101 in 1001 – More Updates

Number 20 is done!  Who would have imagined.

Family Room
1. New Couch April 2013
2. Sew 2 couch pillows
3. 2 new side tables
4. Install barn door December 1, 2012
5. Buy and install casters for Eames fake
6. Add a floor lamp
7. Install shelving system (replacement) Spring 2013

Entries
8. Buy and install flooring transition strip for entry October 28, 2012
9. Paint front and backdoor
10. Frost window on front door
11. Finish entry closet
12. Replace entry light fixture
13. Install peep hole for backdoor March 2013
14. Fix doorbell
15. Create a backdoor entry area
16. Design and finish entry area (post barn door)

Band Room
17. Nail molding in the band room
18. Install heating register in the band room
19. Organize under the stairs closet

Outdoors
20. Plant something on the slope that will actually survive a season (!!) Professionally landscape slope. November 14, 2013
21. Build a greenhouse
22. Plant a fruit tree replaced with Plant perennial fruit tree/bush/shrub April 9, 2012 Strawberries
23. Install a privacy area around the alley entrance
24. Establish a permanent vegetable herb garden
25. Make cement planters see “New” bottom
26. Buy and install another rain barrel July 2013
27. Fix exterior entry light
28. Walkway through front yard see “New” below
29. Trim tree on slope (November 6, 2013)
30. Install a new (non-wooden) mailbox post
31. Style under the deck area
32. Finish painting house trim
33. Hire gardener for “neighbors” yard May 2013
34. Add soil to front wall area April 4, 2012
35. Plant perennials in front wall area April 4, 2012
36. Replace pillar at the top of the exterior stairs
37. Create garbage/recycling fence

Main Floor
38. Replace Grill
39. Make main deck a real living area
40. Install built-in bookshelves in study See “New” below
41. Refinish table lamp for living room
42. Create salad box planter for deck (Moved to Alley Door), May 2013
43. Buy or make a plant stand for the living room See “New” below
44. Complete the modern travel collage display for dining room
45. Create a real bar area
46. Make a new fireplace centerpiece November 2, 2013

Kitchen
47. Organize spice drawer July 2013
48. Organize pantry, February 2013
49. Purchase replacement parts for the hood, stove and dishwasher June 24, 2012
50. Install 4th breakfast counter light
51. Install cabinet handles above fridge
52. Grow herbs in the kitchen April 1, 2012
53. Install finishes around the dishwasher September 2013

Master Suite
54. Find and fix leak in master bath shower April 1, 2012
55. Finish toilet area in master bath
56. Replace Yucca plant April 12, 2012
57. Create living area on master bedroom deck
58. Frame Lima Poster November 7, 2013 
59. Fix and paint bathroom walls
60. Replace window/blinds insert on deck doors August 2013
61. Fix or replace nightstands
62. Install bedside reading lights April 12, 2012
63. Buy new mattresses April 4, 2012
64. Print and frame pictures for bathroom

Top Floor
65. Create nice laundry area
66. Hang curtains in laundry area See “new” below
67. Clean upstairs windows
68. Create organizations system for all upstairs closets
69. Replace plants in Wally planter

Guest Rooms and Bath
70. Hang art in blue room
71. Iron and Hem curtains in blue room October 21, 2012
72. Make 2 throw pillows for blue room
73. Fix exterior of deck on the blue room
74. Make 2 throw pillows for orange room
75. Re-pot money tree in orange room (now in office) November 2, 2013
76. Buy a rug for the orange room
77. Replace mattresses in orange room April 12, 2012
78. Replace nightstands in the orange room
79. Hang art in the corner of orange room
80. Fix/install towel rack
81. Install new shower curtain and rug
82. Fix vanity See “New” below
83. Redo shower caulking

Rest of the house
84. Have windows professionally cleaned (x3) (April 11, 2012)
85. Have vents professionally cleaned (x3) (July 2012)
86. Fix and paint all banisters
87. Paint interior doors (x8)
88. Shampoo area rugs annually (x3)
89. Fix scuffs on wood floors
90. Install solar panels
91. Create a wedding quilt
92. Make a photo book about the house
93. Make a photo book about the wedding
94. Hold a big garage sale (or craigslist sale) annually (x3) (October 28, 2012)
95. Create Christmas decorations/gifts storage area (October 28,2012)
96. Finish Earthquake kit, February 2013

Garage
97. Reshuffle layout (March 10, 2013)
98. Service Heat Pump (November 6, 2013)
99. Fix light on garage door opener
100. Install Utility Sink (new)
101. Create an inventory of paint, tools and other home improvement supplies

New
25. Repurpose craft room
28. Talk to neighbors about cats and chickens 
40. New home filing system
43. Install gas stove access/register
66. Add plants to TV room (November 2, 2013)
82. Restyle Master Bedroom

The Slope – After…

Sort of.  They weren’t done and it was getting late but Micah want to send me pictures.

The plants on the lower slope are supposed to grow in to be full and colorful.  I can’t wait to see the slope on Tuesday and eventually see the colors in Spring and Summer.

Slope – Before and During

The Before

And this on the strip next to the street

The during…

Tomorrow = the after.  I am really excited and sad that I won’t be home to see it myself!

101 in 1001 Days–4024 Edition

This is an update of our list.  We have 13 months left and a lot of tasks to complete. 

This is a long list of things we plan (need) to get done in the next 1001 days.  Some of the items are definitely going depend on money (#90) others just require us to get off our butts (#19 or #48 or #86 or #97).  The date is set for December 4, 2014.  Good luck to us?

Family Room 
1.    New Couch April 2013
2.    Sew 2 couch pillows
3.    2 new side tables
4.    Install barn door December 1, 2012
5.    Buy and install casters for Eames fake
6.    Add a floor lamp
7.    Install shelving system (replacement) Spring 2013 

Entries
8.    Buy and install flooring transition strip for entry October 28, 2012
9.    Paint front and backdoor
10.    Frost window on front door
11.    Finish entry closet
12.    Replace entry light fixture
13.    Install peep hole for backdoor March 2013 
14.    Fix doorbell
15.    Create a backdoor entry area
16.    Design and finish entry area (post barn door)

Band Room
17.    Nail molding in the band room
18.    Install heating register in the band room
19.    Organize under the stairs closet

Outdoors
20.    Plant something on the slope that will actually survive a season (!!) Professionally landscape slope.
21.    Build a greenhouse
22.    Plant a fruit tree replaced with Plant perennial fruit tree/bush/shrub April 9, 2012 Strawberries
23.    Install a privacy area around the alley entrance
24.    Establish a permanent vegetable herb garden
25.    Make cement planters see “New” bottom
26.    Buy and install another rain barrel July 2013
27.    Fix exterior entry light
28.    Walkway through front yard see “New” below
29.    Trim tree on slope
30.    Install a new (non-wooden) mailbox post
31.    Style under the deck area
32.    Finish painting house trim
33.    Hire gardener for “neighbors” yard May 2013
34.   Add soil to front wall area April 4, 2012
35.    Plant perennials in front wall area April 4, 2012
36.    Replace pillar at the top of the exterior stairs
37.    Create garbage/recycling fence

Main Floor
38.    Replace Grill 
39.    Make main deck a real living area
40.    Install built-in bookshelves in study See “New” below 
41.    Refinish table lamp for living room
42.    Create salad box planter for deck (Moved to Alley Door), May 2013
43.    Buy or make a plant stand for the living room See “New” below
44.    Complete the modern travel collage display for dining room
45.    Create a real bar area
46.    Make a new fireplace centerpiece November 2, 2013

Kitchen
47.    Organize spice drawer July 2013
48.    Organize pantry, February 2013  
49.    Purchase replacement parts for the hood, stove and dishwasher June 24, 2012
50.    Install 4th breakfast counter light
51.    Install cabinet handles above fridge
52.    Grow herbs in the kitchen April 1, 2012
53.    Install finishes around the dishwasher September 2013

Master Suite
54.    Find and fix leak in master bath shower April 1, 2012
55.    Finish toilet area in master bath
56.    Replace Yucca plant April 12, 2012
57.    Create living area on master bedroom deck
58.    Frame Lima Poster 
59.    Fix and paint bathroom walls
60.    Replace window/blinds insert on deck doors August 2013 
61.    Fix or replace nightstands
62.    Install bedside reading lights April 12, 2012
63.    Buy new mattresses  April 4, 2012
64.    Print and frame pictures for bathroom

Top Floor
65.    Create nice laundry area
66.    Hang curtains in laundry area See “new” below
67.    Clean upstairs windows  
68.    Create organizations system for all upstairs closets
69.    Replace plants in Wally planter

Guest Rooms and Bath
70.    Hang art in blue room
71.    Iron and Hem curtains in blue room October 21, 2012
72.    Make 2 throw pillows for blue room
73.    Fix exterior of deck on the blue room
74.    Make 2 throw pillows for orange room
75.    Re-pot money tree in orange room (now in office) November 2, 2013
76.    Buy a rug for the orange room
77.    Replace mattresses in orange room  April 12, 2012
78.    Replace nightstands in the orange room
79.    Hang art in the corner of orange room
80.    Fix/install towel rack
81.    Install new shower curtain and rug
82.    Fix vanity See “New” below
83.    Redo shower caulking

Rest of the house
84.    Have windows professionally cleaned (x3) (April 11, 2012)
85.    Have vents professionally cleaned (x3) (July 2012, November 2013)
86.    Fix and paint all banisters
87.    Paint interior doors (x8)
88.    Shampoo area rugs annually (x3)
89.    Fix scuffs on wood floors
90.    Install solar panels
91.    Create a wedding quilt
92.    Make a photo book about the house
93.    Make a photo book about the wedding
94.    Hold a big garage sale (or craigslist sale) annually (x3) (October 28, 2012) 
95.    Create Christmas decorations/gifts storage area (October 28,2012)
96.   Finish Earthquake kit, February 2013

Garage
97.    Reshuffle layout (March 10, 2013)
98.    Install bars on windows Fix Garage Door Light
99.    Fix light on garage door opener
100.    Install Utility Sink (new) 
101.    Create an inventory of paint, tools and other home improvement supplies

New
25. Repurpose craft room
28. Redesign Master Bedroom 
40. New home filing system  
43. Install gas stove access/register 
66. Add plants to TV room (November 2, 2013)
82. Restyle Master Bedroom

That Pesky Slope

There are very few things we regret including/including in this house but I think the slope is one of them.  We wish we had enough foresight to think about building landscaping into the original plan.  We were tired (we planned a wedding and planned a house) and had limited funds.  Of course, we have no excuses when we refinanced our loan.  Why didn’t we borrow a little more money to do it then?  We were probably over confident in our abilities to control the slope.

So, four years later, here we are ready to make a dent in our savings and finally professionally tackle our slope.  We tried a couple ways to find a landscaper (Craigslist, Yelp) but it turns out good old fashioned word of mouth (or email) got us our guy.  I won’t mention him now as we are waiting to get the revised contract but we feel really good about it.  I am on the fence about our wall builder though.  He’s great, his prices can’t be beat and his work is good, it’s just that he can be kind of flakey sometimes.  We’ll see though.  His prices and work may be work the minor headache.

Again, I can’t share the landscape plan but I can share some of the plants proposed.  Our main asks were that they were low maintenance, drought tolerant (as if that’s a problem here), and would fight off some of the weeds.  We wanted low weeding near the bottom of the slope but could handle some weeding at the top.  Color and edibles were a bonus.

We got a list of plants and apart from the ferns, I am really excited about them.  I don’t know why I only like ferns in the woods.  I am particularly excited about the Red Dogwood and 2 types of edible berries. 

You’ll have to use your imagination as far as layout but here is what’s being proposed.

Top wall:

Top row:Flowering Red Current (1), Evergreen Huckleberry (2)

Bottom row: Nandina (3), Oregon Grape (2)

Second Wall:

Alternating: Blueberry, Red Twig Dogwood

Third Wall:

Same as top wall

Bottom of slope:

Top row: Vine Maple, Salal

Bottom row: Bleeding Heart, Sword Fern

Included and pictured above: Evergreen Huckleberry, Flowering Grape

Again, I love everything but the fern but they are hardy and cheap.  Some other plants that others have suggested and I might ask about are (left to right) Hebes and Snowberries

We seem to have lots of red (to match the house) and purples in the plan.  I love the colors and we’ll have some edibles as hoped for.  No herbs which I am surprised by but that’s fine.  I know lavender and rosemary are common in gardens around here. 

We are also looking to possibly get the sidewalk strip area done too.  I am waiting to see what is proposed as we are open to go plant-less down there.

Thoughts on the plants?  Ones you like? Ones you hate? Ones you’d suggest?