Well, it’s official. We’re WEIRD.

You know that guy Dave Ramsey I keep talking about? You know how he says people who don’t have debt are WEIRD?

Well, if you don’t know him…that’s what he says.

“Debt is normal…be weird.”

Well.

As of this morning, we are officially,

completely,

gloriously,

totally,

happily

WEIRD.

WE’RE


DEBT


FREE!!!

(Except the house.)

Whoo, people!! WHOO!!!!

It still hasn’t hit us. Surreal is an understatement. I haven’t cried yet. But I will. Buckets. :)

It’s major. Like, $125,000 in just about three and a half years, MAJOR. (Yes, there were three zeros.)

I told you about our debt story here, (I way underestimated how much we had already paid off at that point) and for the past three years or so, we’ve been fighting, scratching, clawing at it -- taking our finances BACK. And it’s truly been a fight.

We had flooring debt, school debt, hot tub debt, medical debt, clothing debt, I-have-no-clue-what-we-bought debt – you name it, we had it.

We were so tired of it. It was a monkey on our backs. A large, 125,000 pound monkey. And it was exhausting carrying him around. ;)

Getting rid of that monkey – exhilarating.

I thought it was impossible to live without a car payment.

I thought I would be paying off my student loan till I was 45.

I thought I couldn’t pay for a piece of furniture unless we charged it.

I was wrong.

We decided to live like no one else. So now we can live like no one else.

And it is rockin’ our worlds.

We can live without credit cards. We can save for something and pay for it when we have the money. We can save for our future and change our children’s lives.

It makes me so emotional when I think about how we are completely changing their futures. We will leave them security, not a financial mess. That makes every minute of this process worth it.

Yes, we could have done this without Dave Ramsey. It’s not rocket science. It’s making a budget every month and sticking to it – and telling our money where to go. That was a biggie for me. We were never telling it where to go, we were just floating along. La dee da, la dee da.

But Dave Ramsey inspired us. His conviction and enthusiasm is absolutely contagious. You want to attack your debt like a raging BEAR after you listen to him for five minutes.

And today, I clicked the button that sent the payment to my student loan – our very last debt. It’s all gone – forever and ever and EVER.

It’s the first time in our adult lives we’ve been debt free. We’ve both had debt since we were 18 years old. I have never been an adult and NOT had debt.

Till today. I feel like I could float away, it feels so good.

We are SO WEIRD!!!!

And if being weird is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

I wanted to take a minute and thank you so much for sharing this journey with us! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your comments and emails about our story. It absolutely makes me smile every time.

One thing I know for sure – if we can do it, YOU CAN DO IT. It may take you longer, it may take you less. I know you will be so proud of yourself.

It made us more mature, it bonded us, it changed our marriage, in a really great way. It is one of the best things we have done in entire lives.

And I’ll say it again – WHOOOOOO!!!!  :)

**And yes…we will be calling in to the radio show to scream. But now we want to take a trip down to Nashville and scream it in his lobby. It’s a big deal, and we want to celebrate it.  :)

***I’m quite sure my Google ads will go crazy with credit companies after this post – I don’t personally endorse any of them. Just sayin’.

A DIY memo board

Well hello there!! I am just overwhelmed at your response to my last post. You made me feel SO much better! :) I was so happy to read your comments and to hear many of you are making time to take care of YOU! It made my week! (Really.)

Because of I’ve been organizing like mad, and throwing in a few more work outs in here and there lately – my DIY/crafty/decorating time has been suffering. :) I rectified that today with a project I’ve been meaning to do forEVER.

I needed a new memo board for the light and bright office redo I’ve been working on. I made this one years ago:

It’s looking a little sad now. :) To make it, I just covered a piece of insulation foam with fabric. I wrapped the ribbon around it and hung it -- done!

I wanted something huge and it worked perfect! (See that squishy face in the picture on top? That’s my Bub’s birth announcements. Still LOVE.)

Well, about a year ago (yes, a YEAR) I found this huge frame for $10 at Goodwill:

I think it was even half off – it’s been so long I can’t remember! I knew it would work perfect for a new memo board. (I was planning ahead.)

I liked how chunky the frame was, but it wasn’t in the best shape:

It also had a band of linen-type fabric that I actually quite liked.

I had a plan in mind for this baby and I absolutely luuuurve how it turned out! Not just love – LURVE.

First step was to prime the heck out of the sucker. I laid it down on my “spray painting” sheet on the garage floor and did a couple quick coats.

I need to mention that it was NINE degrees outside when I did this. It was unreal, it was so cold.

I am nothing if not dedicated! :)

Once I got feeling back in my hands, I brought it inside to dry. (Spray paint takes forever to dry in extreme temps.)

After that it was ready for paint. Because I wanted to use only what I had, I painted it the blue ceiling paint I used in the office. While it was drying, I moved onto the “memo” part:

This stuff is that thick foam insulation you can get at the hardware store. I love it! I got a few sheets to cover our crawl space openings into the basement years ago. It works GREAT – keeps the cold and the spiders out! Eww!

Anyhoo, I wanted to reuse the foamy stuff for this memo board as well. I measured the size I needed, then used my Dremel to cut it out:

Awe-some!! (Said in a sing song voice.)

I wrapped it with my fabric, securing it to the back with hot glue:

I nail gunned it to the back of the frame and it worked like a charm!

For now it's hanging right behind the desk:

I think it will stay on that wall, but not sure where exactly. :) My plan for the board and batten includes a small ledge, so after that’s done I’ll have to play around with the memo board.

Of course I used the stripe fabric, which is a pain in the booty to get just right:

It has to be perfectly straight or it will drive. you. MAD. Or maybe it just drives me mad. :)

When I primed the frame, I sprayed right over the linen fabric (one word: L.A.Z.Y.) and the primer didn’t even cover it. So weird – it looks just like it did before!:

I just left the little gold strip inside the frame primed. Again…laaaaazy.

I got the fabric pretty straight:

Enough that it doesn’t give my hives to look at it. :) It’ll be covered with notes anyway. That’s what I keep telling myself.

Did you notice my little addition to the DIY drum shade fixture?:

A picture in a magazine inspired it – I saw a beautiful drum shade trimmed out with beautiful, large glass beads. It was GORG. I searched ev.er.y.where. online and couldn’t find anything that looked like it – and then one day I checked out Hobby Lobby and found this.

It is just a precious little beaded trim – I adore it:

Is it possible to be in love with cute beaded trim? Is it normal to be in love with cute beaded trim? I don’t care – I am. :)

I am loving how the room is coming along! The time has come though – I need to buck up buttercup and just get that board and batten DONE.

I still can’t believe the transformation so far. The office before:

And after:

WHOO! Love it! And my office will be extra insulated now. ;)

**I still don’t know what I’m doing with that chair – the cover I had was the wrong blue, (total clash with the memo board) so I took it off for now. I think I have something in mind. (Do you hear my mind crankin’?)

Hope you have a fantastic weekend!!

Who’s on first?

Well hello! I’m loving all of the suggestions (and empathizers) to the paper dilemma! (Dun dun duuunnnn.)

Number 9,324 I love blogging – you peeps get me. :)

Reason 9,325 that I love blogging – because when something’s on my mind, I tend to yuck it up on my virtual notepad…this blog. And you guys put up with it. :) I’ve had a bit of an epiphany lately and I was inspired to write about it tonight.

It’s a big one…and it’s about time. It only took 35 years for it to happen.

I’ve decided to GROW UP.

Not too much, mind you. Cause grown ups don’t say “Squeezaaays” and “cauuute.” I’m guessing they don’t anyway. (I have it on good authority they do say “lurve” though.)

I guess it started when we started to get serious about paying off our mountain of debt. The more we’ve paid off, the closer we’ve gotten to becoming debt free – the more mature we’ve become. That whole “only spend what you have” thing kind of forces that.

It’s made me (us) be more accountable, spend wiser, delay gratification – all that annoying grown up crap. :)

A few weeks ago I realized I needed to do that in another area in my life as well. You see, I felt like I was growing – not up, but OUT. (No, I’m not pregnant.) ;)

It wasn’t so much the holiday weight that we all feel – I’ve just been putting on weight for months now.

Make that years.

No one I know sees it like I do, of course. But you know how that goes -- we’re our own worst critics. And I just felt like a SLUG. You know what I mean? Like a puffy slug. Not pretty. Or fun.

But it wasn’t until I was visiting our family doc a few weeks ago (for my second case of strep throat in six weeks) that it hit me…I have to start taking better care of myself.

I mentioned to the doctor that I felt like I was gaining weight like crazy, and we had an interesting talk about it. I told him I wasn’t doing anything different, but felt like I was gaining by the month.

And he said something that caused one of those “LIGHT.BULB.” (name that movie!) moments. His response?

“Well, that’s the point – you’re not doing anything different.”

I’m getting older and I can’t keep doing what I’ve always done. (I know 35 is still young, believe me. But 35 is not 25. And it’s certainly not 17. Dang it!)

I tell you what – I walked out of that appointment a different person. It finally hit me – I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.

I’m pretty much addicted to soda:

(Oh sweet, sweet nectar.)

And I walked out of that doc’s office and gave up soda. I’ve tried it before and couldn’t do it for long. This time, it was cake. Almost twenty-something years of (at least) two sodas a day, and I just stopped.

I thought it would be hard, but something in me clicked this time. Every once and a while I’ll crave a soda and get one, but most of the time it doesn’t even taste good. The odd times it does, I just drink a tiny bit and that’s all I need.

More than three weeks in and I get the craving for it less and less.

I want to grow up and take care of my body. I take care of everyone else – our child, my husband (as much as he’ll let me!) and our HOUSE. But I don’t take time to take care of me.

I don’t know what’s hit me, but I’m tired of it.

So for the last three weeks, I’ve reintroduced myself to this one and her DVDs:

I’m not liking her very much right now…but I might in a couple months. If I can walk then.

I’ve been doing this again:

Aww, look how cute I look! 

I kid! That’s not me. Yet. (Someday I’ll look that happy on the treadmill.)

And today, I did something I have dreaded for years. YEARS.

I got a mammogram.

Yes, I’m only 35 and I got my first mammogram. It’s not as unusual as you might think. I had a bump years ago that turned out to just a fluid-filled cyst (determined through an ultrasound). But because of that, the docs wanted me to get a baseline mammogram at 35 instead of 40.

I got the notice months ago, and kind of ignored it. I didn’t make it a priority. I didn’t think it applied to me. I thought, I am only 35.

And then a month ago I got news that a dear family member (who is just a few years older than me) found out she has breast cancer. She has a child younger than mine. She has to undergo chemo. She started shopping for wigs.

It’s rocked me to my core.

She is my new hero, by the way. Her most amazing attitude inspires me to be a better person – I hope to be like her when I (finish) growing up.

Because of her, I finally scheduled that mammogram.

Was it uncomfortable? Yep. Was it painful? Yep. But the uncomfortable and the painful lasted for mere seconds.

Was it worth it? YES.

It was time for me to act like the wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend that I am. I needed to grow up and started taking steps take care of ME.

This isn’t a new year’s resolution. It’s who I’ve decided to be from now on. It took me a LONG time to realize I need to put myself FIRST sometimes. I need to eat more responsibly, get more exercise and grow the heck up. :)

I don’t know the results of my mammogram yet, but we’re obviously praying for a standard letter in the mail next week, and not a call from the doc in a few days. :)

I’m not writing this to preach to any of you. I’m not trying to get anyone to exercise more or at all. I AM asking you to give yourself a few more minutes a day. I do want you to ask your doctor when you should get your first mammogram. If you’re over 40, I want you to schedule your mammogram.

Yes, I’m bossing you around. Yes, I want you to put yourself first, for 20 minutes a day. Or the hour out of your week it will take to get a mammogram.

I’m still a newbie at this, so I’m certainly no expert. But I know something for sure – I’m not going back. I don’t know what’s gotten into me, but I like it, and I plan to keep it up. :)

 

**I waffled back and forth about getting this personal on here. I mean, I never even mention the words “b.r.a.” or “u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r.” on this blog, just because of the wackos out there. IfyouknowwhatI’msayin. ;)

But I decided to put on my big girl u.n.d.i.e.s and just do it – write it and hit publish. I don’t hesitate to hit publish much, but this one has my finger hovering. :)

If it gets just one of you to make more time to take care of YOU for just a few minutes a day, it’ll be worth it.

And now…I am hitting…publish.

THE PAPER

Well, last week it was the craft/tool/decorative stuff area in our basement, and that before was pret-ty bad. This week I’m tackling the clutter that doesn’t make a big mess physically, but it does take up a lot of space in my head. It’s presence wears on me, makes me feel completely unorganized and occasionally costs us money.

It’s the PAPER. (Dun dun duuuun.)

I swear to you – it is the one thing I just can’t get it figured out. It. drives. me. NUTS.

It’s like laundry. I ignore it as much as possible. :)

But like laundry, it’s kinda hard to ignore. Bills and socks and all that good stuff. Drats.

My process with paper that comes in our home is to not really bring it into our home. I let it pile up in my car till it’s just ridiculous. Then when I can’t find the so-and-so bill, I grab it all, dump it on the floor and sort.

That happens about once a month. Or so. Or less. Whatever.

Anyway, I’m determined to conquer the PAPER this year. No more junk mail as the floor mat in the car. I’m going to figure. it. out! YEAH!

But first, I needed to go through the piles we already have. And it ain’t pretty people. We’ve had piles going in the basement for quite a while now – and I knew I had to address those before I started a new paper process.

The first pile was just random papers, cards, stuff that I had laying around:

Not so bad huh? Yes, it is so bad, but once you see the other piles, you’ll realize this was CAKE.

My problem with the papers is not having a spot for them as soon as they get in the house. (Because the file cabinets have been stuffed to the gills for ummm…years.)

My other problem is I’m a bit of a hoarder when I comes to the paper stuff. I keep cards from birthdays and anniversaries forever and ever and EVER. I also keep little pieces of paper that are a memory for me – ticket stubs, business cards from favorite restaurants, whatever. It’s one of those things I just can’t give up. I think I’m going to start scanning them all into the computer, so I can save the words and memories, but still keep some space.

After the first batch, I had this pile to shred:

Funny how the pile looks so innocent and short. It was a TON of paper.

It was when I addressed the next set of files that I realized something:

The teeny tiny shredder that overheats in two minutes just wasn’t going to cut it. :)

I went out and got the biggest, baddest shredder I could find (at Target):

Awww yeah – POWERSHRED baby!! :)

I need that sucker by the time I went through the last of the files:

Hold me. Please?

It took forever. I’ve been at this for three days now. Well not three days, 24/7 – but you know. It’s taken a long dang time.

The latest shred pile:

It’s killing me – I’m only through half of that pile, and I have THREE trash bags full:

I will never, ever buy gift bag stuffing again. :) And I’ll be vacuuming up this stuff for weeks from all over the house. Awesome.

All of this is going heading out to be recycled when I’m done. I’m betting I’ll have seven trash bags.

THAT IS INSANE.

Some things I’ve realized when it comes to the paper clutter:

1. Being organized saves you money. I found a warranty for our windows we didn’t know about, and we have two that need to be replaced. SCORE!

2. I don’t really need to keep ALL of my class schedules from college. Really.

3. I think I’ll get by without the product pamphlet for our $10 can opener. Maybe.

4. We will never, ever go back to credit card debt:

(Two years worth of credit card bills.)

5. Three trips to the hospital in pre-term labor and then five days in the hospital when the Bub finally came (three weeks early!) equaled some crazy debt that added to that pile up there. :) (I think I had blocked those numbers out – sheesh.)

6. And finally – it’s funny how some things never change:

All these – still true 25 years later. Hate my ears, still don’t make my bed, stay up way too late, still hit snooze about five times in the morning, hate math, eat too much, and still hate to change my sister’s diaper.

HA! (Love ya Stink Eye.)

I just have one little pile left to sort through – then I’m reorganizing it ALL. I’ll show you my (new) methods soon and let you know if they work. :)

So, is paper your nemesis? Have you ignored the growing piles for years like me? Or have you found a process that works? Do tell! PLEASE. I’m begging.

But first, we declutter

Hey all! WHEW – I have been working my tail off on our basement over the past week. It’s been exhausting, liberating and a little disturbing all in one. :)

Every single year in January, I start a massive decrapification of our house. I go room by room, putting all the STUFF I’m not sure about in the basement. And then after I’m done with every. single. room…I start on the basement.

That’s usually around August, just in time for the fall decor bins to start creeping out. And then the holiday mess in the basement begins…mixed in with the rest of the stuff from the house.

It’s a recipe for an absolute disaster. I feel like I’m working on cleaning out the basement constantly, all year long…because I am. Gah. What’s that definition of insanity again?

I finally realized a solution this year – first of all, I need to start with the basement. Then I’ll have a spot for the STUFF from the rest of the house. And if I don’t have a spot, I’ll know it’s gotta go. Which brings me to my next revelation – we have way, way, way too much stuff.

I know, I say that a lot, and I get rid of a lot every month…every year. But as I get older, my tolerance for stuff is getting less and less. I just don’t want anything that’s not meaningful, pretty, or useful in our home. If it’s not one of those things to us, it’s OUTTA HERE.

Buh bye. Don’t let the door hit you in the patoot.

So, with all of that in mind, I started with the basement last week. The befores are not pretty. Prepare yourself.

My craft “room” started like this last week (excuse the poor iPhone pics):

It’s like this half of the year, and did I mention I’m SO OVER IT?

I ask you, who can craft in this?:

 

Holy cats, it’s giving me hives just looking at the pictures. Did I mention I was over. it? This is the very last time I will have to do this – mark my words.

It helps to have thousands of people mark your words. ;)

I’ll give you a little tour of the space first, because I’m just so darn proud of it! First, the wrapping shelves, which were filled before:

I keep a TON of gift bags – so I went through all of them and tossed (or donated) any that weren’t in great shape, or that I just didn’t like. If I wouldn’t have picked it out myself, it was gone.

Why? Because otherwise I knew it would continue to sit there for YEARS (like some of them had). And I was over. it.

I also had so many little random gift boxes – boxes I’ve kept for probably 10 years now. Seriously…OH EM GEE. Will it kill me to get a box from the dollar store if I need one?

Ridiculous. You can’t see in that picture above, but the bottom two shelves are now pretty much empty. It is a glorious thing.

WHOOHOO!!

Next up is my crafty stuff. This area was more reorganizing than purging:

I separated everything into categories -- wood crafts, random crafty stuff, paint, ribbon, contact paper/wallpaper and a big bin at the bottom that holds all holiday crafts.

By the way, do you see that empty spot on the shelf? Gleeeee!

My decorative stuff is next:

This was a HUGE purge – and it wasn’t easy. I had to pry a few things out of my own hands. I held each piece in my hand and asked myself – have I used it lately? Do I love it? How much would it cost to replace? Do I love it?

Do I really, really, I’m-not-even-kidding, this-is-insane, REALLY love it? If not, gone.

(I still think I kept too many candles, but you should have seen what I had before.)

On a quick side note – I’ve used these plastic shelves for years and luuurve em! They hold a ton of weight, it takes about five minutes to put them together, and they’re cheap! I’ve gotten them from both Target and Lowe’s.

I like to install the shelves backwards for decorative stuff, so there’s a little lip at the front edge:

It keeps things from sliding off. :)

I was determined to only use what I had to organize everything, so a lot of the stuff is in random baskets:

Looks like a farmer’s market, eh? ;)

It’s hard for me to part with lamps. They’re not cheap and they’re so easy to redo -- but they take up so much space. I moved them up to the top so they are out of the way:

Next up – the tools (happy sigh):

I’ll tell you right now – I don’t purge tools. :) Tools (usually) aren’t cheap, and if I buy something – I know I’ll use it. It stays.

Back away from the tools peeps!

I keep the major power tools in the garage, but the smaller ones I keep in small bins down here:

 

I’ve had them organized like this for years and it works great (for me!). I can’t do a big toolbox – the organizer in me needs separation and labels. ;)

The last set of shelves is one I’m pretty excited about. First of all, because it’s half empty:

Secondly, because I decided I want a mini-pantry of sorts down there. Not for food, but for entertaining pieces, party supplies, surplus paper products – all that stuff that I don’t have room for upstairs.

LOVE!! :)

(YES, you can see adult diapers sticking out of one bin, and NO they are not for us. :) We use them as piddle pads for pee cat. Long, long, story.)

Many of you have seen my craft table:

The table is really a large, (nasty), metal folding table. I covered the top in fabric and then hot glued a “skirt” around it (with cheap muslin). Talk about a transformation! It’s so dang cute, I can’t even stand it!!

My life is complete with colorful supplies, a picture of my baby Bub, a coaster for my hot chocolate and my silicon hot pad that I rest the hot glue gun on:

:)

I found a spice organizer at Goodwill forever ago and knew it would be perfect for the glitter:

I hung it up on the pole next to my table and it’s just perfect!

My craft room -- purged, organized and with EMPTY space:

I feel about 150 pounds lighter. :)

I like decluttering and it was still a monster. But I’m SO glad I got this done, and in January? I’m ready to tackle the rest of the house!

Maybe next week. ;)

Let’s take a look at the before and after again, shall we? Cause it’s pretty fantastic!!:

It took four days of working down there every free minute. But it was so worth it – I’m just not doing it ever. again. Did I mention that? ;)

Sooo…what are YOU working on? Spill it! It can’t be as bad as my before. Really.

P.S. Anything I don’t want the Bub to get to it placed up on the higher shelves. He doesn’t get into any of my stuff anyway. Yes, he’s that good. :)

P.P.S. I’m taking some of stuff to Goodwill, some to the consignment shop. That’s my standard after-purge protocol.

The plan, Stan. (Or Squeezies)

Heya! Hope you had a fantastic weekend! I spent most of my free moments working on the (final. serious this time. never again.) decrapifying of our basement. I tell you what – I LOVE it!! Oh my, getting rid of crap is best feeling.

But more on that in a bit. :)

My friend the Nester, (did you SEE her bedroom redo??) had a Home Goals party last week that really got me thinkin’. I have all these ideas in my head for our home and what I’d like to accomplish this year. I love talking houses and DIY and decorating, and I thought who better to talk shop with than all of you SQUEEZies.

Now, like Nester mentioned – decorating/DIY/our house is my hobby and my passion and kind of my job?? (Crazy by the way. Best. job. ever.) So my list is long and a bit exhausting for most.

But thinking of it makes me GIDDY. Gleeeee!

So let’s start, shall we? In no particular order, mind you.

I started our mini kitchen redo last umm…May.

I know…it’s been a teensy little while. (For shame.) Most of it’s done – but there’s still a few projects left to do. I need to install some glass fronts on a few of the cabinets. (Hiring out for that one – cutting our cabinet doors would make me pass. out. Sceered.)

I still need to touch up a ton of paint, install crown (which will have to go around the whole great room), and then finish up some accessory projects. I’m also considering a light fixture over the island:

If I do, I’ll remove the pendant light above the sink to open it up. But I’m not doing a thing until I see some pictures in Photoshop. :)

I started a little reworking of the master bedroom a few months ago, but I didn’t want to do any major DIY projects in the room. I did OK with that whole “nothing major” till I decided a month or so ago I wanted to add molding to the whole space. It doesn’t have a lick of it yet:

And I just can’t have that. :)

I also have a Craigslist dresser I need to figure out what to do with (I swear I’ll show you soon!), figure out some new accessories and I think I’m going to repaint the wall behind the bed:

(Older pic, it looks different now. Gotta finish that up too. :) )

I’m just really over those stripes. WAY. They’ve been around for about almost five years. I’ve loved them long time but I’m ready to say buhbye. (You can see more on how I did those here.)

And speaking of finishing projects, I’ve shown you the (slow) progress on my office:

It’s shaping up to be my most dramatic before and after ever. But oh my…much to do still. Woodwork out the wazoo, drapes, recovering cushions, accessories, art, organizing…whew. But FUN. I picked up a few little accessories today that got me excited about getting the board and batten done already so I can get on to the fun stuff. :)

There’s a few rooms I’d like to update a bit this year – first, the downstairs powder room:

I love our chocolate brown dining room, but brown for potty? Really? ;) I do like it, I’m just ready for a change. And I am O.V.E.R. the stencils. Done.

I have no clue what color I’m going to paint it – but it’ll come to me. Some day.

And our guest room (that was stepdaughter’s room) isn’t the most luxurious space for our guests right now:

:) It just about screams GIRL. I’ve already changed the layout of the room and ditched the purple and pink bedding. Now (again) I just need to decide on a color. I’ve had a swatch of grey up on the wall for a year now (no lie), but I’m not doing any painting till I find some inspiration for the room. (In bedding I hope!)

And finally…our two biggest projects of the year. (**We HOPE.)

Since we’ll be debt free soon (except the house), we plan to finally, finally, FINALLY going to finish our basement:

That’s the plan anyway. We say that every. year. But this year we are serious dang it!! Because we’ll be able to pay for it with “cash,” we think this may finally be the year it happens. Finally.

It’s pretty basic really – we already have (most) of the outlets and light fixtures we’ll need. It just needs framed out, electrical and drywall done. Then we need to figure out flooring. And oh yeah, there’s a bathroom that needs to be finished too. Ummm…maybe not so basic. We don’t know yet if we’ll hire a contractor to do it all, or contract everyone out separately for each project.

Anyone out there had a basement finished recently? Did you do it yourself, hire someone to do it all, or hire out to a bunch of folks?

To say I’m excited is a bit of an understatement. The cleaning of another 800+ square feet? Not so excited. But I’ll deal. :)

Actually, I clean down there already, since we really do use the space. That brings me to the decluttering – I’m SEE REE US about it this time. I can’t even imagine the pain it’s going to be finishing it off and dealing with all the stuff we have down there. Don’t. even. want to think about it.

The other BIG project is one that has me positively giddy – it’s a redo of a room that’s less than 40 square feet, but it will be a HUGE change.

I want to revamp our laundry/mud room:

Pretty basic – new paint and finishing the beadboard I never finished.

But my dream, my wish, my heart’s desire…is to move the washer and dryer out and make it a TRUE mud room.

Like, with built ins, cubbies, storage, a ton of coat hooks -- all of it. All of that fantastically wondrous, beautiful, amazing stuff. :)

Why? Because 99.9 percent of the time, the room looks like this:

You think I’m kidding. I’m soooo not kidding. I wish I was. It’s a rare day around here that we can walk through the space without hopping over clothes. Having the laundry right in the way of our entry and exit (how many times a day?) drives me absolutely bonkers. Mad. CRAY-ZAY.

The washer and dryer will either be moved up a level or down one. There are pros and cons to both locations, but either will be a million times better than what we have going on now.

Cause what we have now is madness. :)

The first step is to get a plumber out here to give us an estimate. From there we’ll decide if it’s gonna happen. And I really, really want it to happen.

You have no idea.

Anyone know of a quality, inexpensive plumber in the Indy area? Let me know. For reals. I will love him (or her!) forever and ever, amen.

So there you go – our DIY/decorating list around the TDC casa for 2011. Will any of it happen? I hope so. Will all of it? Highly doubt it. :) But it’s fun to dream.

Do you have any redos, DIY projects, major renovations coming up this year? Do tell – I love this stuff!! :)