Stone Soup for Five: January 2011

The great Garage Makeover--part 1

So Mr. Measure is gone for the week and I decided to re-do the garage to surprise him.  He hates it in the current state, but neither of us could figure out how to arrange and organize it so we could like it.  I had WAAAY too much stuff and no real organization on where I put any of it.  It really was a dumping ground.

PLUS our tiny house is shrinking.  The boys are getting BIGGER and the house is getting smaller and if we have anyone over, we end up talking over the kids because there is NO WHERE for them to go.

So we're building a mancave in the garage!

Here's all the BEFORE pics.  It's a two car garage, not a huge roomy one either.  We have enough room for both cars, a squeeze-way between them, and a freezer and tool box and table saw in front.  

So anyway, here is how it looked about a week ago.

It's ugly.

You've been warned...


This is the shelf and water heater side... on the right when you walk in from outside.  We ALWAYS come in through the garage, it's weird to use the front door. So this greets me every stinkin time.  *twitch*
 See that woodstove right here... under this white basket?  That thing weighs about 986 pounds and we bought it and can't put it in... yet.  Maybe we will... so let's keep it forever in the garage.  In the way.  
>:o[



Built in cupboards.  Nice, but filthy gross.  They haven't been scrubbed since... well, forever.  Mr. Measure's golf clubs, and uhm, my painting shelf is kinda exploding onto the floor there.  *blush*

The tool corner.  Mr. Measure's tool box is the inspiration behind the redo too!  

The freezer and more mess.  yuk.

And this is more of my mess.  Pantry items and junk junk junk!


And back around to the garage door again.  What a MESS!!!  But this will make for an AMAZING before and after!  I can't wait to get it done.  We have ONE WEEK!



Journal through Romans--free copy


Thank you for subscribing to my blog.  I pray it will be an encouragement to you. 

Click here to download your free copy of Journaling through Romans.



Please do not share this link with others as it represents months and many long hours of work on my part.  Please remember all information in the file is copyrighted.

Thank you!
Kari

2011 goals!

I have some house goals that I really REALLY want to accomplish this year.  And here, now, you get to see the UGLY truth BEFORE pics. There is a LOT of work needed here!!


First to finish before the end of January:  The Master Bedroom
(which is laughable, because there's nothing 'master' about it AT ALL.  It's really "Generic Small Bedroom #3" in our tiny 1970s ranch. But I'm so thankful for our home and will pretend it's a Master Bedroom.)

We need to do some major closet renovations.  Mr. Measure has his collection of Military figures right smack where I want some soft and fluffy folded blankets and pillows and I want them gone... but, he doesn't, so we need to compromise.  Maybe if I get rid of his box o' crap to the right of the guys and make it a nice hidden basket o crap?

(In bold is the MUST DO's for January)
CLOSET:
-paint
-refinish or replace cheap, ugly dresser
-cull and organize



MASTER BEDROOM:
-remove beachy pic and repaint
-find new pic? or maybe paint frame?
-cover that lovely green foam bench cushion with fabric
-paint walls
-window treatments?


NEXT!

As the year goes on, I'm going to be working on the other rooms, starting with the hot mess that is the boys' room.

*twitch*
This is the boys' closet.  *urp* it's really bad and never used other than to stuff junk into when "cleaning".
This is where I want to build Nate a Lego Office.  

BOYS' ROOM:
-clean and cull
-paint closet and room
-clean gross window, replace broken blinds (I spared you a pic)
-build a simple desk to fit in the closet
-remove doors and store in attic
-paint trim and moulding white


This is the "Ya, mom, it's clean." mess.  I can't even.... nevermind.  Moving on.


MANCAVE:
-cull toys (really, they play with about 3 categories of toys.  The rest can be given away or stored)
-organize for quick and easy pick up
-replace or clean/fix broken loveseat
-paint (this is the one room in this house that has never been painted since we've been here--9yrs)

 -figure out some simple ways to organize the games and crap!
-is it possible to make this look nice!?!
*twitch*




Ahhh... better.  MY domain.  Calm.  Deep breaths... still love this room.

LIVING ROOM:
-crown moulding along the ceiling/wall all the way around the room
-wood slat blinds for the living room window
-bamboo or SOMETHING for the front door windows
-repaint the brass on the fire screen to high temp black



KITCHEN:
This room I cannot WAIT to get to!  There's going to be a lot of changes in here this year.  
I'm going to have a 'Grown Up' kitchen! Can't wait!

-paint walls
-paint cuboards
-faux finish countertops
-lay down laminate floor from dining room, through kitchen to the back room and laundry room!
-new baseboards
-paint all trim
(nice sample splotch, huh? That's been there since this summer.)



STUDIO:
 -paint walls and trim
-make skirt for sewing table to hide messes
-organize and cull shelves



So that's it for my goals. I hope to have a lot of Before and Afters this year, if the budget and time goes well!

I'm linking up with the 2011 home goals post over at The Nester too.  Hopefully for a little accountability?
http://www.thenester.com/2011/01/2011-home-goals.html