The Big List 2012

Okay, our list is much shorter this year than last year. 2011 was full of mostly cosmetic projects. But we've got to get serious in 2012--our main focus now is renovating a bathroom, and then the budget buster: the kitchen.  

In January, we'll demo the upstairs bathroom. I'm doing the $0 Budget Challenge in January, and demo is FREE. :) So take a gander at what we're starting with up there. I ask you, which would you first attack with a sledgehammer?

The vinyl floor? (Maybe there's hardwood under there??)

Or the 1970's cabinets?

What about the 1980's tub surround, or the pained false beadboard?

Maybe the faucets?

I think the faucets may be from the 1950's.  How about the the drafty windows? They may be that old too.

The ceiling fan and the vanity light. Is your sledgehammer hand itching yet? 

Well the plan is to take this bathroom down to the studs. We'll keep the same footprint so no need to move any plumbing or electrical. One thing Tom's worried about is how old the plumbing or electrical is behind the walls. It may need to be updated once we get the wall opened up and see what we're dealing with.

Once the demo is over, we'll spend February and March updating this bathroom and I'll share our progress as we go.

In April, we'll rest and enjoy Easter. Our families have a bunch of birthdays in April so it's a time to get together and chill. I'll also have a week off from school, which I'll spend moving and packing up what I can in the kitchen and dining room in preparation for beginning that work.

Sigh. Our kitchen. Bringing it into the 21st century will take all of our summer, and maybe longer. There are too many details to name. So I'll just share one picture with you, and tell you that we're taking this room down to studs and completely reconfiguring this room. And we're doing as much as we can ourselves.

 The kitchen lies beyond this wall in the dining room...and we're going to tear this wall down to create an open flow into the kitchen. 

So...for 2012, first it's a bathroom party, and then a kitchen hoedown slash fiesta slash shindig slash hoopla. Wish us luck!