One House/Garden Home Improvement a Day Challenge

[BloodiedGhouloshes]

Does anyone want to join?

I seem to get bogged down in the day to day grind of keeping the house running and never have time to do the stuff I want to do.

I have so many projects I want to get done... from small (washing curtains!) to large- renovating the kitchen/conservatory and the back garden into a patio.

I thought if I made it an imperative to do something each day, by the time one year is up this place will be transformed.

My place... mid-terrace Victorian. 3 Dcs. 3 dogs 2 cats. Total chaos.

Today I:

1. bought from the local charity shop 5 little cut glass tiny vases of varying heights and put roses in them and bundled them together 'artfully' on the mantelpiece.

1. strung fairy lights up our bannister.

Okay- it's two things. :)

Tomorrow I plan to repot some plants before winter.

Anyone want to join the 365 day challenge?

[NameoftheRose]

Today I stripped down, cleaned and reassembled the large larder fridge we are selling. It took a couple of hours but it's gleaming now.
Next I need to photograph it and put it up for sale, something I always tend to procrastinate.

Also put all the leftover firework detritus went into the bin this morning. I used ten minutes of time I'd have probably otherwise frittered on here to do it. Bin day today so it seems like a double victory.

Tomorrow I must do more on the huge garden project.

I'm getting more done with this thread spurring me on. Good to see others also Getting Stuff Done.

Do you think it would be possible to Get Everything Done?

[phlebas]

day 7 - painted the other chair. Made dd1 tidy her room. Not a brilliant day.

[NameoftheRose]

I think painting the other chair and persuading a child to tidy her room is pretty brilliant.
More than I've got done in a week, sometimes.

[Iris445]

Today's job is to tidy house and clean the floors, ( this often gets left) bathroom gets carried over as I just didn't get round to it yesterday. So a boring chores day.

[phlebas]

thanks NameoftheRose :)

day 8 - mended ds1's roman blind which has needed doing for months. Also moved half of the wood pile closer to the house & lit the stove (which meant that heating has been off most of the day). Did dd1's birthday cake & filled a pinata. Manic weekend ahead so I'm not sure how much I'll get done. Next week windows need doing.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Is it too late to join you?

I have pretty much got the daily grind under control, and I have a cleaner so a lot of the day to day dirt is dealt with.

We moved into this house 7 years ago, and while we have done several big jobs - new kitchen, re-carpeting etc, I've never felt like it has been really finished and organised. Wedding and then small children got in the way!
DS2 started preschool this week, just two mornings, but for the first time in over 5 years I have some regular time sans children.

Recently we painted the living room, and bought some new light-fittings. I've also bought a dehumidifier to speed up the drying of laundry inside. So a start has been made!

Tomorrow we are planning a trip to Homebase to buy some hooks to put up in the hall where the boys can reach them to hang their own coats and bags, and some for their room for dressing gowns etc which just get flung about atm.

And just now I cleared and cleaned the vegetable drawers at the bottom of the fridge before loading in the new shopping. :)

[NameoftheRose]

Sounds like a good start, alibaba. Just don't do what we have so often done. Buy the hooks (or whatever) and have them lying around the house for months. Adding to clutter rather than taking away from it.

My project today is to sort through ALL the paperwork in the alleged study and file it in the right place, or recycle it or put it in the shredding tub.

I am hating it. Which is why it hasn't been properly done, I suppose. Doing it right now and going to persist until it is all done.

Yuk, yuk, yuk.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Name - I have got huge piles of paperwork rammed onto the study bookcases upstairs. Personal stuff, and a load for our business which I really need to sort incase the tax man decides he wants to see receipts or something. Argh.

Yes there is that danger with the hooks. I am going to insist that DH do it immediately before I let him go and fanny about with his car which is what is on his list for the weekend.

[NameoftheRose]

Good for you Ali, we have bought hooks, lost them, bought more hooks and eventually put them up. Then in the mysterious, quite annoying way of the universe, come across the original hooks.

Had to stop paper sorting now as I need to cook. But an hour and a half of steady work has made an impressive difference. Another half hour and it will be done.

Carted a huge pile of papers to the recycle bin, added to the shred pile and filed, filed, filed. Also emptied the very full study bin into one of those bin bags that assorted charities thoughtfully put through our door several times a week and binned it.

Earlier this year I carefully sorted out and stored in a bomb proof box in the loft all the "taxman might want to see this" paperwork from our old business. So naturally I found more of it today. .

I'm so thankful for this thread, little bit of motivation has helped me get a lot done. Little bit each day.

[Mum2Fergus]

7/365-big fat zero! Busy day so collapsed on sofa

8/365- slightly more productive...did another 2 kitchen cupboards while making dinner, 2 loads of washing done, basket load put away. Currently clearing through a box file of house related paperwork! Still planning car and garden tidy ups for tomorrow

[SecretLimonadeDrinker]

Hmm, today's good intentions have gone to pot, teething DS and a financial advisor who was almost two hour later then expected. Managed to clear and clean the inside fridge and decluttered the breakfast bar.

Tomorrow I plan to clean out the animals, clean the fridge in the garage and clean/clear/winterfy the conservatory.

[SlightlyDampWellies]

is it 9/365 of Operation365?

Me today - Busy day with children's parties and the like, so I plan to just _force- ask DH nicely to put up the pictures that used to be in our study that we took down a year ago when we repainted. That will be nice. We painted the study in a dark green, and the paintings are very pale yellow faux Japanese bird pics. I think they are pretty anyway!

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

[betterwhenthesunshines]

I'm going to sand and re-oil the kitchen table which has needed doing for ages? If I write it here then I'll come back and tell you all when I've done it!

[NameoftheRose]

Today I'm going to finish the paperwork. DH is going to strip the last of the old wallpaper from the hall and stairs, ready to redecorate.

[Iris445]

Today I will ask DH to put up the curtain rail.

[Littleredsquirrel]

I have to confess that I havent done any house/garden tasks over the past three days due to work so I'm playing catch up.

This weekend we are going to:

finish the loft insulation (almost done)
split and bring up to the house a monster pile of wood
clear the gutters
buy a new light fitting for the dining room. The one we currently have was left by the previous owners and I hate it.

[Littleredsquirrel]

I do like how a lot of our tasks are turning into "ask DH to ..."

[claretandamberforever]

marking my spot. so many things to do in my house but no time...

[CiderwithBuda]

Morning all.

Didn't achieve much yesterday on Operation 365. My cleaner comes on a Friday so I spend the morning tidying so that she can clean. Hurt my knee on Thursday so wasn't up for much more than that. Spent lots of time on sofa with ice on my knee. It's much better today.

Today's plan is to do utility room. Tidy, wipe down surfaces, vacuum and wash floor. Cleaner didn't do it yesterday as dogs were in it as it was raining - normal put them in the garden when she is here as she is not keen. Have a box of pictures in there that need sorting. Might even put a few up. Other task will be to sort some paperwork and file. Also want to go through my Xmas present stash to figure out what I still need.

Keep on keeping on!

Oh -betterwhenthesunshines - I sort of know what you mean about making sure this doesn't become overwhelming but I was finding everything overwhelming anyway! This thread is helping me see that I don't have to get it all sorted at once and doing a little bit every day is fine and helps. I'm feeling a bit more in control. In the past I have said I would do a certain room and not get it finished for whatever reason and then feel a failure. This is making me see that eating the elephant one bite at a time is fine and gets me there in the end.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

littlered yes I had noticed that too

[dukester]

I have finally cleared the other living room apart from two boxes of stock which I am desperately trying to sell off on the cheap just want shut of it now .

Sorted through all the shoes and got rid of a few pairs doing my 5 th load of laundry desperately want it all finished and put away this weekend .

Have located the paint and rollers to finish painting the hall and am just about to start washing the woodwork down will do this one room at a time though because I hate doing it so much .

Oh and put the babies car seat on a free to you FB page and gave away her baby gym too,

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Just reporting today's achievements so far.

Have replaced the broken lampshade on the living room table lamp - got one for £5 reduced in Homebase, bargain!
Have bought and installed a bedside reading light for DS1.
Have potted up two cyclamen, one is on the living room windowsill, the other in the kitchen.
DH has taken down the bottom stair gate ready to install the new hooks, and I've got a couple of hooks for the boys' bedroom for their dressing gowns to hang where they can reach them.

:)

[Mum2Fergus]

9/365 - car cleared out and tidied, found the screen cover, gonna need it for the frosty mornings! Abandoned the garden til tomorrow however I did lag the hot water tank with a new jacket, and put reflector sheets behind the last 3 radiators that needed doing...productive day for me!!

[Mum2Fergus]

9/365 go me...just cleaned the hob and oven too...that's enough for today for me happy Saturday folks!xx

[CatAmongThePigeons]

Can I join in too? I'm a huge procrastinator when it comes to non daily housework.

Tonight I am going to sort through the paperwork files and file it away properly.

Tomorrow I need to pot on the houseplants. They're pot bound.