Home Goals 2012

I love a good to-do list.  My favorite kind of to-do list is one where I actually mark things as finished. This is a comprehensive full house list and I plan to work each space as 2012 goes on. If we owned this house, this list would be even bigger. Instead, the changes are ones that can go with us when we do buy our own house (in approx 18 months) or are cheap fixes, like painting.

I like knowing that we will be in this house for another 18 months at least. In rentals we've lived in before, I was afraid to make a big list of things is like to do because I never knew when we'd find another place that suited us better. It seemed silly to put time into a place that we weren't going to stay in for more than a year. Knowing that our next move is a home purchase, we won't be going anywhere until that happens.

I'm also using 2012 as a way to grow my design skills, whether that be through school or just learning by trial and error independently. What greater place to test your ideas than in your own home? At least this way, if the client is unhappy you don't have to worry about it affecting a paycheck!

I shared the house tour a few weeks ago, showing each room as it is empty. I had every intention of showing the rooms as they look now but A) all my photos didn't transfer from a memory card I already deleted and B) Blogger won't let me upload pictures from my pc right now so I'm being forced to use pictures already on the blog and C) It's 2:33 am and I can't think of any other solution. However, I haven't made any real changes to any room other than Renner's.  (Yay!  I was able to get a preview pic of Renner's room uploaded!)

On to the list!!

Living Room

New back door with dog door
Paint (walls, fireplace, trim)
Curtains
Furniture placement
     New couch
     New tv and console
     Thrift or Craigslist side tables
Furniture updates
     Modernize china cabinet
     Bookcase update
Art, including picture gallery wall

Kitchen & Dining Room

Paint (walls and trim)
Remove weird chair rail
Curtains
Light fixtures
Update chandelier with drum shade
Pendant light conversion for above sink
Pantry organization
Furniture updates
     Thrift or Craigslist dining table
     Thrift or Craigslist chairs or update current chairs
Art, including decor on countertops

Hall Bathroom

I don't have a single decent picture of this room.  It could be finished, except needing another piece of art and a rug. I could paint, but considering all the other things to-do...  I will get a few good shots of the room and share it later.

Master Bedroom

Paint (walls, trim and doors)

Curtains
Bedding
Furniture placement
Furniture
     Thrift, Craigslist or repair current dressers
     Thrift, Craigslist or update night stands
     Update bookcase (IF it stays)
Art, including jewelry display

Master Bathroom

Paint (walls and trim)
Rugs
Art
New shower curtain?
Organize linen closet (in hall)

My Workroom

Paint (walls and trim)
Furniture placement
Organize, organize, organize!
     New storage
     Peg boards
Art

Renner's Room

Wall treatment (stars or stripes?)
Add to frame gallery
DIY longer crib skirt
Update curtains
Rug

Outdoor Spaces

Front
Spring plantings
Front door & porch decor

Back
Spring plantings (maybe a garden?)
Furniture on deck
Stepping stones to storage shed
Clean up around storage shed
Add lighting

Laundry Room

Paint - only if bored. This space is in the garage.
Storage and organization

Whew! That is a doozy of a to-do list if I might say so. But it's so exciting! Soon, I'll share my inspiration room-by-room. I'm doing all of this on a budget of very little, so rooms won't come together all at once. And really, jumping room to room suits my design ADD personality. 

What do you think?  Is this list too much?  Or are the paint colors alone making you as sick as they make me?  I can't wait to share my inspo photos and preliminary plans for each room.  Also be on the watch for a full post (or two) on Renner's room next week!