What I Have Learned....

No this is not things I have learned in school....college or 5th grade (the grade that I was an aide for last year). No, this is what I have learned over the past two months, more specifically the last three weeks.
The big week is finally here, carpet it coming on Wednesday!!!!! I am excited. After 14 years and having the same carpet, and yes it was nice when we moved in - and for about 4 years afterwards, it is time to replace it.
But back on to what I have learned. As Brent and I have have tackled this overwhelming little project - paint the house; replace the subfloor in the bathroom; pull up carpet in every room of the house; paint the bathroom; tack off every piece of molding; spackle the holes; put down I wanna be wood floor, but I am not quite wood (Ikea laminate); that we thought we could complete relatively quickly.
It has become quite apparent to me that Trading Spaces and other design shows similar to it have to have more people then they show; more behind the scenes people that help out. There is no way in the world that two people, sometimes three - meaning the designer - could tackle a project and have it completed in 48 hours, if that. Now granted I have taken on a whole house, but still, there is no way. Now if you have done it - that is tackle two rooms, paint them, make new furniture or design it, painted or made what is going to go on the wall, and then if you're a girl, look pretty the next day, and you have accomplished this in two days - then my hat is off to you. I am impressed, but let me know how you did it.
Okay next thing that I have learned in this little adventure of a remodel....if they say to add at least an extra 10% for the little incidentals - believe them. Lets see...new toilet, not that I am complaining because it is much prettier then the last toilet - but still, I was not planning on spending money on a toilet. Subfloor for the dining room - that is to raise the new floor to the height of the kitchen floor. More spackle; sanding pole to reach the high areas (good investment - makes sanding go much quicker); paint sprayer; and paintmate paint roller - there may be more, I probably lost track somewhere along the way to Lowes, Home Depot, or Ace.
But seriously, I used to think that how can you not plan for things and I seriously thought that we had planned through this and had everything, but I guess not. But then again, who plans on having a toilet break - or who thought that a toilet could break? Not me.
Next thing, don't try doing a remodel while going to school full time. Not a wise idea. I use to think that people who used the I am going to school excuse were lame and that they were just trying to get out of doing things. But now I have joined that club - so I guess you can call me lame.
Another thing that I have learned, and this is a big one.....don't wait until the last minute to do stuff. A year and eight months ago I purchased paint to paint my house. Five gallons of paint. Did I paint it when I bought it? Nope. Am I a procrastinator? Yep. I started my cabinets a year and a half ago, but never finished them. So, when I started this project three weeks ago, I had completely changed my mind from how I wanted them to look.
Lets see, what else I have learned? My kids hate sleeping on the floor. I have a big screen tv - well sort of. Since I have no couch and we painted to the walls a week ago, everything, well just the entertainment stand that has the tv in it and the cuddle bag are in the middle of the family room. Well the cuddle bag is right next to the tv, so you are sitting inches away from the television - so it can appear, since you cannot see all the tv in one glance, that I have a big screen tv - as long as you are seated directly in front of it. Prepare others for the fact that you have no furniture to sit on - and that may include your Home Teachers or childrens friends. Step out of your comfort zone - you may be pleasantly surprised with the results (this is for the paint I chose in the bathroom). It is easy to get distracted and side tracked, but DON'T. You think you are getting on top of the mess, but you're not. Really, it is moving from room to room - or just spreading out. I think I could go on and on and on, but I think I will stop boring you.
I think my kids will need to see a chiropractor for their backs for the rest of their life, but it will be worth it - just kidding. I told them today that after packing up their rooms they may never want to move since they know how it feels to pack. Not that we are moving or have plans to move - I am just saying...it is a pain to pack. I was hoping though that they would weed out a bunch of their junk though, and that did not happen. Oh well. Maybe they wil forget what they boxed and eventually it can find its way to the D.I.....I am just thinking....
So I guess I am good for another 14 years. I think it will be like pregnancy, except I enjoyed being pregnant, but still it is sort of like that. I think by the time 14 years comes around I will have forgotten how much fun we had tackling our little endeavor that I will want to do it again....Yea right I think not. We will be much older and wiser by then so we will have our children do it for us because they have already done this once.....hahaha!!!!