So for the past, I dunno- feels like a month or so, I have been moving and rearranging and remodeling and decorating and exhuasting myself for the sole purpose of having baby girl out of my room.
For those who have never been to my house, this was the hang up: We have a 3 bedroom house but one bedroom is downstairs and we use it for our office and the other 2 are upstairs- the boys have one and we have the master along with Kenaley- its a pretty big room so it worked for the time that we needed it to, but she is 2.5 and we (mostly me) were really wanting our own space, not to mention the kids had toys in every room of the house and no matter how hard I tried it was just a lost cause to keep it clean.
So one morning while I was doing the weekly scrub down of the house I started day dreaming of what it would be like to actually have our own room and came up with a plan to compress all my craft stuff that was in the office into the closet and move Kevin's desk and office into the livingroom, move the boys downstairs into the office, move Kenaley accross the hall to what was the boys room and then I would, infact, have my own room (well, with Kevin, but I kinda like him so I don't mind sharing with him). I pitched it to Kevin and he said that I could try it, but he had 2 stipulations: I had to start by compressing all my stuff first (smart man considering that I had 2 desks and the entire closet for storage for my many, many hobbies) and that he could not help because he had 4 projects that he was working on and he could not pull off any of them to help me.
So I more seriously thought it through, and came up with a plan of attack.
First I ahd to get every project done that I was working on that could not be put on hold for a while because I knew that once I started I would be able to last in a state of chaos for about 4 days MAX.
So day one was getting all other projects, including laundry completely done (I have a habit of washing...few days later folding...putting away when the kids complain that there are no more unders for them- I'm sure I'm not alone in this) but I was motivated- my end picture was my own room.
Day 2/3: Rip into compressing my stuff. Empty the entire office closet- it's 12 feet long people- recognize. Decide what I wanted, what I needed, what was garbage, what I could sell. The sell pile was huge, the need/want pile was smaller than I thought it would be, and lets just say that the garbage can was emptied 9 times by noon. I got everything out, pulled out all the shelving, moved my work table all the way over to one side of the closet installed a new (passed along) cabinet with a counter top and started the very hard task of fitting everything back into the closet. I lost one entire desk and all its storage space, plus 3 shelves in the cabinet of the wall unit I built. It was very long, methodical and daunting, but I succeeded! And was left with this:
For those who have never been to my house, this was the hang up: We have a 3 bedroom house but one bedroom is downstairs and we use it for our office and the other 2 are upstairs- the boys have one and we have the master along with Kenaley- its a pretty big room so it worked for the time that we needed it to, but she is 2.5 and we (mostly me) were really wanting our own space, not to mention the kids had toys in every room of the house and no matter how hard I tried it was just a lost cause to keep it clean.
So one morning while I was doing the weekly scrub down of the house I started day dreaming of what it would be like to actually have our own room and came up with a plan to compress all my craft stuff that was in the office into the closet and move Kevin's desk and office into the livingroom, move the boys downstairs into the office, move Kenaley accross the hall to what was the boys room and then I would, infact, have my own room (well, with Kevin, but I kinda like him so I don't mind sharing with him). I pitched it to Kevin and he said that I could try it, but he had 2 stipulations: I had to start by compressing all my stuff first (smart man considering that I had 2 desks and the entire closet for storage for my many, many hobbies) and that he could not help because he had 4 projects that he was working on and he could not pull off any of them to help me.
So I more seriously thought it through, and came up with a plan of attack.
First I ahd to get every project done that I was working on that could not be put on hold for a while because I knew that once I started I would be able to last in a state of chaos for about 4 days MAX.
So day one was getting all other projects, including laundry completely done (I have a habit of washing...few days later folding...putting away when the kids complain that there are no more unders for them- I'm sure I'm not alone in this) but I was motivated- my end picture was my own room.
Day 2/3: Rip into compressing my stuff. Empty the entire office closet- it's 12 feet long people- recognize. Decide what I wanted, what I needed, what was garbage, what I could sell. The sell pile was huge, the need/want pile was smaller than I thought it would be, and lets just say that the garbage can was emptied 9 times by noon. I got everything out, pulled out all the shelving, moved my work table all the way over to one side of the closet installed a new (passed along) cabinet with a counter top and started the very hard task of fitting everything back into the closet. I lost one entire desk and all its storage space, plus 3 shelves in the cabinet of the wall unit I built. It was very long, methodical and daunting, but I succeeded! And was left with this:
BTW: My old desk is now for sale. Its a gem, 2 big cabinets with shelves, 2 deep drawers and one shallow drawer. ALL SOLID OAK. And it was designed and built by this guy that I happen to think is the worlds best desk maker...among other things. $250.
I am still waiting to get a few more organizers that I bought Walmart out of, but you get the point of it, right? And sorry about the mess...its shared space with a 10 year old and 7 year old and they have not yet gotten the point of "it enters the clost space, it belongs to me. And I really enjoy melting legos down to make plastic flower magnets." :)
Day 4: Move Kevin and all his glory (this was really going to say a much more colorful word, but I held my tongue) out of the office and into the livingroom. I just happened to wake up at 5 am this morning and Kevin had not started his work day yet, so he actually helped me move some of this stuff. Logan woke up at 6ish and he was motivated and helpful, but when we were taking Kevin's desk apart he walked right behind it at the wrong moment an i fell onto his foot leaving him injured, heavily medicated and whimpering on the couch for the rest of the morning. Kevin's huge desk was out, but the mess was ever present and he was off to work. So I cleaned and took down shelving and cabinets that was mounted to the wall, and tried to put his desk mess back the way he had it.
Day 5: (2 days past the point of liking this project) Move the boys downstairs. This was easier than I thought because at this point 2 little boys were very motivated to be downstairs and have the Xbox in their room. (eeeek!!!) Couple hours and it was done. VERY messy and unorganized but the bedroom upstairs was empty.
It also gave me time to paint what was an army green room into a pink girly room. I told the boys whoever finished first- me painting or them cleaning and putting everything away- was the one that got to sleep don there for the first night. They thought I was serious. Did I mention that 3 coats of the palest pink does not really cover up army green, but running out of paint and not wanting to go buy more when I wasn't really pleased with the way it looked was not in the cards for me, so I called it good enough and ended for the day.
Day 6: Sunday. A day of rest
Ummmm. You've met me right?? I don't rest. Like, ever. So I sinned. But I went to church first, so we're even, right?
Move Kenaley out. Disassemble crib and store it because Kena had a matching full size bed for her room that we were going to get out- finally. Move solid wood bed out of the shed in the back of my 200 foot long yard, carry it up my stairs with out killing myself (it tried to), remember where I stored the screws to put her bed together, put the bed together with out killing myself (again,it tried to), and move her mammoth dresser with a hutch and her armoire out of my room. After getting them in her room, I realized that they were too tall to fit into the room's low vaulted ceilings and I had to remove the legs on both of them to get them to fit. It was crowded but it all fit in there. So did her kitchen, table, and toy shelf.
Now there were toys in bedrooms and no where else- oh, happy day. It was about 10 pm at this point and all 3 kids were still up, my back was in protest and was trying to figure out how to split open my skin, crawl out and find a kinder owner, so I stopped and crashed. Hard.
Day 7: Decorate the girl room. First project that I wanted to do was to cut out silhouettes of the Disney princesses in white paper, mount them to the color that the princess is most known for, frame them in white and hang them on her wall. It ended up to be a much bigger project than I thought it was, so it took all day, but turned out very cute.
SEE!!
Day 4: Move Kevin and all his glory (this was really going to say a much more colorful word, but I held my tongue) out of the office and into the livingroom. I just happened to wake up at 5 am this morning and Kevin had not started his work day yet, so he actually helped me move some of this stuff. Logan woke up at 6ish and he was motivated and helpful, but when we were taking Kevin's desk apart he walked right behind it at the wrong moment an i fell onto his foot leaving him injured, heavily medicated and whimpering on the couch for the rest of the morning. Kevin's huge desk was out, but the mess was ever present and he was off to work. So I cleaned and took down shelving and cabinets that was mounted to the wall, and tried to put his desk mess back the way he had it.
Day 5: (2 days past the point of liking this project) Move the boys downstairs. This was easier than I thought because at this point 2 little boys were very motivated to be downstairs and have the Xbox in their room. (eeeek!!!) Couple hours and it was done. VERY messy and unorganized but the bedroom upstairs was empty.
It also gave me time to paint what was an army green room into a pink girly room. I told the boys whoever finished first- me painting or them cleaning and putting everything away- was the one that got to sleep don there for the first night. They thought I was serious. Did I mention that 3 coats of the palest pink does not really cover up army green, but running out of paint and not wanting to go buy more when I wasn't really pleased with the way it looked was not in the cards for me, so I called it good enough and ended for the day.
Day 6: Sunday. A day of rest
Ummmm. You've met me right?? I don't rest. Like, ever. So I sinned. But I went to church first, so we're even, right?
Move Kenaley out. Disassemble crib and store it because Kena had a matching full size bed for her room that we were going to get out- finally. Move solid wood bed out of the shed in the back of my 200 foot long yard, carry it up my stairs with out killing myself (it tried to), remember where I stored the screws to put her bed together, put the bed together with out killing myself (again,it tried to), and move her mammoth dresser with a hutch and her armoire out of my room. After getting them in her room, I realized that they were too tall to fit into the room's low vaulted ceilings and I had to remove the legs on both of them to get them to fit. It was crowded but it all fit in there. So did her kitchen, table, and toy shelf.
Now there were toys in bedrooms and no where else- oh, happy day. It was about 10 pm at this point and all 3 kids were still up, my back was in protest and was trying to figure out how to split open my skin, crawl out and find a kinder owner, so I stopped and crashed. Hard.
Day 7: Decorate the girl room. First project that I wanted to do was to cut out silhouettes of the Disney princesses in white paper, mount them to the color that the princess is most known for, frame them in white and hang them on her wall. It ended up to be a much bigger project than I thought it was, so it took all day, but turned out very cute.
SEE!!
BTW, yes my daughter knows who all of them are just by their silhouetes. Iam so proud. :)
Then there was this quilt that I had thought of about 6 months ago, bought the fabric for and let is sit in a pile of projects to do when the time came.
And it came. So on day 8, I sewed all day to complete the top of this old blue jean and pink and yellow quilt.
Then the next day I quilted it and finished the edges.
Then I had this thought that I wanted to extend the bookshelf that was above the window in her room so it cased the window in and wanted to paint it white instead of the walnut finish that was on it.
Then (we are into day 9,10, 11 and 12 by now, but I am sure your bored of that part. So am I.) I wanted to get a few more things to put on her wall but I really did not want a cartoon look, so I decided that she needed a "mirror, mirrror on the wall" and she needed to be her own princess. And I finally decided on curtains that I liked- made those. And made a little throw pillow for her bed.
And I also comissioned his guy that I happened to sleep with to cut me out the Disneyland castle in metal, rust it and hang it on her wall. It is the only thing that is yet to be done. Mostly because it is not my project. It would have been done if I knew how to operate a plasma cutting machine. (I am reading the manual. Might get done with it before he gets it done)
But for most part the princess bedroom is done.
SEE!!
Then there was this quilt that I had thought of about 6 months ago, bought the fabric for and let is sit in a pile of projects to do when the time came.
And it came. So on day 8, I sewed all day to complete the top of this old blue jean and pink and yellow quilt.
Then the next day I quilted it and finished the edges.
Then I had this thought that I wanted to extend the bookshelf that was above the window in her room so it cased the window in and wanted to paint it white instead of the walnut finish that was on it.
Then (we are into day 9,10, 11 and 12 by now, but I am sure your bored of that part. So am I.) I wanted to get a few more things to put on her wall but I really did not want a cartoon look, so I decided that she needed a "mirror, mirrror on the wall" and she needed to be her own princess. And I finally decided on curtains that I liked- made those. And made a little throw pillow for her bed.
And I also comissioned his guy that I happened to sleep with to cut me out the Disneyland castle in metal, rust it and hang it on her wall. It is the only thing that is yet to be done. Mostly because it is not my project. It would have been done if I knew how to operate a plasma cutting machine. (I am reading the manual. Might get done with it before he gets it done)
But for most part the princess bedroom is done.
SEE!!
Its really hard to see but her wall says: Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess named Kenaley...
Also, really hard to see but the frame around the mirror says: Mirror, mirror on the wall who's the fairest of them all?
These matched her crib set, but I love the colors, and I didn't want to change them, so I left them alone.
After I got all done with the girl room, I had this sparcely furnished room that was all my own. So I started thinking of things things that I wanted to do in MY room. I decided that I wanted an ottoman- a big one that was more of a chaise lounger instead of an ottoman. It could serve 2 purposes: Something to fill my empty room and a place for sick kids to sleep now that there was no more crib matress to throw on my bathroom floor for them. So I designed and built this:
It didn't turn out exactly how I wanted it to, but its growing on me.
Oh, and it opens for storage too. Kinda handy.
Then I decided that I needed new sconces for my wall, since we had to remove them when the lanterns broke apart and we needed the extra 9 inches that they stuck out to fir Kenaley's dressers. So I learned how to wire lights and did it. They turned out nice, goes with the beachy feel that I am going for. I stold the nightstand from my boys who couldn't fit it in their room anyways and it matched my room way better than theirs.
Oh, and it opens for storage too. Kinda handy.
Then I decided that I needed new sconces for my wall, since we had to remove them when the lanterns broke apart and we needed the extra 9 inches that they stuck out to fir Kenaley's dressers. So I learned how to wire lights and did it. They turned out nice, goes with the beachy feel that I am going for. I stold the nightstand from my boys who couldn't fit it in their room anyways and it matched my room way better than theirs.
Did I mention that I designed and built that bed mysef?
Ya, about a year ago. Love it!
Ya, about a year ago. Love it!
The boys room fits snugly downstairs and they are loving it. Even got their army green wall when I realized that I threw away or lost the brown that it used to be and needed to do some serious touch up, so it got a fresh coat of army green.
And they are sharing the space nicely with me. Or I am sharing the space nicely with them. Potatoes, potahtoes...
And they are sharing the space nicely with me. Or I am sharing the space nicely with them. Potatoes, potahtoes...
Yes, that is a real army helemt, and (dismantled) grenade and 50 cal. bullet and ammo box on the shelf, and an official army duffle bag hanging from the rod too. I'm a cool mom who gets the real stuff.
I'm not going to show you the now livingroom/office, because frankly- its a mess and I can't get Kevin to clean off the desk top. But I can handle a messy desk top much better than I can toys all over the place and sharing a room with my daughter.
I am really tired of moving, cleaning, painting, decorating, organizing and everything else that went along with it. But so happy with the result.
Sadly, though- I feel like I need a new something to do now.
I'm kinda bored...
I'm not going to show you the now livingroom/office, because frankly- its a mess and I can't get Kevin to clean off the desk top. But I can handle a messy desk top much better than I can toys all over the place and sharing a room with my daughter.
I am really tired of moving, cleaning, painting, decorating, organizing and everything else that went along with it. But so happy with the result.
Sadly, though- I feel like I need a new something to do now.
I'm kinda bored...
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