17 By 2017 – Update

It’s been about 5 weeks since I made my optimistic list of 17 things that I’d like to get done around the house before 2017 arrives. I’m definitely nowhere near halfway done, but I’ve made progress:

1. Unpack remaining boxes in the guest room closet
2. Choose, order and install permanent shades on the breakfast room windows
3. Clear off the counter area of the built-ins in the living room, and improve the storage in the cabinets
4. Paint Emma’s room
5. Paint Charlotte’s room
6. Hang art in:
   • Emma’s room
   • Charlotte’s room
   • Master bedroom
   • Guest room
   • Sewing room
7. Apply window frosting film to:
   • Master bathroom
   • Girls’ bathroom
   • Guest bathroom
   • Second (unused) back door
8. Power wash the back patio
9. Remove the fence — or at minimum, the gate — that runs the ~10 feet between the corner of the house and the garage
10. Clear out the flower bed along the driveway (in preparation for planting something new in the spring)
11. Do some bushwhacking in the yard to make things look more manageable and less overgrown
12. List the extra furniture currently stored in the garage for sale online (and donate whatever doesn’t sell)
13. Recover the cushion on the stool in the master bathroom
14. Finish organizing my sewing room
15. Install a wall-mounted drying rack in the laundry room
16. Take a load of items to e-recycling and shredding day at the local credit union
17. Install a new light fixture in the breakfast room

I’ve been able to cross off #11, #15 and #16 and made progress on #6 and #7. I was nearly done with #14 before my recent spate of sewing caused a backslide, but I’ll wrap that up on Friday. I’m half done with #1, and also with #12, since I successfully sold a coffee table, end table, and two bookshelves last weekend. There are still a couple console tables and some dining room chairs that I need to list as well.

Of the remaining items on the list, my highest priorities are #2 and #17. We made a choice for breakfast room shades over a month ago, and I’ve been avoiding ordering them because they’re expensive and because I just don’t want to deal with the phone calls — which, yes, is quite possibly the dumbest reason ever for my procrastination, but it’s the truth. As for the light fixture, I’m confident I can change it out myself so I just need to pick something.

I’d also really like to do #4 and #5 — painting the girls’ rooms — before the year is out. Jose and I will both have some time off work over the holidays and could still send the girls to daycare while we have a little painting party at home…or we could pay someone else to take care of it for us. We’ll see.

But: progress! Yay!