Hello September

 

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

Happy September!

It seems the main part of summer is over.  For me the best part of summer is in September because the weather cools down quite noticeably.  There are only 22 days left before summer ends and fall arrives.  Fall is one of my favourite seasons because of it's beauty and crisp, fresh air but unfortunately is such a brief time before heavy rains arrive and we prepare for winter.

Summer arrived somewhat late in BC this year. It rained a lot for the first part of the season but made up for it in July and August. On the last day of the month of August it was still blazing hot. My garden has been pretty much done for the last week.  I probably didn't water it enough at some critical moments of the season.  It's always a challenge for me and I can sometimes miss a day here and there when it is critical to give the earth some sustenance through watering. I'm still pleased that the blooms lasted up until about a week ago and some of the container blossoms are still hanging in there.

Instead of gardening my main focus in the early part of summer was helping Jonah get situated to his new life and our life together in this city and country which is new for him.  There was a lot for him to do and we also tried to have a little outing here and there for relaxation. Then came August and I decided it was time for me do as much as I could to catch up with much needed DIY's around the house and continue with the major decluttering I've been working on for some time.

The DIYs have mostly been a learning experience.To be honest I don't have much patience for it.  I made a mess of a few things which had to be undone and then re-done. I'm not finished yet and will continue working until at least the official end of summer. Even simple things can be a bit confusing if you've never done them before.  I've been relying on You Tube for tutorials for almost everything. Thank goodness I can turn to You Tube.

On the last day of August, I remembered my dear late mom who would have turned 89. I miss her but know I will see her again one day. Also on this day I received a card from a friend in Colorado. I couldn't believe it when I opened the envelope to discover a Christmas card written back in December. I understood from the note that my friend and her husband have been temporarily living in another state so they can look after her mom.  I'm hoping by the time I write back she will still be at the temporary address. 

I have the sense that I'm turning the corner on the long list of DIYs I've been working on.  Today I received a shower curtain and the new doorknob for the master bathroom.  I didn't waste any time in steaming the wrinkles out of the shower curtain and putting it up. I absolutely love and I intend to keep it.  It means I'll be returning the creamy white waffle weave curtain I bought last week. The off-white colour was too 'yellow' and clashed with the natural white paint colour on the bathroom walls.  Later in the day I'll return the items to the stores and on Saturday I hope to repair the small holes I made in the door and touch up paint before I install the new door knob.  The rest of the weekend I'll give the bathroom a thorough cleaning and see what else I can declutter before moving on to other projects. If you are interested in seeing what else has been accomplished you can click here.  

Until we meet again on blogger, stay safe. 💗

Small Projects Keeping Me Busy

Hi everyone,

If you've been following along you know that I am in a decluttering mode and I'm working on a few small household projects. I've made a list of projects I've completed and that are in progress. This list is for anyone interested but is mainly a way for me to keep track of the tasks to be done and the progress made.

Anyone who's done household projects knows that all the costs add up even when you do the work yourself. I have gone back and forth between doing things myself or hiring someone. I really don't have the funds to do things the way I would like in this time of rising interest rates, increased supply prices, dramatic decline in housing sales and prices and uncertain economic times.  I hope to keep track of all the costs in a spreadsheet so I can review later.

I've considered various alternatives to what I'd like to do and decided to try my hand at many of the smaller things myself rather than 'go big' at this time.  I'll getting a bit of help from Jonah and my brother. They are both very busy but they can lend a hand here and there especially where more strength or stamina for a project are needed.

Without further ado, here are the things I've been working on in the month of August.

  * shopped for Spackle, grout, dremel tool with bits, wrenches, screwdrivers, paint for bathroom walls and bathroom cabinets. Done 08.13.22

* filled holes, sanded & painted living room window wall and trim. Done 08.15.22

* washed and painted walls and cabinets in 2 bathrooms. Done 08.16.22

* shopped for a few more home improvement tools like foam paint brushes, double sided tape, sponges, etc.  Done 08.18.22; purchased more silicone caulking and extra tools Done 10.06.22

* washed and painted bathroom doors. Done 08.21.22

* removed and replaced grout in master bathroom. Done  08.24.22.  I returned the dremel tool I bought because it only operates on one very high rpm and I found it difficult to control the tool to keep it in the grout grooves.Got friend to removed and replace silicone caulking for 4th time.  Patched wall behind tub tiles and regrouted. Done 10.09.22

* ordered and set up a bathroom shelving unit. I have the option of using it in one of 3 places. I've decided to use it in the master bathroom. Done 08.23.22 

*ordered new master bathroom shower curtain and installed it Done 09.04.22 

*ordered colourful towels and washcloths to coordinate with the new shower curtain Done 09.1.22

* vacuumed and washed carpets in front rooms and high traffic bedroom areas. Done 08.12.22

* replaced bulbs in kitchen light fixture and ordered replacement for cracked fixture cover.  Done 08.19.22 (new bulbs purchased and installed). 08.25.22 (cover arrived & installed).

* shopped for 5 small succulents plants and one large yucca plant to replace & beautify the front room.  Done 08.13.22 Bought a small, fake succulent plant for bathroom shelving unit.  Done 10.06.22

* ordered a lazy susan and tiered shelf for organizing kitchen/bathroom counters - delivered, unboxed & put to use Done 08.15.22

 * donated Kitchen Aid Food Processor (too large) and bought a smaller one that will be used more often, and Breville Juicer (I had 2 of them), water bottles, cups, mugs and various odds and ends. Done  08.12.22

* decluttered bathroom products in master bathroom Done 09.03.22 Decluttered 8 items from master bathroom. More to be done. Arranged toiletry items on shelving unit. Done 10.01.22. Master bathroom counter cleaning/decluttering 10.09.22

* decluttered 4 items from kitchen & 10 items from refrigerator. Done 09.06.22

* organized one wardrobe in master bedroom - in progress

* changed bathroom seat cover in main bathroom - in progress (I'll need help with this one as the screws won't come loose).

* installed light fixture in dining area - in progress (someone else will actually do this one because of 'special' issues with the old light fixture and the difficulty of removing all it's hardware).

* organized under sink in main bathroom/kitchen with shelving - in progress

*decluttered all kitchen cabinets - in progress

* decluttered patio and discarded all excess pots/metal carts and miscellaneous items.  Done  08.24.22

* shredded several small tubs of papers, journals and calendars. Partially done - 08.27.22 - 2 tubs cleaned & discarded & 2 tubs washed & reorganized. 09.02.22 Another bag of paper declutter (mostly mail packaging).

* shorten a linen tablecloth - in progress 10.0.22 Tablecloth measured and cut.

* hem 4 pair of pants - Done 10.9.22 pants hemmed, others in progress

 

Next projects (no timeline) will be done on a prioritized basis.

* redo the silicone seal around the toilets (2 bathrooms) and master bathroom tub. Partially done 09.24.22  I removed all the silicone from the master bathroom tub, washed, dried and prepared it for sealing. I had to buy a gun for the silicone and some small things to 'tool' the silicone once it is put around the bathtub edge. I made a mess despite using a tool to smooth the silicone. I've removed it all for the 2nd time (08.27.22)  and will re-do using painter's tape as a guideline and the special tool to remove excess silicone. 08.31.22 redid silicone for the 3rd time. I think I'm done both literally and figuratively. It's not the best but is something I can live with and I'll probably get a professional to re-do it at some point.

*replace master bathroom shower curtain, wash liner, discard bath mat. Done 08.25.22 Shower curtain has been replaced with a curtain in a creamy white cotton waffle weave.  I've also ordered a white one with variegated blue leaves and flowers with touches of pink (expected delivery date 08.29.22). New coloured shower curtain arrived 08.31.22. It's beautiful and I returned the white one. 09.02.22.

* repaint the window sills and trims in both bedrooms. priority

* assess what to do about towels and bathroom storage in 2 bathrooms. priority

* install shelving in master bathroom.  Shelving unit installed 08.23.22. Train rack yet to be installed.

* replace the flush valves in 2 bathroom toilets.  priority

* replace door hinges in 2 bathrooms - parts ordered 08.19.22.  These will be returned. I had to select a different finish for the replacement door knobs and I want the knobs and hinges to have a similar finish. Door knobs and hinges returned 08.26.22

* replace and upgrade the bathroom shower head in main bathroom.  keeping eyes open for sales

* replace light fixtures in 2 bathrooms. considering what metal finishes to buy 08.19.22

* replace electrical switches and covers in kitchen and bathrooms.  pricing at Home Depot, CT & others. I removed and washed the switch plates in the bathroom. This might work for all the switches I wanted to change out.  Done 08.22.22

* replace door handles in 2 bathrooms and 2 bedrooms. parts ordered 08.19.22; one door done 08.21.22 but I will have to re-do it. When I did the worked I learned I need a door handle with a removable latch plate. In the meantime  I drilled 2 holes in the door to secure the unremovable latch plate. The door 'fit' is very tight and I learned I need to chisel a hole for it to lay flush with the door edge. 08.24.22 I've order a new knob with removable latch & will repair the 2 small holes drilled previously.  08.31.22  New door knob arrived. 09.02.22 Door holes filled and area around door knob holes repainted on 09.03.22 New door knob installed. Yeah! It fits well so I'll order a few more of the same for 3 more doors. 10.13.22 Finally ordered the rest of the door knobs.

* replace 2 kitchen cabinet doors. researching whether I can find the same cabinet doors

* replace (all kitchen and) bathroom cabinet knobs - master bathroom knobs changed from white to glass.  08.21.22

* replace flooring in master bathroom, entry way, kitchen. research on-going

* install wall lights in the living room.  Wall lights and hardware are on hand. 1 sconce installed 09.05.22. The hardware provided was inadequate.  Fortunately I had longer screws in my stash of building supplies.   2nd sconce Done 09.09.22

* replace fireplace tile surround & hearth.  Jonah thinks the original tiles should remain because they are better quality 08.18.22

* paint the fireplace mantle. Jonah thinks the mantle should remain as is because it matches the fireplace tiles 08.18.22

Now that I've listed everything I want to do, it seems like I have more work than I first thought.  Some of it can't be put off any longer.  For example bathroom door hinges, light fixtures and toilet paper holders have rusted due to moisture and look unsightly.  Other things have just deteriorated with age so need a bit of refreshing.

Progress is made in small steps and limited by health challenges, energy levels and day to day household and outside appointments and activities.  I may post before and after photos as time goes by but only if I remember to take photos and if there is any change that might be noticeable to someone else.

How about you dear reader?  Have you done any small house projects lately? Were you already experienced at household repairs or were you learning just like me?