Is it worth remodeling?

 Some will say it is worth a specified amount to do certain things when remodeling for increased resale value.

I think whether or not you remodel your home might depend on what you are renovating and why you are remodeling.

We have been in our 1920s forever home for over 40 years.

We replace furniture as our needs changed. We still have our bedroom suite, some bookcases, and an entertainment center turned curio display. We have actively diminished the home's furniture to yield more open walk space in each room.

We put up a fence to keep dogs out and protect our daughter.

We have roofed the home four times—the last a metal roof.

We replaced the old windows with double-pane tilt windows—the energy savings they gave us recouped the price in four years.

We redid the flooring on the front porch four times, the last with a new type of composite means we should never have to do it again.

We changed the living floor coverings twice—the last was a floating composite wood flooring.

We did a floating composite wood flooring on the two bedrooms while we did the living room.

We put down commercial linoleum in the bathroom, hallway, and kitchen—it is time to do something different there.

We installed sheetrock in the bathroom and have replaced all the fixtures, including the tub—added grab bars.

We’ve painted the second bedroom three times.

Hubby puttied all the holes in the living room paneling, and we painted it.

We tore out the suspended ceiling and sheetrocked them in three rooms. I love the 10-foot tall rooms.

We added ceiling fans in some of the rooms.

We changed out lighting fixtures as lighting advancements have occurred over the years.

We have removed a double chimney and another small chimney—installed custom closets in the spaces.

We remodeled three closets.

We have changed heating and hot water systems three times.

The last heating and air conditioning unit is a Trane heat-pump with a gas backup.

We will replace the water heater with a gas tankless model or two sometime in the future.

We had an attic wrap done and removed everything stored in the attic.

We added countless dump truck loads of topsoil to the yard—time for a few more.

We added countless loads of gravel in the driveway.

We’ve removed diseased trees—5 of them, the last professionally.

We added grab rails at the front step entrance.

We added a 24′ by 40′ garage.

We added a 10′ by 14′ she shed.

We need to completely redo our back kitchen entrance for safety and mobility reasons.

Did these things increase our home’s worth? Some, but not necessarily by the amount we spent.

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat, given the same circumstances.

We are making and maintaining our home as our castle. I’ve been in this home for almost 44 years now.

Since retirement and Covid, I am determined to go the minimalization route. Familiarity and frequently dusting something means I can now let it go!

Will I do any more remodeling? Of course, but only if it increases the quality of our lives!

Common Sense Health Advice--You can do more when you feel good!

 

Common Sense Health Advice

Greet each day with meditation/prayer.

Concentrate on positive things.

Surround yourself with positive people.

Get enough sleep each night.

Don’t try to burn the candle at both ends.

Learn to say “no,” to requests.

Make time for your family, put them on your schedule.

Spend as much time reading the Bible as you spend on your phone or answering email.

Admit when you are wrong.

Do not bear grudges, forgive.

Always tell your family and friends you love and appreciate them as you separate each day.

Eat a healthy diet.

Drink enough water.

Get enough exercise.

Secretly help someone each day.

Give of yourself, your time, your talents.

Keep on top of daily tasks.

Cherish memories, not things.

Take any medications as per instructions.

Don’t take illegal drugs and some legal ones.

Try to learn something new each day.

Think for yourself; be an individual.

Be the person that you would want for a friend.

[If you don’t like yourself, why should anyone else like you?]

Be slow to anger and quick to forgive.

Work for what you want.

Be satisfied with what you can afford.

A self-comfortable person will be happier and healthier throughout her or his life than that one who finds fault with others.

Remember, both joy and laughter are contagious.

Do you need a separate space for crafting?

 A craft and sewing room needs to be a separate space for several reasons.

• You need space to lay out patterns for cutting material.
• You don’t want to have to put up what you are working on every time you do the activity.
• It would be best if you had a place to store your supplies.
• You are more likely to do a craft or sewing if the supplies are easy to access.
• A dedicated space keeps the unfinished project’s cluttered appearance in one area.
• You will not lose supplies when shifting from one space to another.
• Safety reasons. Your designated space is as safe and organized as possible.

Hum,

• I have laid out sewing patterns (using a cutting board, pins, patterns, and tape measure) on my queen size bed. Have you ever rolled over and planted a straight pin into your flesh?
• Have you ever stepped barefooted onto a straight pin misplaced in your carpet?
• Has a child ever picked up hazardous (to them) materials when you were in a shared space?

Craft supplies can be dangerous for children and others—paint, chemicals, glues, components, finishes, tools, and etcetera.

Lockable drawers, an armoire, shelving with doors, a closet, a room—all with locks can create safe storage and work areas for your crafts and sewing room.

Things for safe storage can include the following items.

• Sturdy tables.
• Shelving.
• Drawers.
• Containers.
• Iron and ironing board secured.
• Extra ventilation if needed.
• Cutting supplies are secure.
• Master power switch.
• Lockable doors.

How you set up a craft space depends on the craft and the supplies needed.

Oh, I almost forgot. Setting up a designated organized space will help you save money.

How? You will be able to find what you need and will not be purchasing unnecessary duplicates!

Have you changed your interior design lately?

A Quora question, "How has your interior design style changed since the stay-at-home orders?"

The short version of my answer to the above question is that I minimized and created an easier to clean household.

• I am opening walk-ways and decreasing the items I must dust.
• After regularly viewing some items, I find they can go— somewhere, anywhere, but my home. [Certain sentimental items may never leave.] Many things may find new homes with other family members, friends, or charities.
• [We used to walk the malls, and I would get ideas for crafts and decorations in the home.] Since I retired two years ago and am now staying at home by edit, I find myself minimalizing my decore.

Kitchen

• We’ve removed a bar counter in the kitchen—creating more walk space in the computer area.
• I’ve reorganized the layout of the contents of the kitchen cabinets for easier access. [I’m cooking three meals a day instead of only one.]
• My necessary staple pantry has grown, so I now have repurposed some shelving to hold additional supplies.
• We swapped the location of the refrigerator and mobile dishwasher, putting the dishwasher next to the sink.

Craft/library/bird Room

• We’ve gifted two exercise machines to family and friends. [Organized craft/library/bird room to allow more space. [Our exercise needs/abilities had changed since the initial purpose over ten years ago.]

Living Room

• We’ve given two side chairs away.
• We’ve replaced two lounge chairs in the living room with a lovely reclining loveseat.

Three Room Swap

• I’ve rearranged and repurposed three tables and accompanying chairs, swapping the placement to different rooms from the original.

Next on the list—in no particular order for a charity fundraiser for veterans.

• Magazines
• Books
• Decorative items in the living room
• Clothes closet

Time to shred since it is tax time

• Paperwork

Breaking the Clean Plate MIndset

 I grew up in a clean plate era. If you put it on your plate, then you ate it, or else.

It has been a bad habit to break. I have now given myself permission to (gasp) throw away food—Hum, “why,” you might ask. The answer, plain and simple, is that I may throw away food for the good of my health.

Do not shame people because they don’t want to eat all of the food on their plates. Overeating leads to weight gain and being overweight, which then leads to a host of health problems. Portion control is out of control in the US, at least where we dine out. We often share an entree, sometimes the complete meal. I’ll get a side salad or possibly a baked potato.

As to eating at buffets, I start with a small portion of protein (palm size), multiple small amounts of low-carb cooked vegetables (less than a tablespoon each). Then I will have a dessert or a starchy vegetable with another small portion of a different protein. No food waste on my part unless the food is inedible as in under/over-cooked, tastes off, over-salted, or I can taste or feel the effect of flavor enhancers in the protein or vegetables.

Experience shows that allowing small portions of different foods at the same meal results in less food being wasted and cutting down on overeating.

When I cook at home or for groups, I freeze left-overs immediately after the meal is eaten. No food waste occurs. Leftovers are factored into succeeding meals or meal dishes. I also fix items that are child-friendly and suitable for diabetic or low-carb diets. 

I will do research into Keto and Palo diets before I cook my next large family gathering meal. I believe a steamed California blend of vegetables or the addition of a small salad will be a plus to the menu. I may possibly add steamed broccoli and cauliflower with a cheese sauce on the side. Yes, there will be a variety of salad dressings, including oil and vinegar-based dressings.

Needless to say, I observe safe-serve food practices.

System to handle waste and recycle items

 How can we use innovative ways by using drawers and organizers to decrease the amount of time that we spend dealing with (collecting, sorting, and getting rid of) waste materials at home and work?

This appears to be rather a rather broad question. 

A trash can is necessary for trash of course.

Use earth-friendly shopping bags, non-disposable.

However, if recycling is available have a trash can for the following items and sort them according to the service’s demands--you may need more than one can.

• Glass
• Plastic
• Paper-recycle
• Paper-shred
• Aluminum
• Metal

Incoming paper is tricky as there is a seemingly endless supply, some of which contains sensitive information.

Non-sensitive paper products

• Sort incoming mail, magazines, ads, promotional, time-sensitive as it comes into the home or office. Bins might be handy for this stage of organizing.
• Unsubscribe from paper copies of magazines, newspapers, promotional items if you can get convert the subscription to online versions.
• A verticle magazine rack limits the number of hard copies retained.
• Recycle or Shred what you can.

Bills and sensitive information

• Put the incoming bills in a separate hanging folder to reduce visual clutter.
• After paying or recording the amount of a bill, file the paperwork.
• File (in those drawers and organizers) paid bills, medical information, etcetera.
• Put the newest bills, reports to the front of the file folder.
• If the information must be available for a 7-year tax accounting-place the information in a dated file box -Year Ending and store the box in a position where you can see the date.
• Remove and shred the information when the time frame is up. Keep the tax return itself.

Have a mobile file folder for “must keep items” such as legal documents, insurance proof, birth certificates, copy of bank account numbers, social security information, etcetera. 

Renovation Cleaning

 You gather your supplies, including the following, to clean after a renovation in the house. Hopefully, you have created a containment barrier separating the renovation area from adjacent areas.

Personal equipment

• long-sleeved shirt
• slacks or jeans
• hat or hair cover
• socks and sturdy shoes

Cleaning supplies

• goggles
• mask
• cleaning gloves
• trash cans and liners
• broom
• dustpan
• sponge mop
• mop
• pail
• cleaning solutions
• spray bottles
• water
• rags/sponges

Method

• Remove any large debris first
• Clean working top to bottom, Right to the left—in a circle
• Sweep, vacuum, wash windows, walls, ceilings, fixtures
• Clean any furniture remaining in the renovation area
• Check adjoining rooms for dust, etc

Under-rated Kitchen Things

 Knowledge is power.

A basic beginner's cookbook, with cooking times, definitions, illustrations, and recipes can be a God-send for the new cook. I learned at my mother’s knees—literally. Many of today’s residents do not know kitchen basics or skills. I’m noticing the increased presence of prepared foods on the grocery shelves and in the grocery freezers. Just pop in the microwave or oven.

I consider a good set of kitchen knives and the skill to use them one of the most underrated things in a kitchen. A good cook will have a preferred favorite or unique knives that no one else can use.

The cutting boards that go with the knives.

A waterproof apron. I have ruined multiple outfits preparing meals or during the cleanup—grease, sanitizer, bleach.

Gloves—all types—Dishwashing gloves, gloves for food prep, gloves for removing hot foods from the oven.

Heatproof forearm sleeves and potholders. I have the scars to prove hot oven racks can burn.

A heavy-duty stand mixer—labor saver when making cakes, bread, meringue, whipped cream.

Dry and Wet Measuring cups and Spoons for consistency

Cooking and Baking Pans

Prep bowls

Serving bowls

A double sink-I’d love a home version of a triple one.

Relationship with Things

 My husband and my grandparents and parents were survivors of wars— when want was rampant and little could be purchased. They made minimalists today look like amateurs.

I went the other way, became a packrat. I am now a recovering packrat through necessity and preference.

Hum, why?

• I had to go through the things that hubby’s parents had in their outbuildings. (They kept things from their holiday home after they sold it.) If it worked or could be fixed, they kept it. The inside of the house was minimalist.
• My mom’s house was always minimalist. Both parents were disabled—money was always tight.
• Family and friends have physical disabilities, and I want them able to visit my home safely.
• I don’t want to clean and dust around the stuff anymore.
• We are starting on the second year of staying at home—I’m tired of looking at all this stuff I need to dust. Time to practice Swedish Death Cleaning—some more (for the smaller things.)

How?

• Visit staged homes for inspiration.
• Give everything a specific “home.”
• Rein in collections to “special” pieces, not just pieces that are part of the large collection.
• Put pictures on a flash drive and “slide show” them.
• Finally, I have more time to enjoy family and friends with less maintenance cleaning, read, write, and enjoy crafting!

Ouch!

This spring, I’m tackling my “she-shed.”

• I’ve been trying to downsize it for the last few years; however, life got in the way!
• It is time. We are through remodeling our home, and some of the things I kept for the remodel can now go to a new home or a charity organization.
• I have craft supplies; I want to complete or create gift craft packages or donate to an organization where residents can use the supplies.
• I plan on organizing my catering supplies better and taking a thorough inventory.

For the future.

• It is time to give back.
• It is time to share.
• It is time to let go and soar!

Remodeling and Aging-in-Place

 Our remodeling has been done over the years as we could afford to do things—no debt incurred except with the last heating and airconditioning system.

We bought a mill house built somewhere 1920-1925. It was one of the last built in our neighborhood. My father-in-law said 1925 (living in the community at the time)—the deed lot says mill survey is 1920.

We’ve been in the 1100 sq foot house for 44 years.

Things that we have done.

• Four roofs—first and last used contractors, we did the other two but paid day laborers for some help. The last rooftop is metal; add ice guards to save gutters.
• Nine dump trucks of top-soil in the front yard, ten or so loads of gravel, one load of granite dust, extra pipe to widen the driveway, topsoil in the backyard—-contractors and the use of spreaders by contractors
• Wrapping the attic—contractor
• Attic Blown-in insulation—ourselves
• Fixing the gutters and front porch—contractor once, ourselves three times
• Twelve Double pane windows—contractor
• Tearing up carpet—ourselves
• Tearing down the double chimney—ourselves
• Putting down floors—ourselves
• Plumbing—ourselves
• Bathroom—ourselves (tearing out the chimney, installing cabinets, installing a sink, flooring, installing a taller low-water commode, installing grab bars, installing toilet paper and paper towel holder, flooring, molding, painting, sheetrock)
• Shower—contractor
• Heating systems—contractors
• Electric updates—contractor
• Painting, molding, doorway & window surround—ourselves
• Closet remodels—ourselves
• Small storage building—contractor
• Large garage—a combination
• Pole building and roof—contractor
• Concrete—contractor
• Dividing wall—contractor and ourselves
• Electric—contractor and ourselves
• Inside and outside walls—ourselves
• Siding—contractor and ourselves
• Garage door—ourselves and contractor
• Lighting and fans—ourselves
• Trane heat pump and gas backup pack—contractor
• Tree removal—ourselves and contractor

Things we need to do—on the list for the upcoming years

• Make the back entrance more accessible—add rails, a concrete step topper, covering, repair back wall from rain damage
• Cosmetic repair to the eves and wood areas not covered by siding
• Flooring in the dining and kitchen areas needs another upgrade
• Refurbish kitchen cabinet facings
• Swedish Death Cleaning
• More topsoil for front and back yards
• Upgrade landscaping
• The garage needs a new roof—metal and a contractor

Notes

• Get a contractor if you do not have the necessary skills.
• If you add a metal roof to an older home, plan on sheathing the rooftop. We contracted for slats and a heavy waterproof underlayer. That did not work well. We paid additional (over the original quote) to get the roof sheathed in plywood. The contractor wanted to go hourly on the additional work.
• Wood rafters warp over the years, and the metal will not lay right. There will be ripples. We wanted a finished quote. The change added $3500.00 to the $11,500 bill.
• Don’t pay an hourly rate—pay a total job completion rate.
• Get a contractor if you do not have the necessary skills.
• Have a start and completion date in the contract—with a penalty for the contractor or a discount for the homeowner if the task is not finished on time. Our roofing job was supposed to be completed before Thanksgiving. My garage sat full of roofing for a month before Thanksgiving and well into the new year.
• Pay contractors to install, spread, and pack dirt and gravel.
• Yard surface will “sink” years later after the removal of trees—roots eventually decay.
• Do remodeling sooner rather than later—supplies and labor are rising.
• Physical strength can decline with age.
• Don’t put wood chips around the outer foundation of your home—termites.
• Install low maintenance plants and ground cover.
• Install daylight and led lighting.
• Eliminate threshold strips between rooms
• Allow for space beside doors for entering and leaving rooms—wheelchair, walkers, crutch, cane users.
• Have landing zones at entrances.
• Maximize open floor space in rooms.
• Remove clutter, tripping, and falling hazards.

I could keep going; however, one must close sometimes.

Laying out a Dining Room

 Dining room layouts will vary depending on the needs of each household. Remember to leave a walk space behind each chair when a person is seated in the chair. Dining Layouts Dimensions & Drawings | Dimensions.com

It is nice to have a side table for food or beverages if people are doing self-service, so they will not be entering the kitchen area. Some people have a lovely cabinet for display service pieces.

Separate dining rooms don’t seem to exist in homes with open floor plans. Kitchen cabinets hold the display pieces, and the kitchen island may serve as the sideboard.

I like the idea of having a “Butler’s Pantry” near the dining table in an open floor plan. A bar sink, a counter, an under-the-counter small fridge, cabinet space for glasses and extra dessert plates, tablecloths, and serving dishes or platters. 45 Functional Butler's Pantries With Endless Charm

Our small retirement home doesn’t have a dining room, although I’m setting up the second bedroom as an occasional dining space. What would have been our dining room is now our computer room.

The dining room’s layout is pretty much up to the homeowner. 

Minimalizing in 2021?

 I think people will be minimalizing in 2021. Why?

• We have stayed mostly at home for 2020, and 2021 doesn’t look to be any different.
• The people who clean, and clean, and clean are getting tired of cleaning, and dusting, and mopping, and vacuuming around “stuff.”
• They are tired of begging, pleading, or nagging other housemates or family members to help clean, organize, or put things away.
• Solution—get rid of the expletive stuff so they will not have to clean around it, and it will not collect as clutter.

Doing so will not be quick and painless. It will require a strong will and fearless determination.

Compromise before Drastic Measures

• Boxes of stuff sitting around collecting dust. Date the box, and if you don’t go in it for a predetermined time—let it go.
• Clothing on the floor—Clean all of it and put it up. Sort and reduce items until they fit the available space. Add hampers to each bedroom. Add a valet chair or chair with arms and a place for shoes underneath. Add clothes hooks or a clothes rack.
• Dishes not getting washed—Box it up and reduce place settings to 2 for each household person. Hide the rest away or let it go.
• Toys must fit the shelves or in the closets. Provide containers. On the floor—gather it up into time out, ransom it with chores or good behavior.

Declare a “No Purchase 3-Month Moratorium.” Decide that no one may purchase new items to join the collection that is already within the home.

Organizing Clothing

 Basics in Organizing a Wardrobe

There are a few different thoughts on organizing clothing. It would be best if you choose which works best for you.

• Hang matching outfits together.
• Put seasonal outfits together.
• Put dressy or work or sports outfits together.
• Put matching purses, belts, and shoes together.
• Put color codes together.

However, I think some methods might differ from the above because there are not ample closet spaces for most people.

Here’s what we did in our home.

Both of us have a tall 6-drawer dresser. We use different, drawer specific combinations for storing our clothing.

• The top two drawers are for seldom worn articles of underwear, stockings, etcetera.
• The most often worn underwear are in the two middle drawers.
• The bottom two drawers are summer and winter wear, which we trade out according to seasonal changes.

Each of us has half of our eight-foot-wide, twenty-three-inch deep closet to use. We divide it down the middle.

His Side

Hanging items

• The top pole (running front to back) has short sleeve dress shirts.
• The bottom pole (running front to back) has long sleeve dress shirts.

Shelves containing clothing from top to bottom

• Sweaters
• Lounge pants/shorts
• Tee shirts
• Tee shirts
• Tee shirt/rarely worn dressier pants.
• Jeans

Underneath the shelves are the shoes.

Her Side

Hanging items

• The top pole (running front to back) has two and three-piece outfit sets, skirts, dresses.
• The bottom pole (running front to back) has long sleeve dress shirts, short sleeve dress shirts, lightweight jackets.

Shelves containing clothing from top to bottom

• Sweaters
• Sweaters
• Tee shirts
• Tee shirts
• Tee shirt/rarely worn dressier pants.
• Jeans

Underneath the shelves are the shoes.

The space between the shelves and the hanging clothes are two hooks are two wall hooks to hang purses.

Notes

• I don’t wear many long-sleeved blouses as I tend to ruin the sleeves at the wrist doing things around the house. Sweaters and light-weight jackets fill that void.
• Yes, I am proactive in folding the clothing so that it fits on the shelves.
• When all our clothing is clean, it fits the available space.
• I keep a bag nearby to place clothing that we don’t want to wear anymore to give it away.
• We have a separate closet for motorcycle gear and outdoor wear.
• Clothes hampers are at or in the bathroom.
• Similar colors are together in the closet. It is a natural progression as I wash similar colors together in the washing machine.

Financial Stability or more stuff?

Here is a point of view many people do not ask themselves as they contemplate purchases! How are you sitting financially? Before you buy more stuff, ask yourself these questions.

Am I paying all my bills on time?

Do I have a rainy day fund equal to three to six months' salary?

Can I pay off my credit cards in full each month?

Can I afford to pay a $2000 car repair bill immediately without using credit?

Why am I renting storage or using a storage building?

Do I have escrow savings accounts equal to or greater than the combined total of my medical deductible, vehicle insurance, homeowners/renter’s insurance, and the associated deductibles?

If you were to get hurt and be unable to work for a year or more, do you have enough saved not to lose everything?

If I had to move today, do I have enough for moving expenses, first and last month’s rent, and a deposit?

Am I saving money every pay period to be self-sufficient?

Unless you are in a good place financially, don’t buy more stuff. Dreams die when you are barely keeping your head above water.