Progress

I am making progress on getting the downstairs cleaned and organized and fit for living in. The downstairs was J's domain and her responsibility to keep it clean. Let's just say it was anything but clean. I am so thankful that we have a steam carpet cleaner. It makes me willing and able to walk on the floors without shoes. We plan to repaint the living area and the bathroom. They both need major touchups and we are going to go with a different paint scheme. The bathroom is also getting new flooring and new curtains for the shower and closet. It will look so different. We plan on getting rid of our 32 inch hulking heavy TV set and getting a flatscreen to put up on the wall. That will free up some floor space and look much better.

I currently have half the living area carpet cleaned. Just waiting for it to dry today and then I will move the file cabinet and chair and couch to clean more area. Can't wait till its all done. We plan on possibly getting a different TV/Cable service and getting a second DVR for the downstairs. That way E can go downstairs to watch TV and movies. She may not be up for that yet, but in time she will love to have her own area down there. Eventually when we do have another child, her bedroom will be moved down there anyway.

On another note, I was shocked to get a text message from J yesterday saying hi and tell E that sissy says hi. I certainly didn't expect that ever. We chit chatted a little bit. I didn't say much and she didn't elaborate on anything. I think she was testing the waters to see if I would even talk to her at all. You know she hates it with her mom if she is actually talking to me. Needless to say she will be shocked when she sees the downstairs next summer. Heck, the bedroom right now looks so much better with everything cleaned up and rearranged. I actually moved a bunch of stuff in there that will be staying in there - bookcase, chest. Just looks like an actual room and not a pit.
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Well, it's now 2-3 weeks later and I haven't accomplished any thing more downstairs. I really am at the point where we need to pull things to the center of the room and start painting. I only have the floor under the desk to do yet, and we don't plan on moving the desk more than once. I still have to take it apart into three pieces to move it anyway.

Hubby took the vanity/sink out of the downstairs bathroom so that he can work on the flooring when he gets a chance. He did get the front door painted. Its darker then we wanted but it still works. It actually matches the siding on the house perfectly, just darker then our interior colors are. Needs a few small touchups, but it looks good. Anything looks better than primer white.

We will be painting the downstairs ourselves. It sucks but we got one bid on the project for painting only, and they wanted $561! And they couldn't guarantee that the job would be done in one day. It's not a huge area. Even with two coats of paint on all walls, by the time you get to the last portion of the walls, the first portion will be plenty dry to paint a second coat. Anyway, this will take a lot longer than we wanted, mainly becuase we are procrastinating it. Hubby plans to get the garage door done soon, and then I think he will be working on the bathroom. Oh and insulating around the kitchen window - that will help so much against the winter chill.

Would love to have it all done before E's birthday in December! Incentive to finish it!!!