The Heavy

Remember that weight that was lifted when we decided not to move? It was a good decision. I'm still glad we made it, although I miss my family in New England terribly these days.

All that anxiety about packing and getting the house ready to show and finding jobs and renting etc, etc, etc?

It has been replaced by the need to decorate my house to its eye teeth.

When we bought this place my dad told me "Never remodel or do anything to a house until you've lived in it for a year so you know what needs done and what you really can't live without." Sage advice, I'm sure. And, with the exception of repainting our bedroom, we followed it (however unintentionally).

Then Rory's nursery came up, and the deck needed finished, and the basement carpet replaced. And then we were moving anyway.

But, NOW. Now we are staying, most likely till Rory starts school. And now I want to reclaim my house from boxes and packing. Here is my list, by room:

Kitchen:  Get rid of butcher block table (even though it's been around for 20 years. Was one of the first new pieces of furniture my mom ever bought). I'm happy to repaint and add new screws to make it less rickety and put it elsewhere. I have no elsewhere to put it though. I'd like to put a rolling island into the kitchen instead. Or a small round breakfast table--Rory should eat with us at  her high chair, and I don't want her in the dining room over the carpet. Or both.

Living Room:  Remove carpet post haste, replace with hardwood. Buy end tables and lamps. Hang things on wall.

Dining Room: Remove carpet, less of a rush, replace with hardwood. Buy side/buffet table. Create small seating area in front of bay windows (move chase lounge upstairs---only holds board games these days, anyway). Refinish table, chairs, and china cabinet in dark wood stain, reupholster chairs with white cloth. Remove tacky-ass blue cement looking wall paper and paint instead. Remove gold and glass light fixtures of hideousness, replace with awesome ones.

Basement:  Carpet replacement NEXT WEEK! Want to buy small bar and stools to go with friend's pool table that has taken up residence. Get rid of cable, we don't watch it. Find new couch (again, Mom's old one, got much use out of it in our first house. Time to bid it adieu).

Rory's Room: Will need bed instead of crib at some point. And a rug.

Office:  Clean it out--get rid of my desk, replace with smaller one. Donate a lot of the books. Get better filing system set up. Has become Ryan's cave. Replace PINK carpet (WTF!) with carpet from another room or hardwood. I kind of dig the nautical wallpaper. Would like to get a chair or love seat in there that can be used for overnight guests.

Guest Room:  Not much interest in this room. Maybe put a chair in. Another end table. Change the curtains.

Bathrooms:  are all good.

Our room:   Get new bedroom furniture. ASAP. Bed, nightstands, and would love a bench for the end of the bed. Build nice closet system in my walk in, get rid of dresser. Carpet okay up there, hardwood and rugs preferred. Find curtains. Move chaise lounge in.

That's not bad, right?  If I could just figure out where to begin!