What Ana Does

Long title, but now that we've gotten through a bunch of professionally-supported renovation projects, I've learned a thing or two about how to keep projects moving.  Always be there on Day 1 morning. Work from home. Take the day off. You'll need to be there to talk through the final plans, and figure out if you have all the supplies you agreed you'd gather.  Before anyone arrives, I clear out the space (that's obvious, but a big courtesy). And clear out the path to the door. And close all the doors. There will be dust. It will settle on every surface of the house. But keeping doors closed does help. I'll also write on the walls with pencil. "Tile here" "Demo out" "Outlet Here" "Keep this" -- communication is key.  Display all the plans or drawings . Some construction guys come in from other jobs and I'm sure they all get mushed together eventually. I also tape up to an adjoining wall the plan so I can point to thing...

When we last saw the back hallway (AKA boot room) it looked pretty good. Lots of hooks, new floor, fun gallery art. But the issues were many: I wanted a wood element to warm up the space. The new shelf was the wrong color ... but really it was the walls that were the wrong. They were just "off" the blue cabinet color.  So, obviously something had to be done. And with Leah off to college, I needed a 1-weekend doable DIY project that I could focus on.  Off to Lowes for $200 worth of shiplap and new pine boards for the hook rails.  Demo started! All the rails came down easily. The wall to the right of the garage door (on the left side of this photo) needed to go white, so I primed that a few times to cover over the erroneous blue.  Shiplap install time! Went up pretty quickly once I started chopping. I wish those half pieces/cuts were on the bottom of the wall, instead of the top, but I'll know better for next time!  I put three coats of the ("SW: Denim") blue pain...

When we returned from our RV trip we found a citation for an "unkempt" yard from our town hall. No fine but it was still very annoying. YES, we were aware of the state of our yard but we went on vacation. We also got one from our neighborhood association, thanks to a nosy neighbor who took a picture of our yard (with the RV in the driveway) to report us. Really cool.  The truth was, we had already called a landscaping service to pull it all out, and, in fact, had been waiting for their estimate when we got the city's notice. We quickly learned landscapers have been abnormally busy this year, so it took a few weeks to get the estimate and on the schedule.  Finally, I have some before and after photos for you ...  We also did the other side of the house, but I don't have photos of that side. It's much the same: weeds to grass seed.  The plan is to sod and get grass growing in all the cleared out areas. And, eventually, add something like hydrangea along the front po...

The largest task in my home office redesign is removing this expensive, custom bookcase that the previous owners had built-in. I know it was expensive because I have the receipt! And because it cost them a lot, it's controversial for me to trash it. I mean, it's custom work! Why? Because... 1 - YES, it was a selling feature in this house. It's "pretty" and "stately" but it's SO NOT my style. This swings really "traditional" (layers of classic molding) and that's a contradiction to my minimal, modern style. 2- And YES, if we were selling the house tomorrow, I wouldn't touch it. But this is our house and it should be a reflection of us, and this bookcase isn't it. It just isn't. 3 - PLUS, look at all the room it takes up on that desk counter. It's crazy. The middle 1/3 is really all the work space you have. The other sides are walled off. And while I'm at it ... If I had my dream setup in this office, I woul...

I'm looking for some luck. After job hunting for weeks, I've been finding really interesting opportunities, but not getting a lot of responses to my inquiries. And I shouldn't take this as rejection. But I do. Not hearing back on things feels like rejections. And it's tough. I recently discovered this Feng Shui book I've had for many years, and I remembered how well it actually worked. It's really all about moving your stuff around your house, to unstick your chi and allow new opportunities and fortune to enter in. And I'm all about that. So I've identified that my "career" gua is our entryway and maybe a little of the garage. Both areas have been a disaster since we moved back in, so maybe it makes sense that my job hunt hasn't been so smooth. Little by little, I've been moving stuff in and out. And using tips, such as writing down the job I'm looking for ... so the universe knows what to bring me. (Isn't that calle...

I think we'd all love to renovate our kitchens. It's a universal ambition. And I have huge plans for our kitchen, but it's not currently a high priority or in the budget, so I'm just making a few improvements post Paris.  One, I am removing the light fixtures. It comes down to this: I didn't pick them out, and they're not pretty. And life is too short for ugly kitchen fixtures. So I found these matte black fixtures on Wayfair and got them both for under $175. Dave installed them and BAM and instantly more in love with my kitchen.  New Light in Front, Old Light Behind Then there's our pantry, which is kind of a hot mess. First, it's got wire shelves and bagged items get caught between the wires. The cans section is dropping, glass jars get knocked over and it's got this bifold door that should be used for closets, not kitchen pantries (in my opinion).  Our Pantry: The Current Situation I've made attempts to organize and sort, bu...

Here's a few things I'm rather excited about on this chilly January day. It seems everyone has found decluttering guru  Marie Kondo's Tidying Up show on Netflix and freaking out. I binged the season in just a few short days and loved her method of sorting through house junk -- something I've been working on for years. As much as I love the show and her tips, I do wish she'd take it one step farther by helping her clients redecorate their cleared-out spaces, maybe buy a new quilt, a few throw pillows or update the wall paint -- something! It's great to see the organized drawers, but that grey wall color is hideous. Maybe it's just what I'm used to seeing on TV. Anyway, I was so inspired by the folding technique I tried it in my drawers -- and I really like how I can see all my t-shirts and pjs, etc, at once. No more digging through piles and the stress of not finding what I'm looking for. And there was even some empty space. Hooray! T-Shi...

We're coming up on my One Year Quit-viersary , the day I stopped working full-time. Yup, it's almost been a full year since I hit the bricks and did something completely ill-advised. September 23 was my last day at work. The reasons I left were serious: I was tired of the type of work, after 15 years I was not challenged and there was no foreseeable career path or advancement. Most importantly, I decided to commit myself to "righting the ship" -- to point my career back towards what I'm passionate about. Ultimately, the experiment was a success. Last month I got a full-time job offer in my ideal field. Huzzah! Just, unfortunately, I had to turn it down because ... I'm moving to Paris. So, yeah .... Financially, this has been a good wake-up call. I was definitely buying way too much, and not watching my spending. But on the upside, I was contributing to my family's monthly budget. And once that stopped, well, it's taking me some time to get used t...

After an attempt to pull up the tile in front of the fireplace with just the tools I had around the house, I knew I had to bring in the big guns. So on Tuesday I rented an 11 lbs hammer drill from Home Depot and within two hours that tile was UP. Before Photo: That One Tile Took Me An Hour To Get Up That's the Drill I Was Working With! Woowza!   I quickly learned it was all about finding the right angle of the chisel. I also learned that I had to stop after each row to sweep up the broken tile and dust. That was by far the worst part of the whole project. The house is now covered in tile dust. Me With All The Protection! The Finished Area! For the four-hour rental, I spent about $46. But I got that tile up and that space cleared for something new. Now the question is WHAT to put down there?? And how?? Related Posts: Fireplace before photos All the Fireplace Project posts

The other big project I'm tackling this Spring (can it be even called Spring if it's in the 40s?!?) is the front porch. It's forgotten because it's not used. But it's seen by anyone who comes over. So I want it to look clean and welcoming. Here's the Front Porch To Do List: Power wash the whole thing until it shines like the top of the Chrysler Building! Ok, but maybe  just looks clean.  Recover the cushions on the sofa that we've had for almost ten years. The orangey-red is dirty and washed out.  Paint shutters and front door a gorgeous navy blue. I've started looking at products because those shutters are aluminum. And there's four more shutters on the second four windows, so someone will be dangling out the windows sometime this summer to paint those. (Not it!)  Come up with something creative for the floor in the "living" area.  Hang plants, maybe ferns, from the ceiling to give it a Southern hospitality vibe and block the view ...

Ever since quitting my job, I've been restructuring my life. It's taken time (a lot of time) to figure out how a day without going into an office works. How to focus on what exactly I need to do on my computer (ie. job hunting and writing) instead of going down a twitter or blog wormhole and getting nothing done. And balancing that time with the small everyday household tasks (laundry, dishes, dishes and dishes) with the larger stuff I want to accomplish. My To-Do lists (minor and major) are miles long. It's all so overwhelming and I find myself at a standstill; where do I even begin? I've tried some strategies to get myself on a daily schedule or even a weekly one but they don't last more than a few days. My weeks differ so much. We travel, Dave travels, I was sick, the girls are home from school, the weather isn't cooperating, etc. I'm finding that each week is so much different than the last, and that's really unexpected. I figured a schedul...

This weekend, Dave and I spent Sunday morning trimming everything that was out of control in the backyard. Even after three hours, we only just made a dent in the madness -- but we created a HUGE pile of twigs and roots. Accomplished!  Despite a bruised knuckle, it was well worth it to see this back landscaped area cleaned up. Related posts: More "backyard" news

As you stare at this BEFORE picture, let's remember it's early spring and it's been raining for the last six days. Also, please notice the crumbling brick stairs and sinking pavers.

Gathering contractors and quotes for the deck -- which we decided was the next BIG project we absolutely needed to tackle in this house. The crumbling back staircase is now officially a health hazard -- I've seen two guests nearly bite it trying to access our backyard. Not to mention our paver patio is likely a decade or more old. I've made attempts at repair and maintenance, but it's too far gone. More to come on this ...

How Do You Take a Picture of a Window?! What a difference a new window can make!! I'm used to walking into Alice's room and feel a temperature drop, but no more! And it's glorious. The glass, in particular, doesn't get ice cold to the touch. And they open/close like a dream. Like butter! The guys who installed the windows were super nice and friendly -- it took them just about the whole day to get through the eight new windows and patio door. They explained the original builder didn't put flashing above the windows, so water had been easily dripping into the space between the window and house since the beginning -- causing the cracks and failure in insulation. The house settled, as they all do, causing the window casing to warp and not allow the windows to close all the way. And the calking around the windows wasn't done properly -- if at all. All these little problems were addressed and improved -- making the house feel just a little more secure...

The workers are here installing the new windows. It's cold but sunny this morning. I've offered coffee but they're down to work. They're speedy. While we watch and watch for new efficient windows, here are a few BEFORE pictures. Note the girls have been using dry-erase markers to decorate their windows. Alice's Naked Windows Just In Case You Thought I Was Exaggerating, Here's the Crack Around Alice's Window The Patio Doors - The Wood Trim Never Matched Anything Else in the House Leah's Window. Many of The Windows Closed with This Efficiency, Which Is to Say, Open a Crack Leah's Corner Windows Also of note, poor Benny is beside himself with anxiety. The noise of the saw and the men walking around is giving him frequent heart attacks. Related posts: Here's all the New Window posts Other home improvement projects

It's been Alice's luck to always get the cold room. In New Jersey, her room was an addition over the garage that didn't get insulated very well by the pervious owners. It got so cold that I'd set up a space heater on freezing nights. When we moved to our newer house, I didn't think there would be a "cold room." But, I was wrong. The windows in our house are crappy and some don't actually close all the way -- letting in gusts of freezing air in the winter and warm air all summer. I spend some time each year adding weather stripping and calking around the edges, but it's a losing game. However, in Alice's room, the window is actually separating from the house. Cracks are visible around the perimeter of the window and opening/closing the windows makes the whole thing wobble in its place. Not so good. And obviously, this just allows outside air to pour into the room. Alice's room is routinely 10 degrees colder than the rest of the house. Es...

I was a busy bee on Sunday! I rolled out of bed and hit the front annual bed before it got too hot to be in the sun. While the girls rode bikes and chalked up the driveway, I dug and planted like a madwoman. I tried some new things this year, purple and red verbena and some taller white geraniums in the back. A few zinnias, too. Can't wait to see it all fill in. BEFORE: Front Garden is Plotted Out with Three Flats of Flowers AFTER: Front Garden Watered and Ready to Grow Then, I headed back to the veg and herb gardens. I tried to wait until dinnertime but by 2pm the girls begged for the slip n' slide. So while they played water games to keep cool, I planted everything we got at the garden center on Saturday morning.  And sweated. It was nearly 90 degrees! The dog even gave up on being outside, and found a cool place to sleep. Not only did the veg get planted and a few seeds (not all yet) sown, I also hit the sunflower bed I plotted out back by the pine trees....