Cleaning and Projects

I kind of stay to myself and don't have many visitors.  I'm even somewhat of a hermit.  And the inside of my house is NOT my pride and joy.  I could almost be happy in a log cabin and thresh floor, given a decent kitchen, stereo, plasma TV, Internet and waterbed.  And I'm sure the cats would be happy too. 

So my focus is mostly on the yard, cooking, excellent TV when I watch it, cats, and sleeping in comfort.  Dust bunnies on the floors do not bother me and what I can't see under the furniture matters even less.  I can go longer without vacuuming than you can imagine

I've been in my house for 30 years and I still have some of the original paint and carpet.  I smoke and the walls need cleaning.  Mostly, if something isn't broken, I don't worry about it much. 

But sometimes there is a visitor and I have to clean.  I used to have to do that about  once a month, but since I broke off with a friend 6 years ago and Dad had to move on to assisted-living several years ago, I haven't done much at all.  My house and I were going to slowly deteriorate together.  That's half humorous and half reality.  Most of you would cringe seeing the inside of the house.

My sister is visiting soon and I suddenly care about the inside.  I've been busy.  I filled 2 vacuum cleaner bags with dust bunnies.  I've been going around sweeping dust-webs out of the corners of the ceiling.  Tomorrow, I'll mop the vinyl and wood floors and vacuum the carpets. 

Today's project was to repaint the full bath.  It was overdue...  I had the tub and tiles replaced in May.  Of last year!  It had plaster repairs at the time, and I meant to repaint it then.  But there was always something else to do.  I have had the cleaning supplies, primer and paint and supplies sitting in a bag in the bathroom ever since. 

So yesterday I started doing it.  I used the TSP (trisodium phosphate) to wash the walls and ceiling.  The stuff works great, but needs several clean wipes after.  I used the (very clean) toilet has a convenient supply of clean rinse water.  It took 4 clean-water-wipes before I was satisfied it was gone.  When It all dried, I used a primer coat on the bare plaster.

Today I painted.  The taping of the edges was quite a job.  A bathroom has a LOT of edges (lights, outlets, tile, cabinets).  I have done a fair amount of painting (every apartment and house I've ever been in got thoroughly painted) because I don't like beige and white walls.  So the actual painting part is fairly easy.  Except that the ceiling needed painting also, that was awkward.

It only took 2.5 hours from opening the paint can to cleaning the brush and roller. 

I hated the color!  I didn't want a strong color in a small room, and a bathroom should be a relaxing color.  So I chose a very light green.  Picture  the innermost stalks of a bunch of celery and add a touch of gray...

I chose the color, the color matched the paint chip I gave the store, but it seemed so gray!  I decided I would have to mix more green into the paint and redo it.  But as it dried during the evening, it looked a lot better.  It was actually detectably greener as it dried.  It needs a 2nd coat, but it looks good enough for a visit.  And I still might add some green to the paint for the 2nd coat. 

At least now, I can rehang the shower curtain rod, the shower curtain, and the large mirror (for which I am surrounding with a stained wood frame that matches the cabinets and outlet covers).

I plan to do the kitchen Tuesday.  Everything is easier the 2nd time...

Wednesday will be for collecting clutter into boxes to hide away temporarily, LOL!  Also, cleaning the kitchen and putting all the stuff I use on occasionally into cabinets and closets.  And mop the floors.

Thursday is for grocery-shopping.  I will be due for that anyway.  My local meat/deli/liquor store (it is a weird combination) has a special this week on rib-eye steaks, standing beef rib roast, and large fresh shrimp.  I haven't decided which I will get yet.  But mostly, I buy fresh fruits and veggies, so that also means a trip to Safeway.

I have the outside looking reasonably good.  4 large new deck pots and 3 hanging baskets with flowers that are just beginning to bloom; possibly the first ripe tomatoes, beans, and fancy lettuce.  The new compost bin is "finished" (well, I will add a top later).  Flowers in bloom in the yard. 

I hope the cats don't panic.  It would be nice if they come out and greet her.  My sister is a cat person too.  Iza is most likely to come out.  She is generally fearless.  Marley is friendly but skittish.  Ayla routinely stays in the bedroom except at dawn and dusk, though lately she is going outside more often and so would have to pass through the main rooms if she wants to get out.

I feel like I will be ready for a visitor.  Sometimes, it is not so much how the house looks so much as how much better it looks that it did before.  Does that make sense?  Cleaner is cleaner, and showing a new improvement to the house (the bathroom and possibly the kitchen) matters.

The sad thing is that I have a list of home-improvement projects I will be starting in a few weeks.  When it gets really hot outside in July/August, I pay more attention to the inside.  And, in recognition of 30 years here, this is the year I'll be having contractors in to do stuff I'm no longer trusting myself to do properly or at all.

I'll be posting about those in a few weeks as I finalize choice of new flooring to replace old carpet,  extending basement siding and hung ceiling,  removing a basement washroom I've never had much use for, new driveway, and installing an attic floor for storage space.

I also plan to update utilities in the house.  The 30 year old water heater will be replaced with an instant water heater and a dedicated one for the kitchen sink.  A new refrigerator (the existing one will become a basement storage refrigerator for bulk vegetables), some damaged doors will be replaced, and there are various small things that need expertise I don't have.   I'm even considering one of those ceiling attachments you can hang skillets from for convenience.

I'll be busy with overseeing some work then.  I will probably be the last serious work I have done on this house.