Winter To Do List 2019-2020 : Let’s try this again!

Dec 22 2019
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I didn’t “quite” complete everything on last years winter to do list but, to be fair, I didn’t really think I was going to LOL – it was A LOT. I did get ALL but one thing done on that list though! I completed My Workshop, My Laundry Room, My Entryway/Dining Room AND My Kitchen! Moving on now to the rest of my home this winter!

As I’m typing this I’m currently attacking my living room. It needed a makeover SO BADLY. Just like the rest of my house it got just hammered by that horrible wood stove. The trim had popped and warped, everything needed to be repainted and the floors needed some TLC badly too. (It was the last of the worst of the smoke damaged rooms so it was first on my list!)

New sofa for my living room off of AmazonA snowy and cold November starting out winter off in the expected way in northern Minnesota. Getting to know my house again and getting cozy.

Pretty much the routine I did to the rooms I finished and the routine I still need to do to the rest of the house.

(To be fair though, the rest of the house just needs to be repainted because I insisted on using satin paint and its been a few years and none of it got enough coats initially either so the whole place just looks dingy. Winter means indoor work which means lots more paint in my future…)

I’m SO EXCITED to get the living room done! I sent my old couch to the garage and bought myself a new sofa just for me! Can’t wait to show you guys!

From there I have some more ideas for my master bedroom which is next on the list.

Its funny how everything is so clearly a process with home design. I thought my master was “done” but clearly that’s no longer the case! Its a touch too “fancy” for my taste now, I want to give it a little more of a boho vibe and more of my personality.

2019-2020 Winter to do list at grandma's house diy, house projects, living room renovation, adding a book shelf above my master bedroom headboard, love book

Currently my basically unused guest bedroom and library is housing all of my books but I really don’t like that idea anymore. I plan on adding a wall to wall book shelf above my master headboard so I can have all my favorite books where they belong and, also, where I do most of my reading.

I also plan on building custom storage in the smaller of the closets up there to utilize it a lot better for clothes and shoe storage as well.

(And, of course, my entire master floor, the bedroom/closets/bathroom all really needs to be repainted too UGH.)

This means my plan for my guest bedroom/library is changing. I’ll be taking down all the shelves and rethinking/rearranging the whole space. Any books that I don’t have room for upstairs won’t be staying here so it will become a full on bedroom.

I kinda like the idea of bunk beds or a bed and a hammock… I really would love to be able to utilize the soaring ceilings in the space and when I was a kid I ALWAYS wanted bunk beds so… yeah that might be on the list for my guest bedroom. And extra beds is always nice to have!

When I redid my guest bedroom a couple years ago I didn’t repaint it so I’m going to do that now. Over the years the floor now needs to be repainted too.

Introducing my brand new guest bedroom and library reveal! Country girl, country chic, country style, farmhouse style, farmhouse girl, farmgirl charm with sweet and easy design, grandma's quilt in a 100 year old home, floating barnwood book shelves and a beautiful stained glass window. Home Tour

The room needs to be cozied up, I loved it when I gave it a face lift and put it together in 2018 but it really needs more softness for a guest bedroom. I’m thinking a big rag rug, a different color on the walls etc.

What I did not complete on my to-do list last winter was creating a book nook/day bed area in my big hall closet. Well, circumstances this summer/fall changed my thinking there a little bit.

I created a “dog spot” out here by adding a gate as this hall also includes my backdoor/doggie door which goes out to my big privacy fenced dog run.

I added the gate simply for parties this last summer so I had a safe place to tuck my friends’ doggos. Well now that I have Lodi in my life with doggo Annie I’ve been using it all the time!

So YES I do plan on still creating a happy little book nook day bed area out here but now, more than ever, it will need to be seriously dog friendly. I’m going to be keeping the gate but its going to require some modifying to get it looking how I want it.

Creating a safe and cool dog space inside my home with a doggie door where the dogs can be out of the way but still warm with food and saddle blankets

Creating a safe and cool dog space inside my home with a doggie door where the dogs can be out of the way but still warm with food and saddle blankets

What’s kinda cool is with some tweaking the gate will open to cover the majority of the closet like a dual purpose closet door. Above the day/dog bed in the closet I’ll be adding a bunch of storage shelves as well as book shelves to accommodate the extra books I won’t be keeping in my master bedroom.

Idea I’m throwing around: I’m thinking of building a platform a couple of feet off the floor for the bed to sit on top of. Then any dogs I have here can go into it like a happy little dog cave to feel secure and safe in. They can also use the bed too of course if they would prefer.

There’s also a wall heater out here I need to uninstall, throw out and eventually replace.

And, of course, this whole area also needs to be totally repainted etc. The exterior door even needs to be replaced (which is why I never bothered painting it) so I’ve got a lot to do out here!

I doubt with those four rooms and so much painting and floor refinishing to do that I’ll get much beyond that list this winter but I’ve needed to finish my main floor bathroom since I moved in in 2015. This is what it looks like so its not exactly “unfinished” but beyond paint and the basics I’ve literally done NOTHING in there.

Before and After gallery of our 100 year old farm house

It is TINY.

I want to add storage in the wall behind the door between the studs, do something ridiculous and dramatic on the walls and really run with the little room.

But, like I mentioned, I doubt I’ll have time to tackle it so that might just be a next winter project!

I used to grumble at the idea that a house is “never done” but now I find this strange comfort in it. Knowing I always have this place to work on, to dream about, to look forward to. This home to take care of and to always make better as I go here.

I absolutely love it!

2019-2020 Winter to do list at grandma's house diy, house projects, living room renovation, adding a book shelf above my master bedroom headboard, love book

Comments

  1. December 22, 2019 at 6:42 am

    Off that couch with your shoes on, young lady!!! :o)

    Glad to see you happy and planning the next job or three. I wish you, and the man with the dog, a peaceful and enjoyable time over Christmas and New Year, and also hope you get the little “warm weather” vacation which would be fab!! Merry Christmas! xx

    • December 24, 2019 at 11:29 am

      Thank you so much Susan! Yeah Lodi stood there in shock when I jumped up on the new couch and then had the dog get up there with me lol he said, “Nope, you’re not like any girl I’ve ever met!”

  2. December 22, 2019 at 7:59 am

    You are always so busy and yet, I can’t seem to motivate myself to paint my hallway. UGH! I had so many plans this summer, but life got in the way. I will get them done. I love the rock on that column in that room. How beautiful! If I was able to do all of the work myself, I would probably be in constant state of reconstruction. LOL!

    • December 24, 2019 at 11:30 am

      Carol, for real there are times I just have to close my eyes and do it or I’ll never start in on a project lol! Happy holidays, hope you have a wonderful time!

  3. Emie
    December 23, 2019 at 3:55 am

    I just recently found your blog and I’ve been reading a lot of your older post. This post really got me thinking. In your post you talk about changing your mind on things you’ve done in the past. I find it paralyzing to make decisions especially on the big items… sofas, vanity, tiles anything in the kitchen etc. I did make a decision about flooring and I’m happy with it but going forward???? Do you have any tips on how you make decisions especially with the big ticket items? (I’m in FL and in my 60’s so I really want to make timeless choices so I don’t have to redo anything.) Thanks and Happy Holidays to you and your family. Emie BTW, did you ever come up with a nickname for your BF? How about McHottie?

    • December 26, 2019 at 10:00 am

      Hi Emie, making the big choices is definitely HARD. When I find myself paralyzed by indecision on those purchases and choices that are very hard to change once the purchase has been made I focus on three things. FIRST I have a 100 year old farmhouse so to really respect this old girl that limits my choices considerably and respecting her is very important to me. (For example I was encouraged to consider granite counter tops in my kitchen and I literally laughed out loud, there was NO WAY that was going to happen.) SECOND there is also my own taste and what I’m willing to live with!And THIRD there is always budget in mind to, so narrowing down everything on those three points has always helped a lot and limited my options tremendously. Thanks so much for coming by hope you had a lovely holiday!

  4. Janice
    December 26, 2019 at 1:26 pm

    Hi, I just found you blog today and it looks so interesting. When I find a blog I like I like to read it from the beginning. I’m having a hard time finding your archive list. I have found my way back to Feb.2017 but I would like to find the beginning and then how to navigate forward. I hope you can help me with this

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