My house always looks lived in. The only times it doesn't look lived in is when someone fancy comes over. And by fancy I mean someone with freakishly long nails, wearing one of those fox stoles where the fox is biting its own tail.
Fancy fox lady has never actually shown up, but if she did I'd be sure to clean the place up for her.
As it stands right now (and for the past 15 years) this house looks lived in. If you came over the dishes would probably be done and put away but there might be an array of magazines on the living room floor. Or a pizza making experiment going on in the kitchen.
There may even be toast sweat on the counter.
I find toast sweat on the countertop kind of comforting.
I draw the line at clutter though. I don't like it. It makes me itch like I'm wearing a wool sweater. After a week of clutter that sweater feels like it's made out of steel wool. Anything longer and I'm limping through the house wearing a onesie made out of yeast infection.
Behold the dining room pre-kitchen renovation. Granted it's a picture from Christmas but you get the idea.
This was how the dining room looked about 2 weeks after Christmas. It looked like this until just last night. That's 2 months.
The foyer on a normal day.
The foyer as it looked during the kitchen install which lasted about a week. (and is still going on by the way) There were little noises coming from under the mess which I'm sure were garbage trolls.
The kitchen pre-renovation.
The kitchen mid-itch.
Things are finally (relatively) cleaned up in the dining room, foyer and kitchen but the kitchen still isn't near complete. The cabinets are installed, yes, but nothing else is. There were problems hooking up the stove, I still need the range hood installed, the counters haven't been delivered yet and my kitchen sink is somewhere in the living room I think.
I can't cook but at least I'm not itching anymore.
Kitchen renovations normally come with new appliances, cabinets, maybe a table and chairs. What they really need to come with, is penicillin.
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beth
Karen!
Thank you so much for a kitchen post! I have been ITCHING for an update! The suspense was making the symptoms much worse. I know the long road is hard but yours is paved with painted bricks. I am still two projects away from my finished kitchen re-do of winter-spring 2012. Want to do a post on custom fridge panels so I can make my own and finish my kitchen.
Beckie
my kitchen took an entire year (DIY) and you must pass through the kitchen to get anywhere else in the house so it was unavoidable
paper plates and plastic utensils helped save my sanity (well, partly, anyway)
it was totally worth it, but during it I was probably homicidal...I've blocked it out
it will be worth it in the end!! honest!!
Karen
My mother actually told me to suck it up and buy some paper plates and cups. I've been doing dishes in the bathroom sink for far too long. ~ karen!
Maureen
Oh yes. I remember that phrase. It went on for effin' ages. The low point for me was when we had to stay 2 nights at a La Quinta while they painted our cabinets in oil-based paint. In case you aren't familiar with American hotels, La Quinta is not up there with say, Holiday Inn, but they do allow cats. I get a little itchy myself just thinking about this.
TeePee
I know how you feel. When I did my kitchen redo, the fridge was in the Living Room, Microwave was on the Dinning Room table and I cleaned the dishes in the bathroom sink. There were a lot of late nights and weekends sweating (and swearing) but in the end it was worth it. Good luck.
Su
Living in reno is the WORST.... Did a whole house once and it was incredibly 'itchy'.... having a new deck to escape the mess and mayhem was the only saving grace.... until it got too cold outside... then it was worst case of psoriasis that set in.... like the previous poster said you forget the pain and aggravation after it's done...
Tigersmom
Just looking at that pink fiberglass insulation makes me itch. Made the mistake of playing with some of that that had blown onto my school playground when I was a kid. The fibers worm into your skin and make you very itchy. It was fixed by a half hour soak in a tub, but now you know why you see people wearing thick gloves when they handle it.
Clutter makes me itch, too. That and distressed finishes.
Hope the end of this comes quickly and I'm fairly confident that you will love the results enough to make it worth it.
Kelly
With difficulty comes ease! It will all be better soon and you can get back to toast sweat on the counters. :)
Wendy
Yup. That sounds about right.
My 5 week kitchen renovation took just over 12 weeks and our contractor stopped returning my hubby's calls. Kitchen looks great, but everything was piled into our open concept living space, there was a pile of demolition in our backyard. Not great living indoors and we couldn't take the kids out back to play. All in all, it was tres horrible!
Until it's done! Then you forget the pain. Wait a minute, isn't that what they say about childbirth? The kitchen doesn't talk back or kick you in the shins.
Wendy
Jody
Personally I don't like toast sweat. Too much like counter clutter to me.
Deb J
Toast sweat! Love that.
mimiindublin
same here, the contents of my bathroom are scattered all over the house. The work finished on Friday, but I was busy all weekend (well, socialising, it was Paddy's Day after all!!), and got work today! Oh, just wish a cleaning/tidying fairy would come and put it all back for me!
shuckclod
You are making good progress :) I am allergic or I would send you some (penicillin). Thanks for the itchies.
Maggie Andrew
Karen I know just how you feel. For ages I've been thinking about painting my pine kitchen, nothing really wrong with it but the room is too dark, when my husband said he would be away for a couple of weeks I decided to go for it.
Day 1 really excited
Day 2 what the f*** have I started
Day 3 well looks ok
Day4 why am I doing this
Day 5 just finish it today
Day 6 don't want to paint anymore
Day 7 get out of bed youu've got painting to do
Day 8 " hi I finished akready, so I'm coming home 4 days early
Day 9 S***
My entire dining room, living room is covered with utensils from the drawers and saucepans etc,
Haven't seen the cat since day 2 and am on the verge of hysteria,
got to get up now there's a tin of paint with my name on it!,
Jean Bennitt
Maggie, I'm feeling your pain.
Susan Preston
It'll be fabulous when you're done. It'll be fabulous when you're done. It'll be fabulous when you're done! Just keep clicking your heels.
Lindsay H
I am exactly the same way about clutter and mess. I make a pile at the end of our counter that is SHIT my husband " NEEDS". After about a week, I sweetly "coo" at him to clean it up :). And now we're going through a gut-job bathroom Reno. I am barely holding it together. Everything is a complete mess (drywall dust, thin-set, paint, etc) AND the clutter has gotten worse (widgets, and washers, and wrenches!). Anyways, seeing your mess makes my skin crawl, but then I look around and mine is just as bad, lol.
Sorry for the rant, I've just been nearing my limit of chaos. .......
Karen
I understand. It's hard to contain. ~ karen!
victoria
Lol!!! Onsie made out if yeast infection!!!! I love it!! You are too funny!
Laura Bee
Yow. I can't wait to see the finished kitchen. It will be a glorious day!
I can't imagine a total kitchen redo. Actually, I can, I have wet dreams about it. Alternated with nightmares, our house is (I think) half as old as yours, but every bit as crooked!
I hung a floating shelf today. Two screws into a stud and four others with anchors (There was holes for ten screws! Pffft...overkill.) For the first time in my memory, I was able to put in all four anchors without smashing at least one (if not two plus making the hole too big in the process and having to patch it & sometimes relocate what I am hanging.) It is level, but because of the walls...not quite right lol. Which is just fine by me. I feel accomplished.
Nancy Blue Moon
Give this woman her kitchen..she needs to cook..lol..I bet Cleo and Ernie love all of the boxes!
TC
How are you surviving? What are you eating?
Karen
I'm going to be doing a post on that next week actually, lol. It's been quite an interesting culinary time in my life. ~ karen
TucsonPatty
Hnag in there - it looks as though it is going to happen.
I hate that itch, too, BTW!
I can't wait to see it!
TucsonPatty
--Hang--
Karen
I like hnag. It has more personality. ~ karen