific.1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
28 Apr 08
Well, we would Love to be able to do some changes here in our Condo. We actually may have no choice but to do a few of them since we are wanting to put our Condo on the market soon. We have actually found another place we would really like to buy. The problem is financing for it, etc. We are in the process of looking into things to see if there can ever be a way that place could really be ours. We really Love the place too and have been looking at it since the end of October last yr.
I guess a lot of it all comes down to what needs to be done the most, and then budget it in. If you make a Budget and take the time to do a couple of things each yr. you won't get to the point where you have some things that must be done or else. Wishing you the Best.
1 person likes this
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
28 Apr 08
Hope you are able to get things going with your condo and the place you want to have:)
I know how it should work, that's what we were able to do before, but not for the last 10 years or so. Every time we got some aside for a bit of renovations another emergency would hit and there it went.
Now it's just ... bad LOL
Oh well, let's see what we can do this summer providing no more emergencies come.
@SViswan (12051)
• India
29 Apr 08
Yes, even if I had the money...I wouldn't do it right now when he's growing up. But we are setting up the kid's areas for them. So, my older son just got his bedroom set (car bed included) and we've set up his own room for him. Though both are boys, due to age gap (6 years), we felt it was better if they had separate rooms (needs are different). But my kitchen needs a renovation...but I've left it for the last because it's only me doing the adjusting there...and no one else is affected.
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
28 Apr 08
When we still had the House yes it was stressful trying to get things done because of Budget and I have to say that I am glad to be renting now because it is so much easier and does not cost me on repairs or anything
I don't think I ever want to own my own Place again because it is to expensive all the time you own it
Hugs dear Twin
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
29 Apr 08
That was exactly how I felt. We were renting before inlaws got us into this house-mare and we were happy with it.
I have to confess though, that now with the kids and all, together with the high prices of rent I am kind of glad I am not renting, but at the same time.... I miss my apartment :)
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
28 Apr 08
Like you, my partner and I really need to get this house into some order. There is a lot of work to be done, major repairs and we also need to replace the heating system too. We have been trying to get some of the work done in little stages as the budget allows but getting all the work done will cost lots and we just don't think it will happen any time soon.
For now we have been clearing out junk and clutter and working on one room at a time, just a lick of paint and some new curtains make a heck of a difference. I do get very upset sometimes when I see the amount of work still to be done and knowing that we just can't afford to get everything done at once.
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
1 May 08
I need to get the rug cleaned. Also we had dark walnut cabinets in the kitchen and I started to cover them with eggshell and got 2 coats on a while back but got interrupted before the 3rd and final coat was applied all over. So there are a couple cabinet doors where the paint is too thin, and I sort of shudder every time I go into the kitchen. We didn't get to it last summer, although we did acquire the matching paint. We hope to get to it this summer, but you know how it is. The longer we put something off the harder it is to get back into iot.
