I know I have mentioned our home renovation before but not in too much detail. Mostly because I knew that not only would it take over my life for the next 4 or 5 months but it would also likely take over this blog. I am pretty sure that everything I do or think about for the next half-year will be related to this project so get ready.
When we moved into this house 13 years ago we knew it needed work. 9 years ago we began planning and now 4 years later we are finally ready to break ground. A process indeed!
Our last few weeks have been consumed with purging and organizing. We are moving out for 4 months minimum and moving back in to a whole new space. After advice from friends both on and offline we were told to be “ruthless” when purging…and so we were.
We have taken load after load to the dump, sold items and given some away. Bags and bags of clothes, boxes of books and toys, and furniture from nearly every room has been donated to charity. Whatever is left has to fit in 2 small rooms in the basement because the rest of the place needs to be empty.
This is how it went:
We started in the basement. Here is our basement storage room before…
And here it is almost completely empty…
I have to admit it feels good to have it cleared. Much of that “stuff” was here when we moved in and we just never bothered to get rid of it.
Then we moved upstairs. Over the course of the organizing our house started to look more and more like this…
And it got worse. Much, much worse…
Before it got better…
This reno is no small job. We are building a 2 story addition on the back of the house with a family room and powder room on the main floor and master bedroom and bathroom on the second floor as well as digging down the basement. We will have a brand new open concept kitchen/dining/family room, a new front of the house with more curb appeal, new electrical, floors, closets, family bathroom and loads of bright windows.
I know in the end it will be more than worth it. I also know that the next 4 months are going to be a challenge. We are living in the basement of my sister’s house for the majority of it, the kids will be out of their routine (ours and theirs) and there is bound to be something that goes sideways but I am still so excited!
And I am looking forward to sharing it all with you here on my blog. Plus, I am no designer. In fact, I had never bought a design mag or looked at a design website before the last few months! So, I am going to need your help. Get ready to give your input on colours and accessories, your opinion on floors and back-splashes and share in the trials and tribulations as I navigate life during a home renovation.
Next week: D(emolition) Day!
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