Home Depot Classes

Hi All,

After watching TONS of HGTV I've decided that I want more hands-on home improvement skills. Specifically, I want to learn how to properly install tile so that I can install my backsplash by myself. So I decided to take classes.

Home Depot offers lots of courses for free!  Coincidentally, over the next few months, one of the classes being offered is how to cut, set, grout and seal tile. Yay!  If that goes well I will take a class in drywall repair and several others after that.  I have repaired drywall in the past but I might learn something new.

Eventually (way down the line), I would like to take an electrical class at a college so that I'm not so scared of wires.  I won't touch anything if it's related to electricity. I don't want to learn so that I can do the work...I want to know enough so that I'm sure I'm not being taken advantage of.

Just to be fair I was hoping that Lowes offered workshops as well. Unfortunately they only have workshops for kids.  :-(

Regardless, I'm looking forward to learning!

-Honey
187 Days to Go

Countdown To My Construction

Hi Friends,

My row of homes were the last ones sold in my development.  I know that I'm looking at a late August/early September start date for the construction of my home.  However, let's be realistic about the other homes that need to be done before mine.

In addition to mine, there are still 15 units that still need to be built.  Several of them have the exterior completed so things are moving along.

Financially, I'm holding my purse tight. I'm packing breakfast and lunch and I've stopped going out. I can't save money if I'm attending every event and party!

To get prepared for the move I'm working on throwing away all of the stuff I should have gotten rid of 9 months ago.  I moved with stuff that needed to be looked through, shredded and tossed because I was too busy.  It's all piled up in the garage.  I REFUSE to move with that stuff again.  I spent last weekend sorting and throwing away.  Thankfully I live in a complex that has a massive trash room.  I'm going to take advantage of it until I leave.

Additionally, a friend of mine is moving as well and is giving me a few items for my new home that I'm going to need since I'm up-sizing again. (As opposed to down-sizing.)  So now I really have to get a move on and clear out the garage!

-Honey 

More Home Improvement Ideas

Hi Friends,

My son turned me on to Houzz.com, and between that site and Pinterest I went down the rabbit hole into home improvement ideas.

There are a few things that I immediately want to alter as soon as I close on the house.  I want to get rid of the "builder grade" look that the guest bathroom and the powder room will have. You know what I mean - the standard mirrors with no framing and stark white fixtures. I want to jazz the bathrooms up and give the powder room some storage.

With the powder room I will have a pedestal sink with no storage at all.  Where do the extra rolls of toilet paper go? (I don't like having it sitting out in a basket or on a stand.) What about cleaning supplies? Two hours later I found several ideas for hiding the pedestal from the sink while offering storage.  Yay! I can finally put my circular saw to use!  (Yes, I own one...don't judge!)

I need to put time limits on my searches because one afternoon I started while the sun was up and the next time I looked away from the screen, the sun had set.  The struggle is real y'all!  LOL!

-Honey
189 Days to Go

I Had To Peek!

Hi Friends,

Although my development is only a year old I noticed that one of the homes was for sale.  I went online and saw that it was the same model as mine, it was an end unit on the right side (just like mine), and they were selling it for more than I was purchasing my home for. Score!

I was very curious because the model homes and all of the pictures on line show a left end unit - so everything is a mirror image of what I'm getting. Even the pictures of the middle units I've seen in blogs are set up like the left end unit.  Plus none of the models have a fireplace.  They tell me it will be placed on an angle in a corner in the rec room so I want to see what it will look like. (BTW, I asked about getting the fireplace put in the living room instead.  Unfortunately, it's in the rec room or nothing. It adds value for resale and it will be cozy on cold nights. I'm getting it anyway.)

So, I called my realtor so that I could get a peek!

It was awesome seeing everything as it actually will be for me without having to imagine it.  I'm not going to post pictures of the home online as it isn't mine - I wouldn't want anyone to post my home for their own purposes.  However, if you are looking to build, take the opportunity to take a peek!

-Honey
197 days left

Home Improvement

Hi,

I'm Honey and I'm a Home Improvement Television-aholic. 

My problem began back in the 90's when I would spend my Saturday mornings watching "This Old House" on PBS with Bob Vila and was inspired to do my own improvements.

• Dark wood paneling in the house?  I painted it with Gripper and then used the color of my choice.
• Purple, gray and brown carpet? I pulled the carpet up myself and found a hardwood floor
• Hardwood floor needs love?  I sanded and stained it myself.

Thanks Bob Vila!

Then we moved into the 2000's when Trading Spaces was all the rage.  Remember that show?  I wanted to be on the show so bad but there were rules.  You had to have a friend/neighbor within a certain proximity to your home.  Plus you had to be okay with their choices - be it straw on walls or pink carpet. 

Scary!  Regardless, I got a lot of great design ideas for my first home.

About 10 years ago I watched HGTV and the DIY networks constantly. However, I accepted that I wasn't going to spend time doing all of the projects I had in my head, so I stopped watching. 

Well, HGTV and DIY shows are now back in my viewing lineup. Although I'm having the house built there are projects (like the kitchen backsplash, soft close drawers and under cabinet lighting) that I'm going to do myself.

It's nice to see design ideas. Hopefully, this addiction doesn't get out of hand!

-Honey
203 days to go

They Got It Sold!

Hi All,

About 2 weeks ago I was sharing with you that I wanted the unit beside me sold (here). Construction on my unit could not begin until all three units in our building were purchased. I was very close to burying St. Joseph in the dirt by the lot number to help them out. Well, they got it sold!  

I was feeling some kind of way for a second because they threw in a free deck as an incentive to get it to move.  (I paid $5,000 for my deck.) However, I understand why they added the incentive...it was a middle unit.  That makes it harder to sell because everyone wants an end unit even though the end unit costs more.

Last week I met with my sales rep to review all of my options, add the additional outlets I need, and make final changes. 

Today I spent an hour looking at other houses for sale in my neighborhood.  Seeing other properties made me feel very comfortable with my design choices and my purchase overall. While looking at some of the pictures I said, "I like the kitchen in my house better."  MY HOUSE...I claimed it!

-Honey
209 days to go