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Original poster

I think i've finally figured it out...what do you think ??

24 replies

nutcracker · 04/04/2004 21:24

Actually my friend has.
I was talking to her today and she reckons that the reason i feel sooo depressed and shitty living here is because i'm not treating it as if it were my home. She reckons that me saying "when we move we'll buy this that and the other" is making things worse.
At the mo my flat is a mess, the living room is not decorated properly, the furniture is old and past it, and the carpets could walk off by them selves. The bathroom is horrible and the kitchen too.
She reckons that if i made this place more like home then it would help me to feel better and she reckons i could experiment with decorating e.t.c.
I had a picture took of Ds when he was 6 mths old, and it has never been up on the wall because i kept saying "when we move". He is now 15mths.
We were planning to start from scratch with furniture e.t.c when we move which would of course be very expensive, and my friend thinks we should by what we like now. Hopefully it would all be still in good nick when we move and if we don't want ti then, so what we're no worse off.
Also if we make this place look nice then IF my neighbour gets evicted then we would then have a very nice flat to exchange with someone.

So what do you think ?? Am i putting my life on hold unessercerily ???

OP posts:
kiwisbird · 04/04/2004 21:29

No it won't Nutty
I hate where I@m living because I'm tired of being here, too much noise, too much stress, too many things
Paint and clean doesn't change anything, I've read your posts, you are almost depressed with misery at your current home...
Press on poppet

stupidgirl · 04/04/2004 21:31

Hmmm, I think I might be guilty of the same. I keep finding myself saying "when we move..." A few months it was "when I've passed my driving test..."

It's an easy trap to all into I think, but you do have to live life now. Try what your freind suggested and see how it goes. It certainly can't hurt, can it?

Original poster
nutcracker · 04/04/2004 21:32

Oh i didn't mean to do it up and stay here. I'm still going to fight for my house, just thought it might make the fight abit easier to deal with. Give me sopmething to take my mind off things too.

OP posts:
suzywong · 04/04/2004 21:35

I think that's a very good idea, especially now spring has sprung, make it a bit more homely and get your creative juices flowing. Enjoy yourself

CountessDracula · 04/04/2004 21:39

nutty at least it would make you feel more positive about the place. I must say we moved last August and were going to get lots of work done to our house immediately, but then I got sick and it never happened and we are the same, just haven't bothered to do lots of things like putting pictures up properly - as a result I have felt quite pissed off and resentful towards my house!

I would say if you think there's a chance of you being there for even a short time longer, then go for it and spruce it up a bit. Could you rent a garage or borrow a friend/family's spare room to put some of your stuff in temporarily?

Lisa78 · 04/04/2004 21:41

I agree with your friend Nutty - tho I wouldn't spend a lot on anything you can't take with you

twiglett · 04/04/2004 21:51

message withdrawn

twiglett · 04/04/2004 21:52

message withdrawn

Original poster
nutcracker · 04/04/2004 22:09

Right thats that sorted then. I can finally start buying all those things that i've been wanting to buy for ages. I'd even put off buying stupid things like a new kettle and a new bed.
I won't spend alot on the actual decor, a splash of paint should be enough. May invest in a new sofa though
I feel a bit better already.

Twiglett - That did actually happen to my friend. She was in my position and she saved for ages to buy some new stair carpet. Two weeks after it was fitted the council announced they were demolishing her block and she was given a house

OP posts:
charliecat · 04/04/2004 22:10

Splat some lively paint on the wall, thats what I did in my house and i cant help but smile grimly at my choice of scaryily bright deco!
It will also give you something to focus on, instead of just the current situation.xx

Freckle · 04/04/2004 22:12

I definitely think that sprucing things up a bit would help your mood. Doesn't have to be expensive. I love using stamps on rooms that I can't afford to decorate. Dead easy and can change the appearance of a room very quickly.

At the very least, go and put up that photo of your DS NOW!

Janh · 04/04/2004 22:27

nutty, I agree with CD about trying to find storage space for some of your stuff (a la house doctor etc, more space looks and feels so much better).

Not sure about buying new sofa at this point though, may be better to buy a huge throw to cover up what you have temporarily?

Clean paint and less Stuff will make a huge difference! Lots of luck and have fun doing it.

JennH · 04/04/2004 22:48

Thats a great idea nutty, good luck

HiddenSpirit · 05/04/2004 00:53

Nutty, as you know, we're in pretty much the same boat as you and I have to say that getting (some) of this place decorated and buying new stuff (badly needed) has made me feel a whole lot better. We didn't spend much on decorating, just lining paper & paint, although we did paper the living room which now needs to be redone due to kids ripping it!!!

Still got 2 rooms to decorate (kitchen & kids room) and 2 to redecorate (living room & hall). Bad choice of colour scheme in hall, too light & shows up dirt too easily lol, but I am so pleased with the bathroom and our bedroom

Not only do I think it will cheer you up a lot, but it will give you something to focus on and take your mind off being down about getting (or rather not, for the time being) a bigger place

spacemonkey · 05/04/2004 01:01

I used to do the same when i lived in private rented places. I think it's a BRILLIANT idea. It will definitely help improve your state of mind. XXX

tigermoth · 05/04/2004 08:42

Great idea - do it. Just buy stuff you can move easily.

misdee · 05/04/2004 08:58

yeah do it!! i am not too keen on my current home as it looks like a dive, but i know it will look fantastic when its finished. gives me something to do as well and it does make u feel better. i go for the paint option as dd2 rips paper off, and a nice fresh coat of paint in a room makes me feel better. actually best go and sort out the entrance hall, that looks awful but cant finsih it for at least 6 weeks as it needs replastering.

katierocket · 05/04/2004 09:19

yep, I agree too.

Don't spend loads but new coat of paint and a few cheap but nice things can make you feel better about your surroundings, if only temporarily.

Sonnet · 06/04/2004 11:23

Fantastic idea Nutty...I'm getting all excited for you..

Painting a room will give it a whole new feel.

My top tips ( FWIW!)

  1. Use neutral but warmish colours to make the rooms look larger.
  2. Use stamps as someone else said - great effect although they can be expensive to buy. I have a large star shape one that you are very welcome to borrow. Email me if you want it and I will happily put it in the post for you.
  3. Thought it a great idea to "borrow" some storage.
  4. Only spend money on things you can take with oyu - throw for sofa, rug for floor etc
  5. What are your sewing skills like?. A friend of mine made fantastic curtins for her bedrooms, nathrooms and kitchen out of dress making gingham at 1.99 per metre!!. Dead easy to join widths. She even died the yellow gingham with a peach dye and got the most fabulouse effect. Similarly pink with the navey gingham was great too...

ooh the ideas are flowing.......

Janh · 06/04/2004 11:31

nutty, I just read what you wrote in meagain's thread, don't think you've put any of that on here before? (I haven't seen it if you have.) Anyway I wanted to say how much I admire you for sticking with the situation you have ended up in and being (mostly!) so cheerful and brave about it, you are a real hero and you so deserve something better. (Not sure he does but you really do.)

Have you made any decorating decisions yet? Do your local charity shops have curtains? And any news on the flat above the shop?

Kayleigh · 06/04/2004 11:36

Nutty, we have just turned the old nursery into an office and this weekend dh took up the really yuckky dark carpet and put down some wooden flooring from B&Q. It was their cheapest range and the whole room (230cmx230cm)cost around £40 with the underlay stuff. The room looks so much bigger, and so much lighter & airier. Can't believe it's the same room.

I think your friend has hit the nail on the head and you will feel so much happier living somewhere that feels like home. No-one is asking you to give up your moving plan, and you don't have to spend a fortune. But you deserve to live somewhere nice, even if it is ownly temporary.

Jaybee · 06/04/2004 12:28

Just make sure that any drilling is done on the wall between you and your neighbour - that'll make you feel good

Original poster
Nutcracker · 06/04/2004 14:06

Arh, thanks Jan ,thats a really nice thing to say. Can't remember if i've put it on here before, i try not to think about it as much as poss, but we have piccies of dd1 in our lovely big garden and her nice big bedroom so it's hard to forget sometimes. My dp knows too that as far as i'm concerned the kids come first and that i will never give him enough control to put us in that position again, which is why absolutly everything is in my name, and all the money goes in to my account.

Sonnet - Thanks for the tips, am definatly going for a light colour in the living room as i want it to look as big as poss.

Kayleigh - Your new ofice sounds lovely, and that was a bargain too.

Oh and the flat above the shop is a no go because they said they would credit check us and even if we had a garuntor, they wouldn't accept us if we failed the check (which we would).

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 06/04/2004 14:07

Sounds like a wonderful idea. If you have to be in the flat for now then you may as well at least have it looking nice.

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