Total House Makeover
How to stay inspired (and sane) during a total DIY house makeover - while living in the house.
part of a room, total room, or total house
Shifting Expectations
“Any goal can be accomplished with patience and hard work.”
Moving from a less expensive part of the country to a more expensive area required special planning. We knew we needed to downsize and minimize our “wants” list for our new home search. We could not expect the same spaciousness and amenities we had in the house we had left. This was especially hard because we had completely renovated our previous house. It is hard to go “backwards.” We needed to find a diamond in the rough.
Rather than focus on finding a move-in-ready home, we would focus on good bones and perfect location.
During our decision making process, we made a list of what was truly important to us. We knew we wanted to be located as close to Mount Rainier as possible, due to our love of the mountains. We also wanted to be AWAY from cities. Being able to quickly get to the Olympic Rainforest and Washington coastal areas was also important.
For the house itself, we wanted the following:
garden shed
large yard with plenty of space for gardens and entertaining
decent sized garage
one-level home
nice inside area for family gatherings
large kitchen
We found the perfect house (or - to give proper credit - our daughter found it). My husband had his shed, plus a great set-up in the garage - lots of built in storage for his tools and other toys. I got a “she shed”, with built-in shelves, for my gardening supplies. It was located alongside the house. The house had a beautiful, large deck - perfect for outdoor entertaining. A spacious family room, with cozy fireplace, would definitely be put to good use for family events.
The kitchen was not as large as I would have liked, and the house overall was smaller than what I had originally written down as a “must”, but the house had a fabulous view of Mt. Rainier, and it fulfilled the remainder of the list. Plus, the previous owners were master gardeners, and the yard was already beautifully landscaped.
The downside? It was definitely a diamond in the rough. The shed needed work, the exterior trim needed to be painted, an area of the deck needed to be replaced, and the inside? Oh, my. It would take a LOT of work, but we felt we were up to the task. The house was structurally sound, and the sellers took care of items that came up on inspection. However, it was vintage 1970’s. There would be a LONG list of work projects.
And the hardest part? We would be LIVING IN THE HOUSE during the entire overhaul.
Any goal can be accomplished with patience and hard work. The only problem was that I didn’t realize just how much hard work would be required. It has been SO worth it though. We are slowly getting the house we want, in a perfect location.
To read about our move (including living in a hotel for a month), go to: Move: Source Of Inspiration .
DIY Makeover - Why?
There are so many benefits to DIY. YOU are in charge:, you choose the style and quality of the materials, and you choose the professionals for skilled workmanship where needed. You also save enormous sums of money by doing any part of the make-over that you can do. What a feeling of accomplishment! You CAN learn new skills, and have a beautiful new room - just as you want it. No waiting on contractors.
Unless you have the skill, ALWAYS hire a professional for construction, plumbing or electrical changes. We hired professionals for those items when needed. For example, we removed the old flooring - then hired a professional company to install new floors throughout the house (my husband has laid floors, but not an entire house).
Read more on the benefits of DIY: Why DIY? As I state in that article, “Everyone should have basic life skills: survival, cooking, cleaning, sewing, carpentry, and natural medicine. It is important to gain skills needed in the workforce, but working for a company is not all there is to life. I do not want to be dependent on others for simple things that our ancestors knew how to do for themselves.”
Stay Calm & Inspired
Plan “escapes” - get out of your construction zone and find normalcy and peace as needed.
Keep the big picture in mind. We could not afford the home we wanted, if already done. By getting a “fixer” and doing the work ourselves, we were able to get all the key features we wanted, in the location we desired.
Yes, we heard the comment, “Oh wow! I couldn’t do this! I couldn’t live like this.” Well, it was tough at times. We lived with hanging sheets of plastic between rooms, the sounds of sanders and saws, and buckets of paint for a year. In the end, we have the cozy home we dreamed of.
One Step At A Time
For our first night in our new house, we inflated an air mattress. I was not about to put that directly on what I was sure was original 1970’s carpet, so we laid down a tarp first. The previous owners had kept up the place well (inspection results were good) but little was put into cosmetic updates. Everything looked and smelled OLD. I look at that photo now, 2.5 years later, and wonder how we got through it all. I am grateful for our willingness to put in the hard work.
“Before” - first night in the new house
At this point in time, I could only imagine what the house would become. As stated above, we worked one step at a time.
I started with thoroughly cleaning and painting the entire interior of the house. It felt at least somewhat livable at that point. I also cleaned, caulked (where necessary), sanded, and painted all window sills.
The next step was to remove the sparkly ceiling and all of the flooring. Wow! It was clean at that point. To see that done, go to:
painted - ceiling and flooring removed
The floors were just subfloor at this point, and dust was a constant problem. Plus, it was depressing after a while. It would be some time yet before getting new flooring, and I wanted the house to feel somewhat normal. I painted the floors. They looked better, and dirt and dust was no longer a problem. My father, an experienced carpenter, taught me that trick. I could almost pretend that our house was “normal.”
plywood subfloor painted
In between house projects, I worked in the yard. This got me outside of the mess of the house. After living in the desert for many years, I enjoyed seeing my new tulips bloom in the beautiful Northwest spring.
We also explored the area, hiking on the coast and in the mountains. Maintaining balance was crucial for our well-being. I needed to get out into nature often to keep our overall goals intact. We also spent time visiting family and friends in the area - all of whom were a large part of our moving to the Northwest.
keep life balanced
Once the floors were installed (one year after our arrival), our house took on much more of a “finished” look. There was still much to be done, however. My husband replaced all molding and doors, and he added trim and hooks in the living room. That was very helpful, because we had no “company closet.”
finished living room
Go For It!
We love our cozy cottage! It fits our lifestyle. We have time for hiking, biking, gardening, socializing, and enjoying our other hobbies. To read more about that, visit our lifestyle blog.
Keep your dreams alive. You cannot reach your goals without a plan.
Write down all steps. Assign dates and tasks. Believe in yourself and your dream. Make it happen.
There is still much to be done, but our home is now cozy and comfortable. I look forward to taking on new yard projects this summer.